Clinical - Recent Threads

RE: Complications from dog castration

David Scarff — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 07:13:55 GMT

Most serious complication I saw was in a spaniel which was being used heavily in dog food adverts etc. Had the common coat changes after castration ( was done as he kept escaping from film sets) with a fluffy, dead looking coat which never recovered and he lost his career! Was referred as a dermatologist case; no-one had warned the owner the coat might change.

Complications from dog castration

Beats — Thu, 28 May 2026 21:29:58 GMT

What complications (things happening as a result of the castration procedure that otherwise wouldn't have occurred) do you see from dog castrations?

Surgical site infections (SSI)

Other wound complications (if so what)

Clipper rash / Inflamed skin on scrotum or where shaved

Vomiting or diarrhoea

Scrotal haematoma

Other (please specify)

Thanks!

PS - I'm trying to audit outcomes for these going forwards, but really struggling to decide what a bad outcome looks like and how to go about this - I'm not interested in just producing some meaningless figures going "aren't we great" but some actual genuine figures looking at positive and negative outcomes from a more objective and scientific outlook. My suspicion over the years is that we see more clipper rash problems with dog castrates causing obvious distress than actual wound infections, but the various classification schemes I have seen to-date only focus on the wound itself (aiming at SSI incidence). Interested to hear other folks thoughts!

RE: Complications from dog castration

Ann Hopkirk — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 11:55:34 GMT

I've seen a urethral injury. The dog had had revision surgery after haematoma formation but unsure when the urethral trauma took place.. Never did get to the bottom of how it could have happened-several colleagues involved in both the orriginal and revision surgery seemed to close ranks. Long time ago. Dog eventually did fine

RE: Complications from dog castration

Clive Ansell — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 09:55:26 GMT

[quote userid="8038" url="~/f/clinical-questions/31370/complications-from-dog-castration/248933#248933"]as a result of the surgeon not using tranfixing ligatures on a closed castration.[/quote][quote userid="8038" url="~/f/clinical-questions/31370/complications-from-dog-castration/248933#248933"]I am still a closed castration advocate as I think there are a lot fewer minor complications with this technique.[/quote]

I prefer closed castration for the same reason. I usually transfix the ligature through the cremaster muscle, with the exception being small dogs. Some double ligate, but I only use one ligature. In older or larger dogs I will usually ligate or cauterize vessels within the scrotal ligament too.

RE: Complications from dog castration

Paul Harris — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 05:37:41 GMT

I have seen one death in a Great Dane as a result of the surgeon not using tranfixing ligatures on a closed castration. Blood vessels retracted into the abdomen and bled out. 36 years ago, as a new grad, I had the pleasure of the postmortem exam. I am still a closed castration advocate as I think there are a lot fewer minor complications with this technique.

RE: Complications from dog castration

Alasdair Hotston Moore — Sun, 31 May 2026 19:15:13 GMT

I suspect not lifting the testes into the incision and then cutting deeper than intended in one case (leakage). In another, it looked like the surgeon had sutured into the ventral spect of the urethra during closure, causing partial obstruction (presented with dysuria)

Every day, a new complication

RE: Complications from dog castration

Clive Ansell — Sun, 31 May 2026 10:56:50 GMT

[quote userid="8663" url="~/f/clinical-questions/31370/complications-from-dog-castration/248930#248930"]Plus a couple of urethral injuries (hard to imagine but its also been reported by others)[/quote]

How?

RE: Complications from dog castration

Alasdair Hotston Moore — Sun, 31 May 2026 07:49:59 GMT

seen all of these. Plus a couple of urethral injuries (hard to imagine but its also been reported by others)

These are for scrotal castrations of course. For cryptorchids there are others

RE: Complications from dog castration

bevs2251 — Sat, 30 May 2026 22:14:13 GMT

Might be different genetically here in Australia wrt Greyhounds. See a lot of post-op bleeders, standard to use TXA now for any surgery. Plus we test routinely every 20-30 minutes for hyperkalaemia if under GA longer than an hour.

RE: Complications from dog castration

Clive Ansell — Sat, 30 May 2026 10:54:27 GMT

[quote userid="12930" url="~/f/clinical-questions/31370/complications-from-dog-castration"]but really struggling to decide what a bad outcome looks like[/quote]

Depends what you mean by bad I suppose?

My take on bad would be where revision surgery is required, severe infection, or death.

Post op complications following routine castration are very rare I find, the biggest being wound interference and increased inflammation or infection. Most of these will heal with more time +/- antibiotics, although in most of those where I have taken a swab for bacteriology, they have come back negative/sterile.

One practice I locumed for had a run of cases of reaction to cheap imitation vicryl, although all settled with time. Could add suture reaction to your list?

RE: Complications from dog castration

Clive Ansell — Sat, 30 May 2026 10:47:14 GMT

[quote userid="12274" url="~/f/clinical-questions/31370/complications-from-dog-castration/248925#248925"]TXA all greyhouds as scrotal haemmorhage can be quite profound - injectable at Sx and 3-5 days tablets TGH on.[/quote]

Never had an issue with greyhounds, and I used to neuter a lot of them when we did work for a local greyhound charity.

Had a run of cases of mild Scrotal haemorrhage in XL Bully types in the rush of getting them neutered prior to the exemption deadline. Even with careful surgery, ligating the scrotal ligaments and cauterizing small vessels, some did develop scrotal swelling. After a while we stated giving TXA to all Bully types for routine castration and spays. All settled and none needed revision surgery. A few were tested for clotting times and for lungworm, but all were normal/negative.

I've had one case in 30 years, a SBT that had post castration scrotal haemorrhage, that tested positive for lungworm. 2 similar cases in bitch spays too.

RE: Complications from dog castration

bevs2251 — Sat, 30 May 2026 01:05:47 GMT

Clipper rash - avoid with application of Neocort or similar around the wound (not on it) post-op, E-collar, if needed or ACP tablets if overly active.

TXA all greyhouds as scrotal haemmorhage can be quite profound - injectable at Sx and 3-5 days tablets TGH on.

Ligate tunica alba vessel, especially large dogs, as can bleed/seep post-op (open castration technique).

I don't recommend scrotal ablation as standard for bigger (young) dogs as have seen quite a few complications with infections/irritation/bruising/pain. Scrotum shrinks up with time.

RE: Complications from dog castration

Gillian Mostyn — Fri, 29 May 2026 16:15:49 GMT

I'd agree - IMHO overzealous clipping and/or scrubbing with gauze swabs causes more issues than anything else!

I'd add rermoval of sutures and total wound dehiscence to wound complications - both usually due to self trauma! So, leading on from that, the need for further surgery to resuture.

Although I've only ever seen it once, I'd add severe haemorrhage. It was in a dalmation whose ligatures weren't tight enough - but it was dramatic and required surgery approx 3 hours post op to both stop the haemorrhage and carry out a scrotal ablation.

RE: anyone using Vetoquinol's 'Phovia' system for wound healing?

ian bates — Fri, 29 May 2026 13:51:04 GMT

Thank you folks

I was sceptical - and I remain so!

ian

anyone using Vetoquinol's 'Phovia' system for wound healing?

ian bates — Tue, 26 May 2026 14:21:35 GMT

Hello all,

Opinions / experience welcomed please [emoticon:be7bc10b384d4637ab3844a246ca3b01]

Thank you

Ian

RE: anyone using Vetoquinol's 'Phovia' system for wound healing?

Beats — Wed, 27 May 2026 20:21:51 GMT

I found the study I looked at unconvincing to me prrsonally. For something of this nature, I would need to personally be finding such things extremely convincing to show an interest. Just my personal opinion on level of interest to me.

RE: anyone using Vetoquinol's 'Phovia' system for wound healing?

Lesley Strong — Wed, 27 May 2026 14:42:30 GMT

Also forgot. Laat time I looked the photo gel was stupendously expensive

I think >£90 just not sure if that was 1 or 3 pots but I suspect it was just 1. So over a course of treatment crazy pricey

RE: anyone using Vetoquinol's 'Phovia' system for wound healing?

Lesley Strong — Wed, 27 May 2026 14:16:15 GMT

Used Supposed to all singing and dancing for wound healing

Most healed but not convinced any faster. Tried it on A furunculosis dog coupled with meds but dont think it helped and had 1 cat where got massively worse and infected and cat PTS ( was elderly hyperthyroid)

RE: anyone using Vetoquinol's 'Phovia' system for wound healing?

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 27 May 2026 12:10:25 GMT

[quote userid="2131" url="~/f/clinical-questions/31369/anyone-using-vetoquinol-s-phovia-system-for-wound-healing/248914#248914"]What is it?[/quote]

Evelyn Barbour-Hill it's this: https://www.vetoquinol.com/fr/phovia/the_phovia_system

RE: anyone using Vetoquinol's 'Phovia' system for wound healing?

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Wed, 27 May 2026 11:59:04 GMT

What is it?

RE: Preferred Colon Prep for Colonoscopy in Dogs

dred.hall — Sun, 24 May 2026 12:06:30 GMT

This is what I wrote for the Improve endoscopy course notes. If you want to know how to stomach tube a conscious dog, you will have to do the course :-)

The patient should not be fed for at least 24 and preferably 36-48 hours before the procedure: water is always available. Faecal material is cleared by repeated enemas or by per oral lavage, with flushing during the procedure if necessary.

Lavage solutions are best for colonic preparation, particularly if ileoscopy is planned. Preferred preparations are iso-osmotic solutions of polyethylene glycol 3350 (PEG) mixed with electrolytes that produce osmotic diarrhoea that washes out the gut contents. Several commercial products (e.g. Colyte, GoLytely, Movicol, Plenvu) are available, although Kleanprep has been withdrawn. The patient is given 3 doses, each of 25‑30 ml/kg, at least two hours apart and, ideally, the last dose is given approximately 12 hours before colonoscopy. The patient should also receive at least one warm-water enema two hours before colonoscopy (or after anaesthesia induction). Any residual faecal material has to be washed out during the procedure. A peristaltic flushing pump attached to the colonoscope makes this much easier; there are adapters that fit to the instrument channel, allowing flushing via the biopsy channel.

A minority of dogs will voluntarily drink PEG3350 if it is dissolved in the water used to boil chicken. However, without flavouring, it has an unpleasant taste, and as large volumes must be given to dogs, a stomach tube is often needed for administration. A large-bore, thick-walled stomach tube (e.g. foal stomach tube, ideally red rubber) should be used for gavage in dogs. If necessary, the tube can be passed through a basket muzzle. Particular care should be taken in patients with dysphagia, laryngeal paralysis or delayed gastric emptying as inhalation of PEG3350 is potentially fatal. The process is repeated twice more at 2‑4 hour intervals the day before the procedure. Delivery via a naso-gastric tube is used in cats as they will not tolerate stomach tubing whilst conscious, but risks accidental instillation into the airways, so care must be taken when using this route.

Solutions of magnesium citrate or sulphate can also be used as osmotic cathartics at a single dose of 25 ml/kg. However, they can cause vomiting, abdominal discomfort and dehydration, and sometimes hypermagnesaemia. Low‑volume sodium phosphate solutions may be more tolerable, but studies in dogs have shown that low‑volume sodium phosphate solutions produce poorer cleansing than PEG solutions. Oral sodium phosphate tablets (Osmoprep) have been withdrawn as
>20 tablets had to be swallowed. A recent paper in the Vet Record <DOI: 10.1002/vetr5432> described adequate cleansing using a mixture of sodium picosulphate and magnesium citrate, but I am not aware of it being available commercially.

Enemas are a cheaper and sometimes easier solution, but multiple, large-volume, high enemas are required, and the quality of colonic cleansing is often poor. This is especially true in larger patients, and if ileoscopy is planned. The method is unpleasant for patients and staff, and lavage is also more suitable than multiple enemas if there is severe anorectal pain. In medium-sized dogs, at least one litre of warm water per 30 kg should be used for each enema. The enema tube is well lubricated and gently inserted to the level of the last rib. Warm water is instilled either by gravity from an enema bucket rather than a Higginson pump. During instillation, the tube is moved back and forth to loosen the faeces. Liquid may escape from the anus during the procedure when the colon is full: more fluid should not be forced in, especially if the patient vomits. Enemas are repeated until the liquid runs clear, containing no particulate matter.

Irritant laxative enemas (e.g. soap) should not be used as they may cause artefactual inflammatory changes in mucosal biopsies, although in the USA bisacodyl enemas are used. Finally, of course, phosphate enemas should never be used in cats and small dogs as they can cause fatal hyperphosphataemia.

Preferred Colon Prep for Colonoscopy in Dogs

Judy M — Wed, 13 May 2026 14:55:49 GMT

Hi all,

I was wondering if people could advise me of the current thinking re colonoscopy prep for dogs and those methods preferred by those endoscopists out there please? Pros and cons of protocols would be fantastic,

Thank you :-)

Is there any evidence that dental powders improve dental health?

Nicola Cole — Wed, 20 May 2026 17:51:34 GMT

So really as the title says! I’m not currently in practice, so things may have moved on, but I’m being bombarded on a certain algorithm-based platform with adverts for a dental powder.

The claim is that seaweed, epicor, and charcoal will break down the oral biofilm, so preventing plaque etc. It also claims to be better than tooth brushing (because pets won’t like that) and dental procedures (because your pet could die). It is accompanied by really quite hardcore marketing that putting a dog under anaesthetic is signing a death waiver. Presumably the concern is still what’s going on under the gum line rather than how sparkly the teeth look? And presumably a powder can’t affect that?

So have things moved on? Is this a legitimate claim? I would usually ignore the long video adverts but the death waiver part caught my attention.

RE: Is there any evidence that dental powders improve dental health?

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Thu, 21 May 2026 10:56:54 GMT

[quote userid="3685" url="~/f/clinical-questions/31367/is-there-any-evidence-that-dental-powders-improve-dental-health"]Presumably the concern is still what’s going on under the gum line rather than how sparkly the teeth look?[/quote]

In a nutshell. Yes.

We all scoffed at Plaque-Off until some work by Jerzy Gawor showed that it did actually reduce plaque formation.

But the difficulty with all these things that reduce plaque – powders, additives, foods, whatever – is that it's much more difficult, scientifically, to measure and demonstrate, a significant effect on periodontal health. We don't know what percentage of plaque reduction is necessary to have any effect at all on periodontal health. 30% plaque reduction might have no effect at all. Whatever the relationship is, mathematically, I bet it's not linear. Moreover, plaque studies measure all the plaue on the crowns. Much of that plaque is of no importance to health – periodontal disease is caused by subgingival plaque (unlike humans, we have no worries about caries), so all we are really concerned with is subgingival plaque and I suppose plaque close to the gum magin – say for 1mm.

So i guess Plaque-Off (but not necessarily cheap imitations!) is useful and not to be scoffed at; it's no substitute for mechanical cleaning but it could help in those many animals where, for whatever reason, cleaning is not going to get done.

RE: Is there any evidence that dental powders improve dental health?

Robert FalconerTaylor — Thu, 21 May 2026 07:41:25 GMT

I was asked about ProDen PlaqueOff (Ascophyllum nodosum) as an alternative to dentals a few weeks ago. There are some positive studies in humans and cats/dogs - but non as I recall ran for more than a month or so. My advice was use if you want to but there is no substitute to owner-brushing AND routine dental checkups and dentals as needed. If there was a magic potion, it would be available for humans & making fortunes like GLP-1 agonists!