Prévalence des infections à Salmonella spp. chez les bovins et les équins de l'Hôpital vétérinaire d'enseignement de la Faculté de médecine vétérinaire de l'Université de Montréal.

Bacteriologic detection of Salmonella spp. from feces of animals admitted to Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montréal, in Saint-Hyacinthe was carried out during a 1-year period to estimate the prevalence of bovine and equine salmonellosis. Prevalence at the time of hospitalization was quite low: 1.4% in cattle and 1.7% in horses. Incidence was 15.1 cases/100 animal/year in cattle and 38.7 cases/100 animal/year in horses. Serotype typhimurium was the most prevalent in both species. In cattle, cases were evenly distributed over the year. In horses, a recrudescence of cases and a obviousness of transmission were apparent in April 1996.     

La Stéatose Hépatique et la Cholestérolémie Chez le Caneton Domestique au Cours d'une Malnutrition Protéique en Régime Orizé

The object of this experiment was to study the influence of essential amino acids on the growth, fatty infiltration of liver and cholesterol level of the serum in ducklings.     

Electrolytes des sécrétions intra-utérines bovines lors d'infertilité sine materia

Serum and uterine secretions Na, K, Ca, Mg and P were studied in 15 normally reproducing and in 15 repeat-breeder cows. No cyclical variations were noted for these elements in the serum whereas the normal group showed cyclical and significant K, Mg and P variations (P <0.05) in the uterine secretions.

The concentration of the studied uterine elements, with the exception of P, correlated with the concentration of their homologue in the serum at different stages of the cycle. It is believed that the concentration of serum Na, K, Mg and Ca maintains the intrauterine concentrations at the physiological level for the survival of the gametes and the embryo.

Significant differences in the uterine concentrations of Na, K and P were noted between the groups at different stages of the cycle. These various concentrations as well as the nonsignificant variations of the uterine secretions might explain the infertility in the abnormal group.

     

Enzymes Sériques pour le Diagnostic de la Nécrose Hépatique Aigüe Expérimentale

The activity of certain serum enzymes ornithine carbamyl transferase (OCT), serum isocitric dehydrogenase (SIC-D), total serum lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and its isoenzymes (LD₁ and LD₅) was evaluated as a mean of assessing experimental hepatic necrosis on dogs treated with CCl₄. Measurement of activity levels of these enzymes, seldom carried out in veterinary clinical pathology, was made together with tests commonly used in our laboratories: serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), serum glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (SGOT) and serum alkaline phosphatase (SAP), cholesterol, bilirubin and prothrombin time. Measurement of the level of OCT was useful in the diagnosis of liver necrosis. The SIC-D level was important during the first four days of the experiment, but on subsequent days, the enzymatic activity was practically normal. Because of the wide variations of LDH serum levels in normal animals and since many factors influence its activity, the measurement of this enzyme and its isoenzymes was not a good index in the diagnosis of canine liver necrosis. The evaluation of cholesterol and bilirubin was judged of secondary importance because these metabolites are not specific to hepatic problems.     

Les électrolytes du sang et des sécrétions endométriales de la vache à la suite d'une glucocorticothérapie

The effect of two synthetic glucocorticoids, 9_α-fluoroprednisolone acetate and dexamethasone (9_α-fluoro, 16_α-methylprednisolone) was studied on 12 normally breeding cows. Na, Mg, K, Ca and P concentrations were evaluated in the serum and in the uterine fluid at four stages of the estrous cycle.

No significant changes were noted in Na and Ca concentration in either serum or uterine fluid. On the other hand, significant changes in the Mg, K and P were observed. Both drugs have caused a decrease in the content of Mg in the serum (P<0.05) during diestrus, a fall in the level of uterine K (P<0.01) during proestrus and a decrease of P during proestrus both in serum (P<0.001 after dexamethasone treatment) and in uterine fluid (P<0.001 for both drugs).

It is obvious that the two drugs change the chemical composition of blood and endometrial secretions. This could jeopardize the survival of the spermatozoids and of the ovum as well as the fertilization and the implantation processes.