Advances in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery RSS feed: Current Issue. Each month, Advances in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery features abstracts of material from recent publications and presentations, followed by comments from specialists in the field. Small animal veterinarians and veterinary technicians gain new insight into specific topics and increase their skills in judging how to apply new tests and treatments in practice situations. http://www.advancesinsmallanimal.com/?rss=yesElsevier Inc.en © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Advances in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery1041-7826251January 2012 © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. healthpermissions@elsevier.comhttp://www.advancesinsmallanimal.com/article/PIIS1041782611001745/abstract?rss=yesPalliative medicine and hospice care has become a new area of interest, expertise, and opportunity in companion animal practice. It is a philosophy of care that supports good quality of life for pets with life limiting diseases as they and their families face the challenges associated with their illness.Palliative medicine and hospice care, the third optionDebra Teachout10.1016/j.asams.2011.12.001Advances in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery 25, 1 (2012)2012-01-01Advances in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery2012-01-01251S1041-7826(11)X0013-0Guest Editorial13http://www.advancesinsmallanimal.com/article/PIIS1041782611001757/abstract?rss=yesEpisodic collapse, syncope, and exercise intolerance are all clinical signs that occur intermittently. As a result, it is difficult to investigate the cause of these clinical signs. A definitive diagnosis is reached for only about 40 to 50% of dogs presenting with collapse, syncope, or exercise intolerance.Collapse, syncope, and exercise intolerance10.1016/j.asams.2011.12.002Advances in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery 25, 1 (2012)2012-01-01Advances in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery2012-01-01251S1041-7826(11)X0013-0Cardiology33http://www.advancesinsmallanimal.com/article/PIIS1041782611001769/abstract?rss=yesAtopic dermatitis is a chronic or chronically relapsing skin disease that adversely influences the quality of life of affected humans. Assessing quality of life in dogs is problematic, since there is no accepted definition or methodology for its assessment in companion animals. The discussion is further complicated by the unclear use of different terms, such as welfare or well-being.Quality of life and canine atopic dermatitis10.1016/j.asams.2011.12.003Advances in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery 25, 1 (2012)2012-01-01Advances in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery2012-01-01251S1041-7826(11)X0013-0Dermatology34http://www.advancesinsmallanimal.com/article/PIIS1041782611001836/abstract?rss=yesUltrapure soft water (UPSW) is water in which calcium and magnesium ions have been replaced with sodium ions using a cation-exchange resin. Washing a mouse model for human atopic dermatitis with soap and UPSW reduced the clinical severity of dermatitis and improved their skin barrier function. Whether the same response would occur in pruritic dogs is not known.Shampoo treatment using ultrapure soft water10.1016/j.asams.2011.12.010Advances in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery 25, 1 (2012)2012-01-01Advances in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery2012-01-01251S1041-7826(11)X0013-0Dermatology44http://www.advancesinsmallanimal.com/article/PIIS1041782611001770/abstract?rss=yesCutaneous mast cell tumors comprise 7 to 21% of cutaneous and subcutaneous tumors in dogs. Since biologic behavior is variable, predicting clinical outcome is difficult. Currently, prognosis is based on histologic grade, which has been shown to be correlated with survival and disease-free interval. High-grade mast cell tumors (Patnaik grade III) comprise 29 to 40% of canine mast cell tumors. They have a guarded prognosis due to locally aggressive disease and high rate of metastasis (55 to 96%). Intermediate grade (Patnaik grade II) mast cell tumors follow a more unpredictable course, which can include being locally invasive, metastasizing to distant sites, and eventually resulting in death. Determining which grade II mast cell tumors will behave aggressively is difficult, making prognosis and optimal treatment challenging to predict. In addition to grade, factors associated with a higher risk of aggressive clinical behavior include mitotic index of 5 or more, clinical stages 3 or 4, local recurrence, lymph node metastasis, tumor size at least 3 cm, and mucosal or preputial/inguinal location.Ultrasound findings in clinical staging of canine mast cell tumors10.1016/j.asams.2011.12.004Advances in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery 25, 1 (2012)2012-01-01Advances in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery2012-01-01251S1041-7826(11)X0013-0Diagnostic Imaging45http://www.advancesinsmallanimal.com/article/PIIS1041782611001782/abstract?rss=yesChronic pancreatitis is common in dogs. Its cause in dogs is generally unknown but increased relative risk for chronic pancreatitis has been reported in some breeds of dog. Pancreatitis also has different histological appearances in different breeds of dogs. Therefore, breed-related differences in its etiology may exist. English Cocker Spaniels (ECS) have appeared over-represented and show a distinctive clinical and histological appearance which share similarities with human autoimmune pancreatitis.Chronic pancreatitis in English Cocker Spaniels10.1016/j.asams.2011.12.005Advances in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery 25, 1 (2012)2012-01-01Advances in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery2012-01-01251S1041-7826(11)X0013-0Gastroenterology55http://www.advancesinsmallanimal.com/article/PIIS1041782611001794/abstract?rss=yesFeline lower urinary tract disease in cats is non-obstructive in 45% to 70% of cases; in 29%, the cause is obstructive. The clinical signs of interstitial cystitis in cats are dysuria, stranguria, hematuria, pollakiuria, and urination in inappropriate locations.Glycosaminoglycan treatment of feline idiopathic cystitis10.1016/j.asams.2011.12.006Advances in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery 25, 1 (2012)2012-01-01Advances in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery2012-01-01251S1041-7826(11)X0013-0Nephrology/Urology66http://www.advancesinsmallanimal.com/article/PIIS1041782611001800/abstract?rss=yesThe sciatic nerve is the largest peripheral nerve of the body. It originates in the truncus lumbosacralis and gives origin to the peroneus communis and tibialis nerves. It is the most frequently injured nerve in the lower extremity. Injuries can be the result of pelvic, sacral, and femoral fractures which may cause partial lacerations or complete transections of the sciatic nerve. Iatrogenic lesions are the result of intramuscular injections which may produce a direct traumatic injury or a neurotoxic injury due to the injected product. Transections or compressions of the sciatic nerve can also be inadvertently produced during the surgical repair of pelvic and femoral fractures. Primary tumors of peripheral nerves, such as neurofibromas, schwannomas, and lymphoma, should also be considered in the differential diagnosis of peripheral neuropathies.Ultrasonography of the sciatic nerve in cats10.1016/j.asams.2011.12.007Advances in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery 25, 1 (2012)2012-01-01Advances in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery2012-01-01251S1041-7826(11)X0013-0Neurology67http://www.advancesinsmallanimal.com/article/PIIS1041782611001812/abstract?rss=yesCardiopulmonary arrest (CPA) is relatively common in hospitalized rabbits. Causes for CPA include an underlying disease condition, anesthesia, or other physiologic stresses. CPA and a mortality rate of 1.4% has been reported in rabbits undergoing anesthesia for routine surgery. Among sick rabbits that are anesthetized, 7.4% experience CPA followed by death. Since rabbits are difficult to intubate, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) may be withheld, interrupted, or inappropriately delayed in rabbits because of the perceived belief that intubation is required to provide effective ventilation.CPR in rabbits10.1016/j.asams.2011.12.008Advances in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery 25, 1 (2012)2012-01-01Advances in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery2012-01-01251S1041-7826(11)X0013-0Small Mammals78http://www.advancesinsmallanimal.com/article/PIIS1041782611001824/abstract?rss=yesSuture material should provide a safe and secure wound closure for the duration of wound healing while minimizing morbidity. Factors involved in the decision to use a suture material to repair a specific tissue includes the suture material's tensile strength, rate of loss of tensile strength in a specific environment, and handling characteristics.Degradation of absorbable suture materials10.1016/j.asams.2011.12.009Advances in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery 25, 1 (2012)2012-01-01Advances in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery2012-01-01251S1041-7826(11)X0013-0Surgery (Soft Tissue)88