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Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 2015Intracranial neoplasia is commonly diagnosed in dogs and can be treated by a variety of methods, but formal comparisons of treatment efficacy are currently unavailable.... (Review)
Review
Intracranial neoplasia is commonly diagnosed in dogs and can be treated by a variety of methods, but formal comparisons of treatment efficacy are currently unavailable. This review was undertaken to summarize the current state of knowledge regarding outcome after the treatment of intracranial masses in dogs, with the aim of defining optimal recommendations for owners. This review summarizes data from 794 cases in 22 previously published reports and follows PRISMA guidelines for systematic review. A Pubmed search was used to identify suitable articles. These then were analyzed for quality and interstudy variability of inclusion and exclusion criteria and the outcome data extracted for summary in graphs and tables. There was a high degree of heterogeneity among studies with respect to inclusion and exclusion criteria, definition of survival periods, and cases lost to follow-up making comparisons among modalities troublesome. There is a need for standardized design and reporting of outcomes of treatment for brain tumors in dogs. The available data do not support lomustine as an effective treatment, but also do not show a clear difference in outcome between radiotherapy and surgery for those cases in which the choice is available.
Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Brain Neoplasms; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Radiotherapy
PubMed: 26375164
DOI: 10.1111/jvim.13617 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Feb 2023Light therapy, or photobiomodulation, is a collective name for methods where tissue is irradiated with different types of light, with the aim of stimulating healing.... (Review)
Review
Light therapy, or photobiomodulation, is a collective name for methods where tissue is irradiated with different types of light, with the aim of stimulating healing. Despite being frequently used, there is no consensus regarding the optimal treatment protocols for light therapy, nor its clinical efficacy. A systematic literature review was conducted, searching the relevant literature regarding light therapy in three databases, published between 1980-2020. The risk of bias in each article was evaluated. Forty-five articles met the inclusion criteria; 24 articles were regarding dogs, 1 was regarding cats, and the rest were regarding horses. The indications for treatment were musculoskeletal and neurologic conditions, skin disease and wounds, and pain. The literature review showed conflicting study results and unclear application for clinical use. This can be explained by the wide variety of treatment parameters used in the searched studies, such as wavelength, laser class, dose, and effect, as well as the frequency and duration of treatment. Although some beneficial effects were reported for light therapy, the studies also had limited scientific quality regarding these therapies, with a high or moderate risk of bias.
PubMed: 36830454
DOI: 10.3390/ani13040667 -
Veterinary Dermatology Feb 2021Feline allergic skin disease and asthma occur regularly in small animal practice. (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Feline allergic skin disease and asthma occur regularly in small animal practice.
OBJECTIVES
To provide evidence-based recommendations for small animal practitioners on the treatment of feline atopic syndrome (FAS).
METHODS AND MATERIALS
The authors reviewed the literature available before February 2020, prepared a detailed evidence-based literature review and made recommendations based on the evaluated evidence.
RESULTS
Sixty-six papers and abstracts were identified describing treatment interventions for FAS and evaluated to establish treatment recommendations. For many treatment options, the papers were retrospective, open studies or case reports.
CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE
In this review, there was good evidence for the efficacy of systemic glucocorticoids and ciclosporin, and limited evidence for the efficacy of topical glucocorticoids, oclacitinib and allergen-specific immunotherapy in feline atopic skin syndrome. Evidence pointed to low-to-moderate efficacy for antihistamines, fatty acids and palmitoyl ethanolamide. In feline asthma, there was good evidence for the efficacy of oral and inhaled glucocorticoids, and limited evidence of moderate efficacy for allergen-specific immunotherapy. Evidence supported low-to-moderate efficacy of mesenchymal stem cells, inhaled lidocaine and oclacitinib as treatments for feline asthma. For almost all therapeutic options (with the exception of glucocorticoids and ciclosporin), more randomised controlled trials are needed.
Topics: Allergens; Animals; Cat Diseases; Cats; Cyclosporine; Dermatitis, Atopic; Desensitization, Immunologic; Glucocorticoids; Immunotherapy; Retrospective Studies; Syndrome
PubMed: 33470011
DOI: 10.1111/vde.12933 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Dec 2022Electrotherapy modalities are currently used in the treatment of animals, but the evidence base supporting their use has not yet been systematically reviewed. Cochrane... (Review)
Review
Electrotherapy modalities are currently used in the treatment of animals, but the evidence base supporting their use has not yet been systematically reviewed. Cochrane guidelines, as adapted by the Swedish Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Assessment of Social Services, were followed for this systematic review. A literature search regarding all currently known electrotherapy modalities applied to horses, dogs, and cats was conducted for the years 1980-2020 using three databases: CABI, PubMed, and Web of Science Core Collection. Of the 5385 references found, 41 articles were included in the review: 13 papers on pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMFT), 7 on neural electrical muscle stimulation (NEMS), 5 on transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), 4 on static magnets, 3 on interference, 2 each on percutaneous electrical neural stimulation (PENS), bioelectricity, and diathermy, and 1 each on micro-pulsed stimulation, capacitive coupled electrical stimulation, and microwave therapy. The literature per modality was limited in quantity (mean 3.7 papers). Half of the articles were assessed to have a high risk of bias (20 high, 7 moderate, and 14 low). The existing literature used a spectrum of indications and treatment parameters, which makes comparisons and drawing conclusions to support the use of these modalities in clinical practice challenging. The current scientific evidence is not sufficient to support the clinical effects of electrotherapies for any clinical indication in horses, dogs or cats. The selected suggestive results warrant further high-quality research on PEMFT, NEMS, TENS, and PENS.
PubMed: 36611674
DOI: 10.3390/ani13010064 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Jun 2022Soft tissue mobilization is frequently used in the treatment of sport and companion animals. There is, however, uncertainty regarding the efficacy and effectiveness of... (Review)
Review
Soft tissue mobilization is frequently used in the treatment of sport and companion animals. There is, however, uncertainty regarding the efficacy and effectiveness of these methods. Therefore, the aim of this systematic literature review was to assess the evidence for clinical effects of massage and stretching in cats, dogs, and horses. A bibliographic search, restricted to studies in cats, dogs, and horses, was performed on Web of Science Core Collection, CABI, and PubMed. Relevant articles were assessed for scientific quality, and information was extracted on study characteristics, species, type of treatment, indication, and treatment effects. Of 1189 unique publications screened, 11 were eligible for inclusion. The risk of bias was assessed as high in eight of the studies and moderate in three of the studies, two of the latter indicating a decreased heart rate after massage. There was considerable heterogeneity in reported treatment effects. Therefore, the scientific evidence is not strong enough to define the clinical efficacy and effectiveness of massage and stretching in sport and companion animals.
PubMed: 35681903
DOI: 10.3390/ani12111440 -
Animal Health Research Reviews Jun 2022Cannabis is used in the treatment of several human conditions; however, its use is still less explored in veterinary medicine. This systematic review aims to summarize... (Review)
Review
Cannabis is used in the treatment of several human conditions; however, its use is still less explored in veterinary medicine. This systematic review aims to summarize the evidence of efficacy and safety of the use of cannabis for the treatment of animal disease. A literature search was performed for studies published until 16 March 2021 in five databases. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that reported the efficacy or safety of cannabis in the treatment of animal disease were included. The RoB 2 Tool was used to assess the risk of bias. A total of 2427 records were identified, of which six studies fully met the eligibility criteria. RCTs were conducted in dogs with osteoarthritis ( = 4), with epilepsy ( = 1), and with behavioral disorders ( = 1). All studies used cannabidiol (CBD) oil in monotherapy or in combination with other drugs. Studies used CBD at 2 or 2.5 mg kg twice daily ( = 4), orally ( = 5), during 4 or 6 weeks ( = 3), and compared CBD with placebo ( = 5). CBD significantly reduced pain and increased activity in dogs with osteoarthritis ( = 3). Moreover, CBD significantly reduced the frequency of seizures in dogs with epilepsy ( = 1) and the aggressive behavior of dogs ( = 1). Although promising results were identified, studies were heterogeneous and presented risks of bias that required caution in the interpretation of findings. Therefore, there was some evidence to support the use of CBD in dogs with osteoarthritis to reduce pain and increased activity, but limited evidence against epilepsy and behavioral problems. In addition, CBD was well tolerated with mild adverse effects. More RCTs with high quality of evidence are needed, including greater numbers of animal subjects, additional species, and clear readout measures to confirm these findings.
Topics: Animals; Cannabidiol; Cannabis; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Epilepsy; Humans; Osteoarthritis; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 35703023
DOI: 10.1017/S1466252321000189 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Sep 2021Mobilization and manipulation techniques are often used in small animal and equine practice; however, questions remain concerning indications, dosing and efficacy. A... (Review)
Review
Mobilization and manipulation techniques are often used in small animal and equine practice; however, questions remain concerning indications, dosing and efficacy. A bibliographic search was performed to identify peer-reviewed publications from 1980 to 2020 that evaluated the clinical effects of musculoskeletal mobilization and manipulation techniques in dogs, cats and horses. The search strategy identified 883 papers for review. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied. The clinical indications, dosages, outcome parameters, and reported efficacy within each publication were recorded and categorized for comparison with scientific quality assessed according to a standardized grading system. Fourteen articles were included in this systematic review of which 13 were equine and one was a canine study. Seven of these were cohort studies and seven were randomized controlled clinical trials. The canine study involved carpal immobilization-remobilization and all equine studies focused on the effects of passive mobilization ( = 5) or manipulation ( = 8) of the axial skeleton. Study quality was low ( = 4), moderate ( = 7), and high ( = 3) and included a wide array of outcome parameters with varying levels of efficacy and duration of therapeutic effects, which prevented further meta-analysis. Therefore, it was difficult to draw firm conclusions despite all studies reporting positive effects. Optimal technique indications and dosages need to be determined to improve the standardization of these treatment options.
PubMed: 34679808
DOI: 10.3390/ani11102787 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Dec 2022Virtual reality and augmented reality are new but rapidly expanding topics in medicine. In virtual reality, users are immersed in a three-dimensional environment,... (Review)
Review
Virtual reality and augmented reality are new but rapidly expanding topics in medicine. In virtual reality, users are immersed in a three-dimensional environment, whereas in augmented reality, computer-generated images are superimposed on the real world. Despite advances in human medicine, the number of published articles in veterinary medicine is low. These cutting-edge technologies can be used in combination with existing methods in veterinary medicine to achieve diagnostic/therapeutic and educational goals. The purpose of our review was to evaluate studies for their use of virtual reality and augmented reality in veterinary medicine, as well as human medicine with animal trials, to report results and the state of the art. We collected all of the articles we included in our review by screening the Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science databases. Of the 24 included studies, 11 and 13 articles belonged to virtual reality and augmented reality, respectively. Based on these articles, we determined that using these technologies has a positive impact on the scientific output of students and residents, can reduce training costs, and can be used in training/educational programs. Furthermore, using these tools can promote ethical standards. We reported the absence of standard operation protocols and equipment costs as study limitations.
PubMed: 36552437
DOI: 10.3390/ani12243517 -
Veterinary World Oct 2023In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has become increasingly necessary in the life sciences, particularly medicine and healthcare. This study aimed to...
BACKGROUND AND AIM
In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has become increasingly necessary in the life sciences, particularly medicine and healthcare. This study aimed to systematically review the literature and critically analyze multiple databases on the use of AI in veterinary medicine to assess its challenges. We aim to foster an understanding of the effects that can be approached and applied for professional awareness.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This study used multiple electronic databases with information on applied AI in veterinary medicine based on the current guidelines outlined in PRISMA and Cochrane for systematic review. The electronic databases PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and Elsevier were thoroughly screened through March 22, 2023. The study design was carefully chosen to emphasize evidence quality and population heterogeneity.
RESULTS
A total of 385 of the 883 citations initially obtained were thoroughly reviewed. There were four main areas that AI addressed; the first was diagnostic issues, the second was education, animal production, and epidemiology, the third was animal health and welfare, pathology, and microbiology, and the last was all other categories. The quality assessment of the included studies found that they varied in their relative quality and risk of bias. However, AI aftereffect-linked algorithms have raised criticism of their generated conclusions.
CONCLUSION
Quality assessment noted areas of AI outperformance, but there was criticism of its performance as well. It is recommended that the extent of AI in veterinary medicine should be increased, but it should not take over the profession. The concept of ambient clinical intelligence is adaptive, sensitive, and responsive to the digital environment and may be attractive to veterinary professionals as a means of lowering the fear of automating veterinary medicine. Future studies should focus on an AI model with flexible data input, which can be expanded by clinicians/users to maximize their interaction with good algorithms and reduce any errors generated by the process.
PubMed: 38023280
DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2023.2143-2149 -
Veterinary Surgery : VS Jan 2020To evaluate the evidence published on the treatment of idiopathic chylothorax (IC) in small animals.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the evidence published on the treatment of idiopathic chylothorax (IC) in small animals.
STUDY DESIGN
Systematic literature review.
SAMPLE POPULATION
Dogs and cats with IC.
METHODS
A literature search was performed in three bibliographic databases in July 2018 for publications on IC in dogs and cats. Articles meeting criteria for inclusion were evaluated for treatment, survival, outcome data, and level of evidence (LoE) with a modified Oxford Level of Evidence (mOLE) and GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations) system.
RESULTS
Eleven of 313 identified articles met the inclusion criteria. Only one study was identified in dogs as having higher LoE by using the mOLE system, whereas no study was identified as such in either species with the GRADE system. Surgery was the primary treatment in all dogs and in 93% (68/73) of cats. Medical therapy was the primary treatment in 7% (5/73) of cats. The most common surgical treatment combined thoracic duct ligation (TDL) and subtotal pericardiectomy (SP; 40%; 34/84) in dogs and TDL in cats (51% [37/73]).
CONCLUSION
The body of literature for IC treatment in small animals was limited to one higher LoE study in dogs and none in cats. No strong conclusion could be drawn regarding the effectiveness of any one surgical method in dogs or cats, and no evidence was found to support medical therapy as a primary treatment.
CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE
The best available evidence regarding the treatment of IC is published in dogs and provides some support for surgical treatment with either TDL + cisterna chyli ablation or TDL + SP. Additional evidence is required to confirm this finding.
Topics: Animals; Cat Diseases; Cats; Chylothorax; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Ligation; Pericardiectomy; Thoracic Duct; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 31508821
DOI: 10.1111/vsu.13322