Background: Surgical and interventional therapy for occlusion of a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in small dogs is challenging. Interventional closure of a PDA is rarely described in small dogs.Hypothesis: Transvenous single-coil occlusion of a PDA in small ( 3.0 kg) dogs is possible and safe. Animals: Twenty-one client-owned dogs with a left-to-right shunting PDA. Methods: Prospective clinical study. Inclusion criteria were a left-to-right shunting PDA and a body weight 3.0 kg. Dogs with additional congenital cardiac diseases were excluded. Without arterial access, a single detachable coil was implanted by a transvenous approach with a 4 Fr catheter.Results: Twenty-one dogs were the study population with Chihuahua and Yorkshire Terrier being the commonest breeds (n 5 6 and n 5 5, respectively). There were 14 female and 7 male dogs. The age range was 1.9-83.5 months (median, 7.7 months), and the body weight was 1.0-2.9 kg (1.87 AE 0.45). By angiography, the minimal ductal diameter measured 1.2-2.4 mm (median, 1.8 mm) and the PDA ampulla diameter was 2.4-5.9 mm (median, 4.6 mm). Coil implantation was successful in all dogs. After detachment of the coil from the delivery cable, repositioning of the pulmonary loop of the coil became necessary in 1 dog. The prevalence of immediate closure was 76%. The prevalence of cumulative closure was 90%.Conclusion: For an experienced cardiologist, transvenous occlusion of a PDA in small dogs is possible with a 4 Fr catheter and a commercial single detachable coil. Arterial access is not essential. The procedure is safe and successful in experienced hands.

Objective -To determine the diagnostic ability of blood N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) measurement to differentiate between congestive heart failure (CHF) and noncardiogenic causes for moderate to severe pleural effusion in cats. Design -Prospective observational study. Setting -University teaching hospital. Animals -Twenty-one cats with moderate to severe pleural effusion. Interventions -Venous blood sampling for NT-proBNP measurement. Measurement and Results -According to the results of echocardiographic examination, cats were classified in a group with CHF (n = 11) or noncongestive heart failure (N-CHF, n = 10). NT-proBNP was measured via a feline-specific test in EDTA plasma with protease inhibitor. NT-proBNP was significantly (P < 0.0001) higher in the CHF group ( median 982 pmol/L, 355-1,286 pmol/L) than in the N-CHF group (median 69 pmol/L, 26 -160 pmol/L) and discriminated exactly (area under the curve = 1.0, 95% confidence interval 1.0-1.0) between both groups. Optimum cut-off value considering all samples was 258 pmol/L. Conclusion -In this small population of cats with pleural effusion, NT-proBNP was able to differentiate between cats with cardiogenic and noncardiogenic causes of effusion. With the currently recommended method of measurement (ie, EDTA plasma with protease inhibitor), a cut-off value of 258 pmol/L discriminates effectively between cats with and without CHF. (J Vet Emerg Crit Care 2013; 23(4): 416-422)

BackgroundCats with pleural effusion represent common emergencies in small animal practice. The aim of this prospective study was to investigate the diagnostic ability of a point-of-care ELISA (POC-ELISA) for the measurement of N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) to differentiate cardiac from non-cardiac disease in cats with pleural effusion. The sample material for use of this rapid test was either plasma or diluted pleural effusion.Twenty cats with moderate to severe pleural effusion were prospectively recruited. The cats were grouped into two groups, with or without congestive heart failure (CHF; N-CHF), after complete work-up. Blood and effusion were collected in EDTA tubes. Plasma and pleural effusion supernatants were transferred into stabilizer tubes and frozen. POC-ELISA for NT-proBNP was performed with plasma and diluted effusion (1:1). Quantitative NT-proBNP measurement was performed in plasma and diluted and undiluted effusions.ResultsSix cats were assigned to the CHF group. Of the 14 cats in the N-CHF group, 6 had concurrent cardiac abnormalities that were not responsible for the effusion. For the detection of CHF, the test displayed respective sensitivities and specificities of 100% and 79% in plasma and 100% and 86% in diluted pleural fluid. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis for quantitative NT-proBNP measurement of plasma and diluted and undiluted pleural effusions displayed areas under the curve of 0.98, sensitivities of 100% and specificities of 86%. The optimum cut-off was calculated at 399 pmol/l in plasma and 229 pmol/l in the diluted effusion and 467 pmol/l in the undiluted effusion.ConclusionsPOC-ELISA for NT-proBNP in both plasma and diluted pleural effusion was suitable to differentiate cardiac from non-cardiac causes of feline pleural effusion. According to our results, use of pleural effusion is feasible, but dilution of the effusion before measurement seems to improve specificity.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12917-017-1319-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background Catheter‐based occlusion of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) can be performed using different devices. Transvenous embolization using the Amplatzer vascular plug II (AVP‐II) has been studied in humans, but it has not been described in dogs. Objective Evaluate the feasibility and success of transvenous embolization of PDA using the AVP‐II in dogs. Animals Nineteen client‐owned dogs with left‐to‐right shunting PDA, with minimal ductal diameter >2.5 mm. Methods Prospective observational study using AVP‐II with transvenous access for PDA closure in dogs. Results Angiography showed a conical ductus with a long (n = 17) or short (n = 2) ampulla. The minimal diameter of the duct was 4.34 ± 1.11 mm, and the maximal diameter of the ampulla was 13.18 ± 3.47 mm. Technical success was achieved in 18 of the 19 (94.7%) patients after the first intervention and in all 19 (100%) patients after the second intervention. Postrelease angiography documented complete occlusion of the PDA in 10 of 19 (52.6%) dogs. Mild flow acceleration or stenosis of the left pulmonary artery was found in 6 and 1 of the 17 analyzed cases, respectively, by Doppler examination. The closure rate 24 hours after intervention was 94.7% (18/19). The remaining dog had a moderate residual shunt, and delayed complete closure after 3 months led to a 100% closure rate. Conclusion and Clinical Importance The AVP‐II is a safe and effective device for transvenous embolization in dogs with moderate to large PDA.