PURPOSE:To determine the minimum volume of methylene blue (MB) to completely color the brachial plexus (BP) nerves, simulating an effective anesthetic block in cats. METHODS:Fifteen adult male cat cadavers were injected through subscapular approach with volumes of 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 ml in both forelimbs, for a total of 30 brachial plexus blocks (BPB). After infusions, the specimens were carefully dissected preserving each nervous branch. The measurement of the effective area was indicated by the impregnation of MB. Nerves were divided into four segments from the origin at the spinal level until the insertion into the thoracic limb muscles. The blocks were considered effective only when all the nerves were strongly or totally colored. RESULTS:Volumes of 2, 3 and 4 ml were considered insufficient suggesting a failed block, however, volumes of 5 and 6 ml were associated with a successful block. CONCLUSIONS:The injection of methylene blue, in a volume of 6 ml, completely colored the brachial plexus. At volumes of 5 and 6 ml the brachial plexus blocks were considered a successful regional block, however, volumes of 2, 3 and 4 ml were considered a failed regional block.

Introduction: Precise knowledge of variations in arterial vascularization of the abdominal viscera is important for systematization of radiological and surgical anatomy in animals that serve as experimental models and in domestic animals. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the origin and main branches of the cranial and caudal mesenteric arteries in rabbits. Materials and Methods: The anatomical dissections were performed in 30 cadavers of adult rabbits, 15 males and 15 females. Results: The cranial mesenteric artery arose as a single artery in all females and males. The average length of the cranial mesenteric artery in females was 2.63 cm and originated at the level oflst lumbar vertebra in two (13.33%) animals, between the 1st and 2nd lumbar vertebra in four (26.67%), on the 2nd lumbar vertebra in seven (46.67%), between 2nd and 3rd lumbar vertebra in one (6.67%) and at the level of 3rd lumbar vertebra in one (6.67%). The average length of the cranial mesenteric artery in males was 2.56 cm and originated at the level of1st lumbar vertebra in two (13.33%) animals, between the 1st and 2nd lumbar vertebra in two (13.33%), at the level of the 2nd lumbar vertebra in eight (53.33%), between the 2nd and 3rd lumbar vertebra in three (20%). The main ramifications of the cranial mesenteric artery were the caudal pancreatic duodenal, middle colic, jejunal and ileocecocolic arteries. The caudal mesenteric artery arose as a single artery in all females and males. The average length of the caudal mesenteric artery in females was 0.846 cm and originated at the level of 5th lumbar vertebra in three (20%) animals, between the 5th and 6th lumbar vertebra in two (13.33%), at the level of the 6th lumbar vertebra in seven (46.67%), %), between the 6th and 7th lumbar vertebra in two (13.33%) and at the level of the 7th lumbar vertebra in one (6.67%). The average length of the caudal mesenteric artery in males was 0.79 cm and originated at the level of the 5th lumbar vertebra in two (13.33%) animals, between the 5th and 6th lumbar vertebra in one (6.67%), at the level of the 6th lumbar vertebra in seven (46.67%), between the 6th and 7th lumbar vertebra in four (26.67%) and at the level of the 7th lumbar vertebra in one (6.67%). The caudal mesenteric artery arises from the aorta, originating the cranial rectal and left colic arteries. Conclusion: No relation was observed between the mesenteric length and the rostrum-sacral length in rabbits. The origin of the cranial and caudal mesenteric artery is not gender dependent.

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PURPOSE:To assess pain in the immediate postoperative period in cats submitted into two different celiotomy techniques for ovariohysterectomy. METHODS:Fourteen healthy female cats up to three years old with a mean weight 2.75kg, without breed specification, were used in this double blind experiment. The animals were randomly assigned to two treatments: I-ovariohysterectomy by lateral approach (LA) or II -by midline approach (MA). The anesthesia consisted of acepromazine (0.1 mg.kg ) was administered intravenously to provide intraoperative analgesia. After surgery, pain scores were assessed through a multidimensional composite pain scale at four different times. RESULTS:Generally all factors related to psychomotor changes and pain expression showed higher scores in cats neutered by LA, but only psychomotor changes and total pain score presented statistical differences (p<0.05). The animals that underwent lateral celiotomy showed higher pain scores, at 1, 4 and 6 hours after surgery. CONCLUSIONS:Multidimensional analgesic scales were highly reliable. There was a tendency for the cats neutered by lateral approach to suffer more postoperative pain, including requiring a large number of analgesic rescues.

SUMMARY: Rabbits have been used as urologic models in many studies. The aim of this study was to characterize the renal morphology and anatomical variations of the renal pedicle in rabbit. The research ethics committee of Rio de Janeiro Federal Rural University approved this study. The animals were obtained from the university's necropsy unit. Dissections were performed in 50 adult rabbits, male and females, without macroscopic renal pathology. Kidney measurements were made with a digital caliper: length, width, and thickness. The length and origin of the renal arteries and main branches and length of the renal veins were also determined. The terminology of Nomina Anatomica Veterinaria was followed. The mean and standard deviation of the length of the right kidney was 3.150±0.2588 cm in males and 3.127±0.3769 cm in females and in the left kidney was 3.083±0.0818 cm in males and 3.162±0.0848 cm in females. The width of the right kidney was 1.933±0.0848 cm in males and 1.996±0.0680 cm in females and in the left kidney was 1.850±0.0659 cm in males and 2.004±0.0940 cm in females. There was no significant difference in the measurements between the two sexes and antimeres and in the measures of renal vessels in relation to sex, but the left artery and renal vein were always larger than the right in both sexes. The results of the present study are expected to contribute to the body of knowledge in the field of comparative and applied anatomy.

Bupivacaína 0,25% versus ropivacaína 0,25% no bloqueio do plexo braquial em cães da raça beagle Bupivacaine 0,25% versus ropivacaine 0,25% in brachial plexus block in dogs of beagle breed AbstractThe brachial plexus block (BPB) is a regional anesthesia technique which enables the attainment of surgical procedures distal scapulohumeral articulation. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of ropivacaine and bupivacaine 0.25% without vasoconstrictor in BPB guided by electrical stimulation in dogs. Thirteen male and female beagle dogs underwent a BPB using bupivacaine and ropivacaine 0.25% (4mg/kg), both alone and in different times. forelimb and as control group the block proceeded in the left forelimb using a solution of sodium chloride 0.9% in volume corresponding to the drug in the contralateral limb. The block was performed after the localization of the radial nerve with the aid of eletrical stimulation, which was infiltrated half the volume of anesthetic calculated and subsequently the remaining solution was administered on the median nerve. We evaluated sensitive and motor latencies and sensitive and motor block total time by clamping technique. In the present study, a technique for electrical stimulation was effective in 100% of animals. Bupivacaine had lower motor latency period, however, the sensitive latency between the two groups showed no statistically significant differences. In the block total time, bupivacaine obtained time significantly higher. Clinical signs characteristic of Horner's syndrome were present in 15% of animals treated with bupivacaine. Furthermore, two animals presented signs of cardiotoxicity in bupivacaine group. The use of bupivacaine (4mg/kg) without vasoconstrictor in dogs brachial plexus block provided longer analgesia and motor blockade, however, ropivacaine at the same dose and concentration was found to be free of deleterious effects associated of cardiovascular instability, hemodynamic and respiratory.

ResumoA anestesia epidural é uma técnica de anestesia locorregional que propicia abolição de estímulos nociceptivos na região retro-umbilical. Este estudo visou comparar a eficácia do bloqueio sensitivo e motor da levobupivacaína e da ropivacaína, administradas por via epidural, em gatos. Foram submetidas ao bloqueio epidural, seis gatas as quais receberam de forma aleatória, através de estudo cego, três tratamentos com intervalos de uma semana entre estes: grupo NaCl 0,9% (controle); grupo levobupivacaína 0,5%; grupo ropivacaína 1%. Após a infusão das soluções procedeu-se estímulos nociceptivos através da técnica de pinçamentos. O bloqueio sensitivo foi determinado através das escalas visual analógica e simples descritiva e pelas variações de frequência cardíaca (FC) e respiratória (FR). Ademais, o bloqueio motor foi avaliado através do Escore de Bromage modificado e teste do reflexo do tendão patelar. Aplicou-se os teste da Análise de Variância e de Kruskal-Wallis para análise estatística dos dados. Não houve diferença significativa entre as variáveis FC, FR, bloqueio sensitivo e motor, entretanto, observou-se diferença nos períodos de latência. O uso da ropivacaína e da bupivacaína conferem eficácia equivalentes no que tange o bloqueio sensitivo e motor, diferindo nos tempos de latência sensitiva e motora, os quais são maiores no uso da ropivacaína. Palavras-chave: Anestesia locorregional, escalas de dor, analgesia, eficácia AbstractEpidural anesthesia is a locoregional anesthesia technique that provides abolition of nociceptive stimuli in retro-umbilical region. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of sensory and motor block of levobupivacaine and ropivacaine administered epidurally in cats. Six female cats were submitted to epidural anesthesia which received randomly, through blind study, three treatments at intervals of one week between these: group NaCl 0.9% (control); group levobupivacaine 0.5%; group ropivacaine 1%. After solutions infusion the nociceptive stimuli was proceeded by clamping technique. The sensory block was determined by visual analogue scale and simple descriptive scale and through heart rate (HR) and respiratory rate variances (RR). Furthermore, the motor block was evaluated using a modified Bromage score and patellar tendon reflex test. The analysis of variance and the Kruskal-Wallis test were used for statistical analysis. No significant differences were observed for the variables HR, RR, sensory and motor block, however, significant difference was detected in latency periods. The use of ropivacaine

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