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The recent histories of South Africa and Brazil share many commonalities. Most obviously, both have experienced a shared political history of democratic transition. Two somewhat similar forms of socio-political oppression and manipulation - military rule in Brazil (ended 1985) and South African apartheid (ended 1994) - have been replaced by democratic regimes and exceedingly optimistic hopes for the future. Yet neither transition has been as smooth as expected. Consequently, a liminal situation has been created, where past and present discourses compete for space. This has recently been explored in each country's respective literatures: K. Sello Duiker's The Quiet Violence of Dreams and Rodrigo de Souza Leão's All Dogs Are Blue are just two examples. This article will explore the common theme of madness in these novels to highlight liminality. In particular, I argue that the treatment of insanity denies the patient's individuality and replicates the identity politics of the colonial situation. This, I suggest, reveals how postcolonial modernity in Brazil and South Africa relies on a continuing and normalised psycho-politics of otherness. Further, I will consider questions revolving around language, reliability and everyday emotions, focusing on the uncomfortable juxtaposition of global, national and local in both countries as they struggle to enter the modern world order. Ultimately, the only way we can alleviate madness and harness the social benefits of modernity and globalisation comes through accepting difference and understanding the specific individual circumstances of those we call 'mad'.

The main focus of this article is the term “unnatural” in a narratological analysis of Sam Shepard’s Mad Dog Blues (1971) in the light of ‘possible worlds’ theory. The term is recently coined and, in Jan Alber’s definition, designates those physically, logically, and even humanly impossible scenarios and events—according to the cognitive model of possible worlds—that challenge our real world knowledge. Mad Dog Blues is deemed to be one of the most complicated, fast-moving, and vividly imaginative but also obscure and puzzling of Shepard’s plays. The play in postmodernist fashion teems with a simultaneous collage-like collection of different types of unnatural narratives and storyworlds. It starts with a self-reflexive postmodern list; confronts us with unnatural characters; deconstructs our real-world knowledge about time and temporal progress; and presents us with impossible spaces. The analysis of the play in this essay is based on Jan Alber’s reading strategies which are meant to naturalize the play’s unnatural narratives.

Although tumors of the eye and its supporting tissues in domestic animals are relatively rare, they assume an enhanced importance because of the visibility and effect on function of even small tumors within, or adjacent to, the eyes. Melanomas of the conjunctiva are rare tumors of dogs and cats. Ocular squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is easily the most common and economically important neoplasm of the eye in cattle. Vascular endothelial neoplasms of the conjunctiva, nictitans, and even the avascular cornea are reported in several species, but they are seen most commonly in dogs, cats, and horses. Ocular melanoma in horses is often seen in conjunction with systemic melanomas and rarely is seen as a solitary spontaneous tumor separate from systemic disease. Iridociliary epithelial tumors are rare tumors, but they are the second most common primary intraocular tumor in dogs and cats. Canine uveal schwannomas of blue‐eyed dogs present as nodular nonpigmented masses of the uvea.

Mike Joyce reviews the album \"Letters From Round O\" by the Blue Dogs.

Abstract A juvenile male mixed breed dog was presented for lethargy, exercise intolerance, and aggression when touched on the head. Cyanosis, tachycardia, and tachypnea were observed and persisted during oxygen supplementation. Arterial blood gas analysis by co-oximetry identified an increased methemoglobin concentration (27%; normal, <2%) with normal arterial oxygen tension. The methemoglobinemia and associated clinical signs resolved after administration of methylene blue (1 mg/kg) IV, and the dog was discharged. The affected dog's whole-genome sequence contained 2 potentially causal heterozygous CYB5R3 missense mutations suggesting that cytochrome b5 reductase deficiency was responsible for the methemoglobinemia. This hypothesis was confirmed by enzyme analysis that identified cytochrome b5 reductase activity in the affected dog's erythrocytes to only approximately 6% of that in a control sample. Clinical signs recurred 11 days after discharge but normalized and the methemoglobin concentration decreased with methylene blue administration PO (1.5 mg/kg, initially daily and then every other day).

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of cathepsin-activated intraoperative near-infrared (NIR) imaging to detect insulinomas in dogs, a spontaneous large animal model for human disease. A prospective, pilot clinical trial was performed on dogs with naturally occurring insulinomas undergoing exploratory laparotomy. Each dog underwent routine preoperative diagnostic assessment, and a cathepsin-activated fluorophore (VGT-309) was administered intravenously 1-2 days preoperatively. All intraoperative findings with visible light and NIR imaging were recorded and mean NIR fluorescence intensity of tumors and grossly normal pancreas were quantified. Excision of any identified primary tumor and suspected metastatic lesions was performed. All excised tissues underwent histologic evaluation and immunohistochemistry (IHC) for cathepsin B expression. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and differential fluorescence intensity and cathepsin B expression between the pancreatic mass and adjacent grossly normal pancreatic tissue were assessed for statistical significance via paired t tests with p < 0.05 used for significance. Six dogs were enrolled. No adverse events occurred secondary to administration of the imaging agent. In situ, insulinomas had significantly greater mean fluorescence intensities than the surrounding pancreas, and the median tumor to background ratio was 1.906 (range 1.286-2.556). One dog had an occult pancreatic mass that was identified intraoperatively with NIR guidance. Background fluorescence of liver and lymph nodes was observed in all cases, and one dog was diagnosed with nodal and hepatic metastasis. Histologic tumor margins correlated with margins of NIR fluorescence. Cathepsin B expression was determined to be significantly greater in the pancreatic tumor compared to adjacent non-neoplastic pancreas via IHC, and there was no overlap in the range of median IHC-positive proportion values for these tissues. However, there was overlap in the range of IHC-positive proportion values for neoplastic pancreatic samples and lymph node and liver tissues. The findings of this pilot study support further investigation of cathepsin-activated NIR imaging to enhance intraoperative canine insulinoma localization and margin evaluation. Future studies are needed to further characterize and optimize the utility of targeted NIR imaging, particularly to identify metastatic lesions, for canine insulinoma, which may serve as an effective translational model for humans with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.

Background Esophagorespiratory fistulae are rare pathological communications between the esophagus and the respiratory tract. While acquired bronchoesophageal fistulae have been sporadically documented in dogs, tracheoesophageal fistulae, particularly in the cervical region, are exceptionally rare. This case report is the first to describe an acquired cervical tracheoesophageal fistula in a dog following esophageal foreign body retention. The case highlights the clinical course, diagnostic challenges, and successful surgical management, expanding the current understanding of this uncommon condition in veterinary medicine. Case presentation A 6.5-year-old male Shih Tzu was referred for persistent hyporexia, vomiting, and moist cough following endoscopic removal of a bone lodged at the thoracic inlet. Despite medical management for esophagitis and aspiration pneumonia, the dog exhibited progressive respiratory signs and recurrent pneumonia. An esophagorespiratory fistula was suspected based on the ability to provoke coughing by liquid ingestion and tracheal palpation. Endoscopic examination confirmed a defect in the esophageal wall with direct communication to the tracheal lumen, consistent with a cervical tracheoesophageal fistula. Surgical repair was performed via a cervical ventral midline approach, involving separate closure of the tracheal and esophageal defects and reinforcement using a bipedicle sternohyoid muscle flap. Recovery was uneventful, and the dog remains asymptomatic at 12-month follow-up. Conclusions This case underscores the importance of considering a tracheoesophageal fistula in dogs presenting with persistent or recurrent gastrorespiratory signs following esophageal foreign body removal. Diagnosis can be challenging due to the rarity of the condition and its non-specific clinical presentation. Endoscopy proved to be a safe and effective diagnostic tool and avoided the risk of aspiration associated with contrast studies. The surgical technique, including muscle flap interposition, mirrors approaches used in human medicine, where similar strategies are applied to prevent recurrence. Comparative insights with human cases highlight the translational value of interspecies knowledge, especially in understanding pathogenesis, refining diagnostics, and optimizing treatment. Continued reporting and awareness of tracheoesophageal fistula in veterinary patients are essential to improve outcomes and explore minimally invasive alternatives.

Background In Italy, the area of highest prevalence for canine heartworm disease (CHWD) has historically been along the Po River Valley in the northern area of the country, where prevalence in the mid-nineties ranged from 31% to 98%. Currently, increased awareness among practitioners and the availability of preventives have led to a dramatic decrease in prevalence in the area, although cases of CHWD continue to be diagnosed, suggesting the presence of canine reservoirs, including unowned dogs. Methods The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of Dirofilaria spp. in stray dogs entering shelters located in the Po River Valley of northern Italy by using the modified Knott’s test and by antigenic testing. Results Out of the 510 dogs tested, 173 (33.9%) were positive for circulating microfilariae: 15.7% (80/510) with D. immitis , 6.9% (35/510) with D. repens , and 11.4% (58/510) with a mixed infection. Conclusions Unowned dog populations represent an important reservoir for the parasite, allowing D. immitis to remain in a given geographical area and increasing the risk of exposure to all dogs. Graphical Abstract

We report a case of Dirofilaria repens infection causing microfilaremia in a patient from Serbia. Serum samples tested positive for D. repens IgG by ELISA. Our findings and those of others suggest the parasite's progressive adaptation to humans. Clinicians should be aware that microfilaremia can develop during Dirofilaria spp. infections.