A RADIOGRAPHIC INVESTIGATION OF THIRD CARPAL BONE INJURY IN 42 RACING THOROUGHBREDS

A retrospective study of carpal radiographs from 42 racing thoroughbreds with carpal lameness was performed. Radiographs from 50 carpal examinations were available for review. The radiographic findings pertaining to the third carpal bone were described. Fractures and/or sclerosis occurred almost exclusively within the radial fossa. The occurrence of sclerosis without fracture in 20 of the 50 carpal examinations was higher than anticipated, occurring in both the right and left third carpal bone with equal frequency. The right third carpal bone was more frequently fractured and more severely affected than the left. The sclerotic changes seen in the radial fossa of the third carpal bone may be stress-induced, possibly preceding more serious changes in the joint such as cartilage damage or gross fracture. Earlier recognition of sclerosis of the third carpal bone may help prevent more serious changes from occurring.     

TECHNIQUES OF AFTERLOADING IRIDIUM-192 INTERSTITIAL BRACHYTHERAPY IN VETERINARY MEDICINE

Continuous low-dose-rate irradiation of animal tumors has become feasible through the implantation of iridium-192 by an afterloading technique. ¹⁹²Ir is an ideal radioisotope for interstitial brachytherapy in veterinary medicine because of its 74.2-day half-life, medium-energy gamma radiation (0.35 MeV), moderate shielding requirements, low cost, and adaptability to most tumor configurations. The afterloading technique can easily be applied to veterinary patients. The effectiveness of interstitial brachytherapy may be enhanced by combination with surgery and/or hyperthermia. Computer-assisted dose calculations make afterloaded ¹⁹²Ir implantation an accurate, precise method of interstitial brachytherapy.     

Endotoxin Concentrations Measured by a Chromogenic Assay in Portal and Peripheral Venous Blood in Ten Dogs With Portosystemic Shunts

A chromogenic Limulus amebocyte lysate assay was used to measure portal and peripheral venous endotoxin concentrations in ten medically managed dogs undergoing surgery for correction of a single extrahepatic portosystemic shunt. In all dogs, both peripheral and portal venous blood samples were obtained at the time of surgical manipulation of the anomalous vessel. In six dogs, peripheral venous samples were obtained an average of 8.0 months after surgery. Five physically normal dogs without biochemical or histologic evidence of liver disease served as controls. Data analysis failed to demonstrate significant differences in peripheral and portal venous endotoxin concentrations between the control and study groups. Postoperatively five of six dogs showed a measurable reduction in peripheral venous endotoxin concentration over intraoperatively obtained values, but the differences were not statistically significant (P = 0.06). Based on results of this study it was concluded that systemic endotoxemia was not present in dogs with a single extrahepatic portosystemic shunt that were medically stable prior to surgery.     

The Effect of Storage on Ammonia Concentration in Canine Packed Red Blood Cells.

Objective: To determine the effect of storage on ammonia concentration in canine packed red blood cell (pRBC) units.
Design: In vitro and in vivo study.
Setting: University Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
Interventions: Ammonia concentration was measured in 7 units of canine pRBC prepared in citrate-phosphate-dextrose (CPD) and Adsol^a on Days 1 and 35 of storage. Ammonia was measured in 4 additional units of canine pRBC on Days 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35. Plasma ammonia was also determined in 5 anemic dogs receiving pRBC.
Measurements and Main Results: Ammonia concentration increased from 73 ± 15 mmol/L (mean ± SD) on Day 1 to 800 ± 275 mmpl/L on Day (p<0.001). When measured every 7 days in 4 units of canine pRBC, ammonia concentration increased from 23 ± 8 mmol/L on Day 0 to 179 ± 13 mmol/L (Day 7), 276 ± 56 mmol/L (Day 14). 383 ± 47 mmol/L (Day21), 466 ± 30 mmol/L (Day 28), and 562 ± 27 mmol/L (Day 35) (p<0.05 for all comparisons). In a preliminary study, plasma ammonia concentration measured in blood samples from 5 anemic dogs without primary liver disease immediately before and after transfusion with 5–10 ml/kg of stored pRBC remained in the normal reference range.
Conclusions: The ammonia concentration in stored canine pRBC increased markedly with time. In this preliminary study, ammonia concentrations in dogs without primary liver disease did not increase above the reference range after transfusion with pRBC.     

USE OF QUANTITATIVE HEPATIC SCINTIGRAPHY TO EVALUATE SPONTANEOUS PORTOSYSTEMIC SHUNTS IN 12 DOGS

Quantitative hepatic scintigraphy is a valid means for estimating total liver blood flow and relative portal hepatic perfusion. The Hepatic perfusion index (HPI) was determined for a group of 12 dogs with portosystemic shunts prior to and two days after corrective surgery. HPI values for the dogs prior to operation were significantly elevated (p<0.001) as compared with those for a group of normal dogs, indicating reduced effective portal hepatic perfusion in dogs with shunts. Dogs showing a favorable clinical response after surgery had a significant decrease (p<0.02) in HPI values after operation. One dog showing a poor clinical response after operation had an increase in HPI score after operation. Quantitative hepatic scintigraphy is a valuable diagnostic test for screening presumptive cases of portosystemic shunts and monitoring the response to surgical intervention.     

Influence of the Cumulus and Gonadotropins on the Metabolic Profile of Porcine Cumulus–Oocyte Complexes During In Vitro Maturation

The aim of this work was to examine the influence of the cumulus and gonadotropins on the metabolic profile of porcine cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) during in vitro maturation. Immature COCs were assigned to morphological classes A₁ (with a dense cumulus), A₂ (with a translucent cumulus), B₁ (with the corona radiata), B₂ (with only some remaining cumulus cells) and matured with or without gonadotropins. Glycolysis and ammonia production were higher in the A class COCs; gonadotropins increased both, especially in the A₁ COCs (p < 0.05). The A class COCs had the highest initial protein contents and at the end of in vitro maturation. Furthermore, hormonal stimulation induced a similar increase in protein contents of both A classes (p < 0.05). The neutral lipid content and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were similar in the immature oocytes of the COCs of all classes. A reduction was seen in both these variables when maturation proceeded either in the presence or absence of gonadotropins. The cumulus type surrounding the oocyte is related to the metabolism of carbohydrates and amino acids by the COC during in vitro maturation under gonadotropic stimulation. Oocyte lipolytic activity and ROS production appear to be independent of the surrounding cumulus and the presence of gonadotropins.     

Impact of storage conditions on the apple allergen Mal?d?1

Consumption of fresh apple fruits can induce allergic reactions in humans. The apple allergen Mal?d?1 is responsible for these allergic reactions in humans in Central Europe and North America. Biosynthesis of Mal?d?1 depends on apple cultivar, and its concentration increases with time during fruit storage. However, data on the impact of different fruit storage conditions during long-term storage are scarce. Hence, the Mal?d?1 contents of eight apple cultivars were analyzed for this study during long-term storage in a cold chamber as well as under controlled atmosphere conditions (CA). After harvest, apple fruits were stored for 12, 20, 28 or 36 weeks in a cold-chamber at +?2?°C or as under controlled atmosphere conditions of 1.5?% CO₂, 1.5?% O₂ at +?2?°C. Mal?d?1 content in apple fruit of all eight cultivars examined increased during fruit storage. In most cases, differences between Mal?d?1 of apple fruits stored in the cold chamber and under CA conditions were significant, but inconsistent. In apple cv. ??Elise??, fruits stored in the cold chamber contained more Mal?d?1 compared with those stored in CA, whereas the situation reversed in other varieties like cv. ??Boskoop??. The greatest Mal?d?1 content was measured in fruits of cvs. ??Golden Delicious?? and ??Gala??, whereas the smallest Mal?d?1 level was in cvs. ??Elise?? and ??Pinova?? over the whole storage time. Overall, this experiment showed the complexity of the relationship between the Mal?d?1 content, allergenicity of apple fruits, different cultivars, storage conditions and storage time. Persons allergic to apple fruits should consume the fruits as fresh as possible or only after a limited storage time. Furthermore, they should prefer apple varieties with a low content of allergenic proteins, such as cv. ??Elise?? or cv. ??Boskoop?? as a cultivar known for its large polyphenol content.     

Scrotal circumference,bodyweight and semen characteristics in growing dairy-breed natural-service bulls in Tasmania,Australia

Aims: To provide herd managers with a set of decision rules allowing them to predict the likelihood that a juvenile bull is ready for Bull Breeding Soundness Evaluation (BBSE), or breeding, if bodyweight and scrotal circumference are known.

Methods: This was a longitudinal study following two groups of young pasture-fed Holstein and Jersey bulls from northwest Tasmania, Australia. Individual scrotal circumference, bodyweight and semen characteristics were recorded at 6–8 weekly intervals, from 6–18 months of age. Classification and regression tree analyses were used to predict the probability that a bull had ≥70% normal sperm morphology based on scrotal circumference and bodyweight measurements.

Results: Overall 1,661 scrotal circumference and bodyweight measurements were obtained, and 518 semen samples from 356 bulls were assessed for sperm morphology, from 16 examination sessions that took place between 29 May 2015 and 17 August 2016. Classification and regression tree analyses generated a decision tree for Holstein bulls with four node endpoints, and for Jersey bulls with three node endpoints. Diagnostic test performance showed that for Holstein bulls, using the node endpoints of scrotal circumference ≥27?cm and bodyweight ≥349?kg, 98% had ≥70% normal sperm (positive likelihood ratio 10.4; 95% CI?=?2.7–41), and using the node endpoints of scrotal circumference ≥27?cm and bodyweight between 282–349?kg, 89% had ≥70% normal sperm (positive likelihood ratio 1.6; 95% CI?=?0.9–2.6). For Jersey bulls, using the node endpoints of bodyweight ≥259?kg and scrotal circumference ≥29?cm, 88% had ≥70% normal sperm (positive likelihood ratio 3.4; 95% CI?=?1.6–7.0).

Conclusions: This study provides a set of relatively simple decision rules based on bodyweight and scrotal circumference measurements that allows herd managers to assess the likelihood that juvenile bulls are ready for BBSE or breeding.

Abbreviations: BBSE: Bull breeding soundness evaluation; BRT: Boosted regression tree     

Cross‐sectional observational survey of serum biochemistry values in a population of 69 adult female alpacas (Vicugna pacos) in South Australia

Blood samples were collected from 69 ‘healthy’ female alpacas aged ≥12 months from 11 properties in South Australia. The 10–90 percentile ranges of the 16/19 analytes measured in this sample population were within the published ranges of four healthy alpaca populations from other geographic locations. Marginal exceptions were glutamate dehydrogenase and bicarbonate. Potassium was notably elevated, probably because of haemolysis of some samples. The sample size was insufficient to provide the appropriate statistical power to define diagnostic references ranges according to international standards. The health status of the sample population of alpacas was presumptive based on a physical examination.