The effects of galacto-oligosaccharides on faecal parameters in healthy dogs and cats

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) on faecal parameters in healthy dogs and cats. To this end, 20 dogs and 20 Domestic shorthair cats were fed a commercially available adult dog food, or cat food, respectively, with either syrup containing GOS (at 1% w galacto-oligosaccharides/w formulated feed) on top (test group) or no topping (control group) for 56 days in a cross-over design. The study consisted of 2 periods of 24 days adaptation, followed by 4 days of collection of faeces. Faecal samples were tested for moisture, nitrogen, pH, macronutrients, enzymes, and fermentation products. The faecal microbiota were analysed by 16S rDNA profiling. It appeared that GOS have different effects in dogs compared to cats. In dogs, the addition of GOS resulted in increased carbohydrate fermentation (increase of acetic and butyric acid), whereas in cats GOS resulted in increased amino acid fermentation (increase of isovaleric acid). The α-diversity of the canine faecal microbiota was reduced by dietary GOS (Inverse Simpson Index, p = 0.063; Shannon index, p = 0.035) whereas the α-diversity of cat faecal microbiota was unaffected (Inverse Simpson Index, p = 0.539; Shannon index, p = 0.872). Lachnospiraceae spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. positively responded to GOS in both cats and dogs. Lactobacillus spp. and Enterobacteriaceae spp. positively responded to GOS in dogs. In both dogs and cats, GOS may therefore improve stool microbiota and result in the production of specific metabolites that are beneficial to gut health

Ketamine infusion for pain management in a case of thoracic outlet syndrome.

This case report presents the successful use of ketamine infusion therapy as pain relief for a patient with bilateral neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS) combined with arterial TOS after bilateral first rib resection surgery. The patient did not respond well to medical management due to limited effects and severe side effects. However, surgical treatment resulted in temporary relief. After ketamine infusion, quality of life has improved considerably because of increased functional capacity and decreased pain sensation. However, the clinical signs of arterial TOS remained. Additional prospective and standardized studies are needed to confirm if ketamine infusion is a good option for pain management in refractory cases of TOS

Brandteknisk riskvärdering av Frejaskolan i Gnesta

This report is an evaluation of the fire safety at Frejaskolan in Gnesta, Sweden. The report was preceded by a field trip to the school and the fire safety at the school was studied. A number of fire scenarios have been treated, and three were chosen for further analysis. To be able to make any judgements about the fire safety, estimation has been done by comparing the time needed for safe evacuation with the time to critical conditions in the building. This was made by hand calculations and by using software called FDS. The main conclusion is that none of the three cases can ensure safe evacuation of the occupants in the building, hence a list of measures to be undertaken to minimize the fire risk are given. To improve evacuation safety in the event of fire, evacuation through windows is a possible solution. Any fire equipment such as automatic door closers and evacuation signs should be serviced regularly.Denna rapport analyserar brandskyddet och möjligheten till säker utrymning vid Frejaskolan i Gnesta. Analysens fokus ligger på personsäkerheten vid händelse av brand. Rapporten är en del i kursen Brandteknisk riskvärdering som ges på brandingenjörsprogrammet vid Lunds Tekniska Högskola. Arbetet inleddes med ett studiebesök där de aktuella lokalerna studerades och information om det befintliga brandskyddet och systematiska brandskyddsarbetet samlades in. Utifrån denna information togs elva trolig brandscenarier fram och av dessa valdes tre ut för vidare analys genom en kvalitativ bedömning av deras sannolikhet och konsekvens. Dessa tre är ”Brand i förråd vid träslöjdsal”, ”Brand på toalett” samt ”Brand i kapprum”. Personsäkerheten bedöms utifrån varseblivning-, förberedelse- samt förflyttningstiden för varje scenario. Dessa har sedan jämförts med tiden till kritiska förhållanden för bland annat sikt och höjd på brandgaslagret. Varseblivning- och förberedelsetiden är hämtade från tidigare studier på området, medan förflyttningstiden är framtagen med hjälp av utrymningssimuleringar i datorprogrammet Pathfinder samt handberäkningar. Tiden till kritiska förhållanden är framtagen i datorprogrammet FDS. I samtliga scenarier kommer personer inte att hinna utrymma innan kritiska förhållanden uppnås. Vid scenariot ”Brand på toalett” är tidsmarginalen dock sådan att personer bedöms kunna utrymma utan större svårigheter. En rad åtgärdsförslag som ska eller bör genomföras har tagits fram för att en tillfredsställande brandsäkerhet ska uppnås. Nedan presenteras några av de viktigaste åtgärderna. * I klassrum med endast en utrymningsväg ska utrymningsfönster installeras. Även befintliga utrymningsfönster ska ses över för att säkerhetsställa funktionsdugligheten hos dessa. * En dörr till innergården ska installeras för att säkerhetsställa att personer som utrymmer ut till denna kan utrymma vidare till annan brandcell. * Underhåll av brandteknisk utrustning ska genomföras. Dörrstängare till brandcellsdörrar ska vara funktionsdugliga och släckutrustning får ej blockeras. * Branddörr med tillhörande dörrstängare bör installeras till förrådet med spånsugen. * Träslöjdsarbeten och spån bör ej lagras i samma rum som spånsugen

Clinical management of feline chronic kidney disease in Portugal: a questionnaire-based study

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to characterise the clinical management of feline chronic kidney disease (CKD) by veterinary practitioners in Portugal. METHODS: A questionnaire-based study was designed to be completed by all veterinarians who had diagnosed and treated at least one case of feline CKD in the previous year. RESULTS: A total of 409 veterinary practitioners responded to the questionnaire, with approximately half of them diagnosing 2-5 cases of feline CKD per month (n = 219, 53.5%). Although a high proportion of these reported using the guidelines published by the International Renal Interest Society (n = 379, 92.7%), only 19.1% (n = 78) systematically performed systolic blood pressure (SBP) measurements in all of their patients. A renal diet was advised by almost all respondents (n = 406, 99.3%), but 36.9% (n = 150) of them considered that it represented less than 75% of the daily food intake for most of their patients. This dietary intervention was often prescribed regardless of stage (n = 298, 73.4%) and without a proper gradual diet transition. Appetite stimulants were frequently prescribed (n = 366, 89.5%), as well as a calcium channel blocker (n = 171, 41.8%) and an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (n = 245, 59.9%) to control systemic hypertension and proteinuria, respectively. Prescription of a phosphate binder was also common (n = 311, 76.0%). Regarding monitoring, 70.9% (n = 290) recommended that stable patients be reassessed every 2-3 months or more frequently, but only 35.7% (n = 146) were able to comply with this periodicity due to owners' constraints. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The findings showed that although most survey respondents are aware of international guidelines for the clinical management of cats with CKD, the SBP measurement still needs to be more systematic to allow proper substaging and detection of systemic hypertension. The monitoring frequency was lower than recommended. Furthermore, the introduction of a renal therapeutic diet should be refined to improve its acceptance rate

Vitamin D metabolism and profiling in veterinary species

The demand for vitamin D analysis in veterinary species is increasing with the growing knowledge of the extra-skeletal role vitamin D plays in health and disease. The circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin-D (25(OH)D) metabolite is used to assess vitamin D status, and the benefits of analysing other metabolites in the complex vitamin D pathway are being discovered in humans. Profiling of the vitamin D pathway by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) facilitates simultaneous analysis of multiple metabolites in a single sample and over wide dynamic ranges, and this method is now considered the gold-standard for quantifying vitamin D metabolites. However, very few studies report using LC-MS/MS for the analysis of vitamin D metabolites in veterinary species. Given the complexity of the vitamin D pathway and the similarities in the roles of vitamin D in health and disease between humans and companion animals, there is a clear need to establish a comprehensive, reliable method for veterinary analysis that is comparable to that used in human clinical practice. In this review, we highlight the differences in vitamin D metabolism between veterinary species and the benefits of measuring vitamin D metabolites beyond 25(OH)D. Finally, we discuss the analytical challenges in profiling vitamin D in veterinary species with a focus on LC-MS/MS methods

Dietary omega-3 fatty acids in the management of feline periodontal disease: What is the evidence?

Periodontal disease is an oral disorder with high prevalence in cats from 2 years of age, resulting from an inflammatory response against bacterial plaque. Treatment depends on the stage of the disease and may include dental scaling, local application of perioceutics, tissue regeneration and/or even tooth extraction and periodontal surgery. As multimodal therapy is often required, new strategies have been developed to improve the therapeutic response in these patients. Adjuvant use of omega-3 fatty acids has been reported in humans with periodontal disease, but the current evidence of its effect in companion animals, especially cats, is still considered to be scarce and conflicting. This review describes the state of the art regarding feline periodontal disease and seeks to clarify the potential effect of omega-3 fatty acids on its clinical management in light of the evidence available in the current literature

Fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21) analogs as possible treatment options for diabetes mellitus in veterinary patients

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are involved in numerous metabolic processes. The endocrine subfamily of FGFs, consisting of FGF19, FGF21, and FGF23, might have beneficial effects in the treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM) and/or obesity. The analog with the greatest potential, FGF21, lowers blood glucose levels, improves insulin sensitivity, and induces weight loss in several animal models. In this review we summarize recent (pre)clinical findings with FGF21 analogs in animal models and men. Furthermore, possible applications of FGF21 analogs for pets with DM will be discussed. As currently, information about the use of FGF21 analogs in pet animals is scarce

Nutritional consulting in regular veterinary practices in Belgium and the Netherlands

BACKGROUND: Increased interest in nutrition by dog and cat owners stresses the importance of providing tailored nutritional guidance for each patient by veterinarians. The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) has provided guidelines to help veterinarians implement this in every-day patient care, by screening patients for the presence of nutritional risk factors, establishing tailored nutritional plans and providing adequate patient follow-up tools. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the use of nutritional assessments in companion animal practices, and to investigate differences between Dutch and Belgian veterinarians. METHODS: A survey was conducted among Dutch and Belgian veterinarians. Of the 423 respondents, 53% were from Belgium, and 47% were from the Netherlands. RESULTS: Only 21% had prior knowledge of the WSAVA nutritional assessment guidelines. General trends in the usage of nutritional assessments were similar in the examined countries. Aside from weighing, diet evaluation by collecting dietary information and body condition or muscle condition scoring were used infrequently, mostly due to insufficient knowledge of the methods. Nutritional recommendations were often made as part of a treatment plan, and were mostly made by veterinarians, but in Dutch practices also by veterinary nurses. CONCLUSION: Despite the fact that nutritional recommendations are a regular part of treatment plans, nutritional risk factors may be missed due to a lack of completely performed nutritional assessments. It remains important to promote the benefits of regular nutritional assessments to veterinarians, which will improve patients' health