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Although an acupuncture needle penetrates the skin, subcutaneous tissue, and underlying muscle, the most effective locus for the somatic acupoint on the needle path is not well established. We therefore investigated the sensory innervations of tissues in the needle path of the canine Shen-Shu point and evaluated their roles in initiating an acupunctural signal. Horseradish peroxidase solution was injected at all three levels within the acupoint. Only a few peroxidase-positive neurons were observed in the L1 dorsal root ganglion following intradermal injection. Following subcutaneous injection, peroxidase-labeled neurons were detected extending from spinal levels T10 to L2, with maximal labeling at T12 (46.3%). Approximately 95% of positive neurons were at spinal levels T11, T12, T13, and L1. As a result of an intramuscular injection, labeled neurons were observed at spinal levels T12 to L3, with most labeling occurring at L1 (39.9%). Approximately 95% of positive neurons were at spinal levels T13, L1, and L2. The results suggest that most afferent terminals are in the subcutaneous tissue rather than the muscular tissue, with an approximate ratio of 3.75:1. The data provide solid evidence that sensory innervation to a somatic acupoint is confined to a spinal segment and spatially organized, and we speculate that to cause a maximum effect, the centripetally transmitted signal from needling a somatic acupoint is spatio-segmental and divergently amplified.

The clinical and pharmacological activities of ginseng are known to modulate immune function, metabolic processes and neuro-endocrine system activities. Ginseng saponins are the principle active ingredients in the formation of immune stimulating complexes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro effect of ginseng total saponin (GTS) on the phagocytic capacity of canine peripheral blood phagocytes. GTS itself did not cause any direct effect on the phagocytic capacity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) but not peripheral blood monocytes. However, the phagocytic capacity of PMN and monocytes, but not PBMC, was enhanced by the culture supernatant from PBMC treated with GTS. The phagocytic capacity of PMN and monocytes was also increased by treatment with recombinant canine (rc) tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. The ability of the culture supernatant from GTS-treated PBMC to stimulate the phagocytic capacity of phagocytes was inhibited by addition of anti-rc TNF-α polyclonal antibody (pAb) prior to the culture. The amount of TNF-α in the culture supernatant from PBMC was shown to increase upon treatment of GTS as compared with that of vehicle-treated PBMC culture supernatant. These results suggest that GTS has an immunoenhancing effect on the phagocytic capacity of canine peripheral blood phagocytes, which is mainly mediated by TNF-α released from GTS-stimulated PBMC.

The objective of this study was to differentiate the neuronal responses, which was related or unrelated, to pain associated with acupuncture stimulation, and to localize the brain regions with response to stimulation that is unrelated to pain by using Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) functional MRI (fMRI). BOLD fMRI was performed in six normal healthy beagle dogs, during placebo and verum acupuncture stimulations, at the right side of BL60 (KunLun) acupoint before and after local anesthesia of the acupoint. The order of the four sessions was placebo; verum acupuncture stimulation; before local anesthesia; and followed by the same stimulation after local anesthesia. One-sample t-test analysis was performed to localize the activated or deactivated areas, during both pre-anesthesia and post-anesthesia. In order to compare the pre-anesthesia to post-anesthetic responses, and placebo to verum acupuncture stimulation, within-subject analysis was performed. The post-anesthetic verum acupuncture stimulation resulted in increased activations in the left somatic afferent area I and II, right visual and auditory association area, and the descending reticular activating system of the brainstem. In addition, differential areas during post-anesthesia compared to that of the pre-anesthesia were in the left olfactory peduncle and descending reticular activating system of the brainstem. These results indicate that the areas of specific neural pathway are considered to be unrelated to the pain response during acupuncture stimulation.

The safety of lentiviral (LV) vectors for gene therapy of genetic hematopoietic diseases would be considerably enhanced by the identification of a non-viral promoter capable of driving therapeutic levels of transgene expression in the target cell. Here, we tested the efficacy of the murine phosphoglycerate kinase (mPgk) promoter in a self-inactivating (SIN) LV vector to express canine CD18 in animals with canine leukocyte adhesion deficiency (CLAD) and in human LAD-1 CD34⁺ cells in NSG mice. Despite high transduction levels and high levels of CD18 expression per cell in CLAD CD34⁺ cells in vitro using the mPgk vector to drive canine CD18 expression, only two of five CLAD animals treated with ex vivo gene therapy achieved therapeutic levels of CD18⁺ neutrophils in vivo. Similarly, despite high transduction efficiency and high levels of CD18 expression in human LAD-1 CD34⁺ cells in vitro, the mPgk-hCD18 promoter resulted in a low percentage of CD45⁺/CD18⁺ cells and low levels of CD18 expression per neutrophil, when the transduced cells were transplanted into NSG mice. In contrast, human LAD-1 CD34⁺ cells transduced with a LV vector containing the viral MND promoter (MND-hCD18) and injected into NSG mice displayed a high percentage of CD45⁺/CD18⁺ cells and high levels of CD18 expression per neutrophil. These studies demonstrated that the mPgk promoter does not direct sufficient CD18 expression in neutrophils to replace a viral promoter for gene therapy of children with LAD-1.

An eight-year-old neutered male Cocker Spaniel with multiple subcutaneous masses on the right flank was presented to National Taiwan University Veterinary Hospital. The masses were excised and submitted for histopathologic evaluation and bacterial culture. A diagnosis of severe panniculitis was made and no microorganism was identified with bacterial culture. The patient did not respond well and showed significant side effects from prednisolone therapy. Later, low-dose cyclosporine was used instead and the lesions resolved. Complete remission was observed when ketoconazole was added in order to increase the blood concentration of cyclosporine in the patient. There were no adverse side effects noted during this combination therapy. The patient has remained free of the disease at the time this report was written. In conclusion, low-dose cyclosporine combined with ketoconazole therapy is safe and effective for treating sterile nodular panniculitis, when glucocorticoid does not provide an adequate clinical result.

An eight-year-old neutered female miniature poodle was presented at National Taiwan University Veterinary Hospital with the history of intermittent fever, papules, discoid rash, low appetite and activity and having been treated at local veterinary hospitals for about two months. The laboratory data showed non-regenerative anemia, leukopenia, elevated levels of alkaline phosphatase and asparatate aminotransferase activity, low total T4 concentration and proteinuria. Xerophthalmia and xerostomia were also noted. Antinuclear antibody (ANA) test revealed positive ANA at a titer of 256. The tentative diagnosis was systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) accompanied with Sjögren-like syndrome. After prednisolone and azathioprine administration, clinical signs and clinic pathologic abnormalities were improved gradually, and then prednisolone was tapered to reduce the side effects of steroid. Conclusively, this poodle was diagnosed as SLE and Sjögren-like syndrome.

In humans, autologous serum (AS) eye drops has been applied for the treatment of refractory keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) for several decades. However, there are few researches to investigate the AS eye drops in dogs with KCS. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of AS eye drops on treatment of KCS in dogs. Eighteen eyes of ten client-owned dogs with refractory KCS were used in this study. Schirmer tear test (STT), tear film breakup time (TBUT), fluorescein (FL) staining score, and Rose Bengal (RB) staining score were used to measure the status of cornea prospectively at baseline and 1–3 months after treatment. Additionally, the results were further stratified by their STT value, sex, and age. The results indicated that the mean TBUT, FL staining score, and RB staining score were significantly improved after treatment except STT. In 18 eyes, 77.8% eyes had decreased mucopurulent ocular discharge and 38.9% eyes got wet. Besides, both TBUT and RB staining score were significantly improved in a subgroup of dogs with age less than 9 years old. As far as we know, this study is the first trial to determine the efficacy and safety of 20% AS eye drops for cKCS. In conclusion, AS eye drops seemed to be effective and safe for dogs with KCS, and it could improve tear film stability, ocular surface health, and subjective clinical symptoms, especially in dogs younger than 9 years old.

Two 8-year-old small-breed neutered dogs were referred due to respiratory distress caused by a new onset of congestive heart failure secondary to degenerative mitral valve disease. Medical treatment, including a diuretic and a vasodilator, was initiated, and blood samples for evaluating the levels of blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were collected at every visit. The two dogs had entirely different outcomes: one is still alive with its symptoms well controlled by the medications, whereas the other one was unstable during the therapeutic period and only survived for 89 days after the diagnosis was made. Serial measurements of NT-proBNP concentration revealed that its gradual decline corresponded to better outcome, whereas fluctuant and ascending concentrations reflected a poor prognosis.

A 12-year-old, intact, male Golden Retriever dog presented with a 1-month history of corneal ulcer, redness, and occasional squint in the left eye (oculus sinister [OS]). A thorough ophthalmological examination revealed corneal edema, diffuse corneal vascularization, and excessive granulation tissue growth. The tentative diagnosis was chronic superficial keratitis or pannus. After 3 weeks of treatment for OS, blepharospasm and superficial corneal ulceration with a lip of nonadherent epithelium of the right eye (oculus dexter [OD]) developed. No improvement was observed after autologous serum eye drop treatment combined with simple debridement and grid keratotomy on both eyes (oculi uterque [OU]) for 3 months; thereafter, blindness developed. The diagnosis was refractory corneal ulcers. The application of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) was instilled via subconjunctival injection OU every 2 weeks for 2 months. The OU corneas started to re-epithelialize and heal, and the granulation tissues significantly decreased while the vision improved. Therefore, PRP was continued to be administered every 1–2 months for 6 months. After more than 1 year, the OU corneas have healed without recurrent ulceration and with only mild haze. In conclusion, autologous PRP subconjunctival injection is a potentially beneficial addition to the medical management of refractory corneal ulcers in dogs.

Canine pyometra is a common reproductive disease in bitches. This study evaluated the causative bacteria in antibiotic sensitivity test. Fifty five bitches with pyometra were included in this study. Escherichia coli was the most isolated microorganism (63.6%), followed by Streptococcus spp. (10.9%). Sixty two pathogen isolates showed highest sensitivity to imipenem (95.2%), followed by gentamicin (85.5%), amikacin (80.6%), ceftazidime (72.6%), nitrofurantoin (72.6%), and norfloxacin (72.6%). The microorganisms were most resistant to lincomycin (96.8%), followed by penicillin (85.5%), trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (58.1%), amoxicillin (54.8%), ampicillin (53.2%), and cefadroxil (50%). The sensitivity of a single empirical antibiotic treatment applied without sensitivity test was 51% (25/49). Sensitivity increased to 84.6% (11/13) when two antibiotics are used simultaneously. No significant differences in the proportions of clinical signs and abnormal hematologic results were observed between bitches with open- and closed-type pyometra. All bitches with pyometra recovered after ovariohysterectomy, antibiotic administration, and supportive therapy. The results of this study provide reliable information to choose an effective antibiotic before surgical intervention, especially for critical patients who cannot wait for the sensitivity test. The outcomes of the bitches with pyometra were excellent with early diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

An 8-year-old, castrated male, Jack Russell Terrier was presented with clinical signs of uveitis and glaucoma in the right eye (oculus dexter (OD)) for 2–3 months. Ophthalmic examination revealed OD episcleral congestion, corneal vascularization, aqueous flare, iris bombe, and vision loss. OD glaucoma and uveitis were under control by medical treatment. After 8 months, the dog had acute uveitis in the left eye (oculus sinister (OS)). General physical examination, blood examinations, radiography, and urinalysis were unremarkable. No improvement was observed after for 1 month of uveitis treatment, and more examinations were strongly suggested. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed several hypoechoic masses or cysts on both kidneys. Computed tomography (CT) showed diffuse nonenhancing hypodense patches in both kidneys. Renal tumor was highly suspected, but biopsy was declined by the owner. Ten days after CT examination, the dog suddenly developed anorexia, weakness, uremia, hyperkalemia, and polycythemia. The dog was euthanatized because of the worsening clinical condition, poor prognosis, and financial constraints, and both kidneys were biopsied for histopathology. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic cells were positive for B-cell marker (CD20) and negative for T-cell marker (CD3). Bilateral renal B-cell origin lymphoma was diagnosed by histologic and immunophenotyping examinations. In conclusion, bilateral renal lymphoma may be diagnosed with no systemic signs except bilateral uveitis. Renal function impairment was acutely developed with severe clinical signs at the end stage of the disease. Early, aggressive, complete examinations, and treatments are strongly recommended.

C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute phase protein that may increase in response to various inflammatory conditions or infections in human and animals. It has been suggestive to use CRP levels to diagnose, monitor and prognose canine inflammatory diseases; however, its practical uses remain obscure. We have comparatively demonstrated the use of CRP, total white blood cell (WBC) counts and neutrophil counts to monitor the progression of four canine common disorders, including acute pancreatitis, acute abdomen syndrome, neoplastic diseases and pyometra. A total of 52 cases were included in this study. The CRP concentration, complete blood count and protein profile were measured before and on days 1, 2 of hospitalization, day of discharge and the day of follow-up visit. Statistical analyses indicated that CRP is the only parameter with elevated concentrations significantly differ among different days. None of the clinicopathological variables correlated well with serum CRP concentrations except for visual negative correlation to albumin. Differential efficiencies were observed when using CRP and total WBC counts to monitor the four disorders. The CRP and total WBC counts were equally efficient in monitoring pyometra and neoplastic disease patients, while in acute pancreatitis and acute abdomen syndrome, the use of CRP was clearly advantageous. Overall, CRP is a more sensitive marker showing an evident up-and-down trend and with greater degree of responses than total WBC and neutrophil counts, which enable CRP a better quantitative analysis of disease progression. In conclusion, CRP levels exhibit various degrees of clinical potential to monitor the development and treatment progress of canine diseases with inflammatory components. The inclusion of other inflammatory biomarkers and the study of CRP isoforms warrant further investigation.

Two adult poodles were referred for severe corneal ulcers in both eyes (oculi uterque [OU]) for 1.5 months, and swollen eyelids for approximately 1 week. Ophthalmic examination revealed diffuse corneal edema with grayish deposit and ulcer, uveitis, glaucoma, grayish deposit and necrosis on the third eyelid and conjunctiva, eyelids necrosis, eyelid-eyeball adhesions, and blindness. Cytological examination of the conjunctiva and cornea revealed neutrophilic inflammation, and a bacterial culture revealed Staphylococcus aureus. An adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation test was performed, strongly indicating iatrogenic hyperadrenocorticism. No improvement was observed after 2 weeks of antibiotic treatment. Fungal cultures from the cornea and conjunctiva were positive for Candida spp. Specific antifungal treatment included topical 5% natamycin eye drops (OU six times daily) and oral itraconazole (5mg/kg q12h). The grayish deposits of the conjunctiva and cornea were sloughed off, thus facilitating the healing of corneal and eyelids ulcers, over the next 3–4 weeks. Phthisis bulbi and eyelid-eyeball adhesions developed in both dogs after 6 months of follow-up. Based on the fungal isolation by culture, clinical signs, and response to antifungal treatment, Candida spp. panophthalmitis was diagnosed. Fungi should be considered a potential organism in panophthalmitis, especially with a medical history of steroids and antibiotic use. This case report demonstrates the grayish deposits of the cornea, conjunctiva, and third eyelid as possible characteristics of Candida infection in the dogs. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Candida panophthalmitis with iatrogenic hyperadrenocorticism in dogs.

The severity of canine acute pancreatitis (AP) is highly variable. Clinically applicable severity scoring algorithms are limited. One-hundred-thirty-four dogs diagnosed with AP and hospitalized between 2009 and 2014 were selected for analysis to develop a severity scoring system. Eleven variables, i.e. age, hemoglobin, red blood cell count, albumin, total bilirubin, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, phosphorus, potassium, presence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome and oliguria/anuria after rehydration (Day 2 to Day 4) were significantly abnormal and selected by logistic regression to predict the outcome. A scoring system was developed by incorporating weighting factors assigned to each quartile based on the odds ratio integer value. A predictive score is the sum of all weighting factors for each dog. Receiver-operating curve analyses were performed to assess the sensitivity, specificity and optimal cut-off point of the outcome predictions. The scores of 134 dogs after rehydration ranged from 11 to 78 points. The mean score was $32.9\pm 20.0$, and the median score was 23 points. The optimal cut-off point for outcome prediction of the scoring system was 35.5, with a sensitivity of 96% and a specificity of 89.3%. The mortality was 85.5% with a score of $>36$, whereas 3.8% had a score of $\le 36$. Dogs with a score $<26$ all survived. The severity scoring system provides a reliable and clinically applicable method to assess disease severity in dogs with clinically AP at the time point after rehydration.

Importance: This case report describes a rare presentation of scrotal herniation and strangulation of the small intestine in a 3-year-old intact male mixed-breed dog. This condition is noteworthy due to its potential for severe complications and the scarcity of documented cases in the veterinary literature, contributing to the limited body of knowledge on scrotal hernias in dogs, especially those involving intestinal strangulation. Case Presentation: The dog presented with unilateral scrotal swelling, persistent vomiting and inappetence for 10 days. Physical examination revealed inflamed and tender scrotal regions, with the left side more prominently affected. Radiographic findings indicated dilated small intestines and increased radiopacity in the scrotal area. Surgical intervention revealed a swollen left testicle and a hemorrhagic loop of small intestines within the scrotum. A midline celiotomy was performed to resect and anastomose the devitalized intestinal segment, followed by herniorrhaphy. Conclusions and Relevance: The patient recovered uneventfully and resumed normal activities within a week post-surgery. This case highlights the clinical importance of timely diagnosis and surgical management of scrotal hernias in dogs to prevent life-threatening complications, underscoring the need for awareness of such presentations among veterinarians. The successful outcome in this case supports the efficacy of surgical intervention in similar scenarios, potentially guiding future clinical practices.

This is the first tomography-presentation of the optical properties of a normal canine prostate, in vivo, in its native intact environment in the pelvic canal. The imaging was performed by trans-rectal near-infrared (NIR) optical tomography in steady-state measurement at 840 nm on three sagittal planes across the right lobe, middle-line, and left lobe, respectively, of the prostate gland. The NIR imaging planes were position-correlated with concurrently applied trans-rectal ultrasound, albeit there was no spatial prior employed in the NIR tomography reconstruction. The reconstructed peak absorption coefficients of the prostate on the three planes were 0.014, 0.012, and 0.014 mm^-1. The peak reduced scattering coefficients were 5.28, 5.56, and 6.53 mm^-1. The peak effective attenuation coefficients were 0.45, 0.43, and 0.50 mm^-1. The absorption and effective attenuation coefficients were within the ranges predictable at 840 nm by literature values which clustered sparsely from 355 nm to 1064 nm, none of which were performed on a canine prostate with similar conditions. The effective attenuation coefficients of the gland were shown to be generally higher in the internal aspects than in the peripheral aspects, which is consistent with the previous findings that the urethral regions were statistically more attenuating than the capsular regions.

Total hip replacement (THR) has been one of the main choices in treating dysplasia and other disabling conditions of the coxofemoral joint of large-breed dogs. Quantitative data of the three-dimensional (3D) morphology of the native normal acetabulum will be helpful for better design and implantation of prosthetic components. However, 3D orientation and morphological parameters of the native acetabulum in large-breed dogs are rarely reported. The purposes of the study were to measure the values of the 3D morphological parameters of the native acetabulum in Labrador Retriever dogs, namely acetabular orientation in relation to the pelvis, as well as the radius, angle between ventral and dorsal rims, and the distance from the center to the dorsal rim of the acetabulum using a 3D CT-derived model. The data will be useful for developing a more accurate guideline for improving current THR designs and for more accurate placement of the acetabulum component during THR surgery.

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cement, which has been widely used in total hip arthroplasty (THA), has several problems. To improve these problems, the authors have developed new bioactive bone cement, which has a capability of bonding directly with bone, and has greater mechanical strength than PMMA bone cement. In this study, THAs were performed in dogs using bioactive bone cement (BABC) consisting of AW glass-ceramic powder and SiO₂ powder as the filler and bisphenol-a-glycidyl dimethacrylate (Bis-GMA) based resin as the organic matrix, and the outcomes were compared with the results of PMMA bone cement. Previously, we reported on a higher bonding strength and higher Affinity index of BABC to bone in dogs’ femora for up to 24 months. In the present study, femoral bone resorption was observed at 24 months after implantation in the BABC group, although it was not observed in the PMMA bone cement group. Resorption rate of the BABC group calculated by digitizer using SEM images of cross section of the femur was 4.4±4.4 % and 10.1 ± 4.1 % at 12 months and 24 months, respectively, whereas that of PMMA group was 1.3±1.9 % and 1.5±0.7 % at 12 months and 24 months, respectively. There was a significant difference between both groups at 24 months.

The gallop is the preferred gait by mammals for agile traversal through terrain. This motion is intrinsically complex as the feet are used individually and asymmetrically. Experimental data for the gallop are limited due the large workspace needed because of the gait's speed and long traversal. A generalized motion measurement strategy is adopted based on high-speed, motion capture with a reduced marker set and an emphasis on body and leg kinematics and with limited ground reaction force measurement. This allows for an extension of the workspace and allows for markers to be placed in locations with reduced tissue compliance. This is sufficient for capturing the principal motion and for making kinematic comparisons to a previously developed approximating impulse model framework. A series of gallops were measured in a large gait laboratory (18 m² principal working area) from three canine subjects (ranging from 8 to 24 kg) galloping down a 15 m runway. Normalized results show a correlation with motions suggested by the impulse model and are in keeping with insights from previous animal and legged robot studies.

In vitro susceptibility tests were conducted on field isolates of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius from canine clinical cases isolated from European countries during 2009-2010 for sensitivity to cefovecin and a panel of other commonly used antimicrobials by broth microdilution and oxacillin disc diffusion tests. Isolates suspected of multi-drug resistance were screened for the presence of the mecA gene. Eight isolates with zone diameters of less than 16 mm in the oxacillin disc diffusion test were deemed resistant to oxacillin and, following genotyping, seven were confirmed mecA positive. The MIC₉₀ and MIC₅₀ values for cefovecin were both 0.25 μg/mL and those isolates selected for genotyping had MIC values for cefovecin of ≥1 μg/mL. The results for cefovecin were compared with data from a similar survey conducted prior to launch in 1999-2003. The data indicate that to date for canine clinical isolates of S. pseudintermedius, there has been no apparent shift in susceptibility to cefovecin amongst isolates from first opinion cases across Europe but continued monitoring is recommended.