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  • Author or Editor: Alessia Diana x
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Abstract

Objective—To assess the feasibility and reproducibility of longitudinal tissue Doppler ultrasonographic imaging with regard to determination of velocity, strain, and strain rate (SR) of the left atrium (LA) and use those data to characterize LA synchrony (LAS) for a group of healthy dogs.

Animals—15 healthy dogs.

Procedures—For each dog, apical 4- and 2-chamber echocardiographic views were obtained. Peak velocity, strain, and SR and time to peak value during systole, early diastole, and late diastole were measured for each of the 4 LA walls. To characterize LAS, mean and SD maximal late diastolic time difference (LAD) among the 4 walls were calculated on the basis of time to peak for velocity, strain, and SR; for each, the 95% confidence interval (mean ± 2SD) was calculated. Within-day and between-day intraobserver variability was calculated.

Results—For all dogs, tissue velocity and SR had peak positive values during systole and 2 negative peaks during early and late diastole. Atrial strain had a peak positive value during systole, positive values during early diastole, and a negative peak value during late diastole. Reproducibility was acceptable for most variables. Diastolic strain and SR had the highest variability, but times to peak values were always reproducible. For velocity, strain, and SR, the 95% confidence interval for the maximal LAD was < 50 milliseconds and that for the SD of the LAD was < 23 milliseconds.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Longitudinal tissue Doppler imaging of LA deformation was feasible in healthy dogs, and its application may be useful for understanding atrial pathophysiologic changes associated with various cardiac diseases in dogs.

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in American Journal of Veterinary Research

Abstract

Objective—To assess the applicability of high-frequency diagnostic ultrasonography for evaluation and accurate measurement of the skin thickness of clinically normal dogs.

Animals—26 healthy dogs (12 sexually intact males, 13 sexually intact females, and 1 spayed female) of various breeds and ages.

Procedure—Ultrasonographic examination of the skin and histomorphometric analysis of skin biopsy specimens obtained from the same site were performed. A 13-MHz linear-array transducer was used to obtain a series of ultrasonographic images of the skin in the flank region; images were analyzed and measured by use of imaging software. Cutaneous biopsy specimens were placed in fixative and then stained with H&E and Masson trichrome stains. Histomorphometric analysis was performed by use of an image analyzer. Thickness of the epidermis and dermis of each specimen was evaluated by use of a semiautomatic procedure of quantification. Data obtained from ultrasonographic and histologic measurements were compared by use of the Pearson correlation test.

Results—The ultrasonographic pattern of canine skin was consistently characterized by 3 distinct, defined echogenic layers corresponding to the epidermal entry echo, epidermis and dermis, and subcutaneous tissues. A positive correlation was found between ultrasonographic and histologic measurements of skin thickness.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Comparison between ultrasonographic and histologic appearance of the skin revealed that layering of canine skin (ie, epidermis and dermis) and the subcutaneous tissues may be recognized and measured by use of high-frequency ultrasonography. Thus, diagnostic ultrasonography may be a useful tool for the noninvasive evaluation of cutaneous disorders in dogs. (Am J Vet Res 2004;65:1625–1630)

Full access
in American Journal of Veterinary Research

Abstract

Objective—To evaluate the pharmacokinetics and clinical efficacy of budesonide in dogs with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Animals—11 dogs (mean ± SD age, 5.7 ± 3.9 years; various breeds and body weights) with moderate or severe IBD.

Procedures—Each dog received a controlled-release formulation of budesonide (3 mg/m2, PO, q 24 h) for 30 days (first day of administration was day 1). The concentration of budesonide and its metabolite (16-α-hydroxyprednisolone) was measured via liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry in plasma and urine samples obtained on days 1 and 8 of treatment. On those days, plasma samples were obtained before the daily budesonide administration and 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 7 hours after drug administration, whereas urine samples were obtained after collection of the last blood sample. A clinical evaluation was performed on the dogs before onset of drug administration and on days 20 and 30 after start of drug administration.

Results—The highest plasma concentration of budesonide and 16-α-hydroxyprednisolone on day 1 was detected at 1 hour and at 2 hours after drug administration, respectively. After standardization on the basis of specific gravity, the ratio between urinary concentrations of budesonide and 16-α-hydroxyprednisolone was 0.006 and 0.012 on days 1 and 8, respectively. The clinical response was adequate in 8 of 11 dogs.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Budesonide was rapidly absorbed and metabolized in dogs with IBD. The drug gradually accumulated, and there was an adequate therapeutic response and no adverse effects.

Full access
in American Journal of Veterinary Research

Abstract

Objective—To noninvasively assess the influence of ingestion of a standard meal on gallbladder volume (GBV) in healthy cats.

Animals—10 healthy adult domestic shorthair cats (4 neutered females, 5 neutered males, and 1 sexually intact male).

Procedures—Nonsedated cats were positioned in dorsal and left lateral recumbency to obtain ultrasonographic measurements of the gallbladder via the subcostal and right intercostal acoustic windows, respectively. Gallbladder volume was calculated from linear measurements by use of an ellipsoid formula (volume [mL] = length [mm] × height [mm] × width [mm] × 0.52). Measurements were recorded after food was withheld for 12 hours (0 minutes) and at 5, 15, 30, 45, 60, and 120 minutes after cats were fed 50 g of a standard commercial diet (protein, 44.3%; fat, 30.3%; and carbohydrate, 15.6% [dry matter percentage]).

Results—Agreement between gallbladder linear measurements or GBV obtained from the subcostal and right intercostal windows was good. Feeding resulted in linear decreases in gallbladder linear measurements and GBV. Via the subcostal and intercostal windows, mean ± SD GBV was 2.47 ± 1.16 mL and 2.36 ± 0.96 mL, respectively, at 0 minutes and 0.88 ± 0.13 mL and 0.94 ± 0.25 mL, respectively, at 120 minutes. Gallbladder width most closely reflected postprandial modification of GBV.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results indicated that ultrasonographic assessment (via the subcostal or right intercostal acoustic window) of postprandial changes in GBV can be used to evaluate gallbladder contractility in cats. These data may help identify cats with abnormal gallbladder emptying.

Full access
in American Journal of Veterinary Research

Abstract

Objective—To assess the usefulness of high-frequency diagnostic ultrasonography for evaluation of changes of skin thickness in relation to hydration status and fluid distribution at various cutaneous sites in dogs.

Animals—10 clinically normal adult dogs (6 males and 4 females) of various breeds.

Procedures—Ultrasonographic examination of the skin was performed before and after hydration via IV administration of an isotonic crystalloid solution (30 mL/kg/h for 30 minutes). A 13-MHz linear-array transducer was used to obtain series of ultrasonographic images at 4 different cutaneous sites (the frontal, sacral, flank, and metatarsal regions). Weight and various clinicopathologic variables (PCV; serum osmolality; and serum total protein, albumin, and sodium concentrations) were determined before and after the infusion. These variables and ultrasonographic measurements of skin thickness before and after hydration were compared.

Results—Among the 10 dogs, mean preinfusion skin thickness ranged from 2,211 μm (metatarsal region) to 3,249 μm (sacral region). Compared with preinfusion values, weight was significantly increased, whereas PCV; serum osmolality; and serum total protein, albumin, and sodium concentrations were significantly decreased after infusion. After infusion, dermal echogenicity decreased and skin thickness increased significantly by 21%, 14%, 15%, and 13% in the frontal, sacral, flank, and metatarsal regions, respectively.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Cutaneous site and hydration were correlated with cutaneous characteristics and skin thickness determined by use of high-frequency ultrasonography in dogs. Thus, diagnostic ultrasonography may be a useful tool for the noninvasive evaluation of skin hydration in healthy dogs and in dogs with skin edema.

Full access
in American Journal of Veterinary Research

Abstract

Objective—To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of radiographically derived measurements of vertebral heart score (VHS) and sphericity index (SI) in the detection of pericardial effusion (PE) in dogs.

Design—Retrospective case-control study.

Animals—51 dogs with PE associated with various cardiac disorders, 50 dogs with left- or right-sided cardiac disorders without PE, 50 dogs with bilateral cardiac disorders without PE, and 50 healthy dogs.

Procedures—Measurements of VHS on lateral (lateral VHS) and ventrodorsal (ventrodorsal VHS) radiographs, SI on lateral (lateral SI) and ventrodorsal (ventrodorsal SI) radiographs, and global SI (mean of lateral SI and ventrodorsal SI) were obtained. Receiver operating characteristic curves were calculated to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the radiographic indexes at differentiating dogs with PE from those with other cardiac disorders without PE.

Results—Measurements of lateral and ventrodorsal VHS were significantly higher in dogs with PE, compared with values for all dogs without PE. Measurements of lateral, ventrodorsal, and global SI were significantly lower in dogs with PE, compared with values for all dogs without PE. Cutoff values of > 11.9, > 12.3, and ≤ 1.17 for lateral VHS, ventrodorsal VHS, and global SI, respectively, were the most accurate radiographic indexes for identifying dogs with PE.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Cardiac silhouettes of dogs with PE were larger and more rounded, compared with those of dogs with other cardiac disorders without PE. Objective radiographic indexes of cardiac size and roundness were only moderately accurate at distinguishing dogs with PE from dogs with other cardiac disorders without PE.

Full access
in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association

Abstract

Objective—To evaluate radiographic distribution of pulmonary edema (PE) in dogs with mitral regurgitation (MR) and investigate the association between location of radiographic findings and direction of the mitral regurgitant jet (MRJ).

Design—Retrospective case series.

Animals—61 dogs with cardiogenic PE and MR resulting from mitral valve disease (MVD; 51 dogs), dilated cardiomyopathy (9), and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (1).

Procedures—Thoracic radiographs of dogs with Doppler echocardiographic evidence of MR were reviewed for location (diffuse, perihilar, or focal) of PE. Also, direction (central or eccentric) of the MRJ, as evaluated by Doppler color flow mapping (DCFM), and distribution (symmetric or asymmetric) of radiographic findings were evaluated.

Results—Diffuse, perihilar, and focal increases in pulmonary opacity were observed in 11 (18.0%), 7 (11.5%), and 43 (70.5%) of 61 dogs, respectively. Radiographic evidence of asymmetric PE in a single lung lobe or 2 ipsilateral lobes was found in 21 dogs, with involvement of only the right caudal lung lobe in 17 dogs. Doppler color flow mapping of the MRJ was available for 46 dogs. Of 31 dogs with a central MRJ, 28 had radiographic findings indicative of symmetric PE. Of 15 dogs with eccentric MRJ, 11 had radiographic evidence of asymmetric PE, and all of these dogs had MVD.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—In dogs with cardiogenic PE, a symmetric radiographic distribution of increased pulmonary opacity was predominantly associated with a central MRJ, whereas an asymmetric radiographic distribution was usually associated with eccentric MRJ, especially in dogs with MVD.

Full access
in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association