Mammary gland tumors are the most common canine neoplasms. They account for 25–50% of all tumors diagnosed in bitches. Metastases and recurrences develop in about 35–70% of bitches following excision. The presence of regional lymph node metastases is a relevant factor affecting prognosis and treatment in cases of mammary gland tumors. The sentinel lymph node (SLN) is the first lymph node (or nodes) in the regional lymphatic basin that receives lymphatic flow from the primary neoplasm. The aim of this study is to investigate the SLN with indirect lymphography for a mammary tumor in dogs. The knowledge of the precise drainage pattern and SLN of the neoplastic mammary glands would provide clinically relevant information to the surgeon and to the oncologist, and it would be of high importance for the surgeon not only for performing the most adequate surgical excision but also for determining an accurate post-surgical prognosis.

The liver has a unique vascular supply, and triple-phase contrast-enhanced computed tomography examinations are being performed in order to characterize liver lesions. This study aimed to look for any associations between the attenuation values of liver lesions and their histological classification. The inclusion criteria for this retrospective study were focal or multifocal liver lesions and histological diagnosis. All of the dogs underwent pre-contrast and triple-phase postcontrast computed tomography (CT) examinations with identical timings of the postcontrast series. Thirty-one dogs were included in the study, and various benign and malignant pathologies were identified. The results did not identify any significant differences between the benign and malignant liver lesions, nor between the individual histological diagnoses. Inflammatory lesions were significantly different compared to the normal liver parenchyma, and significant hypoattenuation was found in the portal and delayed venous phases. Hemangiosarcomas were significantly hypoattenuating to the normal liver parenchyma in the pre-contrast and arterial phases, and also to all of the benign lesions in the arterial phase. The other pathologies showed variable attenuation patterns in the different postcontrast phases, and differentiation was not possible. On the basis of this study, triple-phase contrast-enhanced computed tomography cannot differentiate between benign and malignant liver lesions, and biopsy and further histological analysis are necessary.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into chest radiography (CXR) has greatly impacted both human and veterinary medicine, enhancing diagnostic speed, accuracy, and efficiency. In human medicine, AI has been extensively studied, improving the identification of thoracic abnormalities, diagnostic precision in emergencies, and the classification of complex conditions such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, and COVID-19. Deep learning-based models assist radiologists by detecting patterns, generating probability maps, and predicting outcomes like heart failure. However, AI is still supplementary to clinical expertise due to challenges such as data limitations, algorithmic biases, and the need for extensive validation. Ethical concerns and regulatory constraints also hinder full implementation. In veterinary medicine, AI is still in its early stages and is rarely used; however, it has the potential to become a valuable tool for supporting radiologists in the future. However, challenges include smaller datasets, breed variability, and limited research. Addressing these through focused research on species with less phenotypic variability (like cats) and cross-sector collaborations could advance AI in veterinary medicine. Both fields demonstrate AI’s potential to enhance diagnostics but emphasize the ongoing need for human expertise in clinical decision making. Differences in anatomy structure between the two fields must be considered for effective AI adaptation.

Alimentary lymphoma (AL) is the most common malignancy of the feline gastrointestinal tract and may cause variable mild to severe alteration of the gastric wall on ultrasonography (US) that can be very similar to those caused by inflammation (INF). The aim of this prospective study is to establish the value of B-mode and contrast-enhanced US (CEUS) in describing specific features of normal, inflammatory, and neoplastic gastric diseases in feline species. B-mode US and CEUS of the stomach were performed in anesthetized cats with or without gastric disorders. Gastric wall qualitative and quantitative parameters were evaluated on B-mode US and CEUS examination. A total of 29 cats were included: six healthy (HEA) cats as the control group; nine INF; three low-grade lymphoma (LGAL); 10 high-grade lymphoma (HGAL). On B-mode US, there were significant differences in thickness, the wall’s layer definition and echogenicity between HGAL and all the other groups ( 0.70) and “benign” vs. “malignant” (AUC > 0.90) as well as peak enhancement (34.87 dB) for “benign” vs. “malignant” (AUC > 0.70). INF and LGAL showed an overlap of qualitative and quantitative parameters both on B-mode and CEUS, while HGAL usually appears as a severe wall thickening with absent layer definition, high-contrast uptake, a specific enhancement pattern, regional lymphadenopathy and local steatitis. Thickness and peak enhancement can be useful parameters in the characterization of gastric infiltrates in cats.

The Martina Franca (MF) donkey breed (Equus asinus) primarily inhabits the rural areas surrounding the homonymous municipality, as well as neighboring municipalities in the provinces of Bari and Brindisi, all located in the Apulia region of Italy. The objective of this study was to assess the current phenotype through the evaluation of 27 morphologic measurements. The study was conducted on 73 female and 18 male breeding animals from eight different herds located in central and southern Italy. Statistical analysis was performed in order to demonstrate statistical differences between males and females, as well as sexual dimorphism and uniformity of all measurements in both genders. The results demonstrated that the mean of three parameters used for the evaluation of an MF donkey (height at withers, circumference of thorax, and shin circumference) are highly representative of the population, with minimal dispersion $\widehat{C_v}$ = 0.05–0.06 up to a maximum of 10%, as evidenced by relatively low standard deviations across observed measurements in both genders. Regarding sexual dimorphism, a statistically significant difference was found between males and females. This dimorphism is linked to reproductive activity and is useful during gestation. Overall, our findings suggest that the MF donkey phenotype has been largely preserved over time with high uniformity in males, slight inhomogeneity in the female population, and less variability in both genders.

Diagnosis of thoracic lesions on the basis of history and physical examination is often challenging. Diagnostic imaging is therefore of paramount importance in this field. Radiology has traditionally been considered the diagnostic procedure of choice for these diseases. Nevertheless, it is often not possible to differentiate inflammatory/infectious lesions from neoplastic diseases. A correct cytological and histopathologic diagnosis is therefore needed for an accurate diagnosis and subsequent prognostic and therapeutic approach. In human medicine, Computed Tomography (CT) and CT-guided biopsy are used in the presence of lesions which are not adequately diagnosed with other procedures. In the present study, thoracic lesions from 52 dogs and 10 cats of different sex, breed and size underwent both CT-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNAB) and tissue-core biopsy (TCB). Clinical examination, hematobiochemical analysis and chest radiography were performed on all animals. In this study, 59 of 62 histopathological samples were diagnostic (95.2%). Cytology was diagnostic in 43 of 62 samples (69.4%). General sensitivity, accuracy and PPV for FNAB and TCB were 67.7%, 67.7% and 100% and 96.7%, 95.2% and 98.3%, respectively. Combining the two techniques, the overall mean accuracy for diagnosis was 98.4%. Nineteen of 62 cases showed complications (30.6%). Mild pneumothorax was seen in 16 cases, whereas mild hemorrhage occurred in three cases. No major complications were encountered. CT-guided FNAB cytology can be considered a useful and reliable technique, especially for small lesions or lesions located close to vital organs and therefore dangerous to biopsy in other way.