Veterinary students' attitudes toward anesthesiology as a specialty.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the perceptions of veterinary students interested in specialization regarding veterinary anesthesiology. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional, multi-institutional, voluntary, anonymous, nonrandomized survey. POPULATION: Veterinary students (303 of 557 total respondents) from 10 veterinary schools. METHODS: Quantitative data were obtained via 5-point Likert scale questions about anesthesia-related topics. Open-ended questions were used to obtain qualitative data. A multivariate logistic regression model assessed the likelihood of choosing a career as an anesthesiologist. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was used to assess the relationship between 'anesthesia is interesting' and other variables. RESULTS: Of the respondents, 14 (6%) indicated veterinary anesthesia as their chosen specialty. There was a significant positive relationship between 'anesthesia is interesting' and the following variables: age, enjoyment in anesthesia class, belief in the importance of anesthesia for their career, belief in the importance of analgesia for their career, belief that anesthesia and analgesia have a large impact on patient care, interest in pharmacology, interest in physiology, interest in learning technical skills, belief that anesthesiologists are respected by their colleagues and belief that anesthesiologists are an important part of the health care team. More weeks on the anesthesia clinical rotation was positively and significantly associated with increased rotation enjoyment. Enjoyment in the anesthesia class [p = 0.001, Exp(ß) = 2.1, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.3-3.4] and belief that anesthesia is interesting [p = 0.013, Exp(ß) = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.2-5.4] were predictors that respondents would be more likely to consider a career as a veterinary anesthesiologist. CONCLUSIONS: Those veterinary students with an interest in pharmacology and who enjoyed their anesthesia course were more likely to consider a career as a veterinary anesthesiologist. If students indicated no interest in specializing in veterinary anesthesia, they appreciated the value the specialty brings to animal care and believed that veterinary anesthesiologists are respected by their peers.

Incidence and type of voluntary reported perianesthetic medication errors in community veterinary clinics in Calgary, Canada.

OBJECTIVE: To collect medication error (ME) data during the perianesthetic period from small animal clinics. SAMPLE: 6 small animal general practice veterinary clinics. METHODS: Small animal general practice veterinary clinics were recruited in this prospective observational study, with staff given a presentation on medical errors and instructed on how to submit medication error reports to an online reporting system. Errors were classified according to type and timing. RESULTS: A total of 2,728 general anesthesia or sedation procedures were performed, with 49 ME reports submitted. One duplicated report of the same error was excluded, resulting in a ME rate of 1.8%. Most reports (69% [33/48]) were near misses. The remaining 31% were MEs that reached the patient but did not cause harm. Wrong dose errors were the most common type (63% [30/48]), of which 80% (24/30) were calculation errors. Premedication/sedation and maintenance were the most reported stages, at 47% (20/43) and 23% (10/43), respectively. None of the MEs reported resulted in an adverse event, with an approximately 2:1 ratio of near-miss to no-harm MEs. The observed patterns of MEs reported, including type and timing, represent a target for further education. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These results quantify the ME rate in general practice veterinary clinics, providing an initial benchmark for MEs during the perianesthetic period.

Medication errors in veterinary anesthesia: a literature review.

OBJECTIVE: To provide an overview of medication errors (MEs) in veterinary medicine, with a focus on the perianesthetic period; to compare MEs in veterinary medicine with human anesthesia practice, and to describe factors contributing to the risk of MEs and strategies for error reduction. DATABASES USED: PubMed and CAB abstracts; search terms: [("patient safety" or "medication error∗") AND veterin∗]. CONCLUSIONS: Human anesthesia is recognized as having a relatively high risk of MEs. In veterinary medicine, MEs were among the most commonly reported medical error. Predisposing factors for MEs in human and veterinary anesthesia include general (e.g. distraction, fatigue, workload, supervision) and specific factors (e.g. requirement for dose calculations when dosing for body mass, using several medications within a short time period and preparing syringes ahead of time). Data on MEs are most commonly collected in self-reporting systems, which very likely underestimate the true incidence, a problem acknowledged in human medicine. Case reports have described a variety of MEs in the perianesthetic period, including prescription, preparation and administration errors. Dogs and cats were the most frequently reported species, with MEs in cats more commonly associated with harmful outcomes compared with dogs. In addition to education and raising awareness, other strategies described for reducing the risk of MEs include behavioral, communication, identification, organizational, engineering and cognitive aids.

Consistency in Reporting of Loss of Righting Reflex for Assessment of General Anesthesia in Rats and Mice: A Systematic Review.

General anesthesia induces a reversible loss of consciousness (LOC), a state that is characterized by the inability to feel pain. Identifying LOC in animals poses unique challenges, because the method most commonly used in humans, responding to questions, cannot be used in animals. For over a century, loss of righting reflex (LORR) has been used to assess LOC in animals. This is the only animal method that correlates directly with LOC in humans and has become the standard proxy measure used in research. However, the reporting of how LORR is assessed varies extensively. This systematic literature review examined the consistency and completeness of LORR methods used in rats and mice. The terms 'righting reflex,' 'anesthesia,' 'conscious,' 'rats,' 'mice,' and their derivatives were used to search 5 electronic databases. The abstracts of the 985 articles identified were screened for indications that the study assessed LORR in mice or rats. Full texts of selected articles were reviewed for LORR methodological completeness, with reported methods categorized by 1) animal placement method, 2) behavioral presence of righting reflex, 3) duration of LORR testing, 4) behavioral LORR, and 5) animal position for testing LORR. Only 22 papers reported on all 5 methodological categories. Of the 22 papers, 21 used unique LORR methodologies, with descriptions of LORR methods differing in at least one category as compared with all other studies. This variability indicates that even papers that included all 5 categories still had substantial differences in their methodological descriptions. These findings reveal substantial inconsistencies in LORR methodology and reporting in the biomedical literature likely compromising study replicability and data interpretation.

Uncontrolled pain: a call for better study design.

Studies assessing animal pain in veterinary research are often performed primarily for the benefit of animals. Frequently, the goal of these studies is to determine whether the analgesic effect of a novel treatment is clinically meaningful, and therefore has the capacity to improve the welfare of treated animals. To determine the treatment effect of a potential analgesic, control groups are necessary to allow comparison. There are negative control groups (where pain is unattenuated) and positive control groups (where pain is attenuated). Arising out of animal welfare concerns, there is growing reluctance to use negative control groups in pain studies. But for studies where pain is experimentally induced, the absence of a negative control group removes the opportunity to demonstrate that the study methods could differentiate a positive control intervention from doing nothing at all. For studies that are controlled by a single comparison group, the capacity to distinguish treatment effects from experimental noise is more difficult; especially considering that pain studies often involve small sample sizes, small and variable treatment effects, systematic error and use pain assessment measures that are unreliable. Due to these limitations, and with a focus on farm animals, we argue that many pain studies would be enhanced by the simultaneous inclusion of positive and negative control groups. This would help provide study-specific definitions of pain and pain attenuation, thereby permitting more reliable estimates of treatment effects. Adoption of our suggested refinements could improve animal welfare outcomes for millions of animals globally.

Modeling daily veterinary anesthetist patient care hours and probabilities of exceeding critical thresholds.

OBJECTIVE: Use a referral dental clinic model to study how to calculate accurate 95% upper confidence limits for probabilities of workloads (total case duration, including turnover time) exceeding allocated times. ANIMALS: Dogs and cats undergoing dental treatments. METHODS: Managerial data (procedure date and duration) collected over 44 consecutive operative workdays were used to calculate the daily anesthetist workload. Workloads were compared with a normal distribution using the Shapiro-Wilk test, serial correlation was examined by runs test, and comparisons among weekdays were made using the Kruskal-Wallis test. The 95% confidence limits for normally distributed workloads exceeding allocated times were estimated with a generalized pivotal quantity. The impact of a number of procedures was assessed with scatterplots, Pearson linear correlation coefficients, and multivariable linear regression. RESULTS: Mean anesthetist's workload was normally distributed (Shapiro-Wilk P = .25), without serial correlation (P = .45), and without significant differences among weekdays (P = .52). Daily workload, mean 9.39 hours and SD 3.06 hours, had 95% upper confidence limit of 4.47% for the probability that exceeding 16 hours (ie, 8 hours per each of 2 tables). There was a strong positive correlation between daily workload and the end of the workday (r = .85), significantly larger than the correlation between the end of the workday and the number of procedures (r = .64, P < .0001). CLINICAL RELEVANCE: There are multiple managerial applications in veterinary anesthesia wherein the problem is to estimate risks of exceeding thresholds of workload, including the costs of hiring a locum, scheduling unplanned add-on cases, planning for late discharge of surgical patients to owners, and coordinating anesthetist breaks.

Assessing Susceptibility to Carbon Dioxide Gas in Three Rat Strains Using the Loss of Righting Reflex.

Overdose of carbon dioxide gas (CO2) is a common euthanasia method for rodents; however, CO2 exposure activates nociceptors in rats at concentrations equal to or greater than 37% and is reported to be painful in humans at concentrations equal to or greater than 32.5%. Exposure of rats to CO2 could cause pain before loss of consciousness. We used 2 standardized loss of righting reflex (LORR) methods to identify CO2 concentrations associated with unconsciousness in Wistar, Long???Evans, and Sprague???Dawley rats (n = 28 animals per strain). A rotating, motorized cylinder was used to test LORR while the rat was being exposed to increasing concentrations of CO2. LORR was defined based on a 15-second observation period. The 2 methods were 1) a 1-Paw assessment (the righting reflex was considered to be present if one or more paws contacted the cylinder after the rat was positioned in dorsal recumbency), and 2) a 4-Paw assessment (the righting reflex was considered to be present if all 4 paws contacted the cylinder after the rat was positioned in dorsal recumbency). Data were analyzed with Probit regression, and dose-response curves were plotted. 1-Paw EC95 values (CO2 concentration at which LORR occurred for 95% of the population) were Wistar, 27.2%; Long???Evans, 29.2%; and Sprague???Dawley, 35.0%. 4-Paw EC95 values were Wistar, 26.2%; Long???Evans, 25.9%, and Sprague???Dawley, 31.1%. Sprague???Dawley EC95 values were significantly higher in both 1- and 4-Paw tests as compared with Wistar and Long???Evans rats. No differences were detected between sexes for any strain. The 1-Paw EC95 was significantly higher than the 4-Paw EC95 only for Sprague-Dawley rats. These results suggest that a low number of individual rats from the strains studied may experience pain during CO2 euthanasia.

Nerve stimulator-guided mandibular block in an alpaca undergoing dental extraction.

General anesthesia of a 2-year-old castrated male alpaca undergoing mandibular tooth extraction was successfully managed via a mandibular nerve block with bupivacaine, using nerve stimulation to confirm correct needle placement. The local block was effective, with no cardiovascular or respiratory responses to surgical stimulation observed. Key clinical message: Use of a locoregional technique in dentistry confers anesthetic stability, blocks nociceptive responses to surgery, and promotes a smooth recovery and comfortable postoperative period.

Bloc du nerf mandibulaire confirmé en utilisant la stimulation nerveuse chez un alpaga subissant une extraction dentaire. L'anesthésie générale d'un alpaga mâle castré de 2 ans subissant une extraction de dent mandibulaire a été gérée avec succès par un bloc du nerf mandibulaire avec de la bupivacaïne en utilisant la stimulation nerveuse. Aucune réaction contre la stimulation chirurgicale, y compris une augmentation de la fréquence cardiaque et de la pression artérielle, n'a été observée pendant l'opération.Message clinique clé :L'utilisation d'une technique locorégionale en dentisterie confère une stabilité anesthésique, bloque les réactions nociceptives à la chirurgie et favorise un rétablissement en douceur et une période postopératoire confortable.(Traduit par les auteurs).

Use of Loss of Righting Reflex to Assess Susceptibility to Carbon Dioxide Gas in Three Mouse Strains.

Exposure to CO2 gas is a common rodent euthanasia method. CO2 activates nociceptors in rats and is painful to humans at concentrations equal to or greater than 32.5% The concentration of CO2 at which rodents become unconsciousness is inadequately defined. We used loss of righting reflex (LORR) to identify the concentration at which CO2 caused loss of consciousness in C57Bl/6, CD1 and 129P3J mice (16 females and 16 males per strain). We used a custom built, rotating, motorized cylinder to determine LORR as CO2 concentrations were increased. Two LORR assessment methods were used: 1) a 1-Paw assessment in which the righting reflex was considered to be present if one or more paws contacted the cylinder after rotation into dorsal recumbency and 2) a 4-Paw assessment in which the righting reflex was considered to be present only if all 4 paws contacted the cylinder. LORR test data were analyzed with Probit regression and dose response curves were plotted. 1-Paw EC95 values (CO2 concentration at which LORR occurred for 95% of the population) were: C57Bl/6; 30.7%, CD1; 26.2%, 129P3J; 20.1%. The EC95 for C57Bl/6 was significantly higher than that of the 129P3J mice, with no significant differences between other strains. Four-Paw EC95 values were: C57Bl/6; 22.8%, CD1; 25.3%, 129P3J; 20.1%. Values for 129P3J mice were significantly lower than those of CD1 mice), with no significant difference between other strains. The EC95 varied significantly between 1-Paw and 4-Paw methods only for C57Bl/6 mice. These results suggest a potential for nociception and pain to occur in some individuals of some mouse strains during CO2 euthanasia.

Quality of reporting of prospective in vivo and ex vivo studies published in the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care over a 10-year period (2009-2019).

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reporting of key items associated with risk of bias and weak study design over a 10-year period. DESIGN: Literature survey. SETTING: Not applicable. ANIMALS: Not applicable. INTERVENTIONS: Papers published in the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care between 2009 and 2019 were screened for inclusion. Inclusion criteria consisted of prospective experimental studies describing in vivo or ex vivo research (or both), containing at least 2 comparison groups. Identified papers had identifying information (publication date, volume and issue, authors, affiliations) redacted by an individual not involved with paper selection or review. Two reviewers independently reviewed all papers and applied an operationalized checklist to categorize item reporting as fully reported, partially reported, not reported, or not applicable. Items assessed included randomization, blinding, data handling (inclusions and exclusions), and sample size estimation. Differences in assessment between reviewers were resolved by consensus with a third reviewer. A secondary aim was to document availability of data used to generate study results. Papers were screened for links to access data in the text and supporting information. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: After screening, 109 papers were included. Eleven papers were excluded during full-text review, with 98 papers included in the final analysis. Randomization was fully reported in 31.6% of papers (31/98). Blinding was fully reported in 31.6% of papers (31/98). Inclusion criteria were fully reported in all papers. Exclusion criteria were fully reported in 60.2% of papers (59/98). Sample size estimation was fully reported in 8.0% of papers (6/75). No papers (0/99) made data freely available without a requirement to contact study authors. CONCLUSIONS: There is substantial room for improvement in reporting of randomization, blinding, data exclusions, and sample size estimations. Evaluation of study quality by readers is limited by the low reporting levels identified, and the risk of bias present indicates a potential for inflated effect sizes.

Modification of the diabetes prevention program for the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A pilot study.

Objective: The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) is the gold standard lifestyle modification program that reduces incident type 2 diabetes mellitus. Patients with prediabetes and patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) often share metabolic features; we hypothesized that the DPP could be adapted and used to improve outcomes in patients with NAFLD. Methods: NAFLD patients were recruited into a 1 year modified DPP. Demographics, medical comorbidities, and clinical laboratory values were collected at baseline, 6 and 12 months. The primary endpoint was change in weight at 12 months. Secondary endpoints were changes in hepatic steatosis, metabolic comorbidities, and liver enzymes (per-protocol basis) and retention at 6 and 12 months. Results: Fourteen NAFLD patients enrolled; three dropped out before 6 months. From baseline to 12 months, hepatic steatosis (p = 0.03), alanine aminotransferase (p = 0.02), aspartate aminotransferase (p = 0.02), high-density lipoprotein (p = 0.01) and NAFLD fibrosis score (p < 0.001) improved, but low-density lipoprotein worsened (p = 0.04). Conclusion: Seventy-nine percent of patients completed the modified DPP. Patients lost weight and had improvements in five out of six indicators of liver injury and lipid metabolism. Clinical Trial Registry Number: NCT04988204.

Successful blood transfusion in a Holstein cow experiencing hemorrhagic shock under general anesthesia.

A 2-year-old Holstein cow weighing 530 kg at 2 mo gestation was scheduled for a paracostal laparotomy and abomasotomy following diagnosis of a reticular foreign body causing obstruction and abomasal impaction. Hemorrhagic shock occurred during surgery, with a rapid, approximately 60% decrease in arterial blood pressure, and reflex tachycardia with a 2-fold increase in heart rate. Following identification of hemorrhagic shock, arterial blood pressure was supported by reducing the inhalant anesthetic requirement, positive inotropic support (IV dobutamine infusion), and IV fluid therapy. Hypertonic saline was administered IV for initial resuscitation of arterial blood pressure, followed by a whole blood transfusion to replenish red blood cells, support oxygencarrying capacity, and provide intravascular volume to maintain cardiac output and tissue perfusion. A gradual increase in arterial blood pressure and a decrease in heart rate were observed in response to treatment. This case report demonstrates the physiologic compensatory response to hemorrhagic shock and the treatment to stabilize cardiovascular parameters in an anesthetized cow. Key clinical message: This case illustrates the physiological reponses to acute hemorrhage under general anesthesia and the effects of various treatment interventions.

Transfusion sanguine réussie chez une vache Holstein en état de choc hémorragique sous anesthésie générale. Une vache Holstein de 2 ans pesant 530 kg à 2 mois de gestation devait subir une laparotomie paracostale et une abomasotomie à la suite du diagnostic d'un corps étranger réticulaire provoquant une obstruction et une impaction abomasale. Un choc hémorragique est survenu pendant la chirurgie, avec une diminution rapide d'environ 60 % de la pression artérielle et une tachycardie réflexe avec une augmentation du double de la fréquence cardiaque. À la suite de l'identification d'un choc hémorragique, la pression artérielle a été soutenue en réduisant le besoin d'anesthésique inhalé, un soutien inotrope positif (perfusion de dobutamine IV) et une thérapie avec des fluides IV. Une solution saline hypertonique a été administrée par voie intraveineuse pour la restauration initiale de la pression artérielle, suivie d'une transfusion de sang total pour rétablir la quantité de globules rouges, soutenir la capacité de transport d'oxygène et fournir un volume intravasculaire pour maintenir le débit cardiaque et la perfusion tissulaire. Une augmentation progressive de la pression artérielle et une diminution de la fréquence cardiaque ont été observées en réponse au traitement. Ce rapport de cas démontre la réponse physiologique compensatoire au choc hémorragique et le traitement pour stabiliser les paramètres cardiovasculaires chez une vache anesthésiée.Message clinique clé :Ce cas illustre les réponses physiologiques à une hémorragie aiguë sous anesthésie générale et les effets de diverses interventions thérapeutiques.(Traduit par Dr Serge Messier).

A prospective survey of veterinary anesthesia equipment in Alberta, Canada, using a standardized checkout procedure.

Background: In both human and veterinary medicine, it is recommended that an anesthetic machine checkout procedure (preuse check) be performed daily, with some items tested before each case, to confirm safe function and the check results recorded. Objective: The objective of this prospective study was to evaluate anesthetic machines in private veterinary clinics in Alberta (Canada) using a standardized checkout procedure. Animals and procedures: One-hundred consecutive anesthetic machines were assessed. For each item of the checkout procedure, a "pass," "fail," or "not applicable" score was awarded. "Not applicable" indicated an item that could not be evaluated. Results: Few machines (10%) evaluated had a secondary oxygen supply, no machines had an oxygen supply pressure alarm, and leaks were identified in 31 and 17% of rebreathing and non-rebreathing systems, respectively. Thirty-nine percent of machines did not have a high-pressure circuit alarm, 86% of machines were attached to an active scavenging system, although it was improperly connected in 56% of cases, and only 2% of machines were accompanied by a checkout log. Conclusion and clinical relevance: There was widespread variation in anesthetic machine standards and function, highlighting the value of performing a regular machine checkout procedure in creating a foundation for safe anesthetic practice.

Une enquête prospective sur l'équipement d'anesthésie vétérinaire en Alberta, au Canada, à l'aide d'une procédure de vérification normalisée. Historique: En médecine humaine et vétérinaire, il est recommandé qu'une procédure de vérification de la machine d'anesthésie (vérification avant utilisation) soit effectuée quotidiennement, avec certains éléments testés avant chaque cas, pour confirmer le fonctionnement sécuritaire et les résultats de la vérification enregistrés. Objectif: L'objectif de cette étude prospective était d'évaluer les machines d'anesthésie dans les cliniques vétérinaires privées de l'Alberta (Canada) en utilisant une procédure de contrôle standardisée. Animaux et procédures: Cent machines d'anesthésie consécutives ont été évaluées. Pour chaque élément de la procédure de vérification, une note « réussite ¼, « échec ¼ ou « non applicable ¼ a été attribuée. « Sans objet ¼ indique un élément qui n'a pas pu être évalué. Résultats: Peu de machines (10 %) évaluées avaient une alimentation secondaire en oxygène, aucune machine n'avait d'alarme de pression d'alimentation en oxygène, et des fuites ont été identifiées dans 31 et 17 % des systèmes de ré-inhalation et sans ré-inhalation, respectivement. Trente-neuf pourcents des machines n'avaient pas d'alarme de circuit haute pression, 86 % des machines étaient rattachées à un système de balayage actif, bien qu'il soit mal raccordé dans 56 % des cas, et seulement 2 % des machines étaient accompagnées d'un journal de sortie. Conclusion et pertinence clinique: Il y avait une grande variation dans les normes et le fonctionnement des machines d'anesthésie, soulignant l'importance d'effectuer une procédure de vérification régulière de la machine pour créer une base pour une pratique anesthésique sûre.(Traduit par Dr Serge Messier).

Pain Recognition in Rodents.

Available methods for recognizing and assessing pain in rodents have increased over the last 10 years, including the development of validated pain assessment scales. Much of this work has been driven by the needs of biomedical research, and there are specific challenges to applying these scales in the clinical environment. This article provides an introduction to pain assessment scale validation, reviews current methods of pain assessment, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses, and makes recommendations for assessing pain in a clinical environment.

Development of reference intervals for pupillometry in healthy dogs.

Background: Pupillometry, the measurement of pupil size and reactivity to a stimulus, has various uses in both human and veterinary medicine. These reflect autonomic tone, with the potential to assess nociception and emotion. Infrared pupillometry reduces inaccuracies that may occur when the pupillary light reflex is determined subjectively by the examiner. To our knowledge, there are no published studies outlining normal reference intervals for automated pupillometry in dogs. Objective: The objective of this study was to develop de novo automated pupillometry reference intervals from 126 healthy canine eyes. Methods: The pupillary light reflex (PLR) was measured with a handheld pupillometer (NeurOptics™ PLR-200™ Pupillometer). Parameters recorded included maximum pupil diameter (MAX), minimum pupil diameter (MIN), percent constriction (CON), latency (LAT), average constriction velocity (ACV), maximum constriction velocity (MCV), average dilation velocity (ADV) and time to 75% pupil diameter recovery (T75). One measurement was obtained for each eye. Results: The following reference intervals were developed: MAX (6.05-11.30 mm), MIN (3.76-9.44 mm), CON (-37.89 to -9.64 %), LAT (0.11-0.30 s), ACV (-6.39 to -2.63 mm/ s), MCV (-8.45 to -3.75 mm/s), ADV (-0.21-1.77 mm/s), and T75 (0.49-3.20 s). Clinical significance: The reference intervals developed in this study are an essential first step to facilitate future research exploring pupillometry as a pain assessment method in dogs.

A disposable, canister-free negative-pressure wound therapy device proves feasible, but of inferior efficacy to conventional therapies for treating cutaneous wounds in dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility of a canister-free negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) device (PICO™ 1.6, Smith & Nephew Medical Ltd) and evaluate its effect on early phases of wound healing in canine experimental cutaneous wounds. ANIMALS: 5 adult spayed female research Beagles. PROCEDURES: In a pilot experimental study, 1 full-thickness 2-cm X 2-cm cutaneous wound was surgically created on each hemithorax in each dog. Wounds were treated with either NPWT or a conventional wound dressing for 14 days. Bandage changes and wound evaluations were done at 7 time points. First macroscopic appearance of granulation tissue, smoothness of granulation tissue, and percentages of wound contraction and epithelialization were compared between treatments. Wounds were sampled at 3 time points for histopathologic analyses and semiquantitative scoring. RESULTS: NPWT dressings were well tolerated by all dogs. Complete seal of the dressing required the application of adhesive spray, and maintenance of the vacuum lessened over time. Self-limiting skin irritations appeared in all dogs and hampered the attainment of negative pressure. Granulation tissue developed faster and was more abundant in control wounds. Wound contraction, epithelialization, and fibroblast proliferation were greater in control wounds at the end of the study. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This canister-free NPWT device is feasible but problematic in maintaining a vacuum, requiring frequent revisions of the dressing. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the effect of this device on early phases of wound healing. Its benefits in wound healing remain unknown.

Is training necessary for efficacious use of the Glasgow Feline Composite Measure Pain Scale?

Objective: The Glasgow Feline Composite Measure Pain Scale (CMPS-F) is a validated cat pain assessment tool for clinical use. No research has examined how training impacts use of this tool. Thus, we examined whether seminar-style training improves the identification of cat pain when using the CMPS-F. Veterinarians (n = 17) and non-veterinarian staff (n = 33; N = 50) were recruited to participate. Procedure: Seminars included: i) pre-training use of the CMPS-F to score cat videos with varying degrees of pain; ii) cat pain assessment training; and iii) post-training use of the CMPS-F. Participant CMPS-F ratings were compared to experts' ratings of the same videos. Average CMPS-F scores and analgesic decision ratings were compared pre-and post-training. Results: Most participants were female non-veterinarian staff who had not heard of the CMPS-F. Participant and expert analgesic decision-making did not differ pre- (P = 1.0) and post-training (P = 0.1). In addition, analgesic decision-making was similar between participants and experts for all but 3/20 videos. Conclusion and clinical relevance: Seminar training may not be necessary for efficacious use of the CMPS-F. Further research is needed to explore strategies for improving awareness of cat pain assessment tools and increasing in-clinic use.

Objectif: L'échelle de mesure de la douleur féline composite de Glasgow (CMPS-F) est un outil validé d'évaluation de la douleur chez le chat à usage clinique. Aucune recherche n'a examiné l'impact de la formation sur l'utilisation de cet outil. Ainsi, nous avons examiné si la formation de type séminaire améliore l'identification de la douleur du chat lors de l'utilisation du CMPS-F. Des vétérinaires (n = 17) et du personnel non vétérinaire (n = 33; N = 50) ont été recrutés pour participer. Procédure: Les séminaires comprenaient : i) l'utilisation du CMPS-F avant la formation pour noter des vidéos de chats avec différents degrés de douleur; ii) formation à l'évaluation de la douleur chez le chat; et iii) l'utilisation du CMPS-F après la formation. Les notes CMPS-F des participants ont été comparées aux notes des experts des mêmes vidéos. Les scores CMPS-F moyens et les cotes de décision analgésique ont été comparés avant et après la formation. Résultats: La plupart des participants étaient du personnel féminin non vétérinaire qui n'avait jamais entendu parler du CMPS-F. La prise de décision des participants et des experts en matière d'analgésie ne différait pas avant (P = 1,0) et après la formation (P = 0,1). De plus, la prise de décision analgésique était similaire entre les participants et les experts pour toutes les vidéos sauf 3/20. Conclusion et pertinence clinique: La formation en séminaire peut ne pas être nécessaire pour une utilisation efficace du CMPS-F. Des recherches supplémentaires sont nécessaires pour explorer des stratégies visant à améliorer la sensibilisation aux outils d'évaluation de la douleur chez les chats et à accroître leur utilisation en clinique.(Traduit par Dr Serge Messier).