BackgroundSeveral factors may influence kinetic data measurements, including body conformation and body mass. In addition, gender differences in gait pattern have been observed in healthy humans. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the kinetic and temporospatial parameters in clinically healthy male and female cats using a pressure-sensitive walkway. Eighteen crossbreed adult cats were divided into two groups: G1 had ten male cats (nine neutered) aged from 1 to 4 years and body mass 3.1-6.8 kg; G2 had eight spayed female cats, aged from 1 to 6 years and body mass 3.3-4.75 kg. The data from the first five valid trials were collected for each cat. A trial was considered valid if the cat maintained a velocity between 0.54-0.74 m/s and acceleration from -0.20 to 0.20 m/s2. The peak vertical force (PVF), vertical impulse (VI), gait cycle time, stance time, swing time, stride length, and percentage body weight distribution among the four limbs were determined. In addition, the lengths of each forelimb and each hind limb were measured using a tape with the animal standing.ResultsNo significant differences were observed in each group in either the forelimbs or the hind limbs or between the left and right sides for any of the variables. For both groups, the PVF (%BW), the VI, and the percentage body weight distribution were higher at the forelimbs than the hind limbs. The stride length was larger for males; however, the other kinetic and temporospatial variables did not show any statistically significant differences between the groups. The lengths of the forelimbs and hind limbs were larger in the male cats. There was a significant moderate positive correlation between the stride length and the length of the limbs.ConclusionsIn conclusion, the only difference observed between male and female cats was the stride length, and this was due to the greater body size of male cats. This difference did not affect other temporospatial or kinetics variables.

Background The clinical applicability of sonography and sonoelastography (SOE) in the detection of lymph node malignancy in dogs has not been established. Objectives To compare sonographic and sonoelastographic findings between malignant and benign superficial lymph nodes and to evaluate the diagnostic performance of those methods. Animals One‐hundred sixteen lymph nodes of 54 dogs. Methods A prospective observational study was used to investigate sonographic features and elasticity scores of malignant and benign superficial lymph nodes. Lymph nodes were categorized as malignant or benign according to cytology or histopathology. Quantitative variables were compared using Student's unpaired t test. Prevalence of categorical variables was compared using nonparametric Mann‐Whitney U test. Diagnostic performance was calculated by receiver‐operating characteristic analysis. Results Forty‐nine malignant and 67 benign lymph nodes were included. Malignant nodes had larger long axis (LA; P = .0002), short axis (SA; P < .0001) and short‐to‐long axis ratio ( P < .0001) in comparison with benign nodes. Malignant nodes had a higher prevalence of mixed vascular distribution on Doppler color flow mapping ( P < .005) and on power Doppler ( P < .0001) and higher resistivity index (RI; P < .0001), pulsatility index ( P < .0001), and elasticity score ( P < .0001) in comparison with benign nodes. Short axis, elasticity score, and RI offered the best accuracies, 80.2%, 78.1%, and 77.7% ( P < .05), respectively, for malignancy detection. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Results support the use of Doppler sonography and SOE as auxiliary methods to brightness mode sonography to detect nodal malignancy.

This study aimed to describe the radiographic anatomy and osteology and to evaluate angular radiographic measurements-Norberg angle, inclination angle and anteversion angle-of the pelvic limbs in free-ranging capybaras. Twenty cadavers of free-ranging capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), including five adults and 15 subadults, were studied. Ventrodorsal, craniocaudal, dorsoplantar and mediolateral radiographic views of the pelvic limbs were obtained. The radiographic features were described together with bone samples. The hip bone (os coxae), shaped like an isosceles trapezoid, was elongated and narrow with the presence of an oblong obturator foramen, sagittal ilial wing and rectilinear ilial body. The femoral shaft was relatively straight, while the greater trochanter was projected above the femoral head. No sesamoid bones of the gastrocnemius and popliteus muscles were observed radiographically or for those animals used in gross macroscopy. The fibula was located lateral and parallel to the tibia. Eight tarsal bones, four metatarsal bones and three digits were identified. The mean radiographic measurements included Norberg angle of 125.9°; respective angles of femoral inclination by the Hauptman B and Tomlinson methods of 139.9 and 141°; anteversion angle of the femoral head and neck of 29.80°. The bones of the pelvic limbs in capybaras have several anatomical characters and radiological features that are shared with members of the caviomorph superfamily Cavioidea. The radiographic angles measured in this study help characterize the functional morphology of this species.

Background: Dioctophyma renale is a large nematode distributed worldwide that may cause progressive and severe destruction of renal parenchyma. Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate pre-and post-operatively dogs submitted to right nephrectomy due to D. renale and to assess the histopathological damage of the removed kidney. Animals and methods: Eight crossbred dogs, aged from 12 to 48 months that were unilaterally nephrectomized due to the presence of D. renale were evaluated. Physical examination, urinalysis, complete blood count, serum biochemistry, and abdominal ultrasound were performed immediately before and one month after nephrectomy. The nephrectomized right kidneys were submitted to macroscopic and microscopic evaluations. Results: Urinalysis preoperatively detected occult blood in all dogs and D. renale eggs in five cases. Complete blood count showed all parameters within the reference range, except one dog post-operatively. Serum biochemistry performed before and after surgery verified that urea, creatinine and sodium were within the reference range values in all dogs. Other findings varied among the dogs. The length and arterial resistive index mean values of the left kidney were similar pre-and post-operatively. Conclusions: Thus, the inconsiderable change in laboratory findings pre-and post-operatively was attributable to compensation by left kidney function for the removed abnormal right kidney. Right kidney histology revealed chronic nephropathy due to D. renale. Clinical importance: Imaging diagnosis should be performed on dogs suspected as carrying the disease or on those from an enzootic area since the laboratory findings are not specific except eggs in the urine.

This study was made to investigate the anatomical features of the white-eared opossum skull, by osteology and radiographic anatomy. For this, five animals were used without sexual distinction. The skull was examined by radiographic and macroscopic characteristics. The skulls were then subjected to maceration. The skull was described macroscopically according to standard views, i.e. dorsal and caudal, lateral, ventral, and midsagittal. The skull can be divided into facial (viscerocranium) and cranial (neurocranium) regions. The facial region was elongated and more developed than neurocranium. The supraorbital foramen was absent. The tympanic bulla is not well developed. The zygomatic arch was formed by zygomatic process of the temporal bone, zygomatic process of the maxilla, and temporal process of the zygomatic bone. There was no significant difference between bones found in this study when compared with those described for others mammals. These findings may contribute to the better understanding of the anatomy and biology of the white-eared opossum.