Maternal and neonatal effects of epidural levobupivacaine combined with fentanyl or sufentanil for elective cesarean-section in brachycephalic breeds.

The aim of this study was to compare the safety and clinical efficacy of epidural levobupivacaine combined with fentanyl or sufentanil for bitches undergoing elective cesarean-section and the impact of these anesthetic protocols on neonatal viability. The anesthetic protocol consisted of intramuscular morphine (0.2 mg/kg), followed by an intravenous bolus of propofol, in a dose sufficient to allowed the puncture of the lumbosacral space. The dogs were randomly allocated to receive 0.5 % levobupivacaine plus fentanyl (2.5 µg/kg; LF: n = 9) or sufentanil (1 µg/kg; LS; n = 11). Maternal cardiorespiratory parameters were monitored at specific time points during surgery. Intraoperative propofol supplementation was based on the presence of head and/or thoracic limb movements. Neonatal reflex responses and the Apgar score (range 0-10 points) were assessed at 5 and 60 minutes after birth. Puppy mortality rate was recorded until 24 hours after birth. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA, Tukey's test, Wilcoxon signed rank test, and Fisher's exact test (P < 0.05). Intraoperatively, maternal cardiorespiratory variables and propofol requirements were similar between groups, with no detection of anesthetic complications. The puppy reflex responses did not differ between groups at any time point. The medians (range) of Apgar scores were lower (P = 0.016) in the LF [5 (1-9)] at 5 minutes in comparison with LS [6 (2-9)], while no intergroup differences were recorded at 60 minutes [LF = 8 (2-10); LS = 9 (6-10]. The total mortality rate was 4.1 %. In the LS group, no puppies died, while in the LF 8 % of the puppies died in the first 24 hours after birth (P = 0.11). Epidural levobupivacaine combined with fentanyl or sufentanil provided minimal maternal and neonatal adverse effects, but neither protocol enabled the performance of a C-section in 100 % of the French and English bulldogs, without propofol supplementation.

Cardiac Effects of Micrurus corallinus and Micrurus dumerilii carinicauda (Elapidae) Venoms and Neutralization by Brazilian Coralsnake Antivenom and Varespladib.

In this work, we examined the action of two South American coralsnake (Micrurus corallinus and Micrurus dumerilii carinicauda) venoms on rat heart function in the absence and presence of treatment with Brazilian coralsnake antivenom (CAV) and varespladib (VPL), a potent phospholipase A2 inhibitor. Anesthetized male Wistar rats were injected with saline (control) or a single dose of venom (1.5 mg/kg, i.m.) and monitored for alterations in echocardiographic parameters, serum CK-MB levels and cardiac histomorphology, the latter using a combination of fractal dimension and histopathological methods. Neither of the venoms caused cardiac functional alterations 2 h after venom injection; however, M. corallinus venom caused tachycardia 2 h after venom injection, with CAV (given i.p. at an antivenom:venom ratio of 1:1.5, v/w), VPL (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) and CAV + VPL preventing this increase. Both venoms increased the cardiac lesional score and serum CK-MB levels compared to saline-treated rats, but only the combination of CAV + VPL prevented these alterations, although VPL alone was able to attenuate the increase in CK-MB caused by M. corallinus venom. Micrurus corallinus venom increased the heart fractal dimension measurement, but none of the treatments prevented this alteration. In conclusion, M. corallinus and M. d. carinicauda venoms caused no major cardiac functional alterations at the dose tested, although M. corallinus venom caused transient tachycardia. Both venoms caused some cardiac morphological damage, as indicated by histomorphological analyses and the increase in circulating CK-MB levels. These alterations were consistently attenuated by a combination of CAV and VPL.

Acute-phase proteins in cats with obstructive feline lower urinary tract disease.

BACKGROUND: Feline obstructive disease of the lower urinary tract (FLUTD) is a common pathologic condition of cats. It can be related to sterile inflammation, which leads to acute impairment of renal function and the accumulation of electrolytes and acid-base imbalance. Acute-phase proteins (APPs) are biomarkers of tissue damage from inflammation that assist in monitoring treatment and prognosis. OBJECTIVE: Monitoring the inflammatory processes of obstructive feline lower urinary tract disease through the determination of plasma fibrinogen concentrations and serum concentrations of the acute-phase proteins, serum amyloid A (SAA), alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), and albumin. METHODOLOGY: Twenty-five male cats were included in this study. They were divided into two experimental groups: a control group (CG) and an obstruction group (OG). There were 8 healthy cats in the CG group and 17 cats with obstructive FLUTD in the OG group. APP measurements were conducted using ELISA kits. Samples were collected for APP analyses, serum biochemical assays, urinalyses, and urine protein: creatinine ratio calculations at diagnosis, before urethral clearance (H0), and 12 (H12), 24 (H24), and 48 (H48) hours after urethral clearance from cats in the OG group. Samples were collected once from cats in the CG group cats. RESULTS: At H0, we found positive correlations of SAA, AGP, and fibrinogen with urea and creatinine, and negative correlations of albumin with hematuria, SAA, and potassium. At H48, we found positive correlations between SAA and AGP, AGP and urea, fibrinogen and urea, fibrinogen and creatinine, fibrinogen and AGP, and fibrinogen and SAA. In addition, a negative correlation of albumin with urea and creatinine was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Serum amyloid A, AGP, fibrinogen, and albumin could be used as biomarkers of inflammatory processes in cats with obstructive FLUTD.

Yamamoto New Scalp Acupuncture for postoperative pain management in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the analgesic efficacy of Yamamoto New Scalp Acupuncture (YNSA) as an adjuvant for postoperative pain management in cats. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, blinded, clinical study. ANIMALS: Twenty cats aged (mean ± standard deviation) 25 ± 9 months and weighing 2.7 ± 0.6 kg undergoing ovariohysterectomy. METHODS: The cats were sedated with intramuscular (IM) ketamine (5 mg kg-1), midazolam (0.5 mg kg-1) and tramadol (2 mg kg-1). The cats were randomly distributed before induction of anesthesia into two groups of 10 cats each: group YNSA, in which bilateral basic D points were stimulated with a dry needle from 20 minutes prior to anesthetic induction to the end of the surgery; group Control, in which no acupuncture was applied. Postoperative analgesia was assessed at 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 18 and 24 hours postextubation using an Interactive Visual Analog Scale and Universidade Estadual Paulista-Botucatu Multidimensional Composite Pain Scale (UNESP-Botucatu MCPS). Rescue analgesia was provided with IM tramadol (2 mg kg-1), and the pain scores were reassessed 30 minutes after rescue intervention. If the analgesia remained insufficient, meloxicam (0.2 mg kg-1 as a single dose) was administered IM. Data were analyzed using Student t-test, Fisher exact test, Mann-Whitney U test and Friedman test (p < 0.05). RESULTS: Significantly lower pain scores were observed in YNSA when compared with Control at 1-4 hours based on the UNESP-Botucatu MCPS scores. Although significant differences were not identified between groups requiring rescue analgesia, additional postoperative analgesia was administered to four of 10 cats in Control and no cats in YNSA. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Perioperative YNSA resulted in decreased pain scores and a reduction in postoperative requirement for rescue analgesia in cats. This method should be considered a viable option as an adjuvant analgesic therapy for cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy.

Intra-Articular Hyaluronic Acid Compared to Traditional Conservative Treatment in Dogs with Osteoarthritis Associated with Hip Dysplasia.

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of the intra-articular (IA) hyaluronic acid injection to traditional conservative treatment (TCT) in dogs with osteoarthritis (OA) induced by hip dysplasia. Sixteen dogs were distributed into two groups: Hyal: IA injection of hyaluronic acid (5-10 mg), and Control: IA injection with saline solution (0.5-1.0 mL) in combination with a TCT using an oral nutraceutical (750-1000 mg every 12 h for 90 days) and carprofen (2.2 mg/kg every 12 h for 15 days). All dogs were assessed by a veterinarian on five occasions and the owner completed an assessment form (HCPI and CPBI) at the same time. The data were analyzed using unpaired t test, ANOVA, and Tukey's test (P < 0.05). Compared with baseline, lower scores were observed in both groups over the 90 days in the veterinarian evaluation, HCPI, and CPBI (P < 0.001). The Hyal group exhibited lower scores from 15 to 90 and 60 to 90 days, in the CBPI and in the veterinarian evaluation, respectively, compared to the Control group. Both treatments reduced the clinical signs associated with hip OA. However, more significant results were achieved with intra-articular hyaluronic acid injection.