Emily McCobb

Use of wound soaker catheters for the administration of local anesthetic for post-operative analgesia: 56 cases

OBJECTIVE To describe the administration of local anesthetic through wound soaker catheters for post-operative veterinary patients and to characterize complications. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective study of hospital records. ANIMALS Records of patients in which a wound soaker catheter was placed post-operatively between November 1, 2004 and July 1, 2006 at a veterinary teaching hospital. Records in which a limb amputation was performed between January 1, 2002 and August 1, 2007 and in which a wound soaker catheter was not placed were reviewed for historic control. RESULTS A total of 56 cases were identified in which a wound soaker catheter was placed post-operatively including 52 dogs, 2 cats, and 2 goats. Twenty canine cases were identified in which limb amputation was performed and no wound soaker catheter was placed. The majority of surgical procedures for which a wound soaker catheter was placed included thoracic limb amputation (46.4%) and pelvic limb amputation (35.7%). Wound soaker catheters remained in place for an average of 1.6 +/- 0.5 days. Feline and caprine patients received intermittent bupivacaine boluses every 6 hours. Canine patients received continuous lidocaine infusions. Complications included disconnection of the catheter from the infusion (7.7%), one seroma, and one suspected lidocaine neurotoxicity. Incisional infections were noted in 3/56 (5.3%) limb amputations with wound soaker catheters placed which was not higher than the incisional infection rate found in the historic control cases 3/20 (15%). CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Use of the wound soaker catheter was a viable means of providing local analgesia in post-operative veterinary patients. Studies are needed to evaluate efficacy of pain management, and to further investigate techniques for catheter placement and maintenance which may help to optimize the analgesia achieved using this technique.

Thunderstorm phobia in dogs: an Internet survey of 69 cases

To learn more about predispositions for, signs, and progression of canine thunderstorm phobia, a survey for owners was posted on the Internet. Questions addressed signalment, age of onset, behavior during storms, and treatments tried. Sixty-nine responses were received. Herding dogs and herding crossbreeds accounted for the majority of dogs. Seventeen of 41 dogs with a known age of onset began exhibiting thunderstorm phobia <1 year of age. Various characteristic responses of dogs to storms were described. Improved knowledge of the demographics of thunderstorm phobia, its development, and presentation will assist in understanding the genesis and progression of the condition.

The Prevalence of Leptospiral Antibodies in Free Roaming Cats in Worcester County, Massachusetts

BACKGROUND Serosurveys of cats for exposure to or infection with leptospires have been published from other geographic areas, but none for cats in the United States in the past 4 decades. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the prevalence of leptospiral antibodies in a population of free roaming cats in Worcester County, (central) Massachusetts. ANIMALS Sixty-three free roaming cats presenting to a trap-neuter-return (TNR) program. METHODS Prospective study. Serum was collected from 63 free roaming cats presented to a university associated TNR. Microagglutination titers to Leptospira interrogans serovars Autumnalis, Hardjo, Bratislava, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Canicola, Pomona, and L kirshneri Grippotyphosa were determined. RESULTS A total of 3 of 63 cats (4.8%) had a titer of 1 : 100 or greater to one or more serovars, with Autumnalis being the most common. None of the cats were seropositive to Hardjo, Grippotyphosa, or Canicola. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE These results are consistent with previously published seroprevalence rates in feral cats. Additional studies are required to determine the role of leptosporosis in clinical disease in the domestic cat.

Risk factors for perioperative death in dogs undergoing splenectomy for splenic masses: 539 cases (2001–2012)

OBJECTIVE To determine the perioperative mortality rate, causes of death, and risk factors for perioperative death in dogs undergoing splenectomy for splenic mass lesions. DESIGN Retrospective case series. ANIMALS 539 dogs. PROCEDURES Medical records of dogs that underwent splenectomy for known splenic masses were reviewed. Perioperative mortality rate and causes of death were determined. Associations between potential prognostic factors and perioperative death were evaluated by multivariable logistic regression analysis. RESULTS 41 of 539 (7.6%) dogs died during the perioperative period. Thrombotic and coagulopathic syndromes and uncontrolled bleeding from metastatic lesions were the most common causes of death. Of the variables selected for multivariable analysis, platelet count at admission, whether PCV at admission was < 30%, and development of ventricular arrhythmias during surgery were significantly associated with outcome. For each decrease in platelet count of 10,000 platelets/μL, odds of death increased by approximately 6%. For dogs with PCV < 30%, odds of death were approximately twice those for dogs with PCV ≥ 30%, and for dogs that developed intraoperative arrhythmias, odds of death were approximately twice those for dogs that did not. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Marked preoperative thrombocytopenia or anemia and development of intraoperative ventricular arrhythmias were identified as risk factors for perioperative death in dogs with splenic masses. The risk of death may be limited by efforts to prevent thrombotic and coagulopathic syndromes and to control all sources of intra-abdominal hemorrhage.

Characterization and Comparison of Injuries Caused by Accidental and Non-accidental Blunt Force Trauma in Dogs and Cats

Motor vehicle accidents (MVA) are often difficult to distinguish from non‐accidental injury (NAI). This retrospective case–control study compared animals with known MVA trauma against those with known NAI. Medical records of 426 dogs and cats treated after MVA and 50 after NAI were evaluated. Injuries significantly associated with MVA were pelvic fractures, pneumothorax, pulmonary contusion, abrasions, and degloving wounds. Injuries associated with NAI were fractures of the skull, teeth, vertebrae, and ribs, scleral hemorrhage, damage to claws, and evidence of older fractures. Odds ratios are reported for these injuries. MVA rib fractures were found to occur in clusters on one side of the body, with cranial ribs more likely to fracture, while NAI rib fractures were found to occur bilaterally with no cranial–caudal pattern. Establishing evidence‐based patterns of injury may help clinicians differentiate causes of trauma and may aid in the documentation and prosecution of animal abuse.

Measuring the Effects of Reading Assistance Dogs on Reading Ability and Attitudes in Elementary Schoolchildren

ABSTRACT Reading assistance dogs can be incorporated into reading programs to increase a child’s desire and ability to read. However, more data is needed to demonstrate the effectiveness of such programs. A 5-week reading assistance dog program was implemented to assess feasibility and effectiveness. Participants included 18 children entering the 2nd grade (nine assigned to read to dogs and nine assigned to read without dogs present). Fifteen children completed the study (nine in the dog group and six in the control group; p = .058). To detect changes in reading ability and in attitudes toward reading, a Curriculum Based Measurement (CBM) for reading and an Elementary Reading Attitude Survey (ERAS) was given at Week 0 and Week 5. There were no significant differences over the course of the study in ERAS scores for the dog group, but the control group had significant reductions in the ERAS academic score (p =.04). There was a numerically larger but not statistically different reduction in CBM in the control group compared to the dog group (p = .16). Further studies are warranted to determine if these trends represent statistically significant effects of reading assistance dog programs.

A Systematic Review of the Literature Addressing Veterinary Care for Underserved Communities

ABSTRACT Currently, there is a care gap in veterinary medicine affecting low-income and underserved communities, resulting in decreased nonhuman-animal health and welfare. The use of low-price and community veterinary clinics in underserved populations is a strategy to improve companion-animal health through preventative care, spay/neuter, and other low-price care programs and services. Little research has documented the structure and effectiveness of such initiatives. This systematic review aimed to assess current published research pertaining to accessible health care, community-based veterinary medicine, and the use of community medicine in teaching programs. The review was an in-depth literature search identifying 51 publications relevant to the importance, benefits, drawbacks, and use of low-price and community clinics in underserved communities. These articles identified commonly discussed barriers to care that may prevent underserved clientele from seeking veterinary care. Five barriers were identified including the cost of veterinary care, accessibility of care, problems with or lack of veterinarian–client communication, culture/language, and lack of client education. The review also identified a need for additional research regarding evidence of effectiveness and efficiency in community medicine initiatives.

Effect of single-cat versus multi-cat home history on perceived behavioral stress in domestic cats (Felis silvestrus catus) in an animal shelter

This study investigates the effect of living with other cats in a prior home on stress levels of cats recently surrendered to an animal shelter. A total of 63 cats was evaluated using a Cat-Stress-Score and an approach test. Cats were categorized in terms of previous home history with or without other cats. No significant difference was found in stress scores between cats from single-cat households and those from multiple-cat households, although single cats that had been in the shelter less than 4 days demonstrated higher stress levels. No significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of approach results. Results of this study suggest that, in traditional individual cage settings, cats that are not accustomed to living with other cats may experience more stress in the initial few days of attempting to adjust to shelter existence. Through the use of such assessments, shelter personnel may develop an increased awareness to the needs of these cats and attempt to provide measures to improve their well-being within the shelter environment.

Assessment of canine health and preventative care outcomes of a community medicine program

The objective of this study was to assess if use of a community based veterinary medical program (the Tufts at Tech Community Veterinary Clinic) was related to indicators of canine health and well-being in a low-income community through the provision of low-cost preventative care. Participants were 177 low-income dog owners; 63 were repeat wellness/preventative care clients of the Tufts at Tech clinic, 46 were new or urgent care clients of the Tufts at Tech clinic, and 68 were a comparison sample of owners who had not used the clinic but did attend an outreach clinic in a community setting. Participants were asked to complete a survey that assessed owner demographic information, indicators of canine health and quality of life, pet attachment, and barriers that limit access to veterinary care. Results indicated that clients of the Tufts at Tech clinic were more likely to be White/Caucasian and female. In addition, there were significant positive differences on several indicators of canine health and preventative care for the Tufts at Tech wellness clients including monthly heartworm use (p < .001), use of veterinary services for both wellness (p < .001) and illness/injury (p = .001), and vaccination status (p = .003). There were no significant differences in spay/neuter status (p = .48), use of flea/tick preventative (p = .17), use of obedience training (p = .75), problem behaviors (p = .05), canine quality of health (p = .74) or attachment (p = .63). The Tufts at Tech clients reported lower rates of several barriers to accessing care, including cost. These findings provide important information regarding who is using low-cost clinics such as the Tufts at Tech model, the potential benefits of repeated preventative care on dog health, and suggestions for reducing barriers to accessing veterinary services.

Effect of Visitor Perspective on Adoption Decisions at One Animal Shelter

ABSTRACT This study investigated the visitor experience at one urban animal shelter. While several previous studies have examined the reasons particular nonhuman animals are chosen by adopters, few have investigated the possible reasons one would visit a shelter and leave without adopting. Over a two-month period, 158 visitors were surveyed after they were finished touring the shelter. One quarter of those exiting the shelter had adopted a pet (companion animal) compared to 11% who had been planning to adopt that day but did not. Almost 20% of survey respondents were just visiting with no plans for pet adoption either that day or in the near future. Being affectionate and friendly were important characteristics sought by potential adopters, although non-adopters reported more frequently than adopters that the animal’s reaction to them was important. Shelters should work toward increasing chances for pets to connect and interact with visitors and focus on educating and retaining the interest of those who are not quite ready for a new pet.