Welcome to 2023 and all the memories, personal growth, and professional learning that will come with it. Although it’s tough to believe we are starting a new year, the speed of time is matched only by the speed of change sometimes. Based on changes we see in veterinary medicine, the Today’s Veterinary Practice team will try again this year to bring you practical and up-to-date information on the commonly challenging areas of our daily clinics. This year we start a new insights series focused on image interpretation. It begins in this issue with radiographically interpreting pleural effusion and pulmonary edema, 2 common respiratory challenges with sometimes the same differentials. The article differentiates an increase in opacity within the pulmonary parenchyma from one within the pleural space with some fantastic illustrative examples. Enjoy this first of 6 insightful imaging articles this year.
What We’re Reading
In each issue, a member of our Editorial Advisory Board will share a recent open access publication, including their key takeaways and its practical conclusion.
Brucella canis Discospondylitis in 33 Dogs
Long C, Burgers E, Copple C, et al.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2022.1043610
What was investigated? This retrospective study of 33 dogs with discospondylitis associated with Brucella canis infection in the United States evaluated the clinical, laboratory, and imaging findings.
What was found? Most dogs were young (94% <5 years old), large-breed, neutered males, with more than 70% presenting for nonspecific pain, spinal pain, or chronic lameness and only 14% presenting with pyrexia. Blood cultures for Brucella were negative in 28% of dogs. Complete blood count and biochemistry panels were normal in many dogs; laboratory abnormalities suggestive of systemic inflammation were also uncommon. More than 70% of dogs exhibited multifocal radiographic “hole punch” lesions described as smooth, round lytic lesions affecting the endplates, with 74% of sites being in the thoracolumbar column away from the lumbosacral disc space. A stunning 37% of lesions seen on magnetic resonance imaging were not seen on radiographs, making radiographs alone insufficient to diagnose discospondylitis in some cases.
Take-Home Points
- Young, neutered male dogs could have Brucella infection and frequently present with chronic signs that often do not include a fever.
- Dogs may have multiple radiographic round endplate lytic lesions without the classic imaging signs of discospondylitis, although radiographs could be normal.
- Blood cultures can be negative; therefore, consider using more specific tests such as agar gel immunodiffusion.
— Simon Platt
What We’re Up To
Today’s Veterinary Practice (TVP) Editorial Advisory Board member Michael Schaer, DVM, DACVIM, DACVECC, is among the editors for the newly released textbook Clinical Medicine of the Dog and Cat, 4th Edition (ISBN: 9781032168944). The 4th edition of this book—which was published October 28, 2022, by CRC Press—features more than 1100 clinical color photographs, diagrams, and tables. Highlights include integrated case studies in each chapter, an updated section on diagnostic imaging, and enhanced formatting for ease of navigation and reading. TVP editor in chief Simon Platt, BVM&S, FRCVS, DACVIM (Neurology), DECVN, contributed a chapter on “Disorders of the Nervous System and Muscle,” with several past TVP contributors authoring chapters as well.