OBJECTIVES To describe the presentation, diagnosis, cause, complications and outcome in 14 dogs that presented with a parotid sialocoele and that were treated by complete parotidectomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS Multi‐institutional retrospective study. RESULTS Each dog presented with a non‐painful, fluctuant, soft tissue mass over the lateral aspect of the face in the region of the parotid salivary gland. Diagnosis was made by sialoradiography (3/14), CT (3/14), ultrasound (11/14) and MRI (2/14). The cause of the sialocoele could be determined in 8 of 14 patients and included: foreign body (2/14), sialolithiasis (1/14), neoplasia (3/14), salivary gland lipomatosis (1/14) and trauma (1/14). Treatment incurred one anaesthetic complication (regurgitation) and seven postoperative surgical complications [self‐limiting seroma formation (2/14), haemorrhage (1/14), wound dehiscence (1/14), abscessation 7 months postoperatively (1/14) and facial nerve paralysis (2/14)]. Sialocoele did not recur in any dog during a median follow‐up time of 14 months. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE Parotidectomy has been considered a technically challenging procedure but can have a good success rate with long‐term resolution of the clinical symptoms. Intra‐ and postoperative complications are reasonably common.

Objective: To determine the frequency and type of healing complications arising after the use of the caudal auricular axial pattern flap to close defects on the head in dogs and cats. Material and MethOds: Multi-centre retrospective cohort study. Centres were recruited by the Association for Veterinary Soft Tissue Surgery Research Cooperative. Medical records of 11 centres were reviewed, and data from all dogs and cats treated with a caudal auricular axial pattern flap were retrieved. The following data were recorded: signalment, reason for reconstruction, flap dimensions, anatomic landmarks used, histological diagnosis, flap healing and whether revision surgery was required. results: Twenty-eight cases were included: 16 dogs and 12 cats. Flap length: width ratio was approximately 3:1 and flap length extended to the scapular spine in most cases. Optimal wound healing occurred in five of 16 (31%) dogs and six of 12 (50%) cats. Wound dehiscence without flap necrosis occurred in one of 16 (6%) dogs and one of 12 (8%) cats. Wound dehiscence with flap necrosis occurred in 10 of 16 (63%) dogs and five of 12 (42%) cats. Revision surgery was performed in eight of 16 (50%) dogs and three of 12 (25%) cats.clinical significance: The caudal auricular axial pattern flap can provide full thickness skin coverage for large defects on the head in dogs and cats. Partial flap necrosis is a common complication, and revision surgery may be required in order to achieve final wound closure.

Synovial fluid lactate concentration is not a good marker for osteoarthritis or immune-mediated inflammatory arthritis, but it is significantly increased in septic arthritis and could help the clinician in ruling out this condition in a quick and cost-effective way.

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The CUSUM technique was used for clinical audit, to determine the learning curve for the TTA procedure for a single surgeon, and to monitor ongoing performance. An experienced general practitioner had a learning curve of 22 procedures and complication rates were within the published ranges.