Intraocular silicone prosthesis in a horse

A 40-mm intraocular silicone prosthesis was placed in a horse's globe to control glaucoma. The glaucoma was suspected to be associated with a lens subluxation, but primary glaucoma could not be ruled out. Medical treatment and cyclocryotherapy had been attempted, but failed to decrease the intraocular pressure to a normal value. The prosthesis was placed, via a dorsal scleral incision, after removal of the intraocular contents. The size of the prosthesis was estimated from measurements of the horse's normal left globe and an enucleated, age-matched globe. Silicone prostheses offer a cosmetic alternative to enucleation of blind, sensitive globes in horses.     

Serum concentrations of thyroxine and 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine in dogs before and after administration of freshly reconstituted or previously frozen thyrotropin-releasing hormone

Concentrations of serum thyroxine (T4) and 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) were determined after the administration of freshly reconstituted thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), reconstituted TRH that had been previously frozen, or thyrotropin (TSH) to 10 mature dogs (6 Greyhounds and 4 mixed-breed dogs). Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (0.1 mg/kg) or TSH (5 U/dog) was administered IV; venous blood samples were collected before and 6 hours after administration of TRH or TSH. Concentrations of the T4 and T3 were similar (P greater than 0.05) in serum after administration of freshly reconstituted or previously frozen TRH, indicating that TRH can be frozen at -20 C for at least 1 week without a loss in potency. Concentrations of T4, but not T3, were higher after the administration of TSH than they were after the administration of TRH (P less than 0.01). Concentrations of T4 increased at least 3-fold in all 10 dogs given TSH, whereas a 3-fold increase occurred in 7 of 10 dogs given freshly reconstituted or previously frozen TRH. Concentrations of T4 did not double in 1 dog given freshly reconstituted TRH and in 1 dog given previously frozen TRH. Concentrations of T3 doubled in 5 of 10, 2 of 10, and 5 of 10 dogs given TSH, freshly reconstituted TRH, or previously frozen TRH, respectively. Results suggested that concentrations of serum T4 are higher 6 hours after the administration of TSH than after administration of TRH, using dosage regimens of 5 U of TSH/dog or 0.1 mg of TRH/kg.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Some pharmacokinetic data of aditoprim and trimethoprim in healthy and tick-borne fever infected dwarf goats

Aditoprim (AP) is a new dihydrofolate reductase inhibitor, which is structurally related to trimethoprim (TMP). The pharmacokinetics of AP (10 mg/kg) and TMP (20 mg/kg) were assessed in healthy dwarf goats. Therapeutic efficacy against rickettsial infections was tested in tick-borne fever (TBF) infected goats. The animals were given TMP (n = 5) or AP (n = 5) by i.v. injection, and subsequently the drugs were administered orally (same groups, similar doses). Finally, both groups were infected with TBF and the i.v. experiment was repeated. Plasma concentration-time curves for both drugs followed first-order two-compartment decay. For TMP, mean t1/2 beta +/- SEM (h) was 0.84 +/- 0.06 (i.v. control) and 0.90 +/- 0.06 (i.v. infected), respectively, whereas for AP values of 8.00 +/- 0.31 (i.v. control) and 10.28 +/- 0.67 (i.v. infected) were obtained (P less than 0.05). Mean Vd beta +/- SEM values (l/kg) were 3.84 +/- 0.27 (i.v. control) and 4.07 +/- 0.85 (i.v. infected) for TMP (NS) and 7.02 +/- 0.63 vs 9.29 +/- 0.21 (P less than 0.05) for AP. After i.v. injection, rumen fluid concentrations of AP were significantly (P less than 0.05) higher and more persistent than those of TMP. For AP, the plasma and rumen fluid concentrations at 3 h were 1.20 +/- 0.06 micrograms/ml and 0.85 +/- 0.17 microgram/ml, respectively. After oral administration of TMP, Cmax in plasma was 0.12 +/- 0.01 microgram/ml and the maximum was reached after 1.2 +/- 0.16 h; systemic bioavailability (F) was 10.3% (relative to AUC i.v.). Oral treatment with AP resulted in a Cmax value of 0.21 +/- 0.02 microgram/ml with Tmax of 22.5 +/- 1.65 h and a F value of 71%. Based on WBC, serum ALP and rectal temperature responses, it was concluded that both TMP and AP were inactive against Ehrlichia phagocytophila.     

In vitro Sendai viral replication in pulmonary macrophages from mice treated with 4-ipomeanol

The ability of pulmonary macrophages from female mice given 4-ipomeanol (4-IP) to support viral replication in vitro was examined. On posttreatment days 5, 7, and 9, greater numbers of macrophages were recovered in lavage fluid from lungs of mice given 4-IP, compared with those from controls. Pulmonary macrophages recovered in lavage fluid from control mice and from mice given 4-IP supported Sendai virus replication in vitro, and nearly all Sendai virus produced in pulmonary macrophages from both groups was in an infectious form. On posttreatment days 5 and 7, slightly greater absolute numbers of virions were produced in pulmonary macrophages recovered from mice given 4-IP.     

Influence of dietary energy, nutrient density and environmental temperature on pullet performance in early lay

1. Alterations in dietary metabolisable energy (ME) concentration had a limited influence on food and nutrient intakes and egg mass output of hens in early lay kept at the prevailing air (10 degrees to 24 degrees C), cold (6 degrees to 16 degrees C) or hot (25 degrees to 35 degrees C) temperatures. 2. Energy intakes were not improved by increasing the dietary concentrations of nutrients other than energy. 3. At prevailing air and cold temperatures all dietary ME-nutrient density combinations allowed hens to meet the recommended daily protein intake but only hens fed the most concentrated diets were able to meet this recommendation at hot temperatures. 4. Even the highest intakes of ME and protein achieved at hot temperatures failed to increase egg mass output to the values attained on any diet at cold temperatures.     

Immunization of dogs with a Leishmania infantum-derived vaccine

A partially-purified extract of Leishmania infantum has been administered to healthy dogs. Post-immunization sera were found to neutralize the infectivity of L. infantum and to abate the development of L. major. Muramyl dipeptide and one of its derivates, murabutide, were the best adjuvants.     

Effect of various treatments on the nutritional value of rye or rye fractions

1. Rye grain was subjected to several treatments in an attempt to alter its nutritive value for young chickens. 2. Soaking rye in water or dilute hydrochloric acid improved its nutritional quality. This was manifested by increased food intake, food utilisation, weight gain and increased apparent absorption of fat for chicks fed on a diet containing treated rye. 3. Autoclaving rye before water soaking eliminated the effect of soaking, an effect attributed to denaturation of endogenous enzymes which were responsible for the deactivation of the deleterious compound(s). 4. Autoclaving, sprouting and soaking rye in dilute sodium hydroxide decreased its nutritive value. 5. Studies with rye fractions demonstrated that the apparent absorption of fat was lower in birds fed on diets containing rye flour compared with those fed on diets containing rye bran, that greater improvement in apparent fat absorption occurred after water soaking of rye flour than similarly treating rye bran and that the effects were greater soon after initiation of the feeding of the rye diets as compared with the later part of the feeding trial.     

The clinical pathology of heartwater. I. Haematology and blood chemistry

Clinical pathological studies were undertaken in 5 calves with experimentally-induced heartwater. The most important findings include a progressive anaemia which may be associated with bone marrow depression and fluctuations in the total and differential white cell count, of which an eosinopenia and a lymphocytosis were the most marked. A severe drop in serum protein, especially in the albumin levels, was observed in all 5 cases. This disease is probably associated with an increased capillary permeability, as the protein content of the pericardial fluid in 1 case that died, approximated that of the serum. The osmolality of the effused fluid was also higher than that of the blood. No significant changes in the serum electrolyte levels occurred, except for total calcium levels which tended to decrease to below normal during the acute stage of the disease. Marked increases in total bilirubin were recorded. This, however, was not associated with liver pathology or haemolysis and may possibly be ascribed to a fasting hyperbilirubinaemia. Darkening of plasma colour was associated with peak rises in total bilirubin. Increases in both blood urea and creatinine levels indicate interference with renal glomerular filtration during the acute stage of the disease.     

Characterization of acid-base disturbances and effects on calcium and phosphorus balances of dietary fixed ions in pregnant or lactating does

Effects of fixed cation-anion balance on acid-base status and calcium and phosphorus balances were examined. Pregnant and lactating goats were fed a diet of alfalfa hay, concentrate and minerals to vary the cation-anion balance [meq sodium (Na) + meq potassium (K)-meq chloride (Cl)]/100 g diet dry matter (DM) over the range found in ruminant feeds. Small but significant effects on ruminal pH, fermentation and dilution rate were observed. Metabolic acid-base status of pregnant and lactating goats was normal when (Na + K - Cl) balance was 40 to 50 meq/100 g DM. The other treatments drastically altered plasma electrolyte concentrations, causing metabolic acid-base disturbances and profound changes in calcium and phosphorus metabolism. Subclinical hypernatremic, hypochloremic metabolic alkalosis was induced by a dietary fixed cation excess (Na + K - Cl) of greater than 85 meq/100 g DM (typical of buffered, alfalfa diets) and caused hypocalciuria, diminished calcium and phosphorus absorption, and possibly diminished dietary calcium absorption and resorption of calcium from bone. Subclinical hyperchloremic, hyponatremic metabolic acidosis from a diminished dietary fixed cation-anion balance (Na + K - Cl) of less than 10 meq/100 g DM (typical of nonbuffered corn silage or grain diets) caused hypercalciuria, enhanced calcium and phosphorus absorption and apparently enhanced calcium resorption from bone. Apparent effects on absorption and resorption depended on calcium and phosphorus intakes. Alterations in goats performance were not demonstrable. Dietary excesses of fixed cations over anions (meq Na + K - Cl/100 g diet DM greater than 50) cause metabolic alkalosis in ruminants, whereas fixed anion excesses (meq Na + K - Cl/100 g diet DM less than 40) cause metabolic acidosis. Content of electrolytes in diets should be reported in all nutrition trials with ruminants for assessment of metabolic acid-base status.     

Immunological studies with liposome-bound corynetoxins

Attempts were made to raise antibodies against corynetoxins, a family of toxins responsible for annual ryegrass toxicity. The glycolipid nature of corynetoxins made them ideally suited for incorporation into the structure of small unilamellar liposomes. Sheep were injected with corynetoxin liposomes with and without adjuvants such as lipid A and muramyl dipeptide, and the sera tested for anti-corynetoxin antibody. Similarly, rabbits were injected with hydrolysed corynetoxin coupled to human IgG and keyhole limpet haemocyanin and with corynetoxin coupled to bovine serum albumin. These preparations were administered with complete Freund's adjuvant. The failure of any of these preparations to elicit an anti-corynetoxin antibody response in either sheep or rabbits is discussed.