Clinical experience were surveyed regarding the safety and efficacy of LOMEWON®, 0.3% Lomefloxacin (LFLX) ophthalmic solution, for canine bacterial ocular infections. In addition, antibacterial effects of LFLX on S. intermedius, S. canis and P. aeruginosa were evaluated from 2005 to 2013. Among of 682 cases collected for the safety evaluation and the efficacy evaluation. Adverse drug reaction was observed in only one case, which was keratoconjunctivitis sicca. The rate of efficacy was 83.4% (569/682). The mean age was higher than that of participants to the clinical study (2001). The elderly dogs with keratitis had to treat longer period than younger dogs to heal with LOMEWON®. Recently, it has been recognized that prevalence of the isolates low-susceptible to LFLX. For that fact, vigorous treatment with the combination of several antibiotics, prior to detect the most effective drug, should be adopted in the commonly empiric therapy. It suggests that LOMEWON® is one of useful drug for the empiric therapy of canine ocular infections.

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There are few reports of melanomas in rabbits. Here we report four cases of melanoma in rabbits. Case 1: a rabbit with a malignant melanoma on the ear pinna underwent a surgical operation for tumor fragmentation. It died from general causes such as loss of appetite on the 1521st postoperative day. Case 2: a rabbit with a dermal melanoma on the ear pinna is still in good condition without recurrence after 955 days until now. Case 3: a rabbit with a malignant melanoma on the eyelid underwent surgery to remove the tumor. As metastasis was found on the site which seemed to be the mandibular lymph node, this lesion was removed surgically 979 days after the first surgery. The rabbit died on day 993. Case 4: a rabbit with a malignant melanoma on the nose bridge underwent a surgical operation to remove the lesion. On day 175, the rabbit showed aggravation of the respiratory system. The pet owner, who desired no further medical examination, took the rabbit home and kept it in a rental oxygen room installed in the owner’s house, until the rabbit died on day 367.

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A 13-month-old spayed toy poodle, weighing 3.85 kg, was brought to us with a history of gradually progressive trismus and difficulty in eating. Although physical examinations revealed that the dog’s general condition was good, and that there were no abnormalities around the temporomandibular joints, atrophy of the temporal and masseter muscles was palpated, and resistance to opening of the mouth was recognized. Routine blood tests detected mild leukocytosis and marked elevation of C-reactive protein value (12 mg/dl). From these clinical findings, we suspected autoimmune inflammatory muscle disorders. Type 2M myofiber antibody was measured, which resulted in striking increase of the antibody titers, that is, above 1:4000 (reference titer<1:100). Therefore the disease was diagnosed as masticatory myositis. Prednisolon (2 mg/kg/day) was prescribed, and the trismus was improved on the 7 th day. The drug was diminished gradually, and the therapy was stopped 138 days after the first presentation because there was no recurrence of the trismus. Four months later, however, the disease recurred, and treatment was resumed.

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An 8-year-old rabbit was brought to us with the complaints of chronic exfoliative dermatitis, systemic allopeecia, bilateral exphthoalmos, and dyspnea. In several examinations, a thymoma was found in the anterior mediastinum. The dog’s cutaneous symptoms were considered to be paraneoplastic sebaceous adenitis. As the pet owner requested us to ease only the symptoms of sebaceous adenitis, oral treatment with cyclosporine was started on the basis of reported successful remedy of sebaceous adenitis in dogs. The size of the thymoma was decreased, and the bilateral exophtalmos and dyspnea were reduced. This case showed the possibility that cyclosporine can decrease the size of a thymoma in rabbits.

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A five-year-and-one-month-old, male cavalier king charls spaniel dog was referred to Iwate University Veterinary Teaching Hospital to receive surgical treatment for nonunion of the right tibia fracture. At the initial consultation, the dog showed non-weight-bearing lameness of the right hind limb, and an intramedullary pin was protruding outside the body from the right knee joint. We repaired the fracture using a coccyx autograft to fill the bone defect. On postoperative day 42, the gait was almost normal, and the condition of the bone union was also good. The findings of our study indicate that a coccyx autograft is a possible effective choice other than conventional rib or ilium grafts for repair of fracture nonunion.

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The aim of this study was to evaluate the distribution of body pressure in bedridden elderly dogs with pressure ulcers. We chose two old Shiba dogs with pressure ulcers as subjects, and the pressure was measured by using a tactile sensor system on the body in a lateral position. The results were as follows: the body contact areas of the two dogs were much smaller than those of healthy dogs. Second, we found that high pressure areas on the body did not necessarily correspond to the areas where pressure ulcers had actually developed. Even on no-bone-truding skin, pressure ulcers sometimes develop. Functional reduction to support body weight is caused by joint contracture and/or weight loss. Therefore, we need to prevent joint contracture, and make more use of pressure redistribution devices which adjust the degrees of contracture.

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