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Congenital humeroradial subluxation was diagnosed by clinical examination and radiography in a 16-week-old female dog that presented for left forelimb lameness. This was treated surgically by open reduction followed by placement of an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene suture from the craniolateral aspect of the proximal radius to the caudomedial aspect of the ulna, secured with a toggle and suture button. Postoperative findings were consistent with clinical improvement and radiographs were compatible with resolution of elbow subluxation. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of congenital humeroradial subluxation to be managed with an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene suture toggle.

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate outcomes and complications of dogs that had pancarpal arthrodesis (PCA) using a titanium hybrid advanced locking plate system (ALPS) and stainless steel hybrid dynamic compression plate (HDCP). Study Design Retrospective observational study. Methods Medical records (2007–2020) were reviewed for cases that had PCA performed using ALPS or HDCP. Implant characteristics including metacarpal coverage (MCov), metacarpal width occupied by screw diameter percentage and carpal arthrodesis angle (CAA), complications and outcomes were recorded. Results Pancarpal arthrodesis was performed with ALPS on 15 limbs from 12 dogs, and HDCP on 14 limbs from 11dogs. Median follow-up time was 1,157 days (range: 62–1,902 days) for ALPS group and 340 days (range: 43–1,465 days) for HDCP. Median MCov for ALPS group was 74% (range: 60–87.5%) compared with 56.5% (range: 49.7–91.3%) for HDCP (p = 0.001). There was no difference in CAA and metacarpal width to screw diameter percentage between ALPS and HDCP group. Major and minor complications and surgical site infection rates were not statistically different between the two groups. Plate fracture occurred in 2/15 ALPS PCA and screw loosening occurred in 4/14 HDCP PCA. Full function was achieved in 8/12 and 8/11 of ALPS and HDCP cases, respectively, which was not statistically different (p = 0.76). Conclusion The use of ALPS offers comparable performance to HDCP for PCA

PICO questionIn dogs with cruciate disease, is the use of TTA Rapid (TTAR) compared to traditional TTA (tTTA) associated with a higher risk of tibial diaphyseal fractures?Clinical bottom lineBased on studies published between January 2013 and January 2018, the rate of tibial diaphyseal fractures as a complication of Tibial Tuberosity Advancement Rapid (TTAR) surgery is within the published limits of traditional Tibial Tuberosity Advancement (tTTA). In this period, seven studies were related to tTTA, comprising of four; one case series, two retrospective case-control studies, and one retrospective cohort study. Five case series were related to TTAR. All evidence within this period has been observational (Level 3 and 4 evidence). No direct head-to-head comparison between the techniques has been studied.

Due to resource limitations, animal shelters in Australia historically have focused on rehoming animals considered &lsquo, highly adoptable&rsquo, Increasingly, animal shelters in Australia are rehoming animals with pre-existing medical and/or behavioural issues. These animals are often rehomed with an &lsquo, indemnity waiver&rsquo, to transfer the responsibility of ongoing financial costs associated with these conditions from the shelter to the new owner. However, it is unknown what effect these indemnity waivers have on the length of stay (LOS) of animals prior to adoption. The current study used data collected from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) Weston shelter located in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Australia in 2017 to investigate the effect of indemnity waivers on the LOS of cats. A restricted maximum likelihood model (REML) was used to determine the effect of breed, age, coat colour, presence of a waiver, waiver type (categorised into seven groups) and waiver number (no waiver, single waiver or multiple waivers) on LOS. In the final multivariate model, age, breed and waiver number were found to influence LOS. Young cats, purebred cats and cats adopted without a waiver were adopted fastest. This study is the first to report the effect of indemnity waivers on the adoptability of cats from shelters.

Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) cause clinical infections in humans. Understanding the evolution and dissemination of ExPEC strains via potential reservoirs is important due to associated morbidity, health care costs and mortality. To further understanding this survey has examined isolates recovered from the faeces of 221 healthy dogs and 427 healthy cats. The distribution of phylogroups varied with host species, and depended on whether the animal was living in a shelter or a home. The human associated STs 69, 73, 95, 131 and 127 were prevalent, with 30.5% of cat isolates and 10.3% of dog isolates representing these ExPEC sequence types. Resistance to the antibiotics ampicillin and tetracycline was common, but resistance to other antimicrobials was negligible.