Effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on the healing of postoperative wounds in bitches after hemimastectomy.

The use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is an accepted method of supporting wound healing in human medicine. Yet, because of the risk of complications associated with HOBT, a safer modification of the therapy, known as L-HOBT (lower pressure and lower oxygen concentration), is increasingly used nowadays. Therefore, due to the lack of literature reports regarding the clinical use of L-HBOT in animals, the authors decided to present the results of L-HBOT supportive treatment of postoperative wounds after hemimastectomy compared to classic treatment. The study group included 12 bitches divided into two groups: group A (assisted L-HBOT) and group B (classic treatment). In addition to conventional treatment, the supportive therapy included 1.5 hours of hyperbaric chamber therapy for 5 consecutive days, starting 24 hours after surgery (1500hPa pressure and 26% oxygen concentration in the chamber). The patients were followed and evaluated throughout the course of the treatment by two independent doctors. The results of the treatment revealed no negative clinical impact of L-HOBT supportive therapy on the body of the animals. At the same time, postoperative wounds after L-HOBT healed faster and with fewer postoperative complications compared to the control group. This resulted in a shorter treatment period, terminating with an earlier skin suture removal.

Lipid and metabolic profiles in female dogs with mammary carcinoma receiving dietary fish oil supplementation.

BACKGROUND: Dyslipidemias induce angiogenesis and accelerate the development and in vitro growth of breast tumors. The aim of this study was to assess the lipid and metabolic profile of female dogs with mammary carcinomas and their correlations with body condition score and degree of tumor malignancy, as well as to study the effect of dietary fish oil supplementation on these animals. RESULTS: Overweight or obese dogs had more aggressive carcinomas and higher triglyceride (p = 0.0363), VLDL (p = 0.0181), albumin (p = 0.0188), globulin (p = 0.0145) and lactate (p = 0.0255) concentrations. There was no change in the lipid profile after supplementation with fish oil at any concentration. However, in relation to the metabolic profile, glucose (p = 0.0067), total protein (p = 0.0002) and globulin (p = 0.0002) concentrations were increased when 90% omega-3 fish oil was used as a dietary supplement. CONCLUSION: Obese dogs showed altered lipid and metabolic profiles and more aggressive tumors, suggesting an important relationship between dyslipidemia and tumor aggressiveness. Supplementation with fish oil, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, may alter metabolic parameters in cancer patients.

Anestesia convencional e técnica de tumescência em cadelas submetidas à mastectomia. Avaliação da dor pós-operatória / Conventional anesthesia and tumescent technique in bitches which underwent mastectomy. Evaluation of postoperative pain

As neoplasias mamárias são as mais comuns em cadelas e geralmente acometem fêmeas de meia-idade a idosas, não castradas ou que foram submetidas ao procedimento de ovario-histerectomia tardiamente. A principal forma de tratamento é a excisão cirúrgica, sendo a ressecção unilateral das glândulas mamárias o procedimento mais realizado na prática veterinária. O objetivo do presente estudo foi comparar a dor pós-operatória em cadelas submetidas ao procedimento de mastectomia unilateral sob efeito das técnicas anestésicas de tumescência ou convencional. Foram utilizadas 20 cadelas, divididas em dois grupos: um grupo recebeu apenas a anestesia geral inalatória (grupo convencional), e o outro recebeu adicionalmente a anestesia infiltrativa por tumescência (grupo tumescência). Elas foram avaliadas nas primeiras 24 horas do período pós-operatório, e o processo álgico foi avaliado pela escala de dor da Universidade de Melbourne. As médias dos escores obtidos ao longo do tempo foram submetidas ao teste de Tukey a um nível de 5 por cento de significância (p<0,05). Não foram observadas diferenças significativas entre os grupos com relação à dor pós-operatória. A técnica anestésica infiltrativa por tumescência apresentou a vantagem da redução do sangramento transoperatório e mostrou-se exequível em pequenos animais, entretanto seu uso está relacionado à experiência e à preferência do cirurgião e do anestesista...

Mammary tumors are the most common neoplasm in bitches. Intact, mild to advanced aged female dogs are generally more affected. The main treatment is surgical excision and unilateral mastectomy is the most performed procedure in veterinary practice. The aim of this study was to compare the postoperative pain in dogs which underwent unilateral mastectomy and were anesthetized with tumescence and conventional anesthesia. Twenty bitches were randomly divided into two groups: Conventional Group (GC), which received only general inhalational anesthesia and Tumescence Group (GT), which also received tumescence anesthesia. All dogs were evaluated during the first 24 hours postoperatively. The scale of Pain from the University of Melbourne was used for the evaluation. The tukey test at a 5 percent level of significance (p <0.05) was used. There were no significant differences between groups related to postoperative pain. The technique of tumescent anesthesia reduced bleeding during surgery and is feasible in dogs. Its use is related to the surgeon and anesthesiologist's experience and preferences...

Effects of surgical wound infiltration with bupivacaine on postoperative analgesia in cats undergoing bilateral mastectomy.

The analgesic effect of wound infiltration with bupivacaine was evaluated in cats undergoing bilateral mastectomy. Twenty-one female cats with mammary gland tumors were anesthetized with propofol and oxygen-isoflurane anesthesia following premedication with atropine. In the trial group (Group I; n=11), 30 ml of saline containing 2 mg/kg of bupivacaine was infiltrated topically into the surgical wound right after removal of the mammary glands, whereas only saline solution was infiltrated in the control group (Group II; n=10). At the same time, carprofen (4 mg/kg) was also administered subcutaneously in both groups. Behavioral signs of pain were monitored during the recovery period after general anesthesia. In order to examine the behavioral changes associated with acute pain, a questionnaire was prepared and given to the owners to be completed 4 hr and then 10 hr after the operation. According to the owners' anwers to the questionnaire, a pain score was specified using a "numerical rating scale" for each cat. Although some cats showed mild to moderate pain, the pain score recorded at 4 hr after the operation was significantly lower in Group I (P<0.001). No significant difference was found at 10 hr after the operation between the groups. The incidence of vocalization, aggression and convulsion within 2 hr after the operation was also lower in Group I. In conclusion, wound infiltration with bupivacaine before incisional closure provided reliable analgesia at least 4 hr after bilateral radical mastectomy in cats.

Chemoprevention by melatonin and combined melatonin-tamoxifen therapy of second generation nitroso-methylurea-induced mammary tumours in rats.

Melatonin, an indole of pineal origin, is known to have an oncostatic effect on carcinogen-induced rat mammary tumours. We have assessed for the first time, the efficacy of melatonin alone and in combination with a sub-optimal dose of tamoxifen, a partial oestrogen antagonist, on N-nitroso-N-methylurea-induced rat mammary tumours. Both these agents were administered to Sprague-Dawley rats following excision of the primary tumours. Melatonin (200 micrograms/day/rat) at the given dose level could significantly suppress the appearance of second generation mammary tumours and the latency period of tumour appearance was also significantly increased (P < 0.001) as compared to vehicle-treated animals. Tamoxifen (60 micrograms/week/rat) does not suppress the development of second generation mammary tumours. Co-administration of melatonin and low dose of tamoxifen had no additive or synergistic effect on the prevention of second generation of mammary tumours. The results warrant the clinical evaluation of melatonin for chemoprevention and adjuvant therapy.