Comparison of blind and endoscopic-guided orotracheal intubation on laryngeal and tracheal damage in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus).

OBJECTIVE: To compare blind and endoscopic-guided techniques for orotracheal intubation in rabbits and the number of intubation attempts with laryngeal/tracheal damage. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, randomized experimental study. ANIMALS: A total of 24 healthy, intact female New Zealand White rabbits, weighing 2.2 ± 0.2 kg (mean ± standard deviation). METHODS: Rabbits were randomly assigned to blind (group B) or endoscopic-guided (group E) orotracheal intubation with a 2.0 mm internal diameter uncuffed tube. Intramuscular (IM) alfaxalone (7 mg kg-1), hydromorphone (0.1 mg kg-1) and dexmedetomidine (0.005 mg kg-1) were administered, and additional IM alfaxalone (3-5 mg kg-1) and dexmedetomidine (0.025 mg kg-1) were administered to rabbits with strong jaw tone. An intubation attempt was defined as the advancement of the endotracheal tube from the incisors to the laryngeal entrance. Tracheal intubation was confirmed via capnography and anesthesia was maintained with isoflurane for 2 hours. Following euthanasia, laryngeal and tracheal tissues were submitted for histopathology. Quality of anesthesia for orotracheal intubation, intubation procedure and tissue damage were numerically scored. Data were analyzed using Poisson regression, Spearman's correlation, t test, mixed anova, Mann-Whitney U test, Friedman and Chi square tests as appropriate. RESULTS: Median (range) intubation attempts were 2 (1-8) and 1 (1-3) for groups B and E, respectively. More rabbits in group E (91.6%) required additional alfaxalone and dexmedetomidine than in group B (16.7%). Median (range) cumulative histopathology scores were 6 (3-10) and 6 (2-9) for groups B and E, respectively. Scores were highest in the cranial trachea, but there was no difference between groups and no correlation between laryngeal/tracheal damage and the number of intubation attempts. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Both orotracheal intubation techniques were associated with laryngeal/tracheal damage. Although blind orotracheal intubation was associated with a higher number of attempts, the tissue damage was similar between groups.

Identification and selection of a new Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain isolated from Brazilian ethanol fermentation process for application in beer production.

The fermented beverage industry is always pursuing alternatives to make products that delight consumers with special or unique characteristics. The identification and improvement of new yeast strains emerge as an opportunity; however, wild strains usually have a limitation in maltose fermentation and/or off-flavors production. Here we report the production of a Blond-style ale beer using a bioethanol isolated strain (LBGA-287) with flavor complexity approved in sensorial panels. LBGA-287 also showed an increase in maltose consumption, growth and fermentation rates when compared to the commercial yeast. Using qPCR analysis, genes related to the (i) efficiency of fermentation (ii) production of aromas/off-flavors, and (iii) metabolization of carbohydrates were found as differentially expressed in the isolated strains when compared to industrial yeast. This suggests that LBGA-287 could have an important impact on beer production, improving brewing efficiency, quality and diversity of this beverage, and most importantly satisfying the final consumer.

Local and Regional Anesthesia in Zoological Companion Animal Practice.

Local anesthetics provide analgesia and can be incorporated into multimodal anesthetic protocols. They work by blocking the voltage-dependent sodium ion channels along neurons that mediate nociception. Systemically, these drugs can be cardiotoxic in a dose-dependent manner. Lidocaine and bupivacaine are the most commonly used local anesthetics and their use has been reported in all classes of vertebrates. Despite anecdotal reports to the contrary, zoologic companion animals are unlikely to be more susceptible to the cardiotoxic effects of local anesthetics than domestic small animals. Local anesthetics can be clinically useful for analgesia and anesthesia in zoologic companion animal practice.

Efficacy of Gene Therapy to Restore Cognition in Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the main cause of dementia and it is a progressive neurogenerative disease characterized by the accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques. There is currently no cure; however, some treatments are available to slow down the progression of the disease, including gene therapy, which has been investigated to have great potential for the treatment of AD. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this review was to identify the efficacy of gene therapy to restore cognition in AD. METHODS: A systematic review was carried out using papers published up to May 2020 and available in the Web of Science, Scopus, and Medline/PUBMED databases. Articles were considered for inclusion if they were original researches that investigated the effects of gene therapy on cognition in AD. The methodological quality of the selected studies was evaluated using the Risk of Bias Tool for Animal Intervention Studies (SYRCLE's Rob tool) and the Jadad Scale. RESULTS: Most preclinical studies obtained positive results in improving memory and learning in mice that underwent treatment with gene therapy. On the other hand, clinical studies have obtained inconclusive results related to the delivery methods of the viral vector used in gene therapy. CONCLUSION: Gene therapy has shown a great potential for the treatment of AD in preclinical trials, but results should be interpreted with caution since preclinical studies presented limitations to predict the efficacy of the treatment outcome in humans.

Effects of a priming dose of alfaxalone on the total anesthetic induction dose for and cardiorespiratory function of sedated healthy cats.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of a priming dose of alfaxalone on the total anesthetic induction dose for and cardiorespiratory function of sedated healthy cats. ANIMALS: 8 healthy adult cats. PROCEDURES: For this crossover study, cats were sedated with dexmedetomidine and methadone administered IM. Cats next received a priming induction dose of alfaxalone (0.25 mg/kg, IV) or saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (0.025 mL/kg, IV) over 60 seconds and then an induction dose of alfaxalone (0.5 mg/kg/min, IV) until orotracheal intubation was achieved. Cardiorespiratory variables were recorded at baseline (immediately prior to priming agent administration), immediately after priming agent administration, after orotracheal intubation, and every 2 minutes until extubation. The total induction dose of alfaxalone was compared between the 2 priming agents. RESULTS: Mean ± SD total anesthetic induction dose of alfaxalone was significantly lower when cats received a priming dose of alfaxalone (0.98 ± 0.28 mg/kg), compared with when cats received a priming dose of saline solution (1.41 ± 0.17 mg/kg). Mean arterial blood pressure was significantly higher when alfaxalone was used as the priming dose. No cats became apneic or had a hemoglobin oxygen saturation of < 90%. Expired volume per minute was not significantly different between the 2 priming agents. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Administration of a priming dose of alfaxalone to healthy sedated cats reduced the total dose of alfaxalone needed to achieve orotracheal intubation, maintained mean arterial blood pressure, and did not adversely impact the measured respiratory variables.

Characterization of KPC-Producing Serratia marcescens in an Intensive Care Unit of a Brazilian Tertiary Hospital.

Serratia marcescens has emerged as an important opportunistic pathogen responsible for nosocomial and severe infections. Here, we determined phenotypic and molecular characteristics of 54 S. marcescens isolates obtained from patient samples from intensive-care-unit (ICU) and neonatal intensive-care-unit (NIUC) of a Brazilian tertiary hospital. All isolates were resistant to beta-lactam group antibiotics, and 92.6% (50/54) were not susceptible to tigecycline. Furthermore, 96.3% showed intrinsic resistance to polymyxin E (colistin), a last-resort antibiotic for the treatment of infections caused by MDR (multidrug-resistant) Gram-negative bacteria. In contrast, high susceptibility to other antibiotics such as fluoroquinolones (81.5%), and to aminoglycosides (as gentamicin 81.5%, and amikacin 85.2%) was found. Of all isolates, 24.1% were classified as MDR. The presence of resistance and virulence genes were examined by PCR and sequencing. All isolates carried KPC-carbapenemase (bla KPC ) and extended spectrum beta-lactamase bla TEM genes, 14.8% carried bla OXA- 1, and 16.7% carried bla CTX-M- 1 group genes, suggesting that bacterial resistance to ß-lactam antibiotics found may be associated with these genes. The genes SdeB/HasF and SdeY/HasF that are associated with efflux pump mediated drug extrusion to fluoroquinolones and tigecycline, respectively, were found in 88.9%. The aac(6')-Ib-cr variant gene that can simultaneously induce resistance to aminoglycoside and fluoroquinolone was present in 24.1% of the isolates. Notably, the virulence genes to (i) pore-forming toxin (ShlA); (ii) phospholipase with hemolytic and cytolytic activities (PhlA); (iii) flagellar transcriptional regulator (FlhD); and (iv) positive regulator of prodigiosin and serratamolide production (PigP) were present in 98.2%. The genetic relationship among the isolates determined by ERIC-PCR demonstrated that the vast majority of isolates were grouped in a single cluster with 86.4% genetic similarity. In addition, many isolates showed 100% genetic similarity to each other, suggesting that the S. marcescens that circulate in this ICU are closely related. Our results suggest that the antimicrobial resistance to many drugs currently used to treat ICU and NIUC patients, associated with the high frequency of resistance and virulence genes is a worrisome phenomenon. Our findings emphasize the importance of active surveillance plans for infection control and to prevent dissemination of these strains.

Assessment of a commercially available veterinary blood pressure device used on awake and anesthetized dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To compare results of a commercially available device for oscillometrically measured blood pressure (OBP) with invasively measured blood pressure (IBP) in awake and anesthetized dogs. ANIMALS: 19 adult dogs (mean ± SD body weight, 17.8 ± 7.5 kg). PROCEDURES: Blood pressures were measured in dogs while they were awake and anesthetized with isoflurane. The OBP was recorded on a thoracic limb, and IBP was simultaneously recorded from the median caudal artery. Agreement between OBP and IBP was evaluated with the Bland-Altman method. Guidelines of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) were used for validation of the oscillometric device. RESULTS: In awake dogs, mean bias of the oscillometric device was -11.12 mm Hg (95% limits of agreement [LOA], -61.14 to 38.90 mm Hg) for systolic arterial blood pressure (SAP), 9.39 mm Hg (LOA, -28.26 to 47.04 mm Hg) for diastolic arterial blood pressure (DAP), and -0.85 mm Hg (LOA, -40.54 to 38.84 mm Hg) for mean arterial blood pressure (MAP). In anesthetized dogs, mean bias was -12.27 mm Hg (LOA, -47.36 to 22.82 mm Hg) for SAP, -3.92 mm Hg (LOA, -25.28 to 17.44 mm Hg) for DAP, and -7.89 mm Hg (LOA, -32.31 to 16.53 mm Hg) for MAP. The oscillometric device did not fulfill ACVIM guidelines for the validation of such devices. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Agreement between OBP and IBP results for awake and anesthetized dogs was poor. The oscillometric blood pressure device did not fulfill ACVIM guidelines for validation. Therefore, clinical use of this device cannot be recommended.

Global gene expression reveals an increase of HMGB1 and APEX1 proteins and their involvement in oxidative stress, apoptosis and inflammation pathways among beta-thalassaemia intermedia and major phenotypes.

Beta-thalassaemia (BT) is classified according to blood transfusion requirement as minor (BTMi), intermedia (BTI) and major (BTM). BTM is the most severe form, requiring regular transfusions while transfusion need is only occasional in BTI. Differential gene expression between patients has not been assessed so far. Here, we evaluated the global gene expression profiles during differentiation of human erythroid cells of two patients carrying the same mutation [CD39, (C → T)], though displaying different phenotypes (BTI and BTM). Considering the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the pathophysiology of thalassaemia, we focused on differentially expressed genes involved in metabolic pathways triggered by ROS, such as inflammation and apoptosis, and, from these, we selected the Apurinic/Apyrimidinic Endodeoxyribonuclease 1 (APEX1) and High Mobility Group Box1 (HMGB1) genes, whose role in BT is not well established. An in-depth expression analysis of transcriptional and protein levels in patients carrying a range of mutations associated with BT phenotypes indicated that APEX1 was increased in both BTI and BTM. Furthermore, higher amounts of HMGB1 was found in the plasma of BTI patients. Our findings suggest that these proteins have important roles in BT and could represent new targets for further studies aiming to improve the management of the disease.

The second International Symposium on Fungal Stress: ISFUS.

The topic of 'fungal stress' is central to many important disciplines, including medical mycology, chronobiology, plant and insect pathology, industrial microbiology, material sciences, and astrobiology. The International Symposium on Fungal Stress (ISFUS) brought together researchers, who study fungal stress in a variety of fields. The second ISFUS was held in May 8-11 2017 in Goiania, Goiás, Brazil and hosted by the Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública at the Universidade Federal de Goiás. It was supported by grants from CAPES and FAPEG. Twenty-seven speakers from 15 countries presented their research related to fungal stress biology. The Symposium was divided into seven topics: 1. Fungal biology in extreme environments; 2. Stress mechanisms and responses in fungi: molecular biology, biochemistry, biophysics, and cellular biology; 3. Fungal photobiology in the context of stress; 4. Role of stress in fungal pathogenesis; 5. Fungal stress and bioremediation; 6. Fungal stress in agriculture and forestry; and 7. Fungal stress in industrial applications. This article provides an overview of the science presented and discussed at ISFUS-2017.

High Prevalence of Multidrug-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Harboring Several Virulence and ß-Lactamase Encoding Genes in a Brazilian Intensive Care Unit.

Klebsiella pneumoniae is an important opportunistic pathogen that commonly causes nosocomial infections and contributes to substantial morbidity and mortality. We sought to investigate the antibiotic resistance profile, pathogenic potential and the clonal relationships between K. pneumoniae (n = 25) isolated from patients and sources at a tertiary care hospital's intensive care units (ICUs) in the northern region of Brazil. Most of K. pneumoniae isolates (n = 21, 84%) were classified as multidrug resistant (MDR) with high-level resistance to ß-lactams, aminoglycosides, quinolones, tigecycline, and colistin. All the 25 isolates presented extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing (ESBL), including carbapenemase producers, and carried the bla KPC (100%), bla TEM (100%), bla SHV variants (n = 24, 96%), bla OXA-1 group (n = 21, 84%) and bla CTX-M-1 group (n = 18, 72%) genes. The K2 serotype was found in 4% (n = 1) of the isolates, and the K1 was not detected. The virulence-associated genes found among the 25 isolates were mrkD (n = 24, 96%), fimH-1 (n = 22, 88%), entB (100%), iutA (n = 10, 40%), ybtS (n = 15, 60%). The genes related with efflux pumps and outer membrane porins found were AcrAB (100%), tolC (n = 24, 96%), mdtK (n = 22, 88%), OmpK35 (n = 15, 60%), and OmpK36 (n = 7, 28%). ERIC-PCR was employed to determine the clonal relationship between the different isolated strains. The obtained ERIC-PCR patterns revealed that the similarity between isolates was above 70%. To determine the sequence types (STs) a multilocus sequence typing (MLST) assay was used. The results indicated the presence of high-risk international clones among the isolates. In our study, the wide variety of MDR K. pneumoniae harboring ß-lactams and virulence genes strongly suggest a necessity for the implementation of effective strategies to prevent and control the spread of antibiotic resistant infections.

Validation of noninvasive blood pressure equipment: which peripheral artery is best for comparison studies in dogs?

OBJECTIVES: 1) To determine which peripheral artery commonly used for invasive arterial blood pressure (IBP) monitoring yields the least bias when compared with noninvasive blood pressure (NIBP) values obtained at the antebrachium of the dog, and 2) to identify and describe differences in systolic (SAP), mean (MAP) and diastolic arterial pressures (DAP) among different anatomical locations. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective experimental study. ANIMALS: Twenty adult hound dogs weighing 24.5 ± 1.1 kg (mean ± standard deviation). METHODS: Four peripheral arteries-dorsal pedal, median caudal, intermediate auricular and superficial palmar arteries-were catheterized with 20 gauge, 3.8 cm catheters. One NIBP cuff was placed in the middle third of the antebrachium. Four sets of IBP and NIBP measurements were simultaneously collected every 2 minutes. A linear mixed model was performed to analyze the collected data. RESULTS: IBP values varied depending on the arterial catheterization site. The difference was greater for SAP. NIBP measured at the antebrachium had the best agreement with IBP measured at the median caudal artery. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: IBP varies among anatomical locations. The smallest bias and narrowest limits of agreement were obtained at the median caudal artery, providing the best overall agreement with the equipment studied. The median caudal artery may be the preferable anatomical location for clinical comparison studies between IBP and NIBP in dogs when the cuff is on the antebrachium.

Assessment of agreement among diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia for scoring the recovery of horses from anesthesia by use of subjective grading scales and development of a system for evaluation of the recovery of horses from anesthesia by use of accelerometry.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate agreement among diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia for scores determined by use of a simple descriptive scale (SDS) or a composite grading scale (CGS) for quality of recovery of horses from anesthesia and to investigate use of 3-axis accelerometry (3AA) for objective evaluation of recovery. ANIMALS 12 healthy adult horses. PROCEDURES Horses were fitted with a 3AA device and then were anesthetized. Eight diplomates evaluated recovery by use of an SDS, and 7 other diplomates evaluated recovery by use of a CGS. Agreement was tested with κ and AC1 statistics for the SDS and an ANOVA for the CGS. A library of mathematical models was used to map 3AA data against CGS scores. RESULTS Agreement among diplomates using the SDS was slight (κ = 0.19; AC1 = 0.22). The CGS scores differed significantly among diplomates. Best fit of 3AA data against CGS scores yielded the following equation: RS = 9.998 × SG0.633 × ∑UG0.174, where RS is a horse's recovery score determined with 3AA, SG is acceleration of the successful attempt to stand, and ∑UG is the sum of accelerations of unsuccessful attempts to stand. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Subjective scoring of recovery of horses from anesthesia resulted in poor agreement among diplomates. Subjective scoring may lead to differences in conclusions about recovery quality; thus, there is a need for an objective scoring method. The 3AA system removed subjective bias in evaluations of recovery of horses and warrants further study.

Cardiovascular tolerance of intravenous bupivacaine in broiler chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) anesthetized with isoflurane.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the median effective dose (ED50) of intravenous (IV) bupivacaine associated with a 50% probability of causing clinically relevant cardiovascular effects [defined as 30% change in heart rate (HR) or mean arterial pressure (MAP)] in chickens anesthetized with isoflurane. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized up-and-down study. ANIMALS: A total of 14 Ross-708 broiler chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) weighing 1.70-2.75 kg. METHODS: Anesthesia was induced and maintained with isoflurane. Monitoring included the electrocardiogram and invasive arterial pressures. Chickens were administered bupivacaine IV over 2 minutes using a dose based on the response of the previous animal. Dose was decreased when HR and/or MAP in the previous animal increased or decreased ≥30% after bupivacaine administration, or increased when HR or MAP changed <30%. The ED50 was defined as the dose resulting in ≥30% variation in HR or MAP in 50% of the population studied. RESULTS: The IV ED50 of bupivacaine was 1.94 mg kg-1 using Dixon's up-and-down method and 1.96 mg kg-1 by logistic regression. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These results suggest that 1.33 and 1.96 mg kg-1 of IV bupivacaine are associated with a respective 1 or 50% probability of a clinically significant change in MAP in isoflurane-anesthetized chickens. Identification of the cardiovascular changes associated with different doses of bupivacaine can be used as the basis for studies of therapeutic applications in the domestic chicken. Further studies are required to determine interspecies variation.

Porous poly (D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) acid/biosilicate® composite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.

This study evaluated the effects of the Biosilicate® and poly (D,L-lactic-co-glycolic) acid composites on bone repair in a tibial bone defect model in rats by means of using histological evaluation (histopathological and morphometric analysis) and gene expression analysis. Eighty male Wistar rats (12 weeks old, weighing ±300 g) were randomly divided into two groups: Biosilicate® group (BG) and Biosilicate® /PLGA group (BG/PLGA). Each group was euthanized at 3, 7, 14, and 21 days after surgery (n = 10 animals per time point). The main findings showed that the incorporation of PLGA into BG had a significant effect on the morphological structure of the material, accelerating mass loss, decreasing the pH and increasing the calcium release. Furthermore, histologic analysis revealed that the BG/PLGA showed increased material degradation, accompanied by higher bone formation compared to BG, after 21 days of implantation. In addition, qRT-PCR analysis showed that BG/PLGA induced an upregulation of the osteogenic genes related to BMP4, Runx2, ALP, and OC. These results show that the present BG/PLGA composite may be used as a bone graft for inducing bone repair. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 63-71, 2017.

Effects of ketamine and lidocaine in combination on the sevoflurane minimum alveolar concentration in alpacas.

This study investigated the effects of ketamine and lidocaine in combination on the minimum alveolar concentration of sevoflurane (MACSEVO) in alpacas. Eight healthy, intact male, adult alpacas were studied on 2 separate occasions. Anesthesia was induced with SEVO, and baseline MAC (MACB) determination began 45 min after induction. After MACB determination, alpacas were randomly given either an intravenous (IV) loading dose (LD) and infusion of saline or a loading dose [ketamine = 0.5 mg/kg body weight (BW); lidocaine = 2 mg/kg BW] and an infusion of ketamine (25 µg/kg BW per minute) in combination with lidocaine (50 µg/kg BW per minute), and MACSEVO was re-determined (MACT). Quality of recovery, time-to-extubation, and time-to-standing, were also evaluated. Mean MACB was 1.88% ± 0.13% and 1.89% ± 0.14% for the saline and ketamine + lidocaine groups, respectively. Ketamine and lidocaine administration decreased (P < 0.05) MACB by 57% and mean MACT was 0.83% ± 0.10%. Saline administration did not change MACB. Time to determine MACB and MACT was not significantly different between the treatments. The quality of recovery, time-to-extubation, and time-to-standing, were not different between groups. The infusion of ketamine combined with lidocaine significantly decreased MACSEVO by 57% and did not adversely affect time-to-standing or quality of recovery.

La présente étude visait à examiner les effets d'une combinaison de kétamine et de lidocaïne sur la concentration alvéolaire minimale de sevoflurane (CAMSEVO) chez des alpagas. Huit alpagas mâles entiers et en santé ont été étudiés en deux occasions distinctes. L'anesthésie a été induite avec du SEVO, et la détermination de la CAM de base (CAMB) débutée 45 min après l'induction. Après détermination de la CAMB, les alpagas ont reçu par voie intraveineuse (IV), sur une base aléatoire, une dose de charge (DC) et une infusion de saline ou une dose de [kétamine = 0,5 mg/kg de poids corporel (PC); lidocaïne = 2 mg/kg PC] et une infusion de kétamine (25 µg/kg PC par minute) en combinaison avec de la lidocaïne (50 µg/kg PC par minute), et la CAMSEVO re-déterminée (CAMT). La qualité de la récupération, le temps pour extuber, et le temps pour se tenir debout ont également été évalués. La CAMB moyenne était de 1,88 % ± 0,13 % et de 1,89 % ± 0,14 % pour les groupes saline et kétamine + lidocaïne, respectivement. L'administration de kétamine et de lidocaïne entraîna une diminution (P < 0,05) de 57 % de CAMB et la CAMT moyenne était de 0,83 % ± 0,10 %. L'administration de saline n'a pas changé la CAMB. Le temps pour déterminer la CAMB et la CAMT n'était pas significativement différent entre les groupes de traitement. La qualité de la récupération, le temps pour extuber, et le temps pour se tenir debout n'étaient pas significativement différents entre les groupes. L'infusion de kétamine combinée à la lidocaïne a diminué significativement la CAMSEVO de 57 % et n'affecta pas négativement le temps pour se tenir debout ou la qualité de la récupération.(Traduit par Docteur Serge Messier).

Agreement between two oscillometric blood pressure technologies and invasively measured arterial pressure in the dog.

OBJECTIVES: To compare two commonly used oscillometric technologies for obtaining noninvasive blood pressure (NIBP) measurements and to determine if there is a difference in agreement between these systems and invasive blood pressure (IBP) measurements. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, experimental study. ANIMALS: Twenty adult laboratory dogs. METHODS: Each dog was anesthetized and its median caudal artery catheterized for IBP monitoring. An NIBP cuff was placed in the middle third of the antebrachium and attached to either monitor-1 or monitor-2. Four pairs of concurrent NIBP and IBP measurements were recorded with each monitor. Agreement between IBP and NIBP measurements was explored using Bland-Altman analysis, as well as the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) and Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) guidelines for the validation of NIBP devices. RESULTS: Both NIBP technologies produced results that met the ACVIM and AAMI guidelines for the validation of NIBP devices. For monitor-1, analyses of agreement showed biases of 0.2 mmHg [95% limits of agreement (LoA) -11.8 to 12.3 mmHg] in systolic arterial pressure (SAP) values, -2.6 mmHg (95% LoA -14.4 to 9.1 mmHg) in diastolic arterial pressure (DAP) values, and -2.5 mmHg (95% LoA -12.7 to 7.3 mmHg) in mean arterial pressure (MAP) values. For monitor-2, analyses of agreement showed biases of 3.4 mmHg (95% LoA -8.7 to 15.5 mmHg) in SAP values, 2.2 mmHg (95% LoA -6.6 to 10.9 mmHg) in DAP values, and 1.6 mmHg (95% LoA -5.9 to 8.9 mmHg) in MAP values. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Multi-function monitors can contain components from various manufacturers. Clinicians should consider whether these have been validated in the species to be monitored. Both of the technologies studied here seem appropriate for use in dogs.

Comparison of blood pressure measurements of anesthetized dogs obtained noninvasively with a cylindrical blood pressure cuff and an anatomically modified conical blood pressure cuff.

OBJECTIVE: To compare blood pressure measured noninvasively with an oscillometric device that involved use of a novel conical cuff and a traditional cylindrical blood pressure cuff. ANIMALS: 17 adult hound-type dogs. PROCEDURES: Dogs were anesthetized, and a 20-gauge, 1.5-inch catheter was inserted in the median sacral artery. The catheter was attached to a pressure transducer via fluid-filled noncompliant tubing, and direct blood pressure was recorded with a multifunction monitor. A specially fabricated conical cuff was placed on the antebrachium. Four sets of direct and indirect blood pressure measurements were simultaneously collected every 2 minutes. Four sets of measurements were then obtained by use of a cylindrical cuff. RESULTS: The cylindrical cuff met American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine consensus guidelines for validation of indirect blood pressure measurements for mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), systolic arterial blood pressure (SAP), and diastolic arterial blood pressure (DAP). The conical cuff met the consensus guidelines for difference of paired measurements, SD, and percentages of measurements within 10 and 20 mm Hg of the value for the reference method, but it failed a correlation analysis. In addition, although bias for the conical cuff was less than that for the cylindrical cuff for SAP, MAP, and DAP measurements, the limits of agreement for the conical cuff were wider than those for the cylindrical cuff for SAP and MAP measurements. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: On the basis of results of this study, use of a conical cuff for oscillometric blood pressure measurement cannot be recommended.

Comparison of directly measured arterial blood pressure at various anatomic locations in anesthetized dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether directly measured arterial blood pressure differs among anatomic locations and whether arterial blood pressure is influenced by body position. ANIMALS: 33 client-owned dogs undergoing anesthesia. PROCEDURES: Dogs undergoing anesthetic procedures had 20-gauge catheters placed in both the superficial palmar arch and the contralateral dorsal pedal artery (group 1 [n = 20]) or the superficial palmar arch and median sacral artery (group 2 [13]). Dogs were positioned in dorsal recumbency, and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), systolic arterial blood pressure (SAP), and diastolic arterial blood pressure (DAP) were recorded for both arteries 4 times (2-minute interval between successive measurements). Dogs were positioned in right lateral recumbency, and blood pressure measurements were repeated. RESULTS: Differences were detected between pressures measured at the 2 arterial sites in both groups. This was especially true for SAP measurements in group 1, in which hind limb measurements were a mean of 16.12 mm Hg higher than carpus measurements when dogs were in dorsal recumbency and 14.70 mm Hg higher than carpus measurements when dogs were in lateral recumbency. Also, there was significant dispersion about the mean for all SAP, DAP, and MAP measurements. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggested that arterial blood pressures may be dependent on anatomic location and body position. Because this may affect outcomes of studies conducted to validate indirect blood pressure measurement systems, care must be used when developing future studies or interpreting previous results.

Evaluation of a ferret-specific formula for determining body surface area to improve chemotherapeutic dosing.

OBJECTIVE: To use CT-derived measurements to create a ferret-specific formula for body surface area (BSA) to improve chemotherapeutic dosing. ANIMALS: 25 adult ferrets (19 live and 6 cadavers). PROCEDURES: Live subjects were weighed, and body measurements were obtained by each of 3 observers while ferrets were awake and anesthetized. Computed tomography was performed, and a 3-D surface model was constructed with open-source imaging software, from which BSA was estimated. The CT-derived values were compared with BSA calculated on the basis of the traditional tape method for 6 cadavers. To further validate CT analysis software, 11 geometric shapes were scanned and their CT-derived values compared with those calculated directly via geometric formulas. Agreement between methods of surface area estimation was assessed with linear regression. Ferret-specific formulas for BSA were determined with nonlinear regression models. RESULTS: Repeatability among the 3 observers was good for all measurements, but some measurements differed significantly between awake and anesthetized ferrets. Excellent agreement was found between measured versus CT-derived surface area of shapes, traditional tape- versus CT-derived BSA of ferret cadavers, and CT-derived BSA of cadavers with and without monitoring equipment. All surface area formulas performed relatively similarly. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: CT-derived BSA measurements of ferrets obtained via open-source imaging software were reliable. On the basis of study results, the recommended formula for BSA in ferrets would be 9.94 × (body weight)(2/3); however, this represented a relatively minor difference from the feline-derived formula currently used by most practitioners and would result in little practical change in drug doses.

Bupivacaine mandibular nerve block affects intraoperative blood pressure and heart rate in a Yucatan miniature swine mandibular condylectomy model: a pilot study.

PURPOSE/AIM: The primary objective was to evaluate the effect of a bupivacaine mandibular nerve block on intraoperative blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) in response to surgical stimulation and the need for systemic analgesics postoperatively. We hypothesized that a mandibular nerve block would decrease the need for systemic analgesics both intraoperatively and postoperatively. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen adult male Yucatan pigs were purchased. Pigs were chemically restrained with ketamine, midazolam, and dexmedetomidine and anesthesia was maintained with isoflurane inhalant anesthesia. Pigs were randomized to receive a mandibular block with either bupivacaine (bupivacaine group) or saline (control group). A nerve stimulator was used for administration of the block with observation of masseter muscle twitch to indicate the injection site. Invasive BP and HR were measured with the aid of an arterial catheter in eight pigs. A rescue analgesic protocol consisting of fentanyl and lidocaine was administered if HR or BP values increased 20% from baseline. Postoperative pain was quantified with a customized ethogram. HR and BP were evaluated at base line, pre-rescue, 10 and 20 min post-rescue. RESULTS: Pre-rescue mean BP was significantly increased (p = .001) for the bupivacaine group. Mean intraoperative HR was significantly lower (p = .044) in the bupivacaine versus saline group. All other parameters were not significant. CONCLUSION: Addition of a mandibular nerve block to the anesthetic regimen in the miniature pig condylectomy model may improve variations in intraoperative BP and HR. This study establishes the foundation for future studies with larger animal numbers to confirm these preliminary findings.