1,720,962 research outputs found
Hematology and clinical chemistry in mule foals from birth to two months of age: A preliminary study
Full text linkIn horses and donkeys, age-related changes in hematological and biochemical parameters preclude the use of normal values of adults in the evaluation of foals. This study aimed to obtain data on hematological and biochemical parameters of mule foals from birth up to the second month of life and to assess age-related changes in order to determine if dedicated reference ranges are required in younger animals. Blood samples from seven healthy mule foals were obtained at birth before colostrum consumption, 24 h, 48 h of life, and then weekly until the second month of life. Results were expressed as mean and standard deviation or median, minimum, and maximum values if showing non-gaussian distribution. Kruskal-Walls and Dunn tests were used to verify the differences among sampling times. Significance was set at P < 0.05. Red blood cell count, packed cell volume and hemoglobin decreased from 24 h to one week of age. Mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin decreased over the first month. White blood cells increased from birth to seven days of life. Aspartate amino transferase increased while alkaline phosphatase decreased in the first week of life. Urea, creatinine, and lactate decreased, while glucose concentrations increased at 24 h. Ionized calcium and magnesium and total sodium and potassium showed no changes. In mule foals, several laboratory parameters may be the same or intermediate, lower or higher than in equine or donkey foals, but also compared to all other adult species. The preliminary results suggest that for mule foals, age influences hematological and biochemical parameters
PON1 enzyme activity assays for serum and heparinized plasma in horses and stability evaluation of the enzyme activity over different freeze-thaw cycles and mimic transportation
No full textConsistent information and standardization procedures regarding the time of storage for frozen samples and the effects of storage time on enzyme activity are still missing in the literature. Thus, we evaluated the effects of different storage temperatures (−20 °C and − 80 °C), three repetitive freeze/thaw cycles, and 24-h mimic transportation on the activities of PON1 (paraoxonase and arylesterase), enzymes involved in the protection and detoxification processes of reactive molecules. PON1 enzymes' activity was validated on serum and heparinized plasma in horses. The results revealed that conditions and time of storage of blood samples for PON1 analyses altered the activities of both enzymes in both sample types, evidencing that these conditions can lead to protein degradation or general alteration. Specifically, paraoxonase and arylesterase activities significantly decreased among storage temperatures, with major effects detected at −20 °C. The repeated freeze/thaw cycles at −20 °C and 24-h mimic transport conditions also generated an expected degradation of the arylesterase in both serum and heparinized plasma while freeze/thaw cycles at −80 °C caused an increase of both arylesterase and paraoxonase activities on both sample types. In general, similar enzyme responses were detected between serum and heparinized plasma
FELINE URETHRAL OBSTRUCTION SECONDARY TO A FOREIGN BODY
No full textBackground: Urethral obstruction is a common emergency presentation in male cats. Urolithiasis, plugs, and congenital/acquired abnormalities (such as urethral strictures) are the most prevalent causes, while foreign bodies are extremely rare. This case report describes urethral obstruction in a cat due to a broken urinary catheter.
Case presentation: A 12-year-old, male neutered, European cat was presented to the emergency service of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital for stranguria and hematuria, with a history of urethral obstruction resolved by catheterization 5 years before. At hospital admission, the cat was depressed, with a painful and overdistended urinary bladder, heart rate 140bpm, respiratory rate 20bpm, and temperature 38.2°C. Abdominal point of care ultrasound revealed perivesical peritoneal effusion and bladder intraluminal hyperechoic material. Venous blood gas revealed metabolic acidosis and increased values of BUN (229mg/dL), and creatinine (18.7mg/dL). Sacrococcygeal epidural anesthesia was performed under sedation, and a urinary catheter was positioned. During catheterization, a plug was excreted from the urethra and sent for analysis, as well as a urine culture sample. The day after, a complete abdominal ultrasound was done, and an intraluminal linear foreign object was observed in the urethra beyond the presence of the urinary catheter. Additionally, a diagnosis of pyelonephritis of the left kidney and hydronephrosis of the right was made, based on ultrasonographic and urinary findings. The urinary catheter placed the day before was removed, a CT study was performed the presence of a linear foreign body broken into 2 pieces in the urethra was confirmed and urethrotomy was necessary to find the fragments. Nephrectomy of the left kidney, cystotomy and urethrotomy were performed and the 5-year-old urinary catheter was removed. The cat was discharged after 13 days, uneventfully.
New/Unique Information: Diagnostic imaging should be considered for any patient who exhibits symptoms of urinary tract obstruction; the passage of a urinary catheter does not exclude the presence of a foreign body as seen in the present case. Furthermore, after the first obstruction event, the cat never experienced episodes of stranguria or hematuria. Finally, to ensure that no catheter fragments are left inside the bladder, it would be crucial to monitor the integrity of every catheter during any disostruction
APGAR SCORE, CLINICAL, HEMATO-BIOCHEMICAL, AND VENOUS BLOOD GAS PARAMETERS IN A COHORT OF NEWBORN MULE FOALS: PRELIMINARY DATA
No full textThe study aimed to assess Apgar scores and collect data on clinical, hemato-biochemical, and venous blood gas parameters in seven mules during their first 48h of life. Apgar scores, heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), body temperature (BT), body weight (BW), time to achieve sternal recumbency, stand, nurse, and pass meconium were recorded. Blood samples were collected at birth (T0), 6 (T6), 12 (T12), 24 (T24), 48 (T48)h of life. Data distribution was verified and differences in laboratory parameters over time assessed. One foal had an Apgar score of 6/8, thus excluded from the statistical analysis. Three foals had an Apgar score of 7/8, three had a score of 8/8. All foals showed suckling reflex within 20 min and raised the head within 1 min; six foals reached sternal recumbency within 2 min. Times to stand and nurse were 38.7±13.4 and 72.3±30.5 min, respectively. Five foals passed meconium spontaneously in 416.3±401.8 min. The mean HR, RR, and BT values were 92±16.1 bpm, 50.2±5.9 bpm, and 37.6±0.3°C, respectively. Creatinine and lactate decreased from birth to 48h. Blood glucose increased from 12h. Mg increased from 12 to 24h. Compared to horses and donkeys, mules showed an intermediate BW, shorter time to stand and nurse, longer time to pass meconium, intermediate HR and lower RR. Compared to donkey mules showed lower BT. Other dissimilarities from the parental species were found in laboratory parameters. Our findings emphasize the need for reference ranges for a comprehensive evaluation of newborn mules
Six-Year Prescription Pattern of Antimicrobial Use in Cats at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the University of Pisa
Full text link: The use of antimicrobials has greatly contributed to improving animal health. However, their inappropriate use reduces their effectiveness in treating bacterial infections and contributes to the selection of resistance. This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the six-year pattern (2017-2022) of antimicrobial use in cats visiting the Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) of the University of Pisa (Italy). The total number of prescribed antimicrobials, the number of animals for which an antimicrobial was prescribed, and the total number of antimicrobial prescriptions showed a significant time trend decrease during the study period, except for the fixed-dose combinations. The most frequently prescribed antimicrobials were amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (Synulox) (39.1%) followed by enrofloxacin (29.8%). These antimicrobials were mostly prescribed to treat infections affecting the genitourinary tract (~30%), followed by the gastrointestinal tract, skin, and respiratory system affections. Antimicrobials in empirical associations represented 13.0% of the total antimicrobial prescriptions, and the combination of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (Synulox) with enrofloxacin accounted for the majority. The oral route represented the main route of administration of prescribed antimicrobials, followed by parenteral and topical ones. Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (Synulox) (37.2%), ceftriaxone (2.7%), and tobramycin (2.8%) were the most prescribed antimicrobials for the oral, parenteral, and topical routes, respectively. Antimicrobial prescriptions complied with prudent use recommendations in terms of availability of diagnosis, respect to the dose range, duration of treatment, and the use of medicinal products approved for the species. On the contrary, antimicrobial susceptibility tests were used infrequently (5.2%), lacking compliance with the existing guidelines observed in companion animal practice. Overall, additional interventions are required not only to improve the responsible use of antimicrobials in our feline practice but also to implement antimicrobial stewardship programs, enhancing diagnostics such as culture and sensitivity testing in the future
Antimicrobial Use in Cats in a University Veterinary Hospital in Central Italy: A Retrospective Study
Full text linkBackground: Monitoring antimicrobial use is crucial for understanding current prescribing practices. Such information helps in establishing stewardship programs for effectively using antimicrobials and combating resistance to them. Objectives: This study describes how antimicrobials are prescribed at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the University of Pisa and compares how the internal medicine and intensive care units differ in their usage of antimicrobials. Methods: The study involved cats that were presented in the units in 2021 and 2022. Antimicrobial prescriptions were obtained via the hospital’s management software (OCIROE). Results: In a population of 1164 non-surgical cats with 397 antimicrobials prescribed, the most prescribed ones were amoxicillin–clavulanic acid in the internal medicine unit and ampicillin in the intensive care unit. Twenty-five percent of all antimicrobials were Highest-Priority Critically Important Antimicrobials or Antimicrobial Advice Ad Hoc Expert Group Category B. The oral route was the main route of administration in the internal medicine unit, while parenteral was the most common route used in the intensive care unit. Most antimicrobials were prescribed to treat pathologic conditions affecting the urinary (39%), gastroenteric (21%), respiratory (13%), and integumentary (12%) systems. A diagnosis, accurate dosage, and the use of species-approved medications were recorded in the antimicrobial prescriptions. However, only 11% of these prescriptions were supported by antimicrobial susceptibility tests. Conclusions: These results suggest room for improvement, particularly in increasing the use of antimicrobial susceptibility testing to ensure more targeted antimicrobial therapy. Given the importance of antimicrobial resistance and the One Health approach, the study also highlights the need to consider the broader impact of antimicrobial use in animals, including the potential contribution to resistance in bacteria that affect both animal and human health
Ematologia e biochimica clinica in puledri di mulo nei primi due mesi di vita
No full textIntroduzione. Il mulo è una specie con popolazione in costante crescita e viene usato in tutto il mondo come animale da lavoro, da compagnia ma anche per alcune attività equestri. Il presente studio è il primo esistente per quanto riguarda la rilevazione e lo studio dei parametri ematologici, biochimici ed emogas analitici in puledri di mulo, durante i primi due mesi di vita, e ha lo scopo di colmare la mancanza di dati relativi ai suddetti parametri al fine di comprendere le differenze tra puledri di asino e cavallo e soggetti adulti.
Materiali e metodi. Sono stati analizzati campioni di sangue di 5 puledri di mulo per la misurazione di RBC, HGB, HCT, MCV, MCH, MCHC, RDW, WBC (LYM, NEU, MONO, BASO, EOS), PLT, MPV, PDW e PCT per l’analisi del profilo ematologico; glucosio, bilirubina (totale, diretta, indiretta), urea, creatinina, proteine totali, albumina, lattato ed enzimi sierici (ALP, AST, GGT, CK, GLDH) per l’analisi del profilo biochimico; pH, pO2, pCO2, SO2, BE-ecf, tCO2, HCO3- ed elettroliti (Na, K, Mg, Cl, Ca) per la valutazione dell’emogas analisi venosa.
Risultati. Considerando i risultati statisticamente significativi per p<0,05, nell’esame del profilo ematologico sono state evidenziate differenze statisticamente significative nel tempo per RBC, HCT, HGB, MCV, MCH, MCHC, LYM ed EOS, mentre per i parametri biochimici sono state ottenute differenze statisticamente significative nel tempo per ALP, GGT, AST, urea, creatinina, bilirubina indiretta, glicemia e proteine totali. Nell’esame emogasanalitico, invece, sono state trovate differenze statisticamente significative nel tempo per pCO2, HGB, HCT e Mg.
Discussione e conclusioni. RBC, HGB, HCT, creatinina, albumina, SO2, BE-ecf, HCO3-, proteine totali, tCO2, glucosio ed elettroliti mostrano un andamento concorde con quello di puledri equini e asinini, mentre diversi parametri suggeriscono maggiori affinità con i puledri equini piuttosto che con quelli asinini, quali MCV, MCH, MCHC, AST, ALP, trigliceridi e CK. Altri valori invece concordano maggiormente con ciò che accade nei puledri di asino (GGT, urea pCO2, pO2, lattato). Risultati invece completamente in disaccordo con i puledri equini sono rappresentate dai valori della conta leucocitaria in quanto LYM e NEU non aumentano, mentre EOS e BASO risultano molto più elevati, come accade nei puledri di asino. Inoltre, i valori di PLT si discostano completamente da quanto accade in tutti i puledri di specie diversa, risultando di gran lunga più elevati, mentre la concetrazione di Ca risulta essere molto più bassa nei puledri di mulo
Evaluation of glomerular filtration rate estimation through plasma clearance of iohexol in seagulls (Larus michahellis)
No full textBackground: Current endogenous indicators utilised in avian medicine are not sensitive enough to detect renal disease in its early stages. Alternative markers ought to be examined as a result. The aim is to investigate the accuracy of limited-sampling models for glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in adult seagulls using plasma clearance of iohexol (IOX). Results: We compared the GFR estimated from the plasma concentration of IOX at 3 sampling times, known as limited sampling models, with that estimated from the plasma concentration of IOX at 6 sampling times (reference model). The reference model’s mean ± SD for GFR was 6.88 ± 2.46 mL/min/kg and did not considerably differ from the GFR predicted by the limited-sampling models. Model 4, in which GFR was estimated using plasma IOX concentrations at 5, 15, and 90 min after IOX administration, had the smallest GFR bias compared to the reference model. Conclusions: The findings revealed that IOX plasma clearance was a reliable, accurate, and clinically applicable approach to calculating seagull GFR. This strategy might help with the validation and subsequent development of clinical renal biomarkers
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
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