Barbed glycomer 631 4-0 USP suture material was as effective as glycomer 631 suture materials and may be a safe alternative for use in closure of enterectomies in dogs.

In this study, partial staple line offset leaked at a significantly higher pressure, which represented the greatest leakage protection of tested constructs. The thoracoabdominal staple line was more susceptible to leakage than was the gastrointestinal anastomosis staple line. Results suggested that surgeons should avoid FEESA with no staple line offset, strive for partial offset of the gastrointestinal anastomosis staples, and provide precise placement of the thoracoabdominal staple line.

Serosal patch-supplemented anastomoses were able to sustain a significantly higher pressure before leakage than were nonsupplemented anastomoses in intestinal specimens from canine cadavers. The serosal patch supplementation may protect against leakage immediately after enterectomy in dogs.

This study reports the findings of 120 traumatic pad injuries in pet and military dogs. Most dogs (68%) presented with a laceration to a thoracic limb footpad, and one-third of dogs were middle-aged castrated males. Metacarpal pads were most commonly injured. Short-term complications were noted in 27% of dogs. No long-term complications were identified. No disability from pad injury was present at the completion of healing. Concurrent injuries to adjacent structures were uncommon and did not affect outcome. Dogs with full-thickness pad lacerations were at greater risk for major short-term complications compared to dogs with partial-thickness pad lacerations (odds ratio, 7.27; P = .001). Military working dogs with full-thickness pad lacerations were at greater risk for major short-term complications than pet dogs with a similar injury. When major complications developed in dogs with full-thickness pad injuries, time to final healing was significantly longer (by a median of 12 days). The partial-thickness pad lesions healed uneventfully regardless of whether they were bandaged, surgically repaired, or left to heal by second intention. Suture repair and bandaging of full-thickness lesions could not be shown to either decrease the risk for complications or improve healing. Future work should focus on establishing standards for footpad treatment to reduce complications.