Acute kidney injury and liver disease in an American bulldog with suspected leptospirosis.

A 6-year-old spayed female American bulldog was brought to a veterinary clinic with a 3-day history of vomiting, lethargy, anorexia, icterus, hemorrhagic diarrhea, and oliguria. The dog's clinical signs, complete blood (cell) count, serum biochemistry, urinalysis, and diagnostic imaging were indicative of acute kidney injury and acute hepatopathy consistent with leptospirosis. Treatment for leptospirosis was initiated but, due to the dog's lack of response and progression of clinical signs, euthanasia was ultimately elected after 3 d of hospitalization. The dog tested negative for Leptospira spp. on ELISA; urine, blood, and tissue PCRs; and immunohistochemistry. This case demonstrates that confirmation of leptospirosis can be challenging, even in an animal with the expected clinical presentation. Therefore, limitations of the diagnostic tests available, as well as the possibility of other, less likely differential diagnoses such as toxicosis, must be considered.

Lésion rénale aiguë et maladie hépatique chez un bouledogue américain avec leptospirose suspectée. Une femelle bouledogue américain stérilisée âgée de 6 ans a été présenté à une clinique vétérinaire avec une histoire d'une durée de 3 jours de vomissement, léthargie, anorexie, ictère, diarrhée hémorragique et oligurie. Les signes cliniques de la chienne, un comptage cellulaire sanguin complet, une biochimie sérique, une analyse d'urine et de l'imagerie diagnostique étaient indicateur de lésion rénale aiguë et d'hépatopathie aiguë compatibles avec la leptospirose. Un traitement pour la leptospirose a été instauré mais, étant donné l'absence de réponse de l'animal et la progression des signes cliniques, l'euthanasie a finalement été décidée après 3 jours d'hospitalisation. L'animal s'est avéré négatif par ELISA pour Leptospira spp.; l'urine, le sang et les tissus étaient également négatifs par PCR; et par immunohistochime. Ce cas illustre le fait que la confirmation de la leptospirose peut représenter un défi, même chez un animal avec la présentation clinique attendue. Ainsi, les limites des tests diagnostiques disponibles, de même que la possibilité d'autres diagnostics différentiels moins probables, tel qu'une toxicose, doivent être considérés.(Traduit par Dr Serge Messier).

Reason for euthanasia in dogs with urothelial carcinoma treated with chemotherapy or radiation therapy or both: A retrospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Clients want to know the ultimate cause of death in their pet after cancer treatment. The cause of euthanasia and investigation of urinary obstruction in treated dogs with urothelial carcinoma (UC) has not been specifically reported in veterinary literature. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: Our hypothesis was that the majority of treated dogs with UC are euthanized secondary to primary tumor factors, such as urinary obstruction. ANIMALS: Fifty-nine client-owned dogs diagnosed with UC. METHODS: Retrospective observational study on clinical signs and disease at euthanasia of dogs with UC treated by radiation therapy or chemotherapy or both. RESULTS: The median overall survival time (OST) of all dogs was 339 days (range, 17-1996; 95% confidence interval [CI], 185-392; interquartile range [IQR], 112-505). Of dogs deemed to have been euthanized because of UC (50/59, 85%), the primary cause was considered to be local progression in 31/50 (62%), most often because of perceived complete or partial urinary obstruction (24/31, 77%). No variables were found to be predictive of urinary obstruction. The overall documented metastatic rate was 56%. In dogs euthanized because of UC, metastasis was deemed to be the cause in 19/50 (38%) dogs. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Regardless of the type of treatment, UC in dogs has a poor prognosis and there is a continuing need to improve treatments that focus on local control of the primary tumor, given its high contribution to the decision for euthanasia. Proactive management to avoid the high frequency of urinary obstruction may be worthy of future investigation.

Current Status of the Zebrafish Euthanasia and Humane Endpoint in the Republic of Korea and Guideline Suggestion from Nationwide Expert Elicitation: A Model for Other Countries.

Since its introduction as a model organism in the 1980s, the use of zebrafish (Danio rerio) in research has expanded worldwide. Despite its now widespread use in research, guidelines to safeguard the ethical treatment of zebrafish, particularly with regard to euthanasia and humane endpoint practices, remain inadequate. One well-recognized example is the use of excess tricaine methanesulfonate (MS-222) as a means to euthanize zebrafish, regardless of life stage. In this study, through nationwide expert elicitation, we provide a detailed account of zebrafish research practices within the Republic of Korea and the challenges of implementing appropriate methods for euthanasia as a humane endpoint, with many opting for hypothermic shock. We report a local expert consensus for establishing national guidelines to improve zebrafish welfare and good research practice. Suggestions and recommendations for national guidelines were offered. Taken together, our findings raise awareness broadly among zebrafish research practitioners in the field, offer an accurate account of the welfare and treatment of zebrafish in research within the Republic of Korea, and advocate for the development and implementation of national guidelines. As such, our study is useful as a model to adopt the expert elicitation approach to investigate, quantify, and address welfare concerns in zebrafish research, and to establish best practice guidelines.

Anesthesia and humane euthanasia methods for king worm larvae (Zophobas morio).

A growing spotlight on insect welfare as research subjects, fodder for vertebrate animals, and patients for veterinarians highlights the need to establish humane euthanasia methods for these species. An insect of increasing commercial importance is the king worm (Zophobas morio), a type of darkling beetle larvae. The initial objective of this study was to determine if prolonged exposure to isoflurane would lengthen anesthetic recovery and lead to euthanasia. Larvae were exposed to isoflurane for 10 min, 40 min, 70 min, 190 min, 13 h, and 24 h (n = 10 for each treatment duration group), and time to recovery was subsequently monitored in room air. The second objective was to determine effectiveness of secondary euthanasia methods: injectable potassium chloride at 1 mg/g body weight (n = 5) and 3 mg/g body weight (n = 5) doses; immersion in 200 proof ethanol (n = 10), 10% buffered formalin (n = 10), and water (n = 10); and freezing at -18°C (n = 10). Prolonged exposure to isoflurane led to extended recovery times, but 100% mortality was not achieved. Submersion in ethanol and injection of potassium chloride at a 3 mg/g body weight dose resulted in 100% mortality. If these larvae are to be used as future food sources, a humane euthanasia method that preserves the ability to be consumed is required.

Efficacy of a novel cervical dislocation tool for humane euthanasia of broilers and broiler breeders.

Euthanasia is an essential task performed daily on commercial poultry farms around the world to safeguard animal welfare. Manual cervical dislocation (MCD) is the most common euthanasia method but can be challenging to perform given the physical strength required to implement this technique. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a novel cervical dislocation tool (NCDT) compared to MCD. A total of 60 Ross 308 chickens (6-wk old) and 60 Ross 706 parent stock breeders (21-wk old) were enrolled in the study. Birds were sexed, blocked by body weight, and allocated to 1 of 2 treatments: 1) MCD and 2) NCDT. Immediately following euthanasia application, insensibility, and death were monitored. Once death was confirmed, gross evaluation, radiograph, and macroscopic/microscopic scoring were performed. Both euthanasia methods were 100% effective in achieving insensibility followed by cardiac and respiratory arrest in both age groups. In 6-wk-old broilers, there were no differences in insensibility measures or location and severity of the dislocation site by treatment. The NCDT treatment group showed an increased frequency of fractures located at the tooth-like process that projects from the cranial aspect of the centrum of the axis (dens) but had no impact on bird insensibility. For parent stock, differences in nictitating membrane reflex (NMR) and laceration scores for birds euthanized with NCDT were found and likely associated with additional force exerted with the tool. The NCDT is a promising replacement for MCD and future work should address the development of free and accessible training materials for on-farm use.

A minimally invasive procedure for blood extraction from Xenopus laevis allows follow up studies without euthanasia.

Blood extraction is extremely important for the development of scientific research; however, the existing methods for amphibian´s blood sampling are invasive, mainly leading to the euthanasia of the animal. Therefore, less intrusive methods that allow the obtention of multiple samples from the same individual, are needed as an alternative to the common methods available. Hence, the aim of this study was to propose a minimally invasive method for obtaining blood from the hind leg of Xenopus laevis, that allows continuous sampling without compromising the wellbeing of the organisms. With this method, it was possible to extract blood and plasma from adults and juveniles, and the amount of sample was enough to perform biochemical and molecular assays to assess the viability of the blood. The results also revealed that this method is a convenient alternative to obtain blood without affecting the welfare of the experimental organisms, avoiding the cull of the animals, and the samples are viable for their use in follow up studies.

Guardians' perceptions of caring for a dog with canine cognitive dysfunction.

BACKGROUND: Canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD) is a neurodegenerative disease that is difficult to diagnose, as its clinical signs are similar to those of other age-related conditions. The experience of caring for a senior dog with or without CCD is not well described. METHODS: Data were collected via an online survey. Using a mixed methods design, the level of CCD and burden of care were measured using validated tools, and open-ended questions gathered qualitative data. A general linear model showed the factors associated with guardian burden of care. RESULTS: Sixteen percent of guardians experienced a clinically significant burden of care. Factors associated with burden of care included severity of CCD, sleep location, guardian employment, household size, dog age, guardian age and the dog taking medication. Few dogs with CCD were prescribed CCD medications to ameliorate clinical signs. Euthanasia, strong attachment mitigating burden and the complexities of caregiving were themes presented by guardians. LIMITATIONS: Measures are based on self-reports and as such the usual limitations apply. CONCLUSIONS: The burden of caring for an older dog is greater if they have CCD. More attention to the treatment of senior dogs, including medications to reduce clinical signs of CCD, could improve the welfare of older dogs and decrease the clinical burden experienced by guardians.

Analysis of 2,570 responses to Dog Aging Project End of Life Survey demonstrates that euthanasia is associated with cause of death but not age.

OBJECTIVE: The Dog Aging Project End of Life Survey was used to evaluate factors associated with manner of death (euthanasia vs unassisted death), including cause of death (CoD), reason for euthanasia (RFE) if performed, medical symptoms, old age characteristics, and perimortem quality of life (QoL). SAMPLE: Responses collected between the End of Life Survey launch (January 20, 2021) through December 31, 2021, from 2,570 participants whose dogs died. METHODS: Response frequencies were described. Associations between manner of death and medical symptoms or old age characteristics were evaluated using logistic regression. Factors associated with RFE were evaluated using multinomial regression. The effects of CoD, age at death, and QoL on the frequency of euthanasia as the manner of death were evaluated using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: 2,195 (85.4%) dogs were euthanized, and 375 (14.6%) experienced unassisted death. The most frequent owner-reported CoD was illness/disease (n = 1,495 [58.1%]). The most frequently reported RFE was pain/suffering (n = 1,080 [49.2% of those euthanized]). As age increased, RFE was more likely to be "poor QoL" than any other response. In a multivariate regression including CoD, chronologic age, and QoL, euthanasia as the manner of death was not significantly associated with age. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Euthanasia was a common manner of death for dogs in the US. Compared with unassisted death, euthanasia was associated with CoD illness/disease, lower QoL scores, and the presence and number of medical symptoms and old age characteristics. Understanding factors associated with manner of death is important to veterinarians who care for dogs at the end of life.

Different response of females and males Neotropical catfish (Rhamdia quelen) upon short-term temperature increase.

Climate change has been one of the most discussed topics in the world. Global warming is characterized by an increase in global temperature, also in aquatic environments. The increased temperature can affect aquatic organisms with lethal and sublethal effects. Thus, it is necessary to understand how different species respond to temperature. This study aimed to evaluate how the Neotropical catfish species Rhamdia quelen responds to temperature increases. The fish were exposed to temperatures of 25 °C (control) and 30 °C after gradual temperature increase for 7 days. After 96 h in each temperature, the fish were anesthetized, blood was collected, and after euthanasia, brain, liver, posterior kidney, gills, muscle, and gonads were collected. The gonads were used for sexing, while other tissues were used for the hematological, biochemical, genotoxic, and histopathological biomarkers analysis. Hepatic proteomic analysis with a focus on energy production was also carried out. Blood parameter changes in both sexes, including an increase in glucose in males, leukopenia in females, and genotoxicity in both sexes. Hepatic proteins related to energy production were altered in both sexes, but mainly in males. Others biomarker alterations, such as histopathological, were not observed in other tissues; however, the antioxidant system was affected differently between sexes. These showed that R. quelen juveniles, at temperatures higher than its optimum temperature such as 30 °C, has several sublethal changes, such as hematological alterations, antioxidant system activation, and energetic metabolism alteration, especially in males. Thus, short-term temperature rise can affect females and males of R. quelen differently.

Respiratory compromise in French bulldogs presented with intervertebral disc extrusion.

BACKGROUND: French bulldogs hospitalised for the management of intervertebral disc extrusion (IVDE) are frequently affected by respiratory compromise, typically brachycephalic-associated upper respiratory obstruction and/or aspiration events. We evaluated the occurrence of such respiratory compromise events in French bulldogs presented to two referral hospitals. METHODS: Clinical data for French bulldogs diagnosed with IVDE were retrospectively collated, including severity of neurological deficits, neuroanatomical localisation, diagnosis, details of respiratory compromise, treatment and outcome. RESULTS: A total of 306 dogs diagnosed with IVDE were included. Sixty dogs (19.6%) experienced respiratory compromise, of which 31 dogs (10.1%) progressed to cyanosis, collapse or respiratory arrest. LIMITATIONS: The study was limited by its retrospective nature. Furthermore, the duration of hospitalisation was not evaluated and the decision for euthanasia was often multifactorial. CONCLUSION: One in five French bulldogs presented with IVDE experienced respiratory compromise. The detrimental welfare effects of this warrant further discussion.

POTASSIUM CHLORIDE ADMINISTERED VIA FOUR ROUTES FOR EUTHANASIA OF ANESTHETIZED GOLDFISH (CARASSIUS AURATUS).

Immersion overdose in tricaine methanesulfonate (MS-222) is ineffective for euthanasia of adult goldfish (Carassius auratus), and investigation of alternative techniques is warranted. This study evaluated potassium chloride (KCl) administered via four routes for goldfish euthanasia. Thirty clinically healthy adult goldfish (17.2-41.9 g) were anesthetized via immersion in buffered MS-222 (300 mg/L) for 5 min beyond anesthetic induction. Fish were then randomly administered one of five treatments: KCl (333 mg/mL, 4.5 mmol/mL, 4.5 mEq/mL) via intracardiac injection at 10 mEq/kg (IC), intracoelomic injection (ICe) or bilateral topical delivery over the gill filaments (T) at 100 mEq/kg, or 90-min immersion at 4,500 mEq/L (saturated solution) dissolved in induction solution (water [W]), or no treatment (control [C]). Following treatment, all fish were moved to anesthetic-free freshwater. Serial heart rates were collected via Doppler device until sound cessation or recovery. Median (range) time to perform treatments was 5.3 (1.2-8.0) min, 3 (3-3) s, and 10 (10-10) s in IC, ICe, and T, respectively. Doppler cessation occurred in 6/6, 6/6, 6/6, 6/6, and 0/6 fish in median (range) times of 3 (0-210), 18 (10-45), 118 (90-390), and 150 (60-240) min in IC, ICe, T, W, and C, respectively; this was significantly different between groups (P = 0.002). Following or during treatment, 1/6, 2/6, 6/6, and 4/6 fish in IC, ICe, T, and W, respectively, exhibited intermittent transient jerking movements. Median (range) time to recovery in C was 5.5 (3.5-6.5) min. All administration routes were effective, but time to Doppler cessation varied and transient movements were noted. Preliminary follow-up research determined that return to MS-222 induction solution following ICe KCl treatment abolished movements. ICe KCl at 100 mEq/kg was technically simple and resulted in Doppler sound cessation in a clinically relevant time frame in 6/6 anesthetized goldfish. Return to MS-222 immersion following KCl administration is recommended.

Intra-aortic band impairs transapical device implantation in a pig: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Anatomic anomalies in the ascending aorta may impair the implantation and testing of cardiovascular devices in humans and animal models. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the rare case of an intra-aortic band in a German Landrace pig. During terminal animal testing, the band hindered the implantation of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) with transventricular outflow graft across the aortic valve. After lower partial sternotomy, epicardial echocardiography displayed an intraluminal echogenic structure at the sinotubular junction causing unspecific flow turbulences. Under cardiopulmonary bypass, coring of the left ventricular apex was performed. Due to strong resistance in the proximal aorta, accurate positioning of the transventricular LVAD outflow graft was impossible. After euthanasia, necropsy revealed a fibrous band located at the sinotubular junction, dividing the lumen of the ascending aorta. CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of an intra-aortic band represents an extremely rare case of a most likely congenital anomaly. Awareness of such anomalies is important for planning and performing animal testing. Perioperative echocardiography may help to either remove such anomalies or allow discontinuing the procedure prior to device implantation.

Swine industry stakeholders' perception on the use of water-based foam as an emergency mass depopulation method.

The U.S. pork supply chain is vulnerable to various internal and external threats and in need of prompt, comprehensive response plans. Under urgent circumstances, for example in the case of foreign disease incursions, swine farms will have to perform on-farm animal depopulation to prevent disease spread. Several animal depopulation methods including water-based foam (WBF) have been proposed and are under evaluation for feasibility in the field. However, the psychological/emotional impacts of applying depopulation methods for personnel managing and carrying on the tasks are not currently well understood. Thus, this study aimed to investigate WBF as an alternative for depopulation compared to existing methods approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association. Swine industry stakeholders were invited to voluntarily observe a WBF depopulation trial and to provide their self-reported perspectives before and after the observation. A survey was designed to explore key areas on expected and perceived method effectiveness, efficiency, and animal welfare considerations, as well as to evaluate short-term post-observation psychological impacts. Among 42 recruited stakeholders, 31.0% (13/42) were educators/researchers followed by animal health officials (26.2%, 11/42) and veterinarians (23.8%, 10/42), with an average of 11.7 ± 12.6 (n = 39) years of work experience. After the trial, respondents' positive perception of WBF depopulation increased specifically regarding the animal loading process being less stressful than restrained in-barn depopulation options (P = 0.003) and by the observation of fewer swine escape attempts and vocalizations than expected (P < 0.001). Respondents' positive perception of WBF also increased regarding to the time required to fill the trailer with foam, to stop hearing animal vocalization, and stop hearing animal movement, as the observed trial times were faster than their pre-observation estimates (P < 0.001). Additionally, 79.5% (31/39) of respondents agreed that the rapid destruction of animal populations had priority over animal welfare under urgent scenarios. Minor post-traumatic stress disorder-like (PTSD-like) symptoms from the observed trials were reported (26.7%, 4/15 respondents) one month after the observation. This study showed that the WBF depopulation process was perceived positively by swine stakeholders and may have limited short-term psychological impacts on personnel involved in animal depopulation.

The epidemiology of patellar luxation in an insured Swedish dog population.

Patellar luxation (PL) is a common orthopaedic condition in dogs. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence and cause-specific mortality rate, age at diagnosis, and risk factors for medial PL (MPL), lateral PL (LPL), and bidirectional PL (BPL). Other diagnoses in dogs with PL were also explored. The study population included just over 600,000 dogs insured by Agria Pet Insurance in Sweden (2011-2016). There were 2726 dogs with PL. Medial patellar luxation affected 90 % of the dogs with PL, followed by LPL (5.9 %), BPL (2.4 %), and unspecified PL (1.6 %). The median age at first diagnosis during the study period was 2.8 years for MPL, 2.7 years for LPL, and 1.5 years for BPL. In total, 168 (6.2 %) of the dogs with PL had cruciate ligament rupture. There were substantial breed-specific differences in the risk of PL: almost all breeds at increased risk of MPL were small-sized, while several of the breeds at increased risk of LPL were large-sized. The breeds at high risk of BPL varied in size. Females had an increased risk of MPL (RR 1.2, 95 % CI: 1.1-1.3, p < 0.001) and a decreased risk of LPL (RR 0.72, 95 % CI: 0.51-1.0, p = 0.042) compared to males. In total, 116 dogs were euthanised due to PL and the breeds with the highest risk of PL-related euthanasia were the Pyrenean mountain dog, Dogue de Bordeaux, and German pinscher. The median age for PL-related euthanasia was 2.2 years.

Implementation of an Alternative Training Method for Cardiac Blood Collection in Mice.

Training personnel to work with animals presents a variety of challenges, both logistically and with regard to animal welfare. These issues make training an ideal opportunity to evaluate practices and to implement the 3R principles (refinement, replacement, and reduction). Cardiac blood collection from mice is a procedure that can compromise the 3Rs by requiring repeated practice and animal euthanasia. The development of a non-animal training model would promote the 3R principles. Our goals for the development of a new training model for cardiac blood collection from mice were to reduce the number of mice needed to achieve competency, improve our culture of care, and refine the training approach by improving competency. The training model was developed using commonly available materials. The total cost of the model was less than $15 USD per model. Two training curricula were conducted concurrently over a 5-mo period: 1) a curriculum in which trainees used the model before progressing to live mice and 2) the traditional curriculum, which used euthanized mice throughout. The measured variables included the total number of mice used, proportions of trainees who reached competency, the time needed to reach competency, method comprehension, quality of skill performance, trainer and trainee feedback, and training costs. The alternative group used at least 10 fewer mice per technician as compared with the traditionally trained group. The alternative group had a higher competency rate, with 82% (9 of 11 trainees) reaching competency compared with 60% (3 of 5 trainees) in the traditional group. Skill comprehension and quality were superior in the alternative group, as evidenced by fewer gross lesions at necropsy. Overall, personnel in the alternative group provided positive feedback with regard to the use of fewer mice, acquisition of both skill and confidence, and benefits for compassion fatigue. The use of this model is now our standard approach for training personnel in cardiac blood collection in mice. Our results demonstrate that the use of models in training curricula can enhance skill development and reduce the use of mice.

Biphasic pleural mesothelioma in a goat.

An 8-year-old Saanen goat doe was seen for inappetence, tachycardia, and intermittent bluish-grey discoloration of the oral mucous membranes. On physical examination, the goat was mildly tachypneic and tachycardic, with reduced sounds auscultated on the left side of the thorax. Euthanasia was elected. Necropsy revealed an infiltrative, multinodular mass within the left thoracic cavity and innumerable small, tan nodules disseminated across the pleura of the lungs, thoracic walls, and diaphragm. Upon histologic examination, the mass was composed of highly pleomorphic, fusiform to polygonal cells. Neoplastic cells exhibited positive immunoreactivity for both cytokeratin and vimentin, consistent with a diagnosis of biphasic pleural mesothelioma. Key clinical message: Mesothelioma has rarely been described in the goat but should be considered as a differential diagnosis for thoracic masses in small ruminants, along with thymoma; metastatic neoplasia; carcinomatosis; and granulomatous lesions caused by parasites, bacteria, and fungi.

Mésothéliome pleural biphasique chez une chèvre. Une chèvre Saanen âgée de 8 ans a été vue pour de l'inappétence, une tachycardie et une décoloration gris bleuâtre intermittente des muqueuses buccales. À l'examen physique, la chèvre était légèrement tachypnéique et tachycardique, avec des sons réduits auscultés du côté gauche du thorax. Il a été décidé d'euthanasier l'animal. L'autopsie a révélé une masse multinodulaire infiltrante dans la cavité thoracique gauche et d'innombrables petits nodules brun clair disséminés à travers la plèvre pulmonaire, les parois thoraciques et le diaphragme. À l'examen histologique, la masse était composée de cellules hautement pléomorphes, fusiformes à polygonales. Les cellules néoplasiques ont présenté une immunoréactivité positive pour la cytokératine et la vimentine, compatible avec un diagnostic de mésothéliome pleural biphasique.Message clinique clé:Le mésothéliome a rarement été décrit chez la chèvre mais doit être considéré comme un diagnostic différentiel des masses thoraciques chez les petits ruminants, avec le thymome, la néoplasie métastatique, la carcinomatose et les lésions granulomateuses causées par des parasites, des bactéries et des champignons.(Traduit par Dr Serge Messier).