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Objective The aim of this study was to compare the frequency of implant failure and the extent of pelvic canal narrowing associated with the fixation of ilial fractures in cats with a single veterinary cuttable plate (SLP) or double veterinary cuttable plates (DLP) applied to the lateral surface of the ilium. Study Design Radiographic evaluation of feline ilial fractures plated laterally using SLP or DLP. Pelvic canal narrowing directly postoperatively and at 6 weeks follow-up was objectively measured using the sacral index (SI). Radiographs were evaluated for implant failure and fracture healing. Results Seventy-seven cats satisfied the inclusion criteria. Twenty-nine fractures were treated with a SLP and 48 with DLP. Implant failure occurred significantly more (p = 0.001) in the SLP group (14/29) compared with the DLP group (6/48). Follow-up SI was significantly different between the two groups (p = 0.048, SLP median: 1.0 range: 0.83–2.4, DLP median: 0.98; range: 0.76–1.45). Median change in SI was −0.04 (range: −1.4 to 0.05) in the SLP group and 0.0 (range: −0.23 to 0.23) in the DLP group. This difference was significantly different (p = 0.031). Conclusion DLP leads to significantly less implant failure and significantly less pelvic canal narrowing compared with SLP. This difference in pelvic canal narrowing was small and the clinical relevance remains unclear.

Cushing's disease (CD) or pituitary-dependent hypercortisolism is a common endocrinopathy in dogs, with an estimated prevalence of 1 or 2 in 1000 dogs per year. It is caused by an adrenocorticotropic hormone secreting adenoma in the pars distalis or pars intermedia of the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is a small endocrine gland located in the pituitary fossa. In the postnatal individual, the hypothalamus-pituitary axis plays a central role in maintaining homeostatic functions, like control of metabolism, reproduction, and growth. Stem cells are suggested to play a role in the homeostatic adaptations of the adult pituitary gland, such as the rapid specific cell-type expansion in response to pregnancy or lactation. Several cell populations have been suggested as pituitary stem cells, such as Side Population cells and cells expressing Sox2 or Nestin. These cell populations are discussed in this review. Also, stem and progenitor cells are thought to play a role in pituitary tumorigenesis, such as the development of pituitary adenomas in dogs. There are limited reports on the role of stem cells in pituitary adenomas, especially in dogs. Further studies are needed to identify and characterize this cell population and to develop specific cell targeting therapeutic strategies as a new way of treating canine CD.

To date, stem/progenitor cells have not been identified in the canine pituitary gland. Cells that efficiently exclude the vital dye Hoechst 33342 can be visualised and identified using fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) as a 'side population' (SP), distinct from the main population (MP). Such SPs have been identified in several tissues and display stem/progenitor cell characteristics. In this study, a small SP (1.3%, n=6) was detected in the anterior pituitary glands of healthy dogs. Quantitative PCR indicated significantly higher expression of CD34 and Thy1 in this SP, but no differences in the expression of CD133, Bmi-1, Axin2 or Shh. Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) and Lhx3 expression were significantly higher in the MP than in the SP, but no differences in the expression of Tpit, GH or PRL were found. The study demonstrated the existence of an SP of cells in the normal canine pituitary gland, encompassing cells with stem cell characteristics and without POMC expression.