Oral medications for treating diabetes mellitus in dogs and cats

Five classes of oral hypoglycaemic drugs and two trace minerals used to treat diabetes mellitus in humans are reviewed and current knowledge on the use of these drugs in diabetic dogs and cats is presented. Oral sulphonylurea drugs stimulate insulin secretion and have been used successfully to treat diabetes in cats but not dogs. Preliminary studies evaluating the efficacy of the biguanide, metformin, in diabetic cats have not been promising. Pharmacokinetic studies have been performed in healthy cats, but clinical studies evaluating the efficacy of the insulin-sensitising drugs, thiazolidinediones, have not been reported. Treatment with the alpha-glucosidase inhibitor, acarbose, improved control of glycaemia in diabetic dogs; similar studies have not been reported in cats. Although chromium picolinate did not improve control of glycaemia in diabetic dogs, vanadium has improved control of the abnormality in diabetic cats.     

Topical and systemic medications for wounds.

There are a plethora of topical and systemic medications available to the veterinary practitioner today that aid the wound healing process. Some of these help to maintain a moist environment. Others increase growth factors, provide local energy sources, control infection, provide for debridement, increase wound blood flow and temperature, or reduce wound edema. Modern wound care requires that the proper products(s)be used, depending on the condition of the wound and the phase of wound healing. This article discusses various wound care products and provides guidelines on their use.     

Oral photography.

Oral photography is an important tool in veterinary dentistry. For years it has been used in the education process. Case documentation by photography has become more valuable. It is important that these photographs be of good quality. This article reviews the hardware such as cameras and the software such as film and exposure.     

Practical avian therapeutics with dosages of commonly used medications.

This article reviews the practical aspects of medicating individual avian pets in a practice situation. General principles are discussed, and specific doses for the most commonly used medications are given.     

Oral surgery. Basic techniques

Some of the clinical problems most frequently seen in veterinary dentistry and their surgical solutions are discussed. Extraction of teeth, surgical repositioning of teeth, tooth transplant, oral abscesses of tooth origin, impaction of teeth, repair of maxillary canine oronasal fistula, and simple techniques for oral wiring are among the issues considered.     

Oral fowlpox vaccination in chickens.

Chickens were given various fowlpox vaccines on food pellets--a commercial vaccine (strain M), and the same strain after a single passage on chorio-allantoic membrane or in chicken embryo fibroblasts. All three oral vaccines induced antibodies at levels similar to those induced by commercial strain M administered to the wingweb. The oral vaccine derived from chorio-allantoic membrane gave protection similar to that obtained with vaccine administered by the wingweb, but this required a thousandfold more virus.     

Oral toxicity of topical preparations.

This chapter covers the hazards that some topical pharmaceutical preparations pose to animals who consume them. Included are medications containing calcipotriene, vitamins A and D, zinc oxide, 5-fluorouracil, brimonidine, imidazoline decongestants, local anesthetics, corticosteroids, antibiotics, salicylates, and benzoyl peroxide.     

Oral disorders of exotic rodents.

Our dental knowledge of rodents is still patchy but their increasing popularity and advances in technology allow us to make good strides toward better understanding. Cutting incisors with nail clippers and treating incisor problems without examining cheek teeth is no longer acceptable. Good practice dictates that a thorough examination is performed, a diagnosis is made, and treatment is planned and executed appropriately. Dentistry is expanding at a tremendous rate; the next few years should provide plenty of opportunities to solve most of the remaining problems with dental disease in rodents.     

Oral disorders of exotic ungulates.

There are many species classified as ungulates that possess a large variety of dental formulae and dental adaptations. Despite the diversity found within the ungulate group, the list of dental abnormalities remains short. Regardless of the contributing factors, cases of aveolitis accompanied by osteomyelitis ("lumpy jaw") occur more frequently than some of the other dental problems that are encountered in these species (fractures of tusks/canines, malocclusion, eruption cysts). Commonly, treatment of "lumpy jaw" requires exodontia with additional antibiotic therapy using a drug that is appropriate for the type of infection and the species of animal. Regardless of the dental abnormality, anesthetic, diagnostic, and treatment considerations typically provide the greatest challenge to the clinician in these cases.     

Oral biology and disease in invertebrates.

It is hoped that this article has shown some of the amazing breadth of research into invertebrate mouthpart anatomy, development and pathology, and its relation to important disease processes that impinge on fields as diverse as environmental toxicology and antimalarial therapeutics, while also highlighting the need for further study in this field.     

Oral biology and disorders of lagomorphs.

Rabbit medicine, and dentistry in particular, is still at an early stage of development. With an understanding of the underlying oral physiology it is possible to devise an appropriate treatment regime for most dental problems after the nature and extent of disease has been assessed. Although many of the dental problems that are seen in practice cannot be cured, most can be controlled or managed to allow the affected rabbit to maintain a good quality of life. The continuously growing nature of the teeth makes recurrence and progression of problems the norm, so owner education and ongoing monitoring of animals is essential. By assessing the effects, beneficial or otherwise, of out treatments and communicating this to others, we will develop our knowledge and skills. Several treatments that are suggested in this article must be considered as "experimental" because they have not been assessed in large numbers of animals. If they work for you, or more importantly, if you find unexpected complications with a treatment method (as has happened with the use of calcium hydroxide paste treatment of abscess cavities) then please publicize the fact so that others can avoid the problem. Until the message on prevention can be reliably transmitted to owners, we will continue to have oral and dental problems to manage. After confidence and experience has been gained in anesthetizing rabbits it is possible to refine one's dental skills to be able to rapidly perform a thorough examination and basic treatments. Major and complex treatments require careful consideration because they may add to the animal's problems, rather than improving the situation. The best method for learning rabbit dentistry is to routinely perform postmortem examinations following euthanasia of affected animals, and spend an hour or two practicing handling the instruments and performing procedures on a cadaver. If you are not confident in your ability or do not have the best equipment for the job, the client should be informed and offered the opportunity to be referral to a "specialist."     

Oral biology and conditions of amphibians.

This article reviews the anatomy of the skull and oral cavity in the three amphibian orders. Feeding behavior and feeding physiology are also described. A review is given of reported oral pathology. The pathology is divided into infectious causes (bacterial and parasitic) and noninfectious causes (trauma, neoplasia, and nutritional).     

Preanesthetic medications in ruminants and swine

The use of preanesthetic agents alone or in various combinations in food animals is complex. In addition to considering the pharmacokinetics and dynamics of the medications, one must give additional consideration to the animals's temperament, its physical condition, and its environment. Also, the potential of residues from meat and milk products of animals treated with preanesthetic agents must be considered.     

Oral biology and disorders of tusked mammals.

Tusked mammals can be terrestrial or aquatic. Many of these magnificent animals are kept in captivity all over the world. Functions of tusks vary as much as the species in which they occur. Dental anomalies and disorders of tusks and the rest of the dentition in these mammals were discussed, with an emphasis on the elephant. The tusk anatomy, with its large, conically-shaped pulp, makes it an ideal tooth for partial pulpectomy treatment in trauma cases where the pulp is exposed. Surgical techniques for tusks have been developed and were discussed. Oral tumors occur, but are rare.