Two cases of canine gallbladder carcinoid: clinical and ultrasonographic findings

Gallbladder carcinoid is a rare neoplasia that arise from the dispersed cells of the neuroendocrine system of the biliary three. This tumour have been described in humans and dogs. In the few reports we can nd in literature, canine patients a ected by this neoplasia present a combination of symptoms such as: vomiting, weight loss, lethargy, fever, melena, anaemia, hematemesis and jaundice. Haemobilia, hemocholecyst and common bile duct dila- tion have been found in few dogs presenting gallbladder car- cinoid. Clinical-ultrasonographic ndings and long term follow up of two asymptomatic dogs a ected by gallbladder carcinoid are described. Dog 1: Mixed breed, 10 years old, 28 kg, underwent ultrasonographic examination for a routine follow up control because previously a ected by low grade splenic lymphoma. Liver was sonographically normal and a 4 cm, round shaped, inhomogeneous mass was found into the gallbladder arising absence of airway disease and of clinical signs as cough, exercise intolerance, anorexia, syncope, ascites and dysp- nea, were collected from a total of 477 medical records. All dogs included in the study underwent a complete physical and echocardiographic examination. In dogs in stage B1 or B2 that presented with cough, cough was con rmed to be due to concomitant airway disease by radiographic and echocardiographic examination in conjunction with informa- tion regarding follow-up and response to therapy. From the 477 medical records, 235 had complete infor- mation regarding clinical signs. In these 235 records, 139 symptomatic dogs were identi ed. At baseline examination, 90 (64.7%) dogs presented with cough, 48 (34.5%) with exercise intolerance, 36 (25.9%) with dyspnea, 36 (25.9%) with syncope, 25 (18%) with anorexia and 8 (5.8%) with ascites. Out of the 90 dogs that had cough, 44 (48.9%) were in stage B1 or B2, which means that in these cough was caused by concomitant airway disease. Of the 177 dogs with information regarding cardiac auscultation and murmur intensity, 156 (88.1%) had a left apical systolic murmur. Mur- mur grades were mainly between 2 and 5 (95.6%). The mean SBP was 149.5 \ub1 26.51 mmHg (n= 63), and the mean HR was 135 \ub1 37.9 bpm (n= 477). The ndings of this study regarding clinical signs reported are in agreement with the results from previous studies. The concomitant presence of airway disease seems to represent the higher risk factor for coughing in dogs with MMVD. There- fore, this should be taken into account when considering diagnosis and clinical management of these dogs. from its wall. This mass presented a massive Doppler vascu- lar signal. Bile was hypoechoic and inhomogeneous with a small amount of biliary sludge. Common bile duct (CBD) diameter was normal (< 3 mm). Visceral lymphadenopathy was not reported Dog 2: English Bulldog, 9 years old, 30 kg, underwent ultrasonographic examination because of a routine control of urate cystolithiasis. Liver was sonographically normal and a 1,5 cm, round shaped, inhomogeneous mass with regular margins was found into the gallbladder. This mass pre- sented a massive Doppler vascular signal. Fluid content of gallbladder was anechoic. CBD diameter was normal (< 3 mm). Visceral lymphadenopathy was not reported. Dogs underwent laparotomic cholecystectomy and hepatic biopsy. Any abdominal lesion was found during sur- gery, the patency of CBD was veri ed with a retrograde catheterization and no blood or clots were found into the gallbladder or biliary three. Histology and immunohistochemistry con rmed the diagnosis of gallbladder carcinoid. Hepatic biopsy did not reveal any alteration except from a mild portal hepatitis. Dogs recovered well and they remained asymptomatic; they were sonographically evaluated 3 and 12 months after surgery and no abnormalities attributable to metastasis were found. However both dogs presented a CBD dilation (almost 1 cm) without any sign of post-hepatic jaundice. CBD dilation have been described in humans with an history of cholecystectomy and it seems to be related to senior age

A new method for ultrasonographic measurement of kidney size in healthy dogs

Introduction: The authors propose a simple method for assessment of canine kidney size derived from the radiological technique described by Finco et al in 1971. Methods: In 26 healthy dogs ultrasonography was used to measure the length, height, and thickness of each kidney. These measurements were correlated with the lengths of the fifth and sixth lumbar vertebrae (L5 and L6), also measured by ultrasound. The resulting values were compared with the linear correlation method and the ratios defined using descriptive statistics. Results: No significant differences were observed between the dimensions of the right and left kidneys. The length of both kidneys displayed significant correlation with both the length of L5 and that of L6. In both cases, the renal:vertebral length ratios ranged from 1.3 to 2.7. Discussion: The ratio of kidney length to the length of L5 or L6 can be considered a useful parameter for assessing the size of the kidneys in healthy dogs. The normal range we iden- tified in this study (from 1.3 to 2.7) is sufficiently narrow to allow sonographic detection of even limited changes in renal length

Octreotide as medical therapy of idiopatic chylothorax in 3 cats after surgery

Idiopathic chylothorax is a rare disease that a ects cats. Dif- ferent therapeutical options both surgical and medical have been described without a clear standard protocol and posi- tive outcome. The use of Octreotide in cats have been described previ- ously (for the medical therapy of hyperinsulinemia in cats a ected by insulinomas, gastrinomas, acromegaly and acute pancreatitis) but its usefulness as de nitive treatment to cure chylothorax its unclear. This preliminary data describe the clinical features of three cats treated with Octreotide after a partial surgical resolution of idiopathic chylothorax. Three cats presenting a moderate amount of chylous e usion one week after surgical closure of thoracic duct with transdiaphragmatic approach were selected for our study. The Octreotide started seven days after surgery at the dose of 20 ug/kg/sc/tid (dose proposed in literature 10\u201320 ug/kg/ sc/tid for maximum 2\u20133 weeks). Standard clinical, radio- graphic and ultrasonographic evaluations were performed twice a month and together blood cell count, seroum bio- chemistry, cytological,chemical-physical evaluation of tho- racic e usion were performed at each control. Clinical, imaging and laboratory abnormalities were reported. The Octreotide administration was interrupted one month later by the end of the pleural collection and each patients was re-evaluated one year after surgery. Cat one: (DSH, 5 years old, neutered male) presented pleural e usion from day one to day 146 of therapy. Octreotide was interrupted at day 176. Cat two: (DSH, 6 years old, neutered male) presented pleural effusion from day one to day 143 of therapy. Octreotide was interrupted at day 173. Both cats were discharged with- out clinical symptoms and they were rechecked six month later without any clinical problems, except the di use pleural thickening observed at the ultrasonographic examination. Cat three: (DSH, 9 years old, neutered male) presented pleural effusion from day one to day 182 of octreotide ther- apy. At day 182 the cat was euthanised according to the owners due to respiratory insu ciency. Necropsy confirmed a severe constrictive pleuririts. In all the subject thoracentesis were performed during controls if necessary. No adverse e ects were observed even considering that this drug was used for 6 months therapy. In our experi- ence on three cats the use of Octreotide turned out useful and safe as complementary therapy of the idiopathic chylothorax

SENSIBILITÀ DELL’ECOGRAFIA NELLA DIAGNOSI DEI CORPI ESTRANEI GASTROINTESTINALI (G-I FBS) NEL CANE E NEL GATTO

Ultrasound examination was performed on 31 patients (19 dogs and 12 cats) with clinical symptoms suggestive of g-I FBs. Nineteen patients (61 %, 15 dogs and 4 cats) showed ultrasonographic findings of g-I FBs as distal acoustic shadowing and variable degrees of surface reflection. Additional sonographic findings including gastrointestinal distension, peristalsis, thickening/layering of gastrointestinal wall, lymphoadenophaty, free peritoneal fluid and mesentery echogenicity were also valued in all patients. Endoscopic examination, laparotomy or necroscopy confirmed the presence of g-I FBs in 17 animals. G-i FBs were classified as blunt (13/17), linear (2\17), perforant (2\17) and additional sonographic findings were revalued for each class. No G-i Fbs were identified in patients with negative ultrasound examination. Ultrasound examinations showed high sensibility (100%) and good sensitivity (85.7%)

ASPETTI ECOGRAFICI DELLE NEOFORMAZIONI VESCICALI NEL CANE E NEL GATTO

The data of 26 ultrasound examinations suggestive for diagnosis of urinary bladder neoplasia were selected and reclassified on basis of anatomopathological diagnosis in two group: group A (primary urinary bladder neoplasms) and group B (non-neoplastic diseases or non-primary urinary bladder neoplasms). Site envolvment, dimensions, ultrasonographic features, vascularization and regional lymph-nodes of the two groups were than revalued. The two groups showed pathological features detectable with ultrasound imaging which resulted a useful instrument in differentiating urinary bladder neoplasm from chronic cystitis or secondary organ involvement from tumors otherwhere localized

Ecocontrastografia epatica nel cane: studi preliminari

The purpose of this study is to determine the normal perfusion dynamics in the canine liver using sulphur hexafluoride (Sonovue\uae) as contrast medium. Its effects have been investigated measuring the changes in liver grayscale enhancement in 11 dogs. Each dog received two separate bolus contrast injection (0.03 ml/kg and 0.06 ml/kg). Two different setup of the ultrasound machine were considered. Time/Mean Pixel Value curves were generated for selected regions of the liver, at 2 and at 4 cm of depth. The influence of cardiac output, heart rate and respiratory rate upon the arterial phase time, portal phase time, equilibrium phase, time to peak, time to 50% peak and maximum pixel value were investigate

The 4 K outer cryostat for the CUORE experiment: construction and quality control

The external shell of the CUORE cryostat is a large cryogen-free system designed to host the dilution refrigerator and the bolometers of the CUORE experiment in a low radioactivity environment. The three vessels that form the outer shell were produced and delivered to the Gran Sasso underground Laboratories in July 2012. In this paper, we describe the production techniques and the validation tests done at the production site in 2012.Comment: 11 pages, 13 figures; to appear in NIM

Neonatal mortality in dogs : prognostic value of Doppler ductus venosus waveform evaluation - Preliminary results

Aim: To define the prognostic value of Doppler ultrasonographic morphology of ductus venosus (DV) waveform on canine neonatal mortality. Materials and Methods: Fifty-four healthy pregnant bitches underwent fetal ultrasonographic assessment. The DV waveforms were classified as diphasic (dDVw) or triphasic (tDVw) and compared with neonatal mortality. Results: Ninety-three fetuses were evaluated. Twenty fetuses belonged to litters with neonatal mortality, in which tDVw was observed. Seven fetuses belonged to litters without neonatal mortality, in which tDVw was observed. Fifty-eight fetuses belonged to litters without neonatal mortality, in which only dDVw was observed. Eight fetuses belonged to litters with neonatal mortality, in which only dDVw was observed. The correlation between tDVw and neonatal mortality was statistically significant (odds ratio [OR], 20.7; p<0.0001). Considering only pregnancies with one or two fetuses with the same DV waveform: Two fetuses with tDVw belonged to litters with neonatal mortality; 1 foetus with tDVw belonged to litter without neonatal mortality and 26 fetuses showed dDVw without neonatal mortality. The correlation between tDVw and neonatal mortality even in litters up to two pups was statistically significant (OR, 88.3; p=0.01). Conclusion: Echo-Doppler assessment of DV is feasible in canine fetuses, and the presence tDVw seems to be related to neonatal mortality