Search Results

Abstract

Objective—To identify practices associated with failure of heartworm prophylaxis among dog and kennel owners and dog trainers.

Design—Online survey and mail-in questionnaire.

Sample—708 members of a national hunting dog club.

Procedures—Heartworm prevention practices used by respondents that reported failure of prophylaxis were compared with practices used by respondents that reported success.

Results—Univariate analyses indicated failure of heartworm prophylaxis was inversely related to the number of dogs under a respondent's care. Year-round prophylactic practice was not significantly associated with reduced odds of failure, and efforts to control exposure to mosquitoes were similar among the comparison groups. Respondents reporting prophylaxis failure were more likely to test for heartworm infection ≥ 1 time/y, compared with those reporting success. In a multivariable analysis, residence south of the Virginia-North Carolina state line (ie, the 37th geographic parallel), testing for heartworm infection < once a year when the test was administered prior to April 1, and keeping dogs outdoors for longer periods at dusk, at dawn, or after dark were associated with increased odds of prophylaxis failure.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Veterinarians should stress the importance of annual heartworm testing 6 to 7 months after the last possible date of exposure to heartworm, regardless of whether a dog receives prophylactic treatment year-round. Reducing the number of hours dogs spend outdoors at dusk, at dawn, or after dark may reduce the odds of heartworm disease even when dogs are given preventive treatment.

Abstract

Objective—To determine the annual and overall proportion of diagnoses of congenital portosystemic shunts (CPSS) in dogs and identify breeds at increased risk for CPSS.

Design—Retrospective study.

Animals—2,400 dogs with CPSS from veterinary teaching hospitals that reported to the Veterinary Medical Database (VMDB) from January 1, 1980 to February 28, 2002.

Procedure—The proportion of diagnoses of CPSS was calculated for all dogs and each breed recorded in the VMDB annually and for the 22.2-year period. Odds ratios and adjusted confidence intervals were calculated for breeds with at least 100 accessions by comparing odds of each breed with a diagnosis of CPSS with that of mixed-breed dogs.

Results—Congenital portosystemic shunts were reported in 0.18% of all dogs and 0.05% of mixedbreed dogs. The proportion of diagnoses of CPSS increased from 5 in 10,000 dogs in 1980 to 5 in 1,000 dogs in 2001. Yorkshire Terriers had the greatest total number of diagnoses of CPSS. Thirty-three breeds were significantly more likely to have a diagnosis of CPSS, compared with mixed-breed dogs. The greatest proportions of diagnoses were found in Havanese (3.2%), Yorkshire Terriers (2.9%), Maltese (1.6%), Dandie Dinmont Terriers (1.6%), and Pugs (1.3%).

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Certain breeds appear to be at increased risk for CPSS, compared with mixed-breed dogs. The increased odds ratios among specific breeds support the hypothesis of a genetic predisposition for CPSS. Clients and veterinarians should consider appropriate diagnostic tests for dogs with clinical signs and those used for breeding from breeds with increased risk of CPSS. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2003;223:1636–1639)

Abstract

Objective—To measure antibody titers against Leptospira interrogans in serum and vitreous humor and determine the prevalence of L interrogans in vitreous humor of horses with recurrent uveitis.

Design—Cross-sectional study.

Animals—242 horses (270 eyes) with recurrent uveitis undergoing vitrectomy and 39 control horses (54 eyes) without any history or clinical signs of recurrent uveitis undergoing euthanasia or enucleation for unrelated reasons.

Procedure—Serum and vitreous humor were tested for antibodies against 13 serovars of L interrogans. Vitreous humor was submitted for leptospiral culture; isolates were typed to the serogroup level.

Results—Leptospira interrogans was isolated from vitreous humor from 120/229 (52%) horses (126/252 [50%] eyes) with recurrent uveitis but was not isolated from vitreous humor from 36 eyes of 21 control horses. Duration of recurrent uveitis was ≥ 1 year for 45 of the 120 (38%) horses from which the organism was isolated. Geometric mean antibody titers against L interrogans in the vitreous humor and serum of horses with recurrent uveitis were 1:1,332 and 1:186, respectively. Only 91 of 120 (76%) horses from which the organism was isolated had a 4-fold or greater difference between serum and vitreous humor antibody titers.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results suggest that persistent ocular infection with L interrogans is common in horses with recurrent uveitis. A 4- fold increase in vitreous humor versus serum antibody titers may not be a sensitive test for the diagnosis of L interrogans-induced recurrent uveitis. We hypothesize that the immune component of recurrent uveitis can be directly induced and maintained by persistent infection of the eye with L interrogans. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2001;219:795–800)

Abstract

Objective—To determine the effects of a 24-hour infusion of an isotonic electrolyte replacement fluid (IERF) on weight, serum and urine electrolyte concentrations, and other clinicopathologic variables in healthy neonatal foals.

Animals—4 healthy 4-day-old foals.

Design—Prospective study.

Procedure—An IERF was administered to each foal at an estimated rate of 80 mL/kg/d (36.4 mL/lb/d) for 24 hours. Body weight was measured before and after the infusion period. Urine was collected via catheter during 4-hour periods; blood samples were collected at 4-hour intervals. Variables including urine production; urine and serum osmolalities; sodium, potassium, and chloride concentrations in urine and serum; urine and serum creatinine concentrations; urine osmolality-to-serum osmolality ratio (OsmR); transtubular potassium gradient (TTKG); and percentage creatinine clearance (Cr_cl) of electrolytes were recorded at 0, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 hours during the infusion period. Immediately after the study period, net fluid and whole-body electrolyte changes from baseline values were calculated.

Results—Compared with baseline values, urine and serum sodium and chloride serum concentrations, urine and serum osmolalities, OsmR, and percentage Crcl of sodium and chloride were significantly increased at various time points during the infusion; urine production did not change significantly. After 24 hours, weight, TTKG, serum creatinine concentration, and whole-body potassium had significantly decreased from baseline values.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results suggest that administration of an IERF containing a physiologic concentration of sodium may not be appropriate for use in neonatal foals that require maintenance fluid therapy. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2005;227:1123–1129)

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To determine the incidence of incompatible crossmatch results in dogs without a history of prior RBC transfusion and to evaluate changes in Hct following RBC administration for transfusion-naïve dogs that did and did not have crossmatching performed.

DESIGN Retrospective study.

ANIMALS 169 client-owned dogs.

PROCEDURES Information obtained from the medical records included signalment, pretransfusion Hct or PCV, and crossmatching results where applicable. Dogs that underwent major crossmatching (n = 149) as part of pretransfusion screening were each crossmatched with 3 potential donors. Donor blood was obtained from a commercial source and tested negative for dog erythrocyte antigens (DEAs) 1.1, 1.2, and 7 but positive for DEA 4. Mean change in Hct after transfusion was compared between crossmatch-tested dogs (57/91 that subsequently underwent RBC transfusion) and 20 other dogs that underwent RBC transfusion without prior crossmatching by statistical methods.

RESULTS 25 of 149 (17%) dogs evaluated by crossmatching were incompatible with 1 or 2 of the 3 potential donors. All 149 dogs were compatible with ≥ 1 potential donor. Mean ± SD change in Hct after transfusion was significantly higher in dogs that had crossmatching performed (12.5 ± 8.6%) than in dogs that did not undergo crossmatching (9.0 ± 4.3%).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated immunologic incompatibility can exist between first-time transfusion recipients and potential blood donor dogs. The clinical importance of these findings could not be evaluated, but considering the potential for immediate or delayed hemolytic transfusion reactions or shortened RBC life span, the authors suggest veterinarians consider crossmatching all dogs prior to transfusion when possible.

Abstract

Objective—To evaluate the effects of ketamine, magnesium sulfate, and their combination on the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) of isoflurane (ISO-MAC) in goats.

Animals—8 adult goats.

Procedures—Anesthesia was induced with isoflurane delivered via face mask. Goats were intubated and ventilated to maintain normocapnia. After an appropriate equilibration period, baseline MAC (MAC_B) was determined and the following 4 treatments were administered IV: saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (loading dose [LD], 30 mL/20 min; constant rate infusion [CRI], 60 mL/h), magnesium sulfate (LD, 50 mg/kg; CRI, 10 mg/kg/h), ketamine (LD, 1 mg/kg; CRI, 25 μg/kg/min), and magnesium sulfate (LD, 50 mg/kg; CRI, 10 mg/kg/h) combined with ketamine (LD, 1 mg/kg; CRI, 25 μg/kg/min); then MAC was redetermined.

Results—Ketamine significantly decreased ISOMAC by 28.7 ± 3.7%, and ketamine combined with magnesium sulfate significantly decreased ISOMAC by 21.1 ± 4.1%. Saline solution or magnesium sulfate alone did not significantly change ISOMAC.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Ketamine and ketamine combined with magnesium sulfate, at doses used in the study, decreased the end-tidal isoflurane concentration needed to maintain anesthesia, verifying the clinical impression that ketamine decreases the end-tidal isoflurane concentration needed to maintain surgical anesthesia. Magnesium, at doses used in the study, did not decrease ISOMAC or augment ketamine's effects on ISOMAC.

Abstract

Objective—To compare the effectiveness of preoperative PO and SC administration of buprenorphine and meloxicam for prevention of postoperative pain-associated behaviors in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy.

Design—Randomized controlled study.

Animals—51 female cats (4 to 60 months old; weight range, 1.41 to 4.73 kg [3.1 to 10.4 lb]).

Procedure—Cats received 1 of 5 treatments at the time of anesthetic induction: buprenorphine PO (0.01 mg/kg [0.0045 mg/lb]; n = 10), buprenorphine SC (0.01 mg/kg; 10), meloxicam SC (0.3 mg/kg [0.14 mg/lb]; 10), meloxicam PO (0.3 mg/kg; 10), or 0.3 mL of sterile saline (0.9% NaCl) solution SC (control group; 11). Sedation scores and visual analog scale and interactive visual analog scale (IVAS) pain-associated behavior scores were assigned to each cat 2 hours before and at intervals until 20 hours after surgery.

Results—Cats receiving meloxicam PO or SC had significantly lower IVAS scores (2.91 and 2.02, respectively), compared with IVAS scores for cats receiving buprenorphine PO (7.55). Pain-associated behavior scores for cats administered buprenorphine or meloxicam PO or SC preoperatively did not differ significantly from control group scores. Rescue analgesia was not required by any of the cats receiving meloxicam, whereas 3 of 10 cats receiving buprenorphine PO, 2 of 10 cats receiving buprenorphine SC, and 1 of 11 cats receiving the control treatment required rescue analgesia.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—On the basis of pain-associated behavior scores, cats receiving meloxicam PO or SC before ovariohysterectomy appeared to have less pain after surgery than those receiving buprenorphine PO preoperatively. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2005;227:1937–1944)

Abstract

Objective—To determine the effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on full-thickness skin grafts applied to fresh and granulating wounds of horses.

Animals—6 horses.

Procedures—On day 0, two 4-cm-diameter circular sections of full-thickness skin were removed from each of 2 randomly selected limbs of each horse, and two 4-cm-diameter circular skin grafts were harvested from the pectoral region. A skin graft was applied to 1 randomly selected wound on each limb, leaving the 2 nongrafted wounds to heal by second intention. On day 7, 2 grafts were harvested from the pectoral region and applied to the granulating wounds, and wounds grafted on day 0 were biopsied. On day 14, 1 wound was created on each of the 2 unwounded limbs, and the wounds that were grafted on day 7 were biopsied. All 4 ungrafted wounds (ie, 2 fresh wounds and 2 wounds with 1-week-old granulation beds) were grafted. The horses then received HBOT for 1 hour daily at 23 PSI for 7 days. On day 21, the grafts applied on day 14 were biopsied.

Results—Histologic examination of biopsy specimens revealed that grafts treated with HBOT developed less granulation tissue, edema, and neovascularization, but more inflammation. The superficial portion of the graft was also less viable than the superficial portion of those not treated with HBOT.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—The use of HBOT after full-thickness skin grafting of uncompromised fresh and granulating wounds of horses is not indicated.

Abstract

Objective—To evaluate sedative, antinociceptive, and physiologic effects of acepromazine and butorphanol during tiletamine-zolazepam (TZ) anesthesia in llamas.

Animals—5 young adult llamas.

Procedures—Llamas received each of 5 treatments IM (1-week intervals): A (acepromazine, 0.05 mg/kg), B1 (butorphanol, 0.1 mg/kg), AB (acepromazine, 0.05 mg/kg, and butorphanol, 0.1 mg/kg), B2 (butorphanol, 0.2 mg/kg), or C (saline [0.9% NaCl] solution). Sedation was evaluated during a 30-minute period prior to anesthesia with TZ (2 mg/kg, IM). Anesthesia and recovery characteristics and selected cardiorespiratory variables were recorded at intervals. Antinociception was assessed via a toe-clamp technique.

Results—Sedation was not evident following any treatment. Times to sternal and lateral recumbency did not differ among treatments. Duration of lateral recumbency was significantly longer for treatment AB than for treatment C. Duration of antinociception was significantly longer for treatments A and AB, compared with treatment C, and longer for treatment AB, compared with treatment B2. Treatment B1 resulted in a significant decrease in respiratory rate, compared with treatment C. Compared with treatment C, diastolic and mean blood pressures were lower after treatment A. Heart rate was increased with treatment A, compared with treatment B1 or treatment C. Although severe hypoxemia developed in llamas anesthetized with TZ alone and with each treatment-TZ combination, hemoglobin saturation remained high and the hypoxemia was not considered clinically important.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Sedation or changes in heart and respiratory rates were not detected with any treatment before administration of TZ. Acepromazine alone and acepromazine with butorphanol (0.1 mg/kg) prolonged the duration of antinociception in TZ-treated llamas.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of MgSO₄, alone and in combination with propofol, on the minimum alveolar concentration preventing motor movement (MAC_NM) in sevoflurane-anesthetized dogs.

ANIMALS 6 healthy purpose-bred adult male Beagles (least squares mean ± SEM body weight, 12.0 ± 1.1 kg).

PROCEDURES Dogs were anesthetized 3 times at weekly intervals. The MAC_NM was measured 45 minutes after induction of anesthesia (baseline; MAC_NM-B) and was determined each time by use of a noxious electrical stimulus. Treatments were administered as a loading dose and constant rate infusion (CRI) as follows: treatment 1, MgSO₄ loading dose of 45 mg/kg and CRI of 15 mg/kg/h; treatment 2, propofol loading dose of 4 mg/kg and CRI of 9 mg/kg/h; and treatment 3, MgSO₄ and propofol combination (same doses used previously for each drug). A mixed-model ANOVA and Tukey-Kramer tests were used to determine effects of each treatment on the percentage decrease from MAC_NM-B. Data were reported as least squares mean ± SEM values.

RESULTS Decrease from MAC_NM-B was 3.4 ± 3.1%, 48.3 ± 3.1%, and 50.3 ± 3.1%, for treatments 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The decrease for treatments 2 and 3 was significantly different from that for treatment 1; however, no significant difference existed between results for treatments 2 and 3.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE MgSO₄ did not affect MAC_NM, nor did it potentiate the effects of propofol on MAC_NM. Administration of MgSO₄ in this study appeared to provide no clinical advantage as an anesthetic adjuvant.