BACKGROUND: Peripheral blood vessels in pigs are not easily accessible, making placement of intravenous catheters difficult. Alternative methods to intravenous administration of fluids, such as administering fluids via the rectum (proctoclysis), are warranted in pigs. HYPOTHESIS: Administration of polyionic crystalloid fluids via proctoclysis results in hemodilution changes similar to intravenous administration. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the tolerance for proctoclysis in pigs and compare analytes before and after intravenous or proctoclysis therapy. ANIMALS: Six healthy, growing, academic institution-owned pigs. METHODS: Randomized, cross-over design clinical trial, with 3 treatments (control, intravenous, and proctoclysis) with a 3-day washout period. The pigs were anesthetized and jugular catheters were placed. A polyionic fluid (Plasma-Lyte A 148) was administered at 4.4 mL/kg/h during the intravenous and proctoclysis treatments. Laboratory analytes, including PCV, plasma, and serum total solids, albumin, and electrolytes were measured over 12 h at T0 , T3 , T6 , T9 , and T12 . Effects of treatment and time on analytes were determined by analysis of variance. RESULTS: Proctoclysis was tolerated by pigs. Albumin concentrations decreased during the IV treatment between T0 and T6 (least square mean of 4.2 vs 3.9 g/dL; 95% CI of mean difference = -0.42, -0.06; P = .03). Proctoclysis did not significantly affect any laboratory analytes at any time points (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Proctoclysis did not demonstrate hemodilution similar to intravenous administration of polyionic fluids. Proctoclysis might not be an effective alternative to the intravenous administration of polyionic fluids in healthy euvolemic pigs.

Background

Urolithiasis in small ruminants has a poor long-term prognosis, and long-term clinical outcomes are variable and unpredictable.

Objectives

To assess the accuracy of preoperative and postoperative blood l-lactate concentrations in predicting a negative outcome in goats undergoing tube cystostomy.

Animals

Thirty-four male goats undergoing tube cystostomy.

Methods

Retrospective study. Medical records of goats undergoing tube cystostomy from 2015 to 2020 were reviewed. Clinical variables recorded included signalment, procedures before surgery, urolith location and type, duration of hospitalization, and heart rate. PCV, plasma total protein, potassium, preoperative and postoperative blood l-lactate concentrations, preoperative and postoperative creatinine concentrations, and relative changes in blood l-lactate and creatinine concentrations over time were measured using heparinized blood. A negative outcome was defined as death or euthanasia from urolithiasis complications at 6 months after discharge. Negative outcomes as a function of independent clinical variables were evaluated using χ² or Fisher's exact tests, and multivariate logistic regression. P < .05 was considered significant.

Results

Median (95% confidence interval) preoperative, postoperative, and the relative change over time of blood l-lactate concentrations were 3.3 mmol/L (2.2, 4.8), 1.0 mmol/L (0.7, 1.3), and 0.4 mmol/L (-3.5, 3.2), respectively. Preoperative (P = 1), postoperative (P = .14), and the relative change over time (P = .63) of blood l-lactate concentrations were not significant predictors of a negative outcome. Furthermore, all other clinical variables measured were not significant predictors of a negative outcome (P > .05).

Conclusions and clinical importance

Veterinarians should advise clients that clinical outcomes after tube cystostomy in goats are likely unpredictable.

BACKGROUND: Blood transfusions are performed frequently in goats, but crossmatches are rarely performed. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: Determine differences in the frequency of agglutination and hemolytic crossmatch reactions between large and small breed goats. ANIMALS: Healthy adult goats, 10 large and 10 small breed. METHODS: Two hundred eighty major and minor agglutination and hemolytic crossmatches: 90 large breed donor to large breed recipient (L-L), 90 small breed donor to small breed recipient (S-S), 100 large breed donor to small breed recipient (L-S). A linear mixed model with treatment group (L-L, S-S, L-S) as a fixed effect and individual crossmatch as a random effect was used to identify variations in reaction frequency among groups and individuals. RESULTS: Frequency of major agglutination reactions for L-L, S-S, and L-S were 3/90 (3.3%), 7/90 (7.8%), and 10/100 (10.0%), respectively. Frequency of major hemolytic reactions for L-L, S-S, and L-S were 27/84 (32.1%), 7/72 (9.7%), and 31/71 (43.7%). Individual pairings and groupings had no effect on agglutination reactions. Individual pairings had no effect on the frequency of hemolytic reactions. For major hemolytic crossmatches, pairwise comparisons identified higher frequencies of reactions when comparing L-L to S-S (P = .007) and L-S to S-S (P < .001). CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Goats experience increased frequencies of hemolytic reactions compared to agglutination. Significant increases in hemolysis were seen between large breed donors and small breed recipients, compared to small breed pairings. Additional studies are required to determine correlations between crossmatches and transfusion reactions.