In diabetics with high-risk proliferative retinopathy after full scatter laser coagulation, octreotide reduced the number of vitreous hemorrhages, preserving visual acuity.

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A 1-year-old spayed female Persian cat with alopecia and weight loss had numerous variably ulcerated dermal nodules. Cytologic examination of an aspirate of one of the nodules revealed pyogranulomatous inflammation along with septate hyphae and basophilic round bodies, 0.5-1.0 microm in diameter, surrounded by a thin clear halo (arthrospores). The cytologic diagnosis was dermatophytic pseudomycetoma. Histologically, there were dermal granulomas containing poorly staining, septate hyphae with bulbous spores embedded within abundant amorphous eosinophilic material (Splendore-Hoeppli reaction), and the histologic diagnosis was pseudomycetoma-associated chronic multifocal severe granulomatous dermatitis with lymphocytic perifolliculitis and furunculosis. Microsporum canis was cultured from the lesion. Pseudomycetomas are distinguished from fungal mycetomas, or eumycotic mycetomas, by the findings of multiple lesions, lack of a history of skin trauma, an association with dermatophytes, most commonly Microsporum canis, and, histologically, lack of true cement material and a more abundant Splendore-Hoeppli reaction in pseudomycetomas. Additionally, pseudomycetomas differ from dermatophytosis, in which lesions are restricted to epidermal structures. Persian cats have a high incidence of pseudomycetoma formation, suggesting a heritable predisposition. The prognosis is fair with systemic antifungal therapy. When examining cytologic specimens from Persian cats with single or multiple dermal nodules, especially if pyogranulomatous inflammation is present, a diagnosis of pseudomycetoma should be suspected and is warranted if arthrospores and refractile septate hyphae are present.

Leukemia is a neoplastic disease of one or more of the cell types of the hemopoietic system and is rarely diagnosed in the horse. This report describes a case of subleukemic acute myelomonocytic leukemia in an 1 1-year-old gelding. Preliminary cytological diagnosis was supported by two types of laboratory investigations. Cytochemical characterization of blood and bone marrow neoplastic cells was consistent with a myelomonocytic origin. Neoplastic blast cells in peripheral blood were labeled by monoclonal anti-bodies specific for cell surface molecules of horse granulo-cytes, but they were not labeled by antibodies to T-or B-lymphocytes or macrophages. Treatment was attempted eukemia is a neoplastic disease involving one or more of

SummaryConventional laboratory methods were used to screen untreated tumor-bearing dogs for hemostatic abnormalities. Excluded from study were dogs with clinical evidence of bleeding. The primary site for neoplastic disease in 100 dogs studied included hemolymphatic system, skin, bone, thyroid gland, oropharynx, mammary gland, and nasal cavity.Eighty-three percent of the dogs had one or more abnormal coagulation tests. Thrombocytopenia occurred in 36 dogs and 3 had thrombocytosis. Twenty-five dogs had hypofibrinogenemia, and 25 had hyperfibrinogenemia. There were 32 dogs with prolongation of the activated partial thromboplastin time, 10 dogs with shortened prothrombin time, and 6 dogs with prolongation of the thrombin time. Sixteen dogs had positive protamine sulfate (paracoagulation) reaction, and 8% had increased plasma fibrin degradation products. The euglobulin lysis time was accelerated in 24% of the dogs, and 15% had schistocytes on blood film.These data indicate that the majority of dogs with advanced neoplasms are likely to have abnormal coagulation tests.

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Sympathetic denervation in a 20-year-old, gray, Thoroughbred-Percheron gelding was manifested by cutaneous hyperthermia and sweating over the right side of the body, demarcated by a line from the withers to the elbow and extending cranially. There was cutaneous hyperthermia over the right side of the head, but other signs of Horner's syndrome (sweating, ptosis, miosis, enophthalmos) were not present. The pattern of cutaneous hyperthermia and sweating was consistent with sympathetic denervation localized to the cervicothoracic ganglion, and thoracic radiographs 20-year-old, gray, Thoroughbred-Percheron gelding A was examined because of increased heat in the distal right front limb but no associated lameness. The owner also reported that the right front hoof had grown more than the left front hoof during the previous month. The horse had been examined frequently at the hospital during the previous 3 years for a chronic gastric ulcer problem, and this new problem had never been reported to or noted by the attending clinician. The horse was maintained in a 4-acre field with 2 other horses and was used for occasional light riding.Examination revealed the horse to be bright and in good body condition. Temperature, pulse rate, and respiratory rate were within normal limits. The skin over the right front limb from the carpus down felt warmer than the skin over the left front limb. Also the skin over the right side ofthe neck felt slightly warmer than that on the left side. There was no evidence of pain with hoof testers, on flexion of the front limbs, or at a trot. Radiographs of the distal right front limb had been taken by the referring veterinarian and no lesions had been detected.Nuclear scintigraphy was performed to determine whether there was an underlying lesion in the distal right front limb that might coincide with the increased skin temperature. Scintigraphy was performed using 200 mCi technetium 99m monodiphosphonate. Soft tissue phase imaging was performed 10 minutes after administration of the radiopharmaceutical, and bone phase imaging was performed 180 minutes after its administration. The soft tissue phase imaging revealed moderate, focal uptake of radiopharmaceutical over the palmar aspect of the right coronary band, compared to the left limb. The bone-phase imaging revealed diffuse increased uptake in both front third phalangeal bones, with greater uptake in the right front compared to the left front third phalanx. These findings were nonspecific and were not interpreted to be associated with the increased skin temperature over the right front limb.The next week the owner indicated that the horse had developed a sinall focal area of intermittent sweating over the right scapula. This occurred in February, and sweating was not visible over any other area of the horse. A neurologic examination was performed and no abnormalities were noted. Another lameness evaluation revealed mild sensitivity to palpation of both front iuspensory ligaments, and ultraso- nography revealed a mild lesion in the right front s...