B-mode Ultrasound and Doppler Mode for Early-stage Pregnancy Diagnosis in Shi-Tzu Bitches

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Ocular ultrasonography and ultrasound biomicroscopy: applicability in clinical and ophthalmic surgery

With the advent of high frequency transducers, the use of ocular ultrasound has become widely used because it provides definitions of major ocular structures. This diagnostic tool is useful in the evaluation of ophthalmic injuries, and also used for qualitative and quantitative evaluation of intraocular and orbital lesions. It is a noninvasive, safe and fast, easy to use and can be performed in an awake animal. The ocular ultrasonography is indicated in cases of ocular opacity, when the ophthalmic examination cannot be done, and in eyes with ocular trauma or suspected orbital disease. Ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) is a diagnostic tool with high cost and sedation or general anesthesia is necessary, but has the advantage of evaluating structures poorly defined or visualized in the anterior segment of the eye. Therefore, this paper aims to show the importance of ocular ultrasonography and UBM to veterinary practitioners, and to demonstrate its advantages and indications in ophthalmic routine.

Ultrasound analysis of a canine patient with renal disease and chronic liver disease undergoing treatment with intravenous stem cells

With the improvement in quality of life of animals, it is increasingly frequent clinical care of elderly patients, which present renal disorders, including chronic renal failure. Recent studies report the use of stem cells to treat renal failure, which would improve the levels of urea and creatinine, and in renal ultrasound evaluation. With the present work, the idea is to report a case of ultrasonographic evaluation in a patient with chronic renal failure, liver disease and splenic nodule, which underwent stem cell therapy, where there was an improvement in the sonographic evaluation of part of the liver.

Doppler ultrasound in pregnancy assessment in bitches - literature review

Doppler ultrasound enables the assessment of blood flow in real time and has been widely used to aid in pregnancy diagnosis and monitoring in dogs and cats. This technique has a diferencial when compared with the B-mode ultrasound, as it allows the evaluation of vascular hemodynamic characteristics, while the two-dimensional ultrasound allows the diagnosis of pregnancy and fetal viability. Thus, the objective of this review is to describe how circulation is characterized in the uterine and fetal arteries in bitches during pregnancy using Doppler ultrasonography.

Abdominal ultrasound alterations in dogs with lymphoma

The aim of this study was to evaluate abdominal ultrasound images of dogs diagnosed with lymphoma. Seventy cases of dogs with lymphoma were analyzed. The animals selected were diagnosed with lymphoma which was confirmed by citology or histopathology. The most common sonographic alterations were abdominal lymphadenopathy (57.1%), hepatomegaly (54.2%) and splenomegaly (51.4%). Of the animals that had a cytology done of superficial lymph nodes, 82,8% showed diffuse sonographic changes in the liver, 54.5% had normal sonographic appearance in the spleen and enlargement of the medial iliac lymph nodes. Considering the results, we conclude that canine lymphoma is a complex disease and that it requires several laboratory tests for a correct diagnosis and prognosis.

Ultrasound examination in gastric diseases in dogs: description of cases

Ultrasound is considered the method of choice for evaluation of the gastrintestinal wall. Thickening of the wall is the most common ultrasonographic finding in gastric disorders. Inflammatory and neoplastic disorders are the most frequent causes of wall thickening. Case report 1: Boxer, with abdominal distension, ultrasound examination detected marked diffuse thickening of the gastric wall with loss of definition of wall layers. Fine needle aspiration guided by ultrasound diagnosed gastric carcinoma. Case report 2: mixed breed dog presenting oliguria, emesis and melena, the ultrasound examination showed diffuse thickening of the gastric wall, but with preserved layers and presence of calcification areas. An inflammatory process of the gastric wall was diagnosed using cytology. The distinction between inflammatory and neoplastic processes is performed based on several factors such as distribution, symmetry, size and architecture of the parietal layer in the lesions, and ultrasonography is a valuable tool to direct diagnosis and treatment.

Application of ultrasound in the evaluation of renal abscess in a dog

Renal abscesses are rare in dogs and, although its pathogenesis is uncertain, may occur in diabetic patients with pyelonephritis, nephrolithiasis, kidney injuries or after abdominal surgery or kidney biopsy. Because of nonspecific clinical signs, laboratory tests associated with ultrasonography are important to confirm the diagnosis and treatment. Generally, kidney abscesses have sonographic aspects with different degrees of echogenicity such as hypo or hyperechoic, homogeneous or heterogeneous, and may or may not have thickened and hyperechoic walls, depending on its chronicity. Our objective was to report the use of ultrasound as a complementary method in the evaluation of disorders of the urinary tract, focusing on a case of renal abscess in a dog.

Histopathological and b-mode ultrasound characteristics in a primary canine duodenal adenocarcinoma - case report

Lower gastrointestinal tract neoplasms are rare in domestic animals, representing 3% of all biopsies and necropsies. Our objective is to describe the histopathological and B-mode ultrasound findings in a case of duodenal adenocarcinoma in a dog, since it commonly occurs in the large intestine. On ultrasound examination, there was transmural wall thickening in the duodenum with loss of layer structure, focal peritonitis and adenopathy. Histopathological examination of the intestinal mass revealed a malignant epithelial neoplasm, densely cellular and infiltrative, extending through the lamina propria, submucosa, muscle and hypodermis, characterizing a duodenal adenocarcinoma. We conclude that adenocarcinomas may be included in the differential diagnosis of transmural lesions in the duodenum in B-mode ultrasound examinations, but a laparotomy and biopsy are required for definitive diagnosis.

Doppler and Elastography as complementary diagnostic methods for mammary neoplasms in female cats

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

A randomised controlled trial of periconal eye blockade with or without ultrasound guidance

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Ultrasound-assisted periconal ocular blockade in rabbits

ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the benefit and specifically the feasibility of using ultrasound in ophthalmologic periconal block, and the occurrence of complications.Study designProspective experimental study.AnimalsTen healthy New Zealand White rabbits (6-8months of age), weighing 2.0-3.5kg.MethodsRabbits were anesthetized by intramuscular injection of acepromazine (1mgkg(-1)), ketamine (30mgkg(-1)) and xylazine (3mgkg(-1)). Ultrasound-assisted periconal block with lidocaine was performed on 18 eyes. Intraocular pressure was measured by applanation tonometry whereas corneal sensitivity was assessed using an esthesiometer, before and after each periconal anesthesia.ResultsIn all 18 eyes, it was possible to adequately visualize the needle shaft within the periconal space, as well as muscular cone, optic nerve and local anesthetic solution spread. Lidocaine 2% without epinephrine (0.790.19mL) was injected into the periconal space. There was no statistical difference between the intraocular pressure (meanSD) measured before (10.9 +/- 2.9mmHg) and after (11.9 +/- 3.8mmHg) the periconal anesthesia (p=0.38). The effectiveness of the ultrasound-assisted technique was shown according to the values for corneal sensitivity, assessed before and after periconal anesthesia (p<0.0001). Complications were not observed in this study.ConclusionsEye ultrasonography allowed visualization of all anatomic structures necessary to perform a periconal block, as well as the needle insertion and anesthetic spread in real time. Further studies are required to prove the real potential of ultrasound for reducing the incidence of complications associated with ophthalmic blocks, especially when anatomic disorders of the eye could potentially increase the risk.Clinical relevanceUltrasonography is a painless, noninvasive tool that may improve safety of ophthalmic regional blocks, potentially by reducing the prevalence of globe perforation or penetration of the optic nerve associated with the needle-based techniques.

Acoustic radiation force impulse elastography of the spleen in healthy dogs of different ages

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Development of a new clean methodology with ultrasound-assisted extraction for analysis of sodium in pet foods

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)