🔍 Key Findings

• Early enteral nutrition (<24–48 hrs) is associated with improved survival and reduced hospitalization in dogs with septic peritonitis.
• Appropriate empirical antimicrobials improve survival in cats, but data are mixed in dogs.
• Recurrent septic peritonitis (RecSP) has poor survival (0%–43.9%); most common cause is gastrointestinal dehiscence.
• Intraoperative hypotension and preoperative hypoalbuminemia may increase dehiscence risk, though findings are inconsistent.
• Lidocaine CRI during surgery improves survival over opioids alone in dogs.
• Hydroxyethyl starch (HES) is not recommended due to risks of coagulopathy and kidney injury; albumin use is controversial.
• Intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) is under-recognized but contributes to mortality; IAP monitoring should be considered.
• Diagnostic tests (effusion lactate, glucose, cytology) are unreliable for detecting RecSP; clinical judgment and ultrasound are advised.

🔍 Key Findings

• Cranial drawer (CD), tibial compression (TCT), and tibial pivot compression test (TPCT) showed 100% sensitivity and specificity in differentiating intact from CCL-deficient stifles in this ex vivo model.
• TPCT elicited the highest cranial tibial translation (CTT) and internal tibial rotation, though differences in rotation did not reach statistical significance.
• Inter- and intraobserver agreement for CTT was excellent across all tests (ICC >0.9).
• Rotation and force application had greater variability, particularly with less experienced observers and during CD.
• Forces applied during CD were significantly higher in intact limbs and correlated with observer experience.
• Subjective CTT estimates strongly correlated with objective kinematic measurements (r = 0.895), with a median absolute error of 1.31 mm.
• TPCT may be particularly useful for assessing rotational instability, mimicking the pivot-shift test used in human ACL exams.
• Study supports development of a grading system for manual laxity testing, especially in acute CCLR cases.

🔍 Key Findings

• Fascia was present over most of the canine forelimb, but key areas like the elbow, carpus, and manus lacked robust fascial planes for wide resection.
• Type I fascia (discrete sheet) was primarily found in the antebrachium, with type IV (periosteal) fascia located at the olecranon, scapular spine, and accessory carpal bone.
• Distal antebrachial fascia was thin and adherent, often blending with carpal structures and lacking reliable surgical planes.
• Partial tenectomy or joint capsule resection was often required for wide excision in the distal limb, especially over the triceps tendon and carpus.
• Nerve transections (e.g., superficial radial or ulnar branches) were commonly needed to maintain fascial margins, though often with minimal functional loss due to overlapping innervation.
• Digital and metacarpal pads lacked clear deep fascial borders, making digit amputation necessary for oncologic margins in distal tumors.
• Dissections revealed fascial junctions as either Type A (easily separable) or Type B (risk of disruption), guiding resection plane selection.
• Findings provide a surgical map to guide preoperative planning for superficial tumor excision on the forelimb.

🔍 Key Findings

• Quadriceps muscle length/femoral length ratio (QML/FL) was significantly lower in dogs with grade IV MPL than grades I–III (p ≤ .002).
• Shortened QML was associated with increased femoral torsion angle (FTA) and increased aLDFA, indicating correlation with femoral deformity.
• QML/FL increased with age, possibly due to muscular development or reduced deformity in older dogs (p = .004).
• Grade IV MPL dogs had QML/FL < 0.87, the lower normal limit based on healthy beagles, suggesting clinically significant muscle shortening.
• PLL/PL ratio (used to diagnose patella alta) was not associated with QML/FL or MPL severity in small breeds.
• QML/FL can help preoperatively identify candidates for femoral shortening ostectomy, improving femoropatellar alignment.
• Multivariate regression model confirmed QML/FL is independently influenced by age, FTA, and aLDFA (R² = 0.45).
• CT-based 3D measurements enabled objective, noninvasive quantification of femoral and muscle alignment parameters.

🔍 Key Findings

• Study compared 606 dogs (English Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, Pugs) undergoing partial staphylectomy via CO₂ laser, bipolar vessel sealing device (BVSD), or conventional incision.
• Mortality rate: 4.0% (24/606).
• BVSD was associated with significantly increased perioperative mortality compared to other methods (OR = 6.0, 95% CI: 1.3–28.4, p = .023).
• High-grade laryngeal collapse (stage II or III) independently increased mortality risk (OR = 4.6, 95% CI: 1.8–11.8, p = .002).
• No difference in mortality between CO₂ laser and conventional incision techniques.
• CO₂ laser and conventional techniques had similar complication rates.

🔍 Key Findings

• Objective: To evaluate outcomes and complications of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for idiopathic chylothorax in 15 cats.
• All 15 cats underwent thoracoscopic thoracic duct ligation (TDL); 13 also had simultaneous pericardectomy, 2 had VATS TDL + laparoscopic cisterna chyli ablation (CCA), and 1 cat had an open CCA.
• Median surgical time was 152.5 minutes (range 60–255).
• Contrast was used intraoperatively in 13 cats; 11 received methylene blue, and 2 received indocyanine green (ICG).
• One intraoperative complication (6%) occurred — a minor intercostal artery laceration. Conversion to open surgery occurred in 3 cases (20%) due to visualization issues or bleeding.
• Postoperative complications occurred in 8 cats (53%), with persistent pleural effusion in 5 cats (33%) being the most common.
• Mortality was high: 4 cats (27%) died or were euthanized before discharge. Only 7 of 11 cats discharged had resolution of effusion, and recurrence occurred in 1.
• Authors concluded that while VATS is technically feasible in cats, it did not improve clinical outcomes compared to open surgery, and feline idiopathic chylothorax continues to have a high mortality rate.

🔍 Key Findings

Study focus: Outcomes of cannulated screw fixation in unicondylar humeral condylar fractures (UHCF) in dogs.
Clinical union rate: 89%
Overall complication rate: 36%

• Major complication: Most common was screw breakage

Significant risk factor for screw breakage:

• Body weight >20 kg (statistically significant)

Breed distribution:

• Spaniels, especially English Springer Spaniels, were most common

No mention of plate augmentation as standard in this cohort

🔍 Key Findings

Population: 9 dogs underwent revision of osteointegrated acetabular cups after total hip arthroplasty (THA)

Revision Indications:

• 7 luxations (5 ventral, 2 craniodorsal)
• 1 femoral stem fracture
• 1 aseptic stem loosening

Implants:

• 8 BFX cups, 1 Helica; all revised to BFX
• 7/9 required a larger cup than original

Cup removal: Required sectioning with a high-speed burr and modular osteotome; removal fragments extracted

Complications:

• 1 recurrent luxation
• 1 low-grade infection with possible metallic debris-associated osteolysis
• 2 femoral fissures managed intraoperatively

Outcomes:

• Good to excellent function in 6/6 dogs available at median 621 days
• Minimal complications with success in re-osteointegration of new cup

Clinical takeaway: Revision of stable, ingrown cups is feasible and offers an alternative to pelvic osteotomies; typically requires upsizing

🔍 Key Findings

Study size: 105 dogs (73 ORPS; 32 MIPO)

MIPO vs ORPS differences:

• Surgical time: MIPO median 130 min vs ORPS 85 min (p < .001)
• Explant rate: MIPO 25% vs ORPS 4.1% (p = .003)
• Time to clinical union: MIPO 85 days vs ORPS 57 days (p = .010)
• Frontal alignment deviation: MIPO 3.5° vs ORPS 2.0° (p = .047)
• Comminution more frequent in MIPO (41% vs 16%; p = .012)

Significant predictors for MIPO use: More proximal fracture margin (p = .004), surgeon identity (p < .001)

No significant difference: Sagittal alignment, radial length, union rate, or complication rate by surgeon

Implant preference: Fixin plates used in 84% of MIPO; locking plates more common in ORPS

🔍 Key Findings

• Early enteral nutrition (<24–48 hrs) is associated with improved survival and reduced hospitalization in dogs with septic peritonitis.
• Appropriate empirical antimicrobials improve survival in cats, but data are mixed in dogs.
• Recurrent septic peritonitis (RecSP) has poor survival (0%–43.9%); most common cause is gastrointestinal dehiscence.
• Intraoperative hypotension and preoperative hypoalbuminemia may increase dehiscence risk, though findings are inconsistent.
• Lidocaine CRI during surgery improves survival over opioids alone in dogs.
• Hydroxyethyl starch (HES) is not recommended due to risks of coagulopathy and kidney injury; albumin use is controversial.
• Intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) is under-recognized but contributes to mortality; IAP monitoring should be considered.
• Diagnostic tests (effusion lactate, glucose, cytology) are unreliable for detecting RecSP; clinical judgment and ultrasound are advised.