ABSTRACT
We describe the case of a 6-year old girl who presented to our Emergency Department (ED) with acute onset of ataxia and speech disturbance. Investigative workup included a nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA) which was influenza A (H1N1) and B positive during the 2010/2011 influenza season. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain confirmed findings consistent with cerebellitis.
Subject(s)
Cerebellar Diseases/virology , Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype/isolation & purification , Influenza B virus/isolation & purification , Influenza, Human/complications , Influenza, Human/virology , Nasopharynx/virology , Acute Disease , Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use , Ataxia/virology , Cerebellar Diseases/diagnosis , Child , Female , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Oseltamivir/therapeutic use , Seasons , Speech Disorders/virology , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
The ability of two non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to modify the clinical manifestations of pain associated with locomotor disease was assessed. Sixty-nine cats with acute or chronic locomotor disorders were recruited from 14 first opinion UK veterinary practices and randomly allocated to one of two treatment groups. Group A received meloxicam drops (0.3 mg/kg orally on day 1 followed by 0.1 mg/kg daily for four more consecutive days) and group B received ketoprofen tablets (1.0 mg/kg orally once daily for five days). Each cat underwent a full clinical examination before treatment, 24 hours after initiation of treatment and 24 hours after completion of treatment. General clinical parameters (demeanour and feed intake) and specific locomotor parameters (weightbearing, lameness, local inflammation and pain on palpation) were scored using a discontinuous scale scoring system. The two groups did not differ in terms of age, weight, gender distribution or duration of clinical signs; nor did they differ in terms of general clinical or specific locomotor scores pretreatment. Both treatment regimens resulted in a significant improvement in demeanour, feed intake and weightbearing, and a significant reduction in lameness, pain on palpation and inflammation. No significant difference was observed between the two treatment groups with respect to any of the parameters measured and both treatments were associated with minimal observed side effects. Meloxicam and ketoprofen were found to be effective analgesics and well tolerated in cats with acute or chronic locomotor disorders when administered for short-term treatment (five days) in such cases. However, meloxicam was assessed to be significantly more palatable than ketoprofen.
Subject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/therapeutic use , Cat Diseases/drug therapy , Lameness, Animal/drug therapy , Pain/veterinary , Thiazines/therapeutic use , Thiazoles/therapeutic use , Administration, Oral , Animals , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/administration & dosage , Cats , Female , Ketoprofen/administration & dosage , Ketoprofen/therapeutic use , Male , Meloxicam , Pain/drug therapy , Pain Measurement/veterinary , Thiazines/administration & dosage , Thiazoles/administration & dosage , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
The effect of the mucolytic drug Sputolosin on the clinical signs of respiratory disease among 28 matched pairs of horses was examined. Compared with the untreated group, the treated group showed a significant decrease in the frequency of coughing and a decreased time to resolution of both cough and nasal discharge. The results indicate that the drug is potentially useful in the management of respiratory disease characterised by an abnormal or increased production of mucus.
