Intra-parturient uterine torsion is a rare condition in bitches with multifactorial aetiologies. It is a cause of obstructive dystocia and is difficult to diagnose with most imaging techniques. Medical management of dystocia in parturient bitches with oxytocin often result in uterine rupture with severe consequences on maternal and foetal health. A three-year-old German shepherd (31kg) bitch presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH), University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria was diagnosed, after a caesarean section, with intra-parturient right horn torsion (180-degrees intracornual and 360-degrees at the ovarian end) and a near-complete rip of the affected horn from the uterine body. Before presentation, the bitch was said to have whelped three puppies but discontinued apparently due to perceived uterine inertia even when injected with three doses of oxytocin by a caregiver. The bitch’s vital signs were abnormal and reflected signs of progressive shock. Haemogram showed severe anaemia, moderate neutrophilia with left shift, normal plasma protein level and platelet counts. An ultrasound examination revealed the presence of two foetuses in-utero but un-engaged at the bitch’s birth canal. Following patient’s stabilisation, a caesarean section unveiled an empty, involuting, left uterine horn, a 180 degrees intracornual twist of the right horn (separating the foetuses into two closed compartments) and a 360 degrees torsion at the ovarian end, which severely strangulated the vessels and ligament. The affected horn, vessels, and ligament were congested. The gravid horn was nearly ripped from the uterine body at the bifurcation. The torsion was corrected, foetuses evacuated and a hemi-cornuectomy performed. The bitch’s recovery was uneventful. The diagnosis and management of obstructive dystocia is a challenge, especially in poor resource settings. The option of surgical intervention should be considered as an emergency by both pet owners and clinicians to preclude further complications, including those caused by oxytocin. Keywords: Hemi-cornuectomy, Intra-parturient, Oxytocin, Torsion, Uterine

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Background Full thickness skin grafts (FTSGs), although ideal for resurfacing large defects of the distal extremities in veterinary patients, have a high failure rate due to issues of adherence, infection and inadequate revascularisation because of its thickness and high nutritional demand. This study investigated the effect of Nigeria bee honey on FTSG take at the distal extremities of dogs. The study was conducted on 6 adult male Nigerian indigenous dogs using 3 of the 4 limbs of each dog randomly divided into 3 treatment groups: Nigerian bee honey (HON group), platelet-rich plasma (PRP group) and normal saline (CON group). Full‐thickness skin wounds (3 cm × 1.5 cm) were created on the lateral aspect of the radioulnar or metatarsal areas and dressed till adequate granulation tissues formed. Donor skins harvested from the lateral thorax of each dog were sutured to the recipient bed following application of the assigned treatment, and evaluated grossly and histologically on days 0, 4, 7, 10, 14, 17, and 21. Results A higher percentage (4/6 representing 66.7%) of complete graft take was observed in the HON and PRP groups as compared to 3/6 (50%) in the CON group. The HON group had a greater percentage (5/6 representing 83.3%) of adhered grafts as compared to the PRP (4/6 representing 66.7%) and CON (3/6 representing 50%) groups at day 4. There was a significant decrease (p = 0.022) in percentage necrosis between the CON and HON/PRP groups on day 10, 14 and 17. The percentage open mesh area for the HON group was significantly lesser at day 4, 7 and 10 when compared with CON (p < 0.001) and at day 4 when compared with PRP (p = 0.001). At histology, graft neovascularisation score was highest in the HON group on days 4, 14 and 21. Conclusion Nigeria bee honey enhanced take of meshed full-thickness skin autografts by promoting adherence to the recipient bed, enhancing fibroblast proliferation and collagen laydown, and accelerating the rate of neovascularisation suggesting promising application as an alternative modality to enhance FTSG take.

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Background Cryptorchidism in dogs is of clinical concern due to its association with development of Sertoli cell tumours, seminomas and spermatic cord torsion. A patent inguinal ring has been found as a risk factor for peritoneal content migration and inguinal hernias. This study reports a case of bowel migration through a patent inguinal ring in a bilaterally cryptorchid dog and incarceration within the vaginal tunic of the left testicle. Case presentation A three-and-a-half-year-old bilaterally cryptorchid Lhasa Apso with a history of anorexia, vomiting, stranguria and inability to defecate was diagnosed with bowel incarceration in the vaginal tunic of a retained left testicle. Surgery performed under epidural anaesthesia with acepromazine/butorphanol premedication revealed a loop of the colon entrapped in the vaginal tunic of the retained left testicle. The incarcerated bowel was thoroughly examined for viability and repositioned into the abdominal cavity. The inguinal ring was repaired and bilateral cryptorchidectomy performed. Conclusion Cryptorchidectomy in dogs is often considered when there is concern for neoplasm or torsion of retained testes. However, this report suggests that cryptorchidectomy should be considered also to preclude the possibility of bowel obstructive emergencies.