The use of low doses of acepromazine as an aid for lameness diagnosis in horses: An accelerometric evaluation

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (05) ◽  
pp. 312-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gómez Cisneros ◽  
Varela del Arco ◽  
Santiag Llorente ◽  
Santos González ◽  
F. J. López-Sanromán

Summary Objectives: The aim of the present study was to quantify by accelerometry the trotting pattern of adult horses sedated with two different doses of acepromazine, in order to assess the use of this drug in equine lameness evaluations. Methods: Seven mature horses were used and three treatments were administered to each horse: saline solution, acepromazine (0.01 mg/kg), and acepromazine (0.02 mg/ kg). The portable gait analyzer used consisted of three orthogonal accelerometers that measure accelerations along the dorso -ventral, longitudinal, and lateral axes. Baseline values were obtained and after treatment, accelerometric recordings were repeated every five minutes during the first 20 minutes after the injection and then every 10 minutes thereafter for two hours. Ground-tolip distance was also measured. Results: Administration of acepromazine decreased some of the variables investigated and differences between doses were observed. Speed, stride frequency, and stride length were significantly reduced following treatments. For coordination parameters, no significant differences among values were observed. Energetic variables suffered only weak reductions whereas ground-to-lip distance values were significantly decreased up to 120 minutes after treatment. Clinical significance: Acepromazine produces significant alterations in the gait pattern with differences between doses, but it does not affect coordination variables in normal unexcited horses, and at a dose of 0.01 mg/kg may be the tranquilizer of choice for evaluating lameness in this setting.

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (23) ◽  
pp. 7989
Author(s):  
Stefano Lanzi ◽  
Joël Boichat ◽  
Luca Calanca ◽  
Lucia Mazzolai ◽  
Davide Malatesta

This study aimed to investigate the effects of supervised exercise training (SET) on spatiotemporal gait and foot kinematics parameters in patients with symptomatic lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD) during a 6 min walk test. Symptomatic patients with chronic PAD (Fontaine stage II) following a 3 month SET program were included. Prior to and following SET, a 6 min walk test was performed to assess the 6 min walking distance (6MWD) of each patient. During this test, spatiotemporal gait and foot kinematics parameters were assessed during pain-free and painful walking conditions. Twenty-nine patients with PAD (65.4 ± 9.9 years.) were included. The 6MWD was significantly increased following SET (+10%; p ≤ 0.001). The walking speed (+8%) and stride frequency (+5%) were significantly increased after SET (p ≤ 0.026). The stride length was only significantly increased during the pain-free walking condition (+4%, p = 0.001), whereas no significant differences were observed during the condition of painful walking. Similarly, following SET, the relative duration of the loading response increased (+12%), the relative duration of the foot-flat phase decreased (−3%), and the toe-off pitch angle significantly increased (+3%) during the pain-free walking condition alone (p ≤ 0.05). A significant positive correlation was found between changes in the stride length (r = 0.497, p = 0.007) and stride frequency (r = 0.786, p ≤ 0.001) during pain-free walking condition and changes in the 6MWD. A significant negative correlation was found between changes in the foot-flat phase during pain-free walking condition and changes in the 6MWD (r = −0.567, p = 0.002). SET was found to modify the gait pattern of patients with symptomatic PAD, and many of these changes were found to occur during pain-free walking. The improvement in individuals’ functional 6 min walk test was related to changes in their gait pattern.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mireya Becero ◽  
Aritz Saitua ◽  
David Argüelles ◽  
Antonia Lucía Sánchez de Medina ◽  
Cristina Castejón-Riber ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Capacitive resistive electric transfer (CRET), a radiofrequency at 448 kHz, resulted in increased superficial and deep temperature and hemoglobin saturation, faster elimination of metabolic and inflammatory products and enhanced sport performance in humans. This research aims to investigate whether the application of CRET affects the locomotor pattern in horses and to assess whether an accumulative effect appears when two CRET sessions are applied two consecutive days. Methods Nine horses were subjected to two CRET sessions applied in both right and left sides of neck, shoulder, back and croup. The horses were exercised on a treadmill, at walk and at trot, before CRET application and at 2, 6 and 12 h after. A second CRET session was applied next day, and the animals were evaluated again at the same times (i.e. at 26, 30 and 36 h after the first session). Between 5 and 7 days later, the same horses were subjected to a sham procedure and they were evaluated in the same times as in the CRET experiment. During treadmill exercise, locomotor parameters were measured with a triaxial accelerometer fixed in the pectoral region and in the sacrum midline. Results The sham procedure did not affect any of the accelerometric variables studied. CRET applications resulted in greater total powers, which resulted in absolute increased dorsoventral, mediolateral and longitudinal powers. However, a reduction in dorsoventral power expressed as a percentage of total power was found. Stride regularity increased. The greater total power resulted in longer stride length and because the velocity was kept fixed on the treadmill, stride frequency decreased. An accumulative effect of CRET application was only found in stride length and frequency. Conclusions It appears that CRET is a useful technique to enhance power and to elongate the stride at defined walk and trot velocities. The effect of these changes on performance should be studied for horses competing in different sport disciplines.


1983 ◽  
Vol 105 (1) ◽  
pp. 283-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. M. Williams

Oxygen consumption (VO2) of minks increased non-linearly with running speed over the range of 0.70-6.40 km h-1. A break in the VO2 vs speed relationship occurred at approximately 3.94 km h-1 and corresponded to the transition from a walking to a half-bounding gait pattern. Incremental transport costs associated with bounding were 36% lower than for walking at similar speeds. The lower energetic cost of bounding was attributed in part to low stride frequencies and in part to spinal flexion. The latter was particularly important in circumventing stride length restrictions associated with the short limbs of these animals. As a result, stride frequency and stride length of these elongate mustelids at the gait transition speed were similar to values predicted for conventionally-shaped mammals.


2006 ◽  
Vol 86 (7) ◽  
pp. 987-1000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chia-Ling Ho ◽  
Kenneth G Holt ◽  
Elliot Saltzman ◽  
Robert C Wagenaar

Abstract Background and Purpose. Children with cerebral palsy (CP) often are faced with difficulty in walking. The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effects of functional electrical stimulation (FES) applied to the gastrocnemius-soleus muscle complex on the ability to produce appropriately timed force and reduce stiffness (elastic property of the body) and on stride length and stride frequency during walking. Subjects and Methods. Thirteen children with spastic CP (including 4 children who were dropped from the study due to their inability to cooperate) and 6 children who were developing typically participated in the study. A crossover study design was implemented. The children with spastic CP were randomly assigned to either a group that received FES for 15 trials followed by no FES for 15 trials or a group that received no FES for 15 trials followed by FES for 15 trials. The children who were having typical development walked without FES. Kinematic data were collected for the children with CP in each walking condition and for the children who were developing typically. Impulse (force-producing ability) and stiffness were estimated from an escapement-driven pendulum and spring system model of human walking. Stride length and stride frequency also were measured. To compare between walking conditions and between the children with CP and the children who were developing typically, dimensional analysis and speed normalization procedures were used. Results. Nonparametric statistics showed that there was no significant difference between the children with CP in the no-FES condition and the children who were developing typically on speed-normalized dimensionless impulse. In contrast, the children with CP in the FES condition had a significantly higher median value than the children who were developing typically. The FES significantly increased speed-normalized dimensionless impulse from 10.02 to 16.32 when comparing walking conditions for the children with CP. No significant differences were found between walking conditions for stiffness, stride length, and stride frequency. Discussion and Conclusion. The results suggest that FES is effective in increasing impulse during walking but not in decreasing stiffness. The effect on increasing impulse does not result in more typical spatiotemporal gait parameters. [Ho CL, Holt KG, Saltzman E, Wagenaar RC. Functional electrical stimulation changes dynamic resources in children with spastic cerebral palsy. Phys Ther. 2006;86:987–1000.]


1966 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 177-185
Author(s):  
Aurelio Di Marco ◽  
Rosella Silvestrini ◽  
Emidio Calendi

The possibility that the «in vivo» treatment with heterologous albumin coupled with diazotized acriflavine may affect the sensitivity of lymphoid cells to the action of acriflavine was studied. Albino mice CFW strain were treated subcutanceusly with the coupled albumin in the presence of complete Freund adjuvant. Lymph nodes from control and immunized animals, fifteen days after the treament, were cultured «in vitro» in the presence of different doses of acriflavine (from 0.5 to 4 μg/ml). The action of acriflavine was evaluated as the growth of cultures, the percent of lymphoid cells in the different phases of differentiation and the percent of proliferating cells after incubation for 24 hours in the presence of 3H thymidine. Results show that lymphoid cells of immunized mice are less sensitive to the citotoxic activity of acriflavine than those of the controls. Acriflavine, at low doses, reduces the growth of normal cultures and the proliferative activity of immature elements. At the highest doses the proliferation area is almost completely absent and the elements still present are strongly degenerated. Acriflavine, at the concentration able to reduce or to inhibit the growth of control cultures, is ineffective in altering the ratio of immature elements in cultures of immunized animals. The ability of these elements to incorporate 3H thymidine is also unchanged.


1956 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 1251-1260 ◽  
Author(s):  
André DesMarais

The effect of ascorbate administration on resistance to cold and thyroid function was studied in adrenalectomized rats receiving various amounts of cortisone and/or DCA; in thyroidectomized rats given different doses of of thyroxine, the effect of ascorbate administration was evaluated on both resistance to cold and adrenal function.In adrenalectomized rats given large doses of cortisone (2.5 mgm.) and exposed to cold, the administration of either ascorbate (150 mgm.) or DCA (2.5 mgm.) enhances the survival, reduces the extent of thymolysis, and decreases the activation of the thyroid. In adrenalectomized rats receiving no cortisone or DCA or low doses (0.4 and 0.1 mgm.) of these hormones, ascorbate administration (150 mgm.) still retains some of its beneficial effects on resistance to cold (better growth and survival); when low doses of DCA (0.1 mgm.) are given without cortisone, ascorbate administration seems to have a deleterious effect on the growth and survival during exposure to cold, with a greater increase in thyroid activity.In thyroidectomized rats exposed to cold, ascorbate administration (150 mgm.) has no effect in the absence of thyroxine, but increases the efficiency of low doses (3 μgm.) of thyroxine, preventing at the same time some of the typical signs of an alarm reaction: thymolysis and adrenal enlargement.These results are interpreted as showing that the role of the cortical hormones in resistance to cold might be limited to a "conditioning" action and that the beneficial effects of ascorbate administration would be mediated through the thyroid hormones.


Koedoe ◽  
1982 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
R. B Huey

Sprint capacities (maximum speed, acceleration, stride length, stride frequency) of diurnal lizards from the Kalahari were measured on sandy substrates in the laboratory. Despite major interfamilial differences in body sizes and in body proportions, measures of sprint capacity were remarkably similar among families: some heavy bodied skinks ran as fast as did some sleek lacertids. Sprint capacities change during ontogeny in lizards. Maximum speed, stride length, and possibly acceleration all increase with size and presumably with age.


1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 221-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rory P. Wilson ◽  
Boris Culik ◽  
Dieter Adelung ◽  
N. Ruben Coria ◽  
Hugo J. Spairani

We noted whether Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae), when travelling over snow, walked or tobogganed according to gradient, snow friction, or snow penetrability. Both walking and tobogganing penguins reduced stride length and stride frequency, and thus speed, with increasing uphill gradient although tobogganing birds travelled faster and with fewer leg movements. The incidence of tobogganing increased with decreasing friction between penguin and snow. The percentage of penguins tobogganing was also highly positively correlated with increasing snow penetrability. Penguins walking on soft snow must expend additional energy to pull their feet through the snow, whereas tobogganing birds do not sink. It is to be expected that Adélie penguins would utilize the most energetically favourable form of travel which, under almost all conditions, appeared to be tobogganing. Although tobogganing appears to be energetically more efficient than walking, rubbing the feathers over snow increases the coefficient of friction in unpreeened plumage. We propose that a high incidence of tobogganing necessitates increased feather care and that the decision whether to walk or toboggan probably represents a balance between immediate energy expenditure and subsequent energy and time expended maintaining plumage condition.


2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 571-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Martin-Flores ◽  
Daniel M Sakai ◽  
Juhana Honkavaara ◽  
Luis Campoy

Objectives The objective of this study was to evaluate the cardiovascular effects of low-dose atipamezole administered intravenously to isoflurane-anesthetized cats receiving dexmedetomidine. We hypothesized that atipamezole would increase heart rate (HR) and reduce arterial blood pressure in isoflurane-anesthetized cats receiving dexmedetomidine. Methods Six healthy adult domestic shorthair cats were anesthetized with isoflurane and instrumented for direct arterial pressures and cardiac output (CO) measurements. The cats received a target-controlled infusion of dexmedetomidine (target plasma concentration 10 ng/ml) for 30 mins before administration of atipamezole. Two sequential doses of atipamezole (15 and 30 μg/kg IV) were administered at least 20 mins apart, during dexmedetomidine administration. The effects of dexmedetomidine and each dose of atipamezole on HR, mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), CO and systemic vascular resistance (SVR) were documented. Results Dexmedetomidine reduced the HR by 22%, increased MAP by 78% (both P ⩽0.01), decreased CO by 48% and increased SVR by 58% (both P ⩽0.0003). Administration of atipamezole 15 and 30 μg/kg intravenously increased HR by 8% ( P = 0.006) and 4% ( P = 0.1), respectively. MAP decreased by 39% and 47%, respectively (both P ⩽0.004). Atipamezole 30 μg/kg returned CO and SVR to baseline values. Conclusions and relevance Low doses of atipamezole (15 and 30 μg/kg) administered intravenously to anesthetized cats decreased arterial blood pressure with only marginal increases in HR. Atipamezole 30 μg/kg restored CO and SVR to baseline values before dexmedetomidine administration.


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