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Background Candida spp. are dimorphic fungi in the family Cryptococcaceae. Infections with Candida spp. are usually rare conditions in dogs, but immunocompromised patients have a higher risk for developing invasive candidal infections. Case presentation A 5-year-old male Boxer, positive to Leishmania infantum, was referred to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Italy for examination of a non-weight bearing left hind limb lameness of a duration of at least 3 months. During this period, treatment involved systemic anti-inflammatory medications and intra-articular corticosteroid administration. On presentation, clinical examination and radiographic findings were suggestive of cranial cruciate ligament deficiency. To support this diagnosis a stifle arthroscopy was performed: it confirmed a partial rupture of cranial cruciate ligament. Samples culture of synovial fluid and membrane was routinely collected as well, and revealed Candida guilliermondii joint infection. Treatment for the C. guilliermondii joint infection involved systemic anti-fungal therapy, joint lavage and intra-articular administration of antifungal drugs. Lameness improved markedly during this treatment, but lameness did not resolve completely, probably due to cranial cruciate ligament deficiency. Tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA) was chosen in order to treat stifle instability and was performed 4 weeks following cessation of treatment of the C. guilliermondii joint infection. Six month after TTA the dog showed a completely recovery with no lameness. Conclusions To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first case of Candida spp. joint infection reported in dogs. The cause of the progression of the joint C. guilliermondii infection remains unclear but it may be associated with leishmaniasis or intra-articular corticosteroid injections. Treatment with systemic and intra-articular anti-fungal therapies was successful. In the evaluation of hind limb lameness in a chronically immunocompromised dog, it would be advisable to consider also an intra-articular Candida spp. infection.

A three-month-old female Rottweiler puppy was referred for intravascular correction of a previously identified cor triatriatum dexter. Echocardiography confirmed the presence of a hyperechoic membrane that divided the right atrium into a cranial and caudal chamber. A foramen in this membrane allowed the blood to flow from the caudal to the cranial chamber. Balloon dilation of the defect under transthoracic echocardiographic guidance was scheduled for the following day. The dog was premedicated with 0.5 μg/kg sufentanil and 0.2 mg/kg midazolam administered intravenously. General anaesthesia was induced with 2 mg/kg propofol and maintained with inhaled isoflurane in oxygen; at the same time, a constant rate infusion of 0.5 μg/kg/h sufentanil was administered by means of an infusion pump. Uneventful ventricular and supraventricular tachyarrhythmias developed during the placement of catheters and balloon dilation. At the end of procedure, when the guide wire and balloon catheter were removed, normal sinus rhythm was observed. To the authors’ knowledge, no previous reports have described the anaesthetic management of a balloon dilation procedure for cor triatriatum dexter in dogs.

Bufalari, A., CE. Short, C. Giannoni and O. Vainio: Comparative responses to propofol anaesthesia alone and with α(2)-adrenergic medications in a canine model. Acta vet. scand. 1996, 37, 187-201. - Cardiovascular and pulmonary effects of pro-pofol, a relatively new nonbarbiturate intravenous anaesthetic, were assessed and com-pared in 22 male and female dogs. Dogs in group 1 did not receive any premedication prior to 6.6 mg/kg IV propofol, group 2 was premedicated with atropine (0.02 mg/kg IM) and the α(2)-agonist medetomidine (10 μg/kg IM), and group 3 received the same premedication agents as group 2, but the medetomidine effects were reversed by the α(2)-antagonist atipamezole (30 μg/kg IV) after 30 min of anaesthesia. Each dog in groups 2 and 3 received a propofol induction dose of 2.2 mg/kg IV The anaesthetic du-ration was shortest with propofol alone and prolonged with medetomidine as a premedication which was reversible with atipamezole. In group 1, the most prominent effects were a temporary drop in diastolic arterial blood pressure (26% and 24%) at 2 and 5 min post-propofol, respectively and a drop in respiratory frequency (41%) 2 min after pro-pofol induction. Similar respiratory depression was observed in groups 2 and 3 (20% and 48%, respectively) at the same time. Apnea was not observed. An increase in systemic arterial blood pressure was observed throughout the trial in groups 2 and 3 un-til dogs recovered or were reversed with atipamezole. Medetomidine significantly re-duces propofol dosage requirements. Safe and effective injectable anaesthesia was pro-duced by propofol in this group of dogs. The frequency of respiratory depression would suggest in clinical usage, the practitioner should be aware oxygen supplementation is the treatment of choice should apnea occur.

Background Migrating plant material is often suspected clinically to be the underlying cause of iliopsoas myositis in the dog, but cannot always be found pre- or intraoperatively. In most cases, recurrence of clinical signs is related to failure to remove the plant material. Preoperative ultrasonography can be useful to visualize migrating plant material and to determine anatomical landmarks that can assist in planning a surgical approach. The purpose of the present study was to report the role of intraoperative (intra-abdominal) ultrasonography for visualizing and removing the plant material from iliopsoas abscesses using a ventral midline laparotomy approach. Results A retrospective case series of 22 dogs with iliopsoas muscle abnormalities and suspected plant material was reported. Preoperative visualization and subsequent retrieval of the plant material was performed during a single hospitalization. In all 22 dogs, the plant material (including complete grass awns, grass awn fragments and a bramble twig) was successfully removed via ventral midline laparotomy in which intraoperative ultrasonography was used to direct the grasping forceps tips to the foreign body and guide its removal. In 11 of these 22 dogs, the plant material was not completely removed during prior surgery performed by the referring veterinarians without pre- or intraoperative ultrasonography. Clinical signs resolved in all dogs and all dogs resumed normal activity after successful surgical removal of the plant material. Conclusion Intraoperative ultrasonography is a safe and readily available tool that improves success of surgical removal of plant material within the iliopsoas abscesses via ventral midline laparotomy. Moreover, ultrasonographic findings of unusual plant material can be useful in planning and guiding surgical removal, by providing information about the size and shape of the foreign body.