Brachial Plexus Block with Use of a Neurostimulator in a Striped owl (Asio clamator) Undergoing Wing Amputation

Background: The use of distinct drugs and techniques for establishing balanced anesthesia protocols has shown promising results in birds. The techniques of locoregional block can be incorporated to these protocols, thereby providing intra- and post-operative analgesia and reducing the requirement for general anesthesia. Additionally, the use of neurostimulators increases the chances of success and reduces the risk of toxicity; however, there are limited reports in the literature of its applicability in wild birds. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe the brachial plexus block technique guided using a neurolocalizer in a striped owl (Asio clamator) submitted for right wing amputation.Case: A striped owl weighing 400 g with a history of exposed fracture of the right wing was supplied by the clinical sector at the Veterinarian Hospital of the Federal University of Bahia. Following hydration and stabilization of vital signs, the animal was referred to the surgical center for amputation of the limb. Dexmedetomidine (10 µg.kg−1 IM) was administered as premedication, and after 20 min, anesthetic induction was performed using sevoflurane (FiO2 = 100%) via a mask followed by maintenance using the same drug. The animal was positioned in a left lateral decubitus position with access to the brachial plexus determined by palpation and identification of the border of the following muscles: pectoral, cranial branch of the brachial biceps, and dorsal branch of the ventral serratus. The brachial plexus nerves are situated in the subcutaneous site craniodorsal to the axillary depression. For the block, a neurolocalizer was used, fixing the positive electrode to approximately 5 cm from the needle insertion site (21G × 2'”) in the axillary depression, which remained connected to the neurostimulator by the second electrode. At first, the needle was attached to the peripheral nerve stimulator using a pulse frequency of 1 Hz with an impulse duration of 0.1 ms and initial current of 1 mA. The needle was advanced in the direction of the nerve plexus until it was observed that muscular contractions and movement in the limb were blocked, gradually decreasing the contractions, which disappeared at a current of 0.3 mA. At this juncture, after verifying the absence of blood on aspiration, ropivacaine was injected (2 mg/kg) with a latency period of 20 min. Data were recorded via monitoring of vital signs (DigicareLifeWindowLW9xVet), recording an average hearth rate of 140 ± 9.84 bpm, respiratory rate of 30 ± 4.18 mpm, oxyhemoglobin saturation of 99%, end-tidal carbon dioxide of 26 ± 1.98 mmHg, and temperature of 37.4°C ± 0.11°C over the course of 20 min of the surgical procedure. No movements were observed in response to pain stimuli, and the animal exhibited normal recovery, free of excitation or signs of pain. Discussion: Considering the imprecise history regarding fracture time as well as the lack of specific tests to clearly elucidate the condition of this animal, selective and safe drugs were selected additionally: dexmedetomidine and sevoflurane, which provided superior quality of sedation during the handling of the animal and rapid and smooth anesthetic induction, respectively. Based on experiences with numerous species, the inclusion of the locoregional block has substantial value for lengthening the analgesic duration and quality in addition to reducing adverse effects inherent in general anesthesia. In the present study, the use of ropivacaine in the brachial plexus block with the use of a neurolocalizer in the striped owl was demonstrated to be easy to perform using the axillary approach, demonstrating efficacy confirmed by the stability of physiological variables and muscle relaxation as well as the absence of adverse events during recovery

Nerve Stimulator-Guided Ciatic and Femoral Nerve Block during Tibial Osteosynthesis in Chinchilla lanigera

Background: Nociceptive stimulation in orthopedic surgery requires effective pain management to ensure trans and postoperative patient comfort. Several techniques can be used for this, and multimodal analgesia protocols such as guided locoregional blocks provide a balanced effect, as they enable the use of low-dose anesthetics and offer rapid recovery. The benefits of specific nerve blocks in domestic animals are well known; however, there are few reports that have ascertained their safety in wild species. This report is aimed at describing the successful use of neurolocalizer-guided sciatic and femoral nerve blocks during tibial osteosyntheses in a chinchilla.Case: A 9-month-old chinchilla weighing 0.56 kg was referred for surgery for proximal and mid-diaphyseal tibia fractures resulting from trauma. Following preanesthetic evaluation, the animal received intramuscular dexmedetomidine (15 µg kg-1) as preanesthetic medication. Sedation was apparent after 15 min and was verified by a decreased activity, the animal allowing manipulation, absence of the eyelid and righting reflexes, and limb movement after clamping removal of limb after clamping. After achieving sedation, anesthesia was induced and maintained with sevoflurane (FiO2 = 1.0), supplied through a nasoral mask. Sciatic and femoral nerve blocks were performed with the aid of a neurostimulator. A needle was inserted into the femoral triangle, cranial to the femoral artery, and into the depression between the sciatic tuberosity and the greater femoral trochanter. The neurostimulator was set at a pulse frequency of 1 Hz, pulse duration of 0.1 ms and initial current of 0.6 mA. The needle was advanced toward the nerves until muscle contractions were observed, and the current was gradually reduced until contractions were manifested at a minimum current of 0.2 mA. Ropivacaine 0.2% (1 mg kg-1) was injected at each point. Intraoperative physiological parameters remained stable and within the reference limits while the animal was under light anesthesia. Signs of recovery appeared soon after the inhaled anesthesia was stopped; awakening was gradual and without any signs of excitement or other adverse effects, eliminating the need for additional analgesic medication. Subcutaneous fluid therapy, antibiotics, and anti-inflammatory medications were administered immediately postoperatively.Discussion: This report is groundbreaking in describing neurostimulation-guided sciatic and femoral nerve blocks as an alternative to epidural anesthesia for hind limb surgery; furthermore, it demonstrates the efficacy and safety of ropivacaine in Chinchilla lanigera, which is relevant to the clinical use of the drug as part of a rodent anesthetic protocol. Sevoflurane associated dexmedetomidine use and locoregional anesthesia resulted in cardiorespiratory stability and the absence of behavioral signs of pain in the immediate postoperative period. The technique was easy to apply, and the use of the neurolocalizer increased blockade safety by allowing anesthesia administration as close as possible to the nerve. The ability to use low doses is a significant benefit in patients with low body weights. Therefore, the chosen protocol resulted in a safe and balanced anesthesia with an effective regional block that provided trans and postoperative analgesia and allowed rapid recovery for chinchilla tibial osteosynthesis

Clinical responses to acute blood loss in goats

The response to blood loss is directly related to the degree of hemorrhage, but for the caprine species some aspects still need to be investigated. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the clinical and hemodynamic effects of acute blood loss in goats. Eight healthy, adult male crossbred goats were subjected to external jugular puncture to remove 30% of the total blood volume. A physical examination and blood gas, biochemical, and hematologic analyses were performed at baseline, before blood loss (T0), and after one (T1h), six (T6h), 12 (T12h), 24 (T24h) and 72 (T72h) hours, and eight (T8d), 16 (T16d), 24 (T24d) and 32 (T32d) days after the acute blood loss event. The goats presented with tachycardia, tachypnea, and hyperthermia one hour after blood loss with a return to normal physiological values at T6h. Packed cell volume was decreased at T1h and red cell counts at T12h, both returning to baseline at T24d. There was a reduction in total protein and albumin levels at T1h, both remained below baseline levels until T16d and T8d, respectively. The serum calcium concentration decreased over the period T1h to T24h and glucose increased over the period T1h to T6h. The values of pH, TCO2, bicarbonate, and base excess were lower at T1h, while lactate increased markedly at this time. The pCO2 value only was reduced at T24h. Systolic (PS), diastolic (PD), and mean (PM) pressures were decreased at T1h. Acute loss of 30% of blood volume in goats caused changes in clinical, blood gas, and biochemical parameters, which were restored over a six-hour period, while hematologic changes were more persistent, with baseline values restored only after 24 days

Rabies in a previously vaccinated horse: case report

Rabies is an acute, progressive, and fatal encephalomyelitis caused by a Lyssavirus. Horses affected by the disease may be a source of infection for humans. A rapid diagnosis is crucial to initiate a prompt and adequate infection control and public health measures. This manuscript reports the case of a 4-year-old gelding, 370 kg, healthy and routinely used for veterinary teaching purposes that developed rabies although vaccinated against it. Clinical signs included lameness, ataxia, muscle tremors, decubitus and pedalling, progressive paralysis, profuse salivation, teeth grinding, and whinnying. After 4 days, the animal was euthanised and definitive diagnosis was achieved through an animal inoculation test which was positive. Complementary findings included encephalomyelitis with perivascular cuffs and identification of Negri bodies in various areas of the brain

Blood gas and electrolyte values of (Capra hircus) Canindé breed goats raised in the northeastern semiarid

ABSTRACT. Nunes T.L., Oliveira M.G.C., Paiva A.L.C., Bezerra T.C.G., Barrêto Júnior R.A. & Paula V.V. [Blood gas and electrolyte values of (Capra hircus) Canindé breed goats raised in the northeastern semiarid.] Valores hemogasométricos de caprinos (Capra hircus) da raça Canindé criados no semiárido nordestino. Revista Brasileira de Medicina Veterinária, 36(3):255-260, 2014. Departamento de Ciências Animais, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, BR 110, Km 47, Bairro Presidente Costa e Silva, Mossoró, RN 59625-900, Brasil. E-mail: [email protected] Canindé goat breed is native of northeastern Brazil and is in danger of extinction. The objective of this research was to determine blood gas and electrolytes values in Canindé goat breed reared in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, establishing baseline data for the breed in the semi-arid conditions. Blood samples from 83 clinically healthy animals were collected and distributed in four groups: Group I comprised of 32 pregnant females, Group II, 29 non-pregnant, Group III, 10 males, and group IV consisted of 12 pups. The blood sample was submitted for blood gas analysis, determining the concentration of sodium, potassium, chloride, total carbon dioxide, pH, carbon dioxide partial pressure, sodium bicarbonate, excess base, and anion gap. Data with normal distribution were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey test; those which did not have a normal distribution were analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney and Spearman. The results were expressed as mean and standard deviation. The values obtained were similar to those found in other studies with different goat and sheep breeds, and thus may serve as reference for the Canindé breed. The data suggest an influence of age, sex and reproductive status in the variables analyzed