Subcutaneously implanted tissue chambers — a pharmacokinetic study

The purpose of this study was to characterize the pharmacokinetics of a subcutaneously implanted tissue-chamber model. Thermoplastic tissue chambers were implanted in the paralumbar fossae of six steers. Starting 30 days after implantation, the distribution of intravenously administered antipyrine and phenylbutazone into the tissue chambers was studied. These pharmacokinetic experiments were repeated 10 days later to determine the effect of time after implantation on tissue-chamber distribution. Fifty days after implantation, tissue chambers were drained of transudate, refilled with sterile saline and the rate of influx of endogenous urea, creatinine and albumin was measured. Delayed diffusion of antipyrine and phenylbutazone into tissue chambers was well described using a compartmental model in which tissue-chamber fluid represented the third of three compartments arranged in series. The distribution of antipyrine into tissue chambers was greater than that of phenylbutazone; an observation which is well correlated with the high degree of protein binding of phenylbutazone. There was no effect of time on the penetration of the two agents. Rapid diffusion of urea and creatinine and extremely slow influx of albumin into chambers showed that these chambers formed true interstitial compartments.     

Antagonism of medetomidine sedation by atipamezole in pigs.

The efficacy of atipamezole as a medetomidine antagonist was evaluated in pigs. The atipamezole doses (intramuscularly) were 80, 160, 320 and 480 micrograms/kg of body weight, which were one, two, four and six times higher than the preceding medetomidine dose (80 micrograms/kg, intramuscularly). Atipamezole effectively reversed medetomidine-induced sedation, and the optimal action was seen at doses of 160 and 320 micrograms/kg. Recovery from sedation was quick and smooth, and adverse effects such as hyperactivity or tachycardia were minimal with either dose.     

A Quantitative Study of Ganglion Cells in the German Shepherd Dog Retina

As in the number of mammals, the most prominent feature of the ganglion-cell layer in the retina of the German shepherd dog is the sharp increase in the density of ganglion cells in the central area. There is an area of maximum density and also a ‘cat-like’ visual streak, located dorsal to the optic disc. The isodensity lines of ganglion-cell distribution is roughly concentric. Their values vary from 5300-13 000 cells/mm² in the central area, with the cells densely packed, to 1000 cells/mm² or less in the periphery, where the cells are sparsely distributed. There were some individual differences amongst the animals studied, although all of them were pure-bred dogs. This suggests that the configuration of the retina in the canine species is not only dependent on the breed itself but also on some other parameters such as phylogenetic heritage, environment, aptitude, lifestyle, or even training.     

Suppurative Inflammation of Apocrine Sweat Glands (Suppurative Hidradenitis) in the Dog: A Retrospective Clinicopathological Analysis of 100 Cases

Résumé— Une analyse rétrospective clinicopathologique a été menée chez 100 chiens présentant une hydradénite suppurative diagnostiquée par biopsie cutanée. Aucune prédisposition d'âge, de race ou de sexe n'a été mise en évidence. Tous les chiens présentaient cliniquement une folliculite bactérienne, ou une furonculose, ou les deux, qu'elle soit primaire ou secondaire à d'autres dermatoses. Aucene lésion clinique n'était pathognomonique d'hidradénite suppurative. Chez 73 chiens, l'hidradénite suppurative était associée microscopiquement à des degrés variables d'inflammation du follicule pileux. Chez 27 chiens, l'hidradénite suppurative était la seule évidence histologique d'inflammation annexielle. L'observation histopathologique d'hidradénite suppurative suggère l'existence sur le plan clinique d'une folliculite bactérienne, d'une furonculose, ou des 2. [Scott, D.W. Suppurative inflammation of apocrine sweat glands (suppurative hidradentis) in the dog: a retrospective clinicopathological analysis of 100 cases (inflammation suppurative des glandes sudorales apocrines (hidradénite suppurative) chez le chien: une analyse rétrospective clinicopathologique de 100 cas). Resumen— Se llevó a cabo un estudio clinicopatológico retrospectivo en 100 perros con hidradenitis supurativa diagnosticada mediante biopsia cutánea. No se detectó predominancia alguna de raza, sexo o edad. A todes los perros se les habia diagnosticado clinicamente foliculitis o furunculosis bacteriana, o ambas, ya sea de forma primaria o secundaria a otras dermatosis. No se encontraron lesiones clinicas especificas indicativas de hidradenitis supurativa. En 73 animales, la hidradenitis supurativa estaba asociada con varios grados de inflamación folicular a nivel microscópico. En los 27 casos restantes, los anejos presentaban unicamente hidradenitis supurativa. La presencia de hidradenitis supurativa a nivel microscópico sugiere la existencia de foliculitis o furunculosis bacteriana clinicas, o de ambas. [Scott, D.W. Suppurative inflammation of apocrine sweat glands (suppurative hidradenitis) in the dog: a retrospective clinicopathological analysis of 100 cases (inflamación supurativa de las glándulas sudoriparas apocrinas (hidradenitis supurativa) en el perro: estudio clinicopatológico retrospectivo de 100 casos). Abstract— A retrospective clinicopathological study was conducted on 100 dogs with suppurative hidradenitis as determined by skin biopsy. No apparent age, breed, or sex predilections were recognized. All dogs had been given a clinical diagnosis of bacterial folliculitis, furunculosis, or both of these, whether primary or secondary to other dermatoses. There were no clinical lesions that uniquely suggested the presence of suppurative hidradenitis. In 73 dogs, suppurative hidradenitis occurred in conjunction with varying degrees of hair follicle inflammation microscopically. In 27 dogs, suppurative hidradenitis was the only histological evidence of adnexal inflammation. The histopathologic finding of suppurative hidradenitis suggests the existence of clinical bacterial folliculitis, furunculosis, or both of these.     

Hysterectomy during the luteal period in dogs chronically treated with bromocriptine

To determine whether prolactin has luteolytic properties during the first part of the luteal period, hysterectomy was performed in four dogs, in which prolactin had been chronically suppressed by bromocriptine administration. The concentration of progesterone in the peripheral blood decreased upon hysterectomy during the first part of the luteal phase and regained normal values after about seven days. The progesterone patterns during the perisurgical period in these dogs were similar to those patterns observed in dogs hysterectomised without bromocriptine treatment. It is concluded therefore that, in the dog, luteolytic properties can not be attributed to prolactin.     

Mink infected with aleutian disease virus have an elevated level of CD8-positive T-lymphocytes

Lymphocytes, monocytes, granulocytes, B-lymphocytes and CD8-positive T-lymphocytes of non-infected mink and mink infected with Aleutian disease virus (ADV) were measured by flow cytometry. The gammaglobulin levels of the sera were also measured. Besides development of hypergammaglobulinaemia in the infected mink, the most pronounced finding was that the number of CD8-positive lymphocytes doubled on average during development of Aleutian disease, while the number of B-lymphocytes did not change dramatically. The enhanced CD8 frequency was still apparent 6 months after initial ADV infection of the mink. The present experiments contribute to a better understanding of the immune deficiency stage seen in mink infected with ADV.     

In vitro evaluation of protein degradability in the rumen and digestibility of undegraded protein

A three-phase laboratory procedure suitable for predicting protein degradability in the rumen and digestibility of undegraded protein is reported. In the first phase the feed was incubated with starch and buffered rumen fluid. In the incubation mixture the viability of protease-active bacteria was checked by anaerobic culturing, whereas changes in protease activity were monitored by azocasein degradation. In the second and third phase rumen undegradable protein (UDP) was digested with pepsin and pancreatin, respectively. The measurements showed that 63.2, 5.2 and 4.7% of the crude protein of green lucerne was decomposed by rumen fluid, pepsin and pancreatin, respectively. Degradability of the crude protein of extracted sunflower meal was 68.3, 17.7 and 5.5% in the three phases, respectively. Repeated determination yielded crude protein degradabilities of 66.7, 27.1 and 5.1% for the three phases, respectively.