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Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe the safety and effectiveness of thoracic or lumbar partial lateral corpectomy (PLC) in cats with spinal cord compression due to intervertebral disc herniation (IVH). Methods: A retrospective study was conducted of 12 client-owned cats from two academic and one private referral veterinary centres. Cross-sectional imaging was available in 12 cats for evaluation of disc herniation. Nine cats had postoperative imaging for evaluation of slot creation and decompression. Neurological examination was performed for assessment of pre- and postoperative status. Complications were evaluated. Results: Seven cats had severe (>50%), four moderate (>20 to <50%) and one mild (<20%) spinal cord compression on cross-sectional imaging. IVH occurred at Th12–13 in five cases, at L1–2 in two cases and at Th3–4, Th13–L1, L4–5 and L5–6 in one case each. After PLC, two cats had insufficient decompression (>20% remaining spinal cord compression), five had good decompression (<20% remaining spinal cord compression) and complete decompression (normal shape of the spinal cord) was achieved in two cats. Outcomes included five cats with an excellent result, three with significant improvement, one with mild improvement and three cats that died intra- or postoperatively due to extensive intraoperative bleeding. One cat was euthanased as a result of neurological deterioration 5 months postoperatively. The median follow-up period was 13.2 months (range 0 days to 84 months). Conclusions and relevance: PLC in cats offers a potential treatment option for IVH to decompress the spinal cord. Fatal haemorrhage associated with this surgery is a significant risk, as occurred in 25% of the cats in this study. Surgeons should especially be aware of the potential for intraoperative haemorrhage and the need for sufficient slot creation to achieve sufficient spinal cord decompression and avoid complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL) represents a heterogenous group of lysosomal storage diseases resulting in progressive neurodegeneration. We investigated two Small Swiss Hound littermates that showed progressive ataxia and loss of cognitive functions and vision starting around the age of 12 months. Both dogs had to be euthanized a few months after the onset of disease owing to the severity of their clinical signs. Pathological investigation of one affected dog revealed cerebral and cerebellar atrophy with cytoplasmic accumulation of autofluorescent material in degenerating neurons. The clinical signs in combination with the characteristic histopathology led to a tentative diagnosis of NCL. In the subsequent genetic investigation, the genome of one affected dog was sequenced. This revealed a duplication of 18 819 bp within the MFSD8 gene. The duplication breakpoints were located in intron 3 and exon 12 of the gene and were predicted to disrupt the reading frame. Both affected dogs carried the duplication in a homozygous state and there was perfect cosegregation of the genotypes with the phenotype in a large pedigree, consistent with autosomal recessive inheritance. MFSD8 loss‐of‐function variants are a known cause of NCL7 in human patients, dogs and other mammalian species. The existing knowledge on MFSD8 together with the experimental data strongly suggests that the identified intragenic MFSD8 duplication caused the disease in the Small Swiss Hounds. These results allow their diagnosis to be refined to NCL7 and enable genetic testing in the breed to avoid further unintentional carrier × carrier matings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A photographic and computed tomography (CT) scanning study was carried out on the premolar teeth of 18 adult male Babyrousa babyrussa skulls, 10 skulls of Babyrousa celebensis, including 6 adult males, 1 adult female, 1 subadult male, 1 subadult female, and 1 juvenile male. The occlusal morphology of the permanent maxillary premolar teeth of B. babyrussa was very similar to that of B. celebensis. Almost all the maxillary third premolar teeth (107/207) had 2 roots, whereas maxillary fourth premolar teeth (108/208) had 3 or 4 roots. All of the mesial tooth roots of 107/207 and 108/208 were tapering rod-like structures; each contained a single pulp canal. Almost all distal roots of 107/207 were "C" shaped and contained 2 pulp canals. The 108/208 palatal roots were "C" shaped and contained 2 pulp canals. The mesial and distal roots of the mandibular third premolar teeth (307/407) teeth were uniformly rod-like, as were the mesial roots of the mandibular fourth premolar teeth (308/408) teeth. The distal roots of the 308/408 teeth were "C" shaped. All B. babyrussa 307/407 teeth have a single pulp canal located in each of the mesial and distal roots. The 308/408 mesial tooth root contained 1 pulp canal. In all but 3 of the 36 distal 308/408 roots of B. babyrussa teeth and in 7 of the 14 distal roots of B. celebensis teeth there was a single pulp canal; in the other 7 teeth there were 2 pulp canals. Each of the 3 medial roots contained 1 pulp canal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 10‐month‐old male Saarloos Wolfdog was presented with a history of multiple neurologic deficits that had acutely progressed. Neurologic examination findings localized signs to the cerebrum and brainstem. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed markedly enlarged and gas‐filled lateral ventricles with a mass effect leading to cerebellar herniation. A right‐sided defect of the cribriform plate with a dysplastic ethmoturbinate was identified as the inlet of air and origin of the intraventricular tension pneumocephalus. Surgical findings were consistent with a ruptured, congenital, nasal meningocele. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]