Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
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J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. · Mar 2018
Evaluation of tramadol for treatment of osteoarthritis in geriatric cats.
OBJECTIVE To evaluate tramadol for treatment of signs of pain and impaired mobility in geriatric cats with osteoarthritis. DESIGN Randomized controlled crossover trial. ANIMALS 24 client-owned geriatric (≥ 10 years old) cats with osteoarthritis. ⋯ Adverse events, predominantly euphoria, dysphoria, sedation, decreased appetite, and diarrhea, were significantly more frequent with the 4-mg/kg (8/19) and 2-mg/kg (6/18) treatments but not with the 1-mg/kg (2/21) treatment, compared with frequency of adverse events with the placebo (0/21). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results suggested a beneficial effect of twice-daily oral administration of tramadol at a dosage of 2 mg/kg in geriatric cats with osteoarthritis. Adverse events were dose dependent, and caution should be exercised in cats that have concurrent disease or are receiving other drugs that may produce adverse gastrointestinal effects.
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J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. · Feb 2018
Lack of effectiveness of tramadol hydrochloride for the treatment of pain and joint dysfunction in dogs with chronic osteoarthritis.
OBJECTIVE To investigate the effectiveness of tramadol for treatment of osteoarthritis in dogs. DESIGN Randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled crossover study. ANIMALS 40 dogs with clinical osteoarthritis of the elbow or stifle joint. ⋯ Changes from baseline in VI and PVF values were significantly greater with carprofen versus placebo or tramadol treatment. A significant improvement from baseline in CBPI scores was identified with carprofen treatment but not placebo or tramadol treatment. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE 10 days of treatment with tramadol as administered (5 mg/kg, PO, q 8 h) provided no clinical benefit for dogs with osteoarthritis of the elbow or stifle joint.
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J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. · Mar 2017
Accuracy of point-of-care lung ultrasonography for the diagnosis of cardiogenic pulmonary edema in dogs and cats with acute dyspnea.
OBJECTIVE To determine the accuracy of a point-of-care lung ultrasonography (LUS) protocol designed to diagnose cardiogenic pulmonary edema (CPE) in dyspneic dogs and cats. DESIGN Diagnostic test evaluation. ANIMALS 76 dogs and 24 cats evaluated for dyspnea. ⋯ Interobserver agreement on LUS results was high (κ > 0.85). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE LUS was useful for predicting CPE as the cause of dyspnea in dogs and cats, although this technique could not be used to differentiate CPE from other causes of diffuse interstitial or alveolar disease. Point-of-care LUS has promise as a diagnostic tool for dyspneic dogs and cats.
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J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. · Oct 2018
Owner-witnessed cardiopulmonary resuscitation in small animal emergency veterinary medicine.
OBJECTIVE To determine opinions of veterinary emergency health-care providers on the topic of owner-witnessed CPR in small animal emergency medicine and to identify reasons for opposition or support of owner-witnessed CPR. DESIGN Cross-sectional survey. SAMPLE 358 surveys completed by American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care diplomates and residents as well as other emergency-care veterinarians and veterinary technicians between August 14, 2016, and September 14, 2016. ⋯ CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Veterinary professionals surveyed had similar concerns about owner-witnessed CPR, as has been reported by human health-care providers about family-witnessed resuscitation. However, emotional benefits from family-witnessed resuscitation in human health care have been reported, and emotional impacts of owner-witnessed CPR could be an area of research in veterinary medicine. In addition, investigation is needed to obtain more information about pet owner wishes in regard to witnessing CPR performed on their pets.
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J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. · Jan 2019
Assessment of caregiver burden and associations with psychosocial function, veterinary service use, and factors related to treatment plan adherence among owners of dogs and cats.
OBJECTIVE To investigate caregiver burden and its potential associations with psychosocial function and veterinary service use among dog and cat owners and with factors related to treatment plan adherence among owners of animals with chronic or terminal disease. DESIGN Cross-sectional, observational study. SAMPLE 124 clients of a small animal hospital. ⋯ Treatment plan factors associated with greater caregiver burden included changes in routine because of the animal's condition and perception that following new rules and routines for management of the condition was challenging. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Awareness of potential caregiver burden and psychosocial distress in clients with sick companion animals may help veterinarians identify opportunities for an empathic response. Future research should assess directionality of the relationship between these factors.