360-degree conjunctival grafting for management of diffuse keratomalacia in a dog

We present a report describing use of a 360-degree conjunctival graft for management of progressive keratomalacia refractory to medical treatment in a 5-month-old American Cocker Spaniel. In the dog of this report, the extension of melting to nearly the entire corneal surface limited surgical options. Following surgery and later resection of the graft, the patient is visual with minimal corneal opacity. Numerous corneal grafting techniques have been described in companion animals, but require special materials and may not be possible when melting is extensive. Although older animals or animals with additional corneal pathology may have less ideal outcomes in terms of corneal clarity than the patient of this report, we believe that 360-degree conjunctival grafting offers a viable and cost-effective option for management of cases with extensive keratomalacia that may otherwise have resulted in enucleation.     

Comparison of four tests to evaluate the reactivity of rabbit sera against envelope or Gag-related proteins of bovine leukemia virus (BLV)

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) has a long latency period during which animals are inapparently infected, may spread the disease, and are only detected by serological techniques or by the most cumbersome molecular biology techniques. We have compared techniques for detecting either total antibodies (ELISA), anti-p24 and Gag-related proteins (Western blot), or anti-gp51 (agar gel immunodiffusion, AGID, and syncytia inhibition, SI) in rabbits inoculated experimentally with inocula of variable immunogenicity. The two tests to detect antibodies to gp51 correlated well in sera clearly positive or clearly negative by either one, but correlation was poor in the intermediate groups. All sera positive by AGID were also positive by ELISA, but results did not agree in sera negative by AGID, ELISA proving to be more sensitive. Western blot was a good technique for detecting antibodies against Gag-related proteins. However, no band was identified to clearly correspond to anti-Env-related proteins. As for other retroviruses, testing of animals for infection with BLV should include the detection of antibodies anti-Gag and anti-Env proteins.     

The investigation of outbreaks of toxicologic disease

Use of this basic epidemiologic approach will solve many toxicologic problems. Epidemiologic techniques have a key role in integrating and assimilating the data derived from a toxicologic investigation. Hypotheses are proposed and tested based on the data obtained and analyzed. The systematic interview of owners or managers and the examination of the premises, healthy animals, and sick animals will ensure that quality data are obtained. Analysis of data by time, place, and attack rates of subpopulations and dietary components will suggest the most viable hypotheses. Occasionally, however, the investigation of toxicoses may require more sophisticated epidemiologic techniques and controlled studies.     

Biotechnology: hail to man and animal

There are two basic remarks that must be made about this series of articles on the theme 'Modern biotechnology: a blessing or concern?'. Firstly, it is difficult to define what 'biotechnology' is due to the diversity of techniques employed. Secondly, it is striking how biotechnological techniques may be employed for such a wide variety of goals. In this article, the ethics of using biotechnology within veterinary science and research will be discussed. Aside from its usefulness to humankind, an animal has its own value as a living creature; a fact that we should always take into account. Ethical issues such as the health, welfare and integrity of animals are discussed here in relation to developments in biotechnology. These ethical arguments reveal that biotechnology does not always have a positive impact on animals. This does not necessarily mean that biotechnology should be rejected out of hand, but that it is essential that the purpose for which the animals are being used be adequately justified. In this regard, the veterinarian may play a unique role as the guardian of both animal and human health. The veterinary profession, in all its diversity, is a participant in the development and (future) practical application of biotechnological techniques. Changes in the broader society and within the veterinary profession may continue to play a role in the societal discourse on biotechnology and its practical application, it must actively consider the ethical aspects and consequences of these scientific developments.     

Neurophysiological techniques to assess pain in animals

Neurophysiological techniques are widely applied to animals, both in the search as a monitor for adequacy of anaesthesia, and studies to assess the efficacy of analgesic agents. Laboratory animals have been extensively used in models to investigate pain in man. However a substantial number of studies have also used neurophysiological techniques to increase knowledge of pain in specific animal species, with the aim of improving animal welfare. This review provides an overview of neurophysiological techniques involving the brain that have been used in the assessment of pain in animals. An explanation of the methodology of EEG recording, with particular emphasis on veterinary studies, is given. Neurophysiological models developed to assess pain in different species are described, and their relevance to advancements in animal welfare or best clinical practice indicated.     

Guidelines for euthanasia of domestic animals by firearms

All animals that are to be killed, whether for food, for humane reasons, or because they are homeless, must receive a quick and painless death. In some smaller communities, veterinary or humane society expertise may not be readily available to humanely kill stray and unwanted animals. An alternative that provides for a humane death for the animal is by shooting. The following guidelines are intended to assist persons who must perform this usually distasteful task; they contain recommended techniques that will help to ensure that any animals killed by shooting will die in a humane way.     

Clinical Technique: Chelonian Shell Repair

Thousands of wild turtles and tortoises are injured by automobile trauma every year, with most of these animals being killed on impact. Many of the animals that survive are presented to wildlife rehabilitators and veterinarians. Many chelonians live for over 50 years, and therefore the death of adult animals can have a great impact on reproductive rates and population numbers in these chelonian species. Management of shell repair in captive and wild chelonians is not complicated; however, it may be a prolonged process. With a few pieces of veterinary equipment, bandage materials, antibiotics, analgesics, and a few months of rehabilitation, any veterinarian can successfully repair shell fractures in chelonians. Even though these techniques have been developed for wild chelonians, these same techniques can be used successfully for injuries in captive chelonians.     

Large trunk wounds.

Management of large trunk wounds begins with good wound management and bandaging. When a healthy wound bed exists and adequate tissue is present, the wound is closed. Fortunately, there is an abundance of loose trunk skin in most animals, and wound closure can be accomplished by simple reconstructive techniques, such as undermining and tension or "walking sutures." Nevertheless, some wounds and areas of the torso may require more advanced tension-relieving techniques, skin stretching, and tissue implants or flaps to achieve tension-free closure and successful wound healing. Use of these techniques allows wound closure and good cosmetic results for even those wounds that initially may seem foreboding.     

Management Tools to Reduce Carnivore-Livestock Conflicts: Current Gap and Future Challenges

Predation on domestic animals by carnivores is a persistent problem wherever carnivores and livestock co-occur. A wide range of management tools to reduce predation has been invoked. However, the evidence of their effectiveness is still limited for a broader range of species and conditions. Using a global analysis of domestic animal predation by native carnivores under a “before-after/control-impact” framework, we assessed the effectiveness of management techniques used to reduce domestic animal predation identifying knowledge gaps and research needs. We reviewed 291 predation cases in 149 studies published between 1990 and 2017 involving 47 carnivores. Lethal control is the most common method to reduce predation in comparison with nonlethal techniques. Yet the effectiveness of both approaches remains poorly evaluated (30.1% of study cases) and largely based on producers’ perceptions (70% of cases where effectiveness was evaluated). Lethal control and night confinement of domestic animals would have no effect on reducing predation, whereas the use of livestock-guarding dogs, fencing, or herdsmen may significantly reduce domestic animal losses. When the effectiveness of each technique to reduce predation was assessed by large and mesocarnivores, fencing significantly reduced predation of domestic animals by the former. Despite little scientifically published material, our findings indicate lethal control would have no effect in reducing animal predation by native carnivores when compared with nonlethal techniques. Our study also indicates the effectiveness may vary depending on the type of carnivore involved in the conflict with livestock activity. The use of an evidence-based framework to measure and assess the differential effectiveness of nonlethal techniques and the use of complementary tools at different spatial and temporal scales must be research priorities to prevent livestock predation while promoting the conservation of carnivores in production-oriented lands as encouraged by the Convention of Biological Diversity.     

Cytotoxic chemotherapy: new players, new tactics

Veterinary clients often seek the same new and innovative cancer treatment options for their companion animals that they read about in the press or on the Internet. It is, therefore, necessary for the practitioner to have an understanding of the development of new and innovative cytotoxic drugs and delivery techniques. This article describes the drug development process and how a new product eventually finds its way into clinical use. Some of the newer drugs and delivery techniques applied to small animals are reviewed.     

Embryo transfer: its uses and recent developments

The technique of embryo transfer is now routinely employed in several species and with several objectives. In laboratory animals the technique is used mainly in investigations of reproductive biology, whereas in human beings it is used to overcome specific forms of impaired fertility. Because embryo transfer combined with superovulation of the donor can significantly increase the female reproductive rate its greatest application to date has been in farm animals, in which it is widely used in both research and commercial production. Within the past few years there have been many advances in the techniques used in farm animals, particularly in the area of embryo manipulation. The supply of embryos can now be increased by repeated superovulation and by embryo bisection and there has been significant progress in in vitro fertilisation technology. Deep freeze (-196 degrees C) storage of embryos is now routine and may be combined with direct one-step thawing and removal of cryoprotectant. This technique allows the routine non-surgical transfer of embryos in the field. There is also evidence that a routine non-traumatic procedure for sexing embryos may soon be developed. Identical multiplets or clones have been produced by the microdissection of embryos and more recently by the transfer of nuclei from embryos into unfertilized oocytes. Transgenic animals have been produced by the microinjection of recombinant DNA into one of the pronuclei of single-cell unfertilized ova.     

Potential value of the common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) as an animal feedstuff: a review

The objective of this review was to systematically evaluate common vetch seeds as a potential feedstuff for animals, by summarizing and discussing the available published literature covering their nutritional composition as well as their content of antinutritional factors and potential techniques for their reduction. In addition, animal feeding studies that have investigated the effect of inclusion of common vetch seeds on animal growth and performance were identified and evaluated to stimulate interest in their use as a good source of nutrients for inclusion in animal diets. The collective literature shows that common vetch seeds are a less costly (in comparison with alternatives) and rich source of protein and minerals for farmed animals, are of high digestibility and have a high energy content, and can be used to partially or totally replace soya bean meal and/or to replace a large proportion of cereals in the diet. Furthermore, the literature shows that common vetch seeds contain a range of antinutritional factors which, if they are to be utilized in non‐ruminant diets and to increase their utilizing efficiency, need to be removed or inactivated. This can be achieved via certain pre‐processing methods, the combination of which may deliver better results.     

Movement disorders during sleep in cats and dogs

Spontaneous sleep movement disorders in 5 cats and 3 dogs were studied. Objective abnormalities during sleep were confirmed by electrographic or behavioral monitoring techniques in all animals. The cause of the disorder was CNS disease in 3 animals. A cause was not discovered in the other 5 animals, although at necropsy, 2 were found to have thyroid tumors. Many pharmacologic treatments were ineffectual, but trials with the benzodiazepine tranquilizer, clonazepam, suggested it will prove useful in controlling violent movements during rapid-eye-movement sleep.     

The use of electrical current in the treatment of nonunions

The use of electrostimulation in the treatment of nonunions in human beings is gaining in popularity. Increased understanding of the electrophysiology of fracture healing has lead to advances in the utilization of electric currents to stimulate nonunions to heal without resorting to major orthopedic surgery and its attendant risks. Most workers report success rates of 75 to 85 per cent, which are comparable to rates achieved by more routine orthopedic techniques. Brighton suggested that the risk/benefit ratio was lower for direct-current treatment of nonunion than that associated with conventional bone-graft surgery in human beings. Such information is not yet available for the veterinary surgeon. However, some authors have questioned the glowing reports of successful electric stimulation of clinical nonunions, citing poor design of clinical trials, erratic or inappropriate selection of patients, and empiricism in interpretation of results. Although the use of electrotherapy for treatment of nonunions appears promising, much more work is needed to define those patients best able to respond favorably to such techniques. Nonunions in dogs and cats are now only rarely treated with electric current. To date, no major clinical studies have been published concerning such techniques, although much of the basic research in this area was done on animals. It would appear that the totally implantable stimulators have the most potential for use in small animals because minimal cooperation is required of the patient and client. Furthermore, such devices cannot be easily damaged or dislodged. Whether electric stimulation of nonunions in dogs and cats will replace or supplant conventional orthopedic techniques remains to be seen.     

A survey of malformed aborted bovine fetuses, stillbirths and nonviable neonates for abnormal karyotypes.

Postmortem examinations were performed on 30 morphologically abnormal aborted bovine fetuses, stillbirths and nonviable neonates. Fibroblasts from the pericardium were cultured for chromosome analysis. Karyotypes were successfully completed on 18 animals, of which three were trisomic, one was mosaic monosomic and one was chimeric. All aneuploid calves had multisystemic anomalies. Using chromosomal banding techniques, the abnormal karyotypes were determined to be: 61,XY,+27; 61,XX,+21; 61,XY,+?; 59,XY,-?/60,XY; and 60,XX/60,XY. Bacterial contamination or nonviability of tissues prevented the growth of fibroblasts in culture and cytogenetic analysis of the other 12 animals. It was estimated that 2.0% of all late gestation abortuses and stillbirths may have chromosomal abnormalities characterized by aneuploidy. The findings of this study suggest chromosomal abnormalities characterized by aneuploidy are a significant cause of multisystemic anomalies in aborted bovine fetuses and nonviable neonates.     

卵巢移植技术及其应用研究进展

近20年来,卵巢移植作为重要的辅助生殖技术已取得显著研究进展,相继成功地开展了卵巢自体原位移植,自体异位移植,同种异体移植和异种移植.目前利用新鲜卵巢或冷冻保存卵巢进行移植,已出生多例卵巢移植的新生个体.这表明卵巢移植技术与冷冻保存技术相结合,可成为保存和挽救雌性个体生殖能力的一种重要手段,尤其在稀有濒危动物中具有特殊...     

Future developments in the manipulation of growth in farm animals

The anabolic steroid and antimicrobial growth promoters may be regarded as the first generation of animal growth promoters or performance enhancers. There is major investment in the development of new techniques to improve the efficiency of farm animal production. These techniques are reviewed under the headings of growth hormone (somatotrophin) and related techniques, immunological techniques, the beta-adrenergic agonists and the direct genetic manipulation of farm animals.     

Advanced ultrasound techniques in small animal reproduction imaging

Ultrasonography is the imaging technology of choice for the evaluation of the reproduction system and of pregnancy in both humans and animals. Over the past 10 years, there have been significant technological improvements of the equipment, while new technologies have been developed. Doppler, contrast-enhanced ultrasonography, elastography, and 3D/4D ultrasonography are advanced ultrasound techniques that have been designed as methods to increase the diagnostic sensitivity of two-dimensional (b-mode) ultrasound, and not as stand-alone tests. The basic physics as well as the advantages and limitations of these advanced ultrasound methods are briefly described. In the reproductive diagnostics of small animals, these techniques have gained an increased popularity as proved by the increased publication of several reports that are also briefly summarized in this review. Clinical applicability is to date limited because of a lack of research on the diagnostic value in concrete situations. Future research projects should focus also on standardization of the used techniques, on determination of thresholds to discriminate between healthy or diseases or fertile versus infertile and on the predictive value of advanced ultrasound findings. Continuing development and optimization of different ultrasound techniques as well as the increase of related scientific interest and worldwide research promises that the clinical interest on the use of advanced ultrasound techniques will increase in future.     

Safety and efficacy of sFilm-FS,a novel biodegradable fibrin sealant,in Göttingen minipigs

Bleeding during surgical procedures is a common complication. Therefore, hemostatic agents have been developed to control bleeding, and fibrin sealants have several benefits. sFilm-FS is a novel fibrin sealant that comprises a biodegradable co-polymeric film embedded with human fibrinogen and thrombin. Herein, the safety and efficacy of sFilm-FS were compared using a liver and spleen puncture model of Göttingen minipigs with those of the standard hemostatic techniques (control animals) and EVARREST^®, a reference fibrin sealant. Hemostasis and reduced blood loss were more effectively achieved with sFilm-FS than with the standard techniques in the control animals and comparable to those achieved with EVARREST^®. No treatment-related adverse effects were observed in any of the groups. Histopathological evaluation indicated that sFilm-FS was slightly and moderately reactive at the liver puncture site and spleen, respectively, compared with the standard techniques in the control animals. These changes are expected degradation reactions of the co-polymeric film and are not considered as adverse events. No treatment-related abnormalities were noted in the other evaluated organs. Additionally, no evidence of local or systemic thromboses was noted. These results support the use of sFilm-FS for hemostasis in humans.     

How to evaluate toxicant exposures.

Susceptibility of individual animals to any specific toxicant is influenced by many factors, including genetics, environment, age, gender, and preexisting disease. Because the relative influence of these factors on a specific toxicosis is often unknown and unmeasured, it is difficult to predict how an individual animal is likely to respond to a toxic challenge compared with the "average" animal in the population. Safety or uncertainty factors of 10 have been proposed to deal with intraspecies and interspecies variability in regard to LD50 values. These safety factors may be too conservative for many situations. Toxicant exposure is assessed in animals to determine if preventive treatment is warranted or for differential diagnosis purposes. Calculation techniques require converting English and apothecary units to metric units by either of several methods.