Cataplexy in the narcoleptic canine may be modulated by systemic administration of monoaminergic compounds. In the present study, we have investigated the effects of monoaminergic drugs on cataplexy in narcoleptic canines when perfused locally via microdialysis probes in the amygdala, globus pallidus/putamen, basal forebrain, pontine reticular formation and ventral tegmental area of narcoleptic...

A 12-year-old male entire Miniature Pinscher presented with excoriations at various body sites, progressively forming ulcers and enlarging until arrested by treatment. Based on the clinical presentation and histopathological analyses, sterile neutrophilic dermatosis was suspected. Therefore, the dog was started on prednisolone. Marked improvement was achieved with prednisolone treatment, sugges...

Although synovial cell sarcoma is reported to be the most common neoplasm of the canine synovium, this retrospective study of 35 canine synovial tumors found that the majority were of histiocytic origin. Five (14.3%) synovial cell sarcomas were identified by positive immunohistochemical staining with antibodies to cytokeratin. Eighteen (51.4%) histiocytic sarcomas were identified by cell morpho...

In spring 2003 I moved from Virginia to Texas to begin work as a tenure-track faculty member at Texas Tech University School of Law. I brought my two dogs with me: Saffy (a four-year-old mixed breed whose parents were a fluffy red Chow Chow and a big black Labrador retriever) and Semona (a two-year-old rottweiler). Neither Semona nor Saffy has ever bitten anyone. Neither has shown any aggressiv...

Heart rate turbulence (HRT) is modulated by the baroreceptor reflex and it was suggested that it could be used as a measure of autonomic dysfunction. Impaired HRT is of a significant prognostic value in humans after myocardial infarction, suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy and patients with heart failure. So far no studies were performed assessing the importance of HRT in dogs. The aim of th...

The aim of our study was to evaluate diastolic function of the left ventricle assessed by Doppler echocardiography in normal Doberman pinschers (DPs; n=39) and to study the effects of gender, age, body weight and heart rate on diastolic values. Diastolic echocardiographic values obtained in DPs were compared to the diastolic values in a group of Retrievers (n=20). The following correlations wer...

BACKGROUND Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) results in progressive myocardial and circulatory dysfunction causing activation of a number of neurohormonal systems, including the endothelin (ET) system, which is only beginning to be described in clinical veterinary medicine. Measurement of these circulating neurohormones possesses potential utility in the diagnosis, staging, and assessment of prognos...

Cataplexy in the narcoleptic canine has been shown to increase after local administration of carbachol into the pontine reticular formation. Rapid eye movement sleep has also been shown to increase after local administration of carbachol in the pontine reticular formation, and furthermore, acetylcholine release in the pontine tegmentum was found to increase during rapid eye movement sleep in ra...

BACKGROUND Cervical spondylomyelopathy (CSM), also known as wobbler syndrome, affects mainly large and giant-breed dogs, causing compression of the cervical spinal cord and/or nerve roots. Structural and dynamic components seem to play a role in the development of CSM; however, pathogenesis is not yet fully understood. Physiologic and pathologic movements of the cervical spine depend on the mor...