BACKGROUND: Nowadays, due to widespread usage of anti-pain drugs, more attention is being paid to tramadol, although it has only been recognized  rather recently in veterinary medicine. Therefore, evaluation of its effects on various organs is a principal issue. OBJECTIVES: The aim of present study was to investigate cardiac function change following administration of tramadol using electrocardiography and echocardiography. METHODS: Five healthy dogs aged 3-5 years and weighting 20-26 kg were selected for study. To check the health of animals, clinical and laboratory examinations were performed. Then animals were kept for 2 weeks and vaccination and anti parasite therapy were prescribed for them. This study was conducted in 3 stages and ECG and echocardiography were recorded: before tramadol injection, immediately after injection and one hour after that. Parametric data analysis of variance with repeated measure was conducted using SPSS version 20. RESULTS: Along evaluated parameters, only left ventricular volume in end-diastole and end-systole, time interval between the Q wave to aortic valve closure, stroke volume and ejection fraction showed significant difference between the three stages. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, tramadol shows remarkable anti-pain effects with low cardiac side-effects in comparison to other opioid drugs. However, more studies are needed due to the importance of this subject.

BACKGROUND: Echocardiography is a noninvasive technique that is an important tool in diagnosis of cardiac diseases. Interoperation of the results of the echocardiography is dependent on having anatomical knowledge of the heart. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to prepare the anatomical slices according to the related views in echocardiography. These sections can be used as a model for teaching of echocardiography. METHODS: Six dogs euthanized for purposes rather than the present study were used. The hearts were dissected and then dilated and fixed using formalin 10%. Fixed hearts were then cut to obtain representative slices corresponding to long and short axes of right parastenal standard echocardiographic views which were taken from three healthy dogs. After that, both anatomical and ultrasound images were correlated. RESULTS: The external and internal morphology of the heart were suitable for this study. The comparison of the anatomical slices with related echocardiograms showed a high level of correlation. In the long axis views, the four chambers, the atrioventricular valves and the cardiac septum were visible. The left ventricular outflow and aortic valve were represented in deeper views. The short axis series showed two ventricles and their internal morphology. CONCLUSIONS: The slices of hearts which were fixed using formalin may be used for echocardiography interoperation

AbstractBACKGROUND: Beluga (Huso huso) is one of the sturgeons and currently is cultured artificially in Iran with different goals. The cardiovascular system is one of the important systems of the body, and heart is the most important organ in this system. So far, few studies have been done on the heart of sturgeons.OBJECTIVES: This study was done to determine the exact structure of beluga different parts of the heart septum using echocardiographic and histologic techniques. METHODS: Six immature male belugas (2.5 years old) were investigated in this study. For echocardiography, probe was placed on the ventral surface of body, between pectoral fins. At first, macroscopic morphologic studies of different parts of heart were done at the topographic place of them. For histological studies, usual methods of fixation and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) coloring were used. Prepared slides were studied by light microscope.RESULTS: All parts of the heart including the sinus venosus, atrium, ventricle, conus arteriosus and pericardium were clearly visible in different probe moves. The pericardium were covered surround heart`s structures having homogenous echo pattern. Sinus venosus had a very thin septum without any expansion and contraction. Atrium had a completed muscular septum with expansion and contraction. Ventricle muscular septum had two layers: an external compact layer and an internal spongy layer. Conus arteriosus was composed of obvious muscular septum and connective tissue. Histological studies showed three layers in beluga heart including epicardium, myocardium and endocardium. In overall, the histological findings were matched with the results of echocardiography. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first investigation on echocardiographic feature of different parts of beluga heart. These results were coordinated with histological findings. Normal information and findings of this study can be used for investigation of various anatomic or pathologic changes in beluga heart in different research projects.

BACKGROUND: One of the most important heart diseases in dogs is valvular insufficiency, which can be evaluated by diagnosis ways such as phonocardiography, echocardiography, etc. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the current study was to evaluate of valvular insufficiencies with phonocardiography and echocardiography and using phonocardiography technique in detection of cardiac valvular disease in practice. METHODS: This survey was done on 180 five-year-old dogs which 30 of them had valvular insufficiency. They have been referred to radiology section and echocardiography technique was used after listening to heart sounds and recording heart murmur and surveying by phonocardiography. The type and location of valvular insufficiency was diagnosed by phonocardiography and then echocardiography was used, the results from both techniques was compared afterwards. RESULTS: In all of these 30 dogs, murmur was systolic and mitral insufficiency and mitral regurgitation were diagnosed by phonocardiography. using echocardiography, the mitral insufficiency was confirmed in 28 dogs, one of them has been diagnosed to have tricuspid inssufiency and pulmonary stenosis in addition to mitral insufficiency. In two cases no abnormality sign has been detected. CONCLUSIONS: According to this study, it is recommended to use phonocardiography technique in order to pre-diagnose the valvular insufficiency, it's type and location and use echocardiography to determine the process of disease and control this progress.

Cardiac thrombosis normally occurs in old Syrian hamsters and according to the research it has a higher incidence rate in females than males. The most frequent site of thrombus formation has been reported to be the left atrium and it usually occurs secondary to degenerative cardiomyopathy and amyloidosis. In this study during a period of 2 years, 22 pet Syrian hamsters aged between 1-3 years-old with signs of cardiovascular disease and referred to the small animal Veterinary Teaching Hospital of University of Tehran were examined in order to evaluate for cardiac diseases as well as atrial thrombosis. During the examinations and observations clinical signs such as lethargy, anorexia, hyperpnoea, reduced daily activity, tachycardia, cyanosis, and vaginal discharge were observed. Based on the clinical sings, the initial diagnosis of cardiac disease was made and for more accurate evaluation of cardiac disease, the cases were referred to the radiology department. For detection of specific signs of cardiac disease echocardiography was performed on all patients. in some cases, sampling of vaginal discharge was taken as well and transferred to the lab for bacterial culture. Cardiac thrombosis and especially atrial thrombosis in all cases were diagnosed by echocardiography so that 9 cases showed pyometra concurrently.