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In the last few years, it has become easier to diagnose congenital brain malformations in dog's ante-mortem. This is probably due to the wider availability of advanced diagnostic imaging, in particular computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Despite this, there is still not much literature available about potential treatments, outcome and overall prognosis with respect to the patient's quality of life. We present three cases of Dandy-Walker malformation in Polish hunting dogs with up to five years follow up including assessment of their quality of life. A nine-week-old Polish hunting dog was presented with progressive signs of ataxia that had developed over the preceding few weeks. MRI revealed a Dandy-Walker malformation. The dog underwent MRI at the ages of 12 and 36 months, and his neurological condition was followed for five years. No other subsequent abnormities were found on further diagnostic tests. The dog showed transient behavioural problems which improved after castration and training. The ataxia seen at first visit improved with time and intensive physiotherapy, and the dog was considered to have a good quality of life in the owner's eyes. A further two cases shared a similar disease course. Dandy-Walker malformation was confirmed with MRI, but diagnostic imaging could not be reported here because the owner did not consent to publication. The Dandy-Walker malformations described in these three Polish hunting dogs had a stable disease course and revealed that dogs suffering from this condition may have a good quality of life, providing no other abnormalities are detected and rehabilitation is performed.

This paper describes the results of a retrospective study performed on 385 cats with feline lower urinary tract disease. The study was conducted to obtain epidemiological data and to evaluate clinical symptoms and the results of laboratory tests in a population of Polish cats with symptoms of lower urinary tract disease. The analysed population comprised feline patients of the veterinary clinic at the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn who had not been treated prior to admission. Medical history was obtained for all patients. Urine samples were collected mostly, but not solely, by cystocentesis. Feline idiopathic cystitis was diagnosed in most cats (60.7%), while urinary tract infections were noted in only 7.8% of patients. Urethral obstruction caused by mucus plugs was observed in 17.4% of animals. Urolithiasis was observed in 13% of cats, 5% of whom were also diagnosed with urinary tract infections. Hyperplastic changes were identified in only 1% of the studied population. In 59% of cats, feline lower urinary tract disease was accompanied by urethral obstruction. Cats with feline idiopathic cystitis were the youngest animals in the analysed population, and the risk of urinary tract infections and neoplasia increased with age. Our results, obtained over a period of six years in a Polish feline population, show that sex, neutering, age, living conditions and diet influence the type of urinary tract disease, data which are consistent with those obtained in other countries.

A four-year-old, male German Shepherd dog with severe pain in the left eye following a corneal perforation with a foreign body was examined. An ophthalmic examination revealed conjunctival hyperaemia and pancorneal dense oedema, preventing a diagnosis of deeper structures of the eye and lowered IOP. Vision testing was missing or impossible to detect. Ultrasonography showed a solid hyperechoic line protruding through the iris and lens into the vitreous and minor posterior lens displacement. The dog qualified for immediate surgical treatment. Intraoperative ophthalmic examination revealed a rupture of the anterior hyaloid membrane with vitreous herniation, posterior lens subluxation, lens capsule rupture and a torn iris. Partial iridectomy and intracapsular lens extraction (ICLE) was conducted. Slit-lamp biomicroscopy revealed iridodonesis and a gradual reduction of the corneal oedema, leading to complete transparency in the bottom two-thirds of the area on Day 12 after surgery. Direct and consensual PLR was sluggish and the dazzle reflex was positive. An electroretinographic examination confirmed normal activity of the retina.

Electroretinography (ERG) in the form of full-field, flash ERG is the most commonly used technique in veterinary ophthalmology for diagnosing the functioning of the outer retina. Under light stimulation spatially distributed different cell types within the retina produce time-varying electric responses. These are recorded in the form of ERG traces consisting of a series of positive and negative wavelets. The possibility of selective stimulation of individual types of retinal cells and the analysis of constituent components of ERGs are the basis for determining the source of abnormalities and diagnosis of various types of dysfunction. In many cases, the ERG allows diagnosis of hereditary retinal disorders in dogs before the appearance of behavioural and ophthalmoscopic symptoms. This review is an introduction to the electrophysiology of vision, intended for small animal practitioners, and aimed at presenting the benefits of ERG for early ophthalmic diagnostics in dogs.

This study describes a case of a six-year-old female crossbreed dog that had a three months history of progressive right thoracic limb lameness. Palpation revealed muscle atrophy of the scapular and humeral area and painfulness in this region. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed in T1- and T2-weighted and STIR (short inversion recovery) sequences in sagittal and transverse planes. The masses around the scapula and humerus were heterogeneously hyper-intense in STIR and measured about 9 cm. The tumour was heterogeneously iso-intense relatively to the surrounding tissues in T-2 weighted Gradient Echo and Spin Echo sequences. After MRI fine needle aspiration of a central part of the tumour was performed. The biopsy revealed multiple round cells with very little cytoplasm and fusiform cells in which the cytoplasm created protrusions. Cells were arranged in rows or formed a homogeneous cell mass. A malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour was diagnosed cytologically.

A 7-year-old female, German Shepherd with urinary and faecal voiding difficulties was admitted to the clinic. The patient was subjected to neurological, ultrasonographic and radiological examinations as well as blood and urine tests. Based on clinical observations and test results, the dog was diagnosed with detrusor-urethral dyssynergia. The prescribed pharmacological treatment consisted of alpha adrenergic receptor antagonists and skeletal muscle relaxants. The patient was catheterised daily, and Foley's catheter was temporarily inserted. Pharmacological treatment was not effective, however, and the patient was subjected to an MRI examination of the lumbosacral spine which revealed L6-L7 dyscopathy. The dog was then subjected to percutaneous laser disc decompression. Pharmacological treatment was continued, and the catheter was left in place after surgery. Active urination was restored four days after surgery despite the presence of the catheter. The catheter was subsequently removed, and pharmacological treatment was gradually discontinued. The symptoms of dyssynergia subsided completely.

A canine patient with osteosarcoma of the sacrum was subjected to low-field magnetic resonance imaging with the following sequences: FSE, SE, 3D HYCE, X BONE, Fast STIR, GE STIR and Gradient Echo. Due to the size and location of the tumour, surgery was not performed, and the patient was euthanized. A histopathological analysis of the tumour revealed telangiectatic osteosarcoma.

This article describes osteomyelitis of the sphenoid skull bone in a maltanese dog due to Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans infection. The affected dog was subjected to physical and neurological examinations. Complete blood count (CBC), biochemistry profile, lymph node biopsy, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination were also performed. This case report describes abnormalities in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination as well as the histhopathologic lesions of the skull bones and neurological symptoms of the dog.

This article describes the procedure of ventriculo-peritoneal shunt implantation in an English bulldog with laparoscopy-assisted placement of the peritoneal catheter in the abdominal cavity. Prior to surgery, the patient was subjected to physical and neurological examinations involving a complete blood count (CBC), biochemistry profiling, EEG and MRI. This case report also describes the patient's pharmacological treatment before the procedure, the applied surgical technique and the benefits of the laparoscopy-assisted approach.

The bone-conducted brainstem auditory evoked response test was performed in an eight-year-old dog with total bilateral ear canal ablation. It was found that 12 months after bilateral surgical ablation of the external acoustic meatus the dog still maintained its hearing function due to the mechanism of acoustic bone conduction.