Search Results

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To evaluate circadian and postprandial variations in plasma citrulline concentration in healthy dogs.

ANIMALS 8 healthy Beagles.

PROCEDURES Blood samples were collected from dogs after 12 hours of food withholding (0 hours; 8:00 am) and then every 2 hours for 12 hours (until 8:00 pm) and again at 24 hours (8:00 am the next day). The same protocol was repeated, with the only difference being that a meal was given immediately after the 0-hour sample collection point. Plasma citrulline concentration was measured by ion exchange chromatography.

RESULTS No significant difference in plasma citrulline concentration was identified among measurement points when food was withheld. Mean ± SD plasma citrulline concentration at 4 hours (72.2 ± 12.7 μmol/L) and 24 hours (56.1 ± 12.5 μmol/L) after dogs were fed was significantly different from that at 0 hours (64.4 ± 12.7 μmol/L).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Plasma citrulline concentration had no circadian variation in unfed dogs but increased significantly in fed dogs 4 hours after a meal. Therefore, food should be withheld from dogs for 8 to 12 hours before blood sample collection for measurement of citrulline concentration.

Abstract

Objective—To compare penetration of IV administered marbofloxacin in intraocular fluids of healthy and inflamed eyes in rabbits with endotoxin-induced endophthalmitis.

Animals—35 pigmented rabbits.

Procedures—Endophthalmitis was induced in the right eye via intravitreal administration of Escherichia coli endotoxin. The left eye was a control eye. After 24 hours, a single dose of marbofloxacin (4 mg/kg, IV) was administered. Groups of rabbits (n = 5/group) were euthanized 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 10, and 18 hours later, and blood and ocular fluids were collected. Marbofloxacin concentrations were determined via reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, and pharmacokinetic analysis of the data was performed with a mono-compartmental model.

Results—Mean area under the aqueous concentration-time curve was significantly lower in control eyes (1.64 ± 0.07 μg•h/mL) than in inflamed eyes (3.31 ± 0.11 μg•h/mL). Similarly, drug penetration into aqueous humor was 33% and 65% for control eyes and inflamed eyes, respectively. Mean area under the vitreous humor concentration-time curve for control eyes(1.75 ± 0.05 μg•h/mL) was significantly less than for inflamed eyes (2.39 ± 0.16 μg•h/mL). In the vitreous humor, corresponding penetrations were 34% and 47%, respectively.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Penetration of marbofloxacin into the aqueous and vitreous humor after IV administration was significantly enhanced by intraocular inflammation, suggesting a role for this antimicrobial in the prophylaxis or treatment of bacterial endophthalmitis caused by susceptible pathogens.

Abstract

Objective—To evaluate, by use of population pharmacokinetics, the disposition of marbofloxacin in the aqueous humor after IV administration in dogs and identify its potential usefulness in the prophylaxis and treatment of intraocular infection.

Animals—63 dogs.

Methods—Dogs received a single dose of marbofloxacin (2 mg · kg^–1, IV) at various time intervals before cataract surgery. Aqueous humor and blood samples were collected at the beginning of surgery. Marbofloxacin concentrations were measured by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Data were analyzed with a nonlinear mixed-effect model and, by use of population pharmacokinetic parameters, the time course of aqueous humor concentration was simulated for single doses of 3, 4, and 5.5 mg · kg^–1IV. Pharmacodynamic surrogate markers and measured aqueous humor concentrations were used to predict in vivo antimicrobial activity.

Results—A maximum marbofloxacin concentration of 0.41 ± 0.17 µg·mL^–1 was reached in the aqueous humor 3.5 hours after IV administration. In the postdistributive phase, marbofloxacin disappeared from aqueous humor with a half-life of 780 minutes. The percentage penetration into the aqueous humor was 38%. Predictors of antimicrobial effects of marbofloxacin (2 mg · kg^–1, IV) indicated that growth of the enterobacteriaceae and certain staphylococcal species would be inhibited in the aqueous humor. Marbofloxacin administered IV at a dose of 5.5 mg · kg^–1 would be predicted to inhibit growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and all strains of staphylococci but would not eradicate streptococcal infections.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Marbofloxacin administered IV can penetrate the aqueous humor of canine eyes and may be suitable for prophylaxis or treatment of certain anterior chamber infections. (Am J Vet Res 2003;64:889–893)

Abstract

Objective—To measure the radial and longitudinal velocities of several myocardial segments of the left ventricular wall by use of tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) in healthy cats and determine the repeatability and reproducibility of the technique.

Animals—6 healthy cats.

Procedure—72 TDI examinations were performed on 4 days by the same trained observer. Radial parameters included left endocardial and epicardial myocardial velocities. Longitudinal parameters included left basal, middle, and apical myocardial velocities.

Results—All velocity profiles had 1 positive systolic wave (S) and 2 negative diastolic waves (E and A). Myocardial velocities were higher in the endocardial than epicardial segments during the entire cardiac cycle (systolic wave S, 4.4 ± 0.82 and 1.9 ± 0.55; diastolic wave E, 9.7 ± 1.70 and 2.2 ± 0.74; and diastolic wave A, 5.1 ± 1.56 and 1.4 ± 0.76, respectively). Velocities were also higher in the basal than in the apical segments (systolic wave S, 4.7 ± 0.76 and 0.2 ± 0.11; diastolic wave E, 9.7 ± 1.36 and 0.5 ± 0.17; and diastolic wave A, 3.7 ± 1.51 and 0.2 ± 0.13, respectively). The lowest within-day and between-day coefficients of variation were observed in endocardial segments (8.2% and 6.5% for systolic wave S and diastolic wave E, respectively) and in the basal segment in protodiastole (5.5%).

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Repeatability and reproducibility of TDI were adequate for measurement of longitudinal and radial left ventricular motion in healthy awake cats. Validation of TDI is a prerequisite before this new technique can be recommended for clinical use. ( Am J Vet Res 2004; 65:566–572)

Abstract

Objective—To determine left ventricular free wall (LVFW) motions and assess their intra- and interday variability via tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) in healthy awake and anesthetized dogs.

Animals—6 healthy adult Beagles.

Procedure—In the first part of the study, 72 TDI examinations (36 radial and 36 longitudinal) were performed by the same observer on 4 days during a 2-week period in all dogs. In the second part, 3 dogs were anesthetized with isoflurane and vecuronium. Two measurements of each TDI parameter were made on 2 consecutive cardiac cycles when ventilation was transiently stopped. The TDI parameters included maximal systolic, early, and late diastolic LVFW velocities.

Results—The LVFW velocities were significantly higher in the endocardial than in the epicardial layers and also significantly higher in the basal than in the midsegments in systole, late diastole, and early diastole. The intraday coefficients of variation (CVs) for systole were 16.4% and 22%, and the interday CV values were 11.2% and 16.4% in the endocardial and epicardial layers, respectively. Isoflurane anesthesia significantly improved the intraday CV but induced a decrease in LVFW velocities, except late diastolic in endocardial layers and early diastolic in epicardial layers.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Left ventricular motion can be adequately quantified in dogs and can provide new noninvasive indices of myocardial function. General anesthesia improved repeatability of the procedure but cannot be recommended because it induces a decrease in myocardial velocities. (Am J Vet Res 2004;65:909–915)

Abstract

Objectives—To investigate and validate noninvasive methods for the quantitative evaluation of postinjection muscle damage.

Animals—5 adult sheep.

Procedures—Muscle lesions were induced twice in the lumbar region of the longissimus dorsi muscles (2 sides) by IM administration of a 20% formulation of long-acting oxytetracycline (20 mg/kg of body weight). Clinical signs and local cutaneous temperature above the injection site were recorded. Muscle lesions were quantitatively evaluated by ultrasonography and by use of pharmacokinetic analysis of plasma creatine kinase activity, and both were compared with a comprehensive planimetric computer-assisted analysis of the injection sites after euthanasia.

Results—Transient cutaneous hypothermia (temperature change, –3.9 ± 0.62 C) and subsequent persistent hyperthermia (3.1 ± 1.35 C) were observed after the administrations. Despite coefficient of variation < 10% for precision of ultrasonographic measurement of normal muscle, measurements of the lesions, with coefficient of variation > 60% for precision, were systematically underestimated. Quantitative evaluation of muscle damage by use of pharmacokinetic analysis of creatine kinase (12.1 ± 4.96 g) was in agreement with results of macroscopic planimetric evaluation (10.8 ± 3.64 g).

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Ultrasonography cannot be used for quantitative assessment of postinjection muscle damage. Pharmacokinetic analysis of creatine kinase provides an accurate quantitative evaluation of macroscopic muscle damage after IM administration of drugs. (Am J Vet Res 2001;62:1698–1705)

Abstract

Objective—To evaluate the effects of positioning and number of repeated measurements on intra- and interobserver variability of echocardiographic measurements in dogs.

Design—Prospective study.

Animals—4 healthy dogs.

Procedure—Each observer performed 24 examinations, separately assessing each dog 6 nonconsecutive times (3 times with the dog in lateral recumbency and 3 with the dog in a standing position). Variables evaluated included M-mode measurements of left ventricular end-diastolic and left ventricular endsystolic diameters, left ventricular free-wall thickness in diastole and systole, interventricular septal thickness in diastole and systole, left ventricular shortening fraction, and 2-dimensional measurements of the left atrial diameter-to-aortic diameter ratio.

Results—All coefficients of variation (range, 3.4% to 26.6%) were similar between operators and positions and were < 15% for 27 of 32 values. For both operators, repeatability of the measurements was better for left ventricular end-systolic diameter, left ventricular free-wall thickness in diastole, left ventricular freewall thickness in systole, and the left atrial diameterto- aortic diameter in the standing position, and similar for both positions for shortening fraction and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter. No effect of cardiac cycle was observed.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Within-day variability of conventional echocardiography performed with the dog in the standing position was at least as good as that obtained with the dog in lateral recumbency for most measured variables. Single measurements of each variable may be sufficient for trained observers examining dogs that do not have an arrhythmia. The standing position should be used, particularly for stressed or dyspneic dogs. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2005;227:743–747)

Abstract

Objective—To determine left ventricular free wall (LVFW) radial and longitudinal myocardial contraction velocities in healthy dogs via quantitative 2-dimensional color tissue Doppler imaging (TDI).

Animals—100 dogs.

Procedure—TDI was used by a single trained observer to measure radial and longitudinal myocardial movement in the LVFW. Radial myocardial velocities were recorded in segments in the endocardial and epicardial layers of the LVFW, and longitudinal velocities were recorded in segments at 3 levels (basal, middle, apical) of the LVFW.

Results—LVFW velocities were higher in the endocardial layers than in the epicardial layers. Left ventricular free wall velocities were higher in the basal segments than in the middle and apical segments. Radial myocardial velocity gradients, defined as the difference between endocardial and epicardial velocities, were (mean ± SD) 2.5 ± 0.8 cm/s, 3.8 ± 1.5 cm/s, and 2.3 ± 0.9 cm/s in systole, early diastole, and late diastole, respectively. Longitudinal myocardial velocity gradients, defined as the difference between basal and apical velocities, were 5.9 ± 2.2 cm/s, 6.9 ± 2.5 cm/s, and 4.9 ± 1.7 cm/s in systole, early diastole, and late diastole, respectively. A breed effect was detected for several systolic and diastolic TDI variables. In all segments, systolic velocities were independent of fractional shortening.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—LVFW myocardial velocities decreased from the endocardium to the epicardium and from base to apex, thus revealing intramyocardial radial and longitudinal velocity gradients. These indices could enhance conventional echocardiographic analysis of left ventricular function in dogs. Breed-specific reference intervals should be defined. (Am J Vet Res 2005;66:953–961)

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To investigate effects of storage conditions on the canine urine protein-to-creatinine ratio (UPC) and on SDS–agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE) of urinary proteins.

SAMPLE Urine specimens from 20 proteinuric (UPC > 0.5) and 20 nonproteinuric (UPC ≤ 0.2) dogs.

PROCEDURES UPC and SDS-AGE were performed on urine specimens stored at room temperature (20°C) and 4°C for up to 5 days and at −20° and −80°C for up to 360 days; some specimens were subjected to 3 freeze-thaw cycles. Results were compared with those obtained for fresh urine specimens.

RESULTS UPC was not affected by storage at room temperature or by freezing. A decrease in UPC was observed for specimens from nonproteinuric dogs after 5 days at 4°C (10%) and from both groups after 90 days at −20° and −80°C (≤ 20% and ≤ 15%, respectively). The SDS-AGE profiles revealed no visual changes regardless of duration of storage for specimens stored at room temperature, 4°C, and −80°C, except for 1 profile after 360 days at −80°C. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles did not affect SDS-AGE profiles. Appearance or strengthening of high-molecular-weight bands that could alter interpretation was evident in SDS-AGE profiles after storage at −20°C for ≥ 15 days (31/40 dogs).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Storage of urine at −20° or −80°C for up to 1 year influenced the UPC without affecting clinical interpretation. Storage of urine specimens at −20°C impaired visual analysis of SDS-AGE. When SDS-AGE cannot be performed on fresh or recently refrigerated urine specimens, storage at −80°C is recommended.

Abstract

Objective—To determine the intra- and interobserver variability of systolic arterial pressure (SAP) and diastolic arterial pressure (DAP) measurements obtained with 2 indirect methods in awake dogs and percentage of successful measurements.

Animals—6 healthy conscious adult dogs.

Procedures—4 observers with different levels of training measured SAP and DAP on 4 days by use of Doppler ultrasonography (DU) and high-definition oscillometry (HDO). The examinations were randomized. Measurements for each technique were recorded 5 consecutive times, and mean values (total, 720 measurements) were used for statistical analysis.

Results—All within- and between-day coefficients of variation (CVs) for SAP were < 15% irrespective of the observer or method (HDO, 3.6% to 14.1%; DU, 4.1% to 12.4%). Conversely, half the CVs for DAP were > 15% with the highest within- and between-day CVs obtained by the least experienced observer by use of DU (19.5% and 25.9%, respectively). All attempts with HDO were successful, whereas DAP could not be measured by use of DU by the least experienced observer in 17% of attempts.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—SAP may be assessed in healthy dogs by use of DU and HDO with good repeatability and reproducibility after a short period of training. Conversely, the variability of DAP is higher and longer training is required to assess DAP via DU than via HDO.