Pharmacokinetic Evaluation of a Novel Transdermal Ketoprofen Formulation in Healthy Dogs.

Dogs undergo various surgical procedures such as castration, ovariohysterectomy, and other orthopedic procedures, which are known to cause inflammation and pain. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are very effective analgesics for alleviating postoperative pain in veterinary medicine. Ketoprofen is currently approved in Australia and the United States for treating different painful conditions in dogs. This study evaluated the pharmacokinetic parameters of ketoprofen after intravenous (IV) and transdermal (TD) administration in healthy dogs. A novel transdermal ketoprofen (TDK) formulation containing 20% ketoprofen, dissolved in a combination of 45:45% isopropanol and Transcutol, along with 10% eucalyptus oil, was developed and evaluated for in vitro dermal permeation using Franz diffusion cells. A crossover study was then conducted to determine the pharmacokinetic parameters of the formulation in six dogs following IV ketoprofen (1 mg/kg) and TDK (10 mg/kg) administration. A liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-M/MS) method was used to measure plasma concentrations of ketoprofen over time, and a non-compartmental analysis determined the pharmacokinetic parameters. The mean terminal elimination half-life (T½ h), AUC0-t (µg·h/mL), and mean residence time (MRT, h) between IV and TDK groups were 4.69 ± 1.33 and 25.77 ± 22.15 h, 15.75 ± 7.72 and 8.13 ± 4.28 µg·h/mL, and 4.86 ± 1.81 and 41.63 ± 32.33 h, respectively. The calculated bioavailability (F%) was ~7%, with a lag time of 30 min to achieve effective plasma concentrations after the application of TDK.

Simulated Clinical Skills for Veterinary Students Supplement Limited Animal and Clinical Resources in Developing Countries.

As part of an OIE Veterinary Education Twinning Project linking The University of Queensland, Australia and Nong Lam University, Vietnam, the limited access to animal and clinical resources was identified as an impediment to high quality veterinary education at Nong Lam University. However, student focused, simulated learning spaces, which have been widely adopted in veterinary training, are a cost-effective opportunity to provide initial clinical skills to students in countries where resourcing is constrained. In clinical skills training facilities, students use models and simulators to practice their clinical skills to develop the confidence, competence and muscle memory to enter the clinical phase of their training. While high-fidelity veterinary simulators and models are expensive, effective models for foundational clinical skills development can be built in-house for students to practice their skills authentically. This article outlines the cost effective establishment of a veterinary clinical skills training facility at Nong Lam University.

Development of the Mata Hari Judas Queen (Felis catus).

Cats (Felis catus) are significant predators of mammals, birds, frogs and reptiles and are implicated in mammal species extinctions in Australia. Current controls fail to eradicate entire populations allowing survivors to re-establish. The use of the Mata Hari Judas (MHJ) technique, i.e., inducing prolonged oestrus using hormone implants, can enhance the eradication of remnant animals and would greatly improve conservation efforts. The hypotheses tested were that hormone implants could induce prolonged oestrus in queens (adult female cats), and that prolonging oestrus would result in sustained attractiveness to toms (adult male cats). Queens (n = 14) were randomly allocated to five treatments including a control and four treatments using hormone implants. Queens were observed daily; alone and during indirect contact with a tom for 30 consecutive days. There were significant increases (p < 0.001) in oestrus duration (19 to 27 days) for entire and ovariohysterectomised queens given Compudose100™ implants (1/8 or 1/4 implant). This study shows that it is possible to induce and prolong oestrus in queens using Compudose100™ implants where these queens are attractive to toms. The MHJ queen is a new tool with the potential to enhance the detection and thus the control of feral cats in remnant populations.