Align-ju SCIENCE SHORTS
Use of rehabilitation therapy in palliative care
USER-ALT Jeret Benson and others , Red Sage Integrative Veterinary Partners , Fort Collins , Colorado , USA
Palliative care aims to manage the quality of life and pain levels of patients with a range of noncurable conditions . Although the term is often used as a synonym for hospice care , the latter should be considered as a separate concept . The authors describe how gentle rehabilitation techniques can be used to address the discomfort and disability associated with a range of chronic diseases . They cite three typical examples of patients requiring long-term palliative care that could benefit from these techniques : a cat with early-stage renal disease , a young dog diagnosed with early-onset osteoarthritis and a patient with geriatric-onset laryngeal paralysis . They suggest that a combination of pharmaceutical and rehabilitative treatments will enable veterinary staff to enhance the quality of life of both patients and their human carers .
Veterinary Clinics of North America : Small Animal Practice https :// doi . org / 10.1016 / j . cvsm . 2023.02.016
Macronutrient and microbiological content of dry dog foods
USER-ALT Jagoda Kępińska-Pacelik and others , University of Technology , Szczecin , Poland
There are no regulations in Europe specifying the maximum allowable limits for pathogenic bacteria , fungi or yeasts in commercial dry dog foods . The authors evaluated the microbiological content of 35 products , focusing on any differences between those that contained grain as the main plant ingredient and those described as grain-free . Bacteria such as Escherichia coli , coliforms and Clostridium perfringens were present in a large percentage of samples , but none of the products tested positive for Salmonella species . Microorganisms were detected more frequently in products containing grain than in those that were grain-free .
Research in Veterinary Science https :// doi . org / 10.1016 / j . rvsc . 2023.105071
Risk factors for hypotension in dogs under general anaesthesia
USER-ALT Lucy Miller and others , Royal ( Dick ) School of Veterinary Studies , Edinburgh , UK
Hypotension is the most commonly reported complication of general anaesthesia in dogs . If a patient ' s mean arterial blood pressure falls below 60 mmHg , there is a risk of damage to vital organs . The authors evaluated records from 1,789 canine surgical cases to identify potential risk factors for hypotension . Their findings suggest that brachycephalic breeds and dogs with a low body weight were at higher risk of experiencing hypotension during general anaesthesia . During the procedure , blood pressure in such patients requires particularly close monitoring , and provision for treating hypotension should be readily accessible .
Journal of Small Animal Practice https :// doi . org / 10.1111 / jsap . 13671
Volume 39 ( 2 ) • April 2024
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