Kvitka, Dmitrij

Epilepsija – viena dažniausių šunų ir kačių neurologinių ligų, o status epilepticus (SE) sukelia tiesioginį pavojų gyvybei. Darbe vertintos šunų ir kačių epilepsijos priepuolių tipų sąsajos su epidemiologiniais veiksniais ir etiologija, atlikta šunų morfometrinė galvos smegenų MRT vaizdų analizė bei nustatytas α2-adrenoreceptorių agonistų veiksmingumas status epilepticus metu, taikant EEG kontrolę. Kompleksiškai įvertinus epidemiologinių, klinikinių, laboratorinių ir etiologinių veiksnių sąsajas su priepuolių tipais, nustatyta amžiaus įtaka idiopatinės epilepsijos pasireiškimui bei klasterinių priepuolių progresavimo į SE dėsningumai. Specifiniu MRT protokolu, išskirtos pagrindinės ligos etiologinės grupės ir nustatyta jų įtaka priepuolių pobūdžiui. Atskirai išanalizavus uždegiminę ir navikinę epilepsijos kilmę, nustatyti specifiniai ligos sunkumo skirtumai, leidžiantys prognozuoti priepuolių tipą. Identifikuoti ryškesni kraujo rodiklių pokyčiai SE grupėje bei įvertinta fenobarbitalio koncentracijos dinamika, įrodant, kad individualus vaisto dozavimas turi būti orientuotas į kliniką, o ne priepuolio tipą. Taikant MRT morfometrinę analizę, aptikti specifiniai smegenų kaktinės ir smilkininės skilčių tūrio skirtumai bei hipokampo asimetrija pacientams, neturintiems įprastinių pažeidimų. EEG įvertinus deksmedetomidino galimybę slopinti epilepsiforminę veiklą SE metu patvirtinta, kad jis nutraukia ne tik priepuolius, bet ir slopina epilepsinį galvos smegenų aktyvumą.

Periodontal disease is a progressive inflammatory condition frequently diagnosed in dogs, particularly in small breeds such as Yorkshire Terriers, Toy Terriers, Spitz, Toy Poodles and other breeds predisposed to rapid plaque and tartar accumulation. As the field of regenerative medicine becomes more popular, more and more attention is being paid to substances that promote tissue regeneration, one of which is platelet-rich plasma (PRP). PRP is an autologous blood-derived product rich in growth factors that stimulate tissue regeneration and modulate inflammation. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of PRP injections without additional activating agents in the management of stage 2–3 periodontitis in small-breed dogs. Forty-two adult dogs (Yorkshire Terriers, Toy Terriers, Pomeranians, Toy Poodles, and Havanese) were enrolled and divided into two groups: PRP (n = 30) and control (n = 12). Following standard dental prophylaxis, the PRP group received gingival, submucosal, and periodontal pocket injections of PRP (0.1 mL per site). Periodontitis stage, gingival index, periodontal pocket depth, and horizontal bone loss were evaluated at baseline and 30 days post-treatment. PRP therapy significantly improved all evaluated parameters (p < 0.05). The gingival index decreased threefold, periodontal pocket depth was reduced twofold, and horizontal bone loss decreased by more than twofold compared with baseline and controls. No adverse reactions, discomfort, or postoperative complications were observed. The administration of non-activated PRP as an adjunct to dental cleaning significantly enhances soft and hard tissue regeneration in small-breed dogs with stage 2–3 periodontitis. PRP therapy represents a safe, minimally invasive, and effective regenerative approach for improving periodontal health in routine veterinary dentistry.

Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder in cats, but its seizure types, etiologies, and clinical associations remain incompletely characterized compared to dogs. This retrospective study analyzed 118 feline epilepsy cases from two veterinary hospitals in Finland and Lithuania, aiming to evaluate the distribution of seizure types and their associations with demographic, clinical, neurological, diagnostic, and diagnostic test results. Seizures were classified as single generalized (SG), cluster seizures (CS), or status epilepticus (SE). SG and CS occurred with nearly equal frequency (44.9% and 45.8%, respectively), while SE was less common (9.3%). Median age at presentation was 72 months, and no significant differences were found in age, sex, reproductive status, or body weight between seizure types. Abnormal clinical findings (p = 0.009) and neurological abnormalities (p < 0.001) were significantly more frequent in cats with SE, indicating greater neurological compromise in severe seizure forms. MRI was performed in 74.6% of cases and revealed a significant difference in utilization among seizure types (p = 0.004), with lower imaging rates in SE, likely reflecting clinical instability at presentation. Etiology of seizure development was established in 89 cats: idiopathic epilepsy (IE) predominated (80.9%), followed by structural (15.7%) and metabolic/toxic (3.4%) causes. Seizure type and etiology were significantly associated (p = 0.006), with structural epilepsy most common in SE and idiopathic epilepsy prevailing in SG and CS. Among cats with known outcomes (n = 35), seizure control was achieved in 68.6%, while mortality and euthanasia were higher in SE. These findings provide new insight into feline epilepsy by linking seizure type to clinical and etiological profiles, emphasizing that severe presentations are more often associated with neurological abnormalities and structural causes, whereas demographic factors alone do not predict seizure severity.

Small breed dogs such as Yorkshire Terriers, Toy Terriers, Spitz, Toy Poodles and other breeds have a genetic predisposition to accumulate tartar and plaque faster and suffer from periodontitis [1–3]. As the field of regenerative medicine becomes more popular, more and more attention is being paid to substances that promote tissue regeneration, one of which is platelet-rich plasma (PRP) [4]. The aim of this study was to find out the effectiveness of applying PRP injections in daily small animal veterinary dentistry practice. A total of 42 adult dogs of various small breeds participated in the study. The PRP group (n = 30) included patients that, after dental hygiene, received PRP injections. All the owners of enrolled dogs voluntarily opted for the PRP treatment option. The control group (n = 12) included patients whose owners did not agree to PRP injections. Under general anaesthesia, plaque and tartar were removed, then the periodontal pockets of all teeth were measured, the degree of periodontitis (PD) and the gingival index (GI) were determined, dental radiographs of the affected teeth were performed, and horizontal bone loss was measured. PRP was injected into the submucosa of affected teeth, under the gums, and into the periodontal pockets in 0.1 mL doses. Repeated assessments and measurements were performed after 30 days. Statistical analysis was assessed using SPSS Statistics 26 software. The data are provided in median and min-max values. The differences were considered significant if the P value was ≤ 0.05. We found that PRP injections statistically significantly reduced the PD compared with days 0 and 30 in the PRP group (day 0 – 3 (2–3), day 30 – 2 (1–2), P<0.05). The GI after PRP injections decreased by 3 times (day 0 – 3 (2–3), day 30 – 1 (0–2), P < 0.05) compared with days 0 and 30. The GI after 30 days decreased by 2 times (control – 2 (1–2), PRP – 1 (0–2), P < 0.05) compared with the control and PRP groups. The depth of gingival pockets after PRP injections decreased by 2 times (day 0 – 4 (1–8), day 30 – 2 (1–4), P < 0.05) compared with days 0 and 30. The depth of gingival pockets after 30 days decreased by 1.5 times (control – 3 (1–5), PRP – 2 (1–4), P < 0.05) compared with the control and PRP groups. Horizontal bone loss after PRP injections decreased by slightly more than 2 times (day 0 – 4.20 (1.18–8.54), day 30 – 2.08 (1.03–5.35), P < 0.05) compared with days 0 and 30. Horizontal bone loss after 30 days decreased by 1.7 times (control – 3.61 (1.12–5.74), PRP – 2.08 (1.03–5.35), P < 0.05) compared with the control and PRP groups. The use of gingival, submucosal and periodontal pocket injections of PRP without any activating substance can be safely and successfully used in the treatment of grade 2–3 periodontitis in small breed dogs in daily small animal veterinary dentistry practice.

Background: Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (LCPD) is characterized by ischemic necrosis of the femoral head, primarily affecting small-breed dogs. Case Description: An 11-month-old female toy poodle presented with hindlimb lameness due to LCPD. The dog was treated with intra-articular injection of platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and clinical improvement was evaluated using lameness scoring, range of motion, thigh girth measurements, and radiographic assessment. Conclusion: PRP administration resulted in significant clinical improvement, including reduction in lameness, minimal requirement of pain relief, cessation of bone lysis, and increased muscle mass by day 44 post-treatment.

Epilepsy is one of the most common chronic neurological disorders in dogs, characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures. Epileptic seizures are typically classified as single generalized (SG), cluster seizures (CS), or status epilepticus (SE), with CS and SE representing neurological emergencies linked to high morbidity and mortality. This retrospective study analyzed 254 canine epilepsy cases from two veterinary clinics in Finland and Lithuania, aiming to evaluate the frequency and clinical associations of CS and SE. Patient data included age of seizure onset, sex, weight, neuter status, blood test results, clinical and neurological examinations, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, etiology classification and clinical outcome. Seizure type distribution was as follows: CS in 47.2%, SG in 26.8%, and SE in 26.0% of cases. SG seizures were significantly more common than CS in dogs aged 6–72 months (54.4% vs. 38.3%, p = 0.005), and more frequent in first-time cases compared to previously treated ones (p = 0.005). SE was significantly associated with inflammatory brain disease, abnormal clinical and neurological findings, and a higher rate of euthanasia (29.2%, p < 0.05). Dogs with structural epilepsy were older (median 108 months) and more likely to develop SE (35.5%). Most cases initially presented as SG (58.1%), but 44.5% progressed to CS and 24.6% to SE. MRI revealed lesions in 46.5% of cases, with SE more frequent in dogs with inflammatory changes and SG predominating in neoplastic cases. No significant associations were found between seizure type and sex, reproductive status, or body weight. These findings provide new insights into seizure presentation, progression, and underlying pathology, supporting the importance of early diagnosis and individualized clinical management in canine epilepsy.

Background: Epilepsy is a well-established and extensively studied condition in both human and veterinary medicine. Case Description: A 4-year-old captive, intact male ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) presented with a 2-year history of recurrent seizures. History of disease, clinical and neurological examination, blood and immunological examination for Toxoplasma gondi and magnetic resonance imaging were conducted to identify potential underlying causes of the seizures. Magnetic resonance imaging findings were consistent with idiopathic epilepsy, and antiepileptic drug therapy was initiated with oral phenobarbital 10 mg/animal twice a day Serum levels were monitored to ensure therapeutic efficacy. Following the initiation of treatment, the patient experienced successful control of seizures, with no significant adverse effects noted during the follow-up period. Conclusion: This case describes the diagnostic approach and management of seizures in ring-tailed lemur, a species, that has not been described before.

Kiaulės širdis dėl anatominių ir net daugelio fiziologinių parametrų panašumų su žmogaus širdimi yra itin dažnai panaudojama fundamentiniuose tyrimuose, modeliuojant įvarias širdies ligas. Tyrimais, aprašytais šioje disertacijoje, siekta detaliai ištirti kiaulės epikardinio nervinio rezginio kraujagysles, jų pasiskirstymą, įvairovę, sandarą ir palyginti šio tyrimo duomenis su analogiškais iš žmogaus širdies nervų kraujagyslių tyrimais, siekiant įvertinti kiaulės, kaip eksperimentinio gyvūnų modelio, tinkamumą ir panaudojimo racionalumą tolimesniuose tyrimuose, turinčiuose uždavinį tobulinti širdies aritmijų gydymą lokalios transkoronarinės etanolinės neuroabliacijos metodu. Pritaikius skirtingus kraujagyslių žymėjimo metodus (epoksidinių dervų, skirtingų spalvų tušo tirpalų ir pomidoro lecitinų injekcijas į širdies vainikines ir ekstrakardines kraujagysles) ir detalią paruoštų širdies preparatų analizę (šviesinę, kontaktinę, konfokalinę ir elektroninę mikroskopiją) šiame darbe, pirmą kartą, detaliai ištirta naminės kiaulės epikardinio nervinio rezginio kraujo mikrocirkuliacijos anatomija. Nustatyta, kad kiaulės epikardiniai nervai ir nerviniai mazgai yra aprūpinami krauju tiek per vainikines, tiek ir ne per vainikines (ekstrakardines) kraujagysles. Nuo vainikinių arterijų atsišakojančios, epikardinius nervus ir nervinius mazgus maitinančios kraujagyslės yra jų penktos-šeštos eilės šakos – arteriolės, kurios šiuose nervuose ir mazguose išsišakoja į kapiliarų tinklą. Nors kiaulės epikardinių nervų ir nervinių mazgų kapiliarai savo morfometriniais parametrais yra panašūs į žmogaus atitinkamus kapiliarus, tačiau kiaulėms šiose epikardinėse struktūrose yra būdingos gausios arteriolės, kurių nėra nustatyta žmogaus epikardiniuose nervuose. Šio tyrimo rezultatai pateikia naujų fundamentalių žinių apie širdies vidusieninės nervų sistemos struktūrinę organizaciją ir yra reikšmingi širdies chirurgijai ir širdies aritmijų gydymui, nes įgalina sėkmingai atlikti mažiau epikardinį rezginį ir jo kraujagysles traumuojančias širdies invazines operacijas tiek eksperimentuose su gyvūnais (kiaulėmis), tiek ir klinikinėje praktikoje, taikant transkoronarines etanolio širdies neuroabliacijas.

Embolization of coronary arteries and their terminal arterioles causes ischemia of all tissues distributed within a cardiac wall including the intrinsic cardiac ganglionated nerve plexus (ICGP). The disturbed blood supply to the ICGP causes chronic sympathetic activation with succeeding atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. This study analyses the anatomy of microcirculation of epicardial nerves and ganglia using the hearts of 11 domestic pigs. Our findings demonstrate that thicker epicardial nerves are normally supplied with blood via 12 epineural arterioles penetrating the endoneurium regularly along a nerve, and forming an endoneurial capillary network, which drains the blood into the myocardial blood flow. The mean diameter of intraneural capillaries was 7.2 ± 0.2µm, while the diameters of arterioles were 25.8 ± 0.7 μm and involved 45 endothelial cells accompanied by circular smooth muscle cells. Usually, two or three arterioles with a mean diameter of 28.9 ± 1.7 μm supplied blood to any epicardial ganglion, in which arterioles proceeded into a network of capillaries with a mean diameter of 6.9 ± 0.3 μm. Both the epicardial nerves and the ganglia distributed near the porta venarum of the heart had tiny arterioles that anastomosed blood vessels from the right and the left coronary arteries. The density of blood vessels in the epicardial nerves was significantly lesser compared with the ganglia. Our electron microscopic observations provided evidence that blood vessels of the pig epicardial nerves and ganglia may be considered as either arterioles or capillaries that have quantitative and qualitative differences comparing to the corresponding blood vessels in humans and, therefore, a pig should not be considered as an animal model of the first choice for further heart functional studies seeking to improve the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias via trans-coronary cardiac neuroablation. STRUCTURED ABSTRACT: This study details the anatomy of microcirculation of epicardial nerves and ganglia, from which intracardiac nerves and bundles of nerve fibers extend into all layers of the atrial and ventricular walls in the most popular animal model of experimental cardiology and cardiac surgery - the domestic pig. Our findings provided evidence that blood vessels of the pig epicardial nerves and ganglia may be considered as either arterioles or capillaries that have quantitative and qualitative differences comparing to the corresponding blood vessels in humans and, therefore, a pig should not be considered as an animal model of the first choice for further heart functional studies seeking to improve the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias via trans-coronary cardiac neuroablation.

Detailed cardiac neuroanatomy is critical for understanding cardiac function and its pathology. However, there remains a significant gap in knowledge regarding the blood supply to the intrinsic cardiac ganglionated plexus (GP). This study addresses this by mapping the routes and morphological pattern of blood supply to the epicardial GP in a large-animal pig model (Sus scrofa domesticus). Twenty-five domestic pigs were used in the study. We demonstrate that the epicardial ganglionated nerves receive blood from both coronary and extra-cardiac arteries. The coronary arterial branches supply blood to all five subplexuses constituting the epicardial GP. In contrast, the branches of extra-cardiac arteries supply blood to target heart areas: 1) the venous part of the heart hilum on the left atrium, 2) the walls of the sinuses of the right cranial (superior cava) and 3) pulmonary veins. Uniformly, epicardial nerves and ganglia are supplied with blood via a sole epineurial arteriole which, in most cases, is the fifth/sixth-order branch of the coronary arteries. The extra-cardiac arteries supplying blood to the epicardial GP accompanied the mediastinal nerves entering the epicardium within the limits of the heart hilum. Together, the dual and triple blood supply of the epicardial nerves and ganglia suggests a protective role from an ischemic event and/or ischemic heart disease. STUCTURED ABSTRACT: This study details the anatomy of the blood supply of epicardial ganglionated nerve plexus, from which nerve fibres extend to the myocardium, heart conduction system, coronary vessels, and endocardium, in the most popular animal model of experimental cardiology and cardiac surgery - the domestic pig. Our observations demonstrate that the epicardial nerves and ganglia receive blood from both coronary and extra-cardiac arteries. The multi-source blood supply to the cardiac nerves and ganglia may offer protection against myocardial infarction ant other ischemic heart disorders.