Preliminary assessment of vertebral heart score of the Nigerian mongrel dog

Vertebral Heart Score is a reliable method of determining cardiac size changes because it is able to assess cardiac enlargement. The canine heart has considerable breed variation than any other organ. It is assessed by a measurement of the cardiac silhouette by involving its long axis taken from the left main stem bronchus ventral border to the cardiac apex and short axis taken from central third region of the heart perpendicular to the longitudinal axis with a measuring scale on a lateral radiograph against the length of the vertebral column beginning from the fourth thoracic vertebra. Six Nigerian Mongrel Dogs (NMD) comprising 2 males and 4 females of about a year old weighing 14 ± 2.3kg were used for this study. Right lateral radiographs were taken and the measurements of long and short axes were taken and compared with thoracic vertebrae to calculate the VHS. A mean VHS value of 9.6 ± 0.8 was determined. The mean VHS value of the male which represented 33.3% was 10.35 while that of female which represented 66.7% was 9.2. The VHS value for clinically healthy NMD was found to be 9.6 ± 0.8 which is slightly below the VHS average for dogs in the same medium weight class such as the Poodle, Cocker Spaniel and Bull dog and this may be due to differences in weight within the medium range weight among breeds or a sedentary existence of most of these dogs. This VHS value will be useful for determining cardiac enlargement specifically within this breed of dogs.Keywords: Vertebral Heart Score, Radiography, Right Lateral view, Mongrel dog

Challenges and distribution of radiographic diagnosis in dogs at a tertiary veterinary institution

Radiography is an important clinical diagnostic tool in any Veterinary establishment and especially for a tertiary institution. It is however limited by lack of functional equipment and staff. This study attempts to assess the challenges faced by the Radiology Unit of the Surgery Clinic and enumerate the distribution of cases at a tertiary veterinary centre between August 2016 and June 2017. All the referred cases to the unit within the study period were accessed (n=52). 26 were selected based on the inclusion criteria which were a radiography request from a clinician and an actual return to clinic of a clear radiograph. Age, sex, lesions and clinical history were recorded from case files and radiographs. The age of animals presented ranged from one month to 13 years. Eleven (11) representing 42.3% of the dogs were female while 14(53.8%) were male, and one animal’s sex was omitted. Eighteen (18) were single lesions while four presented with multiple lesions, and four had no observable lesions. Fourteen 14 (53.8%) were fracture cases of long bones either for diagnosis or post-reduction evaluation. Three (11.5%) were to check for suspected thoracic metastasis in cases where lumps were found in other parts of the body. Four (15.3%) were of the pelvis to diagnose hip dysplasia. Seven (26.9%) were to aid diagnosis in cases in which swellings were palpated within the abdomen and one (3.8%) was of the cervical spine while another was of a foot (3.8%). The implication of lack of radiographic equipment and staff problems in a tertiary veterinary centre were elucidated and ideal conditions suggested.Keywords: Diagnosis, Dogs, Radiography, Surgery, Tertiary veterinary centre, Universit

XYLAZINE-KETAMINE ANAESTHESIA; COMPARATIVE STUDIES IN MALE AND FEMALE CANE RATS (THRYONOMYS SWINDERIANUS)

Objective: Domestication of the Cane rats is on-going globally and might replace the conventional rodents used in biomedical research in future. However, the paucity of information on adequate anaesthesia vis-a-vis xylazine-ketamine drug combination in the male and female Cane rats warranted this study.Methods: Six adult Cane rats {1.8±0.7 kg body weights (bwt.)} assigned into group A (Female) and group B (Male) of three rats each was used for the study. Each animal was premedicated with atropine sulphate (0.05 mg/kg bwt), and later administered xylazine (10 mg/kg bwt) and ketamine (100 mg/kg bwt) intramuscularly. Meanwhile, anaesthetic characteristics and physiologic indices of anaesthesia were monitored.Results: Results obtained showed that the physiologic indices; open eyelids, smooth induction and recovery, skeletal muscle relaxation and somatic analgesia were observed in all the animals, however, the anaesthetic indices; time to induction, time to standing, duration of analgesia and duration of recumbency showed marked sex variations. The mean values for the duration of analgesia and recumbency were significantly elevated (P<0.05) in group B as compared with group A. Similar trend was seen for time to standing, but, it was non-significant (P>005). However, time to induction mean value for group A was non-significantly increased (P>005) when compared with group B. The heart rate, respiratory rate and rectal temperature mean values decreased in both groups non-significantly (P>0.05).Conclusion: Conclusively, the xylazine-ketamine combination produced anaesthesia in Cane rat and the combination is more tolerated in the male Cane rats than the female Cane rats

Multiple spinal curvatures in a captive African dwarf crocodile Osteolaemus tetraspis (Cope, 1861)

A 4 year old African dwarf crocodile that had been domiciled at the Zoological Gardens, University of Ibadan for 2 years was presented with a history of anorexia of two weeks’ duration and reluctance to move for about a week prior to presentation. Physical examination revealed body curvatures and radiography was requested. Dorsoventral, ventrodorsal and left lateral views were done and these revealed multiple curvatures of the cervical, thoracic and caudal vertebrae. There appeared to be a generalized reduction in bone density although there were no visible fractures. There was a lateral compression of the right lung and a downward displacement of the cardiac silhouette. There were also several mineral opacities within the stomach which are suspected to be stones. Metabolic Bone Disease is a non-infectious disease common to reptiles in captivity. It is a consequence of improper diet and husbandry. A diet of flesh without bone or calcium supplements can cause an imbalance leading to the signs and symptoms seen. This can also be worsened by lack of, or insufficient, Vitamin D. It has severe effects in young animals as they require a higher nutritional plane to meet growth requirements. It is essential that reptiles in captivity receive calcium supplementation to maintain calcium: phosphorus balance and adequate exposure to sunlight or artificial ultraviolet light to encourage the synthesis of Vitamin D in the skin. These will prevent the production of parathyroid hormone which causes bone resorption and leads to swollen misshapen bones, fractures, twisting of the spine and kidney damage.Keywords: African dwarf crocodile, Metabolic bone disease, Radiography, Spinal curvature

Management of epitheliogenesis imperfecta in a piglet (Sus Scrofa domesticus) in Ibadan, Nigeria

No Abstract