The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of isoflurane, sevoflurane, propofol and alfaxalone on the canine brain metabolite bioprofile, measured with single voxel short echo time proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 3 Tesla. Ten adult healthy Beagle dogs were assigned to receive isoflurane, sevoflurane, propofol and alfaxalone at 3 different dose rates each in a randomized cross-over study design. Doses for isoflurane, sevoflurane, propofol and alfaxalone were FE’Iso 1.7 vol%, 2.1 vol%, 2.8 vol%, FE’Sevo 2.8 vol%, 3.5 vol% and 4.7 vol%, 30, 45 and 60 mg kg− 1 h− 1 and 10, 15 and 20 mg kg− 1 h− 1 respectively. A single voxel Point Resolved Spectroscopy Sequence was performed on a 3 T MRI scanner in three brain regions (basal ganglia, parietal and occipital lobes). Spectral data were analyzed with LCModel. Concentration of total N-acetylaspartate (tNAA), choline, creatine, inositol and glutamine and glutamate complex (Glx) relative to water content was obtained. Plasma concentration of lactate, glucose, triglycerides, propofol and alfaxalone were determined. Statistics were performed using repeated measures ANOVA or Wilcoxon Sign Rank test with alpha = 5%. Plasma glucose increased with isoflurane, sevoflurane and alfaxalone but decreased with propofol. Plasma lactate increased with all anesthetics (isoflurane > sevoflurane > propofol > alfaxalone). Cerebral lactate could not be detected. Only minor changes in cerebral metabolite concentrations of tNAA, choline, inositol, creatine and Glx occurred with anesthetic dose changes. The metabolomic profile detected with proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 3 Tesla of canine brain showed only minor differences between doses and anesthetics related to tNAA, choline, creatine, inositol and Glx.

An infection with the cat lungworm, Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, can be subclinical, but it can also cause severe respiratory clinical signs. Larvae excretion, antibody levels, clinical assessment findings of the respiratory system and diagnostic imaging findings were recorded and compared for six cats with experimental aelurostrongylosis. In five cats, patency started 33–47 days post infection (pi), but two cats excreted larvae only in long intervals and low numbers. Positive ELISA results were observed in four cats with patent aelurostrongylosis, starting between five days before and 85 days after onset of patency. One seropositive cat remained copromicroscopically negative. Mild respiratory signs were observed in all cats examined. A computed tomographic (CT) examination of the lungs displayed distinct alterations, even in absence of evident clinical signs or when larvae excretion was low or negative. The thoracic radiograph evaluation correlated with the CT results, but CT was more distinctive. After anthelmintic treatment in the 25th week post infection, pulmonary imaging findings improved back to normal within 6–24 weeks. This study shows that a multifaceted approach, including diagnostic imaging, can provide a clearer diagnosis and monitoring of disease progression. Furthermore, a CT examination provides an alternative to post mortem examination and worm counts in anthelmintic efficacy studies.

To evaluate pain responses to intratesticular and subscrotal injection of three local anaesthetics and their efficacy during castration a randomized controlled study was conducted. In groups of 20 piglets, procaine (2%), lidocaine (2%), or mepivacaine (2%) were administered subscrotal and intratesticularly in two different dosages: 0.5 mL of the original substances or the maximum recommended dosage according to body weight diluted with isotonic saline to a volume of 0.3 mL per each injection site. Two placebo groups received the equivalent volume of isotonic saline. A control group was injected intramuscularly with 0.5 mL isotonic saline for injection pain comparison. Electroencephalographic changes, respiratory rate, heart rate and its variability, blood pressure, and nocifensive movements were assessed in superficial isoflurane anaesthesia. While EEG-changes and linear measures of heart rate variability did not appear conclusive, the low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) ratio corresponded best with the other pain indicators recorded. The injection of 0.3 mL diluted local anaesthetic per injection site elicited significant fewer signs of pain compared to intramuscular injection of saline. However, pain reduction, but not complete pain elimination, during castration could only be achieved with 0.5 mL of the 2% local anaesthetics per injection site, whereby lidocaine and mepivacaine were the most effective.

To evaluate the effect of oral tasipimidine on dog handling, ease of catheter placement and propofol and isoflurane requirements for anaesthesia. Placebo-controlled, randomized, blinded, experimental trial. A group of seven adult Beagle dogs weighing (mean ± standard deviation) 13.1 ± 2.7 kg with a mean age of 18.6 ± 1 months. The dogs underwent four treatments before induction of anaesthesia with propofol. PP: placebo orally (PO) 60 minutes before induction of anaesthesia followed by placebo (NaCl 0.9%) intravenously (IV). TP: tasipimidine 30 μg kg^-1 (PO) 60 minutes before induction of anaesthesia followed by placebo (NaCl 0.9%) IV. TMP: tasipimidine 30 μg kg^-1 PO 60 minutes before induction of anaesthesia followed by methadone 0.2 mg kg^-1 IV. TMPD: tasipimidine 30 μg kg^-1 PO 60 minutes before induction of anaesthesia followed by methadone 0.2 mg kg^-1 and dexmedetomidine 1 μg kg^-1 IV followed by a dexmedetomidine constant rate infusion of 1 μg kg^-1 hour^-1. Sedation, response to catheter placement, intubation quality, time to loss of consciousness, time to intubation, required dose of propofol and minimum alveolar isoflurane concentration preventing motor movement (MAC_NM) were determined. A mixed-model analysis or the Friedman and Mann-Whitney test were used; p-value < 0.05. Response to catheter placement did not differ between treatments. Tasipimidine alone reduced the propofol dose by 30%. Addition of methadone or methadone and dexmedetomidine reduced the propofol dose by 48% and 50%, respectively. Isoflurane MAC_NM was reduced by 19% in tasipimidine-medicated dogs, whereas in combination with methadone or methadone and dexmedetomidine, isoflurane MAC_NM was reduced by 35%. An anxiolytic dose of tasipimidine induced mild signs of sedation in dogs and reduced propofol and isoflurane requirements to induce and maintain anaesthesia, which needs to be considered in an anaesthetic plan.