Clinical usefulness of intravenous anesthesia with Ketamine (KET) combined with xylazine (XY) and medetomidine (MEd) for castration in 42 horses including 38 Thoroughbreds, 3 Angloarabs and 1 Hokkaido Japanese horse. These were divided into 4 groups. After atropine (0.01 mg/kg) was administered, group I (n=3) received 10μg/kg MEd, followed by KET. Group II (n=9) received 5μg/kg MEd, then KET. In addition, MEd at 5μg/kg was also administered immediately before operation. Group III (n=10) received the similar series of drugs, but the dose of MEd before operation was 10 μg/kg . Group IV (n=20) received 1.5 mg/kg XY followed by KET, then 10 μg/kg MEd immediately before operation. Among these groups, the horses in group IV showed higher scores in muscle relaxation, pain response during operation, and recovery manner. The time from laying down to standing was 52.8±11.4 min in this group. Side effects caused from administration of two kinds of adrenoceptor agonists were minimum and the intravenous anesthesia with ketamine in group IV was satisfactory for castration in horses.

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We devised an catheter insertion holder for thoracic drainage, and applied in 7 feline cases with pyothorax. This drain insertion holder has a sharp-pointed tip and a cylindrical portion which holds the drain. Thoracic puncture was made while the holder was placed on the incision with the drain in the cylindrical portion, and the drain was inserted into the thoracic cavity by loosening the cylindrical portion. This technique allowed thoracic wall puncture and intrathoracic drain insertion simultaneously, In all the cases, placing the thoracic drainage could be performed in shorter time without any damages to the lung.

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Using a tie made of ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), open reduction was performed in a cat with traumatic elbow luxation. This surgical procedure was simple and its postoperative course was highly satisfied. Moreover, the patient gained a normal gait in about 10 days after the surgery with no joint stiffness. These results indicate that this surgical technique could be applicable to fixation of other joints.

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