Renal biomarkers, clinical parameters, and renal Doppler velocimetry in bitches with cystic endometrial hyperplasia-pyometra complex.

Cystic endometrial hyperplasia (CEH)-pyometra complex is the most common uterine infection in adult and elderly bitches and can cause renal dysfunction. The aim of this study was to measure and compare urinary creatinine, urea, symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA), urinary protein-creatinine ratio (UPC), measurement of systolic blood pressure (SBP), and Doppler velocimetry of renal arteries in patients with CEH-pyometra complex before and after an average of 6 months of treatment, evaluating the possibility of the changes persisting. The evaluation was conducted at two moments: M1 (at the diagnosis of CEH-pyometra, n = 36) and M2 (after an average of six months of treatment, n = 16). For the control group, eight bitches with no changes in blood tests or history of conditions underwent Doppler ultrasound evaluation of the renal arteries. At both M1 and M2, we measured creatinine, urea, and serum SDMA, UPC, SBP, and Doppler ultrasound of the renal arteries. Patients were evaluated according to the following groups: azotemic (AZO) and non-azotemic (NAZO), and open and closed cervix pyometra. The parameters were compared between animals present in both moments presented as M1R (bitches that were in M1 and M2) and M2. Statistical significance was considered when p < .05. The medians found for creatinine in M1 were as follows: 1.15 mg/dL, being 1.8 mg/dL for AZO (12/36) and 0.95 mg/dL for NAZO (24/36); and in M2: 0.85 mg/dL (16/16), being 1.15 mg/dL for AZO (4/16) and 0.8 mg/dL for NAZO (12/36). For urea, in M1 it was 36 mg/dL (32/36), with AZO being 103 mg/dL (11/32) and 33 mg/dL in NAZO (21/32); and in M2 32 mg/dL (16/ 16), being 29 mg/dL for AZO (4/36), and 31 mg/dL for NAZO (3/15). The median SDMA measured in M1R was 17 µg/dL (15/16), with AZO being 31 µg/dL (3/15), and NAZO being 16.5 µg/dL (12/15); and in M2, SDMA was 12 µg/dL (16/16), with AZO being 12.5 µg/dL (4/16), and NAZO being 12 µg/dL (12/16). The median UPC measured in M1 was 1.15 (10/36), with AZO being 0.25 (1/10), and NAZO being 1.38 (9/10); and in M2, it was 0.2 (13/16), being 0.1 in AZO (4/13), and 0.2 (9/16) in NAZO. For SBP, in M1, it was 118 mmHg (30/36), with AZO being 102 mmHg (10/30) and 133 mmHg in NAZO (20/30); and in M2 142.5 mmHg (12/16), being 155 mmHg for AZO (4/12), and 140 mg/dL for NAZO (8/12). When comparing animals with open and closed cervixes, a difference was found between SDMA measurements (p = .001). There was a distinction between PI and RI of the left and right kidneys consecutively (p = .007; p = .033; p = .019; p = .041). Correlations found in M1: SDMA × PI RIM DIR (r = 0.873; p = .002), SDMA × PSV RIM ESQ (r = 0.840; p = .004), SDMA × EDV RIM ESQ (r = 0.675; p = .046). With this study, we conclude a return to normality of renal biomarkers and clinical parameters after six months. Yet, there is a persistence of Doppler velocimetric measurements between the two moments. Thus, this parameter is not suitable for identifying and classifying chronic kidney injury in bitches with pyometra.

Emergency cesarean section in dogs: Usefulness of amniotic fluid biochemical parameters and placental morphology as indicators of neonatal viability.

In recent years, special attention has been paid to the analysis of fetal fluids and placental histopathology to identify parameters that can be used as indicators of maternal reproductive quality, embryonic viability, and fetal and neonatal health. Newborn health reflects the functioning of the fetal adnexa and its relationship with maternal tissues. Therefore, evaluating these components is promising for the early detection of newborns at risk. This study aimed to detect the biochemical characteristics of the amniotic fluid (AF) and histopathological characteristics of the placenta for comparison between canine neonates born by elective (EL) and emergency (EM) cesarean sections (CSs) and associate the results with neonatal viability in the first 24 h. A total of 38 neonates born by ELCS (n = 19) and EMCS (n = 19) were selected. AF was collected to analyze the concentration of its biochemical components [alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatinine, urea, total protein, albumin, total and direct bilirubin, lactate, glucose, potassium, chloride, calcium, and sodium]. Histopathological processing of the placenta was used to describe the lesions and identify the arrangement of collagen fibers using hematoxylin-eosin and picrosirius staining. There was an increase in ALP activity (P = 0.035) and the concentrations of lactate (P < 0.001) and potassium (P = 0.031), and a decrease in chlorides (P < 0.001) in the AF of neonates in the EMCS group. The comparisons between the groups did not show differences between the presence and extent of lesions in the placenta; however, a difference was observed in the arrangement of collagen fibers in the placental structure. A comparison between AF and histopathological findings showed a negative correlation (r = -0.609, P = 0.003) between glucose concentration and the presence of necrosis in the placental labyrinth. It was observed that the composition of the AF changed owing to the influence of the type of cesarean, possibly caused by prolonged hypoxia in cases of dystocia. ALP activity and lactate, potassium, and chloride concentrations in the AF might be explored as markers of neonatal health in EMCS. Under the conditions of this study, no correlations were found between the placenta's histopathological characteristics and the neonates' viability.

Comparison of two pharmacological semen collection times with α2-adrenergic agonist in domestic cats.

The use of α2-adrenergic agonists in association with urethral catheterization has been used as a technique for pharmacological semen collection in cats. The mechanism of action of this drug is the stimulation of adrenoreceptors in the vas deferens, which results in ejaculation. While medetomidine is the α2-agonist most commonly used in studies, ejaculation with the use of dexmedetomidine associated with ketamine has been effective, but with variable results. Therefore, further studies regarding the methodology of use are required to obtain better seminal quality. This study aimed to compare two pharmacological semen collection times after the association of dexmedetomidine (30 µg/kg, IM; Dormitor®, Zoetis), ketamine (5 mg/kg, IM; ketamine, Vetnil) and urethral catheterization using a tomcat probe (0.8 mm × 1.00 mm × 11 cm). The collections were divided into two experimental groups: G10 (N = 8; urethral catheterization after 10 min of anaesthesia) and G15 (N = 8; urethral catheterization after 15 min of anaesthesia). The ejaculates were evaluated for ejaculate volume, sperm concentration, morphology and kinetics using the CASA system. To compare the groups, the t-test and the Mann-Whitney U-test were used with a significance level of 5%. It was identified that ejaculate volume (G10: 22.62 ± 2.13 vs. G15: 26.81 ± 1.55; p < .001) and sperm concentration (G10: 48.10 × 106 ± 17.84 vs. G15: 90.18 × 106 ± 19.35; p < .001) was higher in G15 than in G10 and had a lower percentage of minor defects than G10 (G10: 3.12 ± 2.41 vs. G15: 1.00 ± 1.19; p = .043). Regarding the kinetic parameters, the results of G15 were better for total motility-TM (G10: 67.00 ± 10.33 vs. G15: 81.87 ± 7.99; p = .006) and faster cells-RAPID: (G10: 55.00 ± 16.63 vs. G15: 74.25 ± 11.94; p = .019); whereas a higher proportion of cells with slow speed-SLOW were seen in G10 (G10: 31.00 ± 12.07 vs. 17.12 ± 7.53; p = .015). Based on these findings, we suggest that collection via urethral catheterization should be performed 15 min after the application of ketamine-associated dexmedetomidine to obtain a better-quality ejaculate.