Acute Kidney Injury and Renal Failure in Horses.

Nephrotoxic and hemodynamically mediated disorders are the most common causes of acute renal failure (ARF) in horses and foals. Leptospira spp. is the most common infectious cause of ARF. Initial treatments for ARF include elimination of nephrotoxic drugs, correction of predisposing disorders, and fluid therapy to promote diuresis. Horses and foals with polyuric ARF often have a good prognosis, while those with oliguric or anuric ARF have a guarded to poor prognosis. When fluid therapy is unsuccessful in improving urine production, various drugs treatments have been used in an attempt to increase urine production, but none are consistently effective in converting oliguria to polyuria.

Suspected lily toxicosis in a meerkat (Suricata suricatta): a case report.

Lilies are considered nephrotoxic only to domestic cats, which belong to the family Felidae of the suborder Feliformia. However, a 7-month-old female meerkat, belonging to the family Herpestidae of the suborder Feliformia, presented with oliguria, seizure, tachypnea, self-biting, and nystagmus after it ingested lilies. The meerkat died approximately 40 hr after lily ingestion. Gross and histopathologic lesions consistent with acute renal failure were conspicuous in the animal. The renal lesions were acute tubular necrosis, corresponding to the typical pathological changes of lily toxicosis in cats. In addition, massive hepatocyte necrosis and pulmonary congestion/edema were observed. These findings suggest that lily toxicosis in meerkats is characterized by pulmonary and hepatic failure, in addition to the renal failure observed in domestic cats.

Pressão intra-abdominal em cães / Intra-abdominal pressure in dogs

Sob consenso recente em pacientes humanos, os valores basais da pressão intra-abdominal (PIA) e seus prováveis limiares em casos mórbidos, foram estipulados com intuito de favorecer a homogeneidade de estudos científicos, além de fornecer diretrizes para conduta diagnóstica e terapêutica destes pacientes. Valores basais e alterações na pressão intra-abdominal em animais não são ainda suficientemente conhecidos e cientificamente determinados. Médicos veterinários necessitam conhecer melhor os estados mórbidos que cursam com Hipertensão Intra-Abdominal (HIA) ou Síndrome de Compartimento Abdominal (SCA). O presente estudo objetivou testar em cães a técnica já descrita sob consenso na medicina como modelo de mensuração da pressão intra-abdominal, assim como determinar os valores normais para a espécie. Foram utilizados 15 cães hígidos, machos e fêmeas, homogêneos e todos sem raça definida. A mensuração da pressão intra-abdominal foi realizada por meio da técnica indireta de sondagem vesical e utilização de coluna de água com régua graduada em cm de H2O, sendo seu valor final convertido para a unidade de mm de Hg. Foi observado valor mínimo subatmosférico (abaixo de zero mm de Hg) até o valor máximo de 3,75 mmHg. Houve importante variação entre os valores encontrados individualmente em determinados cães, colocando sob discussão questões como massa corporal, freqüência/volume total de solução fisiológica a ser infundida e agitação destes pacientes no momento do exame. Os valores limítrofes encontrados são considerados fisiológicos, indicando confiabilidade da técnica e possibilidade do seu emprego clínico. A ausência de sedação e utilização de sonda uretral não inviabilizou a realização da mensuração, porém podendo culminar numa sub ou superestimativa dos valores encontrados.

In order to favor the homogeneity of scientific studies and to provide guidelines on the diagnosis and therapy, human basal values of the intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) and their probable thresholds in morbid cases were recently established. However, basal values and changes in the intra-abdominal pressure in animals are still partly unknown and not scientifically confirmed. Veterinarians have the need to expand their knowledge on morbid conditions that develop with Intra-Abdominal Hypertension (IAH) or Abdominal Compartment Syndrome (ACS). The present study aims to test in dogs the technique adopted in human medicine as a model for measurement of intra-abdominal pressure (1) and determine normal values for the species (2). Fifteen known mongrel healthy dogs, males and females and homogenous were tested. The measurement of IAP was done through an indirect technique which involves catheterizing the bladder and using a water column with a graduate ruler in cm of H(2)0 - its final value converted to mm of Hg. The values observed ranged from a minimum sub atmospheric value (below of zero mm of Hg) to 3,75 mmHg. There was a considerable variation within the individual values observed in some animals, bringing up considerations related to body mass, frequency/total volume of the physiologic solution to be administered and inquietude of these dogs during the treatment. The thresholds values found are considered physiologic, indicating reliability of the technique and possibility of its clinical use. The absence of sedation and the use of urethral catheter did not compromised the measurement, however could have resulted in under- or overestimation of the values found.

Postoperative management of the emergency surgery small animal patient.

Hypovolemia, hypothermia, and hypotension are common postoperative findings that predispose the critically ill patient to secondary complications. This patient population is especially vulnerable to sepsis, hypoxia, and immune dysfunction. Careful monitoring is essential for early recognition of potentially life-threatening physiologic derangements. Early and aggressive intervention may help minimize systemic insult before it progresses to acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute renal failure, disseminated intravascular coagulation, or multiple organ failure.