Percutaneous, ultrasonographically guided technique of catheterization of the abdominal aorta in calves for serial blood sampling and continuous arterial blood pressure measurement

The study describes a technique of ultrasonographically guided transcutaneous catheter implantation into the abdominal aorta of 29 6- to 8-week-old German Holstein calves. Catheters were implanted between the left transverse processes of L3 and L4, left in place for 2 days and used for serial blood sampling and continuous measurement of blood pressure. Complete cell counts and clinical examination were performed before, as well as 1 and 5 days after implantation. Catheterization was successful in all calves. The catheter was patent for blood sampling and pressure recordings at all times. A significant decrease in red blood cells was found in all animals after catheterization, which remained reduced for 5 days. Clinical signs of anaemia were absent. In conclusion, ultrasonographically guided catheterization of the abdominal aorta provides a continuous arterial access in calves, whereby the minimal invasive technique and the ultrasonographical guidance reduces accidental tissue trauma and pain for the animal.     

Pharmacokinetics of gamithromycin after intravenous and subcutaneous administration in pigs

The aim of this study was to investigate the pharmacokinetic properties of gamithromycin in pigs after an intravenous (i.v.) or subcutaneous (s.c.) bolus injection of 6 mg/kg body weight. The plasma concentrations of gamithromycin were determined using a validated high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method, and the pharmacokinetics were noncompartmentally analysed.     

Normal hematology and hematologic disorders in potbellied pigs

Potbellied pigs have become a notable portion of small animal and farm animal practitioners' caseload. Relatively little information is readily accessible for the veterinary practitioner in regard to normal hematologic values or alterations of the hemogram in response to disease, however. This article is a review of blood collection techniques in swine adaptable to potbellied pigs in addition to collection artifacts observed in the swine hemogram. Alterations of the hemogram in disease states that may be encountered in potbellied pig medicine are reviewed.     

Electroejaculation and artificial insemination in Vietnamese potbellied miniature pigs

A 15-month-old Vietnamese miniature boar was examined because of suspected infertility. A breeding soundness examination was conducted, using electroejaculation under anesthesia for semen collection. Semen values were normal despite a subpubic location of the testes. Artificial insemination of a gilt with extended semen resulted in the birth of a litter 111 days later. Vietnamese potbellied boars have small and sometimes nearly undetectable scrotal pouches, which may cause the producer to question the fertility of the boars.     

Minipigs and potbellied pigs as pets in the veterinary practice--a retrospective study

Minipigs have become popular pets in recent years. Therefore, an increasing number of veterinarians are being challenged by specific problems of these animals. This retrospective study gives an overview on the diagnoses and therapeutic interventions of the patients submitted to the clinic for swine at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna during the last 6 years (n=48). Most frequently, colic symptoms of the gastro-intestinal tract (n=12) and orthopaedic locomotion disorders (n=10), mainly due to accidents or long claws, could be observed, followed by urogenital tract and skin disorders (n=4 each). Therapeutic interventions are discussed with regard to medical aspects as well as statutory provisions.     

One-step method for catheterising the jugular vein of cats to enable repeated blood sampling

A one-step method for catheterising the jugular vein of cats for taking multiple blood samples was developed, with the aid of radiography, to determine an appropriate internal catheter length for adult cats. The effects of multiple blood sampling and heparin flushes on the cats' haematocrit and blood total solids were also assessed. Seven healthy adult cats were used. A total of 128 of 132 (97 per cent) blood samples were collected successfully through a 19 G, 30.5 cm catheter introduced as a central venous catheter and maintained in place during two periods of 48 hours. The haematocrit and total solids were significantly decreased in all the cats, but no clinically significant blood loss or coagulation disorders were observed.     

Technical Note: Coccygeal vein catheterization for sampling of reproductive tract-derived products from the uterine–ovarian drainage

Blood sample collection from the caudal vena cava at the site of uterine–ovarian drainage provides a more exact evaluation of the concentration and pattern of secretion of uterine or ovarian secreted products for studies of reproductive processes in cyclic and pregnant cattle compared with samples collected from general circulation. This paper describes a thorough and updated procedure for cannulating the coccygeal vein into the caudal vena cava for the collection of serial blood samples at or near the site of uterine–ovarian drainage. Concentrations of progesterone were quantified in cows of different reproductive tract sizes with an active corpus luteum to assess the distance for proper catheter placement compared with circulating concentrations collected from the jugular vein. This procedure has a low risk for side effects, can be used effectively in pregnant animals with no major consequence to the viability of the pregnancy, and provides means for frequent collections up to 12 d.     

Use of intraosseous blood for repeated hematologic and biochemical analyses in healthy pigs

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical and histologic effects of repeated intraosseous (IO) needle placement in domestic pigs and determine whether blood and serum obtained intraosseously could be used for CBC and biochemical analyses. ANIMALS: 5 healthy 10-week-old pigs. PROCEDURE: An IO needle was placed in the proximomedial region of the tibia of anesthetized pigs every other week for 2 months, and IO blood was obtained for CBC and serum biochemical analyses. Results were compared with those obtained for blood collected at the same time from the auricular vein. Two weeks after the final samples were obtained, pigs were euthanatized and tibias were processed for histologic examination. RESULTS: Clinical abnormalities, including lameness, were not detected following IO needle placement. Histologic examination revealed only mild multifocal periosteal fibrosis and slight thickening of the periosteum without evidence of osteomyelitis. Chloride, creatinine, glucose, total protein, sodium, and BUN concentrations, alanine transaminase and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase activities, RBC count, mean corpuscular volume, and Hct did not significantly differ between IO and venous samples. However, aspartate transaminase activity, potassium, hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentrations, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and platelet and WBC counts were significantly different. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Repeated placement of 10 needles may be a safe and clinically useful method to obtain serial blood samples from domestic pigs, particularly when other vascular sites are not accessible. Intraosseous blood can be used for many of the tests comprising CBC and serum biochemical analyses.     

Effects of experimenters and different blood sampling procedures on blood metabolite values in growing pigs.

The aims of the present study were firstly to verify if sera obtained by jugular venipuncture and those obtained from an anterior vena cava cannula were comparable and secondly to observe the effect of different experimenters on the biochemical profile of pigs. In the first experiment, 16 Yorkshire pigs with a mean weight of 48.9 +/- 2.3 kg were venipunctured using either a vacuum tube system or a syringe. The experiment was conducted on two separate days, seven days apart, in a crossover design experiment. At the time of obtaining blood via venipuncture, blood was also withdrawn from the jugular cannula. The tip of the latter was in the anterior vena cava. No effect of the sampling system was observed. However, a significant decrease in serum concentrations of Na, P and CO2 and a significant increase in anion gap, total protein, albumin, globulin, total bilirubin, aspartate amniotransferase, L-gamma glutamyl-transferase and creatine kinase were observed from blood samples obtained by venipuncture. In the second experiment, ten pigs from the first experiment were sampled by an inexperienced manipulator. Variations of the same magnitude as observed in the first experiment were observed in sera obtained by venipuncture and anterior vena cava but 18 of the 22 biochemical variables of sera obtained from the anterior vena cava were significantly different than those from the first experiment. The results show that blood samples obtained by jugular venipuncture in pigs can differ from samples obtained from an anterior vena cava cannula, specially in enzyme concentrations, and the dexterity of the experimenter may have a major effect on blood values.     

Temperature gradients between the jugular vein blood and rectum in anaesthetized, intubated pigs

Introduction A current focus in the Reproduction Department at the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (KVL) is on the relevance of pre-ovulatory temperature gradients to procedures of in vitro oocyte maturation, fertilization, and early embryonic development. More specifically, there is a desire to establish appropriate in vitro culture temperatures for resumption of meiosis in oocyte–cumulus complexes aspirated from Graafian follicles and the subsequent oocyte–sperm suspension microdrops that are a feature of most in vitro fertilization systems. The overall objective would be to generate a high proportion of viable embryos capable of developing into a viable foetus after transplantation into a suitable recipient (foster mother). Core temperature may be defined as ‘the body’s temperature in deep structures such as the liver or heart, as opposed to the peripheral areas such as the mouth or axilla’ (C layton 1993). The core temperature is not an easy concept, as it may vary depending on the organ and type of measurement chosen. The rectal temperature is commonly used. Although it is not a ‘deep’ temperature, it is probably not very different from ‘core temperature’. Temperature gradients between different tissue compartments of the mammalian ovary have been reported several times during the last 25 years (e.g. B enoit et al. 1976; G rinsted et al. 1980; G rinsted et al. 1985). In a study on mature domestic pigs, instantaneous infrared sensing of ovarian tissue was used to reveal the surface temperature during mid-ventral laparatomy. The ovaries were always cooler than deep rectal temperatures, and large follicles were always cooler (1.7 ± 0.4° C) than adjacent stroma (H unter et al. 1997). In an extension of these studies in domestic pigs, simultaneous measurements of jugular vein temperatures and those at a deep rectal site have also been collected. This study was conducted to investigate whether the jugular vein temperature could be taken as representative of core temperature.     

Mucinous adenocarcinoma and T-cell lymphoma in the small intestine of 2 Vietnamese potbellied pigs (Sus scrofa)

Small intestinal T-cell lymphoma and mucinous adenocarcinoma are rarely reported in the pig, with most lymphomas being of B-cell origin and only a single report of mucinous adenocarcinoma. Two aged Vietnamese potbellied pigs had concurrent T-cell lymphoma and mucinous adenocarcinoma of the small intestine. The lymphomas formed polypoid masses that projected into the intestinal lumen, whereas the mucinous adenocarcinomas were mural masses that bulged from the serosal surface. Immunohistochemically, neoplastic cells within the lymphomas were positive for CD3 and negative for CD79a. Mucicarmine stain highlighted the abundant cytoplasmic and extracellular mucin in the adenocarcinomas.     

Pharmacokinetics of intravenous and subcutaneous cefovecin in alpacas

The purpose of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetics of cefovecin after intravenous and subcutaneous dose of 8 mg/kg to alpacas. Bacterial infections requiring long‐term antibiotic therapy such as neonatal bacteremia, pneumonia, peritonitis, dental, and uterine infections are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in this species. However, few antimicrobials have been evaluated and proven to have favorable pharmacokinetics for therapeutic use. Most antimicrobials that are currently used require daily injections for many days. Cefovecin is a long‐acting cephalosporin that is formulated for subcutaneous administration, and its long‐elimination half‐life allows for 14‐day dosing intervals in dogs and cats. The properties of cefovecin may be advantageous for medical treatment of camelids due to its broad spectrum, route of administration, and long duration of activity. Pharmacokinetic evaluation of antimicrobial drugs in camelids is essential for the proper treatment and prevention of bacterial disease, and to minimize development of antibiotic resistant bacterial strains due to inadequate antibiotic concentrations. Cefovecin mean half‐life, volume of distribution at steady‐state, and clearance after intravenous administration were 10.3 h, 86 mL/kg, and 7.07 mL·h/kg. The bioavailability was 143%, while half‐life, C_max, and T_max were 16.9 h, 108 μg/mL, and 2.8 h following subcutaneous administration. In the absence of additional microbial susceptibility data for alpaca pathogens, the current cefovecin dosage regimen prescribed for dogs (8 mg/kg SC every 14 days) may need to be optimized for the treatment of infections in this species.