TWO-DIMENSIONAL COLOR TISSUE DOPPLER IMAGING DETECTS MYOCARDIAL DYSFUNCTION BEFORE OCCURRENCE OF HYPERTROPHY IN A YOUNG MAINE COON CAT

A 20-month-old healthy male Maine Coon cat was referred for a cardiovascular evaluation. Physical examination and electrocardiogram were normal. The end-diastolic subaortic interventricular septal thickness (6 mm; reference range: < or = 6mm) and the mitral flow late diastolic velocity (0.89 m/s; reference range: 0.2-0.8m/s) were within the upper ranges. However, M-mode echocardiography did not reveal any sign of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) identified a marked left ventricular free wall dysfunction characterized by decreased myocardial velocities in early diastole, increased myocardial velocities in late diastole and the presence of postsystolic contractions both at the base and the apex for the longitudinal motion. One year later, the diagnosis of HCM was confirmed by conventional echocardiography and the cat died suddenly 2 months later. This report demonstrates for the first time in spontaneous HCM the sensitivity of TDI for early diagnosis of myocardial dysfunction and suggests that TDI should form part of the screening techniques for early diagnosis of feline HCM.     

CONTRAST-ENHANCED COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC IMAGING OF THE AUDITORY TUBE IN MESATICEPHALIC DOGS

Computed tomography after contrast medium injection was performed in three mesaticephalic canine cadavers to image the auditory tube. Cadavers were positioned in lateral recumbency for imaging. A myringotomy incision was made in the left tympanic membrane of each dog, and contrast medium was infused into the ear canal and middle ear through a balloon-tip catheter. With this method, contrast medium filled the left bulla and auditory tube in all three cadavers. Computed tomography following contrast medium injection was effective for evaluation of the canine auditory tube. Future studies are required to determine the usefulness, as well as the safety, of this procedure in the evaluation of the auditory tube in other breeds of dogs as well as dogs with otitis     

THE USE OF AMITRAZ IN THE CONTROL OF AN OUTBREAK OF SARCOPTIC MANGE IN A COLONY OF KOALAS

SUMMARY: An outbreak of sarcoptic mange in a colony of koalas was effectively controlled by the topical application of amitraz as a 0.025% aqueous suspension. Several koalas died in the 9 months preceding treatment, with lesions suggestive of Sarcoptes scabiei ; however, no further deaths occurred following treatment and there was complete recovery of all affected animals.     

Lead poisoning and canine distemper

Clinical signs of lead poisoning are rather nonspecific and have often been confused with those of canine distemper. Described is a case of canine distemper which on clinical examination, haematology and biochemical test (U-ALA) indicated intoxication with lead. The case demonstrates the value of taking blood samples for the purpose of estimation of lead level in suspect cases of lead poisoning.     

Water utilization by S-ethyl dipropylthiocarbamate treated wheat

Wheat (Triticum aesticum L. var. Holley) was grown in 0.5 Hoaglands complete mineral nutrient solution containing sub-toxic concentrations of S-ethyl dipropyl-thiocarbamate (EPTC) (0, 0.0625, 0.125, 0.25, or 0.5mg/1). Total fresh and dry plant weights per pot decreasedas EPTC concentration increased. Leaf fresh and dry weight per pot decreased as EPTC concentration increased. Root fresh weight per pot was not greatly influenced by EPTC and dry weight per pot was statistically significantly decreased at the 0.5 mg/l EPTC concentration. Total plant water utilization and leaf water contents (mg/g DW) decreased as EPTC concentration increased, but evapotranspiration (ml/g FW or DW) per unit leaf tissue was increased to ca 145% of the untreated wheat. This increased evapotranspiration explains an EPTC induced accumulation of 14C-atrazine in leaves beyond the detoxification level which ultimately resulted in atrazine injury in EPTC pretreated plants.     

Some Preliminary Clinical Observations on the Malabsorption Syndrome in the Cat

Abstract— —The clinical syndrome associated with malabsorption in the cat is described. Three cases illustrating different possible aetiologies of the syndrome are described. Methods of diagnosis and treatment are discussed.
Résumé— —L'auteur examine le syndrome clinique qu'entraînent chez le chat les troubles de l'absorption. I. déctir trois cas correspondant à diverses étiologies possibles et expose les métiodes propres au diagnostic et au traitement.
Zusammenfassung— —Das mit mangelhafter Absorption im Verdauungskanal verbundene klinische Syndrom bei der Katze wird beschrieben. Drei Falle, die verschiedene mögliche Ätiologien des Syndroms illustrieren, werden beschrieben. Methoden der Diagnose und Behandlung werden besprochen.     

The effects of caseous lymphadenitis on wool production and bodyweight in young sheep

Two hundred Merino wether hoggets were used to examine the effect of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection (caseous lymphadenitis) on wool production and bodyweight. Sheep which were challenged with C. pseudotuberculosis (artificially infected) and not vaccinated against this disease produced 0.20 kg less clean wool than unchallenged controls during the following 12 months. The incidence of sheep with lesions in the group that was vaccinated prior to challenge was 55% lower than in unvaccinated challenged sheep but their wool production was not significantly different from either the controls or the unvaccinated challenged sheep. Vaccinated sheep were also heavier than unvaccinated sheep 12 months after challenge. These results indicate that caseous lymphadenitis infection may reduce wool production.     

COMPARISON OF FLAT-PANEL DIGITAL TO CONVENTIONAL FILM-SCREEN RADIOGRAPHY IN DETECTION OF EXPERIMENTALLY CREATED LESIONS OF THE EQUINE THIRD METACARPAL BONE

Radiographic diagnosis of equine bone disease using digital radiography is prevalent in veterinary practice. However, the diagnostic quality of digital vs. conventional radiography has not been compared systematically. We hypothesized that digital radiography would be superior to film-screen radiography for detection of subtle lesions of the equine third metacarpal bone. Twenty-four third metacarpal bones were collected from horses euthanized for reasons other than orthopedic disease. Bones were dissected free of soft tissue and computed tomography was performed to ensure that no osseous abnormalities were present. Subtle osseous lesions were produced in the dorsal cortex of the third metacarpal bones, and the bones were radiographed in a soft tissue phantom using indirect digital and conventional radiography at standard exposures. Digital radiographs were printed onto film. Three Diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Radiology evaluated the radiographs for the presence or absence of a lesion. Receiver operator characteristic curves were constructed, and the area under these curves were compared to assess the ability of the digital and film-screen radiographic systems to detect lesions. The area under the ROC curves for film-screen and digital radiography were 0.87 and 0.90, respectively ( P =0.59). We concluded that the digital radiographic system was comparable to the film-screen system for detection of subtle lesions of the equine third metacarpal bone.     

CONTRAST HARMONIC IMAGING OF THE NORMAL CANINE SPLEEN

The purpose of this study was to assess the perfusion pattern and perfusion dynamics in the normal canine spleen using contrast harmonic imaging. Twenty-five dogs without clinical or ultrasonographic evidence of splenic disease were studied. Twenty-three dogs were scanned with only manual restraint; two dogs were sedated with buprenorphin. All dogs received an intravenous bolus of a microbubble contrast medium (SonoVue). The perfusion pattern during the blood pool phase represented a skewed bell-shaped curve. A tissue-specific late phase, similar to humans, was not observed. Time/intensity curves were generated for a selected region. Mean average-derived peak intensity (PI) was 6.6dB, mean time to peak intensity calculated from the initial rise (TTP) was 25.6 s and mean area under the curve (AUC) was 523.6 dBs. If dogs were divided into two body weight groups (< or =15 and >15 kg body weight), average derived peak intensity area, time to peak intensity, and area under the curve were lower for the smaller dogs than for the larger animals. However, differences were not statistically significant (P = 0.2, 0.05, and 0.08, respectively). No significant association was found between hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration, red blood cell count, blood pressure, heart rate, age, gender, and the perfusion variables. In conclusion, these baseline data may prove useful in the evaluation of dogs with diffuse or focal splenic disease.