Veterinary Record最新文献

Background: Clinical supervisors are responsible for student veterinary nurse training in veterinary practices. Clinical supervisors can have a significant impact on student experiences, so understanding how the role is perceived by all stakeholders is vital for the future development of veterinary nurse training.

Methods: A qualitative, cross-sectional design, using focus groups, was used to explore the perceptions of 16 clinical supervisors. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes across the focus group discussions. Situated learning theory was used to frame the study.

Results: Clinical supervisors were motivated to provide a supportive learning experience for students and cited positive elements to this including supporting their own professional development. Challenges to supporting students included increasing student pastoral needs and a lack of protected time in practice.

Limitations: The convenience recruitment strategy for this study may have led to volunteer (non-response) bias, which could have reduced the trustworthiness of the findings.

Conclusion: Robust support processes are important in training practices (TPs) and accredited education institutes (AEIs) to facilitate psychologically safe clinical environments, which support learning. It is beneficial if all members of the TP are involved in agreements with the AEI around the expectations of training students to ensure that time for training is appropriately managed and training expectations are clear.

Background: This retrospective study compared intraoperative analgesic requirements in dogs undergoing thoracolumbar hemilaminectomy receiving no local anaesthesia (NB), peri-incisional epaxial muscle infiltration (EB) or ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block (ESPB) with bupivacaine.

Methods: Medical records were reviewed, and cases were grouped into NB, EB and ultrasound-guided ESPB. Intraoperative analgesia interventions were recorded and analysed.

Results: A total of 377 cases were included. Additional analgesia was required in 63.2% of the NB group, 42.5% in the EB group and 23.4% in the ESPB group at the first incision. Significant differences were found between NB and EB (p < 0.005), between NB and ESPB (p < 0.001), and between EB and ESPB (p = 0.012). The median number of interventions was 2 (range 0‒8) in NB, 1 (range 0‒8) in EB and 1 (range 0‒5) in ESPB. ESPB required significantly fewer interventions than NB and EB (p < 0.001).

Limitations: Due to the retrospective nature of the study, pain scores in recovery were not consistently available.

Conclusions: Bupivacaine ESPB significantly reduced the use of intraoperative analgesics compared to EB and no local block. Compared with no block, EB reduced analgesic requirements, although not significantly.

Background: The aim of this study was to report tolerability, safety and outcome in dogs with malignant epithelial rectal tumours receiving piroxicam suppositories where curative-intent surgery was not performed.

Methods: Medical records from one UK referral hospital were retrospectively searched for dogs with malignant epithelial rectal tumours receiving piroxicam suppositories. Dogs receiving curative-intent surgery or anti-cancer agents were excluded. The primary outcomes were owner-reported improvement in clinical signs and veterinarian-assessed cRECIST (canine Response Evaluation Criteria for Solid Tumours) responses. The secondary outcomes recorded included overall survival time and progression-free survival.

Results: Eight dogs were reported. Four patients experienced owner-reported clinical benefit, characterised by partial (n = 2) or complete (n = 2) resolution of clinical signs. Among these, three dogs had stable disease, and one dog achieved a complete response. Drug toxicity included hypersalivation (n = 1), vomiting (n = 2), elevations in renal markers (n = 2) and oliguric acute kidney injury (n = 1); the latter occurred 1248 days into therapy.

Limitations: The small number of animals, owner-reported outcomes, non-standardised treatments and limited follow-up may affect the interpretation of the findings.

Conclusions: Piroxicam suppositories improve clinical signs and may stabilise or reduce tumour volume in some dogs with rectal carcinomas where curative-intent surgery is not performed. Regular serum biochemistry monitoring is recommended due to the potential for renal toxicity.

Background: Canine parvovirus (CPV) infection is reportedly associated with chronic enteropathy (CE), but infected puppies are often treated with antibiotics, which may also promote CE. This study aims to compare the presence and severity of CE among dogs that were CPV-infected, treated with antibiotics or healthy during puppyhood.

Methods: A questionnaire based on the Canine Inflammatory Bowel Disease Activity Index (CIBDAI) was answered by owners of dogs that were either presented with CPV infection, treated with antibiotics for a non-gastrointestinal disease or were healthy during puppyhood. The questionnaires were completed more than one year after initial presentation.

Results: Owners of 60/199 (30%) CPV-infected dogs, 59/199 (30%) antibiotic-treated dogs, and 80/199 (40%) control dogs participated. There was no (p = 0.24) difference in CE occurrence between groups. There were no differences (p = 0.18) in the CIBDAI score between CPV (median = 1, range: 0-6), antibiotic (median = 1, range: 0-4), and control dog (median = 1, range: 0-5) groups. CPV-infected dogs had an increased risk of higher CIBDAI score compared to control dogs (odds ratio [OR] = 2.1; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1-3.9, p = 0.024). A lower CIBDAI score was associated with older age (Rho = -0.23; p = 0.001).

Limitations: The CIBDAI is partially subjective.

Conclusion: CPV infection was associated with a risk for a higher CIBDAI score; however, neither CPV infection nor early exposure to oral antibiotics was associated with a clinically moderate or severe later CE.

Background: Cavalier King Charles spaniels (CKCS) have a high frequency of chronic pain and may have abnormal sleep patterns. We hypothesised that CKCS with neuropathic pain (elevated NeP score) would have an increased nighttime restlessness (sleep and nighttime restless [SNoRE 3.0] score) and a worse quality of life (QOL).

Methods: Owners of CKCS were recruited to complete an online survey, including demographic information, the SNoRE 3.0 sleep survey, the NeP survey and QOL.

Results: The median SNoRE 3.0 score was 12.5, the median NeP score was 0.83 and the median QOL score was 2. The Spearman correlation coefficient between SNoRE 3.0 and NeP was 0.381 (p = 0.0012), between SNoRE 3.0 and QOL was 0.29 (p = 0.014) and between NeP and QOL was 0.58 (p < 0.0001).

Limitations: This is a questionnaire-based study with a small sample size. Due to the study design, diagnoses are not confirmed.

Conclusions: These data indicate that there is a positive correlation between owner survey responses regarding increased nighttime restlessness, worse NeP and worse QOL.

Background: Dexmedetomidine commonly induces emesis in cats, increasing the risk of aspiration and discomfort. Butorphanol and maropitant have been suggested as antiemetic adjuncts, but their comparative efficacy is unclear.

Methods: Twenty healthy female cats undergoing elective ovariohysterectomy were randomly assigned to receive intravenous dexmedetomidine (25 µg/kg) with either butorphanol (0.2 mg/kg; n = 10) or maropitant (1 mg/kg; n = 10). Incidences of emesis, retching, sialorrhea and lip licking were recorded for 30 minutes. Physiological parameters and sedation scores were assessed at set intervals. Anaesthesia was induced with propofol and maintained with isoflurane. Intubation quality, recovery and postoperative pain were evaluated for 180 minutes.

Results: The incidence of emesis was very low (0/10 in butorphanol and 1/10 in maropitant; p > 0.05). Nausea-associated behaviours were similar between groups (p > 0.05). Both protocols caused transient decreases in heart rate and mean arterial pressure, while oxygen saturation and temperature remained stable. Sedation was deeper with butorphanol at early time points, with a mean difference in the sedation score of 2.3 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.9‒3.7; p < 0.05). Intubation and recovery were comparable between the groups (p > 0.05). Pain scores were significantly lower in the maropitant group at 120 minutes, with a mean pain score difference of 3.2 (95% CI: 0.7‒5.8; p < 0.05).

Limitations: The small sample size and restriction to healthy female cats may limit generalisability.

Conclusion: In this study, the incidence of dexmedetomidine-induced emesis was minimal in cats receiving either butorphanol or maropitant as adjuncts. Butorphanol was associated with deeper early sedation, whereas maropitant was linked to lower postoperative pain scores. These findings suggest that adjunct selection may be tailored according to individual perioperative priorities.

Background: Serum total protein (TP) is commonly used to investigate failure of passive transfer of immunity (FPTI) in cattle. This short communication explores the use of serum TP as a proxy of passive transfer (PT) status in lambs.

Methods: Blood samples were obtained from 434 lambs within 8‒24 hours of birth to measure serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) and TP. The relationship between serum IgG and TP was described using a linear regression model. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to select a serum TP cut-off for sub-optimal PT.

Results: There was a moderate positive relationship between serum IgG and TP (r² = 0.57). The serum TP cut-off with the optimal sensitivity (86.8%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 80.8‒92.1%) and specificity (80.2%, 95% CI: 75.3‒84.8%) to detect serum IgG concentrations of 24 mg/mL or less was 6.8 g/dL.

Limitations: This work involved lowland lambs sampled from a single well-managed farm. Further work is needed to establish FPTI cut-offs in a variety of sheep populations.

Conclusions: Serum TP measurement is an appropriate field diagnostic to estimate the PT status of lambs in lowland flocks.