Veterinary-focused assessment with sonography for trauma-airway, breathing, circulation, disability and exposure: a prospective observational study in 64 canine trauma patients.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the technique and findings of the 'veterinary focused assessment with sonography for trauma-airway, breathing, circulation, disability and exposure' protocol in dogs suffering from trauma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prospective observational study on a new point-of-care ultrasound protocol on 64 dogs suffering from trauma and comparison of findings with radiology. RESULTS: Comparison of the results of this new ultrasound protocol for trauma patients with radiography findings for pneumothorax, pleural effusion, alveolar-interstitial syndrome and abdominal effusion revealed positive agreement of 89, 83, 100 and 87% and negative agreement of 76, 83, 76 and 92%, respectively. Novel findings of the 'veterinary focused assessment with sonography for trauma-airway, breathing, circulation, disability and exposure' exam, which were not previously reported for dogs undergoing focused assessment with sonography for trauma, included alveolar-interstitial syndrome (suggestive of pulmonary contusions), diaphragmatic hernia, retroperitoneal effusion and tracheal injury. Our new technique may also help identify increased intracranial pressure via changes in optic nerve sheath diameter and haemodynamic instability through the evaluation of the caudal vena cava and cardiac function. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The described ultrasound examination protocol can be rapidly performed on dogs suffering from trauma during resuscitation and it may detect injuries previously undetectable using other veterinary point-of-care ultrasound protocols.

Effect of urethral infusion of atracurium besylate on manual bladder expression in dogs and cats with spinal cord injuries: a randomised trial.

The aim of this randomised trial was to assess the effect of urethral infusion of atracurium besylate in dogs and cats with signs of urinary retention secondary to lesions affecting spinal cord segments T3-L3. Eighteen dogs and six cats with urinary retention were examined and scored before treatment on the degree of difficulty of inducing bladder emptying by manual bladder compression. Animals were subsequently treated in a blinded fashion by the same operator with urethral infusion of 2-4 ml of either a solution of 0.5 mg/ml of atracurium (treatment group) or placebo (control group) and, after five minutes, a second attempt was made to induce bladder emptying by manual compression and a post-treatment score assigned. Pretreatment scores did not differ between the treatment and control groups (5.6±0.8 v 6.2±0.7, respectively; P=0.22); however, post-treatment scores were significantly lower in the treatment group compared with the control group (2.9±0.4 v 5.9±0.3; P<0.05). Urethral infusion of atracurium facilitates manual bladder expression in dogs and cats with urinary retention secondary to spinal cord injuries. No side effects were recognised.

Effect of intraurethral administration of atracurium besylate in male cats with urethral plugs.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of intraurethral administration of atracurium besylate for urinary obstruction resulting from urethral plugs in male cats. METHODS: Forty-five male cats were divided into the treatment group (n=25), in which 4 mL atracurium besylate solution (0·5 mg/mL) was injected into the urethral lumen, and the control group (n=20), treated with saline. All cats were then submitted to retrograde flushing until the removal of the occlusion was obtained. RESULTS: The percentage of cats in which the plug was removed at the first attempt was significantly (P<0·05) higher in the treatment group (64%) than in the control group (15%). Moreover, the mean (±SD) time required for the removal of the urethral obstruction was significantly shorter in the treatment group than in the control group (21·1 ±16·2 seconds versus 235·2 ±132·4 seconds; P<0·001). CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The results of this study indicate that in adult male cats with urethral plugs, urethral administration of atracurium besylate increases the proportion of animals in which the obstruction is removed at the first attempt and reduces the time required to remove the urethral plugs.

Follicular development and plasma concentrations of LH and prolactin in anestrous female dogs treated with the dopamine agonist cabergoline.

The effect of a daily administration of a dopamine agonist (cabergoline, 5 microg/kg) for 4 weeks, starting about 95 days after the end of estrus on follicular development and its relationship with LH and prolactin secretion has been investigated in two groups of anestrous bitches (Beagles and Greyhounds). Pro-estrus was detected in 80% (8/10) of beagles and 50% (3/6) of treated greyhounds. The mean inter-estrus interval of treated animals was 132+/-5.0 and 169+/-7.0 days for beagles and greyhounds, respectively, and in both this differed significantly from the cycle preceding treatment (192+/-9.0 and 198+/-12.0 days) and from that in untreated bitches (194+/-11.0 and 196+/-11.0 days for beagles and greyhounds, respectively (all comparisons at P<0.001). The interval from the beginning of treatment to pro-estrus in responding animals was 13.3+/-1.90 days in beagles and 20.3+/-1.70 days in greyhounds. Cabergoline increased (P<0.001) the length of pro-estrus (10.6+/-0.50 and 11.7+/-0.50 days) in the treated estrus cycle compared to the previous estrus cycle (8.4+/-0.30 and 8.8+/-0.40 days for in beagles and greyhound, respectively). Ovarian enlargement and follicle development was detected by ultrasound in 90% of treated beagles and in 83% of greyhound between the second and third weeks of treatment, but only 80% of beagles and 66% of treated greyhound displayed pro-estrus and estrus. In the treated bitches, mean plasma LH increased (P<0.001) before pro-estrus. There was high variability in mean plasma prolactin levels between animals. These data indicate that the administration of the dopamine agonist cabergoline to anestrous bitches increases mean LH plasma levels and induces follicular development shortly before pro-estrus but this activity is not always followed by pro-estrus and estrus. Finally, prolactin per se does not have a prominent role in the control of folliculogenesis in the bitch.

The effect of administering a dopamine agonist (Cabergoline) on follicular and luteal development during pro-estrus and estrus in the female greyhound.

To study the effect of the dopamine agonist Cabergoline, on ovarian activity in the female dog during pro-estrus and estrus, 6 greyhounds were treated with 5 microg/kg per os of Cabergoline for 20 days beginning on the first day of pro-estrus; 6 animals were left untreated (controls). Ovarian morphology was determined by ultrasound examination once a day during pro-estrus and twice a day during estrus. Follicles were divided into three classes on the basis of their diameter: F1 (<3mm), F2 (3-6mm) and F3 (>6mm). The presence and diameters of post-ovulatory follicles (F-POST) and corpora lutea (CL) were also recorded. Blood samples were taken once a day during pro-estrus and twice a day during estrus. The plasma was assayed for LH, prolactin and progesterone by radioimmunoassay. There were no differences between Cabergoline-treated and control dogs in the duration of pro-estrus or estrus. There was a progressive increase in follicle diameter from the start of pro-estrus when follicles were mainly class F1 to the day of estrus when follicles were mainly class F3. Three days after the start of estrus, the first F-POST follicles were detected. This pattern of development continued and on day 5 the first CLs were detected. By day 9, only CLs were detected. The peak of pre-ovulatory LH was within 3 days of estrus and ovulation was detected in all animals within 3 days of the LH peak. There were no differences in LH concentrations between groups. Plasma prolactin levels varied between animals and were reduced in treated dogs, however, this was not statistically significant (P=0.12). Plasma progesterone levels were below 1.0 ng/ml before the LH surge and thereafter gradually increased. There were no differences in plasma progesterone concentrations between treated and control dogs. In conclusion these results show that the administration of the dopamine agonist Cabergoline during pro-estrus and estrus did not affect the duration of pro-estrus or estrus or the pattern of follicular and luteal development in female dogs.