Veterinary bulletin.

Cover title.

Veterinary pharmacology and therapeutics.

Includes bibliography.

Treatment of eight dogs with nasal tumours with a alternating doses of doxorubicin and carboplatin in conjunction with oral piroxicam

Objective To determine the efficacy and toxicity of chemotherapy in the treatment of canine nasal tumours. Design Retrospective clinical study Procedure Eight dogs with histologically confirmed nasal tumours were staged by means of complete blood count, serum biochemical analysis, cytological analysis of fine needle aspirate of the regional lymph nodes, thoracic radiographs and computed tomography scan of the nasal cavity. All dogs were treated with alternating doses of doxorubicin, carboplatin and oral piroxicam. All dogs were monitored for side effects of chemotherapy and evaluated for response to treatment by computed tomography scan of the nasal cavity after the first four treatments. Results Complete remission was achieved in four dogs, partial remission occurred in two dogs and two had stable disease on the basis of computed tomography evaluation. There was resolution of clinical signs after one to two doses of chemotherapy in all dogs. Conclusions This chemotherapy protocol was efficacious and well tolerated in this series of eight cases of canine nasal tumours.

A comparison of the responses of first and second year veterinary science students to group project work

A change in curriculum permitted a direct and simultaneous comparison between first and second year responses to group project work while assuming similar prior experience with this method of learning. Responses were obtained by a survey form and by meetings with individual groups. Overall, there were no differences between first and second year responses, although analyses of gender responses suggested trends whereby males indicated they had developed greater creativity and felt they had contributed more to the group. The majority of students responded that group project work was a positive experience and a useful learning experience.

Treatment of canine osteosarcoma with surgery, carboplatin, doxorubicin and piroxicam

Thirteen dogs with histologically confirmed osteosarcoma were treated with surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. None of the dogs had evidence of metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis. The chemotherapy protocol consisted of four cycles of doxorubicin (15mg/m(2)) and carboplatin (150-220mg/m(2)) intravenously every three weeks. Both cytotoxic agents were administered concurrently. Oral piroxicam was administered at a dose of 0.3mg/kg once daily for the duration of the protocol. The treatment protocol was well tolerated. Only four patients developed mild neutropaenia or self-limiting gastrointestinal signs. Median disease free interval and survival time were 210 days and 450 days respectively.

Randomized controlled trial of an educational intervention for managing fatigue in women receiving adjuvant chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer

Purpose To evaluate the efficacy of a psychoeducational intervention in improving cancer-related fatigue. Patients and Methods This randomized controlled trial involved 109 women commencing adjuvant chemotherapy for stage I or II breast cancer in five chemotherapy treatment centers. Intervention group patients received an individualized fatigue education and support program delivered in the clinic and by phone over three 10- to 20-minute sessions 1 week apart. Instruments included a numeric rating scale assessing confidence with managing fatigue; 11-point numeric rating scales measuring fatigue at worst, average, and best; the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Fatigue and Piper Fatigue Scales; the Cancer Self-Efficacy Scale; the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C30; and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. For each outcome, separate analyses of covariance of change scores between baseline (T1) and the three follow-up time points (T2, T3, and T4) were conducted, controlling for the variable's corresponding baseline value. Results Compared with the intervention group, mean difference scores between the baseline (T1) and immediate after the test (T2) assessments increased significantly more for the control group for worst and average fatigue, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Fatigue, and Piper fatigue severity and interference measures. These differences were not observed between baseline and T3 and T4 assessments. No significant differences were identified for any pre- or post-test change scores for confidence with managing fatigue, cancer self-efficacy, anxiety, depression, or quality of life. Conclusion Preparatory education and support has the potential to assist women to cope with cancer-related fatigue in the short term. However, further research is needed to identify ways to improve the potency and sustainability of psychoeducational interventions for managing cancer-related fatigue.

Stress in veterinary science students: A study at the University of Queensland

This paper reports on the results of a survey of selected University of Queensland (UQ) veterinary students aimed at elucidating factors causing stress during the five undergraduate years of the program. Students from each of the five years were asked to form six- or seven-member focus groups. Each focus group was then interviewed and their opinions sought on causes of ongoing stress and the ranking of those causes into predetermined categories. They were also asked to give their opinions on counseling services available within the university and what, if any, services they would like to see in place to help students with stress-related problems. Students in the first, third, and fourth years of the program rated academic issues as the most likely causes of ongoing stress, while students in the second and fifth years of the program ranked lifestyle and financial issues as more likely to cause ongoing stress. in most cases, students coped well with these causes of stress and tended not to use counseling services available to all UQ students. When faced with stressful issues, students looked to their classmates or family members for help and not to university counseling services. Students were also happy to approach staff members in the Veterinary School when faced with a problem. The authors nevertheless conclude that mechanisms set in place at the undergraduate level to help veterinary students cope with stress should particularly benefit those students when they become new graduates and are faced with the stresses of veterinary practice.

A comparison of responses to group learning between first-year Asian and first-year Australian veterinary science students

Introduction - Group learning has been used to enhance deep (long-term) learning and promote life skills, such as decision making, communication, and interpersonal skills. However, with increasing multiculturalism in higher education, there is little information available as to the acceptance of this form of learning by Asian students or as to its value to them. Methodology - Group-learning projects, incorporating a seminar presentation, were used in first-year veterinary anatomical science classes over two consecutive years (2003 and 2004) at the School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland. Responses of Australian and Asian students to survey forms evaluating the learning experience were analyzed and compared. Results - All students responded positively to the group learning, indicating that it was a useful learning experience and a great method for meeting colleagues. There were no significant differences between Asian and Australian students in overall responses to the survey evaluating the learning experience, except where Asian students responded significantly higher than Australian students in identifying specific skills that needed improving. Conclusions - Group learning can be successfully used in multicultural teaching to enhance deep learning. This form of learning helps to remove cultural barriers and establish a platform for continued successful group learning throughout the program.

Carboplatin administration in sulphur-crested cockatoos (Cacatua galerita): Clinical observations

To determine the clinical effect of systemic carboplatin administration in birds, 6 sulphur-crested cockatoos (Cacatua galerita) were anesthetized and infused intravenously or intraosseously with carboplatin at 5 mg/kg over 3 minutes. Four birds were euthanatized 96 hours after infusion and 2 birds given an intravenous dose were euthanatized 21 days after dosing. All birds tolerated the anesthesia and carboplatin infusion and recovered uneventfully. At 24 hours after dosing, all birds were bright and active. Within 12 hours of dosing, feed intake was reduced and 3 birds vomited, but these signs abated by 48 hours after dosing. Mean body weight decreased by 4% at 24 hours after dosing and continued to decrease, but not significantly, until 96 hours after dosing. Changes in packed cell volume (PCV) and plasma total solids reflected blood loss caused by sampling. The mean PCV decreased significantly by 6 hours after dosing, and the concentration of plasma total solids decreased significantly at 1 hour after dosing and continued to decrease until 12 hours after dosing before progressively and significantly increasing toward baseline values by 96 hours after dosing. At necropsy, myelosuppression was not observed in any bird and no evidence of carboplatin toxicity was found. These results provide veterinarians with useful data for formulating efficacious and safe protocols for platinum-containing compounds when treating neoplasia in parrots and other companion birds.

Basal-like breast carcinomas: clinical outcome and response to chemotherapy

Background: Grade-III invasive ductal carcinomas of no special type (IDCs-NST) constitute a heterogeneous group of tumours with different clinical behaviour and response to chemotherapy. As many as 25% of all grade-III IDCs-NST are known to harbour a basal-like phenotype, as defined by gene expression profiling or immunohistochemistry for basal cytokeratins. Patients with basal-like breast carcinomas (BLBC) are reported to have a shorter disease-free and overall survival. Material and methods: A retrospective analysis of 49 patients with BLBC (as defined by basal cytokeratin expression) and 49 controls matched for age, nodal status and grade was carried out. Histological features, immunohistochemical findings for oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PgR) and HER2, and clinical outcome and survival after adjuvant chemotherapy were compared between the two groups. Results: It was more likely for patients with BLBCs to be found negative for ER (p < 0.0001), PgR (p < 0.0001) and HER2 (p < 0.01) than controls. Patients with BLBCs were found to have a significantly higher recurrence rate (p < 0.05) and were associated with significantly shorter disease-free and overall survival (both p, 0.05). In the group of patients who received anthracycline-based adjuvant chemotherapy (BLBC group, n = 47; controls, n = 49), both disease-free and overall survival were found to be significantly shorter in the BLBC group (p < 0.05). Conclusions: BLBCs are a distinct clinical and pathological entity, characterised by high nuclear grade, lack of hormone receptors and HER2 expression and a more aggressive clinical course. Standard adjuvant chemotherapy seems to be less effective in these tumours and new therapeutic approaches are indicated.