The ocular surface microbiome of veterinary species has not been thoroughly characterized using next generation sequencing. Furthermore, alterations in the feline ocular surface microbiome over time or following topical antibiotic treatment are unknown. Aims of this study were to further characterize the ocular surface microbiome of healthy cats and to identify whether there are microbial community changes over time and following topical antibiotic use. Twenty-four eyes from twelve adult, research-bred, female spayed domestic shorthaired cats were evaluated. Erythromycin ophthalmic ointment (0.5%) was applied to the ocular surface of one randomly assigned eye per cat three times daily for 7 days, while the fellow eye served as an untreated control. The ocular surface was sampled by swabbing the inferior conjunctival fornix of both eyes prior to initiating treatment (day 0), after 1 week of treatment (day 7), and 4 weeks after concluding treatment (day 35). Genomic DNA was extracted from the swabs and sequenced using primers that target the V4 region of bacterial 16S rRNA genes. At baseline, the most common bacterial phyla identified were Proteobacteria (42.4%), Firmicutes (30.0%), Actinobacteria (15.6%), and Bacteroidetes (8.1%). The most abundant bacterial families sequenced were Corynebacteriaceae (7.8%), Helicobacteraceae (7.5%), Moraxellaceae (6.1%), and Comamonadaceae (5.6%). Alpha and beta diversity measurements were largely unchanged in both treatment and control eyes over time. However, univariate and linear discriminant analyses revealed significant and similar changes in the abundance of some bacterial taxa over time in both treatment and control eyes. Overall, the feline ocular surface microbiome remained stable over time and following topical antibiotic therapy.

Oligoanalgesia is defined as failure to provide analgesia in patients with acute pain. Treatment of pain in emergencies, critical care and perioperatively may influence patient outcomes: the harmful practice of withholding analgesics occurs in teaching hospitals and private practices and results in severe physiological consequences. This article discusses the prevalence, primary causes, species and regional differences and ways to avoid oligoanalgesia in small animal practice. Oligoanalgesia may be addressed by improving education on pain management in the veterinary curriculum, providing continuing education to veterinarians and implementing pain scales.

Improving our understanding of pet owners' perceptions and knowledge related to anesthesia, surgery, and pain may lead to improved client education, satisfaction, and compliance with administration of analgesics.

Objectives The aim of this study was to characterize gastrointestinal (GI) transit times and pH in healthy cats. Methods GI transit times and pH were measured in six healthy, colony-housed, purpose-bred spayed female cats using a continuous, non-invasive pH monitoring system in a sequential order design. For the first period (‘pre-feeding’), food was withheld for 20 h, followed by oral administration of a pH capsule. Five hours post-capsule administration, cats were meal-fed by offering them their daily allowance of food for 1 h. For the second period (‘post-feeding’), food was withheld for 24 h and cats were fed for 1 h, after which a pH capsule was orally administered. Studies in both periods were repeated three times. GI transit times and pH were compared between the two periods. Results The median transit times for the pre- and post-feeding periods, respectively, were: gastric –94 mins (range 1–4101) and 1068 mins (range 484–5521); intestinal –1350 mins (range 929–2961) and 1534 mins (range 442–2538); and GI –1732 mins (range 1105–5451) and 2795 mins (range 926–6563). The median GI pH values for the first and second periods, respectively, were: esophageal –7.0 (range 3.5–7.8) and 4.5 (range 2.9–6.4); gastric –2.7 (range 1.7–6.2) and 2.0 (range 1.1–3.3); intestinal –8.2 (range 7.6–8.7) and 7.8 (range 6.7–8.5); first-hour small intestinal –8.2 (range 7.4–8.7) and 8.3 (range 7.9–8.6); and last-hour large intestinal –8.5 (range 7.0–8.9) and 7.8 (range 6.3–8.7). Gastric ( P <0.0020) and intestinal pH ( P <0.0059) were significantly increased in the pre-feeding period compared with the post-feeding period. Conclusions and relevance Gastric and intestinal pH differed significantly when the capsule was administered 5 h prior to feeding compared with 1 h after feeding. Transit times for both periods showed high degrees of intra- and inter-individual variability.

Summary Background Pelvic limb neuropathy is a rare post‐anaesthetic complication. In the authors’ experiences, the incidence of post‐anaesthesia neuropathy is increased following MRI of the proximal metatarsus and tarsal regions when compared with previously reported incidences of post‐anaesthetic neuropathy. Objectives This study reports the incidence, diagnosis, treatment and outcome of seven horses with post‐anaesthesia neuropathy following proximal metatarsal and tarsal MRI. Study design Retrospective case series. Methods Case record review of horses receiving general anaesthesia for MRI between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2017. Results A total of 1134 MRI procedures were performed and reviewed for analysis. Eight cases of neuropathy were identified in 1088 limb scans (0.74%). Of these cases, one was subsequent to thoracic limb imaging (1/834; 0.12%) and seven were subsequent to imaging of proximal metatarsal and/or tarsal structures (7/181; 3.9%). Following proximal metatarsal and/or tarsal MRI, transient nondependent limb femoral neuropathy developed in six of the seven affected horses, with one additional horse developing peroneal neuropathy of the dependent limb. Recovery of pelvic limb function occurred within 72 h and 9 days in six and one horse, respectively. Main limitations Anaesthetic protocol and neuropathy treatment for the affected horses were not standardised. Conclusions Though an uncommon complication in horses, transient neuropathy may occur more frequently following MRI of the proximal metatarsal and tarsal structures when compared with other MRI scans. This may be due to patient positioning and the requirement for limb traction for MRI of more proximal regions. Supportive care facilitates rapid return to function.