🔍 Key Findings

• Extreme brachycephalic breeds (EBBs) presented more acutely and at younger ages, most often with neurological signs compared to other breeds.
• Preoperative signs such as facial nerve paresis, vestibular syndrome, and Horner’s syndrome were significantly more common in EBBs.
• EBBs showed more severe imaging findings, including higher rates of otitis interna (46.3% vs. 8.5%) and brainstem changes (17.5% vs. 3%).
• Intraoperative complications were more frequent in EBBs (11.1% vs. 5.3%), but this difference did not reach statistical significance (p = .078).
• Perioperative complication rates did not differ significantly between EBBs and other breeds (23.5% vs. 29.3%).
• Surgical time was significantly longer in EBBs (median 115 vs. 95 minutes; p = .011).
• MRI or combined CT/MRI were more frequently used in EBBs, likely due to the higher prevalence of neurological signs.
• Despite anatomical challenges, complication rates in EBBs were comparable, supporting TECA-LBO safety in these breeds.

🔍 Key Findings

• CBPI, COI, and LOAD are recommended for assessing canine osteoarthritis based on COSMIN criteria.
• COI scored highest in development rigor and evidence quality among evaluated OROMs.
• Internal consistency, reliability, and responsiveness were commonly validated, though no OROMs reported measurement error.
• LOAD was considered formative, and internal consistency assessment was deemed unnecessary.
• CBPI and COI showed sufficient internal consistency, but CBPI’s factor structure was inconsistent across studies.
• All 6 evaluated OROMs (CBPI, COI, LOAD, BHSII, HCPI, HVAS) were quick to complete (under 5 min).
• Three tools—BHSII, HCPI, HVAS—need more evidence before recommendation; only CBPI, COI, and LOAD are Category A (recommended).
• Future studies should assess interpretability, including measurement error and clinically meaningful change scores (MIC, SDC).

🔍 Key Findings

• Esophageal pH-monitoring was well tolerated in all 35 nonbrachycephalic dogs, with no major adverse events reported.
• Distal GER occurred in 80% of dogs, but events were typically brief and non-productive; proximal GER occurred in only 39%.
• Upper reference limits for GER were 2.4 events/hour (distal) and 0.4 events/hour (proximal).
• Cumulative acid exposure was minimal: upper limits were 2.3% (distal) and 0% (proximal).
• Comparison with brachycephalic dogs shows significantly higher GER frequency and duration, validating the diagnostic utility of pH monitoring.
• Transnasal probe placement under light anesthesia was safe and less morbid compared to percutaneous or conscious techniques.
• No expelled or productive regurgitation occurred, despite some GER events, indicating efficient esophageal clearance in healthy dogs.
• Diet and fasting duration may affect GER, but these were not controlled variables in this study.

🔍 Key Findings

Population: 29 Boxer dogs and 29 age-matched Labrador Retrievers undergoing TPLO.
Scoring Systems Compared: 5-point vs. 10-point radiographic healing systems.
Healing Scores (Week 8):

• Boxers: 5-point mean = 3.3; 10-point mean = 6.9
• Labradors: 5-point mean = 3.6; 10-point mean = 7.5
• → Statistically significant difference (p = 0.0003 and p < 0.0001)

Osteotomy Gap ≥1 mm (present in 16.4%): Associated with significantly lower healing scores and increased recommendations for additional radiographic follow-up (p < 0.0001).
Observer Reliability:

• Both systems = good interobserver consistency.
• Slightly better intraobserver consistency with the 10-point scale.

Clinical Implication: Boxer dogs may need extended healing time or altered follow-up strategy after TPLO.

🔍 Key Findings

Study population: 21 dogs with portocaval extrahepatic portosystemic shunts (EHPSS)
Surgical approach: 67% (14/21) underwent ameroid constrictor placement
Perioperative complications: 4 dogs (19%), including seizures (n = 2), vomiting, and abdominal effusion
Perioperative mortality: 1 dog (5%)
Postoperative clinical outcome:

• Good to excellent outcome: 81% (17/21)
• Median follow-up: 6 months (range 3–43)

Persistence of shunting (CT or US): 56% (9/16 evaluated)
Dogs with persistent shunting: 67% still had good to excellent clinical outcome
Congenital portocaval shunts may have more favorable outcomes than previously reported

🔍 Key Findings

• Primary repair of NSAID-associated full-thickness gastroduodenal ulcers was successful in 73% (8/11) of cases.
• NSAID overdose, concurrent corticosteroid use, or extended duration were identified in 9/11 dogs and were major contributors to ulceration.
• All perforations were in the pylorus or proximal duodenum, locations suitable for primary closure.
• No significant association between ulcer size or location and postoperative survival.
• Preoperative hyperlactatemia trended toward increased mortality (P = .0544; OR 2.045).
• Postoperative vasopressor use was linked with a 9-fold increased risk of mortality (P = .0545).
• Dehiscence was rare, suspected in only 1 of 11 cases, indicating that primary repair is structurally sound in selected cases.
• Median follow-up of 444 days showed long-term survival was achievable post-primary repair.

🔍 Key Findings

• Prophylactic fenestration (PF) significantly reduced recurrence of cervical intervertebral disc extrusion (0% vs. 37.8%, p < .001).
• Surgery time was longer with PF (median 182 vs. 110 min, p = .017), but no difference in perioperative complication rates (PF 16.7%, non-PF 18.9%; p = .838).
• 25% overall recurrence rate, but all recurrences occurred in the non-PF group.
• Medical management was effective in 92.9% of recurrence cases.
• Most PF sites targeted adjacent discs; 88.9% were at adjacent levels, which are common recurrence sites.
• Neurologic outcomes were similar between PF and non-PF dogs post-surgery and at follow-up.
• Fenestration technique (blade vs. burr) not shown to affect outcome but contributed to extended surgical time.
• No major complications or deaths linked directly to PF in initial surgeries.

🔍 Key Findings Summary

• 22 dogs (36 shoulders) with shoulder OCD randomly assigned to COPLA scaffold (n=19) or Control (n=17) group
• At 6 months: Significantly fewer dogs in COPLA group had OA (14% vs. 67%; p = 0.019)
• At 1.5 years: OA prevalence increased in both groups with no significant difference (COPLA: 64%, Control: 60%)
• HCPI (pain index) increased significantly at 1 week post-op in COPLA dogs only (p = 0.001), but later normalized
• Static weight-bearing improved only in unilaterally operated COPLA limbs (p = 0.015)
• One dog in COPLA group had a fragment dislodge requiring arthroscopic removal
• Overall, COPLA scaffold may provide short-term benefit in OA reduction, but long-term outcomes were similar

🔍 Key Findings Summary

• 47 dogs (57 elbows) underwent TCS placement for HIF
• Overall complication rate = 17.5%
  • Minor: seromas (7 elbows)
  • Major: septic arthritis (3 elbows) — all resolved with antibiotics
• No screw failures, medial epicondylar fractures, or catastrophic outcomes noted
• Long-term follow-up in 41 dogs (50 elbows):
  • 90% full function, 10% acceptable function
  • Mean follow-up = ~2.5 years
• Increased age was significantly protective (p = 0.0051; OR = 0.61)
• TCS placement method (freehand, guide, aiming device) significantly impacted screw angulation but not complication rate
• Outcome not affected by presence of complications

🔍 Key Findings

• No significant difference in non-infected incisional dehiscence rates among groups using PDS vs. Monocryl for subcutaneous and skin closure.
• Overall dehiscence rate: 9.48% (22/232 dogs).
• Postoperative antibiotic use and signs of inflammation were significantly associated with dehiscence (p = .023 and p < .001, respectively).
• Dogs not receiving postoperative antibiotics had a higher dehiscence rate (14.74%) than those that did (5.84%).
• Most dehiscence cases were superficial (85.7%), and the average length of dehiscence was 1.71 cm.
• No statistically significant impact of weight, BCS, incision length, procedure type, surgeon experience, closure direction, or barrier use on dehiscence rate.