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Welcome to our monthly VetLit Clinical Publication update, where Dr Simon Cook, founder of VetLit.org, provides an overview and update on recently released studies from a wide range of veterinary publications. And this month he’s shared information on two studies.
Pulmonary bullae and blebs (PBBs) are air-filled lesions in the lung parenchyma often implicated in spontaneous pneumothorax in dogs. However, the significance of these findings when documented incidentally is unclear. In this retrospective study, thoracic CT scans that had been performed in dogs for reasons unrelated to pneumothorax or severe pulmonary disease were retrospectively reviewed. 2178 CT scans were reviewed and PBBs were identified incidentally in 30 (1.4%) of the studies.
Over a median follow-up period of 1,255 days, none of these dogs developed spontaneous pneumothorax. (One dog did die suddenly from an unknown cause, so spontaneous pneumothorax could not be ruled out). Based on these findings and in these timeframes, the risk of SP in dogs with incidentally identified PBBs appears minimal. We should remain mindful of the theoretical risk of spontaneous pneumothorax in these cases without further follow up.
In retrospectively identified populations of cats presenting to an emergency room or requiring a blood transfusion, where those with known heart disease were excluded, 56/185 anaemic cats had a heart murmur, compared to 11/102 non-anaemic cats, and 25/185 anaemic cats had a gallop sound reported, compared to 4/102 non-anaemic cats. The proportion of cats with murmurs was highest in those with a PCV of less than 15%. Amongst those cats with a gallop sound documented were cats without echocardiographic evidence of cardiomyopathy…
The prevalence of murmurs and gallop sounds in anemic cats (JVECC)
VetLit.org is a FREE online resource that keeps you updated on veterinary clinical publications.
The site is divided into specialties, with journals included according to specialist board requirements and articles filtered by disease to make it easier for you to see trends in specific areas that interest you.
VetLit.org was set up by UK-based emergency veterinarian Simon Cook (BSc BVSc MVetMed DipACVECC DipECVECC FHEA MRCVS). Simon is a lecturer in emergency and critical care at the Royal Veterinary College, University of London, and originally set up VetLit.org as a resource for himself and his residents. However, more and more people seemed to like it, and the coverage grew over time.
Simon graduated from the University of Bristol in 2011 with degrees in veterinary science and veterinary pathogenesis. After a rotating internship at the Royal Veterinary College and two years in a busy 24 hour small animal hospital, he completed a residency in emergency and critical care at the Royal Veterinary College. He is currently a senior lecturer in emergency and critical care at the Royal Veterinary College, London. Clinical and research interests combined include immunomodulation, cardiovascular monitoring, patient side ultrasonography and aspiration pneumonia. VetLit.org is his passion project, making literature more accessible to anyone and everyone.
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Brain tumours are uncommon in dogs but should be suspected in any middle-aged or older dog with acute or progressive brain dysfunction. What is the prognosis, and what are the treatment options? First, let's start with some information about brain tumours in dogs....
