Retained foetal membranes in dairy herds in the Huntly District

Extract

During the period from April 1, 1964 to February 28, 1966, veterinary surgeons of the Huntly District Veterinary Club conducted an investigation into the incidence, the cause, subsequent fertility and treatment of dairy cows with retained foetal membranes.     

A survey of abortions and long return intervals in dairy herds in the huntly district

Extract

The aims of this survey were to decide the annual incidence, the causes, and the economic importance of abortions occurring in a random sample of dairy herds in the Huntly district.     

A preliminary investigation comparing pre-operative morphine and buprenorphine for postoperative analgesia and sedation in cats

Objective To compare the postoperative analgesic and sedative properties of buprenorphine and morphine in cats. Study Design Prospective, randomized, blinded study. Animals Thirty‐two domestic cats undergoing surgery. Methods Cats received pre‐anaesthetic medication with acepromazine (0.05 mg kg^?1) given intramuscularly and were randomly allocated to group M and given morphine (0.1 mg kg^?1) intramuscularly (IM) or to group B and given buprenorphine (0.01 mg kg^?1) IM. Anaesthesia was induced with propofol and maintained with halothane in oxygen and nitrous oxide. Pain and sedation scores using visual analogue scales, and heart and respiratory rates, were measured immediately before, and 30, 60, 120, 180, 300 and 420 minutes after anaesthesia. Results Pain scores were significantly lower at 60, 120 and 180 minutes after anaesthesia in group B. Group B also had higher heart rates at 30 minutes. There were no other statistically significant differences between the groups. Clinical relevance Buprenorphine (0.01 mg kg^?1) appeared to provide better postoperative analgesia than morphine (0.1 mg kg^?1) and may also have a longer duration of action.     

Anaesthesia in horses using halothane and intravenous ketamine–guaiphenesin: a clinical study

Objective The aim of this study was to define and evaluate a combined inhalation?intravenous anaesthetic protocol for use in equine anaesthesia. Study design Prospective, randomized clinical trial. Animals Twenty‐eight horses (body mass 522 ± 82; 330–700 kg [mean ± SD; range]) with a mean age of 6 ± 4 years (range: 2–18 years) presented to the university hospital for various surgical procedures requiring general anaesthesia. Materials and methods Animals were randomly allocated to one of two treatment groups. Anaesthesia was maintained in 14 horses with halothane alone (H group). The mean end‐tidal halothane concentration was 1.24%. In the second group (n = 14) anaesthesia was maintained with both halothane (end‐tidal concentration 0.61%) and a continuous infusion of a ketamine–guaiphenesin mixture (HKG group). The two techniques were compared in terms of qualitative differences and cardiopulmonary effects. Results The stability of anaesthesia was significantly greater in group HKG and the need for dobutamine to maintain blood pressure was significantly less. Recovery times and quality were acceptable in all cases. There were no significant differences between the groups. Conclusions The infusion of ketamine and guaiphenesin in horses receiving low inspired concentrations of halothane provides suitable surgical anaesthesia and lowers the risk of hypotension. Clinical relevance The anaesthetic technique described in this study is a useful and practical alternative to inhalation anaesthesia using halothane alone.     

Life Threatening Complication Associated with Anesthesia in a Dog with Masticatory Muscle Myositis

Objective— To report a serious complication in a dog with masticatory muscle myositis (MMM) that occurred during general anesthesia for diagnostic testing.
Study Design— Case report.
Animals— A 2-year-old male Pug.
Methods— MMM was diagnosed in a Pug with a 2-week history of trismus by electrodiagnostics, histopathology, and 2M antibody test. During anesthesia tongue protrusion occurred and because of trismus, an inability to reposition the tongue resulted in venous congestion and severe swelling. Forceful physical attempts and subsequent removal of the rostral digastricus and masseter muscle attachments from the mandible did not increase jaw mobility. Mandibular symphysiotomy was necessary to resolve lingual venous congestion and to reposition the tongue into the oral cavity.
Results— Tongue swelling rapidly subsided after symphysiotomy allowing the tongue to be repositioned into the oral cavity. After treatment of MMM with corticosteroids, jaw range of motion improved and at 6 months was ∼70% normal.
Conclusions— Trismus could not be overcome by detachment of the masseter and digastricus muscle insertions from the mandible, and symphysiotomy was required to reposition the tongue in the oral cavity.  

Clinical Relevance—

In dogs with MMM, tongue position should be monitored during anesthesia to avoid inadvertent protrusion and swelling from venous congestion. Use of anesthetic monitoring equipment on the tongue, such as a pulse oximeter probe, should be avoided in these patients.     

Cytologic and Histopathologic Evaluation of Extruded Canine Degenerate Disks

Objective— To describe the cytologic and histopathologic appearance of degenerate disk material in dogs with Hansen type I intervertebral disk disease (IVDD).
Study Design— Case series.
Animals— Dogs (n=45) that had surgical intervention for Hansen type I IVDD (January–November 2007).
Methods— Impression smears and histopathologic sections were prepared from surgically removed degenerate disk material. All slides were evaluated for overall cellularity, quantity and attributes of extracellular matrix, types of cells present, and their cytomorphology. Histopathologic sections were also examined for presence of neovascularization and hemorrhage.
Results— Cytologically, 11 of 45 samples consisted of only extracellular matrix, 30 had evidence of inflammation, and 20 contained dysplastic spindloid cells. Histologically, hyaline cartilage predominated in 35 of 45 samples, fibrocartilage in 4, and spindloid cells in 6; 37 of 45 were inflamed, 37 were hemorrhagic, and 13 had neovascularization.
Conclusions— The cytologic and histopathologic appearance of extruded degenerate disk material in dogs is variable and can include dysplastic spindloid cells.
Clinical Relevance— The variability in cytologic findings and frequent presence of dysplastic spindloid cells suggest that cytology alone may not be a reliable tool to differentiate degenerate canine disk material from a mesenchymal neoplasm.     

Adenosine receptor modulation: potential implications in veterinary medicine

Adenosine is a purine nucleoside whose concentration increases during inflammation and hypoxia and the many roles of this molecule are becoming better understood. Increased reactivity to adenosine of the airways of asthmatic but not of normal subjects underlines the role of adenosine in airway inflammation. The identification and pharmacological characterisation of different adenosine receptors have stimulated the search for subtype-specific ligands able to modulate the effects of this molecule in a directed way. Several compounds of different chemical classes have been identified as having potential drawbacks, including side effects resulting from the broad distribution of the receptors across the organism, have prevented clinical application. In this article, the effects of adenosine's different receptors and the intracellular signalling pathways are reviewed. The potential of adenosine receptor modulation as a therapeutic target for chronic airway inflammation is considered, taking equine recurrent airway disease and feline asthma as examples of naturally occurring airway obstructive diseases. Other potential applications for adenosine receptor modulation are also discussed. As the intrinsic molecular events of adenosine's mechanism of action become uncovered, new concrete therapeutic approaches will become available for the treatment of various conditions in veterinary medicine.