Veterinary Research Forum

Abstract Salbutamol is a primary bronchodilator for feline asthma management. However, comprehensive data on its cardiovascular safety in cats are limited despite its widespread clinical use. This study aimed to characterize the acute cardiovascular and respiratory responses following nebulized salbutamol administration in healthy feline subjects, with an emphasis on clinical safety assessment. Twenty healthy adult cats received nebulized salbutamol (3.75 mg per 20 min). A comprehensive cardiovascular evaluation, including vital signs monitoring, electrocardiography, and echocardiography, was performed before and 15 min after treatment. Salbutamol administration was associated with minimal physiological alterations. Heart rate increased from a mean of 204.10 ± 33.09 to 218.35 ± 4.84 beats per min. The E-wave/A-wave ratio increased from 2.44 ± 0.33 to 3.05 ± 0.56. Normal sinus rhythm was maintained in all subjects (100%). Sinus tachycardia was observed in 65.00% of cats, transient PR interval shortening in 25.00%, and isolated premature atrial contractions in 15.00%. No pathological arrhythmias or significant conduction blocks were detected. Respiratory rate showed a minor increase from 38.05 ± 5.87 to 40.05 ± 5.96 breaths/min, while blood pressure and body temperature remained stable. Nebulized salbutamol demonstrates a high margin of cardiovascular safety in healthy cats. The preservation of normal sinus rhythm and clinically insignificant nature of the observed physiological changes support its continued use as a first-line bronchodilator in feline respiratory medicine.

Abstract The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of hypericin and fluoxetine in the treatment of companion dogs with tail chasing in Ahvaz district. In the present survey, eighteen dogs with tail chasing were assigned into three equal groups for a three-year period. The dogs were randomly classified based on different treatment groups. During 15 weeks, dogs of group A were given 0.05 mg kg^-1 hypericin orally and dogs of group B received 1 mg kg^-1 fluoxetine, orally. The group C was the control group. Changes in signs of tail chasing were weekly reported by the owners or a veterinarian. Treatment periods were assessed in five intervals: weeks 1-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12 and weeks 13-15, respectively. Hypericin (group A) was significantly more effective in the treatment of tail chasing compared with fluoxetine (group B), (p = 0.043). Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference in each group between weeks 1-3 (X² = 8.8, p = 0.01), 4-6 (X² = 9.1, p = 0.01), 7-9 (X² = 7.4, p = 0.03), 10-12 (X² = 10.4, p = 0.005) and 13-15 (X² = 12.5, p = 0.002). Improvement of behavior in the dogs of group A was significant compared with group B, between weeks 10-12 (X² = 5.4, p = 0.02) and 13-15 (X² = 7.2, p = 0.007). In conclusion, our survey showed that hypericin was more effective than fluoxetine in controlling signs of tail chasing.

Abstract Bluetongue (BT) is a viral disease of ruminants transmitted by Culicoides biting midges and has the ability to spread rapidly over large distances. The disease occurs almost worldwide between latitudes approximately 35˚ S and 50˚ N. Among the numerous diseases of ruminants, BT has gained considerable importance in recent years as one of the best examples of the effects of climate change on disease spread. Sheep are major livestock species in Iran, but studies of BT have not gained the priority compared to other diseases. Thus, the objective of this study was to describe the distribution and seroprevalence of bluetongue virus (BTV) infections in sheep in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province of Iran, and to identify factors associated with the exposure of these sheep to BTV infection. Sera from 262 apparently healthy sheep were collected during the year 2011. The collected sera of the animals were screened with competitive enzyme like immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA). Two hundred and three (77.48%) out of 262 sera tested were positive to BTV antibodies. Statistically significant differences were found in the seroprevalence BT, between sex and age of sheep (p < 0.001). No statistically significant differences were observed in BTV seroprevalence among different seasons, nor among recently aborted and normally delivered.