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The Canadian Veterinary Journal = La... Jul 2024Carcinosarcomas are very rare tumors in dogs. Although carcinosarcomas with melanocytic differentiation arising from organs other than the thymus have been described in...
Carcinosarcomas are very rare tumors in dogs. Although carcinosarcomas with melanocytic differentiation arising from organs other than the thymus have been described in humans, this type of tumor has not been reported in dogs in any part of the body. We observed such a tumor in the cranial mediastinum of an 11-year-old spayed female dachshund. The dog was admitted to the clinic because of coughing, sporadic regurgitation, and dyspnea. Thoracic ultrasonography and computed tomography revealed a large mediastinal mass that was surgically removed sternotomy. The tumor was of thymic origin and demonstrated 3 distinct components: an epithelial component positive for pancytokeratin (AE1/AE3) and high molecular weight cytokeratin (CK5/CK6) with some cystic spaces; a mesenchymal component positive for vimentin; and in association with the epithelial part, a minor melanocytic component positive for Melan A. Histologic metastasis of the epithelial and melanocytic components was present within a tracheobronchial lymph node. The dog died 105 d after surgery, after an episode of acute dyspnea. Key clinical message: To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of thymic carcinosarcoma with melanocytic differentiation.
Topics: Animals; Dogs; Dog Diseases; Female; Carcinosarcoma; Thymus Neoplasms; Fatal Outcome; Melanocytes
PubMed: 38952763
DOI: No ID Found -
The Canadian Veterinary Journal = La... Jul 2024
Topics: Veterinarians; Veterinary Medicine; Humans; Animals; Canada
PubMed: 38952761
DOI: No ID Found -
The Canadian Veterinary Journal = La... Jul 2024
Topics: Animals; Veterinary Medicine; Humans; Animal Welfare; Veterinarians
PubMed: 38952760
DOI: No ID Found -
The Canadian Veterinary Journal = La... Jul 2024Thymoma-associated paraneoplastic syndromes in dogs and cats include myasthenia gravis, hypercalcemia, exfoliative dermatitis, erythema multiforme, T-cell lymphocytosis,...
OBJECTIVE
Thymoma-associated paraneoplastic syndromes in dogs and cats include myasthenia gravis, hypercalcemia, exfoliative dermatitis, erythema multiforme, T-cell lymphocytosis, myocarditis, anemia, and polymyositis. Paraneoplastic myasthenia gravis (MG) is the most commonly reported paraneoplastic syndrome in dogs with thymic epithelial tumors. The objective of this study was to examine cases of canine thymic-associated MG treated surgically, with the specific objective of providing an updated clinical picture of the preoperative management, postoperative complications, and outcomes of these cases.
ANIMALS
Nine dogs with paraneoplastic MG underwent surgical removal of a thymic epithelial tumor.
PROCEDURE
Medical records of dogs with MG that received surgical treatment of a thymic epithelial tumor between January 1, 2012 and October 1, 2022 were obtained from 4 veterinary teaching hospitals. Descriptions of perioperative MG management, complications, and outcomes were reported.
RESULTS
Six of the 9 dogs received medical therapy for MG, with either a cholinesterase inhibitor (4 dogs) or a cholinesterase inhibitor and immunosuppressive agent (2 dogs), before surgery. The median duration of medical therapy for MG before surgery was 7.5 d (range: 2 to 60 d). Three of 9 dogs experienced immediate postoperative complications and were euthanized. Six of 9 dogs (66.6%) survived to discharge and 3 of 6 dogs that survived to discharge were alive at the time of writing. At the time of writing, 3 of 6 dogs had complete resolution of clinical signs attributable to MG and 2 of 6 had partial resolution. The median time from surgery to resolution of clinical signs of MG in these dogs was 63 d (range: 2 to 515 d).
CONCLUSION
Dogs with thymic epithelial tumors and paraneoplastic MG are at a high risk for perioperative complications.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE
The findings of this study corroborate previous literature stating that paraneoplastic MG is a poor prognostic indicator for dogs with thymic epithelial tumors, while also highlighting the variation in approaches to clinical management of thymic-associated MG in veterinary medicine and the lack of established protocols guiding perioperative management.
Topics: Animals; Dogs; Dog Diseases; Myasthenia Gravis; Thymus Neoplasms; Postoperative Complications; Male; Female; Cholinesterase Inhibitors; Preoperative Care; Immunosuppressive Agents; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial; Thymoma
PubMed: 38952759
DOI: No ID Found -
The Canadian Veterinary Journal = La... Jul 2024To determine if short-duration peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) cause a hypercoagulable state in healthy dogs, based on point-of-care viscoelastic...
OBJECTIVE
To determine if short-duration peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) cause a hypercoagulable state in healthy dogs, based on point-of-care viscoelastic coagulation monitor (VCM).
ANIMALS
Ten beagle dogs were randomly and equally allocated into control and PICC groups.
PROCEDURE
Control dogs had VCM analysis on whole blood following direct venipuncture before sedation (T0) and 2 h after sedation (T2). In the experimental group, a PICC was placed (medial saphenous or femoral vein) under sedation and removed after 4 h, with measurements before placement (T0) and 2 and 6 h after placement (T2 and T6, respectively). Parametric data were analyzed using 1-way ANOVA with Holm-Šídák test for multiple comparisons and paired or unpaired Student's -test. Nonparametric data were analyzed using Friedman test with Dunn multiple comparison test for Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test, and Mann-Whitney U test for PICC group, control group, and to compare PICC control groups, respectively.
RESULTS
Clot formation time was longer at T2 T6 ( = 0.0342, but not clinically relevant) in the PICC group, with no significant differences between the PICC and control groups.
CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Short-term placement of a PICC line did not alter viscoelastic endpoints in healthy beagles.
Topics: Animals; Dogs; Male; Female; Catheterization, Peripheral; Catheterization, Central Venous; Blood Coagulation; Time Factors
PubMed: 38952758
DOI: No ID Found -
The Canadian Veterinary Journal = La... Jul 2024
Topics: Dogs; Animals; Dog Diseases; Lymph Nodes; Radiography, Thoracic; Thorax
PubMed: 38952753
DOI: No ID Found -
The Canadian Veterinary Journal = La... Jul 2024A 21-year-old retired polo Argentinian thoroughbred horse from a teaching herd was presented for a routine bronchoalveolar lavage demonstration, during which an...
A 21-year-old retired polo Argentinian thoroughbred horse from a teaching herd was presented for a routine bronchoalveolar lavage demonstration, during which an incidental finding of a granulomatous mass on the dorsal aspect of the epiglottis was made. was suspected from a histological section obtained from an initial biopsy, and the mass was removed laser surgery for cytology and PCR. Sequencing of the PCR amplicons confirmed the diagnosis of A treatment protocol of nebulized voriconazole for 10 d postoperatively was used. Long-term follow-up required 2 more laser surgeries plus oral fluconazole to resolve the remaining fungal spores. However, 2.5 y later, there was no evidence of remaining fungal spores. Key clinical message: Horses from endemic regions can potentially be exposed to Based on its travel history, this horse may have contracted the infection in South America, California, or Alberta. Treatments administered, including diode laser resection, voriconazole antifungal nebulization, and oral fluconazole administration, were successful but required repeated interventions.
Topics: Animals; Horses; Horse Diseases; Voriconazole; Antifungal Agents; Male; Rhinosporidiosis; Nebulizers and Vaporizers; Laser Therapy; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Laryngeal Diseases
PubMed: 38952752
DOI: No ID Found -
The Canadian Veterinary Journal = La... Jul 2024The clinical presentation, cytologic findings, radiographic findings, and postmortem assessment of a cat with primary pulmonary adenocarcinoma with multiple digital...
The clinical presentation, cytologic findings, radiographic findings, and postmortem assessment of a cat with primary pulmonary adenocarcinoma with multiple digital metastasis are described. An unusual shifting, waxing and waning pattern of lameness, suspected to be an early manifestation of digital metastasis before any gross lesions were visible, was documented. Initial cytologic finding of a lung nodule was equivocal for diagnosis of neoplasia despite being strongly suspicious. Palliative management was short-lived, with rapid progression culminating in widespread metastasis to multiple digits, muscles, and other organs. The diagnosis of pulmonary adenocarcinoma was confirmed necropsy and histopathology. Key clinical message: This case report highlights that feline lung-digit syndrome is an important differential diagnosis for an acute, waxing and waning, shifting leg lameness in an older cat. This pattern of lameness should raise the index of suspicion for an underlying primary lung neoplasm, and thoracic imaging (radiographs) should be considered.
Topics: Cats; Animals; Cat Diseases; Lung Neoplasms; Lameness, Animal; Diagnosis, Differential; Adenocarcinoma; Male; Syndrome; Adenocarcinoma of Lung; Female
PubMed: 38952750
DOI: No ID Found -
IScience Jun 2024The gut epithelium is subject to constant renewal, a process reliant upon intestinal stem cell (ISC) proliferation that is driven by Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Despite...
The gut epithelium is subject to constant renewal, a process reliant upon intestinal stem cell (ISC) proliferation that is driven by Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Despite the importance of Wnt signaling within ISCs, the relevance of Wnt signaling within other gut cell types and the underlying mechanisms that modulate Wnt signaling in these contexts remain incompletely understood. Using challenge of the midgut with a non-lethal enteric pathogen, we examine the cellular determinants of ISC proliferation, harnessing , a recently identified regulator of Wnt signaling pathways, as a mechanistic tool. We find that Wnt signaling within Prospero-positive cells supports ISC proliferation and that regulates Wnt signaling in this context by antagonizing , a Cullin-3 E3 ligase adaptor that mediates Dishevelled polyubiquitination. This work establishes as a physiological regulator of Wnt/β-catenin signaling and suggests enteroendocrine cells as a new cell type that regulates ISC proliferation via Wnt/β-catenin signaling.
PubMed: 38952681
DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110113 -
Ecology and Evolution Jul 2024Melanism, the process of heavier melanin deposition, can interact with climate variation at both micro and macro scales, ultimately influencing color evolution in...
Melanism, the process of heavier melanin deposition, can interact with climate variation at both micro and macro scales, ultimately influencing color evolution in organisms. While the ecological processes regulating melanin production in relation to climate have been extensively studied, intraspecific variations of melanism are seldom considered. Such scientific gap hampers our understanding of how species adapt to rapidly changing climates. For example, dark coloration may lead to higher heat absorption and be advantageous in cool climates, but also in hot environments as a UV or antimicrobial protection mechanism. To disentangle such opposing predictions, here we examined the effect of climate on shaping melanism variation in 150 barred grass snakes () and 383 green whip snakes () across Italy. By utilizing melanistic morphs (charcoal and picturata in , charcoal and abundistic in ) and compiling observations from 2002 to 2021, we predicted that charcoal morphs in would optimize heat absorption in cold environments, while offering protection from excessive UV radiation in within warm habitats; whereas picturata and abundistic morphs would thrive in humid environments, which naturally have a denser vegetation and wetter substrates producing darker ambient light, thus providing concealment advantages. While picturata and abundistic morphs did not align with our initial humidity expectations, the charcoal morph in is associated with UV environments, suggesting protection mechanisms against damaging solar radiation. is associated with high precipitations, which might offer antimicrobial protection. Overall, our results provide insights into the correlations between melanin-based color morphs and climate variables in snake populations. While suggestive of potential adaptive responses, future research should delve deeper into the underlying mechanisms regulating this relationship.
PubMed: 38952653
DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11627