Successful surgical management of pancreatic torsion in a 3-month-old Bernese Mountain dog without evidence of long-term pancreatic dysfunction

To describe the clinical presentation, diagnosis, perioperative management and the short- and long-term outcomes of a dog diagnosed with pancreatic torsion. A 3-month-old female intact Bernese Mountain dog presented for an acute onset of vomiting, anorexia and abdominal pain. Abdominal ultrasonography showed a hypoechoic mass effect cranial to the stomach. A pancreatic torsion was diagnosed during exploratory laparotomy and treated with partial pancreatectomy. Histopathology confirmed pancreatic torsion. The patient recovered uneventfully and pancreatic function and inflammation testing that was performed 14 months postoperatively showed no evidence of ongoing dysfunction. This is the first report that demonstrates long-term follow-up with pancreatic function testing in a patient who had a partial pancreatectomy due to pancreatic torsion. There was no evidence of long-term pancreatic dysfunction due to partial pancreatectomy secondary to pancreatic torsion. Additionally, this is the youngest patient with pancreatic torsion to be described in the veterinary literature.

Diagnostic and surgical treatment for traumatic bile peritonitis in dogs and cats

OBJECTIVE

To describe short-term outcomes of dogs and cats undergoing surgery for traumatic bile peritonitis.

ANIMALS

13 dogs and 4 cats.

METHODS

Multi-institutional, retrospective study. Medical records from 6 institutions were reviewed for cases of traumatic bile peritonitis between 2006 and 2022. Clinical presentation, additional injuries, surgical treatment, and outcome were recorded.

RESULTS

Trauma occurred a median of 2 (range, 1 to 22) and 4 (range, 1 to 22) days prior to presentation in dogs and cats, respectively. Total bilirubin was increased in 11 of 13 dogs and 2 of 4 cats. Rupture occurred at the common bile duct (CBD) in 10 dogs and 1 cat, gallbladder in 3 dogs, cystic duct in 2 cats, and hepatic duct in 1 dog and 1 cat. The most common surgeries were cholecystoduodenostomy and CBD repair in dogs and cholecystectomy in cats. Eleven of 13 dogs and all cats survived to hospital discharge (88.2% overall survival). Median follow-up in surviving dogs and cats was 35 days (range, 14 to 401) and 30 days (range, 14 to 90), respectively. One dog that underwent cholecystectomy experienced recurrent bile peritonitis 20 days postoperatively. Short-term survival following surgical treatment of traumatic bile peritonitis was excellent and recurrence appears uncommon. The most frequent site of rupture was the CBD in dogs and the cystic duct in cats.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Measurement of peritoneal bilirubin should be considered in dogs and cats with peritoneal effusion following trauma. Surgeons should be prepared to identify and address ruptures in locations other than the gallbladder.

Primary anastomosis of segmental external auditory canal atresia in one dog

This report describes a case of canine segmental external auditory canal atresia (EACA). The dog was managed medically with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs until clinical deterioration, at which time a novel and successful end-to-end anastomosis surgical repair was performed. At the 30 day postoperative re-examination, the dog was clinically well and otoscopy confirmed that there was no evidence of auditory canal stenosis. The patient remained free of ongoing issues 20 months after the surgery. End-to-end anastomosis should be considered for treatment of developmental segmental EACA in the canine.

Biodegradable implants in the fixation of physeal fractures in cats and dogs

In a preclinical and a clinical study physeal fractures of cats and dogs were fixated with biodegradable implants. The preclinical part consisted of 4 cats with experimental physeal fractures of the distal femurs and the clinical part of 6 cats and 8 dogs with different physeal fractures. All fractures were fixated with selfreinforced polyglycolic acid (PGA) implants of different sizes. No external support was applied after the fixation. All cats and dogs used their operated legs during the first postoperative week and they could walk without lameness in 6 weeks. The fracture healed without delay or malformations. The retardations of the growth of the physeal regions were considered minimal.