Evaluation of a continuous glucose monitoring system in neonatal foals.

BACKGROUND: Monitoring blood glucose concentrations is common in critically ill neonatal foals, especially septic foals and those receiving naso-esophageal feedings or IV parenteral nutrition. Glucose typically is measured using a point-of-care (POC) glucometer but requires repeated restraint and blood collections, which may cause irritation at venipuncture sites and increased demands on nursing staff. Continuous glucose monitoring systems (CGMS) may provide an accurate alternative for monitoring blood glucose concentration. OBJECTIVES: To determine the correlation and accuracy of a CGMS to monitor neonatal foals' blood glucose concentrations as compared to a POC glucometer and laboratory chemistry analysis (CHEM). ANIMALS: Samples from 4 healthy and 4 ill neonatal foals. METHODS: A CGMS was placed on each foal, and glucose measurements acquired from this device were compared to simultaneous measurements of blood glucose concentration using a POC glucometer and CHEM. RESULTS: Two-hundred matched glucose measurements were collected from 8 neonatal foals. The mean bias (95% limits of agreement) between CGMS and CHEM, CGMS and POC glucometer, and POC glucometer and CHEM was 3.97 mg/dL (-32.5 to 40.4), 18.2 mg/dL (-28.8 to 65.2), and 22.18 mg/dL (-9.3 to 53.67), respectively. The Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) was significantly correlated among all devices: GCMS and CHEM (r = 0.81), CGMS and POC glucometer (r = 0.77) and POC glucometer-CHEM (r = 0.92). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Within the blood glucose concentration ranges in this study (78-212 mg/dL), CGMS measurements were significantly correlated with CHEM, suggesting that it is an acceptable method to provide meaningful, immediate, and continuous glucose concentration measurements in neonatal foals while eliminating the need for repeated restraint and blood collection.

Pyrethroid toxicity in a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig.

A 7-month-old spayed female Vietnamese pot-bellied pig (VPBP) was presented for diffuse muscle fasciculations and seizure-like activity that had started 4 hours before presentation. The pig was stuporous and displayed diffuse involuntary gross motor movement and muscle fasciculations, as well as hypertonicity of all 4 limbs. Hematologic analysis revealed hemoconcentration, severe hyperlactatemia, moderate metabolic acidosis, increased creatine kinase and gamma-glutamyltransferase. The pig failed to respond to diazepam, propofol, methocarbamol, and supportive care, followed by general anesthesia, and was euthanized. Bifenthrin, a pyrethroid insecticide, was identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of stomach contents. Pyrethroid insecticide toxicity in VPBP may result in clinical signs similar to those seen in companion animals.

Toxicité pyréthroïde chez un Cochon vietnamien. Une truie stérilisée Cochon vietnamien (CV) âgée de 7 mois a été présentée pour des fasciculations des muscles diffus et une activité s'apparentant à des crises d'épilepsie qui avaient commencé 4 heures avant la présentation. Le cochon était stuporeux et manifestait des mouvements moteurs diffus et des fasciculations musculaires involontaires ainsi que de l'hypertonicité des quatre membres. Une analyse hématologique a révélé l'hémoconcentration, une hyperlactatémie grave, une acidose métabolique modérée, une kinase de créatine et une gamma-glutamyltransférase élevées. Le cochon n'a pas répondu au diazépam, au propofol, au méthocarbamol et à des soins de soutien suivis de l'anesthésie générale et a été euthanasié. Le bifenthrine, un insecticide de pyréthroide, a été identifié par chromatographie en phase gazeuse et spectométrie de masse du contenu de l'estomac. La toxicité de l'insecticide de pyréthroïde chez le Cochon vietnamien peut donner des signes cliniques semblables à ceux observés chez les animaux de compagnie.(Traduit par Isabelle Vallières).