Biomedical subjects

Craig E Griffin

Publications and source records attributed to Craig E Griffin.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Otitis techniques to improve practice.

Successful management of otitis externa requires recognition of changes in the anatomy and physiology of the external and middle ear, as well as the adequate tools and examinations to detect changes from normal. Otoscopy and methods for assessing the normalcy of the tympanum, collection of samples for cytologic evaluation or culture, and myringotomy are diagnostic techniques important in practice. Treatment tubes and intralesional triamcinolone injections are techniques that improve the response in some cases.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Practical cytology for inflammatory skin diseases.

Cytology is the most common and immediately informative diagnostic tool in the practice of dermatology. It is simple to perform and requires equipment usually already present in most practices such as a microscope and slides, cotton-tipped applicators and stains. Cytology interpretation is also easily self taught. With little practice the practitioner can easily become familiar with sample interpretation from inflammatory lesions; including recognition of bacteria, yeast, dermatophyte spores and hyphae, deeper fungal elements and parasites. Additionally, the practitioner should become familiar with the variety of inflammatory cells seen with these conditions, as well as keratinocyte morphology. This article provides an overview and the initial steps on how to become a more proficient cytologist in practice.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Feline pyoderma therapy.

Feline pyoderma is a disease entity more prevalent than previously described. Diagnosis is made by finding bacteria in the presence of inflammatory cells or bacterial phagocytosis on routine cytological examination. Diseases leading to secondary bacterial pyoderma include allergic and inflammatory skin diseases, parasitosis, feline chin acne, and others. Lesions of feline pyoderma are variable and include crusted and eroded papules, pustules, furuncles, eroded to ulcerated plaques with variable exudation and crusting, and linear to nodular ulcerative granulomatous lesions. Three cases of feline pyoderma responsive to antimicrobial therapy are discussed: case 1, a 10.5-year-old male neutered domestic short hair with eosinophilic lip ulcer, case 2, a 7-year-old male neutered domestic short hair with multiple cutaneous eosinophilic plaques, and case 3, an 8-month-old male neutered domestic short hair cat with Pseudomonas dermatitis, vasculitis, and panniculitis. Antibiotic selection for treatment of feline pyoderma should be based on cytological examination, and culture and sensitivity in unresponsive cases.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Feline immunotherapy.

Feline allergen specific immunotherapy (ASIT) is considered to be a safe and effective treatment for feline atopy. ASIT is defined as the practice of administering gradually increasing quantities of an allergen extract to an allergic subject. The purpose of which is to reduce or eliminate the symptoms associated with subsequent exposures to the causative allergen. ASIT offers an effective and safe treatment option for cats. Reported success rates range for 60 to 78% in feline atopic patients. Additionally, the reported incidence of side effects in feline atopic patients undergoing ASIT is very low and mainly anecdotal.

Allergens↗

PubMed2006

Evaluation of otoscope cone cleaning and disinfection procedures commonly used in veterinary medical practices: a pilot study.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the relative efficacy of otoscope cone cleaning and disinfection methods commonly used in veterinary practices. Using sterile technique, 60 new gas-sterilized 4-mm otoscope cones were inoculated with a broth culture of 1.5 billion Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria per mL then allowed to dry for 10 min. Six study groups of 10 cones each were created. Group 1 served as positive control and received no cleaning or disinfection. Group 2 cones were wiped with sterile cotton-tipped applicators and gauze then rinsed with water. Group 3 cones were wiped with 70% isopropyl alcohol. Group 4 cones were scrubbed in a speculum cleaner with Cetylcide II solution (Cetylite Industries, Inc., Pennsauken, NJ). Groups 5 and 6 cones were soaked for 20 min in Cetylcide II and chlorhexidine gluconate 2% solutions, respectively. Using sterile technique and after 10-15 min drying time, the cones were swabbed in a consistent pattern, and samples were submitted for quantitative culture. Culture results showed no growth from cones soaked in Cetylcide II or chlorhexidine solutions. Two of the 10 cones wiped with alcohol, 3/10 cones wiped then rinsed with water, and 3/10 cones scrubbed with the speculum cleaner showed growth of P. aeruginosa. All (10/10) cones in the control group showed heavy growth of P. aeruginosa. These results show that P. aeruginosa can survive on otoscope cones cleaned and disinfected by several commonly used methods. Further study is needed to determine practical and optimal cleaning and disinfection methods for otoscope cones.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Rush allergen specific immunotherapy protocol in feline atopic dermatitis: a pilot study of four cats.

Rush immunotherapy has been shown to be as safe as conventional immunotherapy in canine atopic patients. Rush immunotherapy has not been reported in the feline atopic patient. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine a safe protocol for rush immunotherapy in feline atopic patients. Four atopic cats diagnosed by history, physical examination and exclusion of appropriate differential diagnoses were included in the study. Allergens were identified via liquid phase immunoenzymatic testing (VARL: Veterinary Allergy Reference Labs, Pasadena, CA). Cats were premedicated with 1.5 mg triamcinolone orally 24 and 2 h prior to first injection and 10 mg hydroxyzine PO 24, 12 and 2 h prior to first injection. An intravenous catheter was placed prior to first injection. Allergen extracts (Greer Laboratories, Lenoir, North Carolina) were all administered subcutaneously at increasing protein nitrogen units (pnu) every 30 minutes for 5 h to maintenance dose of 15,000 pnus ml-1. Vital signs were assessed every 15 minutes. Two cats developed mild pruritus and the subsequent injection was delayed 30 minutes. No changes in either cat's vital signs were noted, nor was there any further pruritus. All four cats successfully completed rush immunotherapy. Two cats developed a dermal swelling on the dorsal neck one week later. In these four cats, this protocol appeared to be a safe regimen to reach maintenance therapy. A larger sample of feline patients is needed to determine the incidence of adverse reactions and to follow the success of ASIT based upon this method of induction.

Allergens↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Topical 0.1% tacrolimus for the treatment of discoid lupus erythematosus and pemphigus erythematosus in dogs.

Topical 0.1% tacrolimus was used for treatment of localized lesions associated with 10 cases of discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) and two cases of pemphigus erythematosus (PE) either as a sole therapy (n=2) or as an adjunctive treatment (n=10). Eight of 10 dogs with DLE and both dogs with PE were improved following 8 weeks of topical application. In six of the eight dogs that improved, other medications were discontinued. No adverse effects in clinical or laboratory parameters were noted throughout the study.

Administration, Topical↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Efficacy of boric-complexed zinc and acetic-complexed zinc otic preparations for canine yeast otitis externa.

The purpose of this 2-week, double-blinded, controlled clinical trial was to evaluate the efficacy of topical amino acid-complexed zinc gluconate formulated with boric acid (ZGB) or acetic acid (ZGA) versus a topical placebo in the treatment of yeast otitis externa in dogs. Included in the study were dogs with otitis externa and a cytopathological finding of yeast organisms in the affected ear. Ears were treated with the placebo, ZGA, or ZGB medications. Yeast counts as well as clinical appearance of the ears were monitored. Results revealed that ZGB significantly reduced the number of yeast organisms in cases of otitis externa.

Acetic Acid↗