OBJECTIVE To determine whether a maxillary nerve block via a modified infraorbital approach, applied before rhinoscopy and nasal biopsy of dogs, would decrease procedural nociception, minimize cardiorespiratory anesthetic effects, and improve recovery quality. ANIMALS 8 healthy adult hound-type dogs PROCEDURES In a crossover study, dogs received 0.5% bupivacaine (0.1 mL/kg) or an equivalent volume of saline (0.9% NaCl) solution as a maxillary nerve block via a modified infraorbital approach. A 5-cm, 20-gauge over-the-needle catheter was placed retrograde within each infraorbital canal, and bupivacaine or saline solution was administered into each pterygopalatine region. Rhinoscopy and nasal biopsy were performed. Variables monitored included heart rate, systolic arterial blood pressure (SAP), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), diastolic arterial blood pressure (DAP), plasma cortisol and norepinephrine concentrations, purposeful movement, and pain scores. After a 14-day washout period, the other treatment was administered on the contralateral side, and rhinoscopy and nasal biopsy were repeated. RESULTS SAP, MAP, and DAP were significantly higher for the saline solution treatment than for the bupivacaine treatment, irrespective of the time point. Plasma cortisol concentrations after saline solution treatment were significantly higher 5 minutes after nasal biopsy than at biopsy. Heart rate, norepinephrine concentration, purposeful movement, and pain score were not significantly different between treatments. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Maxillary nerve block via a modified infraorbital approach prior to rhinoscopy and nasal biopsy reduced procedural nociception as determined on the basis of blood pressures and plasma cortisol concentrations during anesthesia. These findings warrant further evaluation in dogs with nasal disease.

These results suggest a role of cα -PI as a negative acute phase protein in dogs. The concentration of serum cα -PI at the time of hospital admission does not have utility to identify dogs with sepsis from those with noninfectious SIRS, but may be a useful surrogate marker for early stratification of illness severity.

Omeprazole is used concurrently with clopidogrel to reduce gastrointestinal adverse effects. In humans, the concurrent use of these two drugs can reduce the antiplatelet efficacy of clopidogrel. Our objective was to determine the effects of omeprazole and clopidogrel on platelet function in healthy dogs. A crossover study utilized turbidimetric aggregometry (ADP and collagen) and the PFA-100 with the collagen/ADP cartridge to evaluate platelet function in eight healthy dogs during the administration of clopidogrel (1 mg/kg/24 h p.o.), omeprazole (1 mg/kg/24 h p.o.), and a combination of clopidogrel and omeprazole. Drug metabolite concentrations were also measured. Compared to pretreatment, on Days 3 and 5, with ADP as the agonist, there was a significant decrease in maximum amplitude on aggregometry for both clopidogrel and clopidogrel/omeprazole groups. The following revealed no significant differences between clopidogrel and clopidogrel/omeprazole groups when compared on Days 3 and 5: maximum amplitude on aggregometry with ADP or collagen agonists, and PFA-100 closure times. When compared to the clopidogrel group, clopidogrel metabolite concentrations in the clopidogrel/omeprazole group were significantly higher on Days 3 and 5. The concurrent administration of omeprazole and clopidogrel in healthy dogs was associated with an increase in the plasma concentration of an inactive metabolite of clopidogrel, but does not significantly alter the antiplatelet effects of clopidogrel.

Pattern recognition receptors (e.g., S100A12 or S100A8/A9) hold promise as inflammatory biomarkers. We prospectively determined and compared serum S100A12 and S100A8/A9 concentrations in dogs with sepsis ( n = 11) or systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS; n = 8) over a 3-d period with each other, healthy controls ( n = 50), and other clinical and clinicopathologic variables. Serum S100A12 and S100A8/A9 concentrations were significantly higher in dogs with sepsis or SIRS (all p < 0.05) at the time of hospital admission (day 1) compared to healthy controls, with no differences between patient groups. However, septic dogs had significantly lower serum S100A12 concentrations on day 2 and day 3 (both p < 0.05) compared to dogs with SIRS. Likewise, dogs with sepsis had significantly lower S100A8/A9 concentrations on day 2 ( p < 0.05). Neither serum S100A12 nor S100A8/A9 concentrations were associated with survival to discharge. Our results suggest a differential expression of the S100/calgranulins between dogs with sepsis and those with SIRS. Serum S100A12 or S100A8/A9 concentration at the time of hospital admission did not differentiate dogs with sepsis from those with SIRS, but the trend of S100/calgranulin concentrations during the following 24–48 h may be a useful surrogate marker for differentiating sepsis from SIRS.

Cyclosporine is a potent immunosuppressive agent used to treat immune‐mediated disorders in dogs. Secondary infections sometimes necessitate withdrawal of cyclosporine, but it is not known how long it takes for the immune system to recover after cessation of cyclosporine. Our goal was to utilize a validated RT‐qPCR assay in dogs to assess recovery time of the T‐cell cytokines IL‐2 and IFN‐γ after discontinuation of cyclosporine. Six healthy dogs were given oral cyclosporine (10 mg/kg every 12 hr) for 1 week, with samples collected for measurement of cytokine gene expression prior to treatment, and on the last day of therapy. Cyclosporine was then discontinued, and samples were collected daily for an additional 7 days. Results revealed that there was a significant difference in cytokine expression when comparing pre‐treatment and immediate post‐treatment values, corresponding to marked suppression of T‐cell function. There was no significant difference between pre‐treatment values for either cytokine when compared with any day during the recovery period. Cytokine expression, evaluated as a percentage of pre‐treatment baseline samples, demonstrated progressing return of T‐cell function after drug cessation, with full recovery seen in all dogs by Day 4 of the recovery period.