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Background: Prophylactic administration of calcitriol has been suggested to mitigate the risk of hypocalcemia after parathyroidectomy. The effect of calcitriol on postoperative serum ionized calcium concentrations has not been evaluated in dogs after parathyroidectomy., Hypothesis/objectives: To determine the effect of prophylactic calcitriol administration on postoperative serum ionized calcium (iCa) concentrations in dogs with primary hyperthyroidism (PHPTH) treated by parathyroidectomy., Animals: Seventy-eight dogs with primary hyperparathyroidism treated surgically., Methods: Multi-institutional retrospective case study. Medical records from 2005 to 2015 were evaluated. Dogs were included if they had a diagnosis of PHPTH and had surgery to remove parathyroid tissue. Serum iCa concentrations were monitored for a minimum of 2 days postoperatively. Two study groups were evaluated: calcitriol administration and no calcitriol administration., Results: Serial postoperative iCa concentrations measured at 12-hour time intervals for 2 days postoperatively were positively associated with preoperative iCa concentrations. This association was evident at each time interval, and the effect of preoperative iCa concentrations on postoperative iCa concentrations decreased as time elapsed (12 hours, P < 0.0001; 24 hours, P < 0.0001; 36 hours, P < 0.04; and 48 hours, P = 0.01). Prophylactic calcitriol administration was not found to be significantly associated with postoperative iCa concentrations or its rate of decrease after parathyroidectomy., Conclusion and Clinical Importance: We found no protective value in administering calcitriol prophylactically to prevent hypocalcemia in the immediate postoperative period (48 hours) after parathyroidectomy. Preoperative iCa concentrations had a significant positive association with postoperative iCa concentrations throughout the monitoring period., (Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.)

Background: D-Penicillamine is the most commonly used copper-chelating agent in the treatment of copper-associated hepatitis in dogs. Response to therapy can be variable, and there is a lack of pharmacokinetic information available for dogs. Coadministering the drug with food to alleviate vomiting has been recommended for dogs, which contradicts recommendations for drug administration to humans., Hypothesis: Coadministration of d-penicillamine with food decreases relative bioavailability and maximum plasma drug concentrations (C(max)) in dogs., Animals: Nine purpose-bred dogs with a median body weight of 17.0 kg., Methods: Dogs received D-penicillamine (12.5 mg/kg PO) fasted and with food in a randomized, crossover design. Blood samples were collected before and 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours after dosing. Total d-penicillamine concentrations were measured using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated for each dog., Results: Two fasted dogs (22%) vomited after receiving d-penicillamine. Mean C(max) ± standard deviation (SD) was 8.7 ± 3.1 μg/mL (fasted) and 1.9 ± 1.6 μg/mL (fed). Mean area under the plasma concentration curve ± SD was 16.9 ± 5.9 μg/mL·h (fasted) and 4.9 ± 3.4 μg/mL·h (fed). There were significant reductions in relative bioavailability and C(max) in fed dogs (P < .001)., Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Coadministration of d-penicillamine with food significantly decreases plasma drug concentrations in dogs. Decreased drug exposure could result in decreased copper chelation efficacy, prolonged therapy, additional cost, and greater disease morbidity. Administration of d-penicillamine with food cannot be categorically recommended without additional studies., (Copyright © 2013 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.)

Background: The extent of preservation of clotting factors and incidence of transfusion reactions to noncommercial equine plasma is not documented., Hypothesis: Equine frozen plasma would retain its coagulation factor activity within the reference range and the incidence of transfusion reactions would be low., Animals: Ten plasma donor horses. Fifty clinically ill hospitalized horses receiving plasma were reviewed to determine the incidence of reactions., Methods: In vitro study and retrospective case review. Plasma was prepared by gravity sedimentation from whole blood refrigerated for 48 hours. The activities of factors VII through XII, antithrombin (AT), and Protein C were measured. Factor activities were compared for plasma samples obtained before blood collection (S0), after 48 hours of gravity sedimentation at 5 degrees C and after plasma separation (S1), and after 90 days of storage at -20 degrees C (S90). The medical records of 50 consecutive clinically ill horses receiving frozen plasma were reviewed to determine the incidence of transfusion reactions., Results: The combined effect of plasma harvest, gravity sedimentation, decantation, and freezing caused significant reductions in factors IX, (43%P= .0013), X, (33%P= .0001), XI, (48%P= .0008), AT, (10%P= .02), and Protein C (26%P= .0001). Activities for all factors analyzed, except factor X, remained within the reference ranges. Transfusion reactions were recorded for 5/50 horses., Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Clotting factors, AT, and Protein C were well preserved. The incidence of reactions to frozen plasma was 10%.