R.B. Araújo

Regurgitant jet area by Doppler color flow mapping: quantitative assessment of mitral regurgitation severity in dogs.

OBJECTIVES This study was performed to test the hypothesis that measurements of jet area by Doppler color flow imaging will correlate with the severity of mitral regurgitation. BACKGROUND Although Doppler color flow imaging is widely used to assess the severity of mitral regurgitation (MR), an accurate and quantitative marker of MR by color flow mapping remains elusive. METHODS AND RESULTS 61 dogs with mitral regurgitation were evaluated by complete color Doppler studies. There were 42 males and 19 females, ranging from 6 to 18 years old (mean 11.19 +/- 2.51). Results of regurgitant jet area were compared with regurgitant volume and fraction by pulsed Doppler subtraction of mitral and aortic flows. They were also compared with effective regurgitant orifice area. Regurgitant jet area correlated well with both Doppler regurgitant volume and effective regurgitant orifice area. There were significant differences in jet area between groups of dogs with different severity of clinical signs of congestive heart failure (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that careful color flow mapping of the regurgitant jet area provides a simple quantitative assessment of MR that correlates well with other quantitative Doppler techniques.

Retrospective study (1998-2001) on canine ehrlichiosis in Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil

O presente trabalho descreve um estudo retrospectivo da casuistica clinica de erliquiose em caes atendidos entre marco de 1998 e setembro de 2001. Foram analisadas 194 fichas clinicas de animais com suspeita de hemoparasitoses, nas quais 31 caes foram diagnosticados com Ehrlichia canis e 21 com Ehrlichia platys, por meio de exame parasitologico direto de esfregacos sanguineos. Foram considerados alguns aspectos demograficos (idade, raca, sexo, epoca do ano e regiao de origem), caracteristicas clinicas (temperatura corporal, presenca e/ou historico de carrapatos e sinais clinicos) e hematologicas (hemograma completo e celula parasitada). O numero de diagnosticos de erliquiose aumentou consideravelmente a partir de 2000, sendo que 24,4% dos casos ocorreram em animais entre 13 e 24 meses de idade na cidade de Belo Horizonte e areas peri-urbanas, verificando-se maior risco de infeccao em animais que residiam em casas. Os sintomas mais frequentes foram febre, anorexia, apatia, dor abdominal, linfadenopatia e dispneia. Quanto as alteracoes hematologicas, 70,3% apresentaram anemia, 50% trombocitopenia e 30% leucopenia e a maioria das infeccoes por E. canis foi visualizada em monocitos. Os resultados apontam para a necessidade de maior atencao por parte dos clinicos e tecnicos para a erliquiose canina uma vez que 35,9% dos caes atendidos com suspeita de hemoparasitoses apresentavam infeccoes por E. canis ou E. platys.

Echocardiographic indices in normal German shepherd dogs

Sixty clinically normal German shepherd dogs, 31 males and 29 females, ranging in age from 1 and 5 years and with a body weight ranging from 22 to 37.2 kg, were examined by the two-dimensional mode, M-mode, and Doppler echocardiography. In Doppler mode, the mitral valve flows were obtained, where the aim was to determine the velocity peaks and ratios of the E and A waves and the mitral E wave deceleration time. The velocity peaks were obtained for the tricuspid, pulmonary and aortic valves. On the left ventricular outflow tract flow, the time velocity integral and aortic cross-sectional area was used to calculate the cardiac output. A statistically significant correlation with the body weight was found for the systolic left atrial and diastolic aortic diameter on two-dimensional mode. On M-mode, there was a significant correlation between the body weight and the systolic left atrium and diastolic aortic dimension, systolic and diastolic left ventricular, septal and posterior wall dimensions. Doppler echocardiography showed that there was no significant correlation between the body weight and the mitral, tricuspid, pulmonary and aortic valves flows. These results demonstrate that it is important to know the normal echocardiographic values for German shepherd dogs because there are some characteristics peculiar to this particular breed. The data obtained is expected to be helpful for studies on small animal cardiology.

Ultra-sonografia de características lineares e estimativas do volume de rins de cães

This work aimed to measure by ultrasonography the length, width and depth and to estimate the volume of kidneys of normal adult dogs. Thirty five dogs (18 females and 17 males) of mixed breeds, aging from two to six years, were used. The animals were separated in three groups according to their body weights (3.1 to 10.0 kg; 10.1 to 20.0 kg and 20.1 to 45 kg). Sagittal, dorsal and transverse plans of section were used to obtain measures of length, width and depth. The kidney volume was estimated from these measures. Mean values according to the groups were, respectively: 4.73; 6.09 and 7.13cm for length; 2.81; 3.44 and 3.95cm for width; 2.43; 3.00 and 3.58cm for depth; and the estimated volumes were 17.98; 33.36 and 53.81cm3. The length, width, depth and volume of the left and right kidneys were similar, and no difference between male and female was found for these traits. Body weight of animals was positively correlated with all the kidney traits.

Endoscopia gastroduodenal após administração de nimesulida, monofenilbutazona e meloxicam em cães

The gastroduodenal mucosa in dogs experimentally treated with nimesulide, monophenylbutazone and meloxicam was evaluated. There were four groups with eight dogs in each. Groups one, two and three were given nimesulide, monophenylbutazone and meloxicam, respectively, during 21 days and group four was used as control. All animals were evaluated by gastroduodenoscopy before the study and on the 10th and 21st days. The dogs did not show any clinical or laboratorial changes during the study. The endoscopic evaluation of gastroduodenal mucosa showed only low degree lesions. These anti-inflammatory drugs showed to be safe for the gastrointestinal tract in healthy dogs.

Surgical stress and postoperative complications related to regional and radical mastectomy in dogs

BackgroundSurgery is the treatment of choice for regional control of mammary neoplasms in female dogs. Various surgical techniques may be used, as long as mammary gland anatomy, lymphatic drainage, and known prognostic factors are respected. The purpose of this study was to compare surgical stress—including duration of surgery, nociception and hematological changes—and postoperative complications in dogs undergoing regional and unilateral radical mastectomy. Eighteen dogs were selected for each technique. Postoperative pain (nociception), hematological changes, and postoperative complications were compared between the two groups.ResultsThe group treated with radical mastectomy had a longer surgical duration, showed more intense physiological changes, achieved higher scores on nociception scales, and experienced more postoperative complications.ConclusionCompared to regional mastectomy, radical mastectomy was associated with longer surgical duration, greater nociceptive stimulus, greater surgical stress, and higher incidence of postoperative complications in dogs. Although evaluation of long-term results was not a goal of this study, it is suggested that postoperative recovery and patient quality of life should be considered when choosing a surgical approach for treating mammary tumors in dogs.

Distrator articular no diagnóstico radiográfico precoce da displasia coxofemoral em cães

Aiming the canine hip dysplasia (CHD) early diagnosis, 60 dogs of both sexes (32 females and 28 males) and of different breeds had their hip joints radiographically studied. The X ray examinations were taken in early age (7.2± 1.2 months) and repeated at adult age (14.4± 1.6 months) using the conventional radiographic method (CRM) and the radiographic distraction method (RDM) performed, by its turn, with a new device, specially designed or this experiment. In order to quantify the relationship between the femoral head and the acetabulus the Norberg Angle (NA) was measured at CRM and the distraction index (DI) was calculated at RDM. There was a significant statistical correlation (P<0.001) between DI of the first examination and NA of the second examination. The cut off for sick and normal subjects for DI was 0.35. The dogs with DI values greater than 0,35 presented radiographic signals of degenerative joint disease (DJD). Interestingly, the highest was the DI; the greatest were the radiographic signals of DJD. Four animals considered normal when CRM was performed at second examination had DI superior than 0.35 at first examination. This fact shows that false negative results can occur when only the conventional method is used. Two of three sick dogs that had DI values bellow 0.35 were classified as borderline by CRM. This confirms the indefinite of this class. The association of CRM and the proposed method showed to be extremely useful in early age CHD diagnosis, as it can predict the adult age phenotype.

Heart rate variability and arrhythmias evaluated with Holter in dogs with degenerative mitral valve disease

As cardiopatias cursam com alteracoes do controle autonomico do coracao, resultando em taquicardia e consequente diminuicao na variabilidade da frequencia cardiaca (VFC). O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar se o desenvolvimento de insuficiencia cardiaca secundaria a degeneracao valvar mitral (DVM) leva a alteracoes no controle autonomico do coracao, as quais podem ser determinadas pela eletrocardiografia continua (Holter). Caes foram distribuidos em grupos experimentais apos avaliacao clinica e ecocardiografica da seguinte maneira: controle (saudaveis; n=6), DVM sem insuficiencia cardiaca (n=8) e DVM com insuficiencia cardiaca (n=13). Arritmias e VFC foram determinadas pelo Holter. Animais portadores de DVM, quando comparados ao controle, apresentaram diminuicao significativa da potencia total, a qual e representativa de toda a VFC. Somente caes doentes e com insuficiencia cardiaca apresentaram incidencia elevada de arritmias supraventriculares, frequencia cardiaca aumentada, pequena quantidade de pausas superiores a 2,0s entre batimentos consecutivos, permanencia por mais tempo em taquicardia do que em bradicardia, diminuido indice de alta frequencia (indicativo de controle parassimpatico) e elevado indice de baixa frequencia (indicativo de controle simpatico e parassimpatico), quando comparados ao controle (p<0,05). Assim, conclui-se que, em caes portadores de DVM, as variaveis obtidas com o Holter apresentam-se alteradas devido ao desenvolvimento de insuficiencia cardiaca.

Índices ecoDopplercardiográficos de função ventricular esquerda em cães das raças Boxer e Schnauzer Miniatura

The index of myocardial performance (IMP) and others ecoDopplercardiographic indexes of ventricular function were evaluated in dogs of two different breeds and somatotypes. Twenty-four Miniature Schnauzer dogs averaging 8.4±1.6kg and 24 Boxer dogs averaging 25.1±2.6kg were used. IPM, ejection phase indexes, pre-ejection period, pre-ejection period/ejection time relation, and E wave deceleration time of mitral inflow showed correlation to body weight with significant differences between the breeds. Body weight was considered the main breed characteristic responsible for the observed differences. Ejection time (r=-0.51), pre-ejection time (r=-0.44), and isovolumetric relaxation time (r=-0.38) presented correlation with heart rate. The use of pre-ejection period/ejection time relation and ejection time correct by heart rate diminishes the influence of heart rate on the parameters.

Histoplasmose cutânea em gato: relato de caso

A case of a cutenous histoplasmosis in a three-year-old male Siamese cat is described. The diagnosis was based on clinical signs and laboratory exams. Dramatic remission of clinical signs was observed with cetoconazol therapy.