Temperature gradients in domestic cats over seven-years-old: descriptive analysis / Avaliação descritiva dos gradientes de temperatura em felinos domésticos com mais de sete anos

The temperature gradients are dynamic and noninvasive monitoring techniques that provide information on peripheral blood flow and have been related to the prognosis of patients with circulatory shock. This study evaluated 47 elderly domestic cats' temperature gradients, and we measured central (rectal) and peripheral (palmar, plantar and medial region of the radio) temperatures. Values found in this study are compatible with studies in young felines and differ from dogs and humans. The mean gradients found were 7.5°C for the central-peripheral; 5.6°C for the peripheral-environmental; 2.7°C for the skin-diff; and 0°C for the member-diff and the variables age and gender do not seem to influence these measurements. To the authors' knowledge, there is no description of temperature gradients in elderly domestic cats, so this study pretends to clarify the vasoconstriction response in this group of animals.(AU)

Os gradientes de temperatura são técnicas de monitoração dinâmicas e não-invasivas que fornecem informações sobre o fluxo sanguíneo periférico, e têm sido relacionados ao prognóstico de paciente com choque circulatório. O presente estudo avaliou os gradientes de temperatura em 47 felinos domésticos idosos aferindo as temperaturas central (retal) e periférica (palmar, plantar e região medial do rádio). Os gradientes encontrados foram 7,5°C para o centro-periférico; 5,6°C para o periférico-ambiental; 2,7°C para o skin-diff; e 0°C para o member-diff. As variáveis idade e sexo não pareceram influenciar as mensurações. Não há, em conhecimento dos autores, descrição prévia dos gradientes de temperatura em felinos domésticos idosos, e por isso esse estudo pretende contribuir com o entendimento sobre a capacidade de resposta de vasoconstrição nesse grupo de animais.(AU)

Assessment of plasma lactate and core-peripheral temperature gradient in association with stages of naturally occurring myxomatous mitral valve disease in dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate plasma lactate concentrations and core-peripheral temperature gradients as perfusion parameters in dogs with heart failure caused by myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) and to determine whether the above perfusion parameters are correlated with disease stages. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: University teaching hospital. ANIMALS: After excluding 129 dogs because of exclusion criteria, 7 dogs with heart failure classified as stage B2 and 10 dogs classified as stage C according to the American Heart Association (AHA)/American College of Cardiology (ACC) were included in the study. Six dogs without MMVD were evaluated as the control group. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Among the evaluated parameters, the plasma lactate concentrations were increased in stage C (median 3.70 mmol/L [33.3 mg/dL], interquartile range (IQR) 0.72 mmol/L [6.5 mg/dL]) compared with those in the control (median 2.80 mmol/L [25.2 mg/dL], IQR 0.8 mmol/L [7.2 mg/dL]; P = 0.024) and stage B2 groups (median 2.70 mmol/L [24.3 mg/dL], IQR 1.8 mmol/L [16.2 mg/dL]; P = 0.045). Significant differences were not observed in the core-peripheral temperature gradients among the control, stage B2, and stage C dogs. CONCLUSIONS: Dogs with structural heart disease as a result of MMVD may have occult tissue hypoperfusion in stage C that is demonstrated by hyperlactatemia.

Weight loss improves arterial blood gases and respiratory parameters in obese dogs.

Canine obesity is a common medical disorder and a known risk factor for associated diseases; it can seriously influence various physiological functions, thereby limiting the longevity of the animal. In this study, we evaluated potential respiratory alterations in obese dogs before and after being subjected to caloric restriction to decrease their body weight by 20%, and compared those dogs with control dogs with ideal body condition score. The animals were divided into three experimental groups: GI (obese dogs; n = 11); GII (obese dogs after weight loss, same animals as in GI); GIII (control dogs; n = 11). We evaluated lung function by spirometry and arterial blood gases. Statistical analysis included paired or non-paired Student's t test. Compared with dogs within an ideal body condition score (GIII), obese dogs (GI) had a low arterial partial pressure of oxygen (p < 0.05); decreased tidal volume (p < 0.005), inspiratory time and expiratory time (p < 0.05); and an increased respiratory rate (p < 0.005). After losing weight (GII), no differences with control dogs (GIII) were verified. The results suggested that obese dogs have an improvement in respiratory function with weight loss, but further investigations in a larger group of dogs are advised to confirm these findings.

Avaliação da pressão arterial sistêmica em cães obesos: comparação entre os métodos oscilométrico e doppler ultrassônico / Systemic blood pressure evaluation by oscillometric versus doppler ultrasonographic methods in obese dogs

A obesidade é o problema nutricional que mais acomete os cães e pode causar vários efeitos deletérios a saúde animal. No entanto, o efeito desta condição sobre a pressão arterial sistólica (PAS) em cães obesos é controverso. Os métodos indiretos de mensuração da PAS são os mais comumente utilizados na medicina veterinária para o diagnóstico da hipertensão sistêmica, por serem mais práticos e de fácil acesso. Não foram localizados na literatura estudos que tenham comparado os dois métodos para esta avaliação em cães obesos. Diante do exposto, o objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar a PAS em cães obesos, comparando os métodos indiretos de mensuração da pressão arterial, oscilométrico e doppler ultrassônico, a fim de verificar as diferenças nos valores obtidos, como também o método mais indicado para aferir a PAS em cães nesta condição. Foram avaliados 50 cães, incluindo 25 obesos com escore de condição corporal (ECC) médio de 8,42±0,50 e 25 cães com peso corporal ideal com ECC médio de 4,56±0,51. Os resultados revelaram valores superiores da PAS obtidos pelo método doppler (152±16mmHg) comparados ao oscilométrico (136±11mmHg). A análise de correspondência determinada por análise estatística multivariada demonstrou maior correspondência entre a condição corporal e o método de avaliação da PAS. Esses achados sugerem que o método indireto doppler pode aferir com mais precisão os valores de PAS em cães obesos.(AU)

Obesity is the most common nutritional problem in dogs and it can cause various harmful effects on animal health. However, the effect of this condition on systolic blood pressure (SBP) in obese dogs is controversial. The indirect method of measuring PAS is the most commonly used in veterinary medicine for the diagnosis of systemic hypertension, because it is more practical and easy to access. There is little scientific information about the comparison of the two non-invasive methods of measurement of blood pressure in obese dogs. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the SBP in obese dogs by comparing both indirect methods of measuring blood pressure, with oscillometric and doppler vascular in order to verify the differences in blood pressure values, but also the best method to assess the SBP dogs in this body score condition. The study complain blood pressure measurement of 50 dogs, with were divided in obese dogs with mean body condition score (BCS) of 8.42±0.50 (n=25) and dogs with ideal BCS of 4.56±0.51 (n=25). At comparison of blood pressure values, SBP values obtained by doppler method (152±16mmHg) were higher than the oscillometric (136±11mmHg). Correspondence analysis determined by multivariate statistical analysis showed correlation between body condition and the procedure of the SBP. These findings suggest that the indirect method doppler can better reflect the SBP in obese dogs.(AU)

Cardiac function in dogs with chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation into the coronary arteries.

This study assessed the effects of a single intracoronary injection of autologous stem cells on the cardiac function of dogs with Chagas cardiomyopathy. Bone-marrow-derived stem cells were delivered into the right and left coronary arteries of 5 mature dogs with mildly compromised cardiac function due to chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy. Blood pressure and electrocardiographic and echocardiographic parameters were recorded at monthly intervals for 6 mo in the 3 dogs that survived. Although no changes were observed in the electrocardiogram and blood pressure, there was a significant increase in peak velocity of aortic flow 3 mo after stem cell transplantation. Pre-ejection period, isovolumic relaxation time, and the Tei index of myocardial performance were reduced significantly 4 mo after the procedure. All significant changes persisted to the end of the study. The results suggest that the transplantation of autologous bone-marrow-derived stem cells into the coronary arteries of dogs with Chagas cardiomyopathy may have a beneficial effect but the small number of dogs studied was a limitation.

Caracterização clínica da cardiomiopatia chagásica crônica em cães / Clinical characterization of chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy in dogs

On the American continent, almost 15 million people are affected by Chagas disease, resulting in important economic and social damages. Dogs are considered to be an excellent experimental model to study Chagas' disease; as a result, in this research, the characterization of cardiovascular abnormalities was performed in dogs experimentally infected with Trypanosoma cruzi (the Colombian strain) that were at chronic stage. Thirteen adult female dogs were evaluated by electrocardiographic, echocardiographic, hematological and biochemical analyses in the chronic phase. For the electrocardiographic studies, respiratory sinus arrhythmia was the predominant rhythm during the entire research period (49.55 percent to 67 percent), with a low prevalence of right bundle branch block (0-13 percent) and first-degree atrioventricular block (0-14 percent). The spectral Doppler echocardio-graphy showed E and A mitral wave reversal (0.71±0.17), confirming the diastolic dysfunction present in all dogs. An increase in the enzymes activities was detected in the serum analysis, indicating myocardial injury by the infection. Six dogs died during the follow-up. In this way, the clinical characterization of experimentally infected dogs, as described here, increases the knowledge and allows for recognition of the behavioural modifications present in Chagas' disease in affected dogs.

No continente Americano, aproximadamente 15 milhões de pessoas são afetadas pela doença de Chagas, ocasionando importantes danos econômicos e sociais. O cão é considerado excelente modelo experimental para o estudo dessa enfermidade; assim sendo, foram caracterizadas, neste ensaio, as anormalidades cardiovasculares de 13 cães experimentalmente infectados com a cepa Colombiana do Trypanosoma cruzi, em fase crônica (1997-2004). Ao eletrocardiograma, a arritmia sinusal respiratória foi o ritmo predominante durante todo período experimental (49,55-67 por cento), com baixas prevalências de bloqueio de ramo direito (0-13 por cento) e de bloqueio atrioventricular de primeiro grau (0-14 por cento). A EcoDopplercardiografia espectral revelou inversão das ondas E e A mitral (0.71±0.17), confirmando a disfunção diastólica presente em todos os cães avaliados. O aumento da atividade enzimática sérica foi detectado, indicando agressão miocárdica pela infecção. Seis cães morreram durante o período experimental. Desta forma, a caracterização clínica dos cães experimentalmente infectados trouxe informações importantes, possibilitando reconhecer o comportamento clínico dessa importante infecção, na espécie canina.