Ultrasound-guided (US-guided) loco-regional anesthesia can provide significant analgesia and anesthetic-sparing effects when used in rabbits. The aims of this study were to investigate the thoraco-lumbar anatomy of the rabbits, particularly the quadratus lumborum (QL) muscle, to design an appropriate US-guided quadratus lumborum block (QLB) specific for rabbits, and to define the most adequate volume of injectate required to consistently cover the ventral branches of T11 to L3 without affecting the pelvic limb innervation (L4, L5 and L6). Sixteen adult rabbit cadavers were included in the study. After randomization, four different volumes of injectate (0.1 mL/kg, 0.2 mL/kg, 0.3 mL/kg and 0.4 mL/kg) were tested, with these volumes additionally randomized to two sites of injection (right or left QL fascia). An ultrasound-guided QLB was performed with a solution of lidocaine, iodinated contrast and tissue dye (in a proportion of 3:1:1 volume, respectively), with subsequent computed tomography (CT) and anatomical dissection, to evaluate the spread of the injectate. In all but one case, the US-guided QLB performed with a dorsolateral approach using 0.3 mL/kg was adequate, while a dose of 0.4 mL/kg consistently reached the targeted nerves but also extended to L4 and caudally. This may suggest that an injectate volume of 0.3 mL/kg may be the most appropriate to produce adequate spread while not affecting pelvic limb innervation.

Bacterial liver parenchymal infections in dogs are rarely documented, and their imaging characteristics are scarce in the veterinary literature, especially in Computed Tomography (CT). This retrospective multicentric study aimed to describe the CT characteristics of parenchymal bacterial liver infection and abscessation in dogs and compare them with the human literature. Twenty dogs met the inclusion criteria. All dogs, except one, showed discrete hepatic lesions consistent with pyogenic liver abscess (19/20). A single case showed diffuse liver changes, which was diagnosed with granulomatous bacterial hepatitis (1/20). Multifocal lesions were associated with the presence of abdominal pain (p = 0.023). CT characteristics of pyogenic liver abscesses in our study resemble those described in the human literature, with multifocal (14/19) or single (5/19), round or ovoid (19/19), hypoattenuating hepatic lesions, which are better visualised in post-contrast images. Pyogenic liver abscesses can also show features such as the “cluster sign” (8/19), transient arterial segmental enhancement (6/10), rim enhancement (6/19), and intralesional gas (4/19). Additional CT findings, such as local lymphadenomegaly (18/20), peritoneal fat stranding (14/20), and peritoneal fluid (13/20), are also commonly observed.

An 11‐year‐old female British blue cat was referred for investigation of acute onset vomiting and marked abdominal enlargement. Diagnostic investigations confirmed a large volume of free gas within the abdomen and changes highly suspicious of an ulcerative gastric lesion. Exploratory surgery confirmed the presence of a perforated gastric ulcer and histological analysis showed only associated inflammatory change. The ulcerated lesions were resected, and the cat recovered rapidly with complete resolution of clinical signs. Spontaneous gastric rupture due complete perforation of an ulcer is rarely reported in cats. The vast majority of reported cases present with septic peritonitis, and the majority are subsequently diagnosed with neoplastic disease or a chronic inflammatory aetiology. The cat reported here had no evidence of septic peritonitis, and the authors feel a final diagnosis of idiopathic gastric ulceration is most likely.

An 11‐month‐old, male, entire Great Dane dog presented with acute‐onset non‐ambulatory tetraparesis. Three months before presentation, the dog was treated for a suspected dog bite injury. Examination revealed pyrexia (39.7°C) and marked multiple joint swelling, with cervicalgia and non‐ambulatory tetraparesis. Based on clinicopathological findings and diagnostic imaging, a diagnosis of type II immune‐mediated polyarthritis was reached. The tetraparesis was investigated using magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography, allowing the identification of compressive cranial cervical myelopathy secondary to severe occipitoatlantoaxial joint and multiple facet joint distension. The patient was initially treated with antimicrobial therapy with resolution of the pyrexia. Given the persistent severe multiple joint swelling and tetraparesis, immunosuppressive therapy was started. Due to refractory disease and poor prognosis, euthanasia was elected 97 days following presentation. To the authors’ knowledge, compressive cervical myelopathy associated with immune‐mediated polyarthritis has not been previously reported in the veterinary literature.