2019 - 88 (4)

Epidural anesthesia is a loco-regional anesthesia technique where drugs are injected in theepidural space. In the 19th century, this technique was developed for human medicine, and laterfound its way into veterinary medicine. It is useful for surgical interventions in the standinghorse, as part of a balanced anesthetic protocol or for postoperative pain management. Analgesiaand anesthesia involves the pelvis, pelvic limbs, tail, vagina, vulva, anus, perineum and abdomen.However, several contraindications and complications have been reported for epidural anesthesia. In horses, epidural injections can be performed cranially (lumbosacral space) or caudally(sacro-coccygeal or Co1-Co2 ). While single injections can be performed, the use of epiduralcatheters allows repeated administration. Depending on the desired effect, different drugs (localanesthetics, alpha2-agonists, opioids, ketamine, tramadol or tiletamine-zolazepam), drug combinations and volumes can be chosen.

A two-year-old Labrador retriever living in the French Alps was presented with abdominaldistension, lethargy and weight loss but no other specific clinical signs. CT examination revealed alarge, cavitary liver mass invading the caudal vena cava, associated with multiple hepatic lesionsof similar appearance, lymphadenopathy and pulmonary nodules. The condition was initiallymistaken for a malignant neoplasm. However, cytologic and histologic examinations of the largest liver mass were consistent with cestodiasis and PCR testing confirmed infection with Echinococcus multilocularis. Medical treatment with albendazole was initiated. The dog remained clinicallywell for ten months following the diagnosis, but had to be euthanized because the ownershad to return to Great-Britain and the dog could not be legally imported. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first case report, in which long-term follow-up of Echinococcus sp. infection in adog, managed medically, is described. This case also shows that medical management may be aviable option in case surgery is not feasible.

A one-year-old Yorkshire terrier of 1.2 kg was presented with an eight-month-old historyof non-ambulatory tetraparesis. The dog was diagnosed on right-lateral radiography with atlantoaxial instability (AAI). Ventral stabilization was achieved with a tie-in configuration. Two0.9-mm-positive-profile-threaded pins and four 1.2-mm-locking screws were inserted into theatlas and the axis, respectively. The pin shafts were bent caudally and tied in with the screwsusing cerclage wire. Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) was applied to the entire construct. Thedog showed rapid improvement after surgery, walking on his own on day three, postoperatively.There were no complications related to the surgery. This adjusted multiple implant fixation technique using pins, screws and cerclage wire embedded in PMMA in a tie-in configuration can bea feasible option to provide rigid fixation for AAI in toy breed dogs.

Two adult warmblood horses with a history of chronic hind limb lameness originating fromthe proximal interphalangeal joint (PIPJ) were presented at the equine hospital De Bosdreef(Belgium) between 2016 and 2017. Based on the case history and orthopedic examination, chronicosteoarthrosis (OA) of the PIPJ was diagnosed in both horses. A modified surgical arthrodesisof the PIPJ was performed using a central dorsal three-hole proximal interphalangeal lockingcompression plate (PIP plate) and four 5.5 mm transarticular cortical screws placed in a lagfashion (TCS-LF). The procedure resulted in an early bone bridging of the PIPJ and a return ofthe horses to the intended use within ten months after the surgery.

Urinalysis plays an important role in diagnosing several diseases and as part of routine healthchecks of senior and geriatric patients. There is no solid data regarding the role of experience in themicroscopical examination of urine sediment of small animals. The purpose of this study was to investigatethe role of experience when examining urine sediment. In total, sediment of 27 urine samples(of 13 dogs and 14 cats) were microscopically examined independently by one experienced observer(the expert) and two unexperienced final-year, veterinary students. For most sediments, there was aweak agreement (low kappa value: 0-0.4) between the expert and the students, with the exception of amoderate agreement for struvite crystals (kappa value: 0.47). The agreement between the students wasalso weak, but slightly higher than the agreement between the expert and the students. In this study, itis shown that experience plays an important role in the correct examination of urine sediment.

In dairy cattle, the milk somatic cell count is the most widely accepted indicator for the presenceof intramammary infections. The aim of this study was to compare the results of the electronic cellcounting on 179 composite milk samples with the results of two commercially available CaliforniaMastitis Tests (CMT), based on either the thickening of the solution or the thickening of the solution incombination with a color change.The most frequently isolated major pathogens in the milk samples were Streptococcus uberis andStaphylococcus aureus and the minor pathogens most isolated were the non-aureus staphylococci. Thesomatic cell count estimated with the CMT-tests corresponded well with the one obtained with theFossomatic™. For both CMT-tests, the test characteristics were mutually comparable as well as withthe one obtained with the electronic cell counting. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that bothCMT-tests can be used in the field to help detect cows suffering from an intramammary infection dueto major pathogens.

The available literature on the activities of the small animal veterinarian in Flanders is limited. Inthis research, information was collected on the working conditions, the most frequently performedclinical activities and the importance of the different disciplines in veterinary practice. Log filerecorded by fifth-year veterinary students during their externship at a small animal practice were usedfor this research. The dog was the most presented species in practice. In the study, it was shownthat preventive medicine definitely plays an important role in veterinary medicine as vaccination wasperformed during 28% of all consultations. The most important clinical disciplines were dermatology,gastroenterology, wound care, general illness and orthopedics. Neutering and spaying were the mostfrequently performed surgical procedures by the small animal veterinarian. The collected informationcould be used in order to improve the training of veterinary students.