Is It Possible to Mitigate Fear of Fireworks in Dogs? A Study on the Behavioural and Physiological Effects of a Psychoactive Supplement.

Canine fear of fireworks is a common problem worldwide, with serious implications for the welfare of both dogs and their owners. Therapies for the problem are available, and herbal and nutraceutical agents are increasingly suggested by professionals; nonetheless, studies on their real efficacy in reducing firework fear are lacking. In a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study, 44 dogs (25 in the "supplement" group and 19 in the "placebo" group) completed a long-term continuous treatment with either a supplement made of tryptophan, valerian, and passiflora or a placebo, including two real exposures to fireworks (on 2020 Christmas and 2021 New Years' Eve, after 42 and 48 days of treatment, respectively). Owners of both groups received the same general environmental management and food/toy offering recommendations for trying with their dogs on those nights. Behavioural (measured by LSSS-Lincoln Sound Sensitivity Scale and PANAS-Positive and Negative Activation scale, as rated by the owners) and stress (measured via salivary cortisol measures) reactions were evaluated. Significantly greater fear decrease (LSSS) was recorded in the "supplement" dogs, as compared to the "placebo" group. Cortisol dosages on New Year's Eve ("noisy" night) were in line with behavioural results; "supplement" dogs showed a smaller increase in the stress response from 22:30 to 00:30 h on New Year's Eve and a greater decrease in their stress response from 02:30 h to 10:30 h on New Year's Day compared to "placebo" dogs. Smaller cortisol levels were also shown by "supplement" dogs than "placebo" dogs on a controlled "quiet night" (27th December). Owners' rates on PANAS remained stable during the whole period of therapy for both groups. The evaluated supplement, a combination of tryptophan, valerian, and passiflora, showed satisfactory results and rare side effects when treating dogs fearful of fireworks.

Intratumoral (Poly-ICLC) Therapy for Dogs with Advanced Cancers: First Report on Clinical Effectiveness, Quality of Life, and Adverse Events.

Polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid-poly-l-lysine carboxymethylcellulose (poly-ICLC) is a synthetic double-stranded viral RNA analog widely tested as a component of human therapeutic cancer vaccines and as a standalone agent for treating human cancers. However, there are no reports on the use of poly-ICLC for treating canine cancers. This study aimed to investigate the clinical efficacy, quality of life (QL), and adverse events of poly-ICLC treatment in dogs with advanced cancers. The treatment protocol consisted of weekly intratumoral doses of poly-ICLC. The canine patients underwent clinical, laboratory, and imaging tests, and their owners answered weekly QL questionnaires. Fourteen canine patients with different types of spontaneous advanced tumors were enrolled. Most dogs had received prior conventional therapies. Five dogs received at least 12 doses of poly-ICLC: the injected tumor was stable in three dogs, there was a partial response in one, and the injected tumor significantly enlarged in the other. The QL scoring remained stable or increased in most cases. Mild adverse events related to poly-ICLC were observed in 10 of the 14 patients. The data showed that intratumoral poly-ICLC therapy was well tolerated in dogs with advanced cancers, with clinical benefit and improved QL scores observed in some dogs.

Lamellar keratoplasty in rabbits using human and rabbit amniotic membrane grafts: a comparative study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the behavior of human and rabbit amniotic membrane (AM) grafts in surgically induced corneal thinning in rabbits. ANIMALS STUDIED: Thirty two NZWR were randomly assigned to two groups of 16 animals each according to AM type (Human AM: group HAM and Rabbit AM: group RAM). PROCEDURE: All animals were submitted to right keratectomy at a depth of 0.1 mm using a 5 mm trephine. Animals from HAM group had a button of 5 mm of human AM sutured into the corneal bed with a continuous pattern and 10.0 nylon monofilament suture, while animals from the RAM group had a button of 6 mm diameter of rabbit AM. Four animals in each group were euthanized 2, 7, 15, and 30 days postoperatively. Their corneas were harvested, fixed in 2% glutaraldehyde solution, and stained with haematoxylin-eosin, picrosirius red, and alcian blue for evaluation under light optical microscopy. Microscope images were digitalized and inflammatory cells and stromal blood vessels were counted. RESULTS: There were no clinically significant differences between groups, and complete corneal epithelialization was observed in all animals in 30 days. Light optical microscopy revealed AM incorporation and resorption in both groups. However, the number of inflammatory cells and blood vessels was significantly higher in group HAM than in group RAM (P < 0.05, Mann-Whitney test). Clinical responses to human or rabbit AM were similar; however, human AM induced greater inflammatory reaction and stromal neovascularization in the rabbit cornea than in rabbit AM. CONCLUSION: These differences may reflect a potential reaction to the xenograft. More studies are needed to further characterize these findings.

Tramadol plus metamizole combined or not with anti-inflammatory drugs is clinically effective for moderate to severe chronic pain treatment in cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE: To test the effectiveness and safety of tramadol plus metamizole combined or not with a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for treating moderate to severe chronic neoplastic pain in dogs, and its impact on quality of life (QL). STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, uncontrolled, open-label, clinical study. ANIMALS: Sixty nine client-owned dogs with multiple forms of cancer and visual analog scale (VAS) pain score ≥ 40 after receiving NSAIDs for at least 7 days. METHODS: The MN group received metamizole + NSAID, MNT group received metamizole + NSAID + tramadol and MT group received metamizole + tramadol. Pain was scored by the 0 to 100 mm VAS (0 = no pain, 100 = worst pain) and analgesic therapy was considered effective if 25 mm differences in VAS scores were observed between day 0 and the follow ups. The QL was evaluated according to a 0 to 36 scoring method for dogs (0 = worst, 36 = best) and side effects were recorded. Data were registered at day 0 (baseline) and at the first and second follow ups (7 and 14 days after day 0, respectively). RESULTS: The MN group had less analgesia at day 7 (25%) and day 14 (42%) than MNT (59%, p = 0.0274; 76%, p = 0.0251, respectively) and MT groups (69%, p = 0.0151; 81%, p = 0.0341, respectively). The QL scores were lower in the MN group at the first (score 23) and second follow up (score 26) than in MNT (27, p = 0.0847; 30, p = 0.0002) and MT (28, p = 0.0384; 31, p = 0.0001) groups. Side effects were more commonly observed in the MN group (87%) than in MNT (24%, p < 0.0001) and MT groups (25%, p = 0.0003) at the first follow up. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Tramadol plus metamizole combined or not with NSAID were well tolerated and clinically effective to treat moderate to severe pain in dogs with cancer and improved QL.

Plasma rico em plaquetas combinado a hidroxiapatita na formação do calo ósseo em fraturas induzidas experimentalmente no rádio de cães / Platelet-rich plasma combined with hydroxyapatite on bone callus formation in experimental radii fractures in dogs

Avaliou-se, no presente estudo, os efeitos do plasma rico em plaquetas (PRP) autógeno combinado a hidroxiapatita não-absorvível na formação do calo ósseo em fraturas diafisárias induzidas experimentalmente em rádio de cães e fixadas com placas e parafusos ósseos. Foram utilizados oito cães adultos sem raça definida, machos ou fêmeas, com pesos compreendidos entre 5 e 15kg. Induziu-se na diáfise de ambos os rádios defeito ósseo correspondente a 25 por cento do diâmetro do mesmo. No rádio direito (grupo HA/PRP), implantou-se plasma rico em plaquetas combinado a hidroxiapatita. No rádio esquerdo (grupo HA), implantou-se somente a hidroxiapatita. Para a obtenção do PRP, empregou-se protocolo simplificado utilizando centrífuga laboratorial comum. Comparou-se entre os grupos a evolução clínica dos animais, o tempo de formação e a densidade do calo ósseo por exames radiográficos simples e pela técnica de densitometria óptica aos 15, 30, 45 e 60 dias de pós-operatório. Tanto na avaliação radiográfica como densitométrica não se observou diferença estatisticamente significante na evolução do calo ósseo entre os grupos (P>0,05). No presente estudo, o PRP autógeno combinado à hidroxiapatita não-absorvível não acelerou o processo de formação do calo ósseo, comparado à hidroxiapatita somente.

The present study was aimed at evaluating the effects of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in combination with unabsorbable hydroxyapatite on bone callus formation in an experimental canine diaphyseal radius fracture stabilized with bone plate. Eight mature, male and female mongrel dogs were selected weighed 5 to 15kg. Bone defects were created, bilateral, in both radii diaphysis, corresponding to 25 percent of bone diameter. On the right radius (group HA/PRP), the defect was filled with PRP and hydroxyapatite. On the left radius (group HA), was placed hydroxyapatite alone. PRP was obtain by a simplified technique using a laboratory centrifuge. Clinical evaluations, bone formation and bone density by use of radiographic and optical densitometry, were compared between group HA/PRP and group HA after 15, 30, 45 and 60 days post surgery. The radiographic and densitometric study did not indicate a significant difference in the bone callus formation between the groups (P>0.05). In the present study the autologous PRP in combination with unabsorbable hydroxyapatite could not accelerated the bone callus in comparison with hydroxyapatite alone.

Validity of a health-related quality-of-life scale for dogs with signs of pain secondary to cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate a health-related quality-of-life scale for dogs with pain secondary to cancer. DESIGN: Questionnaire development. ANIMALS: 40 healthy dogs with no history or signs of pain, 20 dogs with dermatologic disease but no signs of pain other than mild pruritus, and 20 dogs with cancer. PROCEDURE: Owners of all dogs completed a questionnaire containing 12 questions with 4 options for each question, and a quality-of-life score ranging from 0 to 36 was calculated. Scores for dogs with cancer were compared with scores for healthy dogs and dogs with dermatologic disease. RESULTS: All owners indicated that the questionnaire was easy to complete. Scores for healthy dogs were significantly different from scores for dogs with cancer and scores for dogs with dermatologic disease. Scores for dogs with dermatologic disease were significantly different from scores for dogs with cancer. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggested that a simple questionnaire may be useful in assessing health-related quality of life in dogs with pain secondary to cancer, in that dogs with cancer had significantly lower scores than did healthy dogs and dogs with dermatologic disease.

Evaluation of tramadol, an atypical opioid analgesic in the control of immediate postoperative pain in dogs submitted to orthopedic surgical procedures

Comparou-se a qualidade da analgesia pós-operatória após administração preemptiva de tramadol (2 mg/kg/ grupo 1) e flunixin meglumine (1,1 mg/kg/ grupo 2) em 30 cães submetidos a procedimentos cirúrgicos ortopédicos. Os animais tratados com tramadol apresentaram maior grau de analgesia comparado ao grupo do flunixim meglumine. A qualidade do retorno anestésico dos animais tratados com tramadol foi superior, livre de excitação e desconforto e com grau de sedação superior ao grupo do flunixin meglumine. Não foram observadas alterações cardiovasculares e respiratórias durante a anestesia. Podemos concluir que o tramadol pode ser utilizado como analgésico preemptivo em cães submetidos a procedimentos cirúrgicos ortopédicos, já que o retomo anestésico apresentou adequada analgesia, livre de desconforto e excitação.

O uso da artroscopia na osteocondrite dissecante da articulação do ombro / The use of arthroscopy on osteochondritis dissecans of the shouder

O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar o uso da artroscopia em cães portadores de osteocondrite dissecante da articulação do ombro quanto a visibilização das estruturas intra-articulares, alterações de cartilagem, membrana sinovial e complicações. Durante o procedimento artroscópico ocorreram infiltração periarticular, lesão iatrogênica de cartilagem, dificuldade de confecção dos portais artroscópio, instrumental, realização da triangulação e deslocamento prematuro do artroscópio. A hiperplasia de sinóvia foi presente em todos os animais operados. Lesões cartilagíneas consistiram de condromalácea, erosão, ebumação, osteofito, fibrilação, presença de retalho de cartilagem livre e aderido. A artroscopia trouxe informações importantes quanto ao número e localização dos retalhos e condição geral da articulação. A remoção do retalho de cartilagem por artroscopia é um procedimento que requer maior habilidade do que aquela necessária para a realização da artroscopia diagnóstica, portanto o cirurgião deve ter maior experiência.