Global Veterinary Surgery

VetGirl U Lectures

It was so awesome to give 6 lectures at VetGirl U! I just had the best time, here are some of my fav pics

On a serious note, I talked about wound management and specifically the use of honey in wound healing. I was referencing a specific article:

Which showed us that after a thorough review there is not enough good research to support its use in cats and dogs. I also have incidental evidence that it worked on some cases but we really need to do some good and independent research. Interesting was that most articles came from Iran or Malaysia! BTW there is some great research in mice and rats, but if a cat is not a dog, dogs&cats are definitely not mice or rats.

Gall bladder mucocele

A great lecture from Dr. Jaffey at VetGirl Uni. He says that we are all accustomed to the kiwi pattern. The “kiwi pattern” is associated with gallbladder mucoceles in dogs. Gallbladder mucoceles are often visualized on ultrasound with a central anechoic area surrounded by a thickened, echogenic wall, resembling a kiwi fruit. This pattern can be indicative of mucous accumulation within the gallbladder. However there are truly 6 patterns and most do not look like a kiwi at all.

Treatment of acutely sick dogs:
Cholecystectomy is recommended in majority of cases regardless of the severity of signs. Always check for biliary obstruction during the surgery

If you can not do surgery, you can try medical therapy including urosdiol, a low fat diet and broad spectrum antibiotics.

Ursodiol
Broad-spectrum antibiotics
Other supportive care therapy varies case-by-case

For dogs without clinical signs you either need to keep a very close eye on it with multiple evaluations or take them out prophylactically. Prophylactic cholecystectomy is a procedure with less than 5 percent complication rate and can even be done laparoscopically if the gallbladder is not too big.

Thank you Dr. Jaffey

DrJolle is at VetGirl University

Just arrived in Scottsdale Arizona where I am speaking at VetGirl Uni. Currently I am listening to the excellent Dr. Natalie Marks talking about hypoglycemia. Do you know what the most common causes are?

Common causes are: 1. Sepsis; 2. Tumors outside of the pancreas; 3. Liver disease; 4. Hypoadrenocorticism; 5. Insulinoma 6. Iatrogenic (too much insulinoma).

This is a great conference! Put it on your todo list for next year!

Thank you Colombia

Thank you Colombia for a warm welcome and an excellently organised CVDC conference. More than 5000 vets (plus 3000 online) were there and at least 1750 vets visited my lectures! Truly amazing. Question of the day: what is a good flap to close wounds in the inhumanly area. Answer: if the skinfolds are intact, than I would always use a skinfold rotational flap. This is such a versatile technique.

It was first described by Hunt GB, Tisdall PL, Liptak JM, Beck JA, Swinney GR, Malik R. Skin-fold advancement flaps for closing large proximal limb and trunk defects in dogs and cats. Vet Surg. 2001 Sep-Oct;30(5):440-8.

In their summary they describe six dogs and 2 cats that underwent reconstruction of soft-tissue wounds resulting from traumatic, neoplastic, or infectious lesions. Skin-fold flaps were created by division of the medial and lateral attachment to the proximal limb or the dorsal and ventral attachment to the trunk, enabling closure of adjacent defects on the trunk or proximal limb, respectively.

Their conclusion was The skin-fold advancement flap is a versatile technique that lends itself to use in a variety of locations, depending on which attachments are divided. The clinical results are comparable with those reported for axial pattern and subdermal plexus flaps.

Coffee country

Ivanov in front if the Tio Conejo coffee stand

If you are in Perreira you need to drink coffee. Pereira is the capital city of the Risaralda Department, located in the coffee-growing region of the country. It is part of the “Coffee Axis” along with the cities of Armenia and Manizales.

Pereira is known for its pleasant climate, surrounded by lush green landscapes, and it serves as a hub for commerce, agriculture, and tourism. If you are indeed referring to Pereira, it is a beautiful city with a rich cultural heritage, making it an interesting destination for travelers.

I really love it here and the coffee of course. My friend Ivanov Castellanos has his own coffee plantation and I had many a cup! I also gave 2 lectures at CVDC about mammary tumors!

Mammary tumors in cats are a relatively common occurrence, particularly in older female cats that haven’t been spayed. These tumors are abnormal growths that develop in the mammary glands, which are the milk-producing glands found in the breast tissue.

Here are some key points about mammary tumors in cats:

Prevalence: Unspayed female cats are at a higher risk of developing mammary tumors. The risk increases with age, and most tumors occur in cats over 10 years old.
Malignancy: Approximately 85-90% of feline mammary tumors are malignant (cancerous). Therefore, it’s essential to identify and treat them early to increase the chances of successful treatment.
Symptoms: Mammary tumors may present as firm, often painless masses in the mammary gland area. They can be single or multiple and are usually found under the skin.
Diagnosis: If you notice any abnormal masses or changes in the mammary gland area of your cat, it’s essential to seek veterinary attention promptly. Your veterinarian will perform a physical examination, potentially take a fine-needle aspiration or biopsy for further evaluation.
Treatment: Treatment options for mammary tumors in cats may include surgical removal of the tumor, possible removal of the entire mammary gland chain, or other treatments like radiation or chemotherapy in more advanced cases.
Prognosis: The prognosis for mammary tumors in cats depends on various factors, such as tumor size, type, and stage at the time of diagnosis. Early detection and prompt treatment generally lead to better outcomes.