In dogs that require surgical stabilization of the AA joint, a right parasagittal approach should be considered. This approach offers advantages over the standard ventral median approach by improved surgical exposure, less dissection, and provides protection of vital structures during insertion of fixation devices used for ventral AA stabilization.

A 7 yr old Labrador retriever initially presented for severe halitosis, mild ptylism, and depigmentation of the nasal planum. Erythema multiforme was diagnosed based on clinical signs and dermatopathology. Treatment was initiated but the condition did not resolve. Six months later, the dog was diagnosed with a mediastinal mass. Trucut biopsy was performed and histopathologic diagnosis was consistent with a thymoma. A median sternotomy was performed, the thymoma was excised, and the dog recovered well. Four months postoperatively, there were no longer any obvious erythema multiforme lesions and the skin condition was controlled without medication. Erythema multiforme may be a paraneoplastic disorder associated with thymoma in the dog, similar to thymoma-associated exfoliative dermatitis in the cat. Clinical signs of erythema multiforme may warrant performing thoracic radiographs or thoracic CT to rule out thymoma as an underlying cause.

Objectives: 1) To describe electroencephalogram (EEG) appearance in the awake dog and compare these results with EEG recordings after low dose medetomidine (2 µg/kg IV) followed by atipamezole (10 µg/kg, IM); 2) To institute EEG recordings after low dose medetomidine or dexmedetomidine as a standard of practice if focal abnormalities and amplitudes were not significantly altered by pharmaceuticals in Phase 1 of this study. Methods: Electroencephalograms were performed on eight clinical canine patients with suspected intracranial disease involving the prosencephalon. A five lead montage was used to record the EEGs. Each dog had an awake, baseline recording followed by an EEG performed after administration of low dose medetomidine (2 µg/kg IV) then atipamezole (10 µg/kg, IM). In the second phase of this study, the same dose of medetomidine or dexmedetomidine at 1 µg/kg IV and atipamezole (10 µg/kg, IM) were used in the evaluation of 20 clinical patients with suspected neurologic disease. Results: In Phase 1, awake recordings were laced with movement artifacts. After medetomidine and atipamezole, EEG waveforms were slower. Following atipamezole, however, the frequencies were observed to increase with time. Statistical evaluation revealed significantly more artifacts in baseline recordings.No statistically significant change was observed in focal abnormalities or amplitude. In Phase 2, the α2-adrenoreceptor agonists followed by atipamezole without the use of lidocaine produced clinically reliable results. Clinical Significance: Quality and diagnostic electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings are frequently inconvenient to obtain in the awake dog. Movement results in artifacts and dislodged leads. Administration of low dose medetomidine or dexmedetomidine followed by atipamezole reliably reduced the impact of movement artifacts and produced clinically valid EEG recordings in dogs.