Hindbrain decompression in a dog with scoliosis associated with syringomyelia

A 6-month-old female Border Collie was examined because of a 1-month history of progressive curvature of the cervical portion of the vertebral column. Radiography revealed severe cervical and thoracic scoliosis. Cervical syringomyelia and hydrocephalus were observed by means of magnetic resonance imaging. Suboccipital craniotomy and laminectomy of the first cervical vertebra were performed, and substantial improvement in the scoliosis and syringomyelia was observed 3 months after surgery. No recurrences were seen during the first year after surgery.     

Ventilatory failure and successful management for a dog with severe cervical meningioma

A 12-year-old intact male mongrel dog with a weight of 22 kg was referred with a complaint of progressive tetraparesis. Cervical myelography revealed an intradural-extramedullary mass at the second cervical vertebra. After computed tomography (CT) under general anesthesia, the patient showed dyspnea and cyanosis caused by insufficient movement of the chest wall. Positive pressure ventilation was therefore initiated. Hemilaminectomy and partial mass removal were performed 12 hr after the CT. The mass was histopathologically diagnosed as meningioma. Gradual weaning from the mechanical ventilation lasted for 80 hr after the operation. The patient eventually recovered from the ventilatory failure and the tetraparesis at approximately 6 and 14 days after the operation, respectively.     

First case report of Sarcocystis neurona-induced equine protozoal myeloencephalitis in Japan

Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis developed in a three-year-old male Thoroughbred racehorse imported from the United States. The animal showed astasia five days after the onset of ataxia. Histopathologically, focal nonpurulent myelitis accompanied by hemorrhage and perivascular infiltration was observed in the fourth and fifth cervical spinal cord. Immunohistochemically, shizonts were occasionally observed and were positive for anti-Sarcocystis neurona (S. neurona) antiserum. S. neurona-specific antibodies were detected in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid by Western blot. This is the first equine protozoal myeloencephalitis case in Japan.     

Preventive effect of hyaluronic acid on the suppression of attachment and migration abilities of bovine chondrocytes by IL-1alpha in vitro

Attachment and migration of bovine chondrocytes cultured in vitro were significantly suppressed by the addition of interleukin (IL)-1alpha at the concentration of 1 ng/ml or more (p<0.05). The application of hyaluronic acid (HA) at the concentration of 10 micro g/m l or more significantly recovered the attachment of chondrocytes (p<0.05) and the application of HA at 100 micro g/ml concentration recovered the migration of chondrocytes suppressed by IL-1alpha. These results suggest that the application of HA for inflammatory arthropathies or chondrocyte transplantation might be helpful to preserve the properties of chondrocytes and its extracellular matrix against inflammatory conditions.     

Equine pyoderma associated with malnutrition and unhygienic conditions due to neglect in a herd

Twelve horses kept at a riding club suffered from pyoderma. All the horses displayed crusting, scaling and alopecia. The lesions were distributed in the chest, back, rump and limbs. Some of the horse patients also showed epilation with an attached crust similar to a 'paintbrush lesion' of dermatophilosis, but normal skin flora or opportunistic pathogenic bacteria were only isolated from the lesions. Some patients clearly showed weight loss, anemia and low levels of serum protein and cholesterol. General condition and skin lesions of the patients were improved gradually with improvement of feed and environment after being moved to new stables. Malnutrition under conditions of poor hygiene and poor management due to neglect might be associated with these equine cases of pyoderma in the herd.     

Clinical and clinico-pathologic characteristics of Shiba dogs with a deficiency of lysosomal acid beta-galactosidase: a canine model of human GM1 gangliosidosis

The present study was conducted to determine the clinical and clinico-pathologic characteristics of Shiba dogs with GM1 gangliosidosis, which is due to an autosomal recessively inherited deficiency of lysosomal acid beta-galactosidase activity. Clinical and clinico-pathological features were investigated in 10 homozygous Shiba dogs with GM1 gangliosidosis. The age at onset was 5 to 6 months and the dogs manifested progressive neurologic signs including loss of balance, intermittent lameness, ataxia, dysmetria and intention tremor of the head. The dogs were unable to stand by 10 months of age due to a progression of ataxia and spasticity in all limbs. Corneal clouding, a visual defect, generalized muscle rigospasticity, emotional disorder and a tendency to be lethargic were observed at 9 to 12 months. The dogs became lethargic from 13 months of age. The survival period seemed to be 14 to 15 months. As a clinico-pathologic feature, lymphocytes with abnormally large vacuoles were observed in peripheral blood (30 to 50% of total lymphocytes) through the lifetime of the dogs. The clinical and clinico-pathologic characteristics of this animal model are useful for not only the development and testing of potential methods of therapy, but also the diagnosis of affected homozygous Shiba dogs in veterinary clinics.     

Reproductive characteristics of the feral raccoon (Procyon lotor) in Hokkaido,Japan

Reproduction of feral raccoons (Procyon lotor) in Hokkaido, Japan, was examined during a 2-year period by analysis of placental scars or fetuses in the uterus. Of 242 collected females, 69 (29%) were juveniles, 71 (29%) yearlings, and 102 (42%) adults. The pregnancy rate averaged 66% in yearlings and was significantly lower than the 96% average observed in adults (p<0.01). Litter size ranged from 1 to 7 offspring per female, and averaged 3.6 in yearlings and 3.9 in adults. There was no significant difference in mean litter size between yearlings and adults. In Hokkaido, the raccoon mating season peaked in February and the majority of litters were born between March and May, similar to patterns described in North America, but some females mated in summer. The reproductive potential of feral raccoons in Hokkaido was similar to that reported in North America. The recent increase in raccoon numbers can be explained by their high productivity. Harvest data suggest that hunting pressure on juveniles is lower than that for older age classes when using box traps in summer. In order to reduce the feral raccoon population, alternative hunting methods that increase juvenile mortality rates are needed.     

Phylogenetic analysis of elongation factor Tu gene of phytoplasmas from Japan

The elongation factor Tu (tuf) gene from nine Japan phytoplasma isolates was amplified with the polymerase chain reaction, and the DNA sequences of the tuf gene were determined. The tuf gene from 14 phytoplasma isolates, including reference isolates and other bacteria, were phylogenetically analyzed. A nucleotide sequence of the tuf gene among seven aster yellows group (16Sr I-B and I-D) phytoplasmas had 97%–100% similarity, and the tuf gene of two phytoplasmas of the X-disease group (16Sr III-B) had 99% similarity. The tuf genes had lower homology than did the 16S rRNA gene in the phytoplasma groups. A phylogenetic tree of amino acid sequences of the tuf gene was nearly equal to that of the 16S rRNA gene but differed somewhat from the tree based on the 16S rRNA gene in that paulownia witches broom (PaW: 16Sr I-D) and American aster yellows (AAY: 16Sr I-B) were in a subclade.The nucleotide sequence data reported are available in the DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank databases under the accession numbers AB095495, AB095667, AB095668, AB095669, AB095670, AB095671, AB095672, AB095673 and AB095674     

Comparison of polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay and enzyme assay for diagnosis of G(M1)-gangliosidosis in Shiba dogs.

In the present study, diagnostic methods for canine G(M1)-gangliosidosis were examined by comparing a DNA mutation assay with an enzyme assay. Sixty-two Shiba dogs of a pedigree with G(M1)-gangliosidosis were differentiated into 3 genotypes, i.e., normal, heterozygous, and homozygous affected dogs, using a DNA mutation assay, which consists of polymerase chain reaction amplification and the determination of restriction fragment length polymorphisms. The beta-galactosidase activity in leukocytes, umbilical cords, and plasma was measured using 4-methylumbelliferyl beta-D-galactoside and p-nitrophenyl beta-D-galactoside as artificial substrates and compared among the 3 genotypes. The results showed that it was possible to identify homozygous dogs with the enzyme assay using leukocytes and umbilical cords. When using leukocytes, heterozygous carriers could be differentiated from normal dogs in many cases. However, the use of the DNA mutation assay is essential for a complete determination of heterozygous carriers because of the overlap in the distribution of enzyme activity between these 2 groups. When umbilical cords were used, heterozygous carriers could not be differentiated from normal dogs because of no significant difference in enzyme activity between these 2 groups. The beta-galactosidase activity in plasma was not applicable to the diagnosis and genotyping of G(M1)-gangliosidosis in Shiba dogs.