Frequency and number of ultrasound lung rockets ( B-lines ) using a regionally based lung ultrasound examination named Vet BLUE ( veterinary bedside lung ultrasound exsam ) in dogs with radiographicallynormal lung findings

Lung ultrasound is superior to lung auscultation and supine chest radiography for many respiratory conditions in human patients. Ultrasound diagnoses are based on easily learned patterns of sonographic findings and artifacts in standardized images. By applying the wet lung (ultrasound lung rockets or B-lines, representing interstitial edema) versus dry lung (A-lines with a glide sign) concept many respiratory conditions can be diagnosed or excluded. The ultrasound probe can be used as a visual stethoscope for the evaluation of human lungs because dry artifacts (A-lines with a glide sign) predominate over wet artifacts (ultrasound lung rockets or B-lines). However, the frequency and number of wet lung ultrasound artifacts in dogs with radiographically normal lungs is unknown. Thus, the primary objective was to determine the baseline frequency and number of ultrasound lung rockets in dogs without clinical signs of respiratory disease and with radiographically normal lung findings using an 8-view novel regionally based lung ultrasound examination called Vet BLUE. Frequency of ultrasound lung rockets were statistically compared based on signalment, body condition score, investigator, and reasons for radiography. Ten left-sided heart failure dogs were similarly enrolled. Overall frequency of ultrasound lung rockets was 11% (95% confidence interval, 6–19%) in dogs without respiratory disease versus 100% (95% confidence interval, 74–100%) in those with left-sided heart failure. The low frequency and number of ultrasound lung rockets observed in dogs without respiratory disease and with radiographically normal lungs suggests that Vet BLUE will be clinically useful for the identification of canine respiratory conditions.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1740-8261hb201

Use of urinary bladder measurements from a point-of-care cysto-colic ultrasonographic view to estimate urinary bladder volume in dogs and cats

OBJECTIVE : to develop a point-of-care ultrasound-derived formula to estimate urinary bladder volume noninvasively in dogs and cats. DESIGN : Prospective case series. SETTING : Private 24-hour veterinary emergency center. ANIMALS : Client-owned dogs and cats requiring urethral catheterization. INTERVENTIONS : Ultrasound measurements of length, width, and height of balloons filled with known water volumes were used to develop a formula to estimate urinary bladder volume using linear regression. The formula was then applied to point-of-care ultrasound-derived cysto-colic view measurements, and calculations were compared to total aspirated urine volume. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS : Fifteen balloons with known volumes (median, 126 mL [range, 27–689 mL]) were used to identify length × width × height (cm) × 0.2 × π as the best formula to estimate urinary bladder volume in milliliters. Fourteen cats and 14 dogs were used for comparison of formula-derived volume estimate to actual urinary bladder volume. Median aspirated urine volume, bias (formula-derived minus actual aspirated), and percentage difference were 80 mL, –4.1 mL, and –6.6% for cats, respectively. For dogs, the results were 78 mL, 3.4 mL, and 3.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE : The point-of-care ultrasound-derived formula may be useful to estimate urine volume noninvasively in dogs and cats.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1476-44312018-11-30hj2017Production Animal Studie

Frequency and number of B-lines using a regionally based lung ultrasound examination in cats with radiographically normal lungs compared to cats with left-sided congestive heart failure

OBJECTIVE : To establish a baseline lung ultrasound (LUS) artifact profile using a regionally based protocol in cats without clinical signs of respiratory disease and with radiographically normal lungs compared to a cohort of cats with left-sided congestive heart failure (CHF). DESIGN : Prospective case series. ANIMALS : Forty-nine cats without clinical signs of respiratory disease and with radiographically normal lungs and 7 cats with radiographic evidence of left-sided CHF. INTERVENTIONS : Application of a previously published LUS protocol. Frequency of B-lines was compared based on signalment, body condition score, investigator, and reasons for radiography and between 49 cats with radiographically normal lungs to 7 cats with radiographic evidence of left-sided CHF. RESULTS : Overall frequency of B-lines was 12% (95% confidence interval, 5–24%) in cats without respiratory disease versus 100% (95% confidence interval, 65–100%) in those with left-sided CHF. Six cats (6/49) had B-lines with 5/6 having B-lines at a single site; and 4/5 having a single B-line at 1 site, 1/5 having 2 B-lines at 1 site; and the sixth cat having 2 positive sites with a single B-line at each. In the cohort of cats with left-sided CHF, all cats (7/7) had >3 B-lines detected at every site. CONCLUSIONS : The lack of B-lines in cats without respiratory disease (with radiographically normal lungs) and the predominance of B-lines in cats with left-sided CHF suggest that a regionally based LUS protocol may be clinically useful for the identification and evaluation of feline respiratory conditions.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1476-44312018-09-30hj2017Production Animal Studie