Avaliação psicométrica em português do indicador de dor crônica de Helsinki em cães com sinais crônicos de osteoartrite / Psychometric testing in Portuguese of Helsinki's chronic pain index for dogs with chronic signs of osteoarthritis

Objetivou-se determinar a validade, a confiabilidade e a sensibilidade do indicador de dor crônica de Helsinki (IDCH) em português, além de estabelecer correlação entre a plataforma de pressão em cães com displasia coxofemoral (DCF). O questionário foi preenchido por tutores de 40 animais com DCF e por 16 tutores de cães saudáveis. Os animais com DCF foram tratados com carprofeno 4,4mg/kg (GT= 21) ou placebo (GP= 19), administrados uma vez ao dia, durante quatro semanas. A avaliação consistiu no preenchimento do questionário (IDCH), na escala analógica visual de dor (EAVdor) e na escala analógica visual de locomoção (EAVloc) com duas semanas (A1) e imediatamente antes do tratamento (A2), duas (S2) e quatro (S4) semanas de tratamento e após duas semanas do término do tratamento (S6). A consistência interna dos dados foi considerada excelente (alfa de Cronbach = 0,89). Houve correlação moderada entre o IDCH e a EAVdor e boa entre o IDCH e a EAVloc, porém não houve diferença entre o grupo tratado com carprofeno e placebo no IDCH. Não houve correlação entre os dados da plataforma de pressão e o IDCH. O questionário apresentou validade de constructo, critério e fidedignidade e pode-se empregá-lo em países de língua portuguesa em cães com osteoartrite.(AU)

We aimed to determine validity, reliability, and sensitivity of Helsinki's chronic pain index (HCPI) and stablish a correlation between HCPI in dogs with hip dysplasia (HD) using pressure sensitive walkway. Forty-owners of dogs with HD and 16 owners of health dogs filled a questionnaire. Dogs with HD were treated with carprofen 4.4mg/kg (GT n= 21) or with placebo (GP n= 19), both were administered once a day for 4 weeks. Evaluation was performed by the owners using the questionnaire (HCPI), the Visual Analogue Scale for pain (VASpain) and the VAS for locomotion (VASloc). The evaluation was performed 2 weeks before the treatment began (A1), immediately after treatment (A2), two (S2), four (S4) and two weeks after the end of treatment (S6) and the lameness was evaluated by pressure sensitive walkway. The internal consistency of the data was considered excellent (Cronbach´α coefficient= 0.89). There was a moderate correlation between the HCPI and VASpain. For VASloc the correlation was good. However, there was no difference between treatments, indicating low sensibility. No correlation was observed between pressure sensitive walkway and HCPI. We concluded that the questionnaire has construct and criterion validity, reliability and can be applied in dogs with osteoarthritis in Portuguese-speaking countries.(AU)

Pre- and post-operative evaluations of eight dogs following right nephrectomy due to Dioctophyma renale.

BACKGROUND: Dioctophyma renale is a large nematode distributed worldwide that may cause progressive and severe destruction of renal parenchyma. OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to evaluate pre- and post-operatively dogs submitted to right nephrectomy due to D. renale and to assess the histopathological damage of the removed kidney. ANIMALS AND METHODS: Eight crossbred dogs, aged from 12 to 48 months that were unilaterally nephrectomized due to the presence of D. renale were evaluated. Physical examination, urinalysis, complete blood count, serum biochemistry, and abdominal ultrasound were performed immediately before and one month after nephrectomy. The nephrectomized right kidneys were submitted to macroscopic and microscopic evaluations. RESULTS: Urinalysis preoperatively detected occult blood in all dogs and D. renale eggs in five cases. Complete blood count showed all parameters within the reference range, except one dog post-operatively. Serum biochemistry performed before and after surgery verified that urea, creatinine and sodium were within the reference range values in all dogs. Other findings varied among the dogs. The length and arterial resistive index mean values of the left kidney were similar pre- and post-operatively. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, the inconsiderable change in laboratory findings pre- and post-operatively was attributable to compensation by left kidney function for the removed abnormal right kidney. Right kidney histology revealed chronic nephropathy due to D. renale. CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Imaging diagnosis should be performed on dogs suspected as carrying the disease or on those from an enzootic area since the laboratory findings are not specific except eggs in the urine.