Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ultrasound helps guide heartworm injections in dogs
By Vörös, Károly et al.·Published in Acta veterinaria Hungarica·2022·1Department and Clinic of Internal Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Ultrasonography of the paralumbar muscles as a new aid during melarsomine treatment in canine heartworm disease. Description and illustration of the method - A preliminary study.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A dog with heartworm disease was treated with a medication called melarsomine, which can cause irritation at the injection site. To improve the injection process, veterinarians used ultrasound to find the best spot in the dog's paralumbar muscles (the area near the lower back) for the injection. This method helped ensure the medication was delivered properly and absorbed effectively, reducing the risk of complications. The study suggests that using ultrasound during this treatment could lead to better outcomes for dogs receiving melarsomine.
People also search for: dog heartworm treatment melarsomine · ultrasound for dog injections · heartworm disease in dogs treatment
Abstract
Melarsomine is used intramuscularly to destroy adult heartworms when treating canine heartworm disease (HWD). This drug is highly irritative and can elicit local complications. Therefore, melarsomine should be injected into the paralumbar muscles by strictly adhering to the manufacturers' prescriptions. However, it is not known how to determine the optimal location of the needle during the injection process. Ultrasonography (US) of the epaxial (paralumbar) musculature was used as a new method to measure the cross-sectional diameter of the paralumbar musculature, to determine the required location of the injection needle, and to study the local side effects in two dogs with HWD. The macroscopic appearance of the melarsomine solution during injection was demonstrated by video imaging. Melarsomine was not fully gravitating, but its majority was spreading along the thickest fascia of the musculature. Three minutes thereafter, no ultrasound signs of the melarsomine solution were seen, suggesting a full absorption at least ultrasonographically. This procedure was simulated in vitro with methylene blue solution having the same appearance. Removing the injection needle only after 5 min post-injection could prevent undesirable leakage of the drug through the injection channel into the subcutaneous tissue. Ultrasonography can be a useful aid during the treatment of HWD with melarsomine according to this preliminary study.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36422692/