This study aimed to evaluate the analgesic efficacy of gabapentin as an adjuvant for postoperative pain management in dogs. Twenty dogs undergoing mastectomy were randomized to receive perioperative oral placebo or gabapentin (10 mg/kg). All dogs were premedicated with intramuscular acepromazine (0.03 mg/kg) and morphine (0.3 mg/ kg). Anesthesia was induced with propofol (4 mg/kg) intravenously and maintained with isoflurane. Intravenous meloxicam (0.2 mg/kg) was administered preoperatively. Postoperative analgesia was evaluated for 72 hr. Rescue analgesia was provided with intramuscular morphine (0.5 mg/kg). Dogs in the Placebo group received significantly more morphine doses than the Gabapentin group (P=0.021), despite no significant differences in pain scores. Perioperative gabapentin reduced the postoperative morphine requirements in dogs after mastectomy.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of the Kowa HA-2 applanation tonometer in measuring intraocular pressure (IOP) in dogs. Twenty eyes were used in an ex vivo study in which the calibration curve for manometry vs. tonometry was determined by artificially raising the IOP in 5 mmHg increments up to 60 mmHg (10-60 mmHg). Both eyes of 10 anesthetized dogs were studied in vivo to compare manometry vs. tonometry. In the ambulatory study, 168 healthy eyes, 74 eyes with glaucoma and 60 eyes with uveitis were evaluated by tonometry, which was performed with topical anesthesia and 1% fluorescein eye drops for the formation of fluorescein semicircles. The ex vivo study showed an excellent correlation coefficient (r 2 = 0.993) between the aneroid manometer and the Kowa HA-2 tonometer. In the in vivo study, there was no significant difference (P>0.05) between the IOP values by manometry and tonometry, showing the excellent accuracy of the Kowa HA-2 tonometer. In the ambulatory study using the Kowa HA-2 tonometer, the IOP values (mean±SD, in mmHg) were 15.1±1.8 (12.0 -20.0) for the healthy eyes, 25.2±4.0 (20.0 -38.0) for glaucomatous eyes and 10.1±2.3 (5.0 -13.7) for eyes with uveitis. There was a strong correlation between the IOP values obtained by direct ocular manometry and those from the Kowa HA-2 tonometer. In the ambulatory study, the IOP values measured by the tonometer were compatible for healthy eyes and for eyes with glaucoma or uveitis. We conclude that Kowa HA-2 applanation tonometer is accurate and practical for IOP measurement in dogs. Key words: Applanation tonometer. Dogs. Glaucoma. Kowa HA-2 tonometer. Ocular manometry. Uveitis. ResumoO objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o uso do tonômetro de aplanação Kowa HA-2 na medição da pressão intraocular (PIO) em cães. Vinte olhos foram utilizados no estudo ex vivo onde a curva de calibração para a manometria versus tonometria foi determinada aumentando artificialmente a PIO em 5 mmHg até 60 mmHg (10 -60 mmHg). Ambos os olhos de 10 cães anestesiados foram estudados no estudo in 1±1,8 (12,0 -20,0), para os olhos com glaucoma 25,2±4,0 (20,0 -38,0), e para os olhos com uveíte,10,1±2,3 (5,0 -13,7). Houve uma forte correlação dos valores de PIO obtidos pela manometria ocular direta com os obtidos com o tonômetro Kowa HA-2. No estudo ambulatorial, os valores mensurados pelo tonômetro foram compatíveis para olhos saudáveis e com glaucoma e uveíte. Nós concluímos que o tonômetro de aplanação Kowa HA-2 é acurado e prático para a mensuração da PIO em cães. Palavras-chave: Cães. Glaucoma. Kowa HA-2. Manometria ocular. Tonômetro de aplanação. Uveíte.

The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of two sources of omega 3 and 6, fish oil (FO) and linseed oil (LO), orally administered, alone or in combination, for treating experimentally induced keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) in rabbits. Twenty-eight New Zealand rabbits were used in this study. Seven animals were allocated to the C group (negative control), and KCS was induced in 21 animals by topically applying 1% atropine sulfate drops for 7 days. Treatment with atropine was maintained throughout the study period (12 weeks). The rabbits were divided into 3 treatment groups containing 7 animals each: FO group, LO group and FLO group (FO and LO). The animals were evaluated using the Schirmer Tear Test I (STT I), Rose Bengal Test (RBT), fluorescein test (FT), tear film break-up time (TBUT), and conjunctival and histopathological analysis. There was a significant increase in STT I and TBUT values in treatment groups, but the increase occurred earlier in the FO group. The results of the RBT and FT were similar among treatment groups, except FT, in the FLO group, negative staining was only in 12 weeks. There was a significant decrease in the number of goblet cells in the FLO group compared with the other groups. The results demonstrated that orally administered of FO and LO improved the clinical signs of KCS. However, improvement occurred earlier in the FO group. Using oils in combination did not provide additional benefits. These results contribute to the future development of new oral formulations as adjuvant therapies for KCS.

The aim of this randomised placebo-controlled, observer-blinded study was to evaluate the analgesic effects of botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) as an adjunct for postoperative pain control in dogs. Sixteen dogs undergoing bilateral radical mastectomy for treatment of mammary tumours were enrolled. Twenty-four hours before surgery, the subjects were distributed into two groups of eight dogs each: 7 iu/kg BoNT-A (BoNT-A) or saline (Control) was administered subcutaneously in each mammary gland. Following sedation with intramuscular 0.03 mg/kg acepromazine and 0.3 mg/kg morphine, anaesthesia was induced intravenously with 4 mg/kg propofol and maintained with isoflurane/O2. Postoperative analgesia was evaluated for 72 hours after extubation using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and modified Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale (modified-GCMPS). Rescue analgesia was provided with intramuscular morphine (0.5 mg/kg). Data were analysed using analysis of variance, Tukey's test, Mann-Whitney U test and Friedman test (P<0.05). The pain scores were significantly lower in the BoNT-A than in the Control from 8 hours to 60 hours and from 12 hours to 60 hours after extubation, based on the VAS and modified-GCMPS, respectively. Rescue analgesia was required by significantly more dogs in the Control (7/8) compared with the BoNT-A (2/8) (P=0.022). Pre-emptive BoNT-A appears to be effective as an adjuvant for postoperative pain management in dogs undergoing bilateral radical mastectomy.

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