94 research outputs found
Treatment of dogs with compensated myxomatous mitral valve disease with spironolactone-a pilot study
Spironolactone improves outcome in dogs with advanced myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD). Its efficacy in preclinical MMVD is unknown. The hypothesis was the administration of spironolactone to dogs with compensated MMVD demonstrating risk factors for poorer prognosis will decrease the rate of disease progression. The aim was to provide pilot data to evaluate preliminary effects and sample size calculation for a definitive clinical trial
Prevalence of ultrasonographic gastrointestinal wall changes in dogs with acute pancreatitis: A retrospective study (2012-2020)
BACKGROUND: Ultrasonographic gastrointestinal wall changes in dogs with acute pancreatitis (AP) are not well characterized in the literature. No detailed studies have described their prevalence, characteristics, distribution, or clinical relevance. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: Describe the prevalence of ultrasonographic gastrointestinal wall changes in a population of dogs with AP and evaluate for associations between the presence of gastrointestinal wall changes and clinical or clinicopathological variables. ANIMALS: Referral population of 66 clientâowned dogs with AP. METHODS: Retrospective search of clinical records to identify dogs with AP. Clinical variables, clinicopathological variables and ultrasonographic findings were reported using descriptive statistics. A binary logistic regression model was used to evaluate for associations between the presence of gastrointestinal wall changes and clinical or clinicopathological variables. RESULTS: Sixtyâsix dogs were included. Fortyâseven percent of dogs (95% confidence interval [CI], 35.0%â59.0%; n = 31) with AP had ultrasonographic gastrointestinal wall changes. Gastrointestinal wall changes were most common in the duodenum and identified in 71% (n = 22) of affected dogs. Of dogs with gastrointestinal wall changes, 74.2% (n = 23) had wall thickening, 61.3% (n = 19) had abnormal wall layering, and 35.5% (n = 11) had wall corrugation. In the multivariable model, only heart rate remained an independent predictor of ultrasonographic gastrointestinal wall changes (Pâ= .02). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Ultrasonographic gastrointestinal wall changes in this population of dogs with AP were common. Increased heart rate was the only independent predictor of gastrointestinal wall changes, which might imply more severe disease. Additional studies are required to elucidate whether ultrasonographic gastrointestinal wall changes reflect disease severity in AP
Differentiation of Cardiac from Noncardiac Pleural Effusions in Cats using Second-Generation Quantitative and Point-of-Care NT-proBNP Measurements
BACKGROUND: Pleural effusion is a common cause of dyspnea in cats. Nâterminal proâBâtype natriuretic peptide (NTâproBNP) measurement, using a firstâgeneration quantitative ELISA, in plasma and pleural fluid differentiates cardiac from noncardiac causes of pleural effusion. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To determine whether NTâproBNP measurements using secondâgeneration quantitative ELISA and pointâofâcare (POC) tests in plasma and pleural fluid distinguish cardiac from noncardiac pleural effusions and how results compare to the firstâgeneration ELISA. ANIMALS: Thirtyâeight cats (US cohort) and 40 cats (UK cohort) presenting with cardiogenic or noncardiogenic pleural effusion. METHODS: Prospective cohort study. Twentyâone and 17 cats in the US cohort, and 22 and 18 cats in the UK cohort were classified as having cardiac or noncardiac pleural effusion, respectively. NTâproBNP concentrations in paired plasma and pleural fluid samples were measured using secondâgeneration ELISA and POC assays. RESULTS: The secondâgeneration ELISA differentiated cardiac from noncardiac pleural effusion with good diagnostic accuracy (plasma: sensitivity, 95.2%, specificity, 82.4%; pleural fluid: sensitivity, 100%, specificity, 76.5%). NTâproBNP concentrations were greater in pleural fluid (719 pmol/L (134â1500)) than plasma (678 pmol/L (61â1500), P = 0.003), resulting in different cutâoff values depending on the sample type. The POC test had good sensitivity (95.2%) and specificity (87.5%) when using plasma samples. In pleural fluid samples, the POC test had good sensitivity (100%) but low specificity (64.7%). Diagnostic accuracy was similar between firstâ and secondâgeneration ELISA assays. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Measurement of NTâproBNP using a quantitative ELISA in plasma and pleural fluid or POC test in plasma, but not pleural fluid, distinguishes cardiac from noncardiac causes of pleural effusion in cats
Effect of preoperative administration of atenolol to dogs with pulmonic stenosis undergoing interventional procedures
BACKGROUND: Betaâblockade is sometimes used in dogs with pulmonic stenosis with the intent of reducing frequency of ventricular arrhythmias during right heart catheterization. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate if pretreatment with atenolol reduces frequency of ventricular arrhythmias, anesthetist interventions, or shortens procedure time. ANIMALS: Thirty dogs with pulmonic stenosis scheduled for interventional procedures. METHODS: Single center, prospective, randomized, openâlabel study. Dogs were randomized to treatment with atenolol or no treatment preoperatively for a minimum of 10âdays. Variables recorded included heart rate, arrhythmias and complexity, total procedure time and administration of antiarrhythmic treatment, vasopressors, positive chronotropes, or fluid boluses. RESULTS: Fifteen dogs were enrolled in each group. Dogs receiving atenolol had lower mean heart rates during the procedure (atenolol 100â±â11âbpm vs untreated 115â±â19âbpm, P = .01). There were no significant differences between the atenolol and untreated groups in the frequency of ventricular ectopic complexes (535 [6â5296] vs 553 [79â2863], P = .9), ventricular couplets (46 [0â481] vs 29 [3â121], P = .59), ventricular triplets (20 [0â265] vs 16 [1â82], P = .67), ventricular tachycardia (8 [0â224] vs 8 [1â118], P = .99), proportion exhibiting RâonâT phenomenon (11/15 vs 14/15, P = .33), proportion receiving intraoperative lidocaine (1/15 vs 3/15, P = .6), vasopressors/positive chronotropes (11/15 vs 5/15, P = .06), or fluid boluses (12/15 vs 7/15, P = .13). The procedure time was similar (atenolol 41 [23â68] min vs untreated 35 [18â98] min, P = .91). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: No benefit of preoperative atenolol treatment was identified in this small group of dogs
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