Endometrial adenocarcinoma in a mare

An endometrial adenocarcinoma with metastases to the lung, liver, spleen, mesentery and serosal peritoneal surfaces was found in an 11-year-old Arabian mare. Clinical signs included generalized weight loss, depression, anorexia, ventral edema and abdominal distension. Ascites was due to thrombosis of the caudal vena cava. The diagnosis of endometrial adenocarcinoma was based on the histological appearance of uterine glandular epithelium and the presence of similar tissue in the metastatic tumors.     

Management of a keratoma in a horse: A case report

An 8-year-old Thoroughbred gelding presented with chronic intermittent lameness of the left forelimb. Keratoma was diagnosed based on history, clinical signs and the radiographic evidence of a radiolucent concavity of the third phalanx. The keratoma was removed by hoof wall resection and the foot was immobilized using a bar shoe with clips and a dorsal hoof wall plate positioned across the hoof wall defect. The hoof wall defect was completely filled with new hoof wall by 9 months postoperatively. The horse returned to normal athletic function and is performing successfully 18 months later.     

m‐carboxycinnamic acid bishydroxamide improves developmental competence,reduces apoptosis and alters epigenetic status and gene expression pattern in cloned buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) embryos

Incomplete or aberrant reprogramming of nuclear genome is one of the major problems in somatic cell nuclear transfer. In this study, we studied the effect of histone deacetylase inhibitor m‐carboxycinnamic acid bishydroxamide (CBHA) on in vitro development of buffalo embryos produced by Hand‐made cloning. Cloned embryos were treated with CBHA (0, 5, 10, 20 or 50 μM) for 10 hr from the start of reconstruction till activation. At 10 μM, but not at other concentrations examined, CBHA increased (p < .05) the blastocyst rate (63.77 ± 3.97% vs 48.63 ± 3.55%) and reduced (p < .05) the apoptotic index of the cloned blastocysts (8.91 ± 1.94 vs 4.36 ± 1.08) compared to untreated controls, to levels similar to those in IVF blastocysts (4.78 ± 0.74). CBHA treatment, at all the concentrations examined, increased (p < .05) the global level of H3K9ac in cloned blastocysts than in untreated controls to that observed in IVF blastocysts. Treatment with CBHA (10 μM) decreased (p < .05) the global level of H3K27me3 in cloned blastocysts than in untreated controls but it was still higher (p < .05) than in IVF blastocysts. CBHA (10 μM) treatment increased (p < .05) the relative expression level of pluripotency‐related genes OCT‐4 and NANOG, and anti‐apoptotic gene BCL‐XL, and decreased (p < .05) that of pro‐apoptotic gene BAX than in untreated controls but did not affect the relative expression level of apoptosis‐related genes p53 and CASPASE3 and epigenetics‐related genes DNMT1, DNMT3a and HDAC1. These results suggest that treatment of cloned embryos with 10 μM CBHA improves the blastocyst rate, reduces the level of apoptosis and alters the epigenetic status and gene expression pattern.     

Natural Heterobilharzia americana infection in horses in Texas

The schistosome Heterobilharzia americana infects dogs, raccoons, and other mammals in the southeastern United States. Migration of eggs into the liver results in parasitic granulomas with varying degrees of fibrosis and inflammation. Recently, hepatic parasitic granulomas in horses were shown to be caused by H. americana infection. In the present study, samples of liver from 11 of 12 horses with hepatic granulomas identified at necropsy (n = 11) or surgical biopsy (n = 1) were used for DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction amplification and sequencing using primers specific for a portion of the H. americana small subunit ribosomal RNA gene. A polymerase chain reaction amplicon of the correct size was produced from the extracted DNA in 8 of the 11 horses. Amplicons from 5 of the 8 positive horses were sequenced and had 100% identity with H. americana. In all but 2 of the 12 horses, Heterobilharzia was not responsible for the primary clinical disease, and the hepatic granulomas were considered an incidental finding.     

Results of a phase II clinical trial on the use of ifosfamide for treatment of cats with vaccine-associated sarcomas

OBJECTIVE: To determine clinical activity and toxic effects of ifosfamide when used to treat cats with vaccine-associated sarcoma (VAS). ANIMALS: 27 cats with a nonresectable, recurrent, or metastatic VAS. PROCEDURE: Each cat received ifosfamide (900 mg/m(2) of body surface area) as an IV infusion during a 30-minute period. Diuresis by infusion of saline (0.9% NaCl) solution and administration of mesna were used to prevent urothelial toxicosis. Treatments were administered every 3 weeks, and tumor response was assessed after the second treatment. All ifosfamide-associated toxic effects were graded in accordance with predetermined criteria. RESULTS: 61 treatments were administered to 27 cats (median, 2 treatments/cat; range, 1 to 4 treatments/cat). After ifosfamide treatment, 1 cat had a complete response and 10 had partial responses for an overall response rate of 11 of 27 (41%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 25% to 59%). Responses lasted from 21 to 133 days (median, 70 days; 95% CI, 60 to 113 days). The acute dose-limiting toxicosis was neutropenia, which was detected 5 to 28 days (median, 7 days) after treatment. Median nadir neutrophil count was 1,600 cells/muL (range, 200 to 5,382 cells/microL). Nine (33%) cats had adverse gastrointestinal effects (primarily salivation during the ifosfamide infusion and inappetence after treatment). Two cats were euthanatized because of severe nephrotoxicosis, and 1 cat developed pulmonary edema during diuresis. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Ifosfamide has antitumor activity against VAS in cats and is tolerated well by most cats. Ifosfamide should be evaluated as an adjuvant treatment for cats with VAS.     

Effect of hyperimmune plasma on the severity of pneumonia caused by Rhodococcus equi in experimentally infected foals

This study evaluated the prophylactic effectiveness of hyperimmune plasma (HIP) as an aid in the prevention of pneumonia caused by experimental infection with Rhodococcus equi. Thirty neonatal foals were administered R. equi HIP or saline at 2 days of age and were infected with virulent R. equi at 7 days. All foals developed signs or symptoms of respiratory disease. Radiographic scores on day 28 and neutrophil concentrations on day 49 were significantly greater in control foals, and time to respiratory effort score of 2 or higher was significantly shorter for control foals. Three foals, all in the principal group, died or were euthanized before the end of the study, but there was no significant difference in mortality between groups. VapA titers were significantly greater in principal foals. Administration of R. equi HIP decreased the severity of radiographic lesions and prolonged time to increased respiratory effort due to R. equi-induced pneumonia.     

Diagnosis, treatment, control, and prevention of infections caused by Rhodococcus equi in foals

Rhodococcus equi, a gram-positive facultative intracellular pathogen, is one of the most common causes of pneumonia in foals. Although R. equi can be cultured from the environment of virtually all horse farms, the clinical disease in foals is endemic at some farms, sporadic at others, and unrecognized at many. On farms where the disease is endemic, costs associated with morbidity and mortality attributable to R. equi may be very high. The purpose of this consensus statement is to provide recommendations regarding the diagnosis, treatment, control, and prevention of infections caused by R. equi in foals.     

In Vitro Cytochrome P450 2E1 and 2A Activities in the Presence of Testicular Steroids

Cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) and 2A (CYP2A) are the main enzymes involved in the metabolism of skatole in pigs. In this study, physiological concentrations of androstenone, 17β‐oestradiol and testosterone were tested for their ability to regulate CYP2E1 and CYP2A activity in liver microsomes isolated from entire male and female pigs as well as in microsomes from Saccharomyces cerevisiae expressing either human recombinant CYP2E1 or CYP2A6. We found that physiological concentrations of androstenone and oestradiol had the ability to inhibit CYP2E1 activity. The magnitude of this inhibition (approximately 30%) was similar in recombinant human CYP2E1 and microsomes from entire male pigs. This inhibition was only seen when adding the steroid to the assay 15 min before the substrate. Interestingly, CYP2E1 activity in the microsomes from female pigs was not affected. None of the investigated steroids modified the activity of recombinant human CYP2A6. However, CYP2A activity was slightly increased in the microsomes from female pigs in the presence of oestradiol, but the magnitude of this increase was very low (below 10%) and probably irrelevant. Overall, these results indicate that physiological concentrations of androstenone and oestradiol have a potential to inhibit CYP2E1 activities in vitro, and that this inhibition is gender‐specific. Further studies are needed to investigate the biochemical mechanisms underlying those differences between the genders.