Post‐anesthesia deafness in dogs and cats following dental and ear cleaning procedures

Objective The present study was performed to document hearing loss in dogs and cats following procedures performed under anesthesia. Most cases of reported hearing loss were subsequent to dental and ear cleaning procedures. Study design Prospective and retrospective case survey. Animals Subjects were dogs and cats with deafness, personally communicated to one author, cases discussed on a veterinary information web site, and cases communicated through a survey of general practice and dental specialist veterinarians. Methods Reported deafness cases were characterized by species (dog, cat), breed, gender, age, and dog breed size. Results Sixty‐two cases of hearing loss following anesthesia were reported between the years 2002 and 2009. Five additional cases were reported by survey respondents. Forty‐three cases occurred following dental procedures. Sixteen cases occurred following ear cleaning. No relationship was observed between deafness and dog or cat breed, gender, anesthetic drug used, or dog size. Geriatric animals appeared more susceptible to post‐anesthetic, post‐procedural hearing loss. Conclusions Deafness may occur in dogs and cats following anesthesia for dental and ear cleaning procedures, but the prevalence is low. The hearing loss appears to be permanent. Clinical relevance Deafness can be a consequence following anesthesia for dental or ear cleaning procedures. Older animals may have greater susceptibility.     

Ringworm in dogs and cats

Ringworm is an uncommon disease of dogs, but cats, especially the longhaired breeds, are more frequently infected. Of the several dermatophytes involved, Microsporum canis causes 94 per cent of ringworm in cats and 65 per cent in dogs. This species is highly contagious for man but the true incidence of human infection is unknown. Ringworm caused by M canis usually responds readily to treatment, but when the infection establishes in a colony of cats, eradication can be difficult and expensive. Other forms of ringworm in dogs and cats are caused by dermatophytes acquired from wild animals, mainly small rodents such as mice and voles. This is an uncommon and trivial disease of cats, but some infections in dogs can be remarkably persistent and difficult to resolve.     

Anesthetic complications in dogs undergoing hepatic surgery: cholecystectomy versus non‐cholecystectomy

ObjectiveTo determine if dogs that undergo laparotomy for cholecystectomy suffer from a greater number or magnitude of perianesthetic complications, including hypotension, hypothermia, longer recovery time, and lower survival rate, than dogs that undergo laparotomy for hepatic surgery without cholecystectomy.Study designRetrospective cohort study.AnimalsOne hundred and three dogs, anesthetised between January 2007 and October 2011.MethodsThe variables collected from the medical record included age, weight, gender, surgical procedure, pre-operative bloodwork, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) status, emergency status, total bilirubin concentration, anesthetic agents administered, body temperature nadir, final body temperature, hypotension, duration of hypotension, blood pressure nadir, intraoperative drugs, anesthesia duration, surgery duration, time to extubation, final diagnosis, days spent in the intensive care unit (ICU), total bill, survival to discharge, and survival to follow-up.ResultsNo significant difference in body temperature nadir, final temperature, presence of hypotension, duration of hypotension, blood pressure nadir, the use of inotropes, or final outcome was found between dogs undergoing cholecystectomy and dogs undergoing exploratory laparotomy for other hepatic disease. Dogs that had cholecystectomy had longer anesthesia durations and longer surgery durations than dogs that did not have cholecystectomy. No significant differences existed for temperature nadir (34.8 versus 35.3 °C; non-cholecystectomy versus cholecystectomy), final temperature (35.6 versus 35.9 °C), time to extubation (30 versus 49 minutes), duration of hypotension (27 versus 21 minutes), or MAP nadir (56 versus 55 mmHg). Hypotension occurred in 66% and 74% and inotropes were used in 64% and 53%, for non-cholecystectomy and cholecystectomy patients, respectively.Conclusions and clinical relevanceDogs that underwent cholecystectomies did not suffer a greater number of anesthesia complications than did dogs undergoing hepatic surgery without cholecystectomies.     

Sporozoa in dogs and cats

SUMMARY Faecal samples from 110 dogs and 71 cats were examined for sporozoan parasites by flotation. Isospora spp were present in 5.5% dogs and 4.2% cats; Sarcocystis spp in 20.9% dogs and 1.4% cats. 74.5% dogs and 77.5% cats were fed raw meat from various sources; beef was fed most often. Animals fed raw meat were more frequently infected with protozoa. No Toxoplasma oocysts were found. The results are compared with those from other surveys in Australia and New Zealand.