🔍 Key Findings

• Fascial planes in dogs were consistently classifiable into four surgical types:
• Type I (discrete sheets), Type II (tightly adhered to thin muscle), Type III (tightly adhered to thick muscle), and Type IV (periosteum-associated).
• Two junction types were identified: Type A (easily elevated) and Type B (higher risk of disruption).
• Disruption-prone areas include the scapular spine (type IV fascia) and lateral thorax near the 13th rib, where rib resection may be needed to preserve margins.
• The latissimus dorsi transition zones and fascial areas near the thoracic inlet and scapulohumeral joint were prone to fascial thinning or disruption.
• Partial muscle resections or periosteal elevations may be required in areas with fragile fascia to maintain oncologic margins.
• Dorsal spinous processes (T6–L6) showed type IV fascia; however, osteotomy may be needed in some dogs for clear margins.
• Blended fascial transitions (e.g., rectus abdominis: type II cranially, type I caudally) necessitate intraoperative judgment on resection depth.
• Cutaneous trunci may suffice as a deep margin for small, low-grade tumors in well-muscled dogs, but not reliably for high-grade or larger masses.

🔍 Key Findings

• No infections (0/102) occurred in cases where preclosure povidone-iodine lavage (PrePIL) was used, compared to 21/2111 (0.99%) with saline lavage.
• Break-even cost for PrePIL was calculated at $49.74, while the actual cost was only $2.07, confirming strong cost-effectiveness.
• No adverse reactions or healing complications were reported in the 102 PrePIL cases.
• The PrePIL protocol used 0.35% povidone-iodine for 3 minutes before closure, followed by sterile saline lavage.
• Majority of THRs (97%) used cementless fixation (BFX) in PrePIL group; only 3 cases used CFX components.
• Surgeries followed consistent perioperative antibiotic protocols, making PrePIL the only major protocol variable.
• Antibiotics were not added to lavage, aligning with WHO and CDC guidelines for antimicrobial stewardship.
• The infection reduction with PrePIL supports routine use in total hip replacement to reduce periprosthetic joint infections.

🔍 Key Findings

• Study Design: Retrospective case series of 15 dogs (19 tarsi) with talar OCD.
• Technique: Modified arthroscopic approach with both scope and instrument portals on the same side as the lesion.
• Outcomes:
  • Good to excellent mid-to-long-term outcomes in 11/14 dogs.
  • Statistically significant improvement in CBPI (p < .05) and VAS scores (p < .05).
  • Minor postoperative complications (synovial cysts) in 4/13 tarsi, all resolved spontaneously.
  • No major intraoperative complications; 1/19 required mini-arthrotomy due to fragment size.
• Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD): Progression noted in 10/14 cases, despite good functional outcomes.
• Fragment Characteristics: Multiple osteochondral fragments were present in most cases, with 17/19 lesions on the medial talar ridge.
• Technical Advantage: Lower conversion rate to arthrotomy (1/19) compared to previous studies (Gielen et al. and Miller & Beale).

🔍 Key Findings

Objective: Determine if topical 45 mg/mL amikacin in CMC gel leads to systemic absorption in dogs with wounds.

Dogs enrolled: 11 client-owned dogs, with 31 applications of the gel.

Serum findings:

• Only 5 of 153 samples were above the 2.5 µg/mL quantification limit
• All values remained <5 µg/mL, the presumed toxicity threshold
• No correlation was found between dose-related parameters (mg, mg/kg, mg/cm²) and serum amikacin levels

Peak concentrations were observed at ~2 hours post-application, declining rapidly thereafter

No nephrotoxicity observed, and most values were below detection

Conclusion: Topical amikacin gel appears safe at doses up to 24.9 mg/kg, with minimal systemic absorption

🔍 Key Findings

• 97.4% of dogs returned to normal function after total hip replacement using the BFX lateral bolt.
• Mean femoral stem subsidence was 1.22 mm, with most occurring in the first month and minimal thereafter.
• Postoperative complication rate was 13.6%, with 9.2% major and 4.4% minor complications.
• Femoral fractures (3.6%) and coxofemoral luxations (3.6%) were the most common major complications.
• Increased age and higher stem size were risk factors for postoperative femoral fractures; CFI >2.0 was also associated.
• Medial calcar fractures were avoided, and fractures occurred distal to stem ingrowth zone, simplifying repairs.
• Three cases underwent prophylactic plating, all with excellent outcomes and no complications.
• Explant rate was 2.6% (5/195), with most failures involving acetabular cup rather than femoral stem.

🔍 Key Findings

• Tibial plateau fractures (TPF) are rare in dogs, but can be surgically stabilized with good outcomes even in complex trauma cases.
• Lateral TPFs (Unger type 41-B1) were approached via caudolateral arthrotomy, with elevation of the lateral meniscus for visualization and use of lag screws and K-wires for fixation.
• Medial TPF (Unger type 41-B2) was addressed via medial parapatellar approach using K-wires and a figure-of-eight tension band.
• One minor complication occurred: implant yield at 2 weeks in a case with a concurrent fibular fracture, resulting in a 0.8 mm step defect.
• No major complications were recorded, and all dogs achieved clinical union with full function by 8–10 weeks.
• Long-term owner-reported outcomes (LOAD scores) were excellent (5/52), indicating minimal osteoarthritis or chronic pain.
• Concurrent fibular fractures may increase risk of implant failure and should influence implant selection (e.g., considering buttress plating).
• Arthroscopic-assisted techniques may be applicable in select cases, but open reduction was preferred due to fragment displacement or concurrent injuries.

🔍 Key Findings

• Both patient-specific and universal guides yielded correction errors <2°, with no statistically significant difference in accuracy.
• Universal guide corrected aLDFA up to 24° and AA up to 20°, addressing multiplanar deformities effectively.
• Patient-specific guides allowed for preoperative simulation, providing more stable pin placement and potentially aiding less-experienced surgeons.
• Universal guide eliminated the need for CT-based customization, reducing time and cost.
• Cadaver and bone model trials showed consistent accuracy, validating both methods in vitro and ex vivo.
• No significant differences in outcome when correcting uniplanar (aLDFA) vs biplanar (aLDFA + AA) deformities.
• Universal guide's fixed size presented limitations in small dogs, potentially requiring multiple size options.
• Universal guide showed potential for standard use, offering repeatable outcomes with minimal prep despite needing precise intraoperative placement.

🔍 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

From “Long-term follow up of 44 cats undergoing total hip replacement” by Rodiño Tilve et al.

• Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) was the most common surgical indication (61%, 34/56 hips), primarily affecting young neutered male cats.
• All THRs used cemented micro/nano BioMedtrix implants; most common femoral stem was size #3, and most common acetabular cup was 12 mm.
• Postoperative complication rate was 19.6% (11/56) with 9 major complications (luxation most common), and no intraoperative complications reported.
• All luxations occurred in hips implanted with femoral neck +0 mm length implants.
• Second luxations were more common when revision used same implant size; use of larger implants reduced reluxation rates.
• FMPI-sf score improved significantly from median 2.111 pre-op to 0.111 post-op (P < .001), indicating reduced pain and improved function.
• Very high owner satisfaction: 91% (30/33) reported outcome as "very good."
• No significant associations found between complications and variables like weight, sex, implant size, or surgical indication.

🔍 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.