Digital venography in ruminants – a review

Abstract

Digital venography is a contrast angiography technique used to study digital vascularity. The technique is simple to be carried out and can be performed under field conditions using a standard radiographic unit. The venogram examination is used to complement conventional radiographic examinations in animals affected by foot diseases. Discrepancy in the contrast vascular pattern may be observed before the clinical signs of the foot disease. Digital venography studies in ruminants are in smaller number than those in horses. The herein presented review discusses digital venography techniques used in ruminants as well as the differences and similarities between ruminants (cattle, sheep and goat) and horses.

Estudo da técnica de venografia dos dígitos de vacas

“…Os volumes preconizados neste estudo não seguem os mesmos padrões recomendados para a espécie equina, em que os volumes podem variar de 25 a 30mL para animais entre 450 e 700kg (D'Arpe e Bernardini, 2010; Baldwin e Pollitt, 2010), até 36mL para equinos adultos de raças grandes (Redden, 2001), sendo recomendado de 25 a 30mL para bovinos adultos (Santos et al, 2015b), ao passo que, para ovinos e caprinos,são recomendados 10mL (Santos et al, 2015a). A alteração no volume é explicada pelas observações clínicas de um estudo piloto destes autores, em que se identificou pressão excessiva no êmbolo da seringa e desconforto dos animais durante a administração do contraste após 25mL em 10 vacas, independentemente da veia em que foi realizado o acesso.…”

Angiografia dos dígitos de bovinos jovens antes e após indução de acidose ruminal

“…Em bovinos, a técnica venográfica foi recentemente demonstrada (Santos et al, 2016), e o tempo gasto para realização do exame é o mesmo do que se encontra em trabalhos sobre equinos (Redden, 2001a). No trabalho em questão, mesmo que o tempo médio para a realização das radiografias tenha sido um pouco acima do que foi considerado ideal para esses autores, as imagens foram consideradas de boa qualidade.…”

Computed tomography angiography on the stifle region of the sheep

“…CT angiography of the knee joint in the sheep is a more advantageous method than the digital venography of cattle, sheep, goats (Santos et al, 2016) and goat's arteriography (Burns and Cornell, 1981;Nazhvani, 2007). By digital venography and arteriography one can observe either arteries or veins, while CT angiography allows simultaneous imaging of both parts of the circulatory system.…”

“…They are described by May (1955), and later by other authors: Schaller (2007), Ashdown and Done (2010). Various authors have examined the veins of the limbs of cattle, sheep and goat by digital phlebography (Santos et al, 2016). The veins of the limbs of the goat have been examined by arteriography as well (Burns and Cornell, 1981;Nazhvani, 2007), visualizing the vessels predominantly of the digits and in the metacarpal and metatarsal regions (Nazhvani, 2007;Santos et al, 2016).…”

“…Various authors have examined the veins of the limbs of cattle, sheep and goat by digital phlebography (Santos et al, 2016). The veins of the limbs of the goat have been examined by arteriography as well (Burns and Cornell, 1981;Nazhvani, 2007), visualizing the vessels predominantly of the digits and in the metacarpal and metatarsal regions (Nazhvani, 2007;Santos et al, 2016). Angiographic studies can be used to diagnose a variety of vascular diseases of the digits and hoof in the cattle, such as regional thrombosis, alter circulation in the dermis, undeveloped arterial arches and little or no arterial enlargement in corium coronae (Gantke et The diagnosis of osteoarthritic changes has been made by detecting the joint cartilage defects of the trochlea femoris, kneecap, lateral and medial condyles of tibia and femur, cruciate ligament defects, meniscus injuries in sheep and horses.…”