Efficacy of ivermectin against the swine kidney worm, Stephanurus dentatus

Ivermectin in solution was given subcutaneously (in the neck) at the rate of 0.5 mg/kg of body weight to 5 sows naturally infected with kidney worm (Stephanurus dentatus). Six similar sows were used as nontreated controls. A total of 114 kidney worms were recovered from daily urine samples of 4 of the 5 treated sows (the 5th sow's samples were negative) during the first 4 days after treatment. Ten kidney worms were recovered from daily urine samples of 1 control sow on the 2nd and 3rd days of the post-treatment period. Examination of urine samples from treated sows for kidney worm eggs showed a precipitous numerical decrease. Treated animals became negative between the 5th and 12th days after treatment, and remained negative until necropsy on the 61st day. Compared with control sows, hatchability of eggs and survival of larvae from treated sows was reduced by 9% and 7%, respectively. Kidney worms were not recovered at necropsy from the treated sows, and a total of 392 kidney worms were recovered from the control sows (av 65).     

Efficacy of fenbendazole against the swine kidney worm Stephanurus dentatus

Fenbendazole in ground feed was fed on 3 successive days at the rate of 3 mg/kg of body weight to 15 sows naturally infected with kidney worm (Stephanurus dentatus). Fifteen similar sows were used as nontreated controls. A total of 49 kidney worms were recovered from daily urine samples collected from 10 of the 15 treated sows within 5 days after the 3rd dose of treatment. One control sow passed 10 kidney worms on the 2nd and 3rd days. Urine samples from treated sows became negative for kidney worm eggs by the 5th to 12th posttreatment days, except for urine samples from 1 sow that contained a few eggs on the 12th day and another sow that contained a few eggs on the 19th and 33rd posttreatment days. Urine samples from control sows contained approximately the same number of kidney worm eggs in the posttreatment period as earlier. Compared with that in control sows, the hatchability of the parasite eggs from treated sows was greatly reduced. Kidney worms were not recovered at necropsy from the treated sows and a total of 860 kidney worms were recovered from the control sows (57 av).     

Cutaneous presentation of canine intravascular lymphoma (malignant angioendotheliomatosis)

A 9-year-old female spayed Boxer dog presented with variably sized, firm, black, raised, exudative subcutaneous masses on her head, neck and trunk, that tended to fluctuate in size and frequently ulcerate. Skin biopsy showed that the dermis was expanded by a densely cellular mass of proliferative capillaries distended with large pleomorphic neoplastic round cells mixed with fibrin and erythrocytes. Intravascular lymphoma was diagnosed and immunostains were compatible with a CD8⁺ T lymphocyte histogenesis (CD3⁺/CD79a⁻/TCRαβ⁺/CD8α⁺). Post-mortem examination, four months after diagnosis, revealed neoplastic T-cells within meningeal arteries. We are unaware of other reports of a cutaneous presentation and ante-mortem diagnosis of intravascular lymphoma in the dog. Additionally, this vasoproliferative form of intravascular lymphoma has not been previously described in dogs.     

Mitochondrial enzyme and Na+, K+-ATPase activity,and ion regulation during parr-smolt transformation of Atlantic salmon (Salmon salar)

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) exposed to either simulated natural photoperiod (SNP) or continuous light (L24) were used to examine developmental changes in the presence and absence, respectively, of the parrsmolt transformation. Plasma osmolarity and ion concentrations were unaffected by photoperiod treatment. Gill Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase specific activity increased 150% between February and June in SNP fish and was low and unchanged in L24 fish. Kidney Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase specific activity varied within similar, narrow limits in both groups. Citrate synthase of liver, gill and kidney, expressed as specific activity or activity/g total body weight (relative activity), increased 25–60% between March and June in SNP fish. With the exception of kidney relative activity, citrate synthase activity declined to initial (March) levels by August. Liver, gill and kidney cytochrome c oxidase activity of the SNP group underwent similar though less marked changes. Liver, gill and kidney citrate synthase and cytochrome c oxidase activities of the L24 group remained relatively constant between March and August, and where significant differences occurred, they were lower than those of the SNP group. These results indicate that respiratory capacities of the liver, gill and kidney increase in smolls concurrent with preparatory osmoregulatory changes, and subsequently decline. The findings are consistent with a hypothesized transient increase in catabolic activity during the parr-smolt transformation that may be due to the metabolic demands of differentiation.     

Osmoregulatory actions of growth hormone and its mode of action in salmonids: A review

Osmoregulatory actions of growth hormone (GH) and its mode of action in salmonids are reviewed. We present evidence suggesting that insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) mediates some of the actions of GH on seawater acclimation. Plasma concentration and turnover of GH rise following exposure to seawater. Exogenous GH (in vivo) increases gill Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase activity and the number of gill chloride cells, and inhibits an increase in plasma osmolarity and ions following transfer of fish to seawater. A single class of high affinity GH receptors is present in the liver, gill, intestine, and kidney. The levels of IGF-I mRNA in the liver, gill and kidney increased after GH-injection. After transfer to seawater, IGF-I mRNA increased in the gill and kidney following the rise in plasma GH, although no significant change was seen in the liver. Injection of IGF-I improved the ability of the fish to maintain plasma sodium levels after transfer to seawater. GH treatment also sensitizes the interrenal to adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), increasing cortisol secretion. Both cortisol and IGF-I may be involved in mediating the action of GH in seawater adaptation, although studies on the effect of GH on osmoregulatory physiology of non-salmonid species are limited. An integrated model of the osmoregulatory actions of GH is presented, and areas in need of research are outlined.

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Résumé Cet article est une revue des effets osmorégulateurs de l'hormone de croissance et de son mode d'action. Nous présentons des résultats qui suggèrent que le facteur de croissance de type insuline (IGF-I) est un médiateur de certaines des actions de la GH sur l'adaptation à l'eau de mer. Les concentrations plasmatiques et le renouvellement de la GH augmentent après transfert en eau de mer. La GH exogène stimule (in vivo) l'activité Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase et le nombre de cellules à chlorure branchialeset inhibe les augmentations de l'osmolarité et des concentrations ioniques du plasma observées après transfert en eau de mer. Une seule classe de récepteurs à haute affinité pour la GH est présent dans le foie, les branchies, l'intestin et le rein. Les niveaux d'ARNm d'IGF dans le foie, les branchies et le rein augmentent après injection de la GH. Après transfert en eau de mer, les ARNm de l'IGF augmentent dans les branchies et dans le rein en suivant l'augmentation de GH plasmatique, bien qu'aucune modification ne soit observée au niveau du foie. L'injection d'IGF augmente la capacité du poisson à maintenir ses niveaux de sodium plasmatique après transfert en eau de mer. Le traitement à la GH augmente la sensibilité à l'adrenocorticotropine (ACTH) et stimule donc les niveaux de cortisol. A la fois le cortisol et l'IGF-I semblent impliqués comme médiateurs des effets de la GH dans l'adaptation à l'eau de mer, bien que les études sur les effets de la GH sur la physiologie de l'osmorégulation chez les espèces non-salmonidés restent encore limitées. Un modèle intégré des actions de la GH sur l'osmorégulation est présenté et les domaines de recherche à développer sont soulignés.

     

Influence of cortisol, growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor I and 3,3′,5-triiodo-l-thyronine on hypoosmoregulatory ability in the euryhaline teleost Fundulus heteroclitus

The capacity of cortisol, ovine growth hormone (oGH), recombinant bovine insulin-like growth factor I (rbIGF-I) and 3,3,5-triiodo-l-thyronine (T₃) to increase hypoosmoregulatory capacity in the euryhaline teleost Fundulus heteroclitus was examined. Fish acclimated to brackish water (BW, 10 ppt salinity) were injected with a single dose of hormone suspended in oil and transferred to seawater (SW, 35 ppt salinity) 10 days post-injection. Fish were sampled 24 h after transfer and plasma osmolality and gill Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase activity were examined. Transfer from BW to SW induced significantly increased plasma osmolality but not gill Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase activity. Cortisol (50 g g^–1 body weight) improved the ability to maintain plasma osmolality and to increase gill Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase activity. oGH (5 g g^–1 body weight) also increased hypoosmoregulatory ability and gill Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase activity. A cooperation between oGH and cortisol was observed in increasing hypoosmoregulatory ability but not in increasing gill Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase activity. rbIGF-I (0.5 g g^–1 body weight) alone was without effect in increasing salinity tolerance or gill Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase activity. rbIGF-I and oGH showed a positive interaction in increasing salinity tolerance, but not gill Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase activity. Treatment with T₃ (5 g g^–1 body weight) alone did not increase salinity tolerance or gill Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase activity, and there was no consistent significant interaction between cortisol and T₃ or between GH and T₃. The results confirm the classical role of cortisol as a seawater-adapting hormone and indicate an interaction between cortisol and the GH/IGF-I axis during seawater acclimation of Fundulus heteroclitus.     

Effects of Acidity and Aluminum on the Physiology and Migratory Behavior of Atlantic Salmon Smolts in Maine, USA

Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, smolts of hatchery origin were held for 5 to 16 days in ambient (pH 6.35, labile Al = 60 µg L^?1), limed (pH 6.72, labile Al = 58.4 µg L^?1), or acidified (pH 5.47, labile Al=96 µg L^?1) water from the Narraguagus River in Maine, USA. Wild smolts were captured in the same river in rotary traps and held for up to two days in ambient river water. Osmoregulatory ability was assessed by measuring Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase activity, hematocrit, and blood Cl concentration in freshwater, and after 24-hr exposure to seawater. Hatchery smolts exposed to acidic water and wild smolts displayed sub-lethal ionoregulatory stress both in fresh and seawater, with mortalities of wild smolts in seawater. Using ultrasonic telemetry, hatchery-reared ambient and acid-exposed, and wild smolts were tracked as they migrated through freshwater and estuarine sections of the river. The proportion of wild smolts migrating during daylight hours was higher than for hatchery-reared smolts. Wild smolts remained in the freshwater portions of the river longer than either group of hatchery smolts, although survival during migration to seawater was similar for all three treatments. Acid-exposed hatchery-origin and wild Narraguagus River smolts were both under ionoregulatory stress that may have affected their migratory behavior, but not their survival for the time and area in which we tracked them.