Idiopathic pericardial effusion in 2 year old labrador managed with ultrasound-guided pericardiocentesis: Case report

A two-year old, 38kg-wt male Labrador was presented for management because of progressive exercise intolerance. At presentation, rectal temperature was 38.5°C, pulse rate was 135 beats per minute (but weak). There was ascites along with oedema of the extremities. The heart sound was muffled and pulsus paradoxus was very mild. The patient was well hydrated. Thoracic radiography revealed a globoid shaped heart occupying most of the equatorial thoracic volume; there was loss of details of cardiac silhouette and there was dorsal deviation of trachea at carina. Ultrasonography revealed a distinct epicardium, pericardium and a very wide anechoic space in between. Blood picture was within normal findings. Idiopathic chronic pericardial effusion was diagnosed. Ultrasound-guided pericardiocentesis was carried out using a 16 gauge over the needle catheter attached to a 3-way stopcock and a 20mls syringe; about 65mls of clear effusate was aspirated. Laboratory analysis of the effusate revealed that it was a transudate. The patient was placed on 3mg/kg furosemide, twice daily for 5 days and the patient returned to gradual exercise during hospitalization. Oedema of the extremities and ascities decreased, the appetite improved and the dog became more active. Thoracic radiography fourth week post pericardiocentesis revealed a normal cardiac silhouette. The cause of pericardial effusion was not known

Bilateral perineal hernia with bladder retroflexion in a 13-year-old intact Jack-Russel Dog: Case report

A 13-year-old male Jack-Russel was presented to the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Sokoto because of a swollen perineum. Physical and laboratory examinations revealed normal parameters, however a bilateral protrusion was noticed at the perineum suggestive of a bilateral perineal hernia. Contrast radiography revealed a hernia sac with intestinal segments on the left, urinary bladder and prostate on the right. Standard obturator muscle transpositional herniorhaphy was successfully performed.Keywords: Bilateral Perineal Hernia, Bladder Retroflexion, Cystic Kidney, Canine

Severe gastric impaction in an 8-Year-old Nigerian local dog

An 8-year old male, neutered Nigerian indigenous dog was presented to the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Sokoto because of chronic intermittent vomiting, off feed and progressive wasting. Physical examination of the abdomen revealed hard mass in the abdominal cavity. Survey abdominal radiography (lateral view) revealed impacted material along with electrical wire in the stomach. Standard gastrotomy was successfully performed to evacuate the gastric foreign body.Keywords: Dog, Foreign Body, Gastrotomy, Pica, Radiograph

Laboratory animal euthanasia using intra-medullary injection of air

Background and Objective: Globally, millions of rodents are used for various researches annually. These animals must be euthanised with a minimum of physical and mental suffering. We describe intramedully injection of air as safe, reliable and humane method of euthanasia for rodents. Design: A prospective study of the effectiveness of intramedullary injection of air was conducted on thirty six Wister rats in the histology laboratory of the Department of Anatomy, College of Health Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria between April to October 2004. Methodology: Thirty six pregnant Wister rats were euthanised by injecting 1ml of air into the medulla through foramen magnum. The time lag between the intramedullary injection of air and achievement of adequate euthanasia was documented for each rat using a stop watch.Results: Out of thirty six rats euthanised through intramedullary injection of air, thirty (83.3%) rats died within 10 seconds after the injection and the remaining 6(16.7%) rats died within 20 seconds after the injection.Conclusion: Intramedullary injection of air is effective, cheap, reliable and humane method of euthanasia in small rodents and requires inexpensive personnel training and is therefore advocated for use in small laboratory animals.Sahel Medical Journal Vol. 9(1) 2006: 7-

Sterilization effects on tensile strength of non-conventional suture materials as compared with nylon surgical suture

An experiment was carried out to determine the tensile strength of embroidery, braiding, cobbler’s thread and nylon mono-filament fishing line (NMFL) use as non-conventional suture material. Their tensile strength were determined pre- sterilization using various calibrated weights (50gm, 100gm, 500gm). The non-conventional suture materials (NCS) were then subjected to different sterilization methods and tensile strength of the sterilized materials were determined using the same known weights. The procedure was repeated ten times on the NCS materials for each category and the mean tensile strength was determined for various sterilized material. The mean tensile strength of Miralene® was also determined using the above method of weight substitution. All data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to compare mean values within the sterilization groups with 95% confidence level (0.05). It was inferred that, mean tensile strength for cobbler’s thread increased for boiling and NMFL increases for autoclave and boiling method of sterilization (P<0.05). Also, mean tensile strength of NMFL and cobbler’s thread was significantly superior to that of Miralene®, and as such, it can be used as external suture in lieu of conventional suture materials.Keywords: Calibrated weights, Conventional, Nylon suture material, Sterilization, Tensile Strengt

Acute traumatic proptosis in a four-year old Nigerian dog: A case report

No Abstract

An evaluation of the effect of bone morphogenetic protein-2 in a hydroxyapatite carrier on the rate of cortical restoration of large bone defects using the dog ulna model

To evaluate the rate of establishment of cortical continuity and union of large bone defects with the use of recombinant bone morphogenetic protein (rh-BMP- 2)/hydroxyapatite implants. Six adult male dogs were used to evaluate the effect of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) in filling large cortical defects. A 1.5cm cortical ulnar defect was created in two groups of dogs. First group had 1.5cm BMP implant in a carrier of hydroxyapatite in the cortical defect; the control (group 2) defect was left  intact. Evaluation was through serial radiographic determination of mean fracture gaps. There was progressive filling of osseous defects in group 1, which was total at the 16th week post-surgical (PS); group 2 dogs had radiographic non-union at the 16th PS week. It was concluded that BMP implanted with a hydroxyapatite carrier significantly  enhanced the rate of cortical restoration of massive bone defects in dogs.Keywords: Bone healing, Bone morphogenetic protein-2, Cortical growth, Dogs, Segmental bone defects, Uln

Monocephalus, thoracopagus and dipygus twins in Sokoto red goat

A dipygus Sokoto red goat was delivered through caesarean section following protracted period of dystocia. The dipygus thoracopagus twins died shortly after the surgery and were examined radiographically and at necropsy. They were monocephalus joined at the thoracic region (thoracopagus) and had separate spinal columns

Aural haematoma in dogs: a review of 55 cases

Background: Untreated aural haematoma may result in deformity of the pinna. Methods: Retrospective study of 55 cases of aural haematoma (AH) managed in 18 years. Results: AH was categorized based on the severity of the condition and the management protocol employed. AH fluid aspiration, AH fluid aspiration and dexamethasone infusion, AH incision plus bandaging, AH incision plus ablation suturing and AH stab incision plus placement of measured indwelling polyethylene infusion tubes were employed in the management of this disorder. Conclusion: AH stab incision plus placement of measured indwelling polyethylene infusion tubes proved to be the most successful of these protocols. Keywords: Aural, Haematoma Dogs Nig. J. of Surgical Research 4(1-2) 2002: 50-5

Evaluation of Healing Intervals of Incisional Skin Wounds of Goats Closed with Three Suture Patterns

The aim of this study was to compare the healing intervals among simple interrupted (SI), ford interlocking (FI) and subcuticular (SC) suture patterns in goats. We hypothesized that these common suture patterns used for closure of incisional skin wounds may have effect on the healing interval. To test this hypothesis, two parameters (subjective healing interval and histologic objective healing interval) were used to investigate the healing interval of the three suture patterns. Our findings showed that, there was significant differences (P<0.05) in subjective healing interval between subcuticular (SC) withford interlocking (FI), but there was nosignificant difference between subcuticular with simple interrupted patterns. There were also no significant differences between ford-interlocking and simple interrupted. Histologic findings at seventh day post surgery revealed low polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) infiltrations and early fibroblast, collagen fibers and epidermal keratinization in the subcuticular group in comparison with the two other groups. At fourteen day post-surgery, there was marked reduction of inflammatory infiltrates in the subcuticular group when compare with the two other groups, while the collagen fiber density and epidermal keratinization increased in the subcuticular group. At twenty first-day post - surgery , there were no inflammatory cells in subcuticular group, while collagen density was higher, and the orientation of the collagen fibers were horizontal, suggestive of faster healing in comparison with the simple interrupted and ford interlocking groups. It was concluded as measured by subjective healing interval and histologic objective healing interval that surgical skin-wound closed by subcuticular suture pattern alone healed faster than simple interrupted and ford interlocking suture patterns reinforced after subcuticular closure, on the other hand simple interrupted pattern healed faster than ford interlocking.Keywords: Incisional wound healing, histology, goat, suture patterns, healing interva