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NEWSLETTER
No 58 March 2001
Archives
THIS
MONTH
BSAVA
Congress
Cardiac
Failure - New Test
Atrial
Natriuretic Peptide (ANP)
Price
List Draw - Winners
Postal
Matters
NEW
Courier Service
Next
Clin Path Club meeting
Clin
Path Club Dates for 2001
FAQ's
Link of
the Month
Tail
End: Frisky cats abandon traditional values
BSAVA
Congess
It is nearly congress time
again normally one of the social highlights of the veterinary year. Unfortunately
this year a cloud hangs over the event as the Veterinary profession and
the farming community battle with Foot and Mouth Disease. At the time of
writing we have been informed that congress will go ahead. The committee
have undertaken a risk assessment and it is their belief that the advantages
of not cancelling outweigh the assessed risk. It is almost certain that
some people will assess the risk for themselves and choose not to attend
congress. It is hoped that cancellations will be minimal. I
If you are coming to congress
please find the time to visit stand number 89 opposite the BSAVA book shop.,
a bit easier to find this year. We look forward to meeting old friends
and making new ones so come and see us.
Cardiac
Failure - New Test
Reliable screening
test for early diagnosis and confirmation of canine cardiac failure
Canine
Heart Disease
Heart disease in dogs can
be either congenital or acquired, the latter being more common and tending
to develop later in life. Heart disease often goes undetected by the owner
because of the gradual deterioration of cardiac function. It is not until
heart failure occurs that it becomes evident.
Diagnosis
There are numerous approaches
to the diagnosis of heart disease, signalment, clinical history, physical
examination, radiography, electro-cardiology, echo-cardiography some of
which are particularly stressful to the patient.
The
Alternative
Canine Cardiac Screen is
a test based upon the detection of atrial natriuretic peptides (ANP). Detection
of ANP has been used in human cardiology for some time for the diagnosis
and classification of heart failure. The assay has now been validated for
use in dogs and has been shown to correlate well as an indicator of heart
failure.
Benefits
-
Test is less stressful than
some other diagnostic techniques.
-
Can be used as a standalone
early screening test for cardiac failure.
-
Can be readily incorporated
into a routine senior dog screen.
Sample
The correct sample is important
for accurate results. This is a minimum of 1 ml of heparin plasma. The
plasma must be separated from the red cells as soon after the sample is
taken as possible. The plasma must be free from haemolysis. If you do not
have a centrifuge let the sample stand in a cool place until the red cells
settle and carefully pipette off the plasma.
Request
details
-
Test Code: CCS
-
Test Name: Canine Cardiac Screen
-
Sample: see above
-
Cost: £20.00 less 25%
with special promotional discount voucher available from your Intervet
representative.
Also available as part of a
Geriatric Screen or a Diagnostic Screen at a Special Price
-
Test Code: +CCS
-
Test Name: Canine Cardiac Screen
– add to profile
-
Sample: see above
-
Cost: £15.00 less 25%
with special promotional discount voucher available from your Intervet
representative.
Interpretation
Based on the test manufacturers
validation data:-
Normal - proANP level
up to 1,350 fmol/ml.
The result should be interpreted
in conjunction with other clinical and test information eg creatinine.
Marginal results should be retested in 4 – 8 weeks.
Equivocal - proANP
level over 1,350 but less than 1,700 fmol/ml.
A result in this range could
indicate cardiac failure and should be interpreted in conjunction with
other clinical and test information eg creatinine, re-examine in 4 – 8
weeks.
High - proANP level
over 1,700 fmol/ml means there is a 92% or greater probability the dog
has heart failure.
NOTE – ANP levels
may also be increased in cases of renal failure.
References
-
Gottleib SS, Kukin Ml, Ahern
D et al, Prognostic importance of atrial natriuretic peptide in patients
with chronic heart failure. J Am Coll Cardiol 1989; 13;1534-39
-
Haggstrom J, Hansson K, Karlberg
BE et al. Plasma concentration of atrial natriuretic peptide in relation
to severity of mitral regurgitation in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.
Am J Vet Res 1994;55;698-703
-
Haggstrom J, Hansson K, Kvart
C et al. Effects of naturally acquired decompensated mitral valve regurgitation
on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and atrial natriuretic peptide
concentration in dogs. Am J Vet Res1997;58;77-82
Atrial
Natriuretic Peptide (ANP)
ANP is released from specialized
myocytes in the atria in response to high cardiac filling pressures. ANP
enhances renal secretion of salt and water. It causes vasodilation of arterioles,
primarily at the level of the kidney. This results in an increased renal
blood flow and increased filtration of blood through the kidney. ANP also
increases capillary hydraulic conductance, and this contributes to the
increased filtration, and subsequent reduction in blood volume.
Top
Price
List Draw - Winners
Four lucky winners
Thank you to all those who
took the time to enter the price list quiz and fill in the questionnaire.
You will by now have received a £5.00 discount voucher as a thank
you. The very positive and constructive feedback has always has been most
useful and will be taken note of when preparing the next price list.
Congratulations to the winners
of the £25.00 book token draw are:-
-
Mr M Brice MRCVS, Emerson Green
Veterinary Surgery;
-
Ms N Griffiths VN, David Wadsworth
MRCVS, Veterinary Surgeons;
-
Mrs M Williams MRCVS, Charter
Veterinary Surgery.
-
Janet Patric, Vet-Care
Top
Postal
Matters
Minimising postal
problems
The post "Hatfield" train
schedules have had an unfortunate effect on postal services or at least
that is what the post office would have us believe. Since Christmas we
have had a variety of postal problems. Most days this is no worse than
a rather larger second delivery than normal but occasionally we have had
batches of post anywhere from 2 to 5 days overdue with no explanation other
than it is "down to the trains". We do not believe them. I am pleased to
say that things seem to be back to normal.
There are steps which can
be taken to reduce the risk of delays. Post as early as possible in the
day. Find out the recommended posting time from your area for next day
delivery. If you have more than one post box to choose from check out the
posting times on each of them. Don’t use Recorded Delivery this delays
mail because of the extra handling involved. If your sample is time sensitive
use Special Delivery.
NEW
Courier Service
As an alternative to the
Royal Mail we can now offer an overnight courier service at a rate of £4.95
per collection (maximum weight 1kg) throughout the whole of the UK mainland.
If you would like further details of this service please contact Joanne
Kenyon on 01253 899215 or mail to nwlabs@nwlabs.co.uk
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CLIN
PATH CLUB
Next Meeting: Thursday
10th May 2001
Venue: Myerscough
College, Bowland Suite, Bilsborough, Lancashire
Speaker: Thurs 10th
May - Pip Boydell BVet Med CertVOpthal MRCVS: A philosphical approach
to seizures in the dog
Case book studies:
If
you would like to present an interesting case please contact Jane Miller
on 01253 899215 or mail at nwlabs@nwlabs.co.uk
The Clin Path Club meetings
are open to all veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses. Click for more
information.
To book your place, request
further information or a location map call Joanne Kenyon on 01253 899215
mail to nwlabs@nwlabs.co.uk
Top
CLIN
PATH CLUB - Dates for 2001
Please make a note in your
diary of the forthcoming meetings on the following
dates:-
Thurs 19th July - Prof Kenton
Morgan BA VetMB PhD MRCVS: Epidemiology
Thurs 20th September - To
be arranged
Thurs 15th November - Geoff
Skerritt BVSc Dip ECVN CBiol MIBiol FRCVS: Subject to be confirmed.
Top
FAQ’s
QIs
it true that the blood tubes that contain a gel separator should
not be used for phenobarbitone samples?
AYes.
In a trial, paired blood samples, one in a plain tube and the other in
a tube containing a gel separator, were compared. The samples were mailed
to a laboratory for phenobarbitone determination and the results compared.
Samples from gel tubes stored overnight showed a result approximately 6.5%
lower than the control sample and when stored for 96 hours there was a
20% reduction.
Link
of the Month
Cat
Hate UK An alternative view of cat ownership. Judge for yourself. Cat
lover or hater the site contains some interesting information and comment.
Comment from
the site Guest Book
Cindy's reaction was-
"I love cats, and I am not
even going to look at this site because they will probably show dismembered
cats or something, and if there's nothing I can do about it I'm not going
to pleasure them with the knowledge that one more person went to their
site and found it offensive."
But later Cindy said -
"OK I looked, thanks for
telling me! It wasn't that bad, and they have a right to gripe about irresponsible
pet owners."
"Prejudice is a terrible
thing - almost as bad as hatred"
Top
Tail
End
Frisky cats abandon
traditional values
Urban cats have abandoned
traditional family values and are mating with any Tom, Dick or Harry, according
to a recent study in Italy.
Scientists who monitored
the sexual activities of cats in Rome's biggest square say that the domestic
species – Felis silvestris catus – has given up controlled polygamy for
outright promiscuity.
During a three-month period
spent watching a total of 81 cats, the researchers from the University
of Milan and the University Claude Bernard in France found the level of
sexual activity of both toms and females to be prodigiously high, with
each female having relationships with up to 10 different partners in just
three days.
The researchers say that
the promiscuous behaviour may be a reflection of modern times. Life, they
suggest, has changed too quickly for the cats, not giving them enough time
to evolve tactics for living in cities where the males can no longer rely
on their own territories and harem.
"Courtship is not very elaborate
and consists mainly of the male running after the female and alternating
this with attempts to copulate,'' says the report.
The research also shows that
despite the changes, some toms are born losers. The observers of the cats
found that one tom, codenamed ZS, had 35 attempts at copulation in four
days and failed each time.
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