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At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed2006

A model for teaching raptor medicine in the veterinary curriculum.

Injured or sick wild avian species, especially raptors (birds of prey, including hawks, owls, falcons, and eagles), can present different challenges to veterinary students and veterinarians who are trained in companion avian medicine (e.g., parrot medicine). Proper capture and restraint, feeding, housing, and certain diagnostic and treatment techniques involving raptors require different skills, knowledge, and resources than working with parrots. We developed an innovative raptor medicine program that enables students to acquire proficiency in safe capture, restraint, and examination techniques and in common diagnostic and treatment procedures. A self-assessment survey was developed to determine students' confidence and proficiency in 10 procedures taught in the lab. Groups were compared by class status (Year 1 vs. Year 2 and 3) and level of prior raptor experience (non-experienced or experienced). In surveys conducted before and after teaching two sets of raptor training labs, students rated themselves significantly more proficient in all 10 diagnostic and treatment procedures after completing the two raptor laboratories. The greatest improvements were observed in technical skill procedures such as fluid administration, intramuscular injections, cloacal swabs, venipuncture, and bandaging. Our approach to incorporating elective wildlife learning experiences into the veterinary curriculum may be replicable in other veterinary schools, with or without a wildlife rehabilitation program.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Premature gonadal failure in female dogs and cats.

Premature gonadal failure has been detected in phenotypically female dogs and cats with defective prenatal germ cell migration (ovarian aplasia), defective prenatal differentiation of the gonadal ridge into ovarian tissue (true hermaphroditism, male pseudohermaphroditism, ovarian dysgenesis in the presence of XO or XXX sex chromosome complements) or defective gamete maturation in the presence of primordial ovarian follicles (lymphocytic oophoritis, thyroid insufficiency). The most common of these is defective gonadal differentiation in animals with true hermaphroditism and failure of gamete maturation in thyroid insufficiency. A common clinical sign of premature gonadal failure in companion animals is failure to show a pubertal oestrus by 2 years of age. Diagnostic evaluation of such animals should include determination of the karyotype, plasma concentrations of LH and FSH and of thyroid hormones, gonadal histology, and gross evaluation of the Müllerian duct system at laparotomy.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

The ICD-10 symptom checklist: a companion to the ICD-10 classification of mental and behavioural disorders.

The ICD-10 Symptom Checklist is a semi-structured diagnostic instrument intended for clinicians' assessment of F0-F6 categories in the ICD-10 Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders. The instrument was preliminarily tested at the St. Louis site during its participation in the field trials of the ICD-10 Diagnostic Criteria for Research. The Checklist was found to be a reliable diagnostic tool (overall kappa 0.72) within the constraints of the interviewer/observer reliability study design. More rigorous tests of the psychometric properties of the instrument are necessary.

Female↗
PubMed1991

Diagnostic criteria for separation anxiety in the dog.

Many social species, including dogs, exhibit distress responses when separated from attachment figures. Companion dogs with separation anxiety typically eliminate, vocalize, or engage in destructive behavior when left alone. The ability to differentiate separation anxiety from other behavior problems with the same presenting complaint is essential before embarking on a treatment plan. The behavior of the dog before, during, and after separation must be determined. Comparison of the unique behavioral profiles of each of the possible differentials will lead to an accurate diagnosis.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Diagnostic approaches to acute pancreatitis.

Acute pancreatitis is a challenging medical condition, with the potential for high mortality and comorbidity in companion animal patients. The anatomic position and relationships of the pancreas make direct observation of pancreatic pathology difficult, so the diagnosis of pancreatic disease is typically based on the measurement of biochemical markers in serum and imaging studies of the abdomen. The digestive enzymes typically used in the diagnosis of pancreatitis, amylase and lipase, have poor sensitivity and specificity. Recently, pancreas specific lipases have been purified from dogs and cats, leading to the availability of specific immunoassays for these proteins that show great promise in the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. After the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis is established, there is a need to assess the severity of the disease to give an accurate prognosis for the patient. This article will review currently available methods used to diagnose acute pancreatitis and the ability of these methods to assess accurately the severity of the disease.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2006

Purdue University-Banfield National Companion Animal Surveillance Program for emerging and zoonotic diseases.

A National Companion Animal Surveillance Program (NCASP) was established at Purdue University to monitor clinical syndromes and diseases using the electronic medical records of >80,000 companion animals visiting >500 Banfield hospitals weekly in 44 states. With funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NCASP was initially developed for syndromic surveillance of Category A agents of bioterrorism. Surveillance was expanded through inclusion of electronic reports from Antech Diagnostics, a nationwide network of integrated veterinary diagnostic laboratories serving >18,000 private veterinary practices. NCASP characterizes and displays temporal and spatial patterns of diseases in dogs, cats, and other companion animals. It detects unusual clusters of potential emerging/zoonotic infections and monitors flea and tick activity. Data is processed and analyzed using SAS and ESRI software products. The NCASP can be used by veterinarians to enhance their practice of evidence-based medicine by providing information needed to individualize vaccine protocols for animals in specific geographic areas.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Comparison of common fecal flotation techniques for the recovery of parasite eggs and oocysts.

A variety of procedures are available to detect parasite eggs or oocysts in feces. This study compared the efficacy of simple flotation, a commercial assay, and various centrifugation techniques and three common flotation solutions. Results indicate that centrifugation consistently recovered more eggs than other methods. Proper technique is critical, including ensuring that the specific gravity of the flotation solution is correct and allowing the sample to stand for a sufficient amount of time before examining the coverslip. Because of the zoonotic health risks of many companion animal parasites, veterinarian and their staff should better utilize fecal examinations in their routine diagnostic plan.

Ancylostoma↗
PubMed1996

Automated slide preparation system for the clinical laboratory.

An automated device has been developed to prepare a wide variety of cytology preparations. Using the device, cells collected in suspension are mildly dispersed and transferred to a glass slide using filter-transfer technology. The cell density on the slide is controlled by the instrument. A companion product, the solution used in specimen transport and preparation, provides long-term preservation of diagnostic cells while lysing red blood cells. The overall process yields clean, uniform samples with better visualization of the diagnostic cells. The use of a disposable filter prevents sample-to-sample contamination. Collection of the sample in solution makes it possible to produce multiple slides from one sample.

Cell Biology↗
PubMed2001

Diagnosing new autoimmune blistering skin diseases of dogs and cats.

Autoimmune blistering skin diseases have been recognized for decades in humans and dogs. In the dog, most of these diseases unfortunately were grouped under the generic denomination of bullous pemphigoid without any confirmation that the autoantibodies targeted bullous pemphigoid antigens. In recent years, advanced diagnostic methods have permitted the recognition of new autoimmune blistering skin diseases in humans and companion-animal species. At this time, the diagnosis of these entities is made by combining clinical signs and results of histopathology. Immunologic methods serve to establish the presence of skin-fixed and circulating autoantibodies that target various epidermal or basement membrane antigens. In this article, salient features of the most common canine and feline subepidermal blistering dermatoses (mucous membrane pemphigold, bullous pemphigold, epidermolysis bullosa acquisita) and new variants of cutaneous lupus (type I bullous systemic lupus erythematosus and vesicular cutaneous lupus erythematosus) are presented.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Human psychophysical analysis of receptive field-like properties: IV. Further examination and specification of the psychophysical transient-like function.

In this paper we examine several key properties of the moving 'windmill' target used in evaluation of the psychophysical transient-like function. Magnitude of the transient-like function, herein defined as the difference in threshold-determining background field luminance between stationary and moving windmill conditions, was greatest for a rate of approximately 6-8 on-off transitions/second for the moving windmill. Increasing the light/dark ratio of the windmill also augmented the magnitude of the transient-like function. The one-, two- and four-section 'windmill' targets exhibited essentially similar results, indicating that the number and length of borders do not influence this response. In conjunction with previous stationary windmill results (Enoch and Johnson, 1976), these data define the relevant transient-like function properties and provide a basis for comparison with findings in the companion paper (Enoch, Johnson & Fitzgerald, 1976a) which describes the application of these properties to clinical populations for diagnostic purposes.

Psychophysics↗
PubMed1998

Myasthenia gravis: lessons from the past 10 years.

Over the past 10 years, significant advances have been made in our understanding of acquired myasthenia gravis (MG) in companion animals. The broad spectrum of presenting clinical signs has been defined and an accurate and sensitive diagnostic test is available. Even with these advances, the mortality rate in dogs with acquired MG remains unacceptably high. While an understanding of the genetic basis for susceptibility to autoimmune disease has started to be developed, the trigger for the initiation of this disease is not known and a mechanism for specific suppression of the aberrant immune response against the acetylcholine receptor remains a mystery.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

[The ferret. Part 3: the diseases of the ferret classified by clinical symptoms].

The articles regarding the ferret supply a practical hand-out for the companion animal practitioner. Features regarding housing, nutrition, and reproduction are briefly described followed by, more in detail, diagnostic procedures such as blood collection, anesthesia, small surgical procedures, preventive veterinary care and hospitalization of the ferret. Frequently seen clinical problems with their differential diagnosis are discussed including cause, clinical disease, diagnosis, therapy and if applicable prevention and control.

Animal Diseases↗
PubMed2005

[The best of cardiac failure in 2004].

Regarding cardiac failure, the year 2004 was notable for the dissemination of indications for the use of medical devices in heart failure: indications for cardioversion with the long awaited publication of the COMPANION study, advancement of the concept of intra-ventricular asynchronism, and studies of defibrillators in non-ischaemic cardiac failure (COMPANION, DEFINITE, SCD-HeFT, TOVA). Furthermore, pragmatic clinical studies allowed refinement of the uses of BNP (diagnostic and prognostic), underlining the importance of renal function and its progression during hospitalisation, and the risks of using strong, modern therapy in populations without "ad hoc" surveillance which do not correspond with study populations (aldactone in Canada). Just as in coronary patients, it appears to be important to commence full medical treatment prior to hospital discharge, because treatment is rarely changed thereafter. The management of seriously ill patients is evolving with several therapeutic advances: the methods of selecting patients for heart transplants have changed, with the advancement of opportunities for circulatory assistance. Attention has also been turned to the significant group, still poorly understood, of patients with diastolic heart failure, for whom diagnostic methods have been defined, as well as their clinical characteristics. Lastly the medication studies: new drugs in acute cardiac failure (preliminary results for vasopressin antagonists), wider indications for betablockers in elderly subjects (SENIORS), and advances in cellular cardiomyoplasty (using haemopoietic stem cells especially this year). It has been a fruitful year, difficult to summarise in a few lines, or even several pages....

Cardiac Pacing, Artificial↗
PubMed1992

The microcomputer and image analysis in diagnostic pathology.

This paper presents a snapshot view of the influence and direction of microcomputer technology for image analysis techniques in diagnostic pathology. Microcomputers have had considerable impact in bringing image analysis to wider application. Semi-automated tracing techniques are a simple means of providing objective data and assist in a wide range of diagnostic problems. From the common theme of reducing subjectivity in diagnostic assessment, an extensive body of research has accrued. Some studies have addressed the need for quality control for reliable, routine application. Video digitizer cards bring digital image analysis within the reach of laboratory budgets, providing powerful tools for investigation of a wide range of cellular and tissue features. The use of staining procedures compatible with quantitative evaluation has become equally important. As well as assisting scene segmentation, cytochemical and immunochemical staining techniques relate the data to biological processes. With the present state of the art, practical use of microcomputer based image analysis is impaired by limitations of information extraction and specimen throughput. Recent advances in colour video imaging provide an extra dimension in the analysis of multi-spectral stains. Improvements will also be felt with predictable increase in speed of microprocessors, and with single chip devices which deliver video rate processing. If the full potential of this hardware is realized, high-speed, routine analysis becomes feasible. In addition, a microcomputer imaging system can play host to companion functions, such as image archiving and transmission. With this outlook, the use of microcomputers for image analysis in diagnostic pathology is certain to increase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1997

The value of noninvasive testing before and after hemodialysis access in the prevention and management of complications.

The relative value of and selective indications for specific applications of noninvasive testing and imaging in hemodialysis access patients are reviewed. Preoperatively, clinical arterial assessment, including an Allen's test, should be done routinely. This should be augmented by interrogating the ulnar and radial arteries with a Doppler probe, using collateral compression testing, in complex cases, particularly in patients with a history of previous failed fistulas or radial artery cannulations for blood pressure or blood gas monitoring. Vein mapping, using a duplex scan, is valuable in any patient in whom the superficial veins are not easily visible and distend nicely with tourniquet application. Patients who have previously had chronic cannulation of the subclavian or jugular veins, for hemodialysis or other reasons, should have proximal venous outflow obstruction ruled out by a duplex study. Postoperatively, baseline and serial noninvasive monitoring of the arteriovenous fistula (AVF) or shunt cannot be justified as a routine, but study is indicated if a thrill over the venous outflow cannot be detected postoperatively, veins do not become progressively distended after creation of a fistula, or good flows cannot be achieved during hemodialysis. However, in current practice, a dysfunctional, failing, or failed fistula or shunt is usually identified by the observations of the dialysis technician, and the patient is directly referred to the angiography suite, not the vascular diagnostic laboratory. The true identity and extent of such local complications as hematoma, seroma, abscess, cellulitis with phlegmon, or pseudoaneurysm may be difficult to define without the help of ultrasound imaging, which also can direct diagnostic aspiration. Finally, noninvasive testing, consisting of monitoring digital pressures and plethysmography, and their response to compression of the fistula, its venous outflow, the feeding artery proximally and distally, and the companion artery, is a key initial step in evaluating patients with disabling hand symptoms, distinguishing distal steal from focal ischemia, or, by elimination, pointing to venous congestion or secondary carpal tunnel syndrome.

Diagnostic Tests, Routine↗
PubMed2006

Vaccine side effects: fact and fiction.

The debate over adverse reactions associated with companion animal vaccination has considerably exercised the veterinary profession internationally over the past decade. A range of suspected adverse reactions to vaccines is reported including the onset of inflammatory, allergic, autoimmune or neoplastic diseases. Lack of efficacy, interference with diagnostic testing and other occasional suspected product-related issues are also reported. Available data suggest that the overall prevalence of true adverse reactions is exceedingly low and that vaccination does not significantly contribute to ill-health in companion animals. There is increasing public interest in vaccination issues with transfer of focus from publicity over human vaccine side effects to those perceived to occur in animals. We must not lose sight of the fact that vaccination is a safe procedure that has impacted significantly on infectious disease control. Reduced population uptake of vaccination leads to re-emergence of disease in both humans and animals. Nevertheless, there have recently been a series of practical recommendations produced to ensure reduced 'vaccine load' on our companion animals and vaccine manufacturers are moving towards developing non-adjuvanted products with an extended duration of immunity. These measures will further reduce the very small current risk of any adverse consequences to vaccination in our pet population.

Animal Welfare↗
PubMed2000

HER-2/neu gene amplification in breast imprint cytology analyzed by fluorescence in situ hybridization: direct comparison with companion tissue sections.

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is a validated method for detection of HER-2/neu gene amplification and was recently approved by the FDA for diagnostic use in paraffin-embedded tissue. Its use in cytologic specimens, however, has not been investigated. To see whether HER-2/neu gene amplification is detectable in cytologic specimens, we examined touch imprints and corresponding tissue sections of 27 breast carcinomas (20 invasive and 7 in situ) and 3 atypical epithelial hyperplastic lesions, using the FISH technique with the HER-2/neu DNA probe kit (Vysis, Inc., Downers Grove, IL). HER-2/neu gene amplification was determined, using the ratio of HER-2/neu:CEP 17 signal counts; a ratio of 2.0 or greater was considered amplified. Successful hybridization occurred in 55/60 (92%) slides. In all cases, at least one of the paired slides was adequate for evaluation. Whole-cell imprint and tissue section slides yielded comparable HER-2/neu:CEP 17 signal counts and ratios, including one case of low-level HER-2/neu gene copy numbers where the ratio was 2.0. Our findings indicate that whole-cell imprint cytology preparations are a reliable medium for HER-2/neu gene quantification by FISH, and may substitute for or complement tissue section analysis.

Breast↗
PubMed2005

Comparative analysis of expert and machine-learning methods for classification of body cavity effusions in companion animals.

A rule-based expert system using CLIPS programming language was created to classify body cavity effusions as transudates, modified transudates, exudates, chylous, and hemorrhagic effusions. The diagnostic accuracy of the rule-based system was compared with that produced by 2 machine-learning methods: Rosetta, a rough sets algorithm and RIPPER, a rule-induction method. Results of 508 body cavity fluid analyses (canine, feline, equine) obtained from the University of California-Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital computerized patient database were used to test CLIPS and to test and train RIPPER and Rosetta. The CLIPS system, using 17 rules, achieved an accuracy of 93.5% compared with pathologist consensus diagnoses. Rosetta accurately classified 91% of effusions by using 5,479 rules. RIPPER achieved the greatest accuracy (95.5%) using only 10 rules. When the original rules of the CLIPS application were replaced with those of RIPPER, the accuracy rates were identical. These results suggest that both rule-based expert systems and machine-learning methods hold promise for the preliminary classification of body fluids in the clinical laboratory.

Algorithms↗