Volume 39: Issue 3

As a goal of medical care, quantity of life has value in that this goal motivates our strongest efforts at effective treatment, but it has become increasingly clear that maximum length of life is not the goal that serves the patient best. Accordingly, the focus on mortality and morbidity in health care has been steadily superseded by attention to quality of life (QOL). ¹ A focus on QOL ensures that the patient’s desires guide health care decisions.

“Quality of life” is a term used extensively in the field of health care; however, QOL encompasses much more than

The accuracy of heart rate estimation by cardiac auscultation over a 15-second period, and the influence of clinical experience on accuracy were evaluated in a dog with chronic atrial fibrillation by test subjects of varying experience. Only 30% of all test subjects provided accurate heart rate estimates. Board-certified specialists, medicine residents, and experienced nurses were significantly more accurate in their estimates than surgery residents and students. Accurate estimates were provided by 12.5% of surgery residents and students, as opposed to 64% of the other test subjects. Auscultatory estimates of heart rate in atrial fibrillation may be significantly inaccurate, and under some circumstances they may not provide a sound basis for making clinical decisions.

Esophagostomy feeding tubes were placed in 46 cats. Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) feeding tubes were placed in 21 cats. Owner management and complications and facility of use were evaluated retrospectively by review of medical records and owner survey. Both tube types were equally effective for maintenance of body weight, ease of owner management, and complication rates. All of 12 owners surveyed were comfortable with PEG tube management. Ninety-six percent of 24 owners surveyed were comfortable with esophagostomy tube management. The esophagostomy tube can be placed less invasively, without specialized equipment, making it an excellent alternative to the PEG tube.

Immunoglobulin A is the predominant secretory antibody at mucosal surfaces. In the dog, immunoglobulin A deficiency (IgAD) is characterized by low to absent serum IgA and normal to elevated serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) concentrations. However, studies comparing serum and secretory IgA in dogs have often documented a poor correlation, suggesting that serum concentrations should not be used to estimate mucosal secretion of this antibody. This report demonstrates the concurrent use of serum IgA, IgG, and IgM; secretory IgA (from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid); and immunohistochemical stains on bronchial and duodenal mucosa for IgA-containing B cells in a young Irish setter with recurrent respiratory and gastrointestinal signs.

Severe Neurological Signs and Hypernatremia Secondary to Polyethylene Glycol Paintball Ingestion in a Dog

Bruce GravesDVM,

Jessica KielbDVM, DACVECC, and

Nolan ChalifouxDVM, MSTR, DACVECC

Correction to the Special Features article titled “Report of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Canine Vaccine Task Force: Executive Summary and 2003 Canine Vaccine Guidelines and Recommendations,” which appeared in the March/April 2003 issue (Volume 39, No. 2, pages
119-131
).

Maximizing Quality of Life in III Animals

Accuracy of Heart Rate Obtained by Auscultation in Atrial Fibrillation

A Comparison of Owner Management and Complications in 67 Cats With Esophagostomy and Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Feeding Tubes

Evaluation of Systemic and Secretory IgA Concentrations and Immunohistochemical Stains for IgA-Containing B Cells in Mucosal Tissues of an Irish Setter With Selective IgA Deficiency

Fatal Hemothorax Following Management of an Esophageal Foreign Body

Fluoroscopic and Endoscopic Localization of an Esophagobronchial Fistula in a Dog

Candida spp. Urinary Tract Infections in 13 Dogs and Seven Cats: Predisposing Factors, Treatment, and Outcome

Spinal Arachnoid Cysts in 17 Dogs

Chlorambucil-Induced Myoclonus in a Cat With Lymphoma

Astrocytomas in Young Dogs

Combined Dorsolateral and Intraoral Approach for the Resection of Tumors of the Maxilla in the Dog

Surgical Removal of an Intramedullary Spinal Cord Foreign Body Granuloma in a Dog

Postoperative Integrity of Veterinary Surgical Gloves

Table of Contents

Severe Neurological Signs and Hypernatremia Secondary to Polyethylene Glycol Paintball Ingestion in a Dog

The Effect of Time of Antimicrobial Administration on the Outcome of Septic Dogs

Hyperechoic Retroperitoneal Fat in a Cat with Systemic Coagulopathy

Myocarditis in a Dog Positive for Brucella canis

A Retrospective Study on Boar-Induced Trauma in 42 Dogs

Soft-Tissue Sarcomas in Dogs: A Review

Vascular Encephalopathy Associated With Bacterial Endocarditis in Four Dogs

The Use of Carbon Dioxide Laser for the Ablation of Meibomian Gland Adenomas in Dogs

Outcomes of Dogs Presented for Cataract Evaluation: A Retrospective Study

Nutritional Myths