Calcium sulfate antibiotic-impregnated bead implantation for deep surgical site infection associated with orthopedic surgery in small animals.

OBJECTIVE: To report the outcomes and complications associated with antibiotic-impregnated calcium sulfate beads for prevention and treatment of orthopedic-related surgical site infection (SSI) in companion animals. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case series. ANIMALS: Client-owned cats (n = 2) and dogs (n = 14). METHODS: Medical records of 16 cases in which implantation of antibiotic-impregnated calcium sulfate beads was performed for the prevention or treatment of SSI were reviewed. Information collected included signalment, prior surgery, reason for bead placement, antibiotics used, bacterial culture results, and clinical outcomes. RESULTS: Surgical site infection resolved in six of 10 animals treated therapeutically and did not occur in six of six animals treated prophylactically. Susceptibility of the causative bacteria to the antibiotic implanted was confirmed in five of six cases with resolved SSI treated therapeutically but in only one of four cases with unresolved SSI treated therapeutically. Complications directly related to bead placement were evident in only one case in which beads extruded from external skeletal fixator pin tracts 7 days after implantation. At final follow-up, 11 of 12 animals without SSI had satisfactory limb use and no clinical, cytologic, or radiographic evidence of infection. CONCLUSION: Implantation was well tolerated. Resolution of SSI was inconsistent; however, when bacteria were susceptible to the antibiotic implanted, SSI resolved in all but one case. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Antibiotic-impregnated calcium sulfate beads could be considered for prevention or treatment of orthopedic SSI in small animals. A prospective clinical study is required to obtain additional information, including the value of preoperative bacterial culture.

Supplemental vitamin C appears to slow racing greyhounds.

During strenuous exercise, markers of oxidation increase and antioxidant capacity decreases. Antioxidants such as vitamin C may combat this oxidation stress. The benefits of vitamin C to greyhounds undertaking intense sprint exercise has not been investigated. The objective of this experiment was to determine whether a large dose (1 g or 57 mmol) of ascorbic acid influences performance and oxidative stress in greyhounds. Five adult female, trained racing greyhounds were assigned to receive each of three treatments for 4 wk per treatment: 1) no supplemental ascorbate; 2) 1 g oral ascorbate daily, administered after racing; 3) 1 g oral ascorbate daily, administered 1 h before racing. Dogs raced 500 m twice weekly. At the end of each treatment period, blood was collected before and 5 min, 60 min and 24 h after racing. Plasma ascorbate, alpha-tocopherol, thiobarbituric acid-reducing substances (TBARS) and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) concentrations were measured and adjusted to compensate for hemoconcentration after racing. TBARS, TEAC and alpha-tocopherol concentrations were unaffected by supplemental vitamin C. Plasma ascorbic acid concentrations 60 min after racing were higher in dogs that received vitamin C before racing than in dogs that either received no vitamin C or received vitamin C after racing. The dogs ran, on average, 0.2 s slower when supplemented with 1 g of vitamin C, equivalent to a lead of 3 m at the finish of a 500-m race. Supplementation with vitamin C, therefore, appeared to slow racing greyhounds.