Echocardiographic indicators of fluid responsiveness in hospitalized dogs with compromised hemodynamics and tissue hypoperfusion.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy of selected echocardiographic variables used to predict fluid responsiveness in hospitalized dogs with compromised hemodynamics and tissue hypoperfusion. DESIGN: Diagnostic test study in a prospective cohort of hospitalized dogs. SETTING: Veterinary referral clinics. ANIMALS: Forty-four hospitalized dogs with compromised hemodynamics and tissue hypoperfusion were utilized in this study. INTERVENTIONS: Echocardiographic examination before and after fluid replacement with 30 ml/kg of lactated Ringer's solution. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Pre-fluid replacement measurements of velocity of transmitral E wave (E-peak), the left ventricular end-diastolic internal diameter normalized to body weight (LVIDdN), and the left ventricular end-systolic internal diameter normalized to body weight (LVIDsN) were significantly lower in fluid-responsive patients compared with nonresponders (P < 0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) with its 95% confidence interval (CI) for each significant predictor was as follows: E-peak 0.907 (0.776-1.000, P < 0.001) and LVIDdN 0.919 (0.801-1.000, P < 0.001). The predictive capacity of LVIDsN was not significantly better than chance (AUROC, 0.753; 95% CI, 0.472-1.000, P = 0.078). A significant negative linear correlation was observed between the percentage of increase in velocity-time integral after expansion and the echocardiographic variables LVIDdN (rs  = -0.452, P = 0.023) and E-peak (rs  = -0.396, P = 0.008) pre-fluid replacement. The intraobserver and interobserver variability was very low (<5 %) for all measurements. CONCLUSIONS: In this study using critically ill dogs with compromised hemodynamics and tissue hypoperfusion, pre-fluid replacement measurements of LVIDdN and E-peak adequately predict fluid responsiveness. Because a small number of fluid nonresponders were involved in the present study (11.4%), further studies that include larger numbers of fluid-nonresponsive animals are required.

Efficacy of tramadol for postoperative pain management in dogs: systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the evidence of analgesic efficacy of tramadol for the management of postoperative pain and the presence of associated adverse events in dogs. DATABASES USED: A comprehensive search using PubMed/MEDLINE, LILACS, Google Scholar and CAB databases with no restrictions on language and following a prespecified protocol was performed from June 2019 to July 2020. Included were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) performed in dogs that had undergone general anesthesia for any type of surgery. Two authors independently classified the studies, extracted data and assessed their risk of bias using Cochrane's tool. RevMan and GRADE methods were used to rate the certainty of evidence (CoE). CONCLUSIONS: Overall 26 RCTs involving 848 dogs were included. Tramadol administration probably results in a lower need for rescue analgesia versus no treatment or placebo [moderate CoE; relative risk (RR): 0.47; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.26-0.85; I2 = 0%], and may result in a lower need for rescue analgesia versus buprenorphine (low CoE; RR: 0.50; 95% CI: 0.20-1.24), codeine (low CoE; RR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.16-3.41) and nalbuphine (low CoE; RR: 0.05; 95% CI: 0.00-0.72). However, tramadol administration may result in an increased requirement for rescue analgesia versus methadone (low CoE; RR: 3.45; 95% CI: 0.66-18.08; I2 = 43%) and COX inhibitors (low CoE; RR: 2.27; 95% CI: 0.68-7.60; I2 = 45%). Compared with multimodal therapy, tramadol administration may make minimal to no difference in the requirement for rescue analgesia (low CoE; RR: 1.12; 95% CI: 0.48-2.60; I2 = 0%). Adverse events were inconsistently reported and the CoE was very low. The overall CoE of the analgesic efficacy of tramadol for postoperative pain management in dogs was low or very low, and the main reasons for downgrading the evidence were risk of bias and imprecision.

Successful resolution of urothorax secondary to non-traumatic uroabdomen in a cat managed with peritoneal dialysis as a bridge to surgery.

CASE SUMMARY: A 9-year-old neutered male domestic shorthair cat was presented for evaluation of severe hemodynamic collapse and suspected lower urinary tract disease. On admission, severe metabolic acidosis, hyperkalemia and azotemia, and electrocardiographic findings consistent with cardiotoxicity were identified. The diagnosis of uroabdomen was made based on abdominal fluid to plasma concentration ratios of creatinine and potassium. A central line catheter was placed percutaneously into the abdomen for peritoneal drainage and used for peritoneal dialysis as a bridge to surgery. Retrograde contrast cystography confirmed rupture of the urinary bladder. Point-of-care ultrasound of the chest postoperatively revealed the presence of mild pleural effusion. Echocardiography was then performed showing no evidence of cardiac disease. Pleural fluid analysis revealed a transudate with a creatinine ratio of 2.38 ([Creatinine]pleural fluid/[Creatinine]plasma), consistent with the diagnosis of urothorax. The cat recovered uneventfully from surgery and was monitored for signs of respiratory distress during the rest of its stay in hospital. The cat was discharged 4 days later and the pleural effusion resolved without further medical intervention. RELEVANCE AND NOVEL INFORMATION: There is limited information on the causes of urothorax and uroabdomen management of feline patients. Pleural effusion is a complication observed in critically ill cats secondary to fluid overload, underlying cardiomyopathy, primary thoracic pathology or a combination of these. To our knowledge, this is the first report of urothorax in a cat secondary to non-traumatic uroabdomen. Careful monitoring of respiratory signs consistent with pleural space disease is recommended in cases of uroabdomen.