Idiopathic periadnexal multinodular granulomatous dermatitis in twenty-two dogs

A distinctive periadnexal multinodular granulomatous dermatitis of unknown cause was diagnosed over a 6-year period in 22 dogs (13 males and nine females) aged 8 months to 10 years, purebred as well as mixed-breed. Nodules, usually more than two, started on the face and were often unaccompanied by signs of irritation. All dogs were otherwise healthy except a Viszla with bilateral anterior uveitis and a Basset hound with nasal congestion and sneezing. Microscopically, cutaneous lesions occurred in a periadnexal pattern, replaced sebaceous glands, coalesced, and extended into the subcutis and in more advanced cases through the panniculus carnosus. Infectious agents were not demonstrated by aerobic, anaerobic, or fungus cultures or by light or electron microscopy, nor were ectoparasites seen. Immunofluorescence and peroxidase-antiperoxidase techniques gave negative results for intraepidermal and basement membrane deposits of IgA, IgG, IgM, and C3. Lesions were unresponsive to a variety of antibiotics; they regressed spontaneously in two untreated dogs and rapidly in dogs given only corticosteroid therapy. Continuous low-dose corticosteroids were necessary in a few dogs to prevent recurrence.     

The use of the log-linear model to evaluate the effects of three herd factors on Streptococcus agalactiae mastitis occurrence in California, 1977

Epidemiologic relationships among Streptococcus agalactiae infected dairy herds and herd size, location and California Dairy Herd Improvement Association (CDHIA) participation were examined using log-linear methodology. Dairies located in five out of the six California Bureau of Animal Health veterinary districts were studied. Data sources included the Dairy Cattle Data Base, which uniquely identifies each of the 2875 dairies in California, the 1977 statewide CDHIA year-end summary report and microbiological results from a 1977 statewide survey of bulk tank milk samples. These data were merged, fitted and the best model selected using likelihood-ratio statistics. The model included all four “main effects”, the six possible “1st-order effetss” and the “2nd-order effect” due to the interaction of herd size, location and CDHIA participation. Subsequently, a logit model was used to estimate the effect of the independent herd factor variables (size, location and CDHIA participation) on the log odds of the dependent S. agalactiae variable. This model required conditioning on the three-way relationship among the independent variables.medium-sized, non-CDHIA herds in district 2 (northcentral California) showed the highest expected odds (3.37) for S. agalactiae in bulk tank milk, while small, CDHIA herds in district 3 (northcentral coastal California) produced the lowest odds (0.39).     

TECHNETIUM-99M AND IODINE-131 THYROID SCINTIGRAPHY IN NORMAL AND RADIOTHYROIDECTOMIZED COCKATIELS (NYMPHICUS HOLLANDICUS)

Thyroid scintigraphy using sodium ^99mTechnetium pertechnetate (⁹⁹TcO₄-) was performed in normal and radiothyroidectomized cockatiels ( Nymphicus hollandicus ). ¹³¹I scintigraphy was performed in the course of ablating the thyroid glands. The thyroid glands in normal birds were clearly visualized, but were not individually resolvable. Thyroid glands were not visualized in thyroid-ablated birds. With ^99mTcO₄ scans, thyroid (or other region of interest)/body count density ratios were used for comparisons of normal and thyroid-ablated birds. Normal ^99mTcO₄- thyroid/body ratios (mean +/− SD) for the dorsal and lateral views were 1.83 +/− 0.31 and 1.70 +/− 0.34 respectively. Pertechnetate thyroid/body count density ratios decreased (to 0.93 -/−0.14 and 0.88 +/− 0.12 for dorsal and lateral views respectively) after thyroid ablation, while crop/body ratios increased. ^99mTcO₄- thyroid scintigraphy, therefore, was capable of detecting hypofunctional thyroid abnormalities in ¹³¹I radiothyroidectomized cockatiels.     

The role of flower and leaves in cut flower water uptake

Removal of the cut rose flower of ‘Forever Yours’ decreased water uptake by 20.4%, leaf removal 78.5%, and both flower and leaf removal 95.2%. Cut carnation ‘White Sim’ water uptake declined 27.1, 37,3 and 59.6% after flower, leaf, or both were removed, respectively. A high rate of water uptake (40.4%) continued after both carnation flower and leaf removal.     

Enzootic pneumonia: comparison of cough and lung lesions as predictors of weight gain in swine.

A prospective cohort study was undertaken in a commercial swine herd to determine the relationship between weight gain and the occurrence of enzootic pneumonia (EP). Estimates of the association between EP and weight gain were obtained from multiple linear regression models, using coughing episodes or slaughter checks as indicators of EP status. Models were estimated for pigs in 2 different age groups: roasters (n = 1084, sold at 32 to 50 kg) and market hogs (n = 1162, sold at 100 to 110 kg). The relationship between presence of lung lesions at slaughter and previous coughing episodes was also investigated. Throughout the study period, clinical evaluations were performed weekly, and coughing episodes recorded for each pig. Lungs were inspected at slaughter, and scores were expressed as the percentage of the lung with gross pneumonic lesions. Coughing and lung scores were significantly correlated, after adjusting for other covariates (R = 0.32 and 0.59, respectively, for market hogs and roasters). However, the agreement beyond chance between coughing history and lung lesions at slaughter was poor among both roasters and market hogs (kappa = 0.17 and 0.07, respectively). Although very specific, weekly assessment of coughing was not a sensitive indicator of lung lesions at slaughter. In multiple regression, lung score was a highly significant predictor of lower final weight in pigs of both age groups (P < 0.001 in the selected regression models).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)