Establishment of canine and feline cells expressing canine signaling lymphocyte activation molecule for canine distemper virus study

Antimicrobial therapy is a useful tool to control bovine mastitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus, as consequence an increase in staphylococci resistant cases has been registered. Alternative strategies are desirable and bacteriocins represent attractive control agents to prevent bovine mastitis. The aim of this work was to evaluate the activity of five bacteriocins synthesized by Bacillus thuringiensis against S. aureus isolates associated to bovine mastitis. Fifty S. aureus isolates were recovered from milk composite samples of 26 Holstein lactating cows from one herd during September 2007 to February 2008 in México and susceptibility of those isolates to 12 antibiotics and 5 bacteriocins from B. thuringiensis was evaluated. S. aureus isolates were mainly resistant to penicillin (92%), dicloxacillin (86%), ampicillin (74%) and erythromycin (74%); whereas susceptibility to gentamicin, trimethoprim and tetracycline was detected at, respectively, 92%, 88%, and 72%. All S. aureus isolates showed susceptibility to the five bacteriocins synthesized by B. thuringiensis, mainly to morricin 269 and kurstacin 287 followed by kenyacin 404, entomocin 420 and tolworthcin 524. Our results showed that S. aureus isolates had differences in the antimicrobial resistance patterns and were susceptible to bacteriocins produced by B. thuringiensis, which could be useful as an alternative method to control bovine mastitis.     

Up-regulation of cytokeratin expression in canine distemper virus-infected canine footpad epidermis

Cytokeratin expression was assessed in footpad epidermis from dogs using immunohistochemistry. Four groups of dogs were studied: dogs with experimentally induced distemper and with canine distemper virus (CDV) in footpad epidermis (group 1, n = 7); dogs with experimentally induced distemper and without CDV in footpad epidermis (group 2, n = 4); inoculated dogs without distemper and without CDV in the footpad epidermis (group 3, n = 8), and noninoculated dogs without distemper (group 4, n = 2). No increase in thickness of the footpad epidermis was present in any of these groups. Sections of metacarpal or metatarsal pads were stained for cytokeratin (CK)14 (proliferation-associated), CK10 (correlated with early differentiation), and for involucrin (associated with terminal differentiation). CK14 was present in basal keratinocytes of all groups, but staining intensity decreased towards the corneal layer in groups 2-4, but not in group 1. CK10 was present in the spinous and granular layer of all groups, but staining of the granular layer was much stronger in group 1. Involucrin was present in the granular layer of footpads of group 1 and only in the upper part of this layer in groups 2-4. The results demonstrate increased staining intensity and/or wider distribution within the footpad epidermis in group 1 dogs when compared to the other groups. This was interpreted as up-regulation in expression of these proteins. These findings suggest that presence of CDV antigen and mRNA in footpad epidermis was associated with an increase in expression of CK14, CK10 and involucrin. The potential role of this up-regulation in cytokeratin expression in the development of CDV-induced digital hyperkeratosis remains speculative at the moment and requires further studies.     

Autoantibodies to recombinant canine proinsulin in canine diabetic patients

Objective

To determine whether dogs with spontaneously-occurring diabetes mellitus demonstrate serological reactivity to proinsulin.

Sample population

Serum samples were collected from 15 newly-diagnosed diabetic, 15 insulin-treated diabetic and 15 non-diabetic control dogs.

Procedures

Canine proinsulin was cloned into a prokaryotic expression vector to generate recombinant poly-histidine-tagged protein in Escherichia coli. A Western blotting assay was developed for detection of proinsulin autoantibodies in canine sera.

Results

Reactivity to canine proinsulin was detected in 3 of 15 control dogs, 8 of 15 newly-diagnosed diabetic dogs and 6 of 15 insulin-treated diabetic patients. Of these reactors, only 1 control dog, 1 newly-diagnosed diabetic dog and 3 insulin-treated diabetic dogs recognised porcine insulin by ELISA, suggesting that the remaining proinsulin reactors might have been recognising proinsulin-specific epitopes.

Conclusions and clinical relevance

This study suggests that proinsulin autoantibodies are present in a proportion of diabetic dogs. Further work is required to refine the assay and clarify the significance of these autoantibodies.     

犬耳朵的语言

犬耳朵功能不仅限于听,而且会动,很具有表现力,犬常常用耳朵向人们和其它犬表达“心情”的变化。犬的听力很好,一部分原因是犬的耳朵能够旋转、颤动、竖起和倒下。这些能使犬分辨微弱的声音并能确定声音的方向。同时,犬的耳朵能表达它们的心情和意图,就像人的表情和手势能告诉其他人一样。     

犬便秘的临床诊治

便秘是由于粪便在肠内停留过久,水分太少,表现为大便干结,患犬排便费力、排出困难和排不干净。同时伴有腹胀、腹痛、恶心、食欲减退、口臭、全身无力等症状,有时可在患犬小腹左侧摸到包块（即粪便）以及发生痉挛的肠管。一般2天以上犬无排便,可提示便秘存在。便秘虽然不是一种独立的疾病,但其背后常隐藏着非常复杂的病因,不能掉以轻心。     

犬关节炎的治疗

犬关节炎多发于青年犬,后肢较重。多因遭雨淋,久卧湿地、水泥地或冷天夜卧圈外所致。病状:患犬病初走路不能持久,多卧少立,逐渐走路跛行、摇摆,继之跗关节肿大疼痛,不让触摸,如果体温升高还会减食或停食。检查:单纯关节炎多体温39℃以内,少数39.5℃以上,减食,散放四肢不协调,停走即卧下,跗关节增温,微显大,犬躲避检查。治疗:对体温39℃以下饮食变化不大的病犬,两后肢跗关节上5厘米浅层肌肉注射庆大霉素40万、地塞米松10毫克、30%安乃近10毫升混合,两后肢分别注射,1天1次,连用3～4次。如果犬个头大,四肢都疼,应在两前肢腕关节上5厘米,两后肢…     

犬癫痫病的治疗体会

犬癫痫病是一种以突然发作为特征的大脑功能紊乱。目前认为发作是来源于脑部病灶的阵发性异常高频放电,并向发病周围组织扩散,导致脑组织的广泛兴奋,从而出现特有的惊厥症状。     

Chemotherapy of canine leishmaniosis

Visceral leishmaniosis is a widespread and potentially fatal disease of dogs and humans common in the Mediterranean region, the Middle East, and South America. Canine leishmaniosis is most frequently treated with the drugs meglumine antimoniate, allopurinol, amphotericin B, or a combination of meglumine antimoniate and allopurinol. Therapy with the currently used drugs often achieves temporary clinical improvement and changes in immunologic parameters with restoration of the ability to mount parasite-specific cell mediated responses and decrease in anti-leishmanial antibody titers. However, treatment usually does not prevent relapse of disease or eliminate parasite carriage. Due to the current lack of an ultimate and effective therapy for canine leishmaniosis, new drugs, delivery systems and treatment strategies are necessary to achieve a consistent parasitological cure in infected dogs.     

认识犬梨形虫病

<正>犬梨形虫病是由蜱为媒介感染犬的一种寄生虫病,主要引起犬体温升高(40℃以上)、精神沉郁、高度贫血、逐渐消瘦等症状,使机体出现全身性机能紊乱,特别是血液中红细胞破坏严重,往往虚脱衰竭死亡。犬梨形虫病流行条件必须具有病原体、蜱、犬三种生物体,病原体是一种永久性寄生     

Identification of canine alpha-lactalbumin

The nucleotide sequence of canine alpha-lactalbumin cDNA from canine mammary tissue was determined by polymerase chain reaction with degenerate primers. A 742 base pairs nucleotide sequence cloned was similar to the size of mRNA in Northern blot analysis. The cDNA encodes 142 amino acid residues containing the conserved sequence motif of alpha-lactalbumin, demonstrating the highest homology with pig (73% identity-82% similarity) among the known amino acid sequences of alpha-lactalbumin. The canine cDNA also showed 71% identity-78% similarity with human, 58-73% with mouse, 60-74% with rat, 67-77% with goat, 66-77% with cattle, and 67-76% with sheep, respectively.