Using liver biopsy specimens obtained from 55 dogs which had received surgical attenuation of a congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunts, hepatic histopathologic findings were reviewed in relation to such clinical findings as age at diagnosis, presence or absence of clinical signs, shunt type, maximal diameter and total length of the shunting vessel, portal pressure before (baseline) and after ligation, change in portal pressure from the baseline, mortality rate following surgery, and survival rate. Histopathologic abnormalities (hepatocellular damage, dilatation of sinusoids, remodeling of the lobular structure, biliary proliferation, hypoplasia of intrahepatic portal veins, arteriolar proliferation, lipid granulomas, lymphangiectasis, and fibrosis) were classified, and the correlation between the histopathologic and clinical findings were statistically analyzed. The results showed that both hypoplasia of intrahepatic portal veins and dilatation of sinusoids were milder in older dogs. On the other hand, lipid granuloma formation was more extensive in older dogs. The hypoplasia of intrahepatic portal veins was severer in dogs with neurological abnormalities (seizure or ataxia) or delayed growth, in comparison with dogs with no apparent clinical signs. There was no significant correlation of the histological features examined here with shunt type, maximal diameter and total length of the shunting vessel, portal pressure between before (baseline) and after ligation, or change in portal pressure from the baseline. In dogs that died following surgery, hepatocellular damage, biliary proliferation, hypoplasia of intrahepatic portal veins, and lymphangiectasis were more extensive, as compared with surviving dogs. In conclusion, there was a significant correlation between the severity of hypoplasia of intrahepatic portal veins and such clinical signs as age at diagnosis, presence or absence of clinical signs, and mortality rate after surgery, which suggested that hypoplasia of intrahepatic portal veins might be the most correlative indicator of the clinical findings observed in dogs with congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunt.

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One hundred and thirty-one strains of the Staphylococcus intermedius group (SIG), 39 strains of coagulase negative Staphylococci (CNS), and 8 strains of S. aureus (SA) were isolated from bacteria-infected dogs and cats brought to Osaka Prefecture University Veterinary Medical Center from 2009 to 2011. Forty-nine percent of SIG (64 strains), 46 percent of CNS (18 strains), and 25 percent of SA (2 strains) were methicillin-resitant (MR). More than 80 percent of strains of MRSIG were sensitive to tetracycline, doxycycline (DOXY), minocycline (MINO), or vancomycin (VCM); more than 80 percent of MRCNS were sensitive to clindamycin, MINO, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (ST), or VCM; and more than 80 percent of MRSA were sensitive to DOXY, amikacin, chloramphenicol, ST or VCM.

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Minimum growth inhibitory concentrations of antibacterial agents were determined using a broth-microdilution method, and antibacterial activity of each drug was assessed in clinical isolates from dogs and cats which had been brought to our animal hospital in Yamaguchi City in 2011. Twenty percent of strains of the Staphylococcus intermedius group (SIG), 10 percent of strains of coagulase negative Staphylococci, and 33 percent of strains of S. aureus were methicillin-resistant (MR). Although MR Staphylococci were resistant to many antimicrobial drugs, MRSIG were sensitive to minocycline, arbekacin, linezolid, vancomysin, and teicoplanim. Enterococcus spp., especially E. faecium, were resistant to many drugs. Twenty-four percent of strains of Escherichia coli and 17 percent of strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae were productive of extended - spectrum β-lactamase. Twenty-four percent of strains of E. coli and 6 percent of strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were resistant to fluoroquinolone. Since various kinds of resistant bacteria were isolated from dogs and cats in this survey, attention needs to be paid to the trend toward resistance to antibacterial agents.

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We repaired fracture of the femoral head or femoral neck by internal fixation of 7 legs in 2 dogs and 4 cats. Five animals were in good condition after surgery, but the case of a dog with femoral neck fracture resulted in osteolysis in an early stage. We compared this with all the other cases, and discussed the causes of the early osteolysis.

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A twelve-year-old, mixed-breed, spayed cat was referred because of vomiting and anorexia. Blood examination showed elevated liver enzymes. Ultrasonography showed an enlarged mesenteric lymph node and the presence of an intestinal mass. On the sixth day, partial resection of the intestine including the mass was performed, and liver biopsy was also done. Histopathologically, the disease was diagnosed as large granular lymphocyte (LGL) lymphoma, accompanying liver infiltration. From day 18, administration of lomustine was initiated as postoperative chemotherapy, and on day 61, the enlarged mesenteric lymph had become smaller. On day 156, however, the disease had recurred, and the cat died on day 197 in spite of multi-medicine chemotherapy.

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A spayed Labrador retriever, 13 years and 2 months old, was referred to our hospital because of intraabdominal mass and hemorrhage. By computed tomography, the mass was diagnosed as adrenal adenoma in the left, and it was removed surgically. Histopathological examination showed suspicion of an adrenal adenoma. Before surgery, alkaline phosphatase activity and total cholesterol were high, and diarrhea and anorexia continued after surgery. Serum cortisol concentration after injection of ACTH remained low. From these findings, this adrenal tumor was considered to be functional. Consequently its surgical removal was considered to have caused temporary adrenal insufficiency. The dog has been in good condition for 16 months until now.

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