Cell therapy for tendinitis,experimental and clinical report

To compare cultured bone marrow mesenchymal cells (cBMSC), bone marrow mononucleated cells (BMMNCs), and placebo to repair collagenase-induced tissue damage in an equine model of experimental tendonitis, 6 Standardbred horses with no signs of previous SDF tendon injury have been recruited. Three weeks after collagenase treatment an average of either 5.5 × 10⁶ cBMSCs or 122.3 × 10⁶ BMMNCs, saline solution (placebo) or fibrin glue were injected intralesionally in random order. Horses were stall rested for 21 weeks, and tendon ultrasound scans performed before and during this period. Horses were euthanized and tendons harvested for histology and immunohistochemistry. Data observed in this study showed effectiveness of cBMSC and BMMNC in regenerating tendon tissue after collagenase -induced tendonitis. Both cBMSC and BMMNC transplantation resulted in qualitatively similar regeneration of tendon extracellular matrix in terms of type I/III collagen ratio, fiber orientation, and COMP expression. After this favourable results, 20 horses were recruited referred for spontaneous lesions of the flexor tendons or the suspensory ligament. Horses were treated with autologous graft of BMMNCs.After treatment the. the exercise program allowed was 8 weeks stall rest, 4 weeks hand walking, 4 weeks trotting, 4 weeks of gradually raising of exercise level then horses were gone back to race. US characteristics of lesions started to improve at T3. CSA-l, FPS and TLS were better in all patients, with an appreciable filling of lesions indicated by a decreasing of CSA-l and increasing of TLS. When horses started the exercise program T8 tendon architecture improved, demonstrated by their longitudinal alignment and length. At T6, and persistently in later follorw-up, no lameness was evident by clinical examination. At time of writing 12 patients (60%) were go back to races, while other 8 (40%) are under controlled exercise program. Re-injury rate was assessed at 25%. All the owners judged good to excellent the outcome in term of athletic success.

     

Current experimental therapy

For successful experimental therapy of canine hematopoietic tumors, one must have a randomized homogeneous population of patients in reasonably good condition. Drug combinations should contain several agents, each with antitumor effect, acceptable toxicity, and of reasonable cost. Other modalities include biological response modifiers, radiation, differentiation-inducing agents, and marrow transplantation. Ways must be found to prevent drug resistance of tumor cells.     

Canine and feline aural hematoma: clinical, experimental, and clinicopathologic observations

The pathogenesis of canine and feline aural hematoma (AH) was investigated. Clinical observations, selected experimental procedures, and clinicopathologic examinations were done on 40 dogs and 20 cats affected with AH. Eighteen healthy dogs and 14 healthy cats were used as the controls. The results of this investigation provide a valid basis for questioning the conventionally held view that AH is caused by trauma and for postulating that the actual cause is immune mediated.     

Owner compliance and clinical outcome measures for domestic cats undergoing clinical behavior therapy

The importance of owner compliance in following treatment is recognized in all aspects of veterinary and human medicine. However, in veterinary behavioral medicine, where the majority of the ‘treatment’ is conducted by the owners themselves after the consultation, compliance is fundamental to the successful outcome of the case. The owners of 85 cats with a range of different ‘behavior problems’ were recruited to participate in this study. Each owner had 2 visits from a clinician: at the first background information was gathered, the owner and clinician assigned a subjective score of ‘severity’ and a full behavior consultation was conducted. At a second visit 8 weeks later, owner and clinician rated the severity of the problem again, and the owner was asked questions that were designed to check their compliance to various aspects of the treatment program. The owners reported a decrease in severity after treatment in 92% of cases, and the clinician in 78% of cases. The average compliance of owners to programs was 61%. A strong positive correlation was found between change in severity score rated by the clinician, and compliance score (Spearman's ρ = 0.718, P < 0.01), a weaker positive correlation was found between compliance and difference in owner severity scores between visits (Spearman's ρ = 0.402, P < 0.01). There was no significant correlation found between compliance score and the severity score on visit one, rated either by owner or clinician. The results of this study confirm that owner compliance is an important factor in treatment outcomes for behavior problems in domestic cats.     

Pathological, clinical and mycological findings in experimental aspergillosis infections of starlings

A group of 24 wild starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), in undefined age categories but at least post-pubertal, constituted the material of this study. Six starlings were kept as a control group and 18 starlings served as the infection group. The starlings in the infection group were infected with inoculums of 1.35 x 10(6)/0.2 ml Aspergillus fumigatus via intratracheal route whereas the control group was administered only placebo in the same way. Six, four, two, four and two birds died on 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 days post inoculation respectively. At the necropsy of the dead birds, caseous foci were determined in the lungs, on the air sacks, myocardium, thoracic wall and abdominal serosa. In the histopathological examination of the white-yellowish caseous foci ranging from pinhead to chick pean in size, necrotic granulomatous foci consisting of macrophages, heterophil leukocytes and gigant cells encapsulated with a fibrous tissue were observed. Hyphae and spores of A. fumigatus were determined in these foci using the Gridley staining method.     

Magnetic resonance imaging application to live horse for diagnosis of tendinitis

Six live horses with various stages of acute to chronic superficial digital flexor (SDF) tendinitis were examined using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In each case, MRI findings were compared to the corresponding ultrasonographic (USD) and histologic findings, to establish the usefulness of MRI. In the acute cases, lesions characterized by hemorrhage were well defined as high signal intensity on MRI and hypoechoic regions on USD. Chronic tendon fibrosis was slightly hyperechoic and difficult to distinguish from the normal tendon tissue around the original injury by using USD. In contrast, MRI visualized the chronic lesion as a low intensity signal, which could be distinguished from the black background of the normal SDF tendon tissue. This study clearly demonstrated MRI was the better imaging modality for the objective detection of chronic scar tissue in live horses. These findings, from living horses, suggest an advantage of MRI in the clinical application to diagnose tendinitis in cases where there is chronic scar tissue that is difficult to discern on USD.     

Sulfonamide and toltrazuril therapy of experimental turkey coccidiosis

Following experimental infection of caged turkeys with a mixed oocyst suspension of E. meleagrimitis, E. adenoeides and E. gallopavonis, the efficacy of sulfachlorpyrazine, sulfaquinoxaline + pyrimethamine, sulfaquinoxaline + diaveridine, and toltrazuril was investigated based on clinical and parasitological parameters. Infected turkeys developed severe clinical symptoms. Only weak symptoms were observed in those groups which were treated with the sulfa- and sulfa-DHFR-inhibitors. The toltrazuril-treated group remained free of clinical symptoms. At the 8th day after infection, the clinical lesions coincided with the intensity of the gut lesions together with parasitological findings based on microscopical examination of mucosal smears. The same coincidence was observed for parameters such as oocyst excretion and body weight development.     

Urachal disorders in calves: clinical and sonographic findings, therapy and prognosis

Clinical findings, therapy, and prognosis of 20 calves with urachal problems were studied and are discussed. Ultrasonography proved to be a valuable adjunct diagnostic procedure to manual palpation. It allowed exact evaluation of the intraabdominal umbilical cord size and was an important aid in the selection of the correct therapy. A complete omphalourachectomy was performed in calves with an extra- and intraabdominal umbilical cord diameter of up to 10 cm, otherwise drainage was established. Based on our results prognosis for calves with urachitis is independent of the size of the umbilicus and can be judged as favourable in cases without systemic complications.     

Cryotherapy (N2O) of canine distichiasis and trichiasis: an experimental and clinical report

Aberrant lashes in the dog have been destroyed by a number of surgical methods. Cryotherapy (N₂O) for the treatment of distichiasis and trichiasis in the dog is reviewed. Histologic examination of the lids and adnexa in four control dogs revealed a return to normal appearance in 14 days. The high success rate and minimal complications associated with the clinical technique in eight cases contrast with other methods of treatment.     

宠物免疫营养疗法及临床应用

免疫营养及免疫营养疗法是宠物临床理论与技术发展中产生的新概念和新技术,是临床宠物医师必备的知识与技术。实践已经证明免疫营养及免疫营养疗法是非常有效的宠物临床治疗措施,新理念、新方法与新产品所获得的临床治疗效果是肯定的和有潜力的。免疫营养理论及免疫营养疗法在宠物临床中的应用范围和方法尚需深入研究和探讨。     

Cytokines and anti-cytokine therapy: clinical potential for treatment of feline disease

Cytokines are soluble proteins produced by nucleated cells throughout the body. They have wide ranging effects on cell growth and differentiation, mediating immune responses, haemopoiesis and tissue repair. Advances in recombinant DNA technology have led to a vast increase in knowledge of their biological properties and subsequently their use in human clinical trials. The use of human cytokines in feline medicine has been of limited success as the action of cytokines is often species restricted or their activity may be neutralized due to antibody formation. Recently, however, many feline cytokines have been cloned which raises the possibility of their future use in the management and prevention of feline disease. Ultimately, they may find widespread clinical uses including the treatment of cancer, cytopenias and viral infections and as vaccine adjuvants.     

Epizootic Rabbit Enteropathy: experimental transmission and clinical characterization

In late 1996 in France, a severe digestive disease appeared in fattening domestic rabbits. Named the Epizootic Rabbit Enteropathy (ERE), this digestive syndrome has become the main cause of mortality in rabbit farming. The diagnosis in field conditions is difficult because co-infection with other common rabbit pathogens is frequent. By using specific pathogenic free (SPF) rabbits and starting from a field sample of intestinal contents of diseased animals, a virulent material (inoculum) was obtained free of almost all known pathogens but reproduced the symptoms and lesions of ERE. Four hundred and seven SPF rabbits were used in five trials to describe the disease. ERE is characterized by a high contagiousness, 30 to 40% mortality in a few days and about 100% morbidity whatever the dose of the inoculum used. Clinical signs and lesions evolved acutely with the first sign (rambling noise) appearing one day after inoculation and the disease peaking 4 to 6 days later. Growth was strongly lowered from the second day to the end of the second week. Rambling noise and distended abdomen were frequent, mucus excretion and cecal impaction were frequent but not constant. ERE at necropsy was characterized by the absence of any inflammatory or congestive lesions on the gut or on other organs but with the typical presence of a stomach and/or duodenum dilated by liquid and gas and by the absence of specific histological lesions. The etiological agent has not been identified yet, but we demonstrate that the intestinal content was infectious as early as the second day. This work constitutes the experimental basis for studies on this emerging disease within the framework of etiological research led in different European laboratories working with the infectious material.     

Caprine aflatoxicosis: experimental disease and clinical pathologic changes

Groups of 8 male crossbreed domestic goats were given 3 dosage levels of aflatoxin B1 [(AFB1) mg/kg of body weight/day] orally: 0.1 for 34 days; 0.2 for 18 days; or 0.4 for 10 days. Clinical condition, feed consumption, and selected blood values were determined. Clinical signs of toxicosis included decreased feed consumption, slight-to-moderate loss of body weight, mucopurulent nasal discharge, dyspnea, coughing, lethargy, icterus, diarrhea (4 goats), and subnormal body temperature 24 to 48 hours before death. Clinicopathologic changes included increases in total RBC count, PCV, hemoglobin concentration, serum bilirubin concentration, and serum activities of aspartate aminotransferase, isocitric dehydrogenase, and ornithine carbamyl transferase. Goats given the 2 smaller dosage levels of AFB1 had slight increases of serum total protein (TP) concentration compared with control goats, but goats given the larger dosage levels of AFB1 initially had a slight decrease in TP. Aflatoxin had little effect on total WBC count. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities in goats given the 2 larger dosage levels of AFB1 were similar to those of control goats, but goats given the smallest dosage level of AFB1 had increased serum ALT activities. Aflatoxin did not produce consistent dose-related changes in serum alkaline phosphatase activities. Seemingly, goats are susceptible to aflatoxin. Onset of clinical signs was dose-related. Onset and magnitude of increases in PCV, hemoglobin concentration, serum bilirubin concentration, and activities of serum aspartate aminotransferase, ornithine carbamyl transferase, and isocitric dehydrogenase were dose-related. Changes in TP and activities of serum ALT and alkaline phosphatase were neither dose-related nor were they potentially useful indicators of toxicosis.