Efficacy of trazodone hydrochloride in reducing signs of anxiety in cats

Brenda Stevens and others, North Carolina State University

The numbers of cat owners visiting veterinary practices in the Unites States apparently fell by 14% between 2001 and 2011. Owners cited their cats' resistance to being confined in carrying boxes and anxiety during transport as reasons for avoiding routine trips to see their veterinarian. The authors evaluated the effects in cats of trazodone hydrochloride, a drug with mild sedative effects that has been used successfully in dogs to curb anxiety. A single 50mg dose was given just before the cats were put into a carrying box and taken by car to the veterinary practice. The owners and veterinarian rated signs of anxiety in the cat before, during and after a routine examination and compared the results with those from the same group of animals when given a placebo. The cats were judged to be significantly less anxious after receiving the sedative and the only adverse effects were signs of sleepiness. Trazodone hydrochloride appears to be a safe and effective way to facilitate veterinary examinations in cats and therefore such treatment may enhance feline health and welfare.

Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 249(2), 202-207

Comparison of five different products used to disinfect clipper blades

Benjamin Ley and others, El Paso Veterinary Specialty Center; El Paso Texas

Clipper blades used in preparing patients for surgery have sometimes been shown to carry a range of bacteria linked with nosocomial infections. The authors examined the effects of five different treatment regimes in disinfecting blades that had been experimentally inoculated with strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. While each of the five treatments resulted in decreased bacterial load, treatment with ethanol/0-phenylphe- nol spray and either isopropyl alcohol or chlorhexidine soaks were judged to be most effective in disinfecting the blades. Use of those agents would limit the role of clipper blades as fomites and minimise the risk of wound infections.

Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association 52(5), 277-280

Comparison of intraoperative and postoperative pain during spaying

Amanda Tallant and others, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon

Ovariohysterectomy and ovariectomy are alternative surgical options for neutering bitches with studies showing no variation in complication rates between the two. The authors investigated possible differences in pain scores during and up to 24 hours after surgery with each technique. They collected physiological data during surgery and used standard pain scales during the postoperative period. Their results showed no significant differences between the two methods in patient discomfort although operating time was typically around two minutes longer in the ovariohysterectomy group.

Canadian Veterinary Journal 57(7), 741-746

Clinical and pathological changes in healthy middle-aged dogs and cats

Domenic Dell'Osa and Sue Jaensch, IDEXX Laboratories, Rydalmere, New South Wales

Older animals are considered at greater risk during anaesthesia and so preoperative tests are recommended in surgical patients. The authors investigated the prevalence of abnormal clinicopathological results in an apparently healthy group of 406 dogs aged five to eight years old and 130 cats aged between six and nine years. Only 55 dogs and 26 cats had no abnormalities in standard biochemical, haematological and urine analyses. Most findings were of minor importance but those in 6.2% of dogs and 19.2% of cats merited further investigations. Significant abnormalities included anaemia, inflammation and evidence of liver kidney and pancreatic disease.

Australian Veterinary Journal 94(9), 317-323

Veterinary applications of infrared thermography

Steven Rekant and others, US Department of Agriculture, Greenport, New York

Changes in body temperature have been recognised since ancient times as an important disease indicator and the development of reliable thermometers was a major advance in medicine. More recently the invention of infrared thermography systems has offered a quick, non-invasive method of detecting temperature changes. The authors review the wide range of potential uses of infrared thermography in veterinary medicine in disease detection, physiological monitoring and welfare assessments, while also examining potential future applications for the technology

American Journal ofVeterinary Research 77(1), 98-107

Effects of two commercial diets in dogs with chicken- protein allergy

Petra Bizikova and Thierry Olivry North Carolina State University, Raleigh

Hydrolysed protein diets are used in the diagnosis and treatment of dogs with adverse food reactions such as pruritis. However, it is not known how often dogs that are hypersensitive to the native protein will also react to the hydrolysed form. The authors compared the effects of two commercial diets containing hydrolysed poultry feather or chicken liver in dogs with confirmed sensitivity to chicken protein.

In a double-blind crossover study none of those given the feather-based diet developed pruritis flares but 40% of those receiving the liver-based diet showed increased skin allergy signs.

Veterinary Dermatology 27(4), 289-293

Veterinary Nursing Journal • VOL 32 • February 2017