Impact of equipment and handling on systolic blood pressure measurements in dogs

Maria Lyberg and others, University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden

‘White coat syndrome, is a hypertension response seen in normotensive patients when their blood pressure is measured in a stressful clinic environment. Also known as situational hypertension, it occurs in cats and dogs, as well as humans. The phenomenon may cause considerable uncertainty about the clinical value of some measurements. The authors recorded blood pressure at various times after the dog's arrival in the clinic and used two different measuring devices. Their results suggest that giving time for an anxious dog to acclimatise to its surroundings only has a minor effect on blood pressure readings.They suggest that to avoid inaccurate data, owners should receive instruction on taking these measurements at home.

Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine https://doi.org/10.11111/jvim.l6062

Evaluation of a novel prescription diet containing L-tryptophan

Isabelle Jeusette and others, Affinity Petcare, Barcelona, Spain

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that is a precursor in the synthesis of serotonin, a neurotransmitter which has a role in modulating mood. There have been suggestions that supplementary tryptophan may be useful in managing behavioural problems in cats. The authors describe a study looking at the effects of a novel diet, rich in L-tryptophan on the stress marker, urinary cortisol, for cats undergoing mildly stressful experiences. When the diet was formulated with other additives, such as lemon balm, fish peptides and oligofructose, cats had a lower average 24-hour urinary cortisol/creatinine ratio, indicating they were less stressed than when receiving L-tryptophan alone.

Journal ofVeterinary Behavior https://doi.org/10.1016/jjveb.2021.01.005

Comparison of tests for monitoring the activity of the antico-agulant rivaroxaban

Alex Lynch and others, North Carolina State University Raleigh

Rivaroxaban is an oral anticoagulant which has become widely used as a treatment for thromboembolisms in dogs. However, this drug does require careful monitoring and dose adjustment where necessary The most suitable monitoring method, using the rivaroxaban-specific anti-Xa activity (RIVA) assay is only available at reference laboratories, and so the authors tested four different assays that could be employed in-house to monitor coagulation variables. Their findings suggest that results of the prothrombin time (PT) assay correlate well with RIVA and would be a convenient second-line monitoring option.

Journal ofVeterinary Emergency Care https://doi.org/10.1111/vec.13011

Complications associated with bone marrow sampling in cats and dogs

Glynn Woods and others, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Edinburgh

Bone marrow sampling is an important diagnostic procedure during investigations of myeloid and lymphoid malignancies. The authors examined the clinical records from l3l procedures in dogs and 29 in cats to assess the prevalence of complications. The most common finding was pain, recorded in 20 of the 22 cases in which complications were reported, while haemorrhage was noted in the other two cases. They say that peri-procedural analgesia is strongly recommended when bone marrow sampling is necessary in canine or feline patients.

Journal of Small Animal Practice https://doi.org/10.1111/jsap.13274

Equipment maintenance and instrument performance in in-house laboratories

Emma Hooijberg and others, University of Pretoria, South Africa

Devices used to perform laboratory testing in veterinary clinics may include automated haematology and clinical chemistry analysers, microscopes and refractometers. Each item will require regular maintenance as part of a quality management plan. The authors review procedures for maintaining and monitoring the performance of essential laboratory equipment. They recognize that routine maintenance schedules can be costly in time and money but highlight the considerable risks associated with faulty equipment producing inaccurate results.

Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 258(7), 725—731

Identification of barriers to the consistent use of surgical safety checklists

William Hawker and others, University of Guelph, Ontario

Introducing a surgical safety checklist (SSC) has been shown to reduce inpatient complications and mortality in surgery units. However studies have suggested that there can be considerable variation in uptake of these protocols in different settings.The authors investigated the extent to which staff at a veterinary teaching hospital applied SSCs over a nine-month period. Their findings show that the SSC was used in approximately half of the operations undertaken in that time. The most common reason for non-compliance was that staff had forgotten to carry out the necessary checks.

Veterinary Surgery https://doi.org/10.1111/vsu.1356l

Veterinary Nursing Journal • VOL 36 • July 2021