Six hunting dogs were investigated after showing signs of diffuse back pain. In three of the dogs, prodromal signs included coughing. Swelling in the dorsal lumbar region was noted in four of the dogs, but in two there was no visible or palpable swelling. Initial radiographs of the lumbar region were normal in two of the dogs and showed mild to moderate ventral periosteal reactions in the L1 to L4 region in the remaining four. On ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging, changes were seen in the sublumbar muscles (e.g., abnormal echogenicity and increased signal intensity) in five dogs examined. Exploratory surgery revealed plant material foreign bodies in the sublumbar muscles in the L1 to L4 region in five of the six dogs. The concurrent infections were caused predominantly by anaerobic bacteria common to the mucous membranes of the oropharyngeal and respiratory tracts. All dogs recovered, with restored hunting ability. The mean follow-up period was five years (range 1.3 to 7.8 years). It is proposed that the plant parts were inhaled, and then migrated along either diaphragmatic crus to lodge in the sublumbar muscles.

BackgroundEvery year many dogs in Sweden are bitten by Vipera berus, the only venomous viper in Sweden. This prospective study investigated clinical signs, some biochemical parameters, treatment, and progress of disease after snakebite in 53 dogs. Effects of treatment with and without glucocorticoids were evaluated.MethodsAll fifty-three dogs bitten by Vipera berus were examined the same day the dog was bitten and the next day. Two more examinations during 23 days post snake bite were included. Creatinine, creatine kinase (CK), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bile acid results were followed through 3 to 4 samplings from 34 of the dogs.ResultsAll dogs had variable severity of local swelling in the bite area and 73 per cent had affected mental status. Initial cardiac auscultation examination was normal in all dogs, but six dogs had cardiac abnormalities at their second examination, including cardiac arrhythmias and cardiac murmurs. All dogs received fluid therapy, 36 dogs were given analgesics, 22 dogs were treated with glucocorticoids, and ten dogs were treated with antibiotics. Evidence of transient muscle damage (increased CK) was seen one day after the snake bite in 15 (54%) of 28 sampled dogs. Moderate changes in hepatic test results occurred in 1 dog and several dogs (22 of 34) had transient, minor increases in one or more hepatic test result. No dog died during the observation period as a consequence of the snake bite.ConclusionsSnake bite caused local swelling in all dogs and mental depression of short duration in most dogs. Some dogs had transient clinical signs that could be indicative of cardiac injury and some other had transient biochemical signs of liver injury. Treatment with glucocorticoids did not have any clear positive or negative effect on clinical signs and mortality.

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Twenty‐seven hunting dogs with local swellings on the thoracic and, or, abdominal wall, were treated mainly by radical surgery supported by chemotherapy. The lesions were characterised histopathologically as pyogranulomatous inflammation. One of the dogs died during surgery because of a technical accident. Four of the dogs underwent further surgery because of relapse. Treatment was successful in 26 cases, with a mean observation period of 3.3 years (range, 0.6 to 6.5 years) without signs of disease. In 12 of the 26 dogs which underwent surgery, parts of grasses (Poaceae family), usually the floret, were found in the lesions. Predominantly anaerobic bacteria (including actinomyces) common to the oropharyngeal tract were isolated from lesions. It is proposed that the plant material is inhaled during open‐mouth breathing and, after migration through the lungs to the peripheral attachment of the diaphragm, causes productive inflammation by synergism with endogenous microorganisms of mucous membrane origin.

Hyaluronan (HA) is involved in several important steps of sperm storage and of fertilization. This study investigates the presence and concentration of HA in oviductal fluid (ODF), together with the localization of HA and the presence of hyaluronan-binding proteins (HABPs) in the oviductal epithelium of normally cycling dairy heifers and cows. The concentration and amount of HA in ODF, collected over the course of several oestrous cycles via catheters placed in the isthmic and ampullar tubal segments, were measured using an ELISA. The concentration and amount of HA in ODF did not vary significantly between these anatomical regions, nor between the stages of the oestrous cycle (p > 0.05), although the amount of HA seemed to peak during oestrous. The most HA per day (2.9 ± 0.64 µg, least square mean ± SEM) was produced on the day of ovulation, whereas the lowest amount (1.25 ± 0.68 µg) was produced 4 days before ovulation. To investigate the localization of HA, tissue samples were retrieved at well-defined stages of the oestrous cycle and from corresponding regions of the oviduct. Sections and protein extracts from the tissue samples were studied histochemically using biotinylated HABP and immunoblotted with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-HA, respectively. Presence of HA labelling in the oviductal epithelium was restricted to the sperm reservoir, a localization that seemed to be cycle-independent. The immunoblotting of samples from the lining epithelium revealed seven bands of HABPs. We confirm that the bovine oviduct produces HA and its binding proteins, and that HA is mainly localized to the epithelium of the sperm reservoir.

Summary Nine hunting breed dogs were treated for thoracic empyema of undetermined origin. Seven dogs returned to normal health after combined pleural drainage by modified Seldinger technique and long‐term chemotherapy. Two were destroyed in the early phase of treatment. One died and one was destroyed due to recurrence. Associated signs in four of the dogs included thoracic wall swellings. In two of these, very small foreign bodies of plant origin were found intrathoracically at surgery. Predominantly anaerobic commensals of the mucous membranes were isolated from pleural exudate. Post‐mortem examination in the four cases showed productive, pyogranulomatous intrathoracic inflammation and pleural adhesions. It is proposed that inhaled small plant parts, by synergism with endogenous microorganisms of mucous membrane origin, may be of aetiologic importance in seemingly idiopathic pyogranulomatous pleuritis with empyema in hunting dogs.

The improvement in arterial oxygenation during pulsed inhalation of NO to healthy isoflurane-anesthetized horses decreased only gradually during a 30-minute period following cessation of NO inhalation, and serum ET-1 concentration was not affected. Because a rapid rebound response did not develop, inhalation of NO might be clinically useful in the treatment of hypoxemia in healthy isoflurane-anesthetized horses.

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