Plant availability of phosphorus in dead herbage ingested by surface-casting earthworms

A combined field and glasshouse technique was developed to evaluate the plant-availability of phosphorus from two sources. The first source was ryegrass which had been ingested by earthworms and excreted in surface casts, and the second was untreated ryegrass. Surface casts labelled with ³²P were obtained in the field from earthworms fed with ³²P-labelled ryegrass. In a glasshouse study, labelled casts or labelled herbage were placed on the surface of soil in which ryegrass was growing. Ryegrass recovered proportionately more ³²P from cast material than from dead herbage. The results suggest that earthworms increase the short-term plant availability of P derived from plant litter by two to three fold. The effect of surface-casting earthworms on the rate of cycling of P in soils of different P status is discussed.     

Ulcerative pododermatitis in a cat associated with Anatrichosoma sp.

A 9-year-old castrated male Chartreaux cat was presented for an ulcerative pododermatitis of all 4 paws. A clinical exam was inconclusive and supportive therapy did not improve the condition. Histologic examination revealed an ulcerative and eosinophilic dermatitis associated with epidermal and dermal nematodes and ova consistent with the aphasmid Anatrichosoma sp. Treatment with ivermectin completely resolved the skin lesions. Anatrichosomiasis should be included in the differential diagnosis of ulcerative pododermatitis in cats, at least in the southwestern United States.     

Neurologic complications after melarsomine dihydrochloride treatment for Dirofilaria immitis in three dogs

Melarsomine dihydrochloride is highly effective against both sexes of adult and L5 Dirofilaria immitis. Common adverse reactions include injection site irritation and reluctance to move. Neurologic complications associated with i.m. injection of melarsomine dihydrochloride for treatment of heartworm disease in 3 dogs are described. Different degrees of neurologic complications have been identified; the pathophysiologic features are unknown. It is speculated that the compound migrates out of the injection site via fascial planes and causes an ascending inflammation along nerve roots. The resulting extradural cord compression secondary to extensive inflammation and necrosis of epidural fat could induce a variety of neurologic deficits. Alternatively, inappropriate injection technique may result in direct contact of melarsomine with neural tissue. A heightened awareness of proper injection technique might prevent the development of most neurologic complications.     

Protothecal enteritis as a cause of protein-losing enteropathy in a bull

Prototheca spp are achlorophyllic saprophytic algae found in wastewater, sewage, agricultural waste, and possibly elsewhere in the environment. Infections with these organisms have been reported in cattle, humans, and dogs; affected cattle commonly develop mastitis. A 5-year-old Brahman-cross bull was evaluated because of a history of diarrhea and weight loss. The history and physical examination and clinicopathologic findings were similar to those associated with granulomatous enteritis caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis (Johne's disease), which is the most common protein-losing enteropathy of cattle. However, diagnostic tests for paratuberculosis yielded negative results. Biopsy specimens from the ileum, jejunum, and ileocecal lymph node were collected for histologic examination and preparation of tissue impression smears; Prototheca-like organisms were identified. Because of the poor prognosis associated with this infection and the lack of safe and economical therapeutic agents for cattle, the owner decided to euthanatize the bull. Infection with Prototheca organisms was confirmed postmortem. As this case illustrates, protothecosis may be a cause of granulomatous enteritis in cattle.     

Factor VIII activity in canine von Willebrand disease

This study was conducted to determine the relationship between factor VIII (FVIII) activity and von Willebrand factor antigen (vWf:Ag) concentration in canine von Willebrand Disease (vWD). In addition, the clinical utility of measuring FVIII activity in vWD was assessed. This was performed by the concurrent analysis of both FVIII activity and vWf:Ag concentration in three breeds of dogs, namely Dobermans (n=183), Scottish Terriers (n=169), and Labrador Retrievers (n=146). In the three breeds tested, linear regression analysis illustrated a positive relationship between FVIII activity and vWf:Ag concentration. This was reaffirmed in the Doberman and Scottish Terrier breeds, in which dogs with vWf:Ag concentrations < 50 CU/dL ("carriers") had lower median FVIII activities than dogs with vWf:Ag concentrations > 70 CU/dL ("normals"). The determination of various FVIII "cut-off" values was a poor test to separate Dobermans with and without clinical signs of hemorrhage attributable to vWD. In addition, the occurrence of hemorrhage in Dobermans with vWf:Ag concentrations < 50 CU/dL was not influenced by the FVIII activity. Various tests were performed to determine if the measurement of FVIII activity aided in the identification of "carriers" of the vWD gene in the Doberman and Scottish Terrier breeds. These included the use of optimal FVIII "cut-off" values for each breed and a FVIII "cut-off" value of 55 CU/dL; FVIII/vWf:Ag ratios and FVIII/vWf:Ag ratio "cut-off" values; and linear regression analysis of vWf:Ag concentration against FVIII activity. Of all these tests, only the determination of FVIII/vWf:Ag ratios appeared to have promise for "carrier" detection. The data in the present study indicated that routine FVIII assessment in vWD is not warranted; however, measurement of FVIII activity may be of use in confirming the "carrier" status of vWD.     

Effect of sample quality on the sensitivity of endoscopic biopsy for detecting gastric and duodenal lesions in dogs and cats

Background: The quality of histopathology slides of endoscopic biopsies from different laboratories varies, but the effect of biopsy quality on outcome is unknown.
Hypothesis: The ability to demonstrate a histologic lesion in the stomach or duodenum of a dog or cat is affected by the quality of endoscopic biopsy samples submitted. More endoscopic samples are needed to find a lesion in poor-quality tissue specimens.
Animals: Tissues from 99 dogs and 51 cats were examined as clinical cases at 8 veterinary institutions or practices in 5 countries.
Methods: Histopathology slides from sequential cases that underwent endoscopic biopsy were submitted by participating institutions. Quality of the histologic section of tissue (inadequate, marginal, adequate), type of lesion (lymphangiectasia, crypt lesion, villus blunting, cellular infiltrate), and severity of lesion (normal, mild, moderate, severe) were determined. Sensitivity of different quality tissue samples for finding different lesions was determined.
Results: Fewer samples were required from dogs for diagnosis as the quality of the sample improved from inadequate to marginal to adequate. Duodenal lesions in cats displayed the same trend except for moderate duodenal infiltrates for which quality of tissue sample made no difference. Gastric lesions in dogs and mild gastric lesions in cats had the same trend, whereas the number of tissue samples needed to diagnose moderately severe gastric lesions in cats was not affected by the quality of tissue sample.
Conclusions and Clinical Importance: The quality of endoscopically obtained tissue samples has a profound effect on their sensitivity for identifying certain lesions, and there are differences between biopsies of canine and feline tissues.