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The cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) rupture is a common orthopedic disease in dogs that is usually managed with tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) or extracapsular lateral suture (ECLS). Osteotomy is generally associated with some complications, including nonunion. The periosteum plays an important role in bone growth and remodeling. Osteocrin (OSTN), which was recently identified and is involved in bone formation and differentiation, is produced in the periosteum and osteoblasts. The aimed to investigate whether the concentrations of serum OSTN change before and after stifle surgery in dogs and compare the OSTN concentrations in the two surgical techniques (TPLO: n = 20 vs. ECLS: n = 36). The postoperative serum OSTN concentration in the TPLO group was significantly lower than the preoperative value (p < 0.05), while serum OSTN concentrations differed statistically between the preoperative and suture-removal periods. In contrast, no significant differences were observed in the ECLS group. In conclusion, osteotomy affects serum OSTN concentrations during the perioperative period in dogs, which may be related to periosteal injury., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None of the authors have any financial or personal relationships that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) is the most common chronic heart valve disease, leading to the eccentric hypertrophy. Recently, the leaflet-annulus index (LAI), which focuses on the mitral valve apparatus, has been considered a prognostic factor for human mitral regurgitation (MR); however, it has not been reported in veterinary medicine. In the present study, we retrospectively evaluated the LAI in dogs with MMVD. Eight-three dogs with MMVD diagnosed using echocardiography were included in this study. The anteroposterior length, anterior and posterior cusp coaptation lengths, LAI, left ventricular end-diastolic internal diameter normalized to body weight (LVIDDN), and left atrium to aorta ratio (LA/Ao) were measured. A significant correlation between the LAI, LVIDDN, and LA/Ao of MR grading, and left ventricle dilation was observed. In conclusion, LAI could help determine annular widening, suggesting the decision of an appropriate for SVR in clinical settings., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None of the authors have any other financial or personal relationships that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Medial patellar luxation (MPL) is a common orthopedic condition in dogs. After surgical correction, the recurrent rates appear to be higher and outcomes worse in grade IV than in lower grade MPL., Aim: To describe the outcomes of surgical correction of canine grade IV MPL., Methods: This retrospective study analyzed the medical records of 16 dogs (11 females, 5 males; mean age = 5.05 years) with 22 stifle joints (8 left and 14 right) that underwent MPL surgery at Rakuno Gakuen University between May 2015 and October 2020. The procedures included capsulorrhaphy, trochlear block recession, tibial tuberosity transposition, medial retinacular release, and lateral fabellotibial suturing. The types of postsurgical complications, including a recurrence of MPL, were recorded., Results: Twelve of the 16 (75 %) dogs had concurrent contralateral MPL, and 2 dogs (12.5%) had concurrent cranial cruciate ligament rupture. The mean follow-up was 12.1 months. No lameness was observed. The outcomes of surgery for grade IV MPL were not associated with bilateral surgery, age, sex, body weight, or the preoperative quadriceps angle. Although none of the dogs showed any major or catastrophic complications following surgery, postoperative minor and major complications were observed in 8 of the 22 stifle joints (36.4%)., Conclusion: Grade IV MPL is a complex orthopedic disease in dogs, which requires surgical patellar realignment to improve limb function. The surgical techniques used in this study were associated with a good prognosis without a surgical revision.

Background: The use of thiazide diuretics is recommended in the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine guidelines for advanced heart failure due to mitral insufficiency (MI) in dogs. However, there are no large-scale reports of the use of thiazide diuretics in dogs with advanced heart failure., Aim: This retrospective study evaluated the therapeutic effect of concomitant hydrochlorothiazide (HTCZ) with loop diuretics in dogs with heart failure., Methods: The study included 14 dogs diagnosed with advanced pulmonary edema with MI at two facilities. In all cases, high-dose loop diuretics (torsemide; 0.78-4 mg/kg/day) did not improve pulmonary edema. The results of the echocardiography and renal function tests before and after the administration of HTCZ (0.2-0.84 mg/kg/day) in addition to torsemide were statistically compared., Results: The echocardiographic data demonstrated significant improvement in relation to cardiac stress; left atrium to the aorta ratio, normalized left ventricular internal dimension in diastole, and E wave velocity ( m/s ) after HTCZ administration. However, blood urea nitrogen and creatinine levels increased, and potassium levels decreased, indicating a decline in renal function following HTCZ administration., Conclusion: This study suggests that the administration of HTCZ in combination with loop diuretics may be beneficial during advanced heart failure due to MI in dogs. The results can also be extended to patients who are resistant to loop diuretics, resulting in the improvement of cardiac function. However, as the combination of HTCZ and loop diuretics can deteriorate renal function, caution should be exercised prior to making recommendations regarding its use, and renal function should be monitored., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Background: There are few detailed reports on implant-associated sarcoma in dogs; however, loose implants, metal type, and infection have not been shown as specific risk factors for this condition., Case Description: A 14-year-old spayed female Labrador retriever was referred to our hospital with a main complaint of chronic right hind lameness after previous tibial fracture repair. On radiographs, rupture of the bone plate and screws with swelling of the surrounding soft tissue was observed, and osteosarcoma (OSA) was diagnosed after histopathological examinations. During amputation surgery, a plastic band was found associated with the implant., Conclusion: Veterinary surgeons should be aware of implant-associated OSA and refrain from using non-medical materials in the implants. Furthermore, they should recommend the removal of orthopedic implants after fracture repair., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.