Investigation of the effects of transport and lairage on hydration state and resting behaviour of calves for export.

Plasma sodium concentrations, packed cell volume, total plasma protein concentration and dermal skinfold thickness were used to assess the state of hydration of 113 transported calves before and after lairage and in 30 control calves on the farm of origin. Skin thickness increased significantly (P less than 0.05) and total protein increased slightly during transport and decreased during lairage. These changes suggest that transport may cause dehydration and lairage may help in recovery. Plasma potassium concentration decreased during transport, but the effect was inversely related to the distance travelled, and the concentration increased during lairage. These changes are consistent with recovery from initially high cortisol levels at loading. The resting behaviour of 150 transported calves was recorded hourly for six hours. More time was spent resting and sleeping by the transported calves than has been reported for non-transported calves and more still by small transported calves, suggesting that transport is exhausting, that lairage helps recovery and that small calves are more adversely affected. During lairage the numbers of calves asleep decreased to values reported for normal calves, suggesting that 10 hours lairage was adequate. However, small calves did not return to their normal rest patterns within the observation period.     

Temporal changes in core body temperature in anesthetized adult horses.

OBJECTIVE: To examine temporal patterns of core body temperatures in adult horses during general anesthesia and to determine the efficacy of forced-air warming blankets in attenuating decreases in core body temperatures. ANIMALS: 5 clinically normal adult horses. PROCEDURE: Horses were assigned to each of 2 trials, warmer and no-warmer, in a randomized crossover design. Horses were instrumented with a thermistor-tipped pulmonary arterial catheter to measure core body temperature. Induction and maintenance of and recovery from general anesthesia were performed in an air-conditioned surgical suite where room temperature and relative humidity were maintained at approximately 21 C and 40%, respectively. Core body temperature measurements were recorded every 5 minutes during 2.5 hours of anesthesia and during recovery until horses could stand. Data were analyzed, using ANOVA for repeated measures. RESULTS: Without warming, mean core body temperature decreased steadily (0.37+/-0.18 C/h). Forced-air warming significantly decreased that rate to 0.19+/-0.09 C/h. In both trials, there was an additional, rapid, significant decrease in core body temperature when horses were moved to the recovery area, which was apparently the result of conductive heat loss to the cold floor. Recovery time and time required for core body temperature to return to baseline were unaffected by forced-air warming during anesthesia and recovery. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Core body temperature decreases steadily in adult horses anesthetized in a cool, dry environment. Forced-air warming devices can attenuate this decrease. Additional body heat can be lost rapidly when anesthetized horses are positioned on cold surfaces during recovery.     

Blood concentrations of amino acids, glucose and lactate during experimental swine dysentery

The aim of this study was to examine blood concentrations of amino acids, glucose and lactate in association with experimental swine dysentery. Ten pigs (approximately 23kg) were orally inoculated with Brachyspira hyodysenteriae. Eight animals developed muco-haemorrhagic diarrhoea with impaired general appearance, changes in white blood cell counts and increased levels of the acute phase protein Serum Amyolid A. Blood samples were taken before inoculation, during the incubation period, during clinical signs of dysentery and during recovery. Neither plasma glucose nor lactate concentrations changed during the course of swine dysentery, but the serum concentrations of gluconeogenic non-essential amino acids decreased during dysentery. This was mainly due to decreases in alanine, glutamine, serine and tyrosine. Lysine increased during dysentery and at the beginning of the recovery period, and leucine increased during recovery. Glutamine, alanine and tyrosine levels show negative correlations with the numbers of neutrophils and monocytes. In conclusion, swine dysentery altered the blood concentrations of amino acids, but not of glucose or lactate.     

Acute Life-threatening Laryngeal Dysfunction in a Draft Horse Recovering from General Anesthesia: A Case Report

A 13-year-old Shire horse was anesthetized for an elective orthopedic procedure. During recovery from anesthesia, the occurrence of severe acute dyspnea required a second anesthetic to allow endoscopy-guided nasotracheal intubation. Endoscopic findings were decreased mobility and swelling of the arytenoids with narrowing of the laryngeal aditus. Owing to a dislodgement of the nasotracheal tube during recovery, a third anesthetic was carried out to perform emergency tracheostomy. Recovery from the third anesthetic was long and the horse developed a post-anesthetic myopathy. The clinical conditions improved during the following 48 hours, and an endoscopic examination performed before discharge revealed unremarkable laryngeal function. It was hypothesized that mechanical stimulation of the trachea during the phases of intubation and extubation caused traumatic laryngeal dysfunction, and that draft horses might require additional care during the perioperative period.     

Effect of gentamicin administration on the neuromuscular blockade induced by atracurium in cats

Atracurium besylate, a nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking agent, was administered as an infusion to 8 anesthetized cats in which neuromuscular blockade was assessed, using the train-of-four response. Once 50% depression of the first-twitch (T1) response was achieved, the infusion was held constant for 60 minutes before being discontinued and the recovery time was determined. The time for recovery was recorded as the time for the train-of-four (T4 ratio) to increase from 50% to 75%. After recovery, atracurium infusion was reinstituted and the cats were again maintained for 60 minutes at 50% depression. A single bolus of gentamicin sulfate (2.0 mg/kg of body weight) was administered IV, and the infusion was continued for another 60 minutes before it was discontinued and the time for recovery was recorded. Within 1 minute of gentamicin administration, the mean +/- SD T1 response decreased from 49 +/- 5% to 33 +/- 8% of baseline and the T4 ratio decreased from 28 +/- 19% to 14 +/- 11%. Peak effect occurred at 5 minutes, with a T1 response of 29 +/- 6% of baseline and a T4 ratio of 13 +/- 12%. By 60 minutes after gentamicin administration, the T1 response had increased to 38 +/- 7% of baseline and the T4 ratio had increased to 21 +/- 13%. The time for recovery significantly (P less than 0.03) increased from 9.9 +/- 3.4 minutes during the control study to 18.1 +/- 10.7 minutes during the gentamicin study. In this study, gentamicin potentiated the neuromuscular blockade induced by atracurium and increased the recovery time. Residual blockade, observed after gentamicin administration was reversed with edrophonium.     

Inhibin secretion in the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) testis during active and inactive states of spermatogenesis induced by the restriction of photoperiod

Gonadal function in the male golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) was investigated during exposure to a short photoperiod condition. Within 3 weeks of exposure to the short photoperiod condition, FSH and testosterone in the plasma significantly decreased, and subsequently immunoreactive (ir)-inhibin significantly decreased. Testicular contents of ir-inhibin and testosterone, and pituitary contents of LH and FSH also significantly decreased by 3 weeks with regression of weight of testes, epididymis and seminal vesicles and sperm head count. Circulating LH varied but not significantly. Thereafter, all reproductive parameters and secretion of LH, FSH, ir-inhibin and testosterone gradually recovered after 17 weeks of exposure even though animals continued to be subjected to the short photoperiod condition. Plasma concentrations of inhibin B and inhibin pro-alphaC were detectable and were significantly decreased after 15 weeks of exposure to the short photoperiod, but their levels were still detectable. Immunopositive reaction of inhibin alpha and betaB subunits was found in Sertoli cells and Leydig cells in the regressed testes of animals subjected to short photoperiod as was also seen in animals before exposure to the short photoperiod. Although the spermatogenic cycle was suppressed like prepubertal animals, the present study showed that the testicular recovery, so-called refractoriness, is functionally different from the developing stage of immature animals, especially with regard to inhibin secretion. The present results showed that changes in FSH preceded changes in inhibin during the regression and recovery phases, indicating that FSH is a major regulatory factor of inhibin secretion in male golden hamsters. The present study also demonstrated that regressed testes still secrete a small amount of bioactive inhibin during exposure to a short-photoperiod condition.     

Pharmacokinetics of hexobarbital, sulphadimidine and chloramphencoliin neonatal and young pigs.

Half-life and apparent specific volume of distribution of hexobarbital, sulphadimidine and chloramphenicol were investigated in newborn, 1, 3, 5 and 8 weeks old pigs. Hexobarbital sleeping time and plasma concentration of hexobarbital at recovery were measured in the same age groups. The half-life of hexobarbital and chloramphenicol was long in newborn pigs but decreased fast during the first week after birth. From 1 to 8 weeks after birth the decrease was less pronounced. The half-life of sulphadimidine increased during the first 3 weeks of life, but in 1 and 3 weeks old pigs the amount of N⁴-acetylated sulphadimidine in plasma at 200 min. after the injection was higher than in the newborn pigs.The apparent specific volume of distribution of hexobarbital, sulphadimidine and chloramphenicol was changed in different ways from birth to 8 weeks of age.The hexobarbital sleeping time was very long in the newborn pigs and decreased until 3 weeks of age. The concentration of hexobarbital in plasma at recovery was unchanged from birth to 8 weeks of age.The concentration of chloramphenicol metabolites in plasma 100 min. after the injection increased very fast during the 8 weeks of observation. The concentration of N⁴-acetylated sulphadimidine in plasma at 200 min. after the injection increased from birth to 1 week of age, then it decreased.The data are stressing that the neonatal pig is a convenient model for pharmacokinetic testing of drugs used as pharmacotherapeutics in neonatal life.     

Biometrics,Testosterone, Cortisol and Antler Growth Cycle in Iberian Red Deer Stags (Cervus elaphus hispanicus)

In this article, we aimed to describe the changes related to mating season in red deer, especially those related to antler growth, body condition score, testosterone and cortisol. Antler growth was studied in 17 Iberian red deer males, including body weight, antler length, biometric measures and testosterone and cortisol determination during 15 months. Body weight, body condition score, thoracic perimeter (TP), neck perimeter (NL) and testicular diameter (TD) showed the highest values immediately before mating season (autumn), decreased during it and remained constant at winter. Antler growth lasted 158 days and produced antlers with a final length of 80.8 ± 2.0 cm. Testosterone and cortisol showed seasonal changes with maximum values at September and May, respectively. Final antler size was related positively to cranial longitude, TP, NL, TD and body weight at casting time. No relationship between weight loss during precedent mating season and current antler size was found, but spring recovery weight was positively related to final antler size. Final length was related to the descent in testosterone values during previous mating season and to body weight before it. Spring recovery weight was related to relative weight loss during previous mating season. These results suggest that there is no relationship between the reproductive effort performed during one season and the next year size of the antler. In contrast, antler size was positively related to spring recovery weight, in the sense that those deer that recover a higher percentage of body weight at the early stages of antler growth develop higher antlers.     

Study on Changes of Blood Chemistry Indexes,Hepatic Routine Nutritional Composition and Expression of Lipid Metabolism-associated Genes during the Recovery of Geese with Fatty Livers

This experiment aimed to determine the changes of body weight, liver weight, abdominal fat weight, hepatic routine nutritional composition, blood biochemistry indexes, as well as mRNA expression of lipid metabolism-associated genes during the recovery of Landes geese with fatty liver, which provided the basis for the further elucidation of the recovery or protection mechanism of goose fat liver.18 Landes geese were divided into three groups (6 gees in each group).Group 1 was control group, in which the geese were fed with boiled maize;Group 2 was the overfeeding group without recovery, in which the geese were overfed with a maize-based diet for 19 days;And group 3 was the overfeeding group with 20-day recovery, in which the geese were overfed with the maize-based diet for 19 days followed by feeding boiled maize for 20-day recovery.The results showed that compared with group 2, the body weight and liver weight of the geese in group 3 decreased extremely significantly (P<0.01), and the abdominal fat weights undecreased significantly (P>0.05);Moreover, the percentages of nutrients including water, ash, CP of livers in group 3 increased significantly (P<0.05), while the percentage of EE decreased significantly (P<0.05), but there were no significant difference for these variables between groups 1 and 3 (P>0.05) except water.In regard to blood biochemistry indexes, the contents of blood ALT, AST, TG and HDL-C in group 3 decreased significantly (P<0.05), but there were no significant difference from those of group 1 (P>0.05).The mRNA expression levels of FADS1, SCD1 and CYP2C45 in group 3 decreased significantly compared with group 1 (P<0.05), but there were no significant difference between groups 1 and 3 (P>0.05).In summary, this study demonstrated the recoverability of goose fatty liver at different layers, and thus laid a foundation for further investigation on the recovery or protective mechanism of goose fatty liver and found the solution to resolve the problems related to animal fatty liver.     

肥肝鹅恢复期血液生化指标、肝脏常规营养成分及脂代谢相关基因表达水平的变化研究

试验旨在研究朗德鹅填饲形成肥肝及恢复后其体重、肝脏重、腹脂重、常规营养成分、血液生化指标和肝脏中与脂代谢相关基因的表达变化情况,为进一步阐明鹅肥肝的恢复或保护机制提供依据。将18只70日龄朗德鹅随机分为3组(每组6只):组1为对照组,用玉米饲料进行常规饲喂;组2为填饲组,填饲玉米饲料19 d;组3为填饲19 d后再用玉米饲料常规饲养20 d进行肝脏恢复。结果显示,与组2相比,组3鹅体重、肝脏重均极显著降低(P<0.01),而腹脂重下降不显著(P>0.05);与组2相比,组3肝脏水分、灰分和粗蛋白质均显著上升(P<0.05),而粗脂肪含量显著下降(P<0.05),但与组1相比,除水分外,各项指标均无显著变化(P>0.05);与组2相比,组3血浆中谷丙转氨酶(ALT)、谷草转氨酶(AST)、甘油三酯(TG)和高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(HDL-C)浓度与组2相比均显著下降(P<0.05),但与组1相比,均无显著差异(P>0.05);与组2相比,组3肝脏中脂肪酸脱氢酶(FADS1)、硬脂酰辅酶A去饱和酶(SCD1)和细胞色素P450 2C45(CYP2C45)基因的表达量均显著下降(P<0.05),但与组1相比均无显著变化(P>0.05)。综上所述,本研究从不同层面揭示了鹅肥肝的可逆性,为深入研究鹅肥肝的恢复或保护机制,促进动物脂肪肝问题的解决奠定了基础。     

Cardiopulmonary effects of prolonged anesthesia via propofol-medetomidine infusion in ponies

OBJECTIVE: To determine cardiopulmonary effects of total IV anesthesia with propofol and medetomidine in ponies and effect of atipamezole on recovery. ANIMALS: 10 ponies. PROCEDURE: After sedation was induced by IV administration of medetomidine (7 microg/kg of body weight), anesthesia was induced by IV administration of propofol 12 mg/kg) and maintained for 4 hours with infusions of medetomidine (3.5 microg/kg per hour) and propofol 10.07 to 0.11 mg/kg per minute). Spontaneous respiration was supplemented with oxygen. Cardiopulmonary measurements and blood concentrations of propofol were determined during anesthesia. Five ponies received atipamezole (60 microg/kg) during recovery. RESULTS: During anesthesia, mean cardiac index and heart rate increased significantly until 150 minutes, then decreased until cessation of anesthesia. Mean arterial pressure and systemic vascular resistance index increased significantly between 150 minutes and 4 hours. In 4 ponies, PaO2 decreased to < 60 mm Hg. Mean blood propofol concentrations from 20 minutes after induction onwards ranged from 2.3 to 3.5 microg/ml. Recoveries were without complications and were complete within 28 minutes with atipamezole administration and 39 minutes without atipamezole administration. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: During total IV anesthesia of long duration with medetomidine-propofol, cardiovascular function is comparable to or better than under inhalation anesthesia. This technique may prove suitable in equids in which prompt recovery is essential; however, in some animals severe hypoxia may develop and oxygen supplementation may be necessary.     

Effect of third carpal slab fracture and repair on racing performance in Thoroughbred horses: 31 cases (1977-1984)

Between 1977 and 1984, 31 Thoroughbred horses (mean age, 2.8 years) were surgically treated for slab fractures of the third carpal bone. All fractures involved the articular surfaces of the intercarpal and the carpometacarpal joints in a frontal plane and had a cuboidal or slab shape. In 20 of the horses, the bone was fractured during racing and in 8 of the horses, the bone was fractured during race training. The right limb was affected more frequently than was the left limb (24 vs 7, P less than 0.05). Twenty-one (67.6%) horses raced at least once after recovery from the surgery. Data were available from 11 claiming horses that had raced at least twice before their injuries and 4 times after recovery. A claiming horse is one that competes where any horse entered is subject to being purchased for the designated amount of the claiming race; therefore, each race tends to automatically attract entrants of similar ability. In this group of 11 horses, claiming value decreased from a mean of $13,900 to a mean of $6,500 (P less than 0.05), and the mean finish position was 5.8 +/- 3.16 before injury and 5.8 +/- 3.30 after recovery. The mean claiming value for horses that had not raced before injury, but had raced after recovery (n = 5) was $8,150.     

Changes in physical condition and ejaculate characteristics in paddock-mated rams.

Eight Merino rams were joined for 8 weeks to 400 Merino ewes in a 31 ha paddock during April–June. Six of the rams were monitored for body weight, body condition, testicular volume and semen characteristics before, during and after the joining period. The day before joining, at 2-weekly intervals through joining, and 2 weeks after the end of the joining period 6 collections were made from each ram using an artificial vagina. The semen was evaluated for volume, density, wave motion and morphology. Body weight and condition and testicular volume of the rams increased prior to joining. Body weight and condition decreased markedly until the sixth week of the mating period, after which there was some recovery. Testicular volume, on the other hand, declined steadily through the mating period and showed no recovery during the post-mating period. Amongst the semen characteristics, ejaculate volume, wave motion score, sperm density and percentage of live sperm all fell significantly during the first 2 weeks of mating but there was a steady recovery through the remainder of the mating period and in the 2 weeks after ram removal. The percentage of abnormal sperm increased significantly throughout the joining period but showed a slight decline in the post-mating period. The results emphasise the extent of the decline in ejaculate characters, and to a lesser extent, in physical characters which can occur during the first cycle of joining in paddock-mated rams.     

Aluminium intoxication in a dog

A two-year-old male Barsoi dog was presented after a two-week period of muscle twitching and convulsions during exercise, which worsened to a state of tetraparesis and coma. Removal of a gastric foreign body, containing aluminium, resolved the presenting signs. Parallel with this clinical recovery the elevated serum levels of aluminium decreased to values of two normal control dogs, suggesting that the neurological signs were due to A1 intoxication.     

不同品种高粱幼苗在干旱复水过程中的生理生态响应

干旱适应能力不仅包括干旱胁迫期间的抗旱能力,也包括水分胁迫解除之后的恢复能力。以8个高粱品种为材料,采用盆栽称重控水法对高粱幼苗进行干旱及复水处理,通过测定生物量、相对含水量、水势、渗透势、光合参数等生理指标的变化分析不同品种高粱抗旱能力和旱后复水恢复能力的大小及其与干旱适应性的关系,并筛选出能有效指示干旱适应能力的生理指标。结果显示,干旱胁迫条件下,“辽杂21”生物量与对照相比无显著差异,抗旱能力较强;“甘蔗籽”和“Moench.cv.Gadambalia”高粱生物量分别下降38%、34%,抗旱能力较差。各品种高粱的相对含水量、水势、渗透势、叶绿素含量、净光合速率、蒸腾速率、气孔导度等均有所下降,复水后,这些生理指标恢复到对照水平,各品种开始恢复生长。由各生理指标与抗旱能力、旱后复水恢复能力和干旱适应能力之间的相关分析结果表明,高粱的干旱适应性与复水恢复性呈显著正相关(r=0.85),与抗旱性的相关系数是0.46,复水恢复能力在高粱干旱适应性中起着更重要的作用。高粱的抗旱性和旱后复水恢复性具有不同的生理基础,在干旱胁迫期间维持较高的净光合速率、较低的蒸腾速率有助于提高抗旱性,维持较高叶片相对含水量有助于提高旱后复水的恢复能力,叶片相对含水量、净光合速率可以作为筛选高粱干旱适应性的生理指标。     

Pleuropulmonary and cardiovascular consequences of thoracoscopy performed in healthy standing horses

Six healthy, awake, and pharmacologically restrained mature horses were studied in order to define the changes in cardiopulmonary function during and after exploratory thoracoscopy and to determine the presence of postoperative complications occurring 48 hours after thoracoscopy. In a randomised 3 x 3 latin square design with 2 replications, 18 procedures were performed: 6 right (RTH) and 6 left thoracoscopies (LTH) and 6 sham procedures (STH). Prior to each procedure a physical examination and a bronchoalveolar lavage fluid analysis were performed. During thoracoscopy and sham protocols, horses were sedated with a continual drip of detomidine HCl and data were collected at 6 time intervals: T1 (baseline), T2 (10 min detomidine administration), T3 (first 15 min pneumothorax), T4 (5 min recovery from pneumothorax), T5 (second 15 min pneumothorax), and T6 (10 min recovery from the second pneumothorax and detomidine). An endoscopic thoracic examination was conducted during the 2 pneumothorax periods. An identical protocol was followed for sham procedures without surgery or pneumothorax. Data were analysed by ANOVA with time and surgical procedure as main factors. Physical examinations, thoracic radiography and ultrasound, CBC and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid analysis were performed 48 h after thoracoscopy. Heart rate, respiratory rate, and cardiac output decreased following detomidine administration. There was a trend for cardiac output to be lower during thoracoscopy. Mild systemic hypertension was associated with thoracoscopy although there was no effect on pulmonary arterial pressure. Total and pulmonary vascular resistances were increased following detomidine administration. Thoracoscopy caused a further increase in systemic and pulmonary vascular resistances especially during the second pneumothorax. Arterial O2 tension decreased following detomidine administration and was further decreased during the second pneumothorax period. PaO2 values were lower when thoracoscopy was performed on the left rather than the right hemithorax. No significant complications were found during the 48 h follow-up evaluation. A subclinical postoperative pneumothorax occurred in 2 horses, one of which had sustained a lung laceration by the trocar. Thoracoscopy performed in healthy, awake, and pharmacologically restrained horses did not have detrimental cardiopulmonary effects and did not cause postoperative complications within the first 48 h period.     

Clinical observations during induction and recovery of xylazine-midazolam- propofol anesthesia in horses

To evaluate clinical usefulness of xylazine (1.0 mg/kg)-midazolam (20 microg/kg)-propofol (3.0 mg/kg) anesthesia in horses, 6 adult Thoroughbred horses were examined. The quality of induction varied from poor to excellent and 5 out of 6 horses presented myotonus in the front half of the body. However, paddling immediately after induction observed in other reports of equine propofol anesthesia was not observed. Recovery time was 35.3 +/- 9.3 min and the quality of recovery was calm and smooth in all horses. Respiration rate decreased after induction and hypoxemia was observed during lateral recumbency. Heart rate also decreased after induction, however mean arterial blood pressure was maintained above approximately 100 mmHg.     

Effects of xylazine/ketamine on cardiac function and serum ionised calcium in horses

Haemodynamic variables, with emphasis on right ventricular (RV) contractility, were measured in horses prior to, during and following anaesthesia with xylazine/ketamine. In an attempt to elicit mechanisms of anaesthetic-induced alteration of myocardial function, serum ionised and total calcium concentrations were also measured. Xylazine caused decreased cardiac function, including RV contractility, that was not reversed immediately by ketamine but was insignificant from pre-anaesthetic baseline by recovery (45 min following induction). Serum ionised and total calcium concentrations did not change.     

退化高寒草甸暖季休牧恢复过程中植被和土壤特性

为探讨暖季休牧恢复过程中退化高寒草甸植被和土壤恢复特性,本研究对泽库县退化高山嵩草草甸暖季休牧样地不同恢复阶段植被和土壤特性进行调查,结果显示植被高度、地上生物量、土壤含水量、土壤有机碳含量等生态功能属性随自然恢复时间的延长不断得到改善(P<0.05),在恢复末期(9—10年)恢复最好;植被盖度、地下生物量、多样性、土...     

Presumed lipid retinopathy in a diabetic dog

An eight-year-old neutered male diabetic Cardigan Welsh Corgi was presented for bilateral mature cataracts. Phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation were performed routinely, and recovery was uneventful for several months except for lipemic aqueous flare which gradually resolved during the postoperative period. Five months following surgery the owner presented the dog for decreased vision. White retinal deposits were visualized ophthalmoscopically. Serum analysis revealed that the dog was concurrently markedly hyperlipemic. The patient's diet was changed from a high- to a low-fat diet, following which diabetes control improved, hyperlipemia resolved, and the retinal deposits decreased markedly in size. The retinal deposits seen ophthalmoscopically are presumed to be lipid based upon their association with marked hyperlipemia, and the concurrent resolution of hyperlipemia and the fundic lesions.