ABSTRACT Purpose: To evaluate the effects of the intra-articular application of hyaluronic acid associated with triamcinolone acetonide, and ozone gas in the treatment of induced osteoarthritis in rabbit’s stifles. Methods: Twenty-one Norfolk rabbits were submitted to cranial cruciate ligament transection of the left stifle. After six weeks of the surgery, the rabbits were randomized assigned into three groups: G1 (control) – saline solution (0.9%); G2 – hyaluronic acid associated with triamcinolone; G3 – ozone gas, submitted to three intra-articular applications every seven days. Results: Significant differences occurred: osteophytes at medial femoral condyle (G2 > G1, G2 > G3) on radiography exam; thickening of the medial condyle (G1 > G3, G2 > G3) on ultrasound exam; osteophytes at lateral tibial condyle (G2 > G1, G2 > G3), and medial femoral condyle (G1 > G2, G3 > G1) on computed tomography. Histologically, mean values of chondrocytes in the femur and tibia in G3 and G2 were statistically lower. Conclusions: The intra-articular injection of hyaluronic acid associated with triamcinolone accentuated degenerative joint disease by imaging and macroscopic evaluations, and by histological findings, this treatment and the ozone gas treatment showed similar effects and were inferior to the saline solution (0.9%).

Resumo Este estudo retrospectivo avaliou 181 cães com doenças neurológicas e osteomusculares atendidos em um serviço de reabilitação e dor crônica, durante o período de 2013 a 2015. Objetivou-se caracterizar o perfil epidemiológico e clínico dos animais e analisar a eficácia da acupuntura (AP) e terapias afins e respectiva evolução clínica. O diagnóstico baseou-se no exame físico, neurológico, ortopédico e de imagem. As afecções mais prevalentes foram as do sistema nervoso central, sobretudo doença do disco toracolombar e traumas vertebromedulares agudos. Nas enfermidades neurológicas, o tratamento foi considerado eficaz quando os pacientes foram capazes de recuperar a deambulação e para as lesões medulares, quando houve melhora clínica do quadro neurológico avaliado por meio de escores. O sucesso obtido nos quatro segmentos medulares foi de 69,5%. Nas enfermidades osteomusculares, 47% dos cães apresentavam lesões no joelho e 44% displasia coxofemoral (DCF). Adotou-se a escala analógica visual (EAV) de locomoção para definir o sucesso do tratamento nestas doenças, que foi de 52,8%. As técnicas que mais se associaram à AP manual foram, por ordem decrescente, a eletroacupuntura, a ozonioterapia e o LASER. O número de sessões de AP foi em média de 7,6±3,5. Conclui-se que a AP e técnicas afins melhoraram o escore de déficit neurológico nas doenças neurológicas avaliadas quando usadas de forma isolada e quando associadas à medicina convencional.

Abstract This retrospective study evaluated the clinical outcome of 181 dogs with neurologic and musculoskeletal diseases treated with acupuncture and related therapies at a rehabilitation service from 2013 to 2015. The diagnosis was based on physical, neurological and orthopedic examination, and radiography, MRI or CT. Neurological cases were the most prevalent, particularly intervertebral disk disease and spinal cord acute trauma. Treatment was considered successful in neurological cases when animals regained independent locomotion or in cases of spinal disease, when neurological scores changed from V, IV or III to II or I. The success achieved in the four spinal cord segments was 69.5%. For musculoskeletal diseases, 47% of the dogs had knee injuries and 24% had hip dysplasia. The visual analogue scale (VAS) of locomotion was adopted to define the success of treatment in these diseases, which was 52.8%. The techniques most associated with manual AP were in descending order electroacupuncture, ozone therapy and LASER. The mean number of AP sessions was 7.6±3.5. We concluded that AP and related techniques were effective to treat neurological diseases in dogs when used isolated or associated with conventional medicine.

Resumo Este estudo retrospectivo avaliou os casos clínicos de felinos atendidos em Serviço de Reabilitação e Dor Crônica, durante 13 anos, totalizando 98 prontuários. Os objetivos deste estudo foram caracterizar o perfil do paciente atendido e avaliar a eficácia da acupuntura (AP) e dos métodos associados a esta técnica no tratamento de doenças em felinos e respectiva evolução clínica. Constatou-se que 69,7% dos pacientes melhoraram após tratamento com AP, 16,7% não apresentaram resposta significativa e 13,6% vieram a óbito. Não foram registrados casos de piora relacionados ao tratamento com AP, embora, dos nove animais que vieram a óbito, três foram devido à progressão da doença primária tratada exclusivamente com AP. As principais afecções tratadas foram relacionadas ao sistema nervoso - sobretudo trauma medular e encefálico - em que se registrou uma melhora em 53,7% dos animais. O tratamento foi considerado eficaz quando os pacientes recuperaram a capacidade normal de deambulação e em casos de doenças medulares quando o escore neurológico mudou de IV (grave) ou V (muito grave) para I (normal) ou II (leve alteração). A técnica de agulha seca foi a mais utilizada para os tratamentos, com 94,7% de prevalência, seguida da eletroacupuntura (30,6%) e da laserpuntura (21,4%). O número de sessões totais de AP foi em média de 6,97±14,97, sendo as mesmas semanais. Conclui-se que o estímulo de acupontos utilizando diferentes métodos foi eficiente para tratar a maioria dos gatos com diversas condições clínicas, evidenciando que esta espécie provavelmente responde tão bem como os cães após o tratamento de AP.

Abstract This is a retrospective survey with the aim of investigate the clinical cases of cats attended at a rehabilitation and chronic pain control service during 13 years. The aim of this study was to analyze the efficacy and methods of acupuncture, evaluate clinical evolution and the patient profile in 98 clinical charts. The clinical outcome data showed that 69.7% of patients improved after treatment with acupuncture, 16.7% had no significant response and 13.6% died. No patient had worsening, despite three of nine animals that died were due to progression of the primary disease treated only with acupuncture. The main indications for the use of acupuncture in cats at the clinic were neurological diseases - particularly trauma in the spinal cord and brain - where there was an improvement in 53.7% of the animals. Treatment was considered successful in neurological cases, when animals regained independent locomotion and in cases of spinal disease, when neurological scores changed for IV or V to I or II. Dry needle acupuncture was the most used technique for the treatment, with 94.7% of prevalence, followed by electroacupuncture (30.6%) and laserpuncture (21.4%). The mean number of acupuncture sessions were 6.97±14.97. It was concluded that acupuncture was efficient to treat most of the cats with different clinical conditions, showing that these species probably respond as well as dogs after acupuncture treatment.