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Abstract A 14‐year‐old spayed female Miniature Pinscher presented with tongue curling, dysphagia, hypersalivation, and sublingual gland swelling. Comprehensive evaluation, including neurologic and musculoskeletal examinations, blood work, and urinalysis, revealed no abnormalities other than tongue‐related signs. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a multilobed cystic structure in the occipito‐atlanto‐axial joint, compressing the right hypoglossal canal. The lesion appeared cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)‐like on T1‐weighted and T2‐weighted images, and hyperintense compared with CSF on fluid‐attenuated inversion recovery T2‐weighted images. The scans suggested mucinous content with enhanced peripheral areas on contrast‐enhanced images. Surgical removal and drainage of this cyst were performed, and clinical signs improved markedly. The dorsal cyst was tentatively diagnosed as a ganglion cyst based on histopathologic and imaging findings. Ganglion cysts should be considered in the differential diagnosis for dogs with similar MRI findings and neurologic signs.

ABSTRACT Background It is well known that the T10–T11 intervertebral disc space is usually narrower than the adjacent intervertebral disc spaces in most dogs. However, whether the T10–T11 disc space is narrower than the adjacent disc spaces is not well‐established in cats. Objectives To measure the intervertebral disc space width of the T10–T11 disc space and to compare it with that of the adjacent disc spaces using radiography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods In Groups 1 (101 clinically normal cats) and 2 (32 cats without spinal diseases from T8 to T13), dorsal width (DW), central width (CW) and ventral width (VW) of the T8–T13 disc spaces were measured by radiography or MRI. Significant differences of the DW, CW and VW among disc spaces measured by radiography and MRI were evaluated. Intra‐ and interobserver reliabilities were measured by intraclass correlation coefficient. Results In Groups 1 and 2 using radiography, the DW and CW of the T10–T11 disc space were significantly narrower than those of adjacent disc spaces (p

IntroductionOphthalmic ultrasound is useful tool for examining canine eyes. Previous studies have compared ocular parameters using ophthalmic ultrasonography based on body weight, breed, sex, and age. However, there are limited studies involving large numbers of dogs with controlled body condition score. Furthermore, to the authors' knowledge, there are no established parameters that can be used independently of body weight. The aim of this study was (1) to compare ultrasonography ocular parameters based on body weight, breed, sex, and age in dogs with an ideal body condition score, (2) to establish normal reference ranges for ultrasonography ocular parameters on a large number of samples, (3) to establish an ultrasonography ocular parameter ratio that can be used regardless of body weight.MethodsA total of 225 dogs were collected, of which 120 dogs without abnormalities on ophthalmologic and clinical examinations were included according to the inclusion criteria. The ocular parameters measured were the anterior chamber (AC), vitreous chamber (VC), lens axial length (LAL), lens equatorial length (LEL), and globe axial length (GAL).ResultsIn LEL and GAL, a strong positive correlation was observed with body weight, and significant differences were identified between all body weight groups (p < 0.05). The mean LEL for each body weight groups is as follows: 1 ≤ body weight < 5 kg; 1.118 ± 0.032 cm, 5 ≤ body weight < 10 kg; 1.17 ± 0.03 cm, 10 ≤ body weight < 20 kg; 1.218 ± 0.018 cm, 20 ≤ body weight < 35 kg; 1.313 ± 0.03 8cm (R2 = 0.820; β = 0.008; p < 0.001). The mean GAL for each body weight groups is as follows: 1 ≤ body weight < 5 kg; 1.731 ± 0.076 cm, 5 ≤ body weight < 10 kg; 1.841 ± 0.064 cm, 10 ≤ body weight < 20 kg; 1.915 ± 0.043 cm, 20 ≤ body weight < 35 kg; 2.027 ± 0.059 cm (R2 = 0.598; β = 0.012; p < 0.05). The positive correlation with body weight was weaker for the AC, VC, and LAL than for the LEL and GAL. No significant differences were found among breeds, sexes, or ages, nor between the left and right eyes in all ocular parameters (p > 0.05). And we found that LEL:GAL ratio has no correlation with body weight (0.642 ± 0.022; R2 = −0.006; β = 0.000; p > 0.05).DiscussionThis study identified significant correlations between LEL, GAL, and body weight in dogs with ideal body condition. We established normal reference ranges for ocular parameters within each BW group and breed based on a large number of samples. In addition, we present the LEL:GAL ratio, which is a constant value regardless of body weight or breed, as expected to be clinically useful in ocular evaluation.

IntroductionIntrapulmonary arteriovenous anastomoses (IPAVAs) are defined as relatively large, dynamic shunt vessels that connect the pulmonary arterial and venous systems, thereby bypassing the pulmonary capillary system. IPAVAs lower elevated pulmonary arterial pressure; however, the presence of the shunt can result in impaired pulmonary gas exchange and paradoxical embolism. Furthermore, the prevalence and effects of IPAVAs in raccoon dogs remain unknown. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of IPAVA among rescued Korean raccoon dogs and evaluate the changes in IPAVA following oxygen supplementation.MethodsNineteen raccoon dogs rescued by the Jeonbuk Wildlife Centre between August 2022 and December 2023 were subjected to echocardiography. Sixteen healthy and three abnormal raccoon dogs were subjected to transthoracic agitated saline contrast echocardiography (bubble study) based on the echocardiography results. IPAVA was considered to be present if the left heart contrast was visualised after four cardiac cycles following the visualisation of the first right heart contrast. Bubble scores (BS0–5) were assigned based on the maximum number of microbubbles observed in the left ventricular lumen per frame of the ultrasound image. BS was assigned before and after supplementation with 100% oxygen for 5 min.ResultsIPAVA was detected in 12 of the 16 healthy raccoon dogs at rest (75%). The BS of the 15 IPAVA-positive raccoon dogs ranged from 1 to 4 points (BS1, 1; BS2, 4; BS3, 8; and BS4, 2). Blood flow through the IPAVA (QIPAVA) was reduced or absent in the 15 IPAVA-positive raccoon dogs after supplementation with 100% oxygen (BS0, 11; BS2, 4). Moreover, BS of the IPAVA showed a significant correlation with the cardiac output per body weight (BW).ConclusionThe prevalence of IPAVA in healthy raccoon dogs at rest was 75%. Adequate oxygen supplementation was found to be effective in reducing QIPAVA, which may help prevent potential negative factors such as pulmonary gas exchange impairments and paradoxical embolism that can occur with IPAVA.

IntroductionNyctereutes procyonoides koreensis (Korean raccoon dog), a member of the Canidae family, is anatomically similar to dogs. Previous studies have used vertebral heart scale measurements to measure the cardiac size of Korean raccoon dogs on thoracic radiographs; however, the use of additional cardiac size indices, such as vertebral left arial score, intercostal space, cardiothoracic ratio, and echocardiographic indices, has not been reported. Therefore, this study aimed to establish normal reference ranges for various thoracic radiographic and echocardiographic indices in normal Korean raccoon dogs.MethodsTwenty-six Korean raccoon dogs (11 males and 15 females) were included in this study. The thoracic radiographic indices, vertebral heart scale score, and vertebral left atrial score were measured in the right lateral view. The intercostal space and cardiothoracic ratio were measured in the ventrodorsal view. The echocardiograms were evaluated in the right parasternal long and short axis view and left parasternal apical view.ResultsThe mean values for the thoracic radiographic and echocardiographic indices were as follows: vertebral heart scale, 9.12 ± 0.74; vertebral left atrial score, 1.5 ± 0.31; intercostal spaces, 3.17 ± 0.34; cardiothoracic ratio, 0.69 ± 0.07; left atrial to aortic root ratio, 1.22 ± 0.14; main pulmonary artery to aorta ratio, 1.22 ± 0.14; left ventricular end-diastolic internal diameter normalized for body weight, 1.36 ± 0.19; end-diastolic volume index, 51.07 ± 19.6; end-systolic volume index, 16.54 ± 7.45; the peak velocity of early diastolic transmitral flow, 73.13 ± 15.46 cm/s; and the ratio between the transmitral flow velocities and the peak early diastolic velocity, 1.77 ± 0.47. Only percent increase in the left ventricular end-systolic internal diameter was negatively correlated with body weight. The remaining indices showed no correlations with body weight.ConclusionTo the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report covering both thoracic radiographic and endocardiographic indices for Korean raccoon dogs. Thus, the thoracic radiographic and echocardiographic indices established in this study may be used to evaluate the cardiac condition of Korean raccoon dogs.

IntroductionThe effects of pre-anesthetic single-dose oral pimobendan during inhalational anesthesia, including the comparison with the effects of single intravenous pimobendan under anesthesia, remain unexplored. Therefore, this study aimed to determine changes in hemodynamic and echocardiographic parameters induced by pre-anesthetic administration of oral pimobendan under isoflurane general anesthesia and to compare them with those induced by intravenous pimobendan.MethodsThirteen clinically normal dogs (4 laboratory and 9 client-owned dogs) with no clinical signs and not on any medical treatment were included. Anesthesia was performed three times: no pimobendan (Control), oral pimobendan (PIMO PO, 0.3 mg/kg), and intravenous pimobendan (PIMO IV, 0.15 mg/kg). Echocardiographic and hemodynamic parameters were monitored at 30-min intervals in all groups.ResultsCompared to the Control group, end-systolic volume index (ESVI) and normalized left ventricular internal diameter at end-systole (LVIDSN) were significantly lower, and fractional shortening (FS) and ejection fraction (EF) were significantly higher in the PIMO PO and IV groups (p

IntroductionStudies on aberrant bronchoesophageal arteries are limited. Herein, we report a case of a multi-origin systemic-to-pulmonary shunt with suspected bronchoesophageal artery hypertrophy and fistula in a dog.Case reportA 4-year-old castrated male beagle weighing 11 kg underwent routine medical screening. Physical examination revealed a right-sided continuous murmur of grades 1–2. Thoracic radiography revealed a mild cardiomegaly. Echocardiography revealed a continuous turbulent shunt flow distal to the right pulmonary artery (RPA) branch from the right parasternal short axis pulmonary artery view. Computed tomography demonstrated systemic-to-pulmonary shunts originating from the descending aorta at the level of T7–8, the right 5th and 6th dorsal intercostal arteries, and the right brachiocephalic trunk, which formed anomalous networks around the trachea and esophagus that anastomosed into a large tortuous vessel at the level of T6–7 and entered the RPA. Surgical ligation of multiple shunting vessels was performed. Postoperative echocardiography and computed tomography showed decreased left ventricular volume overload and markedly decreased size of the varices. Additionally, most of the shunting vessels were without residual shunt flow.ConclusionThe present study provides information regarding imaging features and the successful surgical management of multiple systemic-to-pulmonary shunts originating from the descending aorta, right brachiocephalic trunk, and intercostal arteries and terminating at the RPA. Multimodal imaging features after surgical ligation have also been described.

Background Accurate tip positioning of a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) is crucial for optimal drug delivery and avoiding complications. The objective of this study was to evaluate the amplitude ratios of intravascular electrocardiography (ivECG) and external electrocardiography (exECG) according to the tip location. Methods This retrospective study analyzed ivECG, exECG, and chest X-ray (CXR) of 278 patients who underwent a PICC procedure. The tip-to-carina distance (TCD) was measured using vertebral body units (VBU) on CXR. Tip locations were categorized as follows: Zone 1, malposition (TCD < 0.8 VBU); Zone 2, suboptimal (0.8 VBU ≤ TCD < 1.5 VBU); Zone 3, optimal (1.5 VBU ≤ TCD ≤ 2.4 VBU); Zone 4, deep (TCD > 2.4 VBU). The amplitude ratios between ivECG and exECG and within ivECG were compared in each zone. Results The ivECG/exECG amplitude ratios of P-wave (Piv/Pex) and QRS-complex (QRiv/QRex and RSiv/RSex) in Zone 3 were significantly higher than in Zones 1 and 2 (adjusted P < 0.05). The ivECG amplitude ratios of the P-wave and QRS-complex (Piv/QRiv and Piv/RSiv) were significantly lower in Zone 3 than in Zones 1 and 2 (adjusted P < 0.001). The calculated TCD using stepwise multiple regression analysis was estimated to be 1.121 + 0.078 × Piv/Pex – 0.172 × Piv/QRiv. Conclusions Though caution is required, amplitude ratios such as Piv/Pex and Piv/QRiv can help determine tip location during the PICC catheterization procedure.

IntroductionSpondylosis deformans is a non-inflammatory osteophytic reaction that develops to re-establish the stability of weakened joints between intervertebral discs. However, assessing these changes using radiography is subjective and difficult. In human medicine, attempts have been made to use artificial intelligence to accurately diagnose difficult and ambiguous diseases in medical imaging. Deep learning, a form of artificial intelligence, is most commonly used in medical imaging data analysis. It is a technique that utilizes neural networks to self-learn and extract features from data to diagnose diseases. However, no deep learning model has been developed to detect vertebral diseases in canine thoracolumbar and lumbar lateral X-ray images. Therefore, this study aimed to establish a segmentation model that automatically recognizes the vertebral body and spondylosis deformans in the thoracolumbar and lumbar lateral radiographs of dogs.MethodsA total of 265 thoracolumbar and lumbar lateral radiographic images from 162 dogs were used to develop and evaluate the deep learning model based on the attention U-Net algorithm to segment the vertebral body and detect spondylosis deformans.ResultsWhen comparing the ability of the deep learning model and veterinary clinicians to recognize spondylosis deformans in the test dataset, the kappa value was 0.839, indicating an almost perfect agreement.ConclusionsThe deep learning model developed in this study is expected to automatically detect spondylosis deformans on thoracolumbar and lumbar lateral radiographs of dogs, helping to quickly and accurately identify unstable intervertebral disc space sites. Furthermore, the segmentation model developed in this study is expected to be useful for developing models that automatically recognize various vertebral and disc diseases.

Abstract Two Maltese dogs were referred for evaluation of a congenital heart disease: one was diagnosed with patent ductus arteriosus and the other was diagnosed with a ventricular septal defect. The PDA patient was diagnosed with congenital heart disease 2 weeks ago and the VSD patient about 11 months ago at another hospital. Echocardiographic findings revealed a bidirectional shunt condition, and the dogs were treated with medical management using sildenafil and oxygen inhalation. After medical management, the dogs returned to clinically normal conditions, and echocardiographic findings revealed a return to left‐to‐right shunt tendency. These dogs had no clinical signs associated with heart disease 3 years after treatment. This case report describes changes in echocardiography findings according to the progression of the reverse shunt and the possibility of improvement to a left‐to‐right shunt after medical treatment.

Pancreatic thickness is an indicator for evaluating pancreatic diseases. The transverse and cross-sectional pancreatic thickness observed on computed tomography (CT) may differ. This study aimed to provide a normal reference range for pancreatic thickness on the transverse plane based on body weight (BW) and assess pancreatic thickness to aorta (P/Ao) ratio. In addition, we aimed to establish the normal short and long dimensions of the pancreas based on cross-sectional image through the long axis of the pancreas using multiplanar reconstruction (MPR). The short dimension to aorta (S/Ao) and long dimension to aorta (L/Ao) ratios were also established in clinically normal dogs. The pancreatic thickness was measured using CT results of 205 clinically normal dogs. The pancreatic thickness on the transverse plane and the short and long dimensions in the cross-sectional image of the pancreas were measured using MPR. The diameter of the Ao was measured on the transverse plane and the P/Ao, S/Ao, and L/Ao ratios were calculated. Our study showed that the mean normal pancreatic thicknesses (mean ± standard deviation [SD]) of the pancreatic body, left and right lobe in the transverse plane were 10.92 ± 2.54 mm, 8.92 ± 2.26 mm and 9.96 ± 2.24 mm, respectively. The P/Ao ratios of the pancreatic body, left and right lobes were 1.85 ± 0.33, 1.50 ± 0.27 and 1.68 ± 0.29, respectively. The mean short dimension (mean ± SD) in the cross-sectional image of the pancreatic body, left and right lobe were 8.98 ± 1.97 mm, 7.99 ± 1.89 mm and 8.76 ± 2.03 mm, respectively. In conclusion, pancreatic thickness increased with BW, while the P/Ao, S/Ao, and L/Ao ratios could be used regardless of BW.

Nephrolithiasis is one of the most common urinary disorders in dogs. Although a majority of kidney calculi are non-obstructive and are likely to be asymptomatic, they can lead to parenchymal loss and obstruction as they progress. Thus, early diagnosis of kidney calculi is important for patient monitoring and better prognosis. However, detecting kidney calculi and monitoring changes in the sizes of the calculi from computed tomography (CT) images is time-consuming for clinicians. This study, in a first of its kind, aims to develop a deep learning model for automatic kidney calculi detection using pre-contrast CT images of dogs. A total of 34,655 transverseimage slices obtained from 76 dogs with kidney calculi were used to develop the deep learning model. Because of the differences in kidney location and calculi sizes in dogs compared to humans, several processing methods were used. The first stage of the models, based on the Attention U-Net (AttUNet), was designed to detect the kidney for the coarse feature map. Five different models–AttUNet, UTNet, TransUNet, SwinUNet, and RBCANet–were used in the second stage to detect the calculi in the kidneys, and the performance of the models was evaluated. Compared with a previously developed model, all the models developed in this study yielded better dice similarity coefficients (DSCs) for the automatic segmentation of the kidney. To detect kidney calculi, RBCANet and SwinUNet yielded the best DSC, which was 0.74. In conclusion, the deep learning model developed in this study can be useful for the automated detection of kidney calculi.

A 7-year-old castrated male Pomeranian dog weighing 5 kg presented with a right-sided continuous murmur without any clinical signs. Thoracic radiographs indicated cardiomegaly and right atrial (RA) bulging. Echocardiography revealed a tunnel originating from the right coronary sinus of Valsalva and terminating in the RA. Contrast echocardiography revealed pulmonary arteriovenous anastomoses. Computed tomography (CT) demonstrated a tortuous shunting vessel that originated from the aorta extending in a ventral direction, ran along the right ventricular wall, and was inserted into the RA. Based on these diagnostic findings, the dog was diagnosed with the aorta-RA tunnel. At the 1-year follow-up visit without treatment, the dog showed no significant change except for mild left ventricular volume overload and mildly decreased contractility. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of an aorta-RA tunnel that has been described in detail using echocardiography and CT in a dog. In conclusion, the aorta-RA tunnel should be included in the clinical differential diagnoses if a right-sided continuous murmur is heard or shunt flow originating from the aortic root is identified.

Measurement of brainstem diameters (midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata)is of potential clinical significance, as changes in brainstem size may decrease or increase due to age, neurodegenerative disorders, or neoplasms. In human medicine, numerous studies have reported the normal reference range of brainstem size, which is hitherto unexplored in veterinary medicine, particularly for small-breed dogs. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the reference range of brainstem diameters in small-breed dogs and to correlate the measurements with age, body weight (BW), and body condition score (BCS). Herein, magnetic resonance (MR) images of 544 small-breed dogs were evaluated. Based on the exclusion criteria, 193 dogs were included in the midbrain and pons evaluation, and of these, 119 dogs were included in the medulla oblongata evaluation. Using MR images, the height and width of the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata were measured on the median and transverse plane on the T1-weighted image. For the medulla oblongata, two points were measured for each height and width. The mean values of midbrain height (MH), midbrain width (MW), pons height (PH), pons width (PW), medulla oblongata height at the fourth ventricle level (MOHV), medulla oblongata height at the cervicomedullary (CM) junction level (MOHC), rostral medulla oblongata width (RMOW), and caudal medulla oblongata width (CMOW) were 7.18 ± 0.56 mm, 17.42 ± 1.21 mm, 9.73 ± 0.64 mm, 17.23 ± 1.21 mm, 6.06 ± 0.53 mm, 5.77 ± 0.40 mm, 18.93 ± 1.25 mm, and 10.12 ± 1.08 mm, respectively. No significant differences were found between male and female dogs for all the measurements. A negative correlation was found between age and midbrain diameter, including MH (p < 0.001) and MW (p = 0.002). All brainstem diameters were correlated positively with BW (p < 0.05). No significant correlation was found between BCS and all brainstem diameters. Brainstem diameters differed significantly between breeds (p < 0.05), except for MW (p = 0.137). This study assessed linear measurements of the brainstem diameter in small-breed dogs. We suggest that these results could be useful in assessing abnormal conditions of the brainstem in small-breed dogs.

Myocardial infarction (MI) is the leading cause of death from coronary heart disease and requires immediate reperfusion therapy with thrombolysis, primary percutaneous coronary intervention, or coronary artery bypass grafting. However, myocardial reperfusion therapy is often accompanied by cardiac ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, which leads to myocardial injury with detrimental consequences. The causes of I/R injury are unclear, but are multifactorial, including free radicals, reactive oxygen species, calcium overload, mitochondria dysfunction, inflammation, and neutrophil-mediated vascular injury. Mild hypothermia has been introduced as one of the potential inhibitors of myocardial I/R injury. Although animal studies have demonstrated that mild hypothermia significantly reduces or delays I/R myocardium damage, human trials have not shown clinical benefits in acute MI (AMI). In addition, the practice of hypothermia treatment is increasing in various fields such as surgical anesthesia and intensive care units. Adequate sedation for anesthetic procedures and protection from body shivering has become essential during therapeutic hypothermia. Therefore, anesthesiologists should be aware of the effects of therapeutic hypothermia on the metabolism of anesthetic drugs. In this paper, we review the existing data on the use of therapeutic hypothermia for AMI in animal models and human clinical trials to better understand the discrepancy between perceived benefits in preclinical animal models and the absence thereof in clinical trials thus far.

A 9-month-old, female Pomeranian dog presented with vomiting and lethargy. Ultrasonography revealed multilobulated anechoic round shape structures at the ovarian and uterine locations. Through computed tomography scan, an extensive non-contrast multilobulated fluid-filled mass suspected of originating from the walls of the ovary, uterus, urinary bladder and rectum was observed. Ovariohysterectomy and urinary bladder biopsy were performed. Histopathological examination revealed numerous cystic lesions lined by plump cuboidal cells believed to be of epithelial origin. Immunohistochemical staining showed that the cyst-like lesions lining cells were strongly positive for lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor 1. Based on these results, lesions were identified as generalized lymphatic anomaly (GLA), in which lymphangiomas develop in multiple organs. After 6 months follow-up, the size of the cysts remaining in the region of the bladder did not undergo much change. GLA should be included in the differential diagnosis when multiple cystic lesions are interspersed in multiple organs.

IntroductionCommon bile duct (CBD) measurements are important for the evaluation of biliary systemic disorders. However, in veterinary medicine, reference ranges for specific body weights (BW) and correlation between CBD diameter and BW have not been studied. This study aimed to establish normal reference ranges of CBD diameter for different BW groups and to analyse correlation between CBD diameter and BW in dogs without hepatobiliary disease. Additionally, normal reference ranges of CBD to aorta ratio (CBD: Ao ratio) were established which is not affected by BW.MethodsCBD diameter was measured at three different sites: porta hepatis (PH), duodenal papilla (DP) level and mid-portion (Mid) between these points using computed tomography (CT) in 283 dogs without hepatobiliary disease.ResultsThe reference range of CBD diameter at PH level: 1.69 ± 0.29 mm (Class 1; 1 kg ≤ BW < 5 kg), 1.92 ± 0.35 mm (Class 2; 5 kg ≤ BW < 10 kg), 2.20 ± 0.43 mm (Class 3; 10 kg ≤ BW < 15 kg), 2.79 ± 0.49 mm (Class 4; 15 kg ≤ BW < 30 kg); Mid-level: 2.06 ± 0.25 mm (Class 1), 2.43 ± 0.37 mm (Class 2), 2.74 ± 0.52 mm (Class 3), 3.14 ± 0.44 mm (Class 4); DP level: 2.33 ± 0.34 mm (Class 1), 2.90 ± 0.36 mm (Class 2), 3.35 ± 0.49 mm (Class 3), and 3.83 ± 0.50 mm (Class 4). There was a significant difference in CBD diameter at each level among all BW groups. Furthermore, BW and CBD diameter showed positive linear correlation at each level. We devised CBD: Ao ratio at each level that showed no significant difference between the different BW groups; PH level: 0.34 ± 0.05; Mid-level: 0.42 ± 0.06; DP level: 0.47 ± 0.06.ConclusionIn conclusion, since the CBD diameter for each BW is significantly different, different normal reference ranges of CBD diameter should be applied for each BW, and the CBD: Ao ratio can be used regardless of the BW.

Accurate assessment of the response to the antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) in atrial fibrillation (AF) is crucial to achieve adequate rhythm control. We evaluated the effectiveness of extended cardiac monitoring using an adhesive ECG patch in the detection of drug-refractory paroxysmal AF. Patients diagnosed with paroxysmal AF and receiving AAD therapy were enrolled. The subjects simultaneously underwent 11-day adhesive ECG patch monitoring and a 24-h Holter test. The primary study outcome was a detection rate of drug-refractory AF or atrial tachycardia (AT) lasting ≥30 s. A total of 59 patients were enrolled and completed the study examinations. AF or AT was detected in 28 (47.5%) patients by an 11-day ECG patch monitor and in 8 (13.6%) patients by a 24-h Holter test (p < 0.001). The 11-day ECG patch monitor identified an additional 20 patients (33.8%) with drug-refractory AF not detected by the 24-h Holter, and as a result, the treatment plan was changed in 11 patients (10 catheter ablations, one medication change). In conclusion, extended cardiac rhythm monitoring using an adhesive ECG patch in patients with paroxysmal AF under AAD therapy led to over a threefold higher detection of drug-refractory AF episodes, compared to the 24-h Holter test.

IntroductionUrethral thickness measurements can be indicative of the pathological state of a patient; however to the best of our knowledge, no measurement reference range has been established in small-breed dogs. This study aimed to establish reference ranges for total urethral thickness and urethral wall thickness in healthy small-breed dogs; “urethral wall thickness” was assumed to be 1/2 of the “total urethral thickness.”MethodsTotal urethral thickness was measured by ultrasonography in 240 healthy small-breed dogs. In both female and male dogs, the thickness was measured in the mid-sagittal plane. In female dogs, it was measured immediately before the pelvic bone. In male dogs, it was measured caudal to the prostate and cranial to the pelvic bone. The total urethral thickness we measured is the total thickness of the collapsed urethra, which is the sum of the thicknesses of the dorsal and ventral urethral wall.ResultsThe mean value of total urethral thickness was 3.15 ± 0.83 mm (urethral wall thickness, 1.58 ± 0.41 mm) in 240 small-breed dogs. The total urethral thickness was significantly greater in male dogs than in female dogs (p < 0.001), even when compared among the same breeds (p < 0.05). The mean value of the total urethral thickness in females was 2.78 ± 0.60 mm (urethral wall thickness, 1.39 ± 0.30 mm), and 3.53 ± 0.86 mm (urethral wall thickness, 1.76 ± 0.43 mm) in males. There was very weak positive correlation between body weight (BW) and total urethral thickness (R2 = 0.109; β = 0.330; p < 0.001). Intraobserver reliability measured by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was 0.986 (p < 0.001) and interobserver reliability measured by ICC was 0.966 (p < 0.001).DiscussionThis study described the differences in total urethral thickness between breeds, sexes, and sterilization status, and the correlation between BW and total urethral thickness. Furthermore, this is the first study to provide reference ranges of total urethral thickness and urethral wall thickness in small-breed dogs using ultrasonography, and is expected to be useful for urethral evaluation in veterinary diagnostic imaging.

Kidney volume is associated with renal function and the severity of renal diseases, thus accurate assessment of the kidney is important. Although the voxel count method is reported to be more accurate than several methods, its laborious and time-consuming process is considered as a main limitation. In need of a new technology that is fast and as accurate as the manual voxel count method, the aim of this study was to develop the first deep learning model for automatic kidney detection and volume estimation from computed tomography (CT) images of dogs. A total of 182,974 image slices from 386 CT scans of 211 dogs were used to develop this deep learning model. Owing to the variance of kidney size and location in dogs compared to humans, several processing methods and an architecture based on UNEt Transformers which is known to show promising results for various medical image segmentation tasks including this study. Combined loss function and data augmentation were applied to elevate the performance of the model. The Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) which shows the similarity between manual segmentation and automated segmentation by deep-learning model was 0.915 ± 0.054 (mean ± SD) with post-processing. Kidney volume agreement analysis assessing the similarity between the kidney volume estimated by manual voxel count method and the deep-learning model was r = 0.960 (p < 0.001), 0.95 from Lin's concordance correlation coefficient (CCC), and 0.975 from the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Kidney volume was positively correlated with body weight (BW), and insignificantly correlated with body conditions score (BCS), age, and sex. The correlations between BW, BCS, and kidney volume were as follows: kidney volume = 3.701 × BW + 11.962 (R2 = 0.74, p < 0.001) and kidney volume = 19.823 × BW/BCS index + 10.705 (R2 = 0.72, p < 0.001). The deep learning model developed in this study is useful for the automatic estimation of kidney volume. Furthermore, a reference range established in this study for CT-based normal kidney volume considering BW and BCS can be helpful in assessment of kidney in dogs.

A 6-year-old dog was presented for health screening. It never suffered from any disease. Ultrasonography confirmed mass-like thickening with irregular margins protruding toward the gallbladder (GB) lumen. On contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) and dynamic computed tomography (CT), contrast enhancement of the corresponding structures was confirmed in arterial phase. After cholecystectomy, cauliflower-like sessile polyps were identified. Histopathological examination revealed chronic lymphoplasmacytic cholecystitis. Bile culture revealed Escherichia coli growth. Our novel findings suggest that chronic cholecystitis should be considered as a differential diagnosis if contrast-enhanced sessile polyps of the GB are found on CEUS and dynamic CT.

A 3-month-old cat weighing 2.62 kg was brought to the VIP Animal Medical Center with vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, and depression. Laboratory findings confirmed azotemia with elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (168.9 mg/dl) and creatinine (5.9 mg/dl) and symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) (86 μg/dl). Abdominal radiography revealed bilateral renomegaly. Ultrasonography revealed bilateral hydronephrosis and left partial and right complete ureteral obstructions with bilateral focal irregular and circumferential thickenings at ureters. Reduction of bilateral renal function was confirmed through excretory urography on computed tomography. The cat underwent subcutaneous ureteral bypass surgery on the left kidney, right nephrectomy, and bilateral ureterectomy. Histopathology of bilateral ureteral irregular and circumferential thickening revealed bilateral atypical papillary transitional mucosal hyperplasia. Three days after surgery, the left hydronephrosis resolved, and azotemia was almost resolved. This is the first report of successful management of ureteral stenosis with congenital papillary transitional mucosal hyperplasia in a kitten using multimodality imaging.

The radial joint orientation angles were calculated using the center of rotation of angulation (CORA) methodology within the frontal and sagittal planes in chondrodystrophic dog breeds, including Welsh Corgi, Dachshund, Pekinese, Poodle, Beagle and Maltese, and it was compared whether there is a statistically significant difference between the breeds. Radial joint orientation angles were obtained in eighty-eight dogs, including 23 Welsh Corgis, 16 Dachshunds, 14 Pekinese, 13 Maltese, 12 Poodles and 10 Beagles. Using the CORA methodology, the cranial proximal radial angle (CrPRA) and caudal distal radial angle (CdDRA) in the sagittal plane and medial proximal radial angle (MPRA) and lateral distal radial angle (LDRA) in the frontal plane were measured for the six breeds studied. The mean values of joint angles for each breed were compared statistically were observed. The CrPRA, CdDRA, and LDRA mean values of Dachshund and Welsh Corgi breeds were significantly smaller than other breeds, and in MPRA, Pekingese showed significantly smaller values than other breeds. This study confirms that the mean values of radial joint orientation angles can be significantly different among chondrodystrophic breeds. To accurately evaluate the degree of angular deformity of the radius, it may be helpful to refer to the average value for each breed with chondrodystrophy.

A 3-month-old intact male Labrador Retriever was presented for falling trauma and hindlimb ataxia. Radiography indicated radiolucent left sacroiliac joint with irregular margin. Computed tomography revealed thickened sublumbar muscles and hypoattenuated sacroiliac joint while magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated abscess at retroperitoneum and gluteal muscle. Ultrasonography showed lytic left sacroiliac joint with retroperitoneal fluid, and fine needle aspiration resulted Staphylococcus aureus. Hindlimb ataxia was attributed to infectious sacroiliitis and its secondary retroperitoneal abscess. As far as the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of multimodality imaging of infectious sacroiliitis with retroperitoneal abscess caused by S. aureus in a dog.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the occupational radiation exposure levels of veterinary staff during fluoroscopic examination using thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs). A prospective study was conducted to measure radiation doses in three positioned persons (two restrainers and one observer) using TLDs. The TLDs were placed on the inside and outside of the lead-equivalent protective devices of the panorama mask, thyroid shield, apron and arm shield. The TLDs were placed at five anatomic sites (eye, thyroid, breast, gonad and hand). Radiation exposure was measured in 65 fluoroscopic examinations at 80 kVp and 100 mAs. The doses (mSv) (outside/inside the shield) measured in restrainers A and B and observer C were 3.09/0.59, 3.80/0.65 and 0.63/0.44 in the eye; 2.20/0.73, 1.88/1.10 and 0.79/0.45 in the thyroid; 3.42/0.44, 3.94/2.35 and 0.61/0.34 in the breast; 1.84/0.45, 1.69/0.23 and 0.46/0.36 in the gonad; and 5.56/3.16, 8.29/2.99 and 0.79/0.34 in the hand, respectively. Out of all the lead protection devices, the radiation dose of the hand was the highest in all three participants, with the thyroid radiation dose value being the same as the hand in the observer C. Radiation doses received by the eyes of all three participants were also not negligible. Veterinary workers exposed to radiation through not only radiography but also fluoroscopy should wear protective gear, especially for the eyes.

BackgroundAtropine is an anticholinergic drug which is commonly used in clinical practice. The effect of parasympathetic block with atropine on dynamic cerebrovascular regulation remains unclear. This study was aimed to identify effects of vagolytic atropine on cerebrovascular response during acute orthostatic hypotension in humans.MethodsContinuous middle cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV, transcranial Doppler) and arterial blood pressure (ABP, Finometer) were measured during a sit-to-stand procedure in 10 healthy subjects with placebo and vagolytic (10 µg/kg) doses of atropine. Cerebral vascular tone was assessed by cerebrovascular resistance (CVR = ABP / CBFV). Dynamic cerebral autoregulation was also assessed by transfer function analysis of ABP and CBFV.ResultsDuring the standing session, ABP fell to a similar extent in both groups by an average of 23 to 25 mmHg (26% to 29%). CBFV also fell in all subjects but significantly more in vagolytic atropine (-15.0 ± 7.0 cm/s) compared with placebo (-12.0 ± 5.8 cm/s, P < 0.05). CVR was decreased significantly in the placebo group during posture change (1.56 ± 0.44 vs. 1.38 ± 0.38, P < 0.05), in contrast, lesser decreased in the atropine group (1.60 ± 0.50 vs. 1.53 ± 0.42, P = 0.193). Transfer function coherence in the very-low-frequency range was significantly increased in the atropine group during the standing session (0.55 ± 0.14), compared with the sitting session (0.45 ± 0.14, P = 0.006).ConclusionsThese data present that vagolytic atropine attenuates cerebral vasodilation response to acute orthostatic hypotension, suggesting the use of atropine may need care in patients with cerebrovascular disease with vagal impairment.

In this study, an improved model of the electric propulsion system is proposed in order to analyze the performance of large-size multicopter unmanned aerial vehicles. The main improvement of the proposed model is to reflect the armature reaction of the motor, which effectively explains the significant performance degradation in high-power operation. The armature reaction is a phenomenon, in which the main field flux is interfered by a magnetic flux and, as the size and output of the motor increase, the effect of armature reaction also rapidly increases. Therefore, the armature reaction must be considered for the optimal design and performance analysis of large-size multicopter platforms. The model proposed in this study includes several mathematical models for propellers, motors, electric speed controllers, and batteries, which are key components of the electric propulsion system, and they can calculate key performance data, such as thrust and torque and power consumption, according to given product specifications and input conditions. However, estimates of the armature reaction constants and heat profiles of motors need to be obtained in advance through experimental methods, since there is not yet enough data available in order to derive an estimation model. In conclusion, a comparison with the static thrust test of some commercial products confirmed that the proposed model could predict performance in the high-power operation of electric propulsion systems for large multicopter platforms, although some errors were noted.

This paper deals with the development of a wind turbine pitch control system and the construction of a Hardware-in-the-Loop-Simulation (HILS) testbed for the performance test of the pitch control system. When the wind speed exceeds the rated wind speed, the wind turbine pitch controller adjusts the blade pitch angles collectively to ensure that the rotor speed maintains the rated rotor speed. The pitch controller with the individual pitch control function can add individual pitch angles into the collective pitch angles to reduce the mechanical load applied to the blade periodically due to wind shear. Large wind turbines often experience mechanical loads caused by wind shear phenomena. To verify the performance of the pitch control system before applying it to an actual wind turbine, the pitch control system is tested on the HILS testbed, which acts like an actual wind turbine system. The testbed for evaluating the developed pitch control system consists of the pitch control system, a real-time unit for simulating the wind and the operations of the wind turbine, an operational computer with a human−machine interface, a load system for simulating the actual wind load applied to each blade, and a real pitch bearing. Through the several tests based on HILS test bed, how well the pitch controller performed the given roles for each area in the entire wind speed area from cut-in to cut-out wind speed can be shown.

Importance: Developing clinical skills is an essential element of veterinary education to ensure the competency of veterinary graduates. Although the Korean Veterinary Education Graduation Competencies were established in 2016, reflecting domestic needs and international trends in competency-based veterinary education, they have yet to be implemented in Korean veterinary education. Objective: This study aimed to establish the basic veterinary clinical skills required to ensure graduates of Korean veterinary universities have the day-one competency to independently perform their professional duties. Methods: The Education Committee of the Korean Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges, composed of veterinary school professors and an experienced veterinarian in the clinic, reviewed domestic and international veterinary education-related materials to define basic clinical skills. Results: The Korean Veterinarian Entrustable Professional Activities (KVEPA) was introduced, followed by the subsequent development of 54 essential clinical skills based on the KVEPA. Conclusions and Relevance: The veterinary basic clinical skills established through this study can be used as a specific guide for clinical education in Korean veterinary school, and is expected to play an important role in meeting the needs of the educational sector of the veterinary education accreditation standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]