Background and Aim: Electrical stimulation (ES) and light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation (LASER) therapy are frequently used in post-operative rehabilitation; however, there is currently insufficient research comparing their effectiveness. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of post-operative rehabilitation following medial patellar luxation (MPL) surgical correction by comparing ES and LASER therapy when combined with exercise. This was compared with a control group that consisted solely of post-operative home exercise implemented by the owner. Materials and Methods: We conducted a prospective clinical trial on dogs that had undergone surgical treatment for MPL. The dogs were categorized into the following three groups: The control group, which did not participate in any post-operative rehabilitation program; the ES group, which received post-operative rehabilitation involving ES therapy; and the LASER group, which underwent post-operative rehabilitation featuring LASER therapy. Results: There were no significant differences among the groups regarding the evaluation parameters, including lameness score, pain score, thigh muscle circumference, and range of motion. Although there may have been a difference in pain score in some groups, it could be attributed to the pre-operative condition of patients. These results aligned with the owner questionnaires’ canine brief pain inventory assessments, showing no significant differences between treatment groups. Conclusion: Post-operative rehabilitation for MPL correction may enhance limb usage, joint function, muscle mass, and pain relief. However, the duration and level of post-operative pain may influence the necessity for rehabilitation. In addition, ES and LASER therapy offer similar pain-relieving effects after MPL surgery; therefore, the choice between these methods depends on the availability of equipment and veterinarian preferences. Keywords: electrical stimulation, light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation therapy, medial patellar luxation, post-operative management, rehabilitation.

The acetabular rim extension (ACE-X) implant is a custom-made three-dimensionally printed titanium device designed for the treatment of canine hip dysplasia. In this study, 34 dogs (61 hips) underwent ACE-X implantation, and assessments were conducted using computed tomography, force plate analysis, Ortolani’s test, and the Helsinki chronic pain index (HCPI) questionnaires at five intervals: the pre-operative day, the surgery day, and the 1.5-month, 3-month, and 12-month follow-ups. Statistically significant increases in femoral head coverage with a negative Ortolani subluxation test were observed immediately after surgery and persisted throughout the study. Osteoarthritis (OA) scores remained stable, but osteophyte size significantly increased between the surgery day and the 12-month follow-up, especially in hips with a baseline OA score of 2 compared to those with a score of 1. The force plate data showed no significant changes during the study. The HCPI demonstrated a significant decrease in pain score from pre-operative value to six-week follow-up and gradually decreased over time. Major complications were identified in six hips (9.8%) of four dogs. In conclusion, the ACE-X implant effectively increased femoral head coverage, eliminated subluxation, and provided long-term pain relief with minimal complications, benefiting over 90% of the study population. The study supports the ACE-X implant as a valuable alternative treatment for canine hip dysplasia.

This study aimed to explore prognostic factors for mortality in dogs and cats following traumatic diaphragmatic herniorrhaphy using both multivariable logistic regression, a traditional statistical method, and the random forest algorithm, a machine learning approach. Associations between demographic and clinical variables and mortality were examined. Overall survival was 78.8% (149/189), 77% (97/126) in cats and 82.5% (52/63) in dogs. Key findings revealed that chronic diaphragmatic hernia (DH) significantly increased the odds of death compared to acute cases (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 4.01, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.69–9.53). Elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN) increased mortality (adjusted OR = 3.24, 95% CI: 1.22–8.57). Cox proportional hazards analysis revealed that chronic DH (adjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 3.31, 95% CI: 1.51–7.30) and elevated BUN (HR = 2.88, 95% CI: 1.23–6.77) were associated with increased one-year mortality risk. The random forest analysis reinforced these findings, identifying hernia duration (Gini importance: 1.90) and BUN (Gini importance: 0.94) as the most crucial predictors. Among chronic DH patients, 55% of those with elevated BUN experienced fatal outcomes based on classification and regression tree (CART) analysis. The consistency of random forest results with logistic regression strengthens the reliability of these prognostic insights for DH patients.

Objective: Canine hip dysplasia (HD) is a common orthopedic disorder characterized by joint laxity leading to secondary osteoarthritis (OA). Existing surgical treatments have limitations, prompting the development of alternative strategies. The acetabular rim extension implant is a novel technique designed to increase femoral head coverage and improve joint stability without pelvic osteotomy, thereby facilitating faster recovery and reducing morbidity. The patient-specific implant is fabricated from titanium using three-dimensional (3D) printing based on preoperative computed tomography (CT). To eliminate the need for preoperative CT, an off-the-shelf (generic shelf) implant was also developed. This thesis comprises three sequential study phases evaluating first-generation patient-specific implant (ACE-X), second-generation patient-specific implant (3DHIP), and generic shelf acetabular rim extension implants. Methods: Client-owned dogs older than six months with clinical and radiographic evidence of HD were included. Patient-specific implants were designed based on preoperative CT in Phase I (ACE-X) and Phase II (3DHIP). In Phase III, the size of generic shelf implant was selected on the preoperative radiograph. Dogs were followed for a minimum of 12 months. Radiographic outcomes were monitored via radiographs and/or CT. Clinical assessments were evaluated during clinical visits or with owner questionnaires. Long-term ACE-X outcomes were assessed via structured owner questionnaires. Results: Phase I included 34 dogs (61 hips) treated with ACE-X. Immediate improvements in hip stability and coverage were observed, with significant reductions in owner-reported pain by 6 weeks, continuing through 12 months. Force plate data showed no significant change. Complications occurred in 14.8% of hips. OA progression continued, with osteophytes increasing by 1.0 ± 1.2 mm at 12 months. Phase II included 25 dogs (50 hips) treated with 3DHIP. Hip stability improved immediately, with subluxation angle decreasing from 16° to −2°, reduction angle from 30° to 2°, and laxity index from 0.6 to 0.4. Median preoperative lead time (41 days) was shorter than for ACE-X (74 days). Osteophyte progression at 12 months (0.8 ± 1.0 mm) was slightly lower than after ACE-X. Clinical scores improved progressively. Force plate values decreased at 6 weeks but returned to baseline by 3–6 months. Complications occurred in 12% of hips. Long-term ACE-X follow-up included 20 dogs; 95% of owners reported satisfaction, and 85% reported absence of lameness. Phase III included 6 dogs (12 hips). Clinical and radiographic outcomes were comparable to patient-specific implants, with effective reduction of hip subluxation and decreased pain scores. However, implant placement deviated from the plan by 5.1 ± 1.7 mm. Complications occurred in one dog (20%). Histology in one unrelated death revealed localized cartilage depletion adjacent to the implant rim. Conclusion: Both patient-specific and off-the-shelf acetabular rim extension implants significantly reduced hip laxity and improved pain-related scores while permitting rapid recovery and single-session bilateral surgery. Complication rates were low for patient-specific implants and moderate for the generic design. Although OA progression persisted, overall clinical outcomes were favorable. The patient-specific implant demonstrates strong translational potential for treating HD in young adults, whereas the generic shelf design requires further refinement before broader application.

The ACEtabular rim eXtension (ACE-X) implant is a custom-made 3-dimensional-printed titanium device designed for the treatment of canine hip dysplasia. Thirty-four dogs (61 hips) underwent ACE-X implantation, and assessments were conducted using computed tomography, force plate analysis, Ortolani’s test, and Helsinki Chronic Pain Index (HCPI) questionnaires at five intervals: pre-operative day, surgery day, 1.5-month, 3-month, and 12-month follow-up. Statistically significant increases in femoral head coverage with negative Ortolani subluxation test were observed immediately after surgery and persisted throughout the study. Osteoarthritis (OA) scores remained stable, but osteophyte size significantly increased between the surgery day and the 12-month follow-up, especially in hips with a baseline OA score of 2 compared to those with a score of 1. Force plate data showed no significant changes during the study. The HCPI demonstrated a significant decrease in pain score from pre-operative value to 6-week follow-up and gradually decreased over time. Major complications were identified in 6 hips (9.8%) of 4 dogs. In conclusion, the ACE-X implant effectively increased femoral head coverage, eliminated subluxation, and provided long-term pain relief with minimal complications, benefiting over 90% of the study population. The study supports the ACE-X implant as a secure and valuable treatment for canine hip dysplasia.

Cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA) has emerged as a surgical solution for patients with degenerative compressive cervical myelopathy but faces limitations, particularly in achieving stable integration. One of the primary challenges with current artificial discs is the risk of migration and dislocation due to insufficient osseointegration with the adjacent vertebrae. While CDA is an established treatment in human medicine, dogs with cervical myelopathy are routinely treated with decompressive surgeries. In veterinary medicine, there is particular interest in innovative therapies, such as disc arthroplasty. Recently, a novel biomimetic artificial intervertebral disc (BioAID) was developed. This artificial disc replicates key features of the natural disc, incorporating a viscoelastic core and a tensile fiber jacket mimicking the nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus, respectively. Titanium endplates with keels secure fixation, and the fiber jacket facilitates osseointegration with the adjacent vertebrae to minimize the risk of migration over time.Since goats are a commonly used and readily available animal model for spine research, this study presents a comprehensive, hands-on guide (including the design and fabrication of the implant, selection and enrollment of experimental animals, preoperative management, anesthesia protocols, and postoperative care) for the implantation of the artificial disc device in the goat cervical spine. A detailed, step-by-step surgical methodology is provided, along with the design of custom surgical instruments and the use of imaging techniques required both intra- and post-operatively. This approach bridges the gap between experimental research and clinical application. The surgical procedure was successfully performed in four goats, with post-implantation monitoring over 21 days confirming no migration or complications. These findings suggest that the implantation technique ensures primary stability, supporting its feasibility for further evaluation. Future studies are needed to assess long-term osseointegration and biomechanical performance before translating this approach to clinical applications in both humans and dogs.