Effect of a single acupuncture treatment on surgical wound healing in dogs: a randomized, single blinded, controlled pilot study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of acupuncture on wound healing after soft tissue or orthopaedic surgery in dogs.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>29 dogs were submitted to soft tissue and/or orthopaedic surgeries. Five dogs had two surgical wounds each, so there were totally 34 wounds in the study. All owners received instructions for post operative care as well as antibiotic and pain treatment. The dogs were randomly assigned to treatment or control groups. Treated dogs received one dry needle acupuncture treatment right after surgery and the control group received no such treatment. A veterinary surgeon that was blinded to the treatment, evaluated the wounds at three and seven days after surgery in regard to oedema (scale 0-3), scabs (yes/no), exudate (yes/no), hematoma (yes/no), dermatitis (yes/no), and aspect of the wound (dry/humid).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There was no significant difference between the treatment and control groups in the variables evaluated three and seven days after surgery. However, oedema reduced significantly in the group treated with acupuncture at seven days compared to three days after surgery, possibly due the fact that there was more oedema in the treatment group at day three (although this difference was nor significant between groups).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The use of a single acupuncture treatment right after surgery in dogs did not appear to have any beneficial effects in surgical wound healing.</p

Modular hybrid total hip arthroplasty. Experimental study in dogs

Background: This prospective experimental study evaluated the surgical procedure and results of modular hybrid total hip arthroplasty in dogs.Methods: Ten skeletally mature healthy mongrel dogs with weights varying between 19 and 27 kg were used. Cemented modular femoral stems and uncemented porous-coated acetabular cups were employed. Clinical and radiographic evaluations were performed before surgery and at 30, 60, 90, 120, 180 and 360 days post-operation.Results: Excellent weight bearing was noticed in the operated limb in seven dogs. Dislocation followed by loosening of the prosthesis was noticed in two dogs, which were therefore properly treated with a femoral head osteotomy. Femoral fracture occurred in one dog, which was promptly treated with full implant removal and femoral osteosynthesis.Conclusions: The canine modular hybrid total hip arthroplasty provided excellent functionality of the operated limb

Spontaneous canine transmissible venereal tumor: association between different phenotypes and the insertion LINE-1/c-myc Tumor venéreo transmisible canino espontáneo: asociación entre diferentes fenotipos y la inserción LINE -1/c-myc Tumor venéreo transmissível canino espontâneo: associação entre diferentes fenótipos e a inserção LINE-1/c-myc

Objective: this study aimed to evaluate the LINE-1 transposon inserted in c-myc gene as a specific genetic alteration in cells of spontaneous canine Transmissible Venereal Tumor (TVT) with either lymphocytoid or plasmacytoid phenotypes. Methods: tumoral biopsies from 35 dogs were collected by puncture or exfoliation. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was carried out with primers myc.s and LINE. A, specific to the LINE-1 segment to detect the presence of LINE-1/c-myc molecular marker. Results: sequence alignment of DNA samples from lymphocytoid and plasmacytoid TVT cells did not show polymorphisms, and the comparison with sequences from the GenBank identified them as a LINE-1/c-myc rearrangement. Conclusions: considering the aggressive nature of the plasmacytoid phenotype, there is no apparent relation between LINE-1/c-myc and the malignancy of TVT. Further studies are needed to establish molecular differences associated with the aggressiveness of the various phenotypes of canine TVT.Objetivo: evaluar la expresión del trasposón LINE-1 insertado en el oncogén c-myc como una alteración genética específica en células de Tumor Venéreo Transmisible canino espontáneo con fenotipos linfocitoideos o plasmocitoideos. Métodos: se tomaron muestras citológicas de 35 caninos naturalmente afectados por Tumor Venéreo Transmisible (TVT), separándolas en dos grupos de acuerdo al fenotipo predominante. La identificación del marcador molecular LINE-1/c-myc fue posible mediante la técnica de Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa (PCR) usando los primers myc.s y LINE. A, específicos para el segmento LINE-1. Resultados: el resultado del alineamiento de las secuencias obtenidas a partir del DNA de cada uno de los fenotipos de TVT no presentó variación entre ellos y al compararlas con el alineamiento de otras secuencias depositadas en el GenBank, pudo observarse que se trata de un reordenamiento LINE- 1/c-myc. Conclusiones: teniendo en cuenta la naturaleza agresiva del fenotipo plasmocitoide, se estableció que no hay polimorfismo genético entre los grupos analizados, siendo necesario realizar nuevos estudios tendientes a establecer diferencias moleculares asociadas con la agresividad de los diferentes fenotipos del TVT canino.Objetivo: foi avaliado o elemento de transposição LINE-1 inserido no gene c-myc como alteração genética específica nas células do TVT espontâneo canino nos grupos fenotípicos previamente classificados como linfocitóide e plasmocitóide. Métodos: amostras da lesão de 35 cães foram colhidas por punção ou esfoliação. Para identificar o marcador molecular LINE-1/c-myc nas amostras foi utilizada a técnica de Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase empregando-se os primers myc.s e LINE. A, específicos para o segmento LINE-1. Resultados: o resultado do alinhamento das sequências obtidas das amostras de DNA das células de TVT linfocitóide e plasmocitóide não apresentou polimorfismos e, por meio do alinhamento com outras sequências depositadas no GeneBank, identificou-se que trata-se do rearranjo LINE-1/c-myc. Conclusões: parece não haver relação entre este aspecto molecular analisado com a agressividade do tumor

NEOTROPICAL XENARTHRANS: a data set of occurrence of xenarthran species in the Neotropics

Xenarthrans—anteaters, sloths, and armadillos—have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, 10 anteaters, and 6 sloths. Our data set includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic range is from the southern United States, Mexico, and Caribbean countries at the northern portion of the Neotropics, to the austral distribution in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. Regarding anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla has the most records (n = 5,941), and Cyclopes sp. have the fewest (n = 240). The armadillo species with the most data is Dasypus novemcinctus (n = 11,588), and the fewest data are recorded for Calyptophractus retusus (n = 33). With regard to sloth species, Bradypus variegatus has the most records (n = 962), and Bradypus pygmaeus has the fewest (n = 12). Our main objective with Neotropical Xenarthrans is to make occurrence and quantitative data available to facilitate more ecological research, particularly if we integrate the xenarthran data with other data sets of Neotropical Series that will become available very soon (i.e., Neotropical Carnivores, Neotropical Invasive Mammals, and Neotropical Hunters and Dogs). Therefore, studies on trophic cascades, hunting pressure, habitat loss, fragmentation effects, species invasion, and climate change effects will be possible with the Neotropical Xenarthrans data set. Please cite this data paper when using its data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using these data