Assessing the risk of microbial contamination of stored canine blood

Arianna Miglio and others, University of Perugia, Italy

Blood transfusions have developed over recent decades into a routine but potentially life-saving procedure in veterinary practice. Yet the safety of these interventions cannot be guaranteed, with bacterial contamination of the donated blood during col-lection and storage as one potential risk factor: Infections with Pseudomonas and Serratia species from stored blood have been reported in cats and it is considered possible that the incidence of sepsis due to contaminated blood may have been underestimated. The authors examined the extent of bacterial contamination of stored canine blood and assess the consequent risk of sepsis. Whole blood was taken from 49 dogs and examined at intervals up to 42 days by bacterial culture and PCR analysis. Two units cultured positive for Enterococcus sp. and Escherichia coli, respectively and PCR analysis showed evidence of DNA traces from other bacteria species. However; most of these organisms were common bacteria not usually implicated in septic transfusion reactions. The low numbers detected suggest that the risk of bacterial infection is minimal.

Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 30(6), 1830-1837

Frequency of, and reasons for, the rehoming of pet rabbits in Sweden

Linnea Ulfsdotter and others, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skara

Pet rabbits are rarely presented to animal shelters for rehoming but there is evidence of some owners seeking new homes for their pets via personal contexts. The authors investigated the frequency that rehoming occurs and the reasons given by owners for relinquishing the animal. In 505 cases, the most common reason was ‘lack of time' (35.8%), followed by ‘owners are moving' (16.6%) and ‘allergies' (13.2%). The mean age of rabbits was 17.6 months and most were sold at prices between €11 and €55. Behavioural problems in the animal were cited as the reason for rehoming in less than 1% of cases. The authors suggest that further studies are needed into the effects of rehoming on the rabbit's welfare.

Animal Welfare 25(3), 303-308

An individualised approach to feline diabetes care

Moira Lewitt and others, Royal Veterinary College, Hertfordshire

Feline diabetes mellitus is a result of insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion. Its prevalence is increasing, due in part to confinement indoors and a lack of physical activity.

The authors describe a protocol developed for managing the condition in an 11-year old spayed female Burmese, a breed predisposed to the disease. Remission was achieved after the frequency of insulin administration was increased to four times a day, and supported by intensive home blood glucose monitoring and a high protein, low carbohydrate diet. They suggest that more frequent insulin injections than recommended in the literature may be necessary to achieve glycaemic control and can provide an alternative to long-acting insulin.

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 58(1), 63-69

Use of a pheromone spray to reduce stress in cats during consultations

Joana Pereira and others, University of Tras-os-Montes & Alto Douro, Portugal

Visiting a veterinary clinic appears to be a stressful experience for many domestic cats. A synthetic hormone spray (Feliway; Ceva Animal Health) has been introduced to manage stressful situations for cats and was used by the authors in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to assess its effects on the behaviour of cats in a veterinary consultation. According to the owners, the pheromone treatment produced significant changes in the pet's usual behaviour: The results indicate that spraying the consult table with the pheromone preparation is a simple and effective way to reduce stress during veterinary consultations.

Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery 18(12), 959-964

Chronic vomiting in cats; aetiology and diagnostic tests

Shannon Ryan Hauck and others, Hope Center for Advanced Veterinary Medicine,Vienna,Virginia

Chronic vomiting is defined as repeated incidents of throwing up over a period of two weeks or more and is a common complaint among cat owning clients. There are a wide range of causes for the problem, including both gastrointestinal disease (eg, infectious disease, motility disorders, etc) and extra-gastrointestinal factors (eg, pancreatitis, uraemia, etc). The authors review the various potential aetiologies and set out a systematic approach to the investigation of these cases. A therapeutic plan can then be established based on the primary causes and any concurrent disorders.

Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association 52(5), 269-276

Magnesium sulphate administration in patients undergoing inhaled anaesthesia

Alanna Johnson and others, University ofTennessee, Knoxville

In human surgical patients, magnesium sulphate administration is said to be associated with volatile and injectable anaesthetic-sparing effects, augmented neuromuscular blockade and improved control of postoperative pain. The authors investigated the effects of this compound, given alone or in combination with propofol in healthy beagles anaesthetised with sevoflurane. They found that the salt had no discernable effect on the minimum alveolar concentration required to prevent motor movement. The agent did not potentiate the effects of propofol and offers no clinical advantages as an anaesthetic adjuvant in dogs.

American Journal of Veterinary Research 77(6), 575-581

Veterinary Nursing Journal • VOL 32 • March 2017