Efficacy of albendazole for prevention of fascioliasis in sheep

Daily doses of albendazole administered as a premix in the feed for 35 days were effective in preventing Fasciola hepatica infections in 17 sheep in three groups: 5 mg/kg/day (6 sheep) was 100% effective; 3 mg/kg/day (5 sheep) was 98% effective; and 1 mg/kg/day (6 sheep) was 42% effective. Infective cysts were given daily for 5 days during the first week of treatment, treatment was continued an additional 28 days, and sheep were necropsied 14 weeks after final cyst inoculation. There were no visible lesions in any livers of sheep given albendazole at the rate of 5 mg/kg/day or in three of five livers of sheep dosed at the rate of 3 mg/kg/day. Sheep treated with albendazole had a mean weight gain of 2.7 kg, 4.0 kg, and 4.0 kg greater than the controls for the dosages of 1, 3, and 5 mg/kg/day, respectively. Determination of bile duct damage by measurement of serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity at 9 weeks after final cyst inoculation revealed increases of 3.0X, 1.0X, and 1.1X for the dosages of 1, 3, and 5 mg/kg/day, respectively, and 2.3X for the control, as compared with 7 weeks after final cyst inoculation.     

The safety of dirlotapide in dogs

The safety of dirlotapide in dogs was evaluated in two studies with parallel designs. In an acute tolerance study, 24 beagles (six dogs per treatment) were treated orally once daily for 14 days with placebo or dirlotapide at 2.5, 5.0, or 10.0 mg/kg/day. In a margin-of-safety study, 38 overweight, neutered beagles were treated orally once daily for 3 months with dirlotapide at doses up to 0.5 mg/kg/day (six dogs), 1.5 mg/kg/day (12 dogs) and 2.5 mg/kg/day (six dogs). Control dogs received placebo at 0.3 mL/kg/day (10 dogs) and 0.5 mL/kg/day (four dogs). Results were similar for both studies, and no serious adverse events were observed. Dirlotapide was clinically well-tolerated in dogs at dosages up to 10 mg/kg/day for 14 days and 2.5 mg/kg/day for 3 months. Dirlotapide produced the expected decrease in food intake and body weight (up to 20–40%) without ill effects. Clinical, pathologic, and histopathologic findings were reversible and consistent with suppression of food intake and rapid weight loss produced by elevated dirlotapide dosages. In both studies, sporadic emesis and loose stools were observed in both placebo and dirlotapide-treated dogs. Incidence of emesis generally increased with dose and decreased with treatment time. Elevations in hepatic transaminase activity were seen in dogs treated with more than 1.5 mg/kg dirlotapide daily, but were not associated with clinical signs or microscopic evidence of hepatic degeneration or necrosis.     

'Pink eye' or 'zere oogjes' or keratoconjunctivitis infectiosa ovis (KIO). Clinical efficacy of a number of antimicrobial therapies

In a comparative study the clinical efficacy of five different treatments of keratoconjunctivitis infectiosa ovis (KIO) were tested, namely an intramuscular injection of chloramphenicol base (dosage 15 mg/kg), spiramycin base (Suanovil dosages 10 to 25 mg/kg), oxytetracycline (Engemycine Forte, Terramycin LA, dosages respectively 5 and 10 mg/kg), tiamulin (Dynamutulin, dosage 10 mg/kg) and subcutaneous injection of procaine penicillin G, benzathine penicillin G. and dihydrostreptomycin in the lower eyelid. It appeared from these field trials that spiramycin base, oxytetracycline and tiamulin had a clearly positive effect on the clinical course of 'pink eye', although with tiamulin there was only a temporary effect (high percentage of relapses). In view of the field data the following dosage schemes are, for the time being, advised: spiramycin base (Suanovil), and oxytetracycline (formulation with a good biological availability) both 20 to 30 mg/kg and, if necessary, to be repeated on days 5 and 10 after the first intramuscular injection. The dosage scheme advised for tiamulin is 20-30 mg/kg to be repeated on day 3 and if necessary on days 6 and 9 after the intramuscular injection. In mild cases it is sufficient to rub the eyes with for example oxytetracycline eye-ointment, a few times a day.     

Effects of aspirin and propranolol on feline platelet aggregation

Three groups of cats were given aspirin in single dosages of 5, 10, and 25 mg/kg. A 4th group was given 2 dosages of 25 mg/kg, 3 days between doses. The degree of inhibition of platelet function and the duration of antagonism to platelet aggregation were studied. The dosage of 25 mg/kg (single and repeated) consistently inhibited platelet function, and the effects lasted 3 to 5 days. Additive drug effect was not noted in group 4, since the 2nd dosage antagonized platelet function to a degree and duration similar to the effects of the 1st. The dosage of aspirin recommended for antiplatelet activity in the average-sized cat (3 kg) equals approximately 1 pediatric aspirin (90 mg) given twice a week. Propranolol, given to cats at dosages of 2.5 to 15 mg had no effect on platelet aggregation.     

Effects of single intravenously administered doses of dexamethasone on response to the adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation test in dogs

The effects of single IV administered doses of dexamethasone on response to the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test (baseline plasma ACTH, pre-ACTH cortisol, and post-ACTH cortisol concentrations) performed 1, 2, and 3 days (experiment 1) or 3, 7, 10, and 14 days (experiment 2) after dexamethasone treatment were evaluated in healthy Beagles. In experiment 1, ACTH stimulation tests were carried out after administration of 0, 0.01, 0.1, 1, and 5 mg of dexamethasone/kg of body weight. Dosages greater than or equal to 0.1 mg of dexamethasone/kg decreased pre-ACTH plasma cortisol concentration on subsequent days, whereas dosages greater than or equal to 1 mg/kg also decreased plasma ACTH concentration. Treatment with 1 or 5 mg of dexamethasone/kg suppressed (P less than 0.05) post-ACTH plasma cortisol concentration (on day 3 after 1 mg of dexamethasone/kg; on days 1, 2, and 3 after 5 mg of dexamethasone/kg). In experiment 2, IV administration of 1 mg of dexamethasone/kg was associated only with low (P less than 0.05) post-ACTH plasma cortisol concentration in dogs on day 3. In experiment 2, pre-ACTH plasma cortisol and ACTH concentrations in dogs on days 3, 7, 10, and 14 and post-ACTH plasma cortisol concentration on days 7, 10, and 14 were not affected by dexamethasone administration. The results suggest that, in dogs, a single IV administered dosage of greater than or equal to 0.1 mg of dexamethasone/kg can alter the results of the ACTH stimulation test for at least 3 days. The suppressive effect of dexamethasone is dose dependent and is not apparent 7 days after treatment with 1 mg of dexamethasone/kg.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Intravenous administration of docetaxel to cats with cancer

Background: The safety of IV administration of docetaxel to cats with cancer has not been reported. Objectives: Document adverse effects of IV administration of docetaxel to cats. Animals: Twenty‐one client‐owned cats with any confirmed malignancy. Methods: Cats received up to 5 docetaxel treatments, administered IV every 3 weeks. The initial dosage was 1.0 mg/kg, and dosages were increased by increments of 0.25 mg/kg in cohorts of 3 cats. Adverse events were determined by a CBC at days 7 and 21, serum chemistry and urine specific gravity at day 21, and medical histories provided by the owners. Results: Cats received docetaxel dosages ranging from 1.0 to 2.5 mg/kg, for a median of 2 treatments. Dose‐limiting toxicoses included fever, neutropenia, and vomiting, seen in 2 of the 4 cats treated at 2.5 mg/kg. Hypersensitivity reactions were infrequent (4 of the 21 cats) and mild. The maximum tolerated dosage was 2.25 mg/kg. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Docetaxel can be administered IV to cats with a low incidence of adverse effects.     

Efficacy and dosage titration study of mibolerone for treatment of pseudopregnancy in the bitch

A controlled, blind-labeled, dose-response field trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of mibolerone as a treatment for pseudopregnancy in the bitch. Bitches were treated orally for 5 consecutive days with one of the following dosages of mibolerone: 0.008, 0.016, or 0.025 mg/kg of body weight. Changes in psychologic signs (nesting behavior, mothering inanimate objects, and self-nursing) or physical signs (mammary gland enlargement and secretion of a liquid or milk, ie, galactorrhea) were noted. The period within which the improvement occurred also was noted. There were 63 cases distributed over the 3 dosages--19 at 0.008 mg/kg, 22 at 0.016 mg/kg, and 22 at 0.025 mg/kg. Seventeen bitches given a placebo served as controls. There were significant differences in improvement of clinical signs among the dosages for the combinations of psychologic (P less than 0.001), physical (P less than 0.01), psychologic or physical (P less than 0.001), and psychologic and physical (P less than 0.001). The projected optimal dosages were: 0.016 mg/kg, 0.013 mg/kg, 0.014 mg/kg, and 0.015 mg/kg for the psychologic, physical, psychologic or physical, and psychologic and physical signs, respectively. Of the 3 dosages used, 0.016 mg/kg (for 5 consecutive days) was estimated to be optimal for improvement of the physiologic signs of pseudopregnancy.     

‘Pink eye’ or ‘zere oogjes’ or Keratoconjunctivitis Infectiosa Ovis (KIO)

In a comparative study the clinical efficacy of five different treatments of keratoconjunctivitis infectiosa ovis (KIO) were tested, namely an intramuscular injection of chloramphenicol base (dosage 15 mg/kg), spiramycin base (Suanovil^® dosages 10 to 25 mg/kg), oxytetracycline (Engemycine^® Forte, Terramycin^® LA, dosages respectively 5 and 10 mg/kg), tiamulin (Dynamutulin^®, dosage 10 mg/kg) and subcutaneous injection of procaine penicillin G, benzathine penicillin G, and dihydrostreptomycin in the lower eyelid.

It appeared from these field trials that spiramycin base, oxytetracycline and tiamulin had a clearly positive effect on the clinical course of ‘pink eye’, although with tiamulin there was only a temporary effect (high percentage of relapses).

In view of the field data the following dosage schemes are, for the time being, advised: spiramycin. base (Suanovil^®), and oxytetracycline (formulation with a good biological availability) both 20 to 30 mg/kg and, if necessary, to be repeated on days 5 and 10 after the first intramuscular injection. The dosage scheme advised for tiamulin is 20–30 mg/kg to be repeated on day 3 and if necessary on days 6 and 9 after the intramuscular injection. In mild cases it is sufficient to rub the eyes with for example oxytetracycline eye‐ointment, a few times a day.     

Effects of prednisolone on the development of immune responses to canine distemper virus in beagle pups

Effects of oral prednisolone (OP) on the development of immune responses of Beagle pups to canine distemper virus (CDV) were studied. Dogs were treated with OP for 21 days, twice a day for the first 7 days, once a day for the next 7 days, and on alternate days for the last 7 days. Dogs given dosages of OP (1 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg) showed a normal in vivo immunogenic response after CDV vaccination and survived a virulent CDV challenge exposure, whereas non-treated, nonvaccinated dogs became ill or died after challenge exposure. The most marked effect of corticosteroid treatment on the immune system was the graded phytoimmunosuppressive effect upon the lymphocyte blast transformation test.     

Evaluation of the estrogenic activity of the wild Pueraria mirifica by vaginal cornification assay

The aim of this study was to evaluate the estrogenic activity of tuberous samples of phytoestrogen-rich Pueraria mirifica collected from 25 of 76 provinces in Thailand by vaginal cornification assay. Tuberous powders were prepared and administered to ovariectomized rats for 14 consecutive days at dosages of 10, 100 and 1,000 mg/kg BW respectively, and were compared with a daily treatment with 2 mg/kg BW 17beta-estradiol (E(2)). Rats treated with 10 mg/kg BW Pueraria mirifica showed no vaginal cornification. Treatment with 100 mg/kg BW Pueraria mirifica from 13 out of 25 plant samples resulted in development of vaginal cornification. The cell count percentages of the vaginal smeared cells for the treatment with the 2 plant samples that exhibited the fastest vaginal cornification revealed large variation in their estrogenic activities. Treatment with 1,000 mg/kg BW Pueraria mirifica from all plant samples produced vaginal cornification with the mean value for the period (day) of first appearance of cornified cells being 4.08 days compared to 2 days with 2 mg/kg BW E(2). The overall appearance period (day) of cornified cells during the treatment and post-treatment period with 1,000 mg/kg BW per day Pueraria mirifica was shorter than treatment with 2 mg/kg BW E(2). The results demonstrate that the plant population shows differential estrogenic activity as evaluated by vaginal cornification assay.     

Changes in blood pressure following escalating doses of phenylpropanolamine and a suggested protocol for monitoring

This prospective, cross-over, blinded study evaluated the effect of various doses of phenylpropanolamine (PPA) on blood pressure in dogs. Dogs were randomized to receive a placebo or 1 of 3 dosages of immediate release PPA, q12h for 7 days [1 mg/kg body weight (BW), 2 mg/kg BW, or 4 mg/kg BW] in a cross-over design. Blood pressure was recorded every 2 h, for 12 h, on days 1 and 7. There were significant increases in systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressure following administration of PPA at 2 mg/kg BW and 4 mg/kg BW. A significant decrease in heart rate was also noted at all PPA dosages, but not in the placebo. Administration of PPA was associated with a dose response increase in blood pressure. Dosages of up to 2 mg/kg BW should be considered safe in healthy dogs.     

Urinary gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity in dogs with gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity

Serum creatinine concentrations, 24-hour endogenous creatinine clearance, and 24-hour urinary gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (UGGT) activity were measured daily in 6 dogs given nephrotoxic dosages of gentamicin (10 mg/kg of body weight) every 8 hours for 10 days. Mean UGGT activity was significantly increased by day 5 (P less than 0.05) and preceded significant increases in serum creatinine values (greater than 2.0 mg/dl) observed on day 9. Endogenous creatinine clearance remained within normal limits (2.98 +/- 0.96 ml/min/kg) until day 8. Urinalyses performed 8 days after initiation of gentamicin treatment indicated renal tubular damage (granular casts) in 1 of the 6 dogs, and glucosuria in 3 of the 6 dogs. Measurement of UGGT activity was a more sensitive and reliable method of assessing acute renal tubular damage induced by gentamicin than were serum creatinine concentrations or 24-hour endogenous creatinine clearance.     

Use of a biological extract of Serratia marcescens to decrease doxorubicin-induced myelosuppression in dogs.

Fifteen dogs were given doxorubicin, IV, at a dosage of 30 mg/m2 of body surface. A commercially available biological extract of Serratia marcescens (BESM) was administered SC to 9 of these dogs (0.04 mg/kg of body weight every third day, n = 2; 0.08 mg/kg every other day, n = 2; and 0.08 mg/kg daily, n = 5), beginning the day after administration of doxorubicin, in an attempt to find an optimal dosage and schedule of administration of BESM to reduce the duration and severity of chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression. Nine additional dogs were randomized into 3 groups of 3 dogs to receive 1 of the following dosages of BESM SC: 0.08, 0.16, and 0.32 mg/kg. Serum was harvested immediately prior to treatment and at 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours from this latter group of dogs for subsequent analysis of canine granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) by enzyme immunoassay. Increasing the dosage and schedule of administration of BESM reduced the duration and severity of doxorubicin-induced myelosuppression. Neutrophil counts of the group of dogs given BESM daily at a dosage of 0.08 mg/kg and the controls were evaluated statistically. The neutrophil count increased significantly (P < 0.05) above pretreatment values in BESM-treated dogs after day 7. Median neutrophil counts of the BESM-treated dogs were never significantly lower than pretreatment values, whereas the median counts of the dogs treated with doxorubicin alone were significantly below normal for 6 days (days 7-12).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Clinical and pathological effects of flunixin meglumine administration to neonatal foals.

The effects of daily intravenous administration of flunixin meglumine at dosages of 0.55, 1.1, 2.2 and 6.6 mg/kg for five days were examined in neonatal foals. Six two day old foals were used to evaluate the effect of each dosage. Foals were examined every day and blood samples collected on days 1, 3 and 6. All foals were euthanized after six days, necropsied and examined for lesions. The major clinical abnormality was diarrhea, but the incidence was not related to the dosage of flunixin meglumine administered. The foals receiving 6.6 mg/kg of flunixin meglumine had significantly more gastrointestinal ulceration and greater cecal pathology and cecal petechiation scores than those foals treated with saline. The foals in the 6.6 mg/kg treatment group had a greater loss of total protein during the study, but the difference was not significant. There were no statistically significant blood cellular or biochemical alterations associated with the administration of flunixin meglumine. There were no significant clinicopathological differences between healthy foals treated with the recommended dosage of flunixin meglumine and those treated with physiological saline.     

Efficacy of two low-dose oral tylosin regimens in controlling the relapse of diarrhea in dogs with tylosin-responsive diarrhea: a prospective,single-blinded,two-arm parallel,clinical field trial

Background

Despite its wide acceptance as a treatment for canine chronic enteropathies, the macrolide antibiotic tylosin lacks official oral dosage recommendations. Not even textbooks share consensus about the dose; daily recommendations vary from 25 to 80 mg/kg and dosing intervals from one to three times daily.The objective of this prospective, single-blinded, two-arm parallel, clinical field trial was to determine whether doses of 5 mg/kg or 15 mg/kg tylosin administered orally once daily for seven days would have a similar effect on fecal consistency in diarrhea relapses to that of a 25 mg/kg dose of tylosin administered once daily for seven days, a dosage that has proved effective in controlling canine tylosin-responsive diarrhea (TRD). A further objective was to compare the efficacy of the 5 mg/kg and 15 mg/kg tylosin dosages. Fifteen client-owned dogs diagnosed with TRD that had responded to a dose of 25 mg/kg tylosin once daily for seven days were enrolled in the study. After a relapse of diarrhea the dogs were allocated into two groups receiving tylosin orally in doses of either 5 mg/kg or 15 mg/kg once daily for seven days. The owners were blinded to the dosage. The elimination of diarrhea was the main criterion in assessing treatment success. The mean fecal consistency score of the last three treatment days for all dosages, including 25 mg/kg, as evaluated by the owners according to a standardized fecal scoring system, served as the primary outcome measures.

Results

All eight dogs responded to the 5 mg/kg dose, and six of seven dogs responded to the 15 mg/kg dose. The mean fecal consistency scores at the 25 mg/kg tylosin dosage were no significantly different from scores at the 5 mg/kg or 15 mg/kg tylosin dosages (P = 0.672, P = 0.345).

Conclusions

Interestingly, 14/15 (93%) of the dogs responding to a dose of 25 mg/kg tylosin once daily for seven days also responded to the lower dosages at diarrhea relapse. The data indicate that a suitable dose of tylosin for treating diarrhea relapse in canine TRD could be as low as 5 mg/kg once daily for seven days.     

Comparison of single-dose and conventional trimethoprim-sulfadiazine therapy in experimental Staphylococcus intermedius cystitis in the female dog

Cystitis was produced in 4 groups of 6 female dogs each, using salicylic acid, ethanol, and Staphylococcus intermedius. Group-I dogs served as nontreated controls. Starting 2 days after infection was induced, group-II dogs were treated with trimethoprim-sulfadiazine at a dosage of 15 mg/kg given orally 2 times a day for 21 days; groups-III and -IV dogs were treated with single oral dosages of the antibiotic at 60 mg/kg and 90 mg/kg, respectively. Group-I dogs (controls) remained infected for the 26-day duration of the study. The response to therapy seen in group-II dogs was better than the therapeutic responses in groups-III and -IV dogs (P less than 0.05). Results of the present study do not support the efficacy of single-dose therapy for this model of cystitis.     

Safety of ceftiofur sodium administered intramuscularly in horses.

Ceftiofur sodium, a broad-spectrum cephalosporin antibiotic, was evaluated for safe use in horses. Male or female horses were allotted to groups and were given either saline solution (control), or 2.2, 6.6, or 11 mg of an aqueous solution of ceftiofur sodium/kg of body weight/d, IM, for 30 or 31 days. These dosages are expressed in terms of the ceftiofur free acid, and represent 1 to 5 times the proposed therapeutic dosage (2.2 mg/kg/d) administered for 3 times the maximal recommended duration of 10 days. Some of the horses were euthanatized and necropsied on day 31 or 32. The other horses were evaluated for an additional 30 days, and some were euthanatized and necropsied on day 60. The following types of data were collected: clinical observation; physical examination; pelleted food consumption; body weight; hematologic, serum biochemical, and urinalysis findings; organ weight; gross necropsy observations; and histopathologic findings. Ceftiofur sodium was generally well tolerated at the exaggerated doses and treatment durations used in these safety studies. Slight to mild decrease in pelleted food consumption was detected in horses given 6.6 or 11 mg of ceftiofur sodium/kg/d. Decreased food consumption began on day 2 and lasted for approximately 9 to 12 days. Generally, mild skeletal muscle irritation was detected by gross and microscopic examination of the injection sites of horses given ceftiofur sodium. Prevalence and severity of the muscle irritation tended to increase with increasing concentration of the dosing solution.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Treatment of experimental trypanosomiasis in pigs.

The therapeutic activity of difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), diminazene aceturate (Berenil) and their combination against chronic trypanosomiasis was investigated in experimental Trypanosoma brucei brucei infections of growing pigs. DFMO (300 mg/kg/day orally for 10 days), diminazene aceturate (7 mg/kg in single intramuscular injection) and a combination of the two agents at the above dosages produced varied periods of aparasitaemia in the treated pigs. Relapse parasitaemia occurred in all treatment groups, with diminazene aceturate providing the longest relief period of 17 days, combination treatment 11 days and DFMO 6 days. The packed cell volume, blood haemoglobin concentration and red cell count values decreased after the pigs were infected with the parasites. The values improved following treatment with the agents and their combination.     

Evaluation of methylprednisolone and triamcinolone for the induction and maintenance treatment of pruritus in allergic cats: a double-blinded, randomized, prospective study

Background – Oral triamcinolone (T) and methylprednisolone (M) have been recommended at various dosages for the control of pruritus associated with feline allergic dermatitis. Objectives – The first objective was to determine effective dosages of methylprednisolone (Pfizer, New York, NY, USA) and triamcinolone (Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., St Joseph, MO, USA) required to induce remission from pruritus associated with feline allergic dermatitis. The second objective was to compare efficacy of several different alternate day maintenance dosages. The third objective was to determine whether laboratory abnormalities occurred at effective dosages. Animals – Thirty‐two client‐owned allergic cats were randomly assigned to the M or T groups. Methods – Owners reported weekly on pruritus score and behavioural changes. Remission was defined as a pruritus score of ≤2/10, with 0 as the least and 10 as the most pruritic. Serum chemistry, complete blood count, fructosamine and urinalysis were assessed on day 0, at the end of the 7–14 day induction phase and at study completion. Results – Mean once daily doses required for induction were 1.41 mg/kg for M and 0.18 mg/kg for T. Mean alternate day maintenance doses were 0.54 mg/kg for M and 0.08 mg/kg for T. There was a statistically significant decrease in eosinophils and increase in fructosamine for both groups from baseline to study completion. Fructosamine levels did not exceed the reference range in any case. Conclusions – These results suggest that triamcinolone is approximately seven times as potent as methylprednisolone, and that these dosages are efficacious and well tolerated for the control of pruritus in allergic cats.     

Effect of sulfadimethoxine-ormetoprim in the treatment of calves with induced Pasteurella pneumonia

The efficacy of sulfadimethoxine (SDM)-ormetoprim (OMP) was evaluated in calves with induced Pasteurella pneumonia. A dose-titration study comparing 3 doses of SDM-OMP was performed to determine the optimal dose. Treatments included: group 1--nontreated controls; group 2--33 mg of SDM-OMP/kg of body weight, orally on day 1 and 17 mg/kg on days 2 to 5; group 3--66 mg of SDM-OMP/kg, orally on day 1 and 33 mg/kg on days 2 to 5; group 4--99 mg of SDM-OMP/kg, orally on day 1 and 50 mg/kg on days 2 to 5; and group 5--11 mg of oxytetracycline/kg, IV daily for 4 days. Group-2 calves responded to treatment as well as did group-5 calves. Group-4 calves responded the same as did group-3 calves. However, group-2 calves did not respond as well as did groups 3, 4, and 5 calves.