Prevalence of Mycoplasma agassizii and Chelonian herpesvirus in captive tortoises (Testudo sp.) in the United Kingdom.

During the months of April to August in 1999 and 2002, oral swabs were collected from 146 tortoises (Testudo sp.) in private collections in the United Kingdom and tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of Mycoplasma agassizii and Chelonian herpesvirus (ChHV). The presence of M. agassizii was confirmed by restriction digestion of the PCR product. A 307-bp fragment of the ChHV UL5 homologue gene was sequenced and found to show most similarity to equine herpesvirus type 1. A prevalence of 15.8 and 8.2% was found for M. agassizii and ChHV, respectively. Comparison of the carriage of both M. agassizii and ChHV in different species of tortoises correlated the presence of M. agassizii with Testudo horsfieldii and ChHV with Testudo marginata and Testudo graeca iberia. An association of ChHV with stomatitis was also found. Mixed infections with both agents were detected. The findings further demonstrate this pathogen-tortoise association and the cross transmission of these infections if different tortoise species are housed together.     

Influence of long-term treatment with tetracycline and niacinamide on antibody production in dogs with discoid lupus erythematosus

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of long-term treatment with tetracycline and niacinamide on antibody production in dogs by measuring postvaccinal serum concentrations of antibodies against canine parvovirus and canine distemper virus. ANIMALS: 10 dogs receiving long-term treatment with tetracycline and niacinamide (treatment group) and 10 healthy dogs (control group). PROCEDURE: The treatment group included 9 dogs with discoid lupus erythematosus and 1 dog with pemphigus foliaceus on long-term treatment (> 12 months) with tetracycline and niacinamide. The control group included 10 healthy dogs with no clinical signs of disease and no administered medications for the past 3 months. Blood samples were obtained from all dogs by jugular venipuncture. Serum antibody titers against canine parvovirus and canine distemper virus antigens were measured, using hemaglutination inhibition and serum neutralization, respectively, and compared between groups. RESULTS: A significant difference in antibody titers between treatment- and control-group dogs was not found. All dogs had protective antibody titers against canine distemper virus, and 8 of 10 dogs from each group had protective titers against canine parvovirus infection. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These results provide evidence that long-term treatment with tetracycline and niacinamide does not interfere with routine vaccinations and thus does not seem to influence antibody production in dogs.     

Design and chemical synthesis of a homogeneous polymer-modified erythropoiesis protein

We report the design and total chemical synthesis of "synthetic erythropoiesis protein" (SEP), a 51-kilodalton protein-polymer construct consisting of a 166-amino-acid polypeptide chain and two covalently attached, branched, and monodisperse polymer moieties that are negatively charged. The ability to control the chemistry allowed us to synthesize a macromolecule of precisely defined covalent structure. SEP was homogeneous as shown by high-resolution analytical techniques, with a mass of 50,825 +/-10 daltons by electrospray mass spectrometry, and with a pI of 5.0. In cell and animal assays for erythropoiesis, SEP displayed potent biological activity and had significantly prolonged duration of action in vivo. These chemical methods are a powerful tool in the rational design of protein constructs with potential therapeutic applications.     

Pharmacokinetics of carvedilol after intravenous and oral administration in conscious healthy dogs

OBJECTIVE: To determine the pharmacokinetics of carvedilol administered IV and orally and determine the dose of carvedilol required to maintain plasma concentrations associated with anticipated therapeutic efficacy when administered orally to dogs. ANIMALS: 8 healthy dogs. PROCEDURES: Blood samples were collected for 24 hours after single doses of carvedilol were administered IV (175 microg/kg) or PO (1.5 mg/kg) by use of a crossover nonrandomized design. Carvedilol concentrations were detected in plasma by use of high-performance liquid chromatography. Plasma drug concentration versus time curves were subjected to noncompartmental pharmacokinetic analysis. RESULTS: The median peak concentration (extrapolated) of carvedilol after IV administration was 476 ng/mL (range, 203 to 1,920 ng/mL), elimination half-life (t(1/2)) was 282 minutes (range, 19 to 1,021 minutes), and mean residence time (MRT) was 360 minutes (range, 19 to 819 minutes). Volume of distribution at steady state was 2.0 L/kg (range, 0.7 to 4.3 L/kg). After oral administration of carvedilol, the median peak concentration was 24 microg/mL (range, 9 to 173 microg/mL), time to maximum concentration was 90 minutes (range, 60 to 180 minutes), t(1/2) was 82 minutes (range, 64 to 138 minutes), and MRT was 182 minutes (range, 112 to 254 minutes). Median bioavailability after oral administration of carvedilol was 2.1% (range, 0.4% to 54%). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although results suggested a 3-hour dosing interval on the basis of MRT, pharmacodynamic studies investigating the duration of beta-adrenoreceptor blockade provide a more accurate basis for determining the dosing interval of carvedilol.     

Some aspects of locomotory stereotypies in spectacled bears (Tremarctos ornatus) and changes in behavior after relocation and dental treatment

The behavior of 2 spectacled bears (Tremarctos ornatus) was studied at Wroclaw Zoo (Poland), where they were housed in a very small outdoor enclosure, and then in a separate study after transfer to a large naturalistic exhibit at Chester Zoo (CZ; United Kingdom). The studies combine to form an opportunistic “experiment” on the effects of transfer on zoo animals. This situation provided a unique opportunity for a closer investigation of known behavior problems and their causation. In part 1 of the study, at Wroclaw Zoo, the median amount of time devoted to stereotypical movements was 57 min/h. After the move to CZ, immediate changes in behavior were reported in 1 individual, for whom the stereotypy was eradicated. The other bear continued performing repetitive behavior of high intensity and only used a small area of the large enclosure. Signs of dental problems were subsequently observed in both bears, and so a dental examination was carried out, resulting in multiple extractions. After treatment, the amount of time that the bear with ongoing behavior problems spent stereotyping reduced significantly, and foraging increased. Our data suggest the bears' stereotypic behavior occurred not only in response to an understimulating environment in their old enclosure but also perhaps in association with medical conditions in one of the bears. Although other factors could have contributed to the observed reduction in stereotypy, it is clear that further investigation is needed into the effects of pain and physical condition on stereotypy in animals.