3. small anim. Pract. Vol. 5 , pp. 293 to 296. Pergamon Press Ltd. Printed in Great Britain.

French Small Animal Publications Papers dealing with small animal problem in France appear in the National Association's Journal-Acte's de la Confkrence Nationale de Ve'te'rinaires Spe'cialists de petits animaux. The following abstracts were prepared from Issue 3e Trimestre, 1963, by P. N. Humphreys, M.R.C.V.S.

Some Aspects of Canine Hip Pathology: Dr. J. A. MEYNARD. THE author divides the subject into two parts: recent and old luxations and fracture of the neck of the femur, and secondly aseptic necrosis of the femora1 head with congenital coxo-femoral dystrophy.

Luxations Two simple aids to diagnosis are discussed; by use of an imaginary line drawn from the external angle of the ilium through the summit of the trochanter to the point of the buttock, which will in the normal dog form an angle of less than 180°, in cases of luxation the angle will be 180" or greater; by the impossibility of obtaining external rotation with the leg flexed, due to the head of the femur becoming blocked between the acetabulum and the ascending ramus of the ilium. Meynard considers that in the majority of cases general anaesthesia should be

used for reduction, preferably with an anaesthetic with a short recovery time which will allow the musculature to regain its normal tone quickly and thus avoid a recurrence of the luxation due to hypotonicity ; for this purpose halothane/oxygen anaesthesia is found satisfactory. After-care consists of 3 days confinement in a small but comfort hospital cage, tranquillizers are administered if required, but no bandaging is undertaken. If a further luxation occurs a bandage is applied, after reduction, with the leg flexed and rotated inwards.

Unfortunately a number of these cases may become luxated once again, and a radiograph may show that a fragment of bone has become detached from the rim of the acetabulum, or the head of the femur, making it impossible for the bone to remain in place, even though the luxation has been reduced. About 15 per cent of cases are impossible to reduce, the majority of these are caused by the torn joint capsule falling in between the head of the femur and the acetabulum. All these cases require surgical intervention. The surgical approach to the hip is preferably by resection of the trochanter which is then reflected dorsally together with its muscular insertions. This gives very good access to the joint; after the necessary procedure has been carried out the trochanter is fixed in its original position by means of a transfixing screw.

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The three operative techniques which may be used are, (a) Repair of the capsule. This may be difficult, but can give excellent results if it is

possible to complete satisfactorily; it is the technique of choice, Catgut with a slow absorption time is preferred to metal, which tends to traumatize the capsule, or to nylon which is not well tolerated at this site.

(b) Pinning may also give good results, but care must be taken over the choice of screw or pin, because a heavy animal may break or bend the pin, and it may not be possible to obtain one of sufficient length for a very large dog.

(c) Reconstitution of the round ligament has not yet been used in a great number of cases, but a metallic filament would appear to be the best, unless it is possible to use a section of the fascia lata aponeurosis of sufficient strength. In cases of luxations more than 8 days old, only open reduction is possible. The

chief purpose is the cleansing of the acetabulum of all organized blood clot, cicatricial tissue, etc., which must be totally removed. Sometimes a large periosteal inffam- matory process may also have to be removed from the head of the femur before successful coaption is possible. Fixation may be by pinning or by the creation of an artificial ligament. The best results are obtained when the luxation is successfully reduced within 48 hours of the accident; complete restoration of function may then be expected two months later. In cases of re-dislocation excellent results can still be obtained, and the operative procedures employed do not seem to hinder the recovery in any way. Where surgical intervention has been delayed for as long as 4 or even 6 months, 70 per cent of owners have reported that the animal has had its normal capacity restored. An English Setter which suffered a dislocation 4 months before operation, later did brilliantly in field trials without loss of any of its previous mobility.

Fracture of neck of the femur Diagnosis having been confirmed by radiography, the author then repairs the

fracture by very precise and careful screw fixation after exposing the joint in the previous manner. The screw is passed through the neck of the femur at the level of the base of the trochanter, transversing the neck to affix the head. The diameter of the drill used for the boring of the head should be slightly smaller than that of the screw itself, and that used for boring the neck slightly greater. The Ranis Screw is the type most favoured. Walking is usually possible about a week later ; the lameness disappears in 30/40 days. The prothesis may be left in place 60 days or much longer. No case of aseptic necrosis of the femoral head had been encountered after this operation.

Dysplaria Aseptic necrosis of the femoral head is characterized by an almost complete

osteolysis which may involve the adjacent structures. Although sometimes seen after tramatism, most cases have no history of trauma; no causal pathogen has been isolated from the affected joints, and the action of a possible hereditory factor is a hypothesis which has been advanced. Animals affected are generally between six months and two years of age. The condition causes severe and persistent pain, and

leads to a great loss of condition and often to a subluxation. The treatment is by

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ablation of the femoral head, the neck being more or less rounded of f , the acetabulum cleared of fibrin and idammatory tissue, and the capsule satured. A neo-arthrosis is formed. The functional results are very much better than could be expected from radiographic examination. Generally within a year all trace of lameness has disappeared.

Congenital coxo-fmoral dysplasia. The author reviews recent work on the subject and describes the condition as occurring in most breeds, but particularly in the Alsatian. Olsson’s statistics are quoted and the aetiology discussed. The pathological features of the condition, symptomatology, radiography and diagnosis are then dealt with in the conventional manner. On the subject of prognosis stress is laid on the fact that the symptoms of lameness, etc., are not necessarily correlated with the severity of the radiological picture. However, it is thought that the prognosis is worse when there is a rapid evolution of the pathological changes. Some relatively static cases may not suffer much inconvenience at ordinary gaits, but are unable to jump; animals in good muscular condition manage their disability better than those with soft Aabby muscles. Medical treatment appears to yield only mediocre results and surgical ablation of the femoral head is considered to be the treatment of choice.

Neuro-endocrine Alopecia of genital origin in the dog: Dr. M. LEBAS IN THE male the condition may be due to either a Sertoli-cell tumour, cryptorchidism, or hypo-genitalism. Treatment is by administration of choronic gonadotrophin or androgens in the form of testosterone.

In the female with a normal sexual cycle the alopecia corresponds to the phases of the cycle, i.e. oestrus, post-oestrus or post-gestation. With disturbed sexual rhythm ; i.e. feeble or absent oestrus, normal but frequent oestrus, chronic metritis. The treatment is by ovarectomy. Treatment otherwise is by gonadotrophins, oestrogens and progesterone according to diagnosis.

A contribution to the study of the Haemogram and Myelogram in pyometra:

TECHNIQUES of study are described in cases of pyometra in the bitch, the myelogram shows a ‘shift to the left’ with a neutrophilic leucocytosis and forms a means of differential diagnosis, as no other disease shows such a marked change in this manner. The haemogram also shows a leucocytosis with 85-90 per cent more polynuclear neutrophils and metamyelocytes appearing in the general circulation.

Osteoporosis in the dog and cat: Dr. H. BERARDI. RARIFYING osteodystrophy of the young cat. This condition is of obscure aetiology. The bones are subject to fracture and lack radiographic opacity. The pathogenesis would appear to be an osteoporosis due to excess hypophyseal activity followed by hypoparathyroidism. Administration of gluco-corticiods or sex hormones ameliorates the symptoms. Siamese cats do not appear to be more affected than other breeds.

Canine juvenile osteoporosis. The condition is recognized by skeletal deformity accompanied by an hypo-proteinaemia. Lameness, plantigrade progression, fracture and limb pain are included in symptoms. Aetiology may be hormonal, nutritional or congenital. Treatment is by Vitamin C, thyroid extract, high protein diet, copper and iron salts.

Dr. C. SERY.

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Chlorothiazide used in association with acetazolomide in the treatment

THESE two diuretics appear to have a greater effect in the carnivore when used together than when used singly ; acetazolamide causes excretion of sodium and potassium ions and chlorothiazide causes excretion of chloride. The risk of acidosis resulting is thus eliminated, In cases of ascites due to a cardiac origin the author has obtained some dehydration of the peritoneal cavity, in nine cases out of twelve, by using both diuretics together with cardiac stimulants.

of ascites: Dr. M. DURAND.

Editor's JVote. Since this review was prepared Issue 4' Trimestre, 1963 has been received. The main papers are,

ExpCrimentations rtcentes sur les greffes osseuses et cutanCes (Recent expCri- ments with bone and skin grafts) : R. THEILLEUR.

Consid&-ations diagnostiques et thkrapeutiques sur les principales maladies virales du chat (Diagnostic and therapeutic considerations on the principal virus diseases of the cat) : R. FLORIOT.