Mariângela Lozano Cruz

Assessment of brachial plexus blockade in chickens by an axillary approach

OBJECTIVE To assess the brachial plexus block in chickens by an axillary approach and using a peripheral nerve stimulator. STUDY DESIGN Prospective, randomized, double-blinded study. ANIMALS Six, 84-week old, female chickens. METHODS Midazolam (1 mg kg(-1)) and butorphanol (1 mg kg(-1)) were administered into the pectoralis muscle. Fifteen minutes later, the birds were positioned in lateral recumbency and following palpation of the anatomic landmarks, a catheter was inserted using an axillary approach to the brachial plexus. Lidocaine or bupivacaine (1 mL kg(-1)) was injected after plexus localization by the nerve stimulator. Sensory function was tested before and after blockade (carpus, radius/ulna, humerus and pectoralis muscle) in the blocked and unblocked wings. The latency to onset of motor and sensory block and the duration of sensory block were recorded. A Friedman nonparametric one-way repeated-measures ANOVA was used to compare scores from baseline values over time and to compare the differences between wings at each time point. RESULTS A total of 18 blocks were performed with a success rate of 66.6% (12/18). The latency for motor block was 2.8 +/- 1.1 and 3.2 +/- 0.4 minutes for lidocaine and bupivacaine, respectively. The latencies for and durations of the sensory block were 6.0 +/- 2.5 and 64.0 +/- 18.0 and 7.8 +/- 5.8 and 91.6 +/- 61.7 minutes for lidocaine and bupivacaine, respectively. There was no statistical difference between these times for lidocaine or bupivacaine. Sensory function was not abolished in nonblocked wings. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE The brachial plexus block was an easy technique to perform but had a high failure rate. It might be useful for providing anesthesia or postoperative analgesia of the wing in chickens and exotic avian species that have similar wing anatomy.

Romifidine or xylazine combined with ketamine in dogs premedicated with methotrimeprazine.

The cardiorespiratory and analgesic effects of romifidine or xylazine combined with ketamine was investigated in dogs. Dogs were premedicated with 1.0 mg/kg of methotrimeprazine IV, followed by 0.1 mg/kg of romifidine (n = 8) or 1.0 mg/kg of xylazine (n = 8) and 15 mg/kg of ketamine IM, using a double blind randomised design. Dogs of both groups developed hypothermia, bradycardia, slight hypotension and reduction in respiratory rate and minute volume. There were minimal changes in end tidal CO2 and O2 saturation. There were no differences either in time or between the groups in pH, PaO2, and blood biochemistry. The reflexes to pain were reduced until 30-45 minutes of anaesthesia in both groups. Twelve bitches were divided in two groups as above and underwent ovariohysterectomy. Recovery was longer after romifidine/ketamine when compared to xylazine/ketamine in both studies. Although these anaesthetic protocols produced minimal cardiorespiratory changes, the quality of anaesthesia was not ideal for ovariohysterectomy.

Influência da temperatura corporal de cascavéis (Crotalus durissus) submetidas à anestesia com cetamina

The aim of the study was to verify the influence of the body temperature under physiological values and latency and recovery times on rattlesnakes anesthetized with ketamine. The animals were previously submitted to hypothermia (HYPO) (<22°C) and normothermia (30°C) (NORMO) and then, anesthetized with 80 mg/kg IM of ketamine. Latency and recovery times were evaluated by head tonus, muscular tonus and righting reflex. Heart rate (HR), time of apnea and body temperature were measured before and 5, 10, 15, 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes after ketamine administration. Blood gases parameters were measured before, 30 and 60 minutes. It was not observed difference on latency time in both groups. The recovery time was higher on HYPO (5,5 hours) compared to NORMO (3,5 hours). HR was higher on NORMO compared to HYPO. Time of apnea was the same pattern on both groups. Compared to basal levels, time of apnea was shorter between 5 to 30 min on both groups. Respiratory acidosis was observed only at 0 min in NORMO. SvO2 was higher after 30 min, the same as with PvO2 in both groups. PvCO2 reduced after 30 min in both groups. It was evident that body temperature exerts intense influence on the recovery time on rattlesnakes anesthetized with ketamine.

Anaesthetic techniques in capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, Linne)

The aim of this study was to investigate three anaesthetic techniques in capybaras. Twenty three male and 27 female adult capybaras weighing 36 ± 7 kg were divided in three groups: G 1(n =20) - xylazine (1mg/kg) and ketamine (20mg/kg), G2 (n=l5) - midazolam (0,5mg/kg) and ketamine (20mg/kg) and G3 (n=15) - romifidine (0,1 mg/kg) and ketamine (20mg/kg). All drugs were given intramuscularly in the same syringe using darts. Heart and respiratory rates and temperature were evaluated every 15 minutes for 60 minutes after the administration of the anaesthetics. Time to onset of action, duration of analgesia and recovery period were also measured. Five out of 20 animals from G 1died during the experiment. Duration of analgesia and recovery was longer after xylazine and ketamine and shorter after midazolam and ketamine. Heart rate decreased in G1 and G3. There was no change in respiratory rate. Temperature decreased in all groups. Tattoo mark, earring placing and venous punction was performed in all animals using these anaesthetic protocols. Special care should be taken when xylazine is used under a high environmental temperature and further studies should be performed in order to evaluate the ideal dose of midazolam in capybaras.

Osteotomia femoral em cúpula para correção do ângulo de inclinação do colo do fémur

Femoral cupola osteotomy was performed in a dog with a large femoral inclination angie and hip subluxation. Osteotomy owas performed 1 cm distal to the lesser trochanter from lateral to medial cortex. Immobilization was performed owith a Steinamnnpin drivenfrom the greater trochanter and through two boles drilled proximal and distal to the osteotomy line. The technique produced: 35° decrease on inclination angle, lowering of the femoral head, elevation of the greater trochanter, congruity of the hip and 3cm limb shortening. Consolidation occured 90 days after the surgery.