Oxidative stress in relation to serotonin under general anaesthesia in dogs undergoing ovariectomy.

Abdominal surgery such as ovariectomy is a traumatic event that can cause oxidative stress. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the concentration of serotonin in relation to ovariectomy-induced oxidative stress in dogs undergoing general anesthesia. Thirty-two female dogs, under general anesthesia, received meloxicam before surgery (0.2 mgkg-1 SC) and after surgery (0.1 mgkg-1 OS every 24 h). The physiological, hematological, and biochemical parameters: glycemia, aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total protein, albumin and BUN were evaluated. Oxidative stress was determined by malondialdehyde (MDA) assay, catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChe) at baseline, 36 and 48 h after the last administration of meloxicam. Serotonin (5-HT) concentration was also evaluated at baseline, 36 and 48 h after the last administration of meloxicam. Responses to surgical stimulus were evaluated. Physiological and hematological parameters they fell within the normal ranges for anesthetized dogs. Glycemia increased, albumin levels decreased after surgery. No rescue analgesia was required. MDA and 5-HT concentrations significantly increased from the baseline at 36 and 48 h after surgery (p < .001). 5-HT levels could be used as an indicator for oxidative stress induced by surgery and it might be employed for objectively quantifying the well-being of the surgical patient.

The erythrocyte sedimentation rate and other markers of inflammation in cats tested for Leishmania infantum and feline immunodeficiency virus antibodies.

BACKGROUND: In endemic areas, Leishmania infantum and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) co-infection occurs in cats, and may favour a progressive course of feline leishmaniosis. Abnormalities in serum protein fractions have been reported, but inflammation markers have scarcely been studied. Erythrocyte sediment rate (ESR) is a marker of inflammation that is poorly used in veterinary medicine, but it has been evaluated in EDTA blood using a recently introduced automatic device. We studied ESR and a pool of feline markers of inflammation (MoI) in cats L. infantum (Li+) and/or FIV antibody-positive (Li+FIV+/FIV+) with the aims (a) to evaluate ESR as MoI in cats with the infectious and clinical conditions considered and (b) to provide data about a pool of MoI never investigated in the feline infections studied and in other cat diseases before. METHODS: This prospective controlled study included 35 study group cats (Li+, n = 20; FIV +, n = 8; Li+FIV+, n = 7) and ten healthy antibody-negative control cats. Clinical findings at physical examination and selected clinical pathological abnormalities related to inflammation were statistically analysed in relation to the infectious status and ESR values. RESULTS: ESR values were higher in Li+, FIV+, and Li+FIV+ cats compared with control cats, and 40% of the study group cats had ESR values above the reference interval (RI). ESR positively correlated with some positive MoI and negatively with some negative MoI studied. Additionally, a higher prevalence of ESR values above the RI has been detected in cats with hypoalbuminemia or hypergammaglobulinemia and higher ESR values were measured in cats with serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) fraction abnormalities. Correlations were also found with erythrocytes, hemoglobin, hematocrit and some erythrocyte indices. FIV+ and Li+FIV+ cats had a higher prevalence of increased ESR values, and almost all had SPE abnormalities and more severe clinical presentations compared with Li+ cats. CONCLUSIONS: Abnormal levels of MoI were found in almost all parameters studied, particularly in FIV+ and Li+FIV+ cats. Also, ESR can be used as a marker of inflammation in cats with L. infantum and/or FIV infection.

Assessment of testicular stiffness in fertile dogs with shear wave elastography techniques: a pilot study.

Ultrasound of the testes is important in the evaluation of breeding dogs, and recently advanced techniques such as Shear Wave Elastography (SWE) have been developed. This study focused on evaluation of normal testicular stiffness in healthy and fertile male dogs, employing both qualitative (2D-SWE) and quantitative (pSWE, 2D-SWE) techniques. Nineteen dogs of various medium-large breeds aged 3.39 ± 2.15 years, and with a history of successful reproduction were included after clinical, B-mode and Doppler ultrasound of testes and prostate, and semen macro and microscopic evaluations. pSWE involved square regions of interest (ROIs) placed at six different points in the testicular parenchyma, while 2D-SWE depicted stiffness with a color scale ranging from blue (soft) to red (stiff), allowing a subsequent quantification of stiffness by the application of 4 round ROIs. The results showed a mean Shear Wave Speed (SWS) of 2.15 ± 0.39 m/s using pSWE, with lower values above the mediastinum compared to below, and in the center of the testis compared to the cranial and caudal poles. 2D-SWE demonstrated a uniform blue pattern in the parenchyma, and a mean SWS of 1.65 ± 0.15 m/s. No significant differences were found between left and right testes, above and below the mediastinum, or among breeds. No correlations were observed between mean SWS and body condition score, age, testicular and prostatic volume. Weight was positively correlated with mean SWS only by 2D-SWE. By performing semen analysis and enrolling only healthy and fertile adult dogs, we ensured both structural and functional integrity of the testes. This pilot study represents a valuable baseline data for testicular stiffness by both pSWE and 2D-SWE with a Mindray US machine in medium-large sized healthy and fertile dogs, pointing out the potential role of SWE in the non-invasive fertility assessment and management of breeding dogs.

Pilot Study on QTc Interval in Dogs Treated with Domperidone.

Domperidone is used as an immunomodulatory drug for Leishmania infantum infection and disease in dogs. However, a pro-arrhythmic side effect, caused by prolonged QT intervals, is reported in humans. This pilot study evaluated the corrected QT (QTc) interval in dogs treated with domperidone for preventive or therapeutic management of leishmaniosis. The electrocardiogram and blood concentration of creatinine, urea nitrogen, sodium, potassium, and chloride were evaluated seven days before the start and on the last day of therapy in 17 dogs receiving domperidone for four weeks. In two dogs, the QTc interval was measured before and 2 h, 3 h, and 12 h after administration of the drug on the first day of treatment. After treatment, QTc measures and chloride concentrations increased significantly, although the QTc value slightly exceeded the upper reference limit only in one dog, and chloride concentrations were always normal. Creatinine concentrations significantly decreased after therapy. In the two dogs monitored at different times on the first day of treatment, QTc values were always normal. Domperidone caused a slight prolongation of QTc interval, and further studies should be made for a risk assessment in dogs with cardiac diseases, electrolytic imbalance, and in those receiving drugs increasing QT interval or competing with domperidone metabolism.

Treatment of Canine Disc-Associated Cervical Spondylomyelopathy with a Cervical Distraction-Stabilization Technique (C-LOX Combined with LCP Plate) and Clinical Outcomes.

Canine disc-associated cervical spondylomyelopathy (DA-CSM) is a form of caudal CSM, characterized by the compression of the spinal cord and nerve roots due to an intervertebral disc protrusion. It is more frequent in large canine breeds. A variety of surgical techniques has been proposed for DA-CSM. The aim of the study was to evaluate the outcomes of a cervical distraction-stabilization technique using an intervertebral anchored fusion device (C-LOX) combined with a locking compression plate (LCP plate) for the treatment of DA-CSM in dogs, based on clinical and radiographical follow-up data. Thirteen dogs affected by DA-CSM were included in the study. After the surgical procedure, an improvement in neurological status was documented in 9/13 cases. This cervical distraction-stabilization technique seems to be a valuable surgical alternative to treat this canine pathology.

Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasonography (CEUS) in Imaging of the Reproductive System in Dogs: A Literature Review.

The use of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has been widely reported for reproductive imaging in humans and animals. This review aims to analyze the utility of CEUS in characterizing canine reproductive physiology and pathologies. In September 2022, a search for articles about CEUS in canine testicles, prostate, uterus, placenta, and mammary glands was conducted on PubMed and Scopus from 1990 to 2022, showing 36 total results. CEUS differentiated testicular abnormalities and neoplastic lesions, but it could not characterize tumors. In prostatic diseases, CEUS in dogs was widely studied in animal models for prostatic cancer treatment. In veterinary medicine, this diagnostic tool could distinguish prostatic adenocarcinomas. In ovaries, CEUS differentiated the follicular phases. In CEH-pyometra syndrome, it showed a different enhancement between endometrium and cysts, and highlighted angiogenesis. CEUS was shown to be safe in pregnant dogs and was able to assess normal and abnormal fetal-maternal blood flow and placental dysfunction. In normal mammary glands, CEUS showed vascularization only in diestrus, with differences between mammary glands. CEUS was not specific for neoplastic versus non-neoplastic masses and for benign tumors, except for complex carcinomas and neoplastic vascularization. Works on CEUS showed its usefulness in a wide spectrum of pathologies of this non-invasive, reliable diagnostic procedure.

Prevalence and Features of Incidental Findings in Veterinary Computed Tomography: A Single-Center Six-Years' Experience.

Computed tomography (CT) is an advanced imaging technique that may lead to detect "incidentalomas", unexpected asymptomatic lesions found during unrelated examinations. Their clinical meaning and management are not clear for veterinarians, who risk unnecessary investigations that harm the patients. This study is a retrospective analysis that aims to investigate incidentalomas in CT exams and to describe their prevalence, location, types and follow-up, their correlations and associations with the species, breed, sex, and age of patients examined and with the kind and number of sites scanned. The reports of 561 CT scans performed in 512 dogs and 49 cats in a veterinary facility over six years were reviewed and compared to the clinical records of the patients. Eighty incidentalomas were found in 57 dogs and four cats. A significant positive correlation was found in dogs between age and the prevalence of incidentalomas. In dogs, the prevalence of incidentalomas was significantly higher in Boxers and in neck, thoracic, and abdominal scans. Spinal incidentalomas were the most common typologies in dogs. This study can represent a tool that allows clinicians to acquire greater awareness about incidentalomas and to carry out the evidence-based clinical management of them.

Hernioplasty with Peritoneal Flap for the Surgical Treatment of Umbilical Hernia in Swine.

BACKGROUND: Umbilical hernia is one of the most common developmental defects in swine, producing large economic losses for farmers, forced to slaughter animals at a younger age and therefore at a lower weight to prevent fatal complications. This study describes a surgical technique to repair umbilical hernia through the use of autologous prostheses, allowing recovery of the affected animals; Methods: After a general examination of the swine and examination of the lesions, the swine were anesthetized and underwent surgery. The surgery was performed by combining the traditional herniorrhaphy with the inclusion and fixation of a peritoneal flap obtained from the incision of the same hernial sac; Results: Follow-ups were carried out at 7, 30 and 60 days and demonstrated healing in all of the treated subjects; Conclusions: The use of this surgical technique allows for providing resistance to herniorrhaphy performed through the use of a cost-free autologous biomaterial prosthesis, with excellent tissue compatibility. This might allow for reducing significantly the rate of relapses and eliminating the risk of rejection.

Bidimensional and Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasonography of the Spleen in Dogs Affected by Leishmaniosis.

Canine leishmaniosis (CanL) is responsible for splenic pathological changes. The main features detectable from ultrasound examination are splenomegaly and diffuse alterations of the echostructure. The study aimed to highlight whether these ultrasound changes are related to the severity of the disease or to a modification of splenic microvascularization that can be detected in vivo through contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS). Twenty-five adult dogs tested for CanL were enrolled in this prospective, controlled study and staged according to LeishVet guidelines. Bidimensional ultrasonography revealed that splenomegaly was seen in 50% of the affected dogs, and diffuse parenchymal changes were seen in more than 60% of dogs with splenomegaly, showing a positive correlation with severity of the disease; therefore, splenomegaly could be of prognostic significance. CEUS showed that a persistent heterogeneous distribution pattern appeared only in spleens with diffuse echostructure alterations. The evaluation of quantitative CEUS parameters regarding the volume and velocity of flow in three regions of interest did not show differences between affected and control dogs. Diffuse spleen microvascular modifications evidenced by CEUS were reported for the first time in dogs with CanL. In endemic areas, CanL could be included in the differential diagnoses list when detecting splenic alterations in dogs.