Vaccination procedures for cats

Extract

Madam:– It has been that time of year again when people go away on holiday and their animals go away to boarding establishments. Unfortunately it has also been the time of year when we as vaccine manufacturers are on the receiving end of critical comments about the veterinary profession from owners of cats and catteries.     

COMPARISON OF THREE METHODS FOR CALCULATING PORTAL BLOOD FLOW VELOCITY IN DOGS USING DUPLEX-DOPPLER ULTRASONOGRAPHY

Measurement of portal blood flow in dogs using duplex-Doppler ultrasonography has potential clinical utility for diagnosis of cirrhosis and portosystemic shunts. Three methods for calculating portal blood flow were compared to identify a consistent method with minimal potential for intraoperator variation. Sixteen unsedated, normal beagles had their mean portal blood flow velocity determined using three methods: method 1 used a small Doppler sample volume positioned over the center of the portal vein and manual selection of data points on the resulting velocity spectra, followed by arithmetic correction of the calculated maximum velocity to mean velocity using the factor 0.57; method 2 used a small centrally-located Doppler sample volume and computed maximum flow determination, again corrected using the factor 0.57; method 3 used a large Doppler sample volume that overlapped the walls of the portal vein followed by computed mean blood flow velocity determination. The calculated mean (SD) portal blood flow velocity was 15.8 (1.8), 15.1 (1.4), and 14.7 (2.5) cm/s using methods 1–3, respectively. There was no significant difference between the results of the three methods; however, method 3 (uniform insonation) was easier to use and produced a higher amplitude Doppler signal and therefore represents a useful alternative to the peak flow methods.     

In Vivo Investigation of Communication Between the Distal Intertarsal and Tarsometatarsal Joints in Horses and Ponies

The frequency of communication between the tarsometatarsal and distal intertarsal joints was investigated in 27 horses and 12 ponies. After the injection of diluted latex into the tarsometatarsal joints using the plantarolateral approach, the horses and ponies were walked for 200 meters. Latex was found in the distal intertarsal joints of 19 of 73 tarsi (26% communication) at necropsy. In 3 tarsi, latex was also found in the proximal intertarsal and tar-socrural joints.     

Vascular Access Channeling to Increase Meniscal Regeneration in the Dog

A technique to enhance meniscal regeneration following partial meniscectomy was investigated in the dog. Twenty-four dogs underwent a partial meniscectomy (to simulate excision of a bucket handle tear in the caudal body of the medial meniscus). The excision did not communicate with the synovia. Twelve of the dogs also received a vascular access channel in which an incision was made from the free cut edge of the meniscus to the vascular synovia. The dogs were terminated at 4,8, and 16 weeks for gross, vascular, and histologic examination of the operated menisci. In all dogs, and at all time periods, the dogs receiving a vascular access channel showed increased regeneration compared to dogs undergoing partial meniscectomy alone.     

The Effect of Triple Pelvic Osteotomy on Hip Force in Dysplastic Dogs: A Theoretical Analysis

The effect of a triple pelvic osteotomy (TPO) procedure on the forces acting about the hip joint was examined in five dysplastic canine hips using a previously described theoretical analysis. Hip reaction force (F_h) and its angle of application (θ_h) were calculated from radiographic measurements made before and after TPO procedures which sequentially increased acetabular ventroversion from 0° to 20°, 30°, and 40°. The results of the in vitro study showed that F_h decreased with increasing acetabular ventroversion reaching an asymptotic value between 30° and 40°. The decrease in F_h corresponded to an increase in θ_h toward the vertical, with statistical significance found in both F_h and θ_h between 0° and 20°. The changes observed in F_h and θ_h after TPO were attributed to the medialization of the femoral head resulting from the reduction of the subluxated head. The results of this study suggest that the noted reduction in the magnitude of the forces acting on the hip joint may act in concert with increased coverage of the femoral head to effect the beneficial clinical results observed with the TPO procedure.