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Outcomes and owner responses to limb amputation as a treatment for tumours in cats

USER-ALT Shogo Kimura and others, Capital City Speciality and Emergency Animal Hospital, Kanata, Ontario, Canada

Limb amputation is frequently required to treat bone neoplasia or severe trauma in companion animals. While the effects of this procedure have been well studied in dogs, there is little published information on the outcome in cats. The authors investigated the results of fore- or hindlimb amputation in 68 client-owned cats. In 69.7 % of the cases, the cat was able to walk unassisted within 3 days and for a further 16.7 % within another 3 days. In 92.3 % of these cats, the owners reported no significant behavioural changes postoperatively. The owners reported themselves to be very satisfied, moderately satisfied or satisfied in 98.5 % of these cases, and the cat ' s quality of life was judged to be excellent in 82.4 % of cases.

Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association https:// doi. org / 10.2460 / javma. 24.11.0743

Use of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy in dogs with osteoarthritis

USER-ALT Sanja Šutalo and others, Free University of Berlin, Germany

Osteoarthritis( OA) is a common, painful and irreversible condition in dogs. Treatment normally involves using different approaches to control the clinical signs, notably pain, and attempting to maintain physical function. Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy( PEMF) is one of many approaches being examined as a potential adjunct treatment for veterinary patients with OA. It involves the application of electromagnetic fields to penetrate tissue without generating heat and to influence cellular activity. The authors used this technology in 21 dogs with confirmed OA over a 6-week period. Compared with untreated controls, the PEMF-treated dogs showed significant improvements in gait symmetry and their owners reported positive changes in their responses to the Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs questionnaire.

BMC Veterinary Research https:// doi. org / 10.1186 / s12917-025-05036-9

Use of bee venom in the treatment of liposarcoma in a guinea pig

USER-ALT Samuel Batson and Joerg Mayer, University of Georgia, Athens, USA

Apitherapy, involving the use of bee venom or bee products( honey, royal jelly or propolis) in medical treatment, has been described as an emerging option in veterinary care. Bee venom has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects, and intravenous injections of honey appear to influence the expression of genes involved in cell proliferation. The authors describe the use of bee venom for the treatment of a 2-year-old female guinea pig with a recurrent liposarcoma of the jaw. On four occasions, a bee was held against the patient ' s skin over the tumour to elicit a sting directly into the lesion. The tumour reduced in size and no regrowth was apparent for 141 days. After further treatments, including the intravenous administration of honey, the patient survived for a total of 429 days before being euthanised due to signs of secondary cardiopulmonary distress.

Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine https:// doi. org / 10.1053 / j. jepm. 2025.05.002

8 Veterinary Nursing Journal