Plant material foreign bodies may cause vague clinical signs at the time of initial presentation but can progress to cause persistent or recurrent abscessation, sinus tract formation and debilitating disease, due to migration of the foreign body, severe tissue reaction and secondary infection. Ultrasonography is a non-invasive technique that can be used to identify precisely the presence, location and size of radiolucent foreign bodies. Early identification of foreign bodies using ultrasonography facilitates surgical retrieval before further migration and tissue injury occur. This paper reviews the ultrasonographic findings and outcome in 17 dogs with non-enteric, radiolucent, plant material foreign bodies.

Closed pericardial patch-grafting has been advocated for the treatment of severe pulmonic stenosis. In this study pre- and postoperative echocardiography was used to determine if the transvalvular pressure gradient was successfully lowered by this surgery and whether it remained lowered long term. The valvulotomy-ventriculectomy wire was passed using a blunt needle in four dogs (Bresnock technique1) and via a soft catheter in five dogs (Shores and Weirich modification). Eight of nine patients survived the perioperative period. These dogs were assessed up to 40 months following surgery for clinical and echocardiographic changes. Five cases showed significant decrease in peak pulmonic pressure gradient immediately after surgery (decreasing by 50-81%, P < 0.05), and six cases showed significant decrease 2 to 40 months postoperatively (decreasing by 31-80%, P < 0.005) when compared to preoperative values. There was no significant change in pulmonic pressure gradient from immediately postoperatively to 2 to 40 months postoperatively (P < 0.48). Six dogs showed clinical improvement postoperatively, however persistent right ventricular hypertrophy was observed in all cases. One dog died with symptoms of congestive heart failure 16 months postoperatively. Closed pericardial patch grafting can improve clinical signs in symptomatic patients, however the surgery has significant risks, long term prognosis for these patients is guarded and recurrence of clinical signs and development of congestive heart failure is possible. Cardiac changes can be monitored with Doppler flow echocardiography. Patients with extremely elevated preoperative pressure gradients may be expected to have poorer outcomes.

External skeletal fixation can be used in small ruminants as a successful, economic, alternative to internal fixation. In this case report, a type 1B frame was used on an alpaca to salvage a comminuted metacarpal fracture after failed internal fixation. Positioning the frame on the caudal aspect of the limb allowed full carpal flexion for kneeling and hence normal use of the limb throughout the recovery period. Complete healing occurred without further complications.

Generalised paresis, severe hypokalaemia and kaliuresis, metabolic alkalosis and hypertension, characteristic of mineralocorticoid excess, were identified in a dog with hyperadrenocorticism due to a functional adrenocortical carcinoma. Aldosterone concentration was decreased and deoxycorticosterone concentration increased in the presence of hypokalaemia. These metabolic abnormalities resolved with resection of the carcinoma. Mineralocorticoid excess in dogs with hyperadrenocorticism is generally considered to be of little clinical significance but resulted in the acute presentation of this patient. The possible pathogenesis of mineralocorticoid excess in this case of canine hyperadrenocorticism is discussed.

SummaryMechanical testing was performed to evaluate an acrylic steel repair paste when used in the construction of external fixators. Individual pin-bar-acrylic constructs were compared with those made from Kirschner-Ehmer (KE) clamps or polymethylmethacrylate. The constructs were subjected to cantilever bending forces, pin-pullout tests and cantilever bending after undergoing cyclical fatigue. Forty mm segments of acrylic were significantly stronger than medium ESF clamps. Twenty-five mm segments of acrylic were of equivalent strength to clamps. Ten mm segments failed under physiological loads expected from dogs greater than 20 kg and were less likely to provide adequate pin coverage to protect against pin pull-put. The placement of a wire loop to secure the pin-bar intersects made application of the acrylic easier but did not alter stiffness. There was not any significant variation between different operators in the strength of their constructs nor tolerance of their constructs to pin pullout. Cyclical loading forces were applied to acrylic-pinbar units without significant loss of strength, and acrylic and polymethylmethacrylate units did not show any difference in stiffness after being subjected to cyclical fatigue. The acrylic steel repair paste is a handkneadable, fast setting, inexpensive and readily available acrylic for use in the construction of external fixators. It allows more flexibility in frame design than a clamp and on the basis of mechanical testing offers a very stiff and secure substitute for KE clamps or polymethylmethacrylate.