Tieraerztliche Praxis Ausgabe Kleintiere Heimtiere最新文献

The administration of drugs to pregnant bitches may not only pose a potential danger to the bitch but also to the fetuses. In this context, the extent of the risk also depends on the stage of gestation. Although a number of agents are known to have a fetotoxic and/or teratogenic potential, insufficient knowledge concerning their potential risk to the embryo/fetus is available for the majority of drugs.Arranged in groups of active substances, a selection of drugs that are assumed to be safe according to the current state of knowledge is provided. Drugs for which there is insufficient knowledge or which are clearly contraindicated are also mentioned.The second part of this overview covers the use of medicines in puppies. The physiology of a puppy does not simply correspond to that of a small dog. Only very few drugs posess valid pharmacological data for use in puppies. However, a subset of restrictions on the use of pharmacologic agents may be derived from the specifics of puppy physiology.The recommendations made do not claim to be complete and no guarantee for accuracy is provided, as these have been compiled from a literature review. In certain cases, the recommendations are even contradictory.Veterinarians are therefore encouraged to report all adverse events associated with treatments of pregnant bitches and puppies within the framework of pharmacovigilance. This is the only way to close gaps in knowledge about the treatment of these special patients.

Incomplete merging of the Müllerian ducts may result in vaginal septa or even completely separate vaginal canals. It may also cause cervical malformation. In most cases, there are only rudimentary vaginal septations. Only a few reports describing completely separated vaginal canals (vagina duplex) and a cervix duplex in dogs have been published. This article reports the case of a bitch presented with recurrent vaginitis and cystitis. The symptoms always appeared following the dog's heat. The bitch had been pre-treated by a prior veterinarian as well as in a prior clinic. When presented in the clinic, a vaginal septum was suspected based on digital vaginal examination. Ultrasonographic examination and urinalysis allowed for the diagnosis of bacterial cystitis, which was subsequently treated with antibiotics. The bitch was presented again for vaginal endoscopy, transection of the vaginal septum, and ovariohysterectomy. Both vagina duplex and cervix duplex were diagnosed. Due to the extensive dimensions of the findings, the altered tissue was not resected. No more bacteria were detected in a repeated urine analysis. After spaying, the bitch showed no recurrence of symptoms of cystitis or vaginitis.

Objective: Slow-release GnRH agonist implants (SRI) are used for reversible medical downregulation of testicular function in male dogs as an alternative to surgery. The 4.7 mg deslorelin SRI should reduce testosterone after 6-8 weeks and induce castration-like effects for 6 months (mon). However, some individual variation is described in the field in regard to onset and duration of effect. For this reason, we aimed to study the effects of the 4.7 mg deslorelin SRI in a larger cohort.

Material and methods: In total 50 intact, healthy male dogs (12-48 months, mon; 9-40 kg) were treated with a 4.7 mg deslorelin SRI into the umbilical area (TG, n=45) or served as untreated controls (CG, n=5). CG dogs were surgically castrated after measurement of testicular dimensions and blood sampling for testosterone. In TG, SRIs remained for 5 mon in place and subsequently 3-7 male dogs were surgically castrated at removal (week, W 0) or 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 10 weeks later. Examination parameters were testicular dimensions (before treatment, at 4, 8, 12 W, 5 mon, weekly until castration), testosterone (before treatment, at 8 W, 5 mon, castration) and testicular histology (castration).

Results: Whereas examination parameters did not differ between CG and TG before treatment, testicular volume and testosterone was significantly reduced at all time points during treatment. In all but 3 (8 W) and 2 male dogs (5 mon) testosterone was basal during treatment before removal, whereas the parameters were significantly reduced compared to pre-treatment in the respective dogs. After implant removal, testosterone and testicular volumes increased. However, different to earlier studies, the "restart" was more variable with individual basal testosterone until W7, but also physiological testosterone concentrations in W2. Similarly, histological testicular findings at castration were quite variable: besides an arrest on spermatogonia and spermatocytes, elongated spermatids with normal spermatogenesis were found in individual dogs.

Conclusion: Our study confirms the efficacy of the deslorelin SRI, but also individual variation especially regarding reversibility of effects on endocrine and germinative testicular function.

Clinical relevance: Deslorelin SRIs offer a suitable alternative to surgical castration with individual variation to be considered when used in clinical practice.

A 4-year-old female bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps) was referred to the Clinic for Small Mammals, Reptiles and Birds of the University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany for diagnostics and treatment of a growing mass in the right cervical region. The owner reported that the mass had grown over the past 4 weeks with only little alteration in the lizard´s behavior when the animal started rubbing its neck against the cage equipment. Physical examination as well as ultrasonographic and computed tomographic diagnostics revealed a highly vascularized mass, which allowed for the hypothesis of an aneurysm or a neoplasia. Complete surgical resection of the mass could be performed uneventfully. The bearded dragon recovered well from anesthesia and the surgical procedure. The microbiological sample of the excised mass revealed Group F-67 Salmonella. Histopathological examination of the excised mass revealed a histiocytic cell proliferation with centrally located blood filled cavities, hemorrhages and granulation tissue resembling features of a pseudoaneurysm. This report describes the diagnosis of an atypical growing mass in a bearded dragon and its successful removal.