Results suggest that use of a TFP (25 micrograms/h) for postoperative analgesia in cats undergoing onychectomy with or without surgical sterilization is safe and effective.

A two-year and seven-month-old, castrated male border collie was presented for a two-month history of progressive neurological signs including blindness, ataxia, dementia, and partial seizures. A complete blood count, serum biochemical profile, urinalysis, thoracic radiographs, and cerebrospinal fluid analysis were within reference ranges. Computed tomography (CT) of the brain showed dilatation of the ventricles and atrophy of the cerebral cortex. A central nervous system (CNS) storage disease was suspected, and the dog was euthanized due to a poor prognosis. Light and electron microscopic examination revealed neuronal degeneration with pigment accumulation in neurons of the CNS, in ganglia of the peripheral nervous system, and in several non-nervous tissues. Ceroid lipofuscinosis was diagnosed based on the microscopic and ultrastructural lesions detected. This is the second report of CT findings in a canine clinical patient with ceroid lipofuscinosis.

This report describes the simultaneous occurrence of an ovarian teratoma and a granulosa cell tumor (GCT) with intra-abdominal metastasis in a 1.5 yr old female Doberman pinscher. At surgery, a 20 cm, smooth, intact mass associated with the left ovary and multiple 1-2 cm irregular masses in the broad ligament were found. The masses were surgically removed and submitted for histopathology. A histologic diagnosis of a teratoma and a GCT with broad ligament metastasis was made. Further treatment was elected by the owner and included two cycles of carboplatin therapy. The dog was euthanized 6 wk postoperatively for signs related to metastasis and dyspnea. Teratoma of the ovary, although it contains derivatives of all three embryonic germ cell layers, rarely presents together with either ovarian epithelial or sex cord-stromal tumors. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case of an ovarian teratoma coexisting with a primary GCT with intra-abdominal metastasis in the same ovary in a dog.

The DeBakey ventricular assist device (VAD) is a miniaturized, electromagnetically driven axial flow pump capable of generating in excess of 10 L/min output. The VAD was evaluated in 19 calves during experiments designed to test iterative modifications in the system and to determine the safety of the DeBakey VAD for intermediate to long-term implant. Five of the animals died or were euthanized during the perioperative period (i.e., Days 1-5) due to complications associated with bleeding (n = 3), sudden cardiac arrest (n = 1), or pump occlusion due to a muscle remnant associated with coring (n = 1). The remaining 14 animals survived from 7-145 days. Ten of the 14 animals survived 30 or more days, and 2 animals survived 93 and 145 days before elective euthanasia. Pump function was evaluated in the 14 calves that survived beyond the perioperative period. Pump output at implantation averaged 3 L/min while output at 100 days (n = 2) averaged 4.22 L/min. The electrical current did not change across time during the study, indicating normal operation of the bearings. Pumps consumed less than 10.5 W of power for all support durations. Hemolysis did not occur; the average daily plasma free hemoglobin varied from 2.0 to 8.0 mg/dl. Evaluation of serum biochemical data showed that implantation of the DeBakey VAD in calves with normal hearts did not impair end organ function; BUN, creatinine, and total bilirubin varied minimally within the normal range. The white blood cell count of implanted animals remained within the normal range throughout the study.