Publications by authors named "Donald A Yool"

Objective: To determine survival time and quality of life of dogs that developed postattenuation neurologic signs (PANS) after surgical treatment of a single congenital portosystemic shunt and survived at least 30 days and identify whether neurologic signs present at the time of discharge would resolve or reoccur.

Animals: 50 client-owned dogs.

Procedures: Medical records were retrospectively reviewed, and follow-up data relating to neurologic signs and seizure activity were obtained.

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The development of postattenuation neurologic signs (PANS) is a poorly understood and potentially devastating complication after surgical attenuation of congenital portosystemic shunts in dogs. Postattenuation neurologic signs include seizures but also more subtle neurologic signs such as depression, behavioral changes, tremors, and twitching. They most commonly occur within 7 days postoperatively and are typically unrelated to hyperammonemia, hypoglycemia, or electrolyte disturbances.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to find factors affecting short-term survival in dogs that had seizures within a week after surgery for congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunts (cEHPSS).* -
  • Data from 93 dogs across 14 veterinary institutions were analyzed, revealing that 32.3% survived to 30 days post-surgery, with previous seizure history and focal seizures being linked to better survival rates.* -
  • The findings can help veterinary professionals better advise dog owners on treatment options and expectations for dogs experiencing post-surgery seizures.*
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  • The study aimed to evaluate how triclosan-coated sutures impact the growth of bacteria relevant to wound infections in dogs, using various types of sutures and bacterial isolates.
  • Results revealed that only the triclosan-coated sutures inhibited bacterial growth, showing effective antimicrobial activity for up to 29 days, particularly against methicillin-susceptible bacteria.
  • The research concluded that while surface characteristics of sutures play a significant role in preventing bacterial adherence, triclosan coatings can improve antimicrobial protection, especially against multidrug-resistant strains, prompting the need for further clinical studies.
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  • The study aimed to assess the occurrence of postattenuation seizures (PAS) in dogs after a specific type of surgery and examined whether giving levetiracetam (LEV) beforehand affected this incidence.
  • A total of 940 dogs were analyzed, and results showed that 8% developed PAS, with no significant difference in seizure rates among dogs that received different protocols of LEV treatment.
  • The findings suggest that prophylactic LEV treatment does not lower the risk of PAS, highlighting the need for close monitoring of dogs for seizures during the week following surgery.
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The objective of this study was to document newly qualified veterinarians' concerns and surgical complications encountered during canine ovariohysterectomy (cOVH) during the first year of general practice. A questionnaire investigating concerns about cOVH procedures was sent to all final-year veterinary students (group 1) enrolled at five UK universities. Participants were later asked to complete a similar questionnaire 6 months (group 2) and 12 months (group 3) after graduation, which involved grading their concern about different aspects of the cOVH procedure and reporting surgical complications encountered after completing three cOVHs.

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Congenital portosystemic shunts (cPSS) are a well-recognised vascular anomaly in dogs. Recent studies have shown an association between inflammation and hepatic encephalopathy (HE), which is a common clinical syndrome in dogs with a cPSS. Pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-6 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α are frequently increased in the plasma of human patients with liver disease and have been implicated in the development of HE.

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Unlabelled: CLINICAL SUMMARY: This is the first clinical report of use of a combination of nanocrystalline silver and subatmospheric pressure therapy to treat a resistant wound infection, following tumour removal and radiation therapy, in a difficult-to-manage surgical site in a cat.

Practical Relevance: The therapy was well tolerated and the authors suggest it is a valid treatment protocol for management of non-healing or infected wounds in the cat.

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This study investigated different methods of EGFR (Epithelial Growth Factor Receptor) targeting in feline squamous cell carcinoma with the ultimate aim of establishing a large animal model of human head and neck cancer. Both small molecule receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) and RNA interference (RNAi) techniques were employed to target the feline EGFR. We demonstrated that the human drug gefitinib caused a reduction in cell proliferation and migration in a feline cell line.

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Primary congenital jugular vein aneurysms are rare with only one prior report in a canine patient. Herein, we describe an 18-week-old Flat Coated Retriever dog in which ultrasound was used to diagnose a primary congenital external jugular vein aneurysm with concurrent dilatation of the internal jugular vein. The aneurysm was successfully removed and the dog remains disease free 24 months postoperatively.

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Axonal degeneration contributes to clinical disability in the acquired demyelinating disease multiple sclerosis. Axonal degeneration occurs during acute attacks, associated with inflammation, and during the chronic progressive phase of the disease in which inflammation is not prominent. To explore the importance of interactions between oligodendrocytes and axons in the CNS, we analysed the brains of rodents and humans with a null mutation in the gene encoding the major CNS myelin protein, proteolipid protein (PLP1, previously PLP).

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