Our results suggest that Oil Red O staining may be an easy, inexpensive, and useful diagnostic tool for the differentiation of liposarcoma from other mesenchymal neoplasms.

Case series summaryTwo cats aged between 1 and 2 years were presented for paraparesis, general discomfort, back pain and urinary retention. Extradural spinal cord compression at the level of T4 and T8 was evident on CT examination and on MRI. Hemilaminectomy and partial corpectomy were performed to achieve spinal cord decompression. Histopathology of the abnormal bone tissue was suggestive of vertebral angiomatosis. After initially worsening, both cats recovered their normal gait and functional urination. Both cats have been followed-up for >1 year, without any recurrence.Relevance and novel informationThis is the first report of vertebral angiomatosis with complete data (CT, MRI, surgical procedures, histopathology and >1 year follow-up) and provides important information about the prognosis of this rare vascular malformation.

Abstract. In the current study, the quantification of C-reactive protein (CRP) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of dogs using an adapted time-resolved immunofluorimetric assay (TR-IFMA) was investigated, as well as whether the assay could be used to detect the range of CRP concentrations found in different clinical situations. Intra-and interassay coefficients of variation were below 15% in all cases. The TR-IFMA measured the CRP values in a proportional and linear manner (r 5 0.99); also CRP concentrations measured in CSF and in serum were significantly correlated (r 5 0.80, P 5 0.003). The limit of detection of the method was 7.1 3 10 26 mg/l. The assay was able to detect differences in CRP concentrations in CSF of dogs with inflammatory disorders compared with dogs with spinal cord compression or idiopathic epilepsy. In conclusion, TR-IFMA constitutes a very sensitive, precise, and accurate method for the measurement of CRP concentrations in CSF.