For radiation therapy, 33 dogs with systolic heart murmur at the mitral area (NYHA Class I) were immobilized with propofol infusion (intravenous injection [IV] at 4 mg/kg for loading dose followed by continuous infusion at 0.3 mg/kg/min; P-CRI). Another 33 dogs without heart murmur were immobilized with a simultaneous intravenous injection of 0.01 mg/kg medetomidine, 0.15 mg/kg midazlam and 0.025 mg/kg butorphanol (MMB). The dogs were immobilized for 22.2 ± 12.6 (mean ± standard deviation) min with P-CRI and 17.4 ± 5.5 min with MMB. To immobilize adequately, incremental doses were required in 18.2% of dogs treated with P-CRI and 6.1% of dogs treated with MMB. Cardiopulmonary parameters were maintained within the normal ranges in dogs treated with P-CRI. A significant decrease in heart rate was observed with MMB. The dogs recovered at 15.2 ± 5.5 min after the cessation of propofol infusion and 5.6 ± 5.1 min after the IV administration of atipamezole for reversal. No adverse effects were recorded by repeated immobilization with both P-CRI and MMB. It is suggested that P-CRI could provide a repeated immobilization technique for radiation therapy with minimum cardiopulmonary depression in dogs with mild chronic heart failure.

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An 8-year-old female border collie was presented for the fistula of the skin in the flank. Preoperative diagnostic imaging suggested the fistulous track was associated with the granuloma possibly caused by the ligature material used in ovariohysterectomy. Exploatory laparotomy revealed that the granuloma involved the left kidney and that the fistulous track was extended from the granuloma to the skin in the flank. Resection of the granuloma and partial nephrectomy resulted in a good outcome and the dog showed no recurrence. It was concluded that multifilament nonabsorbable suture materials should not be used in ovariohysterectomy to reduce the incidence of the fistulous track and granuloma.

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[in Japanese]

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A 2-year-old spayed female Maltese dog weighed 4.0 kg with a progressive paresis of the right forelimb, was referred to Veterinary Medical Center, the University of Tokyo for evaluation of a firm mass on the left calvarium. MRI images showed the mass grown into intra-cranium compressing the cerebrum. The mass was excised surgically and diagnosed as multilobular tumor of bone. The dog recovered rapidly after the operation, but the mass re-grew twice at the primary site and necessitated additional surgical interventions. The dog was treated with a radiation therapy just after the 3rd operation. Radiation therapy seemed to be effective for primary tumor control but the tumor had metastasized to the lung. Chemotherapy against metastasis was not effective and the dog was euthanized about 10 months after the first operation.

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The stereotactic CT-guided brain surgery in this note should be the technique to three-dimentionally approach to the brain safely and accurately. In this technique using a Komai's CT-stereotactic apparatus, high and wide availability for brain surgeries is considered, though there remained some problems to solve to apply for small animals. However, in the future, the wide clinical use of this surgical technique for brain surgeries in small animals is anticipated.

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