Analgesia during Parturition in Domestic Animals: Perspectives and Controversies on Its Use

This article analyzes the physiological role of pain during parturition in domestic animals, discusses the controversies surrounding the use of opioids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and local analgesics as treatments during labor, and presents the advantages and disadvantages for mother and offspring. Labor is a potentially stressful and painful event, due to the contractions that promote expulsion of the fetus. During labor, neurotransmitters such as the prostaglandins contribute to the sensitization of oxytocin receptors in the myometrium and the activation of nociceptive fibers, thus supporting the physiological role of pain. Endogenously, the body secretes opioid peptides that modulate harmful stimuli and, at the same time, can inhibit oxytocin’s action in the myometrium. Treating pain during the different stages of parturition is an option that can help prevent such consequences as tachycardia, changes in breathing patterns, and respiratory acidosis, all of which can harm the wellbeing of offspring. However, studies have found that some analgesics can promote myometrial contractility, increase expulsion time, affect fetal circulation, and alter mother–offspring recognition due to hypnotic effects. Other data, however, indicate that reducing the number of uterine contractions with analgesics increases their potency, thus improving maternal performance. Managing pain during labor requires understanding the tocolytic properties of analgesics and their advantages in preventing the consequences of pain.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Slaughtering of Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) with and without Stunning: A Focus on the Neurobiology of Pain, Hyperalgesia, and Sensitization

The slaughter process in livestock is considered a stressor where the transport and handling of animals, as well as the selected stunning and bleeding methods, can cause acute pain, distress, and suffering. In water buffaloes, although stunning is known to be performed before bleeding to induce unconsciousness, no emphasis is made on the nociceptive events during this process. Particularly, current mechanical stunning methods applied to cattle are unsuitable for water buffaloes due to anatomical differences in the skull from other large ruminants. Furthermore, although very high-pressure pneumatic (200–220 psi) may be effective in the frontal position for lighter-weight water buffalos, for heavier animals, it is less likely to be effective. The present review aims: (1) to analyze the anatomical particularities of water buffaloes to discuss the importance of selecting a stunning method suitable for buffaloes, and (2) to revise the potential pain-related consequences, such as hyperalgesia and sensitization, and the signs to assess the stun quality and death to comprehend the relevance of a proper technique according to the species.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Allonursing in Wild and Farm Animals: Biological and Physiological Foundations and Explanatory Hypotheses

Publication history: Accepted - 27 October 2021; Published - 29 October 2021.The dams of gregarious animals must develop a close bond with their newborns to provide them with maternal care, including protection against predators, immunological transference, and nutrition. Even though lactation demands high energy expenditures, behaviors known as allonursing (the nursing of non-descendant infants) and allosuckling (suckling from any female other than the mother) have been reported in various species of wild or domestic, and terrestrial or aquatic animals. These behaviors seem to be elements of a multifactorial strategy, since reports suggest that they depend on the following: species, living conditions, social stability, and kinship relations, among other group factors. Despite their potential benefits, allonursing and allosuckling can place the health and welfare of both non-filial dams and alien offspring at risk, as it augments the probability of pathogen transmission. This review aims to analyze the biological and physiological foundations and bioenergetic costs of these behaviors, analyzing the individual and collective advantages and disadvantages for the dams’ own offspring(s) and alien neonate(s). We also include information on the animal species in which these behaviors occur and their implications on animal welfare

Neurophysiology of milk ejection and prestimulation in dairy buffaloes

The present review aims to integrate the anatomical characteristics of the mammary gland and the neurophysiology of milk ejection to understand the milking capacity of the water buffalo. Since one of the main uses of this species is milk production, this article will analyze the controversies on the use of oxytocin as a stimulant during milking as well as the existing alternatives that farmers apply to promote correct stimulation during milk letdown. According to the available literature, the efficiency of the milking process, the quality of the milk, and the health of the animals are elements that require the consideration of species-specific characteristics to enhance the performance of buffaloes. The incorporation of technological innovations and competitive strategies could contribute to a better understanding of water buffalo in the milk industry.Fil: Napolitano, Fabio. Università Degli Studi Della Basilicata; ItaliaFil: Braghieri, Ada. Università Degli Studi Della Basilicata; ItaliaFil: Bragaglio, Andrea. Università degli Studi di Bari; ItaliaFil: Rodríguez González, Daniela. Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana; MéxicoFil: Mora Medina, Patricia. Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México; MéxicoFil: Ghezzi, Marcelo Daniel. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Álvarez Macías, Adolfo. Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana; MéxicoFil: Lendez, Pamela Anahí. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comision de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil; ArgentinaFil: Sabia, Emilio. Free University Of Bozen-Bolzano; ItaliaFil: Domínguez Oliva, Adriana. Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana; MéxicoFil: Jacome Romero, Joseline. Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana; MéxicoFil: Mota Rojas, Daniel. Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana; Méxic

Uterine dynamics, blood profiles, and electronic fetal monitoring of primiparous and multiparous bitches classified according to their weight

Perinatal mortality occurs in all species. In dogs, mortality rates have been reported to range from 5 to 35%. Electronic fetal and uterine monitoring has recently been used in domestic animals to monitor the mother and newborn before and during parturition. In this way, the fetal heart rate and uterine dynamics can be monitored. This study evaluated the uterine dynamics of bitches with different weights and parity. Ninety-six bitches and their 476 puppies were divided into four experimental groups containing 24 individuals each (12 primiparous bitches and 12 multiparous bitches), according to body weight: G1 (4–8 kg), G2 (8.1–16 kg), G3 (16.1 to 32 kg), and G4 (32.1 to 39.6 kg). The fetal heart rate decelerations (dip 2 patterns), uterine dynamics, and bitches’ blood profiles were evaluated, including levels of glucose, lactate, pCO2, pO2, pH, HCO3−, and Ca++. The dam weight can affect the vitality of newborns and the uterine dynamics, with differences in the frequency, intensity, and duration of myometrial contractions. The expulsion interval between puppies was longest in primiparous bitches with low weight and shortest in multiparous bitches with high weight. The expulsion interval and the number of stillborn females were higher in primiparous bitches with high weight. Newborn male puppies were significantly heavier than newborn females

Assessment of Pain and Inflammation in Domestic Animals Using Infrared Thermography: A Narrative Review

Publication history: Accepted - 20 June 22023; Published - 22 June 2023.Pain assessment in domestic animals has gained importance in recent years due to the recognition of the physiological, behavioral, and endocrine consequences of acute pain on animal production, welfare, and animal model validity. Current approaches to identifying acute pain mainly rely on behavioral-based scales, quantifying pain-related biomarkers, and the use of devices monitoring sympathetic activity. Infrared thermography is an alternative that could be used to correlate the changes in the superficial temperature with other tools and thus be an additional or alternate acute pain assessment marker. Moreover, its non-invasiveness and the objective nature of its readout make it potentially very valuable. However, at the current time, it is not in widespread use as an assessment strategy. The present review discusses scientific evidence for infrared thermography as a tool to evaluate pain, limiting its use to monitor acute pain in pathological processes and invasive procedures, as well as its use for perioperative monitoring in domestic animals.This research received no external fundin

Strategies for Hypothermia Compensation in Altricial and Precocial Newborn Mammals and Their Monitoring by Infrared Thermography

Publication history: Accepted - 18 May 2022; Published - 23 May 2022.Thermoregulation in newborn mammals is an essential species-specific mechanism of the nervous system that contributes to their survival during the first hours and days of their life. When exposed to cold weather, which is a risk factor associated with mortality in neonates, pathways such as the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (HPA) are activated to achieve temperature control, increasing the circulating levels of catecholamine and cortisol. Consequently, alterations in blood circulation and mechanisms to produce or to retain heat (e.g., vasoconstriction, piloerection, shivering, brown adipocyte tissue activation, and huddling) begin to prevent hypothermia. This study aimed to discuss the mechanisms of thermoregulation in newborn domestic mammals, highlighting the differences between altricial and precocial species. The processes that employ brown adipocyte tissue, shivering, thermoregulatory behaviors, and dermal vasomotor control will be analyzed to understand the physiology and the importance of implementing techniques to promote thermoregulation and survival in the critical post-birth period of mammals. Also, infrared thermography as a helpful method to perform thermal measurements without animal interactions does not affect these parameters.Non

Vitality in Newborn Farm Animals: Adverse Factors, Physiological Responses, Pharmacological Therapies, and Physical Methods to Increase Neonate Vigor

Publication history: Accepted - 29 April 2023; Published - 4 may 2023.Vitality is the vigor newborn animals exhibit during the first hours of life. It can be assessed by a numerical score, in which variables, such as heart rate, respiratory rate, mucous membranes’ coloration, time the offspring took to stand up, and meconium staining, are monitored. Vitality can be affected by several factors, and therapies are used to increase it. This manuscript aims to review and analyze pharmacological and physical therapies used to increase vitality in newborn farm animals, as well as to understand the factors affecting this vitality, such as hypoxia, depletion of glycogen, birth weight, dystocia, neurodevelopment, hypothermia, and finally, the physiological mechanism to achieve thermostability. It has been concluded that assessing vitality immediately after birth is essential to determine the newborn’s health and identify those that need medical intervention to minimize the deleterious effect of intrapartum asphyxia. Vitality assessment should be conducted by trained personnel and adequate equipment. Evaluating vitality could reduce long-term neonatal morbidity and mortality in domestic animals, even if it is sometimes difficult with the current organization of some farms. This review highlights the importance of increasing the number of stock people during the expected days of parturitions to reduce long-term neonatal morbidity and mortality, and thus, improve the farm’s performance.This research received no external funding

Thermal Imaging to Assess the Health Status in Wildlife Animals under Human Care: Limitations and Perspectives

Ensuring the welfare of wildlife under human care requires tools to monitor their health and well-being. Infrared thermography is a non-invasive technique for assessing thermal states that measure the radiation emitted from the skin in distinct anatomical areas, known as thermal windows—anatomical regions with abundant capillaries and arteriovenous anastomosis that facilitate heat exchange with the environment. However, thermal windows for wildlife species have not yet been established due to the different characteristics of their skin, coats, fur, or coloring. This review discusses published information on the usefulness of the ocular, nasal, thoracic, abdominal, and podal anatomical regions as thermal windows for evaluating these animals’ thermal responses and health status and monitoring habitat design. Another aspect that must be considered for wildlife under human care is the limitations of distinct species due to differences between animals and critical factors. Future studies should focus on establishing a precise application for each thermal window according to the specific characteristics of distinct animal species

Els treballs de fi de grau a la Universitat de Barcelona

Podeu consultar la versió castellana al camp recurs relacionat.La implantació dels títols de grau ha suposat un repte per a les universitats, que han hagut d'adaptar els seus projectes formatius a les directrius de l’Espai Europeu d’Educació Superior. Un dels aspectes importants d’aquest procés ha estat l'obligació d’incorporar els treballs de fi de grau (TFG) a l’estructura curricular dels plans d’estudis. Aquesta tasca ha estat complexa i, a més, s’ha vist dificultada per la poca tradició que la majoria de facultats i escoles universitàries tenien en el disseny, l'organització i l'avaluació d’aquest tipus de treball. Uns quants cursos després d’haver-se posat en marxa els TFG, l’Institut de Ciències de l’Educació (ICE) de la Universitat de Barcelona va voler oferir als diferents centres de la UB una plataforma de reflexió i debat on poguessin compartir experiències, plantejar dubtes, analitzar models de bones pràctiques i recollir idees per millorar els seus projectes. A tal efecte, des de la Secció d’Universitat de l’ICE, es va organitzar la jornada «Els treballs de fi de grau a la UB». Aquest quadern recull les comunicacions presentades, sintetitza el debat que van generar i presenta les conclusions a què es va arribar