Pharmacokinetics and clinical effects of xylazine and dexmedetomidine in horses recovering from isoflurane anesthesia.

This study determined the pharmacokinetics and compared the clinical effects of xylazine and dexmedetomidine in horses recovering from isoflurane anesthesia. Six healthy horses aged 8.5 ± 3 years and weighing 462 ± 50 kg were anesthetized with isoflurane for 2 hr under standard conditions on two occasions one-week apart. In recovery, horses received 200 µg/kg xylazine or 0.875 µg/kg dexmedetomidine intravenously and were allowed to recover without assistance. These doses were selected because they have been used for postanesthetic sedation in clinical and research studies. Serial venous blood samples were collected for quantification of xylazine and dexmedetomidine, and the pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated. Two individuals blinded to treatment identity evaluated recovery quality with a visual analog scale. Times to stand were recorded. Results (mean ± SD) were compared using paired t tests or Wilcoxon signed-ranked test with p < .05 considered significant. Elimination half-lives (62.7 ± 21.8 and 30.1 ± 8 min for xylazine and dexmedetomidine, respectively) and steady-state volumes of distribution (215 ± 123 and 744 ± 403 ml/kg) were significantly different between xylazine and dexmedetomidine, whereas clearances (21.1 ± 17.3 and 48.6 ± 28.1 ml/minute/kg), times to stand (47 ± 24 and 53 ± 12 min) and recovery quality (51 ± 24 and 61 ± 22 mm VAS) were not significantly different. When used for postanesthetic sedation following isoflurane anesthesia in healthy horses, dexmedetomidine displays faster plasma kinetics but is not associated with faster recoveries compared to xylazine.

Evaluation of serial venous and arterial lactate concentrations in healthy anesthetized sheep undergoing ovariectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if lactate concentrations in jugular venous and auricular arterial blood differ in anesthetized sheep. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, controlled experimental study. ANIMALS: Twelve healthy adult ewes, 4-7 years and weighing 62-77 kg. METHODS: Jugular venous blood was collected before anesthesia (PreOv ) for measurement of lactate concentration, packed cell volume and total protein. Ewes were administered a standard anesthesia protocol. Jugular venous (IntraOv ) and auricular arterial (IntraOa ) blood samples were obtained 40 minutes after induction of anesthesia, and again in recovery (PostOv and PostOa ). An additional blood sample was drawn 6 weeks post-operatively from non-fasted sheep (NF_Lact). Lactate concentrations were compared among PreOv , IntraOv and IntraOa , PostOv and PostOa , and between PreOv and NF_Lact with paired t-test and repeated measure analyses of variance (anova) with PreOv as a covariate (p ≤ 0.05). RESULTS: IntraOv lactate concentration had decreased from PreOv There were significant differences between arterial and venous IntraO and PostO lactate concentrations. There was no significant difference between IntraO and PostO, or PreOv and NF_Lact. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Lactate concentrations were significantly lower in anesthetized sheep compared to non-anesthetized sheep. Lactate concentrations in venous blood were higher than in arterial blood. Therefore, anesthetic status and sampling site should be considered when interpreting lactate concentrations, and the sampling site should be consistent for repeated measurements.

Retrospective analysis of necropsy reports suggestive of abuse in dogs and cats.

OBJECTIVE To identify historical and necropsy findings suggestive of neglect or abuse of dogs and cats by retrospective analysis of necropsy reports from a veterinary diagnostic laboratory. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. SAMPLE 119 necropsy reports of dogs and cats. PROCEDURES Necropsy reports from February 2001 to May 2012 were electronically searched to identify potential animal abuse or neglect cases. Cases were selected and categorized according to a previously proposed method for classification of animal abuse. Inclusion criteria included signs of neglect, nonaccidental injury (NAI; blunt-force or sharp-force trauma, gunshot, burns, drowning, asphyxiation, and suspicious intoxications), and sexual abuse. Poor preservation of cadavers, age < 6 weeks, and signs of chronic illness (eg, cachexia) or injuries consistent with history indicating natural or accidental causes resulted in exclusion. Variables of interest were compared between identified cases and a reference population. RESULTS Prevalence of potential abuse cases, determined on the basis of all necropsies performed in the study period, was 73 of 8,417 (0.87%) in dogs and 46 of 4,905 (0.94%) in cats. Neglect and NAI were commonly identified in cats; NAI was most commonly found in dogs. Gunshot and blunt-force trauma were the most common NAIs in dogs and cats, respectively. Pit bull-type dogs (29/73 [40%]) were overrepresented in several abuse categories. Most cats (29/46 [63%]) were domestic shorthair, but no breed association was found. Most (41/71 [58%]) affected animals with age data available were ≤ 2 years old. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Approximately 1% of dogs and cats necropsied in the study period had signs suggestive of abuse. Medical findings alone are not necessarily indicative of abuse, but some findings can increase the index of suspicion.

Sífilis secundária: diagnóstico a partir das lesões orais / Secondary syphilis: diagnostic made by oral lesions

Introdução: a sífilis é uma doença infecto-contagiosa que se apresenta epidemiologicamente ascendente na saúde pública brasileira. Todos os profissionais da área de saúde devem estar atentos para as manifestações desta doença e para os possíveis locais de acometimento de lesões sifilíticas, inclusive manifestações bucais. Objetivo: relatar um caso clínico de sífilis recente que foi diagnosticado a partir de lesões intra-orais. Métodos: foram feitas a análise clínica e histopatológica das lesões do paciente, bem como exames laboratoriais (VDRL). Resultados: a associação dos achados anátomo-patológicos com o resultado positivo do VDRL confirmou a hipótese diagnóstica de sífilis. Conclusão: o conhecimento das manifestações orais da sífilis em todos os seus estágios por profissionais de saúde é de fundamental importância, para que os mesmos estejam capacitados a executar um diagnóstico correto e tratamento adequado.