Cardiac Power Output during Dobutamine Stress Test in Horses

Although echocardiography has greatly improved the diagnostic possibilities in equine medicine, determining the prognosis remains a difficult task. In humans, maximal cardiac power output (CPO) has been described as a powerful indicator of exercise capability and outcome in heart disease. The aim of the study is to describe the measurement of CPO by echocardiography and by thermodilution in healthy horses. Six healthy horses were studied. Cardiac output (CO) was measured by thermodilution and Doppler echocardiography at rest and during a pharmacologic stress test consisting of 35 μg/kg atropine followed by incremental steps 2, 4, 6, and 8 μg/kg/min of dobutamine infusion. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) was measured invasively by a catheter introduced into the transverse facial artery. CPO was calculated as the product of CO and MAP. Baseline CPO measured by thermodilution and by Doppler echocardiography was 10.7 ± 3.3 and 13.7 ± 4.5 watts, respectively. CPO increased significantly with pharmacologic stimulation and reached maximal CPO of 66.4 ± 3.6 and 60.4 ± 5.1 watts when measured by thermodilution and Doppler echocardiography, respectively. This study describes an estimation of CPO in horses. Further studies should demonstrate the usefulness of CPO as a predictive indicator in horses suffering from cardiac disease.     

What is your diagnosis? Vertebral mass in a dog

Abstract: A 1‐year‐old, castrated male, mixed‐breed dog was presented for sporadic episodes of kyphosis, tremors, and vocalizing. On neurologic examination, the lesion was localized to spinal cord segments T3–L3. Magnetic resonance imaging of the spine showed an expansile mass occupying most of the ventral aspect of the spinous process of T6. Fine‐needle aspirates of the mass were examined cytologically. A moderately cellular population of pleomorphic spindle cells and abundant mucinous matrix were observed. The cytologic diagnosis was spindle cell neoplasia, with myxosarcoma and fibrosarcoma as the primary differential diagnoses. The dog was euthanized. Histopathologic evaluation of the mass and surrounding tissue confirmed a low‐grade spindle cell sarcoma, with severe compressive myelopathy and mild neutrophilic inflammation. The neoplastic cells stained positive for mucopolysaccharides with Alcian blue, resulting in a final diagnosis of low‐grade (grade 1) myxosarcoma. Fine‐needle aspiration was useful in making a preliminary diagnosis of myxosarcoma in this case. Myxosarcoma should be included in the differential diagnosis for a vertebral mass in a young dog.     

Effect of Trisodium Phosphate or Water Dip on the Survival of Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes Inoculated Catfish Before and After Freezing

Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes (LM) are occasional contaminants on raw fish. Catfish fillets were artificially contaminated with LM and Salmonella, dipped in a 1.5 % (30 min) trisodium phosphate solution (TSP), and cryogenically frozen. After 3 months frozen storage, Salmonella (2 log), but not LM, was inactivated on the fillets treated with the dip. This indicates that TSP dip followed by cryogenic freezing can be used to control Salmonella, but not LM, on catfish fillets.     

Controlling yellow jackets with fipronil-based protein baits in urban recreational areas

ABSTRACT

The western yellow jacket, Vespula penyslvanica (Saussare), is a serious seasonal pest of outdoor venues in the western United States. In the spring, queens and low numbers of workers were captured in heptyl-butyrate-baited traps until early July, when the number of foragers dramatically increased. Microsatellite data suggest that 18 colonies were actively foraging within the park in 2012. Foragers from 11 different colonies were collected at one trap site. In 2012 and 2013, sufficient numbers of foragers were not captured until early August when baiting trials were initiated. Baits were prepared with canned chicken mixed with fipronil for a final concentration of 0.025%. In 2012, a single baiting provided >96% reduction of foragers for at least two months. A second baiting late in the season provided >80% reductions. In 2013, one baiting trial resulted in a 74% and a 93% reduction. A bait acceptance study was conducted in 2014 to test a bait consisting of the juices from canned chicken and 0.025% fipronil incorporated into a hydrogel, and provided a much longer lasting bait in the field.     

Recommendations for designing and conducting veterinary clinical pathology biologic variation studies

The recent creation of a veterinary clinical pathology biologic variation website has highlighted the need to provide recommendations for future studies of biologic variation in animals in order to help standardize and improve the quality of published information and to facilitate review and selection of publications as standard references. The following recommendations are provided in the format and order commonly found in veterinary publications. A checklist is provided to aid in planning, implementing, and evaluating veterinary studies on biologic variation (Appendix  S1 ). These recommendations provide a valuable resource for clinicians, laboratorians, and researchers interested in conducting studies of biologic variation and in determining the quality of studies of biologic variation in veterinary laboratory testing.     

Natural biological control of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Halyomorpha halys</Emphasis> by native egg parasitoids: a multi-year survey in northern Delaware

Halyomorpha halys (Stål) is a highly polyphagous plant pest native to eastern Asia. Since its accidental introduction to the USA in the mid-1990s, it has spread across North America and caused serious economic damages. Chemical control has been a widely applied management strategy which is not sustainable on a long-term basis. A nine-year survey using sentinel and naturally laid H. halys was conducted to investigate the extent of natural biological control by parasitoids in managed and non-managed landscapes in northern Delaware, USA. Naturally laid egg masses of native pentatomids were collected to compare the resident parasitoid complex to the one attacking H. halys eggs. Mean parasitism rates of sentinel eggs were below 6% in any given year of the survey with a grand mean of 1.79%. Parasitism of naturally laid H. halys eggs was higher than that of sentinel eggs, but there was no significant difference in parasitism between years and the grand mean was 4.31%. Parasitoid species richness on sentinel and naturally laid H. halys eggs was similar but both were lower than the richness on native pentatomid eggs. H. halys eggs were parasitized by eight species in the genera Anastatus, Trissolcus, Telenomus, and Ooencyrtus. The level of parasitism by native egg parasitoids is insufficient to provide long-term control of H. halys. Trissolcus japonicus (Ashmead), an Asian egg parasitoid that has been recovered in the USA in several locations since 2014, may be the most promising candidate for long-term biological control of H. halys.     

Chronic mesenteric volvulus in a dog

A chronic, partial mesenteric volvulus was found on laparotomy of an adult Bernese mountain dog with a 4-month history of intermittent vomiting, diarrhea, and weight loss. The dog had elevated cholestatic and hepatocellular leakage enzymes, increased bile acids, azotemia, isosthenuria, and a hypokalemic, hypochloremic, metabolic alkalosis. The dog recovered fully following reduction of the volvulus.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Eimeria bovis</Emphasis> meront I-carrying host cells express parasite-specific antigens on their surface membrane

Host immune responses conducted against antigens of Eimeria bovis are key factors for the development of protective immunity against this protozoan disease. In this study we investigated the expression of E. bovis-derived antigens on the host cell surface membrane during E. bovis first merogony in vitro. Host cells carrying E. bovis-meront I stages expressed E. bovis host cell surface antigens (EbHCSAg) on their surface membrane which were recognised by hyperimmune sera of calves and by sera from rats immunized with E. bovis merozoites I, when tested by indirect immune fluorescent antibody test (IIFAT), laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) and immune electron microscopy. Expression of EbHCSAg on permissive host cells was earliest detected 7 days p. i., thus coinciding with the onset of the parasite replication. Membrane-associated EbHCSAg were removed from infected host cells by proteinase K, partially by Triton X-100, Triton X-114 and Triton X-405, but not by 1 M NaCl, CHAPS or phospholipase C treatment. Antibodies, affinity-purified on paraformaldehyde/glutardialdehyde (PAGA)-fixed E. bovis meront I-infected bovine host cells bound to the surface meront I-carrying cells and to merozoites I (IIFAT, LSCM) but, in contrast to untreated sera, not to sporozoites. When tested on methanol-fixed merozoites I and sporozoites by IIFAT, affinity-purified antibodies bound to structures in the apical complex area of merozoites I, but not to sporozoites, whilst untreated sera caused diffuse labelling of internal structures of both parasite stages. Immune electron microscopy demonstrated binding of affinity-purified antibodies to micronemes and dense granules of merozoites I. Although the function of EbHCSAg is still unknown, results of this study might suggest an involvement in the development of protective immunity against E. bovis infections.