PURPOSE:To determine the minimum volume of methylene blue (MB) to completely color the brachial plexus (BP) nerves, simulating an effective anesthetic block in cats. METHODS:Fifteen adult male cat cadavers were injected through subscapular approach with volumes of 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 ml in both forelimbs, for a total of 30 brachial plexus blocks (BPB). After infusions, the specimens were carefully dissected preserving each nervous branch. The measurement of the effective area was indicated by the impregnation of MB. Nerves were divided into four segments from the origin at the spinal level until the insertion into the thoracic limb muscles. The blocks were considered effective only when all the nerves were strongly or totally colored. RESULTS:Volumes of 2, 3 and 4 ml were considered insufficient suggesting a failed block, however, volumes of 5 and 6 ml were associated with a successful block. CONCLUSIONS:The injection of methylene blue, in a volume of 6 ml, completely colored the brachial plexus. At volumes of 5 and 6 ml the brachial plexus blocks were considered a successful regional block, however, volumes of 2, 3 and 4 ml were considered a failed regional block.

Introduction: Precise knowledge of variations in arterial vascularization of the abdominal viscera is important for systematization of radiological and surgical anatomy in animals that serve as experimental models and in domestic animals. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the origin and main branches of the cranial and caudal mesenteric arteries in rabbits. Materials and Methods: The anatomical dissections were performed in 30 cadavers of adult rabbits, 15 males and 15 females. Results: The cranial mesenteric artery arose as a single artery in all females and males. The average length of the cranial mesenteric artery in females was 2.63 cm and originated at the level oflst lumbar vertebra in two (13.33%) animals, between the 1st and 2nd lumbar vertebra in four (26.67%), on the 2nd lumbar vertebra in seven (46.67%), between 2nd and 3rd lumbar vertebra in one (6.67%) and at the level of 3rd lumbar vertebra in one (6.67%). The average length of the cranial mesenteric artery in males was 2.56 cm and originated at the level of1st lumbar vertebra in two (13.33%) animals, between the 1st and 2nd lumbar vertebra in two (13.33%), at the level of the 2nd lumbar vertebra in eight (53.33%), between the 2nd and 3rd lumbar vertebra in three (20%). The main ramifications of the cranial mesenteric artery were the caudal pancreatic duodenal, middle colic, jejunal and ileocecocolic arteries. The caudal mesenteric artery arose as a single artery in all females and males. The average length of the caudal mesenteric artery in females was 0.846 cm and originated at the level of 5th lumbar vertebra in three (20%) animals, between the 5th and 6th lumbar vertebra in two (13.33%), at the level of the 6th lumbar vertebra in seven (46.67%), %), between the 6th and 7th lumbar vertebra in two (13.33%) and at the level of the 7th lumbar vertebra in one (6.67%). The average length of the caudal mesenteric artery in males was 0.79 cm and originated at the level of the 5th lumbar vertebra in two (13.33%) animals, between the 5th and 6th lumbar vertebra in one (6.67%), at the level of the 6th lumbar vertebra in seven (46.67%), between the 6th and 7th lumbar vertebra in four (26.67%) and at the level of the 7th lumbar vertebra in one (6.67%). The caudal mesenteric artery arises from the aorta, originating the cranial rectal and left colic arteries. Conclusion: No relation was observed between the mesenteric length and the rostrum-sacral length in rabbits. The origin of the cranial and caudal mesenteric artery is not gender dependent.

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PURPOSE:To assess pain in the immediate postoperative period in cats submitted into two different celiotomy techniques for ovariohysterectomy. METHODS:Fourteen healthy female cats up to three years old with a mean weight 2.75kg, without breed specification, were used in this double blind experiment. The animals were randomly assigned to two treatments: I-ovariohysterectomy by lateral approach (LA) or II -by midline approach (MA). The anesthesia consisted of acepromazine (0.1 mg.kg ) was administered intravenously to provide intraoperative analgesia. After surgery, pain scores were assessed through a multidimensional composite pain scale at four different times. RESULTS:Generally all factors related to psychomotor changes and pain expression showed higher scores in cats neutered by LA, but only psychomotor changes and total pain score presented statistical differences (p<0.05). The animals that underwent lateral celiotomy showed higher pain scores, at 1, 4 and 6 hours after surgery. CONCLUSIONS:Multidimensional analgesic scales were highly reliable. There was a tendency for the cats neutered by lateral approach to suffer more postoperative pain, including requiring a large number of analgesic rescues.

SUMMARY: Rabbits have been used as urologic models in many studies. The aim of this study was to characterize the renal morphology and anatomical variations of the renal pedicle in rabbit. The research ethics committee of Rio de Janeiro Federal Rural University approved this study. The animals were obtained from the university's necropsy unit. Dissections were performed in 50 adult rabbits, male and females, without macroscopic renal pathology. Kidney measurements were made with a digital caliper: length, width, and thickness. The length and origin of the renal arteries and main branches and length of the renal veins were also determined. The terminology of Nomina Anatomica Veterinaria was followed. The mean and standard deviation of the length of the right kidney was 3.150±0.2588 cm in males and 3.127±0.3769 cm in females and in the left kidney was 3.083±0.0818 cm in males and 3.162±0.0848 cm in females. The width of the right kidney was 1.933±0.0848 cm in males and 1.996±0.0680 cm in females and in the left kidney was 1.850±0.0659 cm in males and 2.004±0.0940 cm in females. There was no significant difference in the measurements between the two sexes and antimeres and in the measures of renal vessels in relation to sex, but the left artery and renal vein were always larger than the right in both sexes. The results of the present study are expected to contribute to the body of knowledge in the field of comparative and applied anatomy.