Cross-sectional survey of surgical techniques used to perform dog and cat spays in New Zealand veterinary practice.

Aims: To describe the variation in surgical techniques used by veterinarians to perform routine dog and cat spays in first-opinion veterinary practice in New Zealand, and how these techniques differed with the number of years since the veterinarian graduated.Methods: A cross-sectional survey of veterinarians registered to practice in New Zealand was conducted online between 1 April and 30 May 2018. Respondents were asked their year of graduation and about the procedures, they would use to perform a routine spay of a healthy, 5 kg, young adult, female domestic shorthair cat, and a healthy, 20 kg, young adult, female mixed-breed dog. The number of years since graduation was calculated by subtracting the reported year of graduation from 2018.Results: Overall, 282 respondents provided details about dog spays, and 361 about cat spays, and the median number of years since graduation was 14 (min 0, max 50). Only 54/282 (19.1%) respondents performing dog spays and 43/361 (11.9%) performing cat spays wore a surgical cap, gown, mask, and gloves. For dog spays, 278 (98.6%) respondents used a ventral midline approach and 147 (52.1%) used manual exteriorisation of the uterus. Most used two clamps (168; 59.6%) and used two encircling ligatures (152; 53.9%) for removal of the uterus. For cat spays, 254 (70.4%) respondents used a ventral midline approach and 313 (86.7%) used a spay hook for exteriorising the uterus. Most used two clamps (250; 69.3%) with one encircling ligature (213; 59.0%) for removal of the uterus. Simple interrupted external or intradermal patterns were mostly used for skin closure for both dog and cat spays. For cat spays, the percentage of respondents using the ventral midline approach decreased with increasing years since graduation (p < 0.001). For both dog and cat spays, the percentage of respondents using two encircling ligatures and transfixation ligation of the uterus, and using a simple continuous suture pattern for the closure of the abdomen, decreased with number of years since graduation (p < 0.05).Conclusions and clinical relevance: Veterinarians responding to this survey used a wide range of techniques to perform routine dog and cat spays, some of which were associated with the number of years since graduation. It may be beneficial to provide veterinarians with resources to reflect on their current approaches for performing routine spays. However further research is needed to determine whether any surgical techniques are superior to others.

Outcome of secondary intention healing of full thickness lower eyelid defects in dogs.

OBJECTIVES: To assess healing of the canine lower eyelid without anatomical reconstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective case series of three client-owned dogs with lower eyelid defects. These dogs that underwent debridement of lower eyelid wounds that were left to heal by secondary intention were assessed for anatomical, functional and aesthetic outcomes. RESULTS: Two of the cases had previously undergone tumour resection with a lip-to-lid reconstruction and, following flap failure, developed a full thickness defect. The third dog presented with a traumatic laceration. Each dog lost approximately 70 to 90% of the lower eyelid margin. Two received topical antimicrobial eye drops after debridement, while the third dog required no further treatment. Follow-up periods of 3 years, 15 months and 4 months were available. All owners were satisfied with the cosmetic outcome and provided pictures. One owner reported epiphora but no other ophthalmic complications occurred. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The result of this small case series supports the notion that not all lower eyelid injuries or tumour resections require anatomical reconstruction. Selected cases can be left to heal by secondary intention with minimal post-operative complications.

Experience and confidence of final year veterinary students in performing desexing surgeries.

AIMS: To describe the level of experience and confidence of veterinary students in performing canine and feline desexing procedures at the end of their final clinical year. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with veterinary students at Massey University in November 2017 after completion of their final clinical year. The questions included career plans after graduation, number of assisted and unassisted desexing procedures performed, approximate time to complete desexing surgeries, level of confidence with different aspects of desexing surgeries, what aspects of their desexing surgery training were most helpful, and what could be done to improve training in desexing surgical skills in veterinary school. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 70/95 (74%) students in their final clinical year. Among respondents, 55/70 (70%) had performed >2 unassisted feline neuters before graduation. However 38/70 (54%) students had never performed an unassisted feline spay, 31/70 (44%) had never performed an unassisted canine neuter, and 44/70 (63%) students had never performed an unassisted canine spay. The median reported times to complete a feline neuter, feline spay, canine neuter, and canine spay were 9, 40, 30 and 60 minutes, respectively. The median level of confidence for these procedures were 9, 6, 7 and 5 (on a scale from 1=least confident to 10=most confident), respectively. The reported time to complete procedures and the confidence in performing procedures did not change markedly with increasing total number of procedures performed. Students were most concerned about their ability to perform the desexing procedures in a reasonable amount of time and to prevent post-operative bleeding from occurring. Students were least concerned with their ability to manage post-operative pain in patients and to select the appropriate suture material. Free-text comments revealed that 62/70 (89%) students wanted more hands-on surgical experience prior to graduation. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVENCE: Many students are currently completing veterinary school with limited experience and low confidence with performing routine canine and feline desexing procedures. Further research is needed to identify the most effective ways for addressing this issue within the constraints of the veterinary curriculum and teaching hospital resources.

Kinetics of Plasma Cell-Free DNA and Creatine Kinase in a Canine Model of Tissue Injury.

BACKGROUND: Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) comprises short, double-stranded circulating DNA sequences released from damaged cells. In people, cfDNA concentrations correlate well with disease severity and tissue damage. No reports are available regarding cfDNA kinetics in dogs. OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Cell-free DNA will have a short biological half-life and would be able to stratify mild, moderate, and severe tissue injury. Our study aims were to determine the kinetics and biological half-life of cfDNA and to contrast them with those of creatine kinase (CK). ANIMALS: Three groups of 10 dogs undergoing open ovariohysterectomy, surgery for cranial cruciate ligament rupture (CCLR), or hemilaminectomy. METHODS: Plasma for cfDNA and CK analysis was collected at admission, at induction of anesthesia, postsurgery (time 0) and at 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 hours after surgery. RESULTS: The biological half-life of plasma cfDNA and CK were 5.64 hours (95% confidence interval [CI 95], 4.36-7.98 hours) and 28.7 hours (CI95, 25.3-33.3 hours), respectively. In the hemilaminectomy group, cfDNA concentrations differed significantly from admission at 6-12 hours after surgery. Creatine kinase activity differed among the surgical groups and reached a peak 6 hours after surgery. In the ovariohysterectomy and CCLR groups, plasma CK activity 72 hours after surgery did not differ from admission activity of the ovariohysterectomy group. In contrast, in the hemilaminectomy group, plasma CK activity after 72 hours did not return to the ovariohysterectomy group admission activity. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Plasma CK activity has a longer biological half-life than previously thought. In contrast to plasma CK activity, cfDNA has a short half-life and could be a useful marker for peracute severe tissue injury.

Characterization of fimN, a new Bordetella bronchiseptica major fimbrial subunit gene.

Fimbrial proteins play an important role in the binding of Bordetella bronchiseptica to mammalian cells, an event that is key to the pathogenesis of this organism. The fimbrial phenotype of B. bronchiseptica isolates is usually defined serologically by Fim2 and Fim3 antigens. In this study, a previously unidentified fimbrial gene, fimN, was cloned and sequenced. The identity of fimN is based on several observations. The predicted FimN protein has 59.4 and 52. 2% homology with B. bronchiseptica Fim2 and Fim3, respectively, and is similar in size to these fimbriae. fimN, expressed as a recombinant protein, is recognized by mAb prepared against Fim2 from Bordetella pertussis. The fimN promoter region contains a stretch of cytosine residues similar in length to those of other fimbrial genes expressed by Bordetella species. It also has an activator binding region, upstream from the C-stretch, that closely resembles a corresponding bvg regulated region in fim2, fim3, and fimX. The fimN gene was isolated from a cosmid prepared with B. bronchiseptica genomic DNA that restored normal properties of cellular adhesion to an adhesion deficient strain of B. bronchiseptica. As such, FimN may be a previously overlooked fimbrial antigen and may play an important role in the pathogenicity of B. bronchiseptica.