6 Mar 2023
Alex Gough MA, VetMB, CertSAM, CertVC, PGCert(Neuroimaging), MRCVS, runs the rule over more research into companion animals in his latest Research Review from Vet Times.
Alex Gough
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Image: © andriano_cz / Adobe Stock
Grooming dogs – especially long-haired breeds – is important for their welfare, as well as for aesthetic reasons, since matted coats can predispose to skin infections. However, a visit to the dog groomer can be a stressful experience and is not entirely risk free.
In particular, owners sometimes suspect an ophthalmic condition is linked to a recent visit to a groomer. Chmiel et al1 performed a retrospective study to find the medical records of dogs with ocular problems first noted within 24 hours of an appointment with a dog groomer. In total, 161 episodes occurring in 159 dogs were found.
The median age was approximately five years, with males slightly over-represented. A total of 71% of cases involved small-breed dogs, 34% of cases were in shih-tzus, and 33% of cases involved reactive or aggressive behaviour by the dogs. The most common injury was corneal ulceration, seen in 71% of cases. Conjunctivitis, eyelid lacerations and subconjunctival haemorrhage were also reported. A total of 14% of cases required surgical intervention and four dogs required enucleation.
The authors noted that ocular trauma can occur by several mechanisms during a grooming visit, including trauma, exposure to grooming products and accidental strangulation.
They speculate that behavioural or pharmacological treatment from vets before a visit may reduce the risk of these injuries.
By-products of the meat industry have been fed to pets for many years. Not only is this less expensive than using human-grade meat, but an argument exists that the use of by-products that might otherwise be disposed of is more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
However, concerns exist that these foodstuffs may not be as nutritious as higher-quality meat due to reduced digestibility.
Abd El-Wahab et al2 reported the results of two trials on the poultry by-products bone protein meal (BPM), and feather meal (FM) in extruded dog food to examine digestibility and faecal characteristics.
In the first trial, dogs were fed diets in which part of the control diet had been replaced with varying percentages of BPM. The second trial was similar, but with FM instead of BPM. Both trials were a crossover design involving six healthy beagle dogs. Faecal consistency was scored on a five-point scale and digestibility was assessed.
In the BPM trial, the digestibility was significantly lower for the dogs fed 6% compared to 24% BPM, but the faecal scores were consistently higher – that is, less well-formed and more watery for the higher BPM diet.
For the FM trial, dogs fed high FM content food had the lowest crude fat digestibility, and inclusion of FM decreased the faecal dry matter significantly compared to the control. The faecal score was higher for dogs fed higher levels of FM.
The authors concluded that apparent crude protein digestibility was not affected by the addition of poultry by-products in this trial, but faecal quality was negatively affected.
Mast cell tumours (MCTs) are common skin tumours in dogs, but are rarely found as a primary neoplasm in the nasal cavity and little literature exists on the behaviour of the tumours in this location.
Larsen et al3 performed a retrospective study to report the clinical, histopathological and immunohistochemical features of primary intranasal MCTs.
In total, 1% of primary intranasal neoplasms in biopsies submitted to a diagnostic laboratory were MCTs and 55% had metastases – mostly to the mandibular lymph node, but with one case having distant metastasis to the abdominal organs.
A total of 6 out of 14 cases where follow-up data was available died or were euthanised from MCT-related disease within a year of the clinical signs being noted.
The authors noted that the fact intranasal MCTs tend to metastasise and have a poor prognosis is similar to the behaviour of MCTs in other mucosal locations.
Definitive prognostic factors could not be identified because of the small number of cases with a good outcome in this study, but a tendency existed for poor prognosis (metastatic disease and survival time less than one year) to be associated with atypical KIT localisation, high Ki67 indices and high mitotic counts.
OA is a common condition in dogs – especially in older dogs of larger breeds – and this can cause welfare problems such as pain and mobility issues.
Consequently, OA can be a reason for euthanasia on welfare grounds. However, OA in dogs is also a burden on the caregiver – for example, requiring high levels of care to support mobility.
Spitznagel et al4 performed a cross-sectional study of 277 owners with dogs with OA that were found via social media. The owners completed online questionnaires regarding pain, functional impairment, caregiver burden, general satisfaction and consideration of euthanasia.
The level of caregiver burden influenced the association between OA-related clinical signs and consideration of euthanasia.
The authors noted that previous studies have highlighted the link between OA and euthanasia, and this study suggests caregiver burden contributes to this.
Increasing owner satisfaction with OA management may reduce the likelihood of premature euthanasia.
Tibial tuberosity avulsion fractures (TTAFs) occur in skeletally immature dogs causing pain and lameness, and usually necessitate surgical repair.
Miller et al5 performed a retrospective study to assess the outcomes in surgically managed TTAFs where the implants were left in place after the dogs had reached skeletal maturity. A total of 47 dogs that had undergone surgery to treat a TTAF before reaching 10 months of age and in which the implants were left in place were included in the study, and 42 of the dogs were followed long term, with a median follow up of three years.
A total of 6 out of 42 dogs suffered minor long-term complications such as lameness, and 3 out of 47 had major short-term complications such as repair failure.
In total, 14% of cases had major long-term complications that necessitated implant removal. However, no difference occurred in the long-term outcomes when the results were compared with previous reports in which the implants were removed at four to six weeks postoperatively. Client satisfaction was reported to be high.
The authors concluded that removing implants after TTAF repairs may only be important if a clinical need arises, and avoiding implant removal reduces cost, recovery time and further complications.
Primary glaucoma (PG) is an increase in intraocular pressure in an eye that is otherwise healthy. A hereditary cause often exists.
Gomes et al6 performed a genome-wide association study with a case-control cohort design in American cocker spaniels to identify genetic associations with PG.
A total of 89 dogs with PG and 93 controls were included in the study after genotype data quality control.
A locus on canine chromosome CFA10 was found to be a possible association, but did not reach statistical significance. Other potential candidate genes were also identified.
The authors conclude that PG in the American cocker spaniel is a complex, heterogenous disease, but there may be an influence from a gene on CFA10.
Leeches have been used medically for centuries, but in the past they were mainly administered as a controlled and painless method of bleeding a patient – an obsolete and dangerous treatment from pre-scientific days when medicine was based on imbalances of humours.
However, leeches have more recently been re-introduced into medicine to use the properties of the anticoagulant in their saliva. This can be beneficial in encouraging blood supply – for example, to surgical flaps or devitalised tissue.
Kermanian et al7 performed a retrospective study to report the use of medicinal leech therapy (MLT) in dogs and cats. In total, nine dogs and three cats were included in the study.
Nine patients were found to have improvement of the affected tissue after MLT. One patient was euthanised due to lung disease, and in two patients an improvement was not recorded.
The authors concluded that MLT seems safe and may be effective in treating venous congestion and necrosis in skin flaps and wounds.
