A synchronized pulsing rotary blood pump offers a simple and powerful control modality for heart unloading. This technique provides pulsatile hemodynamics, which is more physiologic than continuous blood flow and may be useful for perfusion of the other organs.

The present study is an initial step to more accurate speed modulation of RBPs to optimize the cardiac load control. To develop future control algorithms, the concept of high speed during diastole having a maximal unloading effect on the LV and high speed during systole increasing the pulse pressure is worth considering.

Dogs affected by genetic muscle disorders should be considered at risk for perianesthetic malignant hyperthermia, even in the absence of an RYR1 gene mutation.

The timing of pump ejection in synchronized mode yields control over left ventricular energetics and can be a method to achieve gradual reloading of a recoverable left ventricle. The traditionally suggested counterpulsation is not optimal in ventriculo-aortic cannulation when maximum unloading is desired.

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Background Equine pastern dermatitis (EPD), a multifactorial syndrome, manifests as skin lesions of variable severity in the pastern area. Despite the widespread use of antibacterial therapy for treating this condition, little is known about the contributing bacteria. Hypothesis/Objectives To investigate the bacterial skin microbiota in EPD‐affected and unaffected (control) pasterns. Animals Case‐control study with 80 client‐owned horses; each with at least one EPD‐affected and one control pastern. Methods and materials Horses were grouped by the form of EPD (mild, exudative or proliferative), the assigned severity grade and type of pretreatment (disinfectant, topical antibacterial or no antibacterial pretreatment). Skin swabs were obtained, and the microbiota composition was compared between the groups. Results Bacterial alpha diversity was reduced in affected pasterns (P < 0.001) and this reduction was significantly associated with the EPD forms (P < 0.001), and not with the type of pretreatment (P > 0.14). Analyses of beta‐diversity confirmed a disordering of the skin microbiota (P = 0.004) in affected versus control pasterns, that was particularly profound in more severe lesions. The type of pretreatment was not significantly associated with this disordering. Four differentially abundant families were detected, of which Staphylococcaceae was the most distinct. The relative abundance of staphylococci was significantly increased in affected pasterns (P = 0.011), particularly in those that had received antibacterial treatment previously. Conclusions and clinical relevance Changes in the microbiota are associated with the EPD form or severity of lesions. The role of bacteria in the pathogenesis of EPD as well as the propriety and consequences of antibacterial treatment should therefore be further investigated.

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