Periodontal disease. Etiology and pathogenesis

Periodontal disease is the number-one cause of the early loss of teeth in dogs and cats. Some of the factors in the adult animal that play a major role in the development of periodontal diseases are discussed in this article, including overcrowding, malocclusions, diet, developmental defects, and metabolic and systemic disease.     

Crystalluria. Observations, interpretations, and misinterpretations

Crystalluria results from oversaturation of urine with crystallogenic substance. However, oversaturation may occur as a result of in vitro as well as in vivo events. The microscopic appearance of crystals only represents a tentative identification of their composition because variable conditions associated with their formation, growth, and dissolution may alter their appearance. Definitive identification is dependent on physical methods such as optical crystallography, x-ray diffraction, and electron microscopic analysis.     

Les insectes nuisibles aux eucalyptus en Italie: importance des dégats et méthodes de lutte1

Des informations sur la biologie et la diffusion des principaux insectes nuisibles aux eucalyptus en Italie sont données, ainsi que sur l'importance de leurs dégats et sur les méthodes de lutte les plus couramment employées. En plus des quelques espèces polyphages, qui peuvent causer des dégats sporadiques, les phytophages vivant exclusivement aux dépens d'Eucalyptus spp. en Italie sont Phoracantha semipunctata, Gonipterus scutellatus et Ctenarytaina eucalypti. La première espèce est nuisible aux eucalyptus cultivès pour la production du bois et est répandue en Italie centrale et méridionale, en Sicile et en Sardaigne, alors que les deux autres espèces endommagent surtout les eucalyptus destinés aux marchés de fleurs (fleurs et rameaux) et ne sont prèsentes qu'en Ligurie occidentale. La lutte contre P. semipunctata est conduite par des interventions d'ordre sylvicultural, consistant essentiellement è recéper des peuplements sérieusement attaqués; le parasite oophage Patasson nitens, importé d'Afrique du Sud, permet de controler G. scutellatus alors que les larves de plusieurs syrphes prédatrices agissent efficacement contre C. eucalypti.     

Arthroscopic Study of Cranial Cruciate Ligament and Medial Meniscal Lesions in the Dog

Twenty stifles (10 dogs) were studied for a period of 1 year after various lesions of the cranial cruciate ligament and medial meniscus were produced surgicaoy. Through serial arthroscopic evaluations, degenerative processes In stifles with a "torn" cranial cruciate ligament were documented. Intra-articular changes were minimal after partial meniscectomy and were severe after total meniscectomy. Multiple arthroscopies caused no demonstrable changes.     

Pathogenicity of porcine enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli that do not express K88, K99, F41, or 987P adhesins.

Three-week-old weaned and colostrum-deprived neonatal (less than 1 day old) pigs were inoculated to determine the pathogenicity of 2 enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli isolates that do not express K88, K99, F41, or 987P adhesins (strains 2134 and 2171). Strains 2134 and 2171 were isolated from pigs that had diarrhea after weaning attributable to enterotoxigenic E coli infection. We found that both strains of E coli adhered in the ileum and caused diarrhea in pigs of both age groups. In control experiments, adherent bacteria were not seen in the ileum of pigs less than 1 day old or 3 weeks old that were noninoculated or inoculated with a nonpathogenic strain of E coli. These control pigs did not develop diarrhea. Antisera raised against strains 2134 and 2171 and absorbed with the autologous strain, grown at 18 C, were used for bacterial-agglutination and colony-immunoblot assays. Both absorbed antisera reacted with strains 2134 and 2171, but not with strains that express K99, F41, or 987P adhesins. A cross-reaction was observed with 2 wild-type K88 strains, but not with a K12 strain that expresses K88 pili. Indirect immunofluorescence with these absorbed antisera revealed adherent bacteria in frozen sections of ileum from pigs infected with either strain. We concluded that these strains are pathogenic and express a common surface antigen that may be a novel adhesin in E coli strains that cause diarrhea in weaned pigs.     

Rhinoscopy in dogs and cats]

Rostral and caudal rhinoscopy in dogs and cats facilitates the investigation of the nasal cavity and accurate biopsy. Rostral rhinoscopy can be performed by rigid endoscopes; caudal rhinoscopy requires flexible endoscopes. Deep anaesthesia or additional analgesia with local anaesthesia is necessary. The nasal cavity is assessed by its form, colour, surface of the mucous membrane, hyperemia, plaques, lesions, and the secretion is assessed by its quantity, colour and viscosity. Foreign bodies and neoplasia must also be looked for. Case reports with abnormal findings are described.     

Infection of bovine fetuses at 120 days' gestation with virulent and avirulent strains of bluetongue virus serotype 11.

Bluetongue virus infection in sheep and cattle during fetal development causes neuropathology. Two strains of bluetongue virus serotype 11 designated as UC-2 and UC-8 have different virulence patterns in newborn mice. These viruses have distinctly different electropherotype patterns on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicating a genetic difference in these two viruses of the same serotype. Four bovine fetuses each were inoculated intramuscularly with either UC-2 or UC-8, and one fetus was inoculated with placebo. The inoculation was made intramuscularly through the uterine wall at 120 days' gestation, and the bovine fetuses were recovered by cesarean section 12 or 20 days after inoculation. Fetal blood was collected for virus isolation and serology. Virus was reisolated from brain, blood, lung and liver. Both strains, UC-2 and UC-8, cause severe lesions in the 120 day fetuses. The encephalomalacic lesions occurred earlier and were more severe in fetuses inoculated with UC-8 as compared to those inoculated with UC-2. The subtle differences observed in the fetuses inoculated with the two different strains suggest that there is a difference in pathogenic potential of the two viruses. These differences do not appear to be completely dependent upon the host species.     

Regulation of the bacterial intestinal implantation in infant born by caesarean section.

Studies were undertaken to determine the regulation of the bacterial intestinal implantation in 19 newborns delivered by caesarean section. Correlation was made with the infant feeding mode. The effect of human milk seemed to be the result of B. bifidum proliferation, in contrast to artificial alimentation that seemed to favour C. perfringens implantation. The question was raised by us as to whether this opposition was only related to alimentation. In fact, B. bifidum itself also had an effect as demonstrated by the lower mean counts of C. perfringens in bottle-fed infants carrying the bifido-bacterial flora (P = 0.05). None of the other faecal bacteria investigated in this study led to the same decrease.