Recovery of brodifacoum in vomitus following induction of emesis in dogs that had ingested rodenticide bait

AIM: To assess the benefit of inducing emesis in dogs that have ingested rodenticide bait containing brodifacoum (BDF), by determining the amount of BDF in bait recovered from the vomitus relative to the estimated amount consumed.

METHODS: Between 2014 and 2015 samples of vomitus from seven dogs that ingested rodenticide baits containing BDF were submitted by veterinarians in New Zealand. All seven dogs had been given apomorphine by the veterinarian and vomited within 1 hour of ingesting the bait. Some or all of the bait particles were retrieved from each sample and were analysed for concentrations of BDF using HPLC. Based on estimations of the mass of bait consumed, the concentration of BDF stated on the product label, and the estimated mass of bait in the vomitus of each dog, the amount of BDF in the vomited bait was calculated as a percentage of the amount ingested.

RESULTS: For five dogs an estimation of the mass of bait ingested was provided by the submitting veterinarian. For these dogs the estimated percentage of BDF in the bait retrieved from the vomitus was between 10–77%. All dogs were well after discharge but only one dog returned for further testing. This dog had a normal prothrombin time 3 days after ingestion.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The induction of emesis within 1 hour of ingestion can be a useful tool in reducing the exposure of dogs to a toxic dose of BDF. The BDF was not fully absorbed within 1 hour of ingestion suggesting that the early induction of emesis can remove bait containing BDF before it can be fully absorbed.     

Systemic Immunosuppression by Methylprednisolone and Pregnancy Rates in Goats Undergoing the Transfer of Cloned Embryos

The presence of the zona pellucida has been perceived as a requirement for the oviductal transfer of cloned embryos at early stages of development while protecting the embryo from an immune system response. We hypothesized that steroid hormone therapy could reduce a potential cellular immune response after the transfer of zona‐free cloned embryos into the oviduct of recipient female goats. In Experiment 1, seven does were used to study the systemic immunosuppressant effect of the methylprednisolone administration (for 3 days) on blood cell counts. Whole blood was collected prior to treatment with methyprednisolone and then on Days 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 14, 21 and 28 after the first dose of methylprednisolone for the analysis of haematological parameters. Methylprednisolone treatment significantly reduced circulating white blood cells and neutrophils in comparison with pre‐treatment levels, demonstrating a systemic immunosuppressant effect. In Experiment 2, a group of 58 does were used as recipient females to study the effect of administration of methylprednisolone for 3 days on the establishment of pregnancies after the transfer of zona‐free cloned embryos into the oviducts. No effects on pregnancy rates on Day 30 were observed regarding the distinct treatment groups (control vs. methylprednisolone), the source of oocytes (in vivo‐ vs in vitro‐matured) or the presence or absence of the zona pellucida in embryos. In summary, methylprednisolone was effective at inducing a systemic immunosuppressed state in goats, but the treatment prior to embryo transfer did not affect pregnancy rates. Moreover, pregnancy rates were similar between zona‐free and zona‐intact goat cloned embryos.     

Surface Deformation and Lower Crustal Flow in Eastern Tibet

Field observations and satellite geodesy indicate that little crustal shortening has occurred along the central to southern margin of the eastern Tibetan plateau since about 4 million years ago. Instead, central eastern Tibet has been nearly stationary relative to southeastern China, southeastern Tibet has rotated clockwise without major crustal shortening, and the crust along portions of the eastern plateau margin has been extended. Modeling suggests that these phenomena are the result of continental convergence where the lower crust is so weak that upper crustal deformation is decoupled from the motion of the underlying mantle. This model also predicts east-west extension on the high plateau without convective removal of Tibetan lithosphere and without eastward movement of the crust east of the plateau.     

Morphological and Apoptotic Comparison of Primordial and Primary Follicles in Cryopreserved Human Ovarian Tissue

There are few reports which were designed to compare the survival rate of human primary follicles with primordial follicles after cryopreservation. This study was designed to evaluate whether such a difference occurs. Human ovarian biopsies were cryopreserved using dimethylsulphoxide/sucrose as the cryoprotectants. Fresh and cryopreserved ovarian samples were evaluated for viability differences between the two types of follicles using the endpoints of histology, ultrastructure and DNA fragmentation. In comparison with fresh ovarian tissue (83.9% ± 10.0%), the percentage of morphologically normal primordial follicles was not significantly different in cryopreserved tissue (73.9% ± 17.2%). However, a lower percentage of primary follicles with normal morphology was seen in the cryopreserved group (43.3% ± 25.7% vs 74.8% ± 19.4% for the fresh group). Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the cryopreservation did not appear to affect the structural integrity of primordial follicles; however, varying ultrastructural damage to the cytoplasm was observed in the majority of the cryopreserved primary follicles. Using a DNA fragmentation assay, the percentage of apoptotic primordial and primary follicles in the unfrozen (26.3% and 20%) and frozen (23.3% and 25%) ovarian tissue was similar. A higher proportion of primary follicles, compared to primordial follicles, suffer histological damage after slow freezing.     

Variation in ptaquiloside content in bracken (Pteridium esculentum (Forst. f) Cockayne) in New Zealand

AIM: To examine stands of bracken fern (Pteridium esculentum) from throughout New Zealand for the presence and concentration of ptaquiloside (Pta), and to compare the presence and/or concentrations of Pta in areas where bovine enzootic haematuria (BEH) and/or acute haemorrhagic syndrome (AHS) has been known to occur with those where BEH/AHS has not been recorded.

METHODS: Stands of bracken fern were sampled from 275 sites throughout New Zealand. Sixty-two stands were from a regional survey predominantly from the Waikato and Coromandel regions, 27 were from a farm in the King Country where BEH/AHS had been investigated previously, and 186 were from a national survey of the North and South Islands. Sampling sites were from a mixture of grazed paddocks, roadsides, and forest and bush areas. Samples comprised whole young fronds, the tops of unfurling young fronds, or, for the Regional Survey, mature green fronds from the previous season. Pta was extracted from the samples, and measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. Information on the occurrence of BEH/AHS at specific locations was obtained from published information and records from animal health laboratories in New Zealand.

RESULTS: The 275 samples contained widely varying concentrations of Pta. In the Farm Survey, concentrations ranged from 280–13,300 (mean 3,800) µg/g (on a dry-weight basis) in the 63% of samples that contained Pta. A high proportion of samples from the Regional and National Surveys covering large areas of the country contained no detectable levels of Pta. The majority (61%) of samples from these two surveys which contained Pta were from areas where BEH/AHS was reported to occur. Combining data from all surveys, in areas with reported BEH/AHS, 42% of samples collected contained Pta, compared with 6% where BEH/AHS was not known to occur.

CONCLUSIONS: Concentrations of Pta in bracken in New Zealand vary greatly, and in a high proportion of stands Pta is not found. A higher incidence of Pta, and some very high concentrations, are found in areas where BEH/AHS was known to occur.     

Ghar-i-Mordeh Gusfand (Cave of the Dead Sheep): A New Mousterian Locality in North Afghanistan

The Middle Paleolithic of Central Asia is little known and less understood. Several sites have been excavated in Soviet Central Asia, but few have been adequately presented. Recent excavations in north Afghanistan may throw new light on the problem because of the size of the rock shelter involved and its relative geologic dating.