Internet Survey Evaluation of Iliopsoas Injury in Dogs Participating in Agility Competitions.

Objective: To describe risk factors associated with demographics, training, and competition for iliopsoas injury in dogs participating in agility competitions, as well as describe owner reported treatment and return to sport following injury. Procedures: An internet-based survey of agility handlers collected risk factor data for dogs participating in agility. Owners were asked questions about demographics, training, and competition as well as injury treatment and recovery if applicable. Associations between variables of interest and iliopsoas injury were estimated with logistic regression. The final risk factor model was built via modified backward selection, with all variables in the final model showing significant associations at p < 0.05. Results: Of the 4,197 dogs in the sample, 327 (7.8%) reported iliopsoas injury. The final model identified six risk factors for iliopsoas injury. A higher risk of iliopsoas injury was observed for the Border Collie breed, dogs with handlers who are veterinary assistants, dogs competing on dirt, dogs competing on artificial turf 6+ times a year, and dogs that trained with the 2 × 2 method for weave poles. Dogs that were not acquired with agility in mind were observed to have a decreased risk of injury. Factors like number of competition days and jump height were not significantly associated with risk of iliopsoas injury. Owners sought veterinary care for 88% of dogs with iliopsoas injury, including specialty care for 63%. Treatment most often included rest, home rehabilitation, formal rehabilitation, and/or oral medications. Most dogs (80%) were able to return to sport within 6 months, while 20% were out for longer than 6 months, or retired. Conclusion and Clinical Relevance: Iliopsoas injury can necessitate a significant amount of time off from training and competition, and even lead to retirement of dogs competing in agility. Some of the risk factors identified in this study can inherently not be modified (breed, intended use, and handler profession), but can be taken into consideration for injury prevention strategies. Competition and training risk factors that can be modified, such as weave training, may help to inform guidelines for best practices in management of the agility athlete.

Acupuncture for analgesia in veterinary medicine.

Acupuncture for analgesia is growing rapidly in popularity with veterinarians and pet owners. This article summarizes the mechanisms of analgesia derived from acupuncture and reviews current literature on the topic. Areas covered include the local effects at area of needle insertion, systemic effects secondary to circulating neurotransmitters and changes in cell signaling, central nervous system effects including the brain and spinal cord, and myofascial trigger point and pathology treatment. Clinical applications are discussed and suggested in each section. When used by appropriately trained professionals, acupuncture offers a compelling and safe method for pain management in our veterinary patients and should be strongly considered as a part of multimodal pain management plans.

Comparison of the efficacy and adverse effects of sustained-release buprenorphine hydrochloride following subcutaneous administration and buprenorphine hydrochloride following oral transmucosal administration in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and adverse effects of sustained-release (SR) buprenorphine following SC administration and buprenorphine following oral transmucosal (OTM) administration in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy. Animals-21 young healthy female cats. PROCEDURES: As part of anesthetic premedication (0 hours), 10 cats received buprenorphine (0.02 mg/kg) via OTM administration with additional doses at 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 hours and 11 cats received an equivalent total dose as a single SC injection of SR buprenorphine (0.12 mg/kg). The SR product contained buprenorphine hydrochloride in a proprietary SR matrix. All other anesthetic drugs and a single postoperative dose of meloxicam were administered similarly to all cats. Behavioral and physiologic variables were recorded, and signs of pain were assessed by use of 2 pain assessment scales and von Frey filament testing in each cat prior to premedication administration (baseline), during recovery from anesthesia (RFA), and at 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 hours. RESULTS: Heart rate increased and temperature (determined via microchip transponder thermometry) decreased from baseline values during RFA in both groups. Compared with baseline values, pain scores were increased during RFA and at the 12- and 24-hour time points in both groups; von Frey scores were higher during RFA. Behavioral and physiologic variables did not differ significantly between groups at any time point. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy, SC administration of a preoperative dose of SR buprenorphine appeared to have comparable efficacy and adverse effect profile as that of twice-daily OTM administration of buprenorphine before and after surgery.

Zoologic companion animal rehabilitation and physical medicine.

Injury and illness in zoologic companion animals can lead to significant pain and debilitation. Recovery can be slow and sometimes frustrating. By augmenting recovery from trauma or disease with physical medicine and rehabilitation techniques, recovery can be more rapid and complete. Physical medicine techniques, such as massage, can augment recovery from a painful injury or surgery by reducing edema, improving postoperative ileus, and decreasing anxiety. Familiarity with the tools of rehabilitation along with focus on pain management, strengthening, and proprioception improve patient care.

Diagnosis and treatment of osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common disease in aging dogs and cats but frequently goes undiagnosed and untreated. Although OA cannot be cured, long-term management of the disease can be very rewarding for the veterinary medical team as well as pet owners. Managing pain with pain medications is an essential first step. There are a wealth of pain medications available, including nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, gabapentin, amantadine, and tramadol. There are also physical modalities available for pain reduction. Weight management and nutritional joint support are also important in aspects of managing OA in dogs and cats. Finally, physical rehabilitation is a great way to improve mobility and keep pets active as they age.