DIAGNOSIS AND SURGICAL TREATMENT OF A COMPLEX ANGULAR HIND LIMB DEFORMITY IN A SERVAL (FELIS SERVAL).

A 2-yr-old neutered male pet serval (Felis serval) was presented for progressive hind limb lameness that started at 6 mo of age. Previous therapy included only nutritional supplementation. Direct and video gait analysis confirmed bilateral hind limb lameness, more severe on the right. Physical examination and radiography revealed a multifocal complex bilateral angular deformity with a significant rotational component. A right tibial corrective osteotomy was followed by internal rotation and stabilization with a 2.7-mm eight-hole locking compression plate and locking screws. Other deformities were not corrected. Clinical improvement was noted immediately and has been maintained over the 16-mo follow-up.

Effect of a diet enriched with green-lipped mussel on pain behavior and functioning in dogs with clinical osteoarthritis.

This study aimed to establish the effect of a diet enriched with green-lipped mussel (GLM) on pain and functional outcomes in osteoarthritic dogs. Twenty-three client-owned dogs with osteoarthritis (OA) were fed a balanced control diet for 30 d and then a GLM-enriched balanced diet for the next 60 d. We assessed peak vertical force (PVF), which is considered to be the gold standard method, at Day (D)0 (start), D30 (end of control diet), and D90 (end of GLM-enriched diet). The owners completed a client-specific outcome measure (CSOM), which is a pain questionnaire, once a week. Motor activity (MA) was continuously recorded in 7 dogs for 12 wk. Concentrations of plasma omega-3 fatty acids were quantified as indicative of diet change. Statistical analyses were linear-mixed models and multinomial logistic regression for repeated measures. The GLM diet (from D30 to D90) resulted in an increase in concentrations of plasma omega-3 fatty acids (P < 0.016) and improvement of PVF (P = 0.003). From D0 to D30, PVF did not significantly change (P = 0.06), which suggests that the GLM diet had a beneficial effect on gait function. Moreover, PVF (P = 0.0004), CSOM (P = 0.006), and MA (P = 0.02) improved significantly from D0 to D90. In general, the balanced control diet could have contributed to reduced OA symptoms, an effect that was subsequently amplified by the GLM diet.

L'objectif de cette étude était d'établir l'effet d'une diète équilibrée enrichie en moule verte (GLM) avec des évaluations fonctionnelles et de douleur sur des chiens arthrosiques. Vingt-trois chiens arthrosiques de propriétaires (région de Montréal, QC) ont été nourris d'abord avec une diète équilibrée contrôle pendant 30 j., puis avec la diète enrichie en GLM pour les 60 j. suivants. Les évaluations incluaient le pic de force verticale (PFV), considéré comme la méthode étalon, au Jour (J)0 (inclusion), J30 (fin de la diète contrôle) et J90 (fin de la diète GLM). Les propriétaires ont complété de manière hebdomadaire une échelle de mesure spécifique à chaque client (CSOM), qui est un questionnaire de quantification de la douleur. L'activité motrice (AM) a été enregistrée en continu sur 7 chiens pour toute la durée de l'étude (12 sem.). Les concentrations plasmatiques d'acides gras oméga-3 ont été quantifiées en tant que marqueurs de changement de diètes. Les analyses statistiques furent des modèles linéaires-mixtes et une régression logistique multinomiale pour mesures répétées. La diète GLM (de J30 à J90) augmenta les concentrations plasmatiques d'acides gras oméga-3 (P < 0,016) ainsi que le PFV (P = 0,003). De J0 à J30, les changements de PFV furent non-significatifs (P = 0,06), ce qui suggère que la diète GLM a eu un effet thérapeutique sur la fonction biomécanique. De plus, PFV (P = 0,0004), CSOM (P = 0,006) et AM (P = 0,02) s'améliorèrent significativement de J0 à J90. De manière globale, il est possible que la diète équilibrée contrôle ait contribué à améliorer les signes d'arthrose, un effet qui fut amplifié par la suite avec la diète GLM.(Traduit par Docteur Eric Troncy).

Clinical validity of outcome pain measures in naturally occurring canine osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: The conceptual validity of kinetic gait analysis and disability outcome assessment methods has guided their use in the assessment of pain caused by osteoarthritis (OA). No consensus on the best clinical methods for pain evaluation in canine OA exists, particularly, when evaluating treatments where a smaller treatment effect is anticipated than with pharmacological pain killers. This study thus aimed at determining the technical validity of some clinical endpoints on OA pain in dogs using the green-lipped mussel (GLM)-enriched diet.Twenty-three adult dogs with clinical OA completed the prospective controlled study. All the dogs were fed a balanced diet over a 30-day control period followed by a GLM-enriched diet over a 60-day period. The kinetic gait analysis parameter (PVF(BW), peak vertical force adjusted for body weight change), electrodermal activity (EDA), and a standardized multifactorial pain questionnaire (MFQ) were performed on day (D) 0 (inclusion), D30 (start) and D90 (end). The owners completed a client-specific outcome measures (CSOM) instrument twice a week. Motor activity (MA) was continuously recorded in seven dogs using telemetered accelerometric counts. We hypothesized that these methods would produce convergent results related to diet changes. A Type I error of 0.05 was adjusted to correct for the multiplicity of the primary clinical endpoints. RESULTS: Neither the EDA nor the MFQ were found reliable or could be validated. Changes in the PVFBW (P(adj) = 0.0004), the CSOM (P(adj) = 0.006) and the MA intensity (P(adj) = 0.02) from D0 to D90 suggested an effect of diet(s). Only the PVFBW clearly increased after the GLM-diet (P(adj) = 0.003). The CSOM exhibited a negative relationship with the PVF(BW) (P = 0.02) and MA duration (P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The PVF(BW) exhibited the best technical validity for the characterization of the beneficial effect of a GLM-enriched diet. The CSOM and MA appeared less responsive following a GLM-diet, but these measures appeared complementary to gait analysis. Apparently, the CSOM provides the capacity to rely on pain OA assessment influenced by both lameness quantification (PVF(BW)) and physical functioning (MA).

Influence of changes in body weight on peak vertical force in osteoarthritic dogs: a possible bias in study outcome.

OBJECTIVE: Force platform gait analysis is a recognized clinical evaluation tool that captures and documents the in vivo pathomechanics of osteoarthritis (OA). In a clinical trial designed to evaluate the impact of 2 specific diets, an increase in body weight (BW) was observed in lame client-owned dogs. Covariance analysis was used to evaluate the interference of BW changes toward the evolution of peak vertical force (PVF) values. These secondary findings are reported in this study. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study. ANIMALS: Lame dogs (n=26). METHODS: Dogs with radiographic evidence of OA and low PVF values were fed with 2 specific diets for 30 and 60 days. PVF and BW were recorded at baseline, day 30 (D30), and D90. RESULTS: Mean (+/-SD) PVF values (%BW) did not differ significantly over time (D0: 63.9+/-17.2; D30: 65.5+/-17.4; and D90: 66.5+/-20.1). In contrast, BW (kg) was significantly higher at D90 (41.3+/-7.9) when compared with D30 (39.9+/-8.4) and D0 (40.0+/-8.7). Upon covariance analyses, BW changes interfere significantly with PVF values already normalized in %BW (P=.013). Values of PVF adjusted using BW as a covariate were then 63.4+/-17.1 (D0), 65.0+/-17.3 (D30), and 67.6+/-20.5 (D90), whereas D90 was significantly higher than D0. CONCLUSION: These findings highlighted the interference of changes in BW toward locomotor function of OA dogs when using PVF values normalized in %BW. Exacerbation of lameness when a gain in BW occurred was also sustained, raising a possible bias in clinical study outcomes. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: A BW increase in dogs with OA could exacerbate a preexisting lameness and induce a bias in clinical trials.

Cardiovascular effects of oxytocin infusion in a porcine model of myocardial infarct.

The effects of oxytocin (OT) on cardiovascular endpoints were assessed in a myocardial infarct (MI) model. OT (10 ng.kg(-1).hour(-1)) or saline infusion was initiated at reperfusion (D0) or 8 days (D8) after MI. Our hypothesis was that OT administration to individuals with a low pretreatment OT levels (PTOT) may be beneficial, whereas individuals with an elevated PTOT would be prone to adverse effects. Starting OT on D0 reduced left ventricular fraction shortening evaluated 8 days post MI and had no effect on infarct size. OT initiated on D8 in animals with high PTOT decreased ejection fraction (EF) and increased left ventricular end-systolic diameter at 28 days post MI but had no significant effects on EF and left ventricular end-systolic diameter in low PTOT animals. OT infusion reduced OT receptor protein expression in high PTOT animals but not in low PTOT animals. Among placebo-treated individuals, low PTOT presented a trend toward reduced EF and larger infarct size compared with high PTOT. MI areas of fibrosis presented lower Annexin V expression compared with MI with cardiomyocyte predominance. Pretreatment endogenous OT levels and timing of OT administration post MI seem to impact outcome in this porcine model, and further investigations are warranted to define potential role of OT in cardiac regenerative therapy.

Determination of glomerular filtration rate in anesthetized pigs by use of three-phase whole-kidney computed tomography and Patlak plot analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a whole-kidney computed tomography (CT) technique that would allow 3-point Patlak plot determination of glomular filtration rate (GFR) and assess the correlation of GFR determined via CT (CT-GFR) with GFR determined via renal plasma clearance of inulin (Inu-GFR) in pigs. ANIMALS: 6 healthy anesthetized pigs. PROCEDURES: Each pig underwent 3-phase whole-kidney helical CT (arterial, early, and late parenchymal phases) before and after contrast medium administration. After contrast medium administration, corrected Hounsfield unit values were determined for each kidney and the aorta. A 3-point Patlak plot for each kidney was generated, and plasma clearance per unit volume was multiplied by renal volume to obtain whole-animal CT-GFR. Correlations of mean Inu-GFR for the left and right kidneys (and combined [total] values) with the corresponding CT-GFRs were assessed via linear regression and Bland-Altman analyses. RESULTS: Left kidney, right kidney, and total CT-GFRs were good predictors of the respective Inu-GFR values (r(2) = 92.3%, r(2) = 85.5%, and r(2) = 93.7%, respectively). For the left kidney, no significant bias between Inu-GFR and CT-GFR was detected. Right kidney and total CT-GFRs underestimated the corresponding Inu-GFRs (mean underestimation, -8.4 mL*min(1) and -12.6 mL*min(1), respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Three-phase whole-kidney CT with Patlak plot analysis of GFR may underestimate right kidney and total Inu-GFRs in pigs. The Patlak plot generated may be sensitive to nonlinearity caused by temporal variation in GFR. Nonetheless, the 3-phase CT approach offers some practical advantages for simultaneous evaluation of renal morphology and measurement of GFR.