• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.58-61
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• 2009

A 10-year-old spayed female Shih-tzu dog with a left-sided caudal abdominal swelling of 2-month clinical duration was referred to the Konkuk University Teaching Hospital (KUVTH). We confirmed the presence of an abdominal mass by radiography and ultrasongraphy. A gossypiboma was identified between bladder and small intestines at surgery and removed. The resulting peritoneal adhesion was severe. But, the peritoneal defect did not allow easy repair of the abdominal wall. Therefore, polypropylene mesh (PPM) was used in repair. The patient was good condition after surgery with no caudal abdominal swelling. We followed the patient for the next 6 months with no complication.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.173-176
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• 2012

A 6-year-old male Shih tzu dog was presented for evaluation of abdominal distention. Abdominal radiography and ultrasonography revealed a soft tissue density mass containing large amount of fluid. Ultrasonography-guided fine needle aspiration of the mass was performed and cytologic impression was granulation tissue with hematoma and fibroplasias. On exploratory laparotomy a mass was identified at the root of mesentery adhered to distal jejunum. Because the mass could not be separated from the attached jejuna loops, the mass and the adhered sites were surgically removed all together and enteroanastamosis was performed. Histologically a low grade myxosarcoma was diagnosed. Tumor cells were positive with alcian blue stain and Ki67 index by immunohistochemistry was 2.5. The dog recovered from surgery uneventfully, and has been in good condition without any signs of recurrence or metastasis for about 30 months after surgery.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.255-258
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• 2012

A 14-year-old spayed female, Shihtzu dog, presented with anorexia, depression and respiratory distress. She had a history of mastectomy for mammary gland tumor before 2 weeks. Severe gingivitis, dental plaque, and calculus were confirmed on physical examination. On auscultation, the dog had a diastolic and systolic murmur at the left heart base and right heart apex respectively. The dog had valvular vegetation including tricuspid and aortic valves with regurgitation on echocardiography. Blood culture was performed to confirm bacterial endocarditis and identify pathogens of bacterial endocarditis. Before the result of blood culture was confirmed, antibiotic (cefalexin, 30 mg/kg, PO, q12hr) with furosemide (2 mg/kg, PO, q12hr) and benazepril (0.25 mg/kg, PO, q12hr) were administered empirically and the patient was well controlled. Staphylococcus pseudintermedius was confirmed later. One week later, however, the patient died of acute respiratory distress caused by fulminant pulmonary edema. The owners denied necropsy of the patient.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.533-537
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• 2011

A 13-year-old, female, Shih-tzu and a 10-year-old, female, Yorkshire terrier were presented with ulcerative keratitis caused by corneal endothelial degeneration. Generalized corneal edema, conjunctival hyperemia, focal corneal pigmentation, corneal neovascularization, sub-epithelial bullae, and positive fluorescein staining were observed during ophthalmic examinations. Thermokeratoplasty was performed on the overall edematous corneas. Healing of the cornea was completed within 25 days and corneal ulceration has not recurred after healing of the cornea in both cases. Other ocular complications were not observed except for a slight increase in corneal pigmentation. According to this study, thermokeratoplasty could be an effective treatment for corneal ulceration secondary to corneal endothelial diseases in dogs.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.479-485
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• 2007

A retrospective study of 94 hypercalcemic dogs was performed to find out most common causes that lead to hypercalcemia through investigating dogs referred to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of Konkuk University from 2002 to 2004. During the study period, hypercalcemia was found in 94 dogs of 19 breeds, and they were evaluated as case group. Control group was made up of 94 dogs of 18 breeds without hypercalcemia admitted for the same study period. For general signalments, there were no significant differences between case and control group with the exception of age distribution. Shih-tzu(17.02%) and Yorkshire terrier(26.60%) was the most common breed in case and control group, respectively. The most common diseases associated with hypercalcemia were chronic renal failure (18.09%), acute renal failure(14.89%), and renal calculi(6.38%). Malignant neoplasia(lymphoma, hemangiosarcoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, mammary gland tumor, and multiple myeloma) and endocrinopathies(hyperadrenocorticism, hyperthyroidism, hypoadrenocorticism, and hypothyroidism) occupied 8.5% and 6.4%, respectively. This report is a first retrospective study of hypercalcemic dogs in South Korea.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.255-258
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• 2015

Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV) is an acute and life-threatening disease most commonly affecting large- and giant-breed dogs. However a 17-year-old Shih-tzu (4 kg, spayed female) was hospitalized for acute GDV. Repeated unproductive retching, lethargy, and excessively enlarged abdomen were observed. Physical examination indicated that the patient had suffered from hypothermia ($36.5^{\circ}C$), tachycardia (240 bpm), slowed capillary refill time (> 2 sec.), and pale mucous membrane. Grade III murmur with normal lung sound was auscultated. Abdominal palpation revealed that tympanic regions existed in both the left and right sides. Systolic blood pressure decreased gradually from 220 to 40 mmHg within 4 hours. In blood analysis, slight azotemia was observed by blood urea nitrogen (BUN; 29.1 mg/dl) and creatinine (1.6 mg/dl). Blood lactate concentration (8.13 mmol/l) was severely elevated. Additionally, dilatation and volvulus of the stomach was observed by radiograph. Supportive oxygen, heat, fluid, and drugs were administered with gastric decompressions (e.g., gastrocentesis and nasogastric tube). However the patient entered into comatose status with uncontrollable systolic blood pressure, despite the administration of dobutamine intravenously. The case was closed by euthanasia, considering welfare and age. We finally diagnosed the patient as a GDV, thus this is the first GDV case report in small-breed dog such as Shih-tzu.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.273-283
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• 2010

The objective of this study was to measure densities in various areas of the normal canine lung with computed tomography (CT) depending on influences of gravity and the degree of lung inflation and to determine optimal positions and positive end expiratory pressure of canine lung for CT scanning. In each eight normal Beagle and Shihtzu dogs, a respiratory breathhold maneuver without spontaenous breathing at different positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) of 0 mmHg, 10 mmHg and 20 mmHg was applied with the position of right and left lateral recumbency, sternal recumbency, and dorsal recumbency and spiral-CT scans of the total lung were acquired. Slices were selected at three levels through the apex, middle and basal lung at the aortic arch, carina and just above the diaphragm and lung density was measured in the dorsal, ventral, and lateral portions of the peripheral lung field. Lung density in dependent areas was higher than in nondependent areas (p < 0.05) regardless of species, positions, anatomic locations at the PEEP of 0 mmHg and 10 mmHg. However, no significant difference of lung density was found at PEEP of 20 mmHg in both species except the dorsal recumbency in Shihtzu dogs. This density gradient in the dependent areas is strongly influenced by PEEP (p < 0.05). In the four positions on the CT gantry, the lung density at the dependent and nondependent location of the lung was greater at the aortic arch than at the base (p < 0.05). Lung density decreased on identical location according to increase of PEEP (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between right and left lung density at sternal and dorsal recumbency and no significant difference of the dorsal, ventral, and lateral portions of lung density at the right and left recumbency under identical pressure. It is implied that during chest CT scan with 20 mmHg of positive end expiratory pressure with right or left lateral recumbency, canine lung density do not influenced by gravity or anatomic location.