Search Results
You are looking at 1 - 4 of 4 items for
- Author or Editor: Bonnie K. Lefbom x
- Refine by Access: All Content x
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the effects of in-person collaborative care by primary care veterinarians (pcDVMs) and board-certified veterinary cardiologists (BCVCs) on survival time of dogs after onset of congestive heart failure (CHF) and on associated revenue for the attending pcDVMs.
DESIGN Retrospective cohort study.
ANIMALS 26 small-breed dogs treated for naturally occurring CHF secondary to myxomatous mitral valve disease at a multilocation primary care veterinary hospital between 2008 and 2013.
PROCEDURES Electronic medical records were reviewed to identify dogs with confirmed CHF secondary to myxomatous mitral valve disease and collect information on patient care, survival time, and pcDVM revenue. Data were compared between dogs that received collaborative care from the pcDVM and a BCVC and dogs that received care from the pcDVM alone.
RESULTS Dogs that received collaborative care had a longer median survival time (254 days) than did dogs that received care from the pcDVM alone (146 days). A significant positive correlation was identified between pcDVM revenue and survival time for dogs that received collaborative care (ie, the longer the dog survived, the greater the pcDVM revenue generated from caring for that patient).
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Findings suggested that collaborative care provided to small-breed dogs with CHF by a BCVC and pcDVM could result in survival benefits for affected dogs and increased revenue for pcDVMs, compared with care provided by a pcDVM alone.
Abstract
Objective—To determine reference values for M-mode echocardiographic parameters in nonsedated healthy adult Maine Coon cats and compare those values with data reported for nonsedated healthy adult domestic cats.
Design—Prospective study.
Animals—105 healthy adult Maine Coon cats.
Procedure—Over a 3-year period, M-mode echocardiographic examinations (involving a standard right parasternal transthoracic technique) were performed on Maine Coon cats as part of prebreeding evaluations;values of M-mode parameters in healthy individuals were collected, and mean values were calculated for comparison with those reported for healthy adult domestic cats.
Results—The mean ± SD weight of Maine Coon cats was significantly greater than that of domestic cats. Mean values of left ventricular internal dimension at end diastole and end systole (LVIDd and LVIDs, respectively), interventricular septal thickness at end systole (IVSs), left ventricular posterior wall thickness at end systole (LVPWs), left atrial dimension at end systole (LADs), and aortic root dimension (Ao) in Maine Coon cats differed significantly from values in healthy domestic cats. The greatest differences detected between the 2 groups involved values of LVIDd, LADs, and Ao. Linear regression analysis revealed a weak but significant correlation between weight and each of LVIDd, LVPWs, IVSs, Ao, LADs, and left ventricular posterior wall thickness at end diastole.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Values of several M-mode echocardiographic parameters in Maine Coon cats differ from those reported for domestic cats; these differences should be considered during interpretation of echocardiographic findings to distinguish between cardiac health and disease in this breed. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2005;226:734–737)
Abstract
Objective—To determine whether serum N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) concentration is useful in discriminating between cardiac and noncardiac (ie, primary respiratory tract disease) causes of respiratory signs (ie, coughing, stertor, stridor, excessive panting, increased respiratory effort, tachypnea, or overt respiratory distress) in dogs.
Design—Multicenter cross-sectional study.
Animals—115 dogs with respiratory signs.
Procedures—Dogs with respiratory signs were solicited for study. Physical examination, thoracic radiography, and echocardiography were used to determine whether respiratory signs were the result of cardiac (ie, congestive heart failure) or noncardiac (ie, primary respiratory tract disease) causes. Serum samples for NT-proBNP assay were obtained at time of admission for each dog. Receiver-operating characteristic curves were constructed to determine the ability of serum NT-proBNP concentration to discriminate between cardiac and noncardiac causes of respiratory signs.
Results—Serum NT-proBNP concentration was significantly higher in dogs with cardiac versus noncardiac causes of respiratory signs. In dogs with primary respiratory tract disease, serum NT-proBNP concentration was significantly higher in those with concurrent pulmonary hypertension than in those without. A serum NT-proBNP cutoff concentration > 1,158 pmol/L discriminated between dogs with congestive heart failure and dogs with primary respiratory tract disease with a sensitivity of 85.5% and a specificity of 81.3%.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Measuring serum NT-proBNP concentration in dogs with respiratory signs helps to differentiate between congestive heart failure and primary respiratory tract disease as an underlying cause.
