Empathic veterinarians score cattle pain higher

The treatment of cattle pain often relies upon veterinarians. The aim of this study was to qualify the influence of veterinarians skills, attitudes, and empathy on cattle pain assesment and consequently disbudding pain management. A web-based questionnaire was sent to Finnish veterinary students in either the preclinical or clinical stage, and also to production-animal practice oriented veterinarians. The questionnaire recorded demographics, statements of opinions, pain scoring of cattle conditions and procedures. Empathy towards humans (Interpersonal Reactivity Index, IRI) and reworded IRI to measure empathy towards animals were also covered. The overall response rate was approximately 40%. The association between pain and empathy scores were analyzed by Pearsońs correlation, and the factors affecting pain scores and empathy towards animals analyzed using linear models. The need for pain medication of calves during disbudding was well recognized and the intention to treat such pain was very common. Higher mean scores for cattle pain were associated with greater empathy towards humans. On average, respondents' empathy towards animals was greater than towards humans, and was associated with respondents' empathy towards humans, family size and attachment to family pet.

Sublingual administration of detomidine to calves prior to disbudding: a comparison with the intravenous route

Objective

To study the effects of oromucosal detomidine gel administered sublingually to calves prior to disbudding, and to compare its efficacy with intravenously (IV) administered detomidine.

Study design

Randomised, prospective clinical study.

Animals

Twenty dairy calves aged 12.4 ± 4.4days (mean ± SD), weight 50.5 ± 9.0 kg.

Methods

Detomidine at 80 μg kg⁻¹ was administered to ten calves sublingually (GEL) and at 30 μg kg⁻¹ to ten control calves IV (V. jugularis). Meloxicam (0.5 mg kg⁻¹) and local anaesthetic (lidocaine 3 mg kg⁻¹) were administered before heat cauterization of horn buds. Heart rate (HR), body temperature and clinical sedation were monitored over 240 minutes. Blood was collected from the V. cephalica during the same period for drug concentration analysis. Pharmacokinetic variables were calculated from the plasma detomidine concentration-time data using non-compartmental methods. Statistical analyses compared routes of administration by Student's t-test and linear mixed models as relevant.

Results

The maximum plasma detomidine concentration after GEL was 2.1 ± 1.2 ng mL⁻¹ (mean ±SD) and the time of maximum concentration was 66.0 ± 36.9 minutes. The bioavailability of detomidine was approximately 34% with GEL. Similar sedation scores were reached in both groups after administration of detomidine, but maximal sedation was reached earlier in the IV group (10 minutes) than in the GEL group (40 minutes). HR was lower after IV than GEL from 5 to 10 minutes after administration. All animals were adequately sedated, and we were able to administer local anaesthetic without resistance to all of the calves before disbudding.

Conclusions and clinical relevance

Oromucosally administered detomidine is an effective sedative agent for calves prior to disbudding.

Microfluidic sampling system for tissue analytics

We have developed a microfluidics based sampling system for tissue analytics. The proof-of-concept of the sampling system was demonstrated by extracting lipid samples from tissue biopsies. The sample collection system consists of a disposable silicon based multiport microneedle integrated with polymer microfluidics. The polymethyl methacrylate polymer microfluidic chip has a 10 μl sample reservoir and actuation membranes for liquid pumping. A special automated robotic system was developed to control the positioning of the needle and the sampling procedure on preselected spots on the tissue. Real breast cancer tissue samples were used to test the feasibility of the sampling system. We successfully measured indicative cancer biomarkers from the tissue surface. Phosphatidylcholine and phosphoethanolamine were extracted from the tissue membrane with methyl tert-butyl ether solvent and detected by mass spectrometry. In the future, this tool could be used in characterization of preoperative biopsies and tumour tissues removed during surgery.

A comparison of sedative effects of xylazine alone or combined with levomethadone or ketamine in calves prior to disbudding

OBJECTIVE

To compare the sedative effects of intramuscular xylazine alone or combined with levomethadone or ketamine in calves before cautery disbudding.

STUDY DESIGN

Randomized, blinded, clinical trial.

ANIMALS

A total of 28 dairy calves, aged 21 ± 5 days and weighing 61.0 ± 9.3 kg (mean ± standard deviation).

METHODS

Calves were randomly allocated to three groups: xylazine (0.1 mg kg^-1) and levomethadone (0.05 mg kg^-1; group XL), xylazine (0.1 mg kg^-1) and ketamine (1 mg kg^-1; group XK) and xylazine alone (0.2 mg kg^-1; group X). Local anaesthesia (procaine hydrochloride) and meloxicam were administered subcutaneously 15 minutes after sedation and 15 minutes before disbudding. The calves' responses to the administration of local anaesthesia and disbudding were recorded. Sedation was assessed at baseline and at intervals up to 240 minutes postsedation. Times of recumbency, first head lift and first standing were recorded. Drug plasma concentrations were measured.

RESULTS

Data were obtained from 27 animals. All protocols resulted in sedation sufficient to administer local anaesthesia and to perform disbudding. Sedation scores significantly correlated with drug plasma concentrations (p ≤ 0.002). Times to recumbency did not differ among protocols (2.8 ± 0.3, 3.1 ± 1.1 and 2.1 ± 0.8 minutes for groups XL, XK and X, respectively), whereas interval from drug(s) administration until first head lift was significantly shorter in group XK than X (47.3 ± 14.1, 34.4 ± 5.3 and 62.6 ± 31.9 minutes for groups XL, XK and X, respectively). The area under the time-sedation curve was significantly greater in group X than XK or XL (754 ± 215, 665 ± 118 and 1005 ± 258 minutes for groups XL, XK and X, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Levomethadone or ketamine with a low dose of xylazine produced short but sufficient sedation for local anaesthesia and disbudding with minimum resistance.

Pharmacokinetics of meloxicam in pre-ruminant calves after intravenous, oral, and subcutaneous administration

Meloxicam is routinely used for pain alleviation in pre-ruminant calves during husbandry procedures. The pharmacokinetics of a single dose (0.5 mg/kg) of meloxicam was investigated after intravenous (IV), subcutaneous (SC), and oral (PO) administration in 30 pre-ruminant calves. Each group included 10 calves. Oral meloxicam was administered at least 1 h after feeding. Plasma samples were collected for up to 168 h, and the meloxicam concentration was analysed with liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, followed by a noncompartmental pharmacokinetic analysis. The maximum meloxicam concentrations in plasma were 1.91 ± 0.27 μg/mL and 1.77 ± 0.16 μg/mL after SC and PO routes, respectively. The time of maximum concentration was 7.6 ± 2.8 h after SC and 10.0 ± 5.7 h after PO administration. The approximate bioavailability of meloxicam was 97% for SC and PO routes. The elimination half-lives were 79.2 ± 12.4, 84.6 ± 24.8, and 84.8 ± 22.3 h after IV, SC, and PO routes, respectively. The results suggest that the therapeutic meloxicam concentrations in plasma that are required for pain relief in other species, such as horses, may be maintained for several days following a single dose (0.5 mg/kg) administered IV, SC, or PO in calves.

Decreased liver-to-spleen ratio in low-dose computed tomography as a biomarker of fatty liver disease reflects risk for myocardial ischaemia

Aims

A strong association between fatty liver disease (FLD) and coronary artery disease is consistently reported. Our aim was to evaluate whether FLD diagnosed using low-dose non-contrast computed tomography (LDCT), as a by-product of myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI), is associated with myocardial ischaemia or left ventricular function parameters.

Methods and results

We analysed 742 patients who had undergone MPI using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and LDCT. A liver-to-spleen ratio (in Hounsfield units) of <1 was defined as FLD. Myocardial ischaemia was defined as a summed difference score (SDS) ≥3. Left ventricular size and systolic function were assessed from the electrocardiogram-gated SPECT. FLD patients were younger (63 vs. 68 years) and had a higher body mass index (34.6 vs. 29.0 kg/m2) and a higher SDS (2.65 vs. 1.63), P < 0.001 for all. Independently of several possible confounding factors including traditional risk factors, patients with FLD had a 1.70-fold risk of ischaemia (95% confidence interval 1.11-2.58, P = 0.014). Left ventricular end-diastolic volume (109 vs. 109 mL) and ejection fraction (61 vs. 61%) were comparable in those with and without FLD (non-significant for both).

Conclusions

With the help of LDCT, it is possible to identify FLD, which is associated with an increased risk of myocardial ischaemia. Therefore, evaluation of FLD from LDCT is recommended along with MPI.

Two restraining devices in connection to surgical castration with or without local anesthesia: effects on piglet stress

BACKGROUND

Surgical castration causes severe pain to young piglets. In addition, piglets experience intense stress from handling and restraining during the procedure. Furthermore, piglets must be restrained twice when receiving local anesthesia before castration, and the injections are painful. Unfortunately, strategies to reduce piglets' stress during handling, local anesthetic injections, and painful procedures are limited and poorly understood. Thus, we randomized 179 male piglets aged 3 to 4 days to be restrained with either a commonly used commercial tubular bench with a dorsal restraining posture or a custom-made castration rack with a vertical restraining posture. Piglets received local anesthetic or sham injections (mimicking local anesthesia but without skin penetration) 10 min before castration. We then compared the effect of these devices on the piglets' behavioral reactions, vocalizations, and body temperatures at the following four times: when restrained for the first time, when given local anesthetic injections or receiving sham injections, during the second time restrained, and during castration.

RESULTS

Piglets were given higher mean reaction scores when restrained in the tubular bench than the castration rack. Piglets showed differing vocalization patterns in the two devices, with more grunts and screams in the castration rack and more squeals in the tubular bench. Moreover, local anesthetic injections resulted in higher mean reaction scores and longer vocalizations than sham injections during the injections/sham injections but reduced these measures during castration. After castration, the skin temperature was higher in sham-injected piglets than in piglets castrated with local anesthesia, irrespective of the restraining device used.

CONCLUSIONS

Local anesthesia reduced piglets' reaction scores and vocalizations during castration. However, receiving local anesthesia was painful. Based on piglet behavior, restraining in a tubular bench was more aversive than in the castration rack. However, the devices affected the proportions of the different vocalization types during local anesthetic injections and castration in a manner we cannot fully explain. As the restraining method affects piglets' behavior, it may influence pain assessment during local anesthetic injections and evaluation of local anesthesia efficacy during castration. Thus, less stressful methods to handle piglets are needed.