Treatment of bovine lymphosarcoma with L-asparaginase

L-asparaginase was used to treat a 4-year-old Holstein cow with lymphosarcoma that involved the spinal cord, subiliac lymph nodes, and retrobulbar space. The cow received 60,000 IU of L-asparaginase IV for a total of 4 treatments. After each treatment, the cow's condition improved, characterized by decreased weakness, decreased ataxia, a reduction in size of the left subiliac lymph node, and decreased exophthalmos. Side effects were not observed. The cow was kept alive for 57 days. This treatment offers a way of salvaging the genetic potential of valuable cows and bulls.     

Efficacy of ipronidazole against trichomoniasis in beef bulls

Preputial smegma samples from 195 beef bulls were collected repeatedly and cultured for Tritrichomonas foetus. Seventy-five (38.5%) of these bulls were positive for trichomonads on at least 1 culture. Sensitivity of the culture procedure (number of positive cultures/number of total cultures from known-positive bulls) was 81.6%. Storage of preputial smegma in lactated Ringer's solution at 5 C for 24 hours resulted in a 14% loss of sensitivity. Seventy-three of the 75 infected bulls were available for treatment and were alloted randomly to 2 groups. Bulls in both groups were treated with procaine penicillin (7,000 IU/kg, IM) for 2 days before ipronidazole treatment. Thirty grams of ipronidazole powder was dissolved in 60 ml of sterile water, and was given IM to group 1 bulls. Group 2 bulls were given a similar 30-g ipronidazole solution IM on day 1, and were given 15 g of ipronidazole dissolved in 30 ml of sterile water on days 2 and 3. Efficacy of treatment (ie, negative cultures of preputial smegma for trichomonads for 6 consecutive weeks after treatment) was 92.8% for the 42 bulls treated once and 100% for the 31 bulls treated 3 times.     

生化汤加减对牛产后疾病的治疗初探

生化汤源出<傅青主女科>,是医治产后诸症良方.笔者将该方移用于兽医产科临床,先后治疗牛产后疾病38例.经多年的临床实践,该方具有活血化瘀、温经止痛、去瘀生新之功,疗效显著,现介绍于后.     

Treatment of infected wounds and abscesses in bovine limbs with Ligasano-polyurethane-soft foam dressing material

The objective of this report is to present the most important indications for the use of Ligasano-polyurethane-soft-foam dressing material in the treatment of infected wounds in cattle. For this study, 28 cattle were selected, which were treated at the clinic (2000-2003) for infected cut, puncture and laceration wounds on the limbs, purulent tarsal hygromas, large abscesses in the tarsal, crural and thigh regions, and purulent tenosynovitis of the digital flexor tendon sheath caused by penetrating puncture wounds. After routine wound cleansing, debridement or adequate surgery with wound lavage, Ligasano-polyurethane-soft-foam (Ligamed Medical Produkte, Cadolzburg-Wachendorf, Germany) was applied as a primary wound dressing instead of the conventional cotton gauze swabs or as drainage material in all these wounds. The porous surface structure of this material caused subtle wound debridement and mechanical stimulation of the wound surface increasing exudation and decreasing fibrinous adhesions. The pores ensured good drainage, reduced infection, avoided the accumulation of exudate and the following destruction of the wound surface. In all these indications, except abscesses and purulent hygromas, no or only slight purulent exudation of the treated wounds was observed. Especially in the treatment of purulent tenosynovitis of the digital flexor tendon sheath with tendon resection a rapid healing of these large surgical wounds--often within 2 weeks--was found. The therapeutic effect of Ligasano-polyurethane-soft-foam as a primary wound dressing was so convincing in these bovine patients, that it is now used exclusively as primary wound dressing material for treatment of infected wounds.     

Infection of early bovine embryos with bovine herpesvirus-1

Recently hatched bovine embryos were exposed in vitro to 1 of 4 strains of bovine herpesvirus-1 to determine whether the viruses would replicate in these embryos and, if so, what pathologic consequences would ensue. Exposure to each of the viruses resulted in embryonic infection and death, and replication of the agents was demonstrated by electron microscopy and titration of progeny virus. There were no dramatic differences between virus strains in pathogenicity or in the ultrastructural pathologic findings of infection.     

Treatment of chronic bovine endometritis and factors for treatment success

In a controlled field trial, 178 dairy cows with chronic endometritis and at least 21 days in lactation were randomly assigned to four different treatment groups: prostaglandin F2alpha intramuscularly (PG, 5 mg dinoprost (5 ml Dinolytic), n = 51), intrauterine antibiotics (AB; 400 mg ampicillin + 800 oxacillin (20 ml Totocillin), n = 49), intrauterine antiseptics (AS; 100 ml 4% Lotagen, n = 50); control (C, no initial treatment, n = 28). Before treatment, uterine swabs for bacteriologic examination and blood samples for determination of serum progesterone concentrations were collected. Two weeks following the first treatment, cows were reexamined. In case no clinical cure was diagnosed, treatment was repeated and control cows were treated for the first time with one of the three treatments mentioned above. The four treatment groups did not differ with respect to the clinical cure or reproductive performance. Therefore, factors that might have an influence on clinical cure and fertility were evaluated. With increasing duration of lactation, the clinical cure after a single treatment increased significantly over all treatment groups from 59.5% (treatment before day 42 postpartum) to 79.6% (treatment following day 42 postpartum) (P < 0.05). Within the PG group, a statistically significantly higher cure rate after a single treatment and first service conception rate and a lower pregnancy index were obtained when the treatment was performed following day 42 postpartum (P < 0.05). This was not the case in the other treatment groups. A retarded involution of the uterus based on the size had a negative effect on clinical cure over all groups (first treatment clinical cure: 68.2% (small uteri) vs 44.4% (large uteri); P < 0.05). Within groups, this effect was also detected, but only as a trend (P > 0.05). Isolation of Arcanobacterium (A.) pyogenes negatively influenced first treatment clinical cure over all treatment groups (79.0% vs 31.5%) and within treatment groups (P < 0.05). In the AB group, the pregnancy index, days open and the interval from first insemination to conception increased compared with the other treatment groups, when A. pyogenes was detected. Isolation of unspecific bacteria and the presence or absence of a corpus luteum only had minor effects over all and within the PG, AS and C group. Within the AB group, presence of luteal tissue was connected with a higher pregnancy index and increased days open and interval from first insemination to conception (P < 0.05). A multivariate analysis revealed that the presence of A. pyogenes and no initial treatment (control group) had a statistically significant independent and negative influence on the first treatment clinical cure. Ill-smelling vaginal discharge and no treatment had a negative independent effect on first service conception rate. Furthermore, days open were negatively influenced by the interval from calving to first examination and the presence of ill-smelling vaginal discharge. In conclusion, under the conditions of this field study, it seems preferrable to treat chronic endometritis. However, under the condition of a herd health program with continuous observation of sick and healthy animals, a wait-and-see attitude might also be justified.     

Analysis of bovine trigeminal ganglia following infection with bovine herpesvirus 1

Following primary infection of the eye, oral cavity, and/or nasal cavity, bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) establishes latency in trigeminal ganglionic (TG) neurons. Virus reactivation and spread to other susceptible animals occur after natural or corticosteroid-induced stress. Infection of calves with BHV-1 leads to infiltration of lymphocytes in TG and expression of IFN-gamma (interferon-gamma), even in latently infected calves. During latency, virus antigen and nucleic acid positive non-neural cells were occasionally detected in TG suggesting there is a low level of spontaneous reactivation. Since we could not detect virus in ocular or nasal swabs, these rare cells do not support high levels of productive infection and virus release or they do not support virus production at all. Dexamethasone (DEX) was used to initiate reactivation in latently infected calves. Foci of mononuclear or satellite cells undergoing apoptosis were detected 6h after DEX treatment, as judged by the appearance of TUNEL+ cells (terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling). BHV-1 antigen expression was initially detected in lymphocytes and other non-neural cells in latently infected calves following DEX treatment. At 24h after DEX treatment, viral antigen expression and nucleic acid were readily detected in neurons. Our data suggest that persistent lymphocyte infiltration and cytokine expression occur during latency because a low number of cells in TG express BHV-1 proteins. Induction of apoptosis and changes in cytokine expression following DEX treatment correlates with reactivation from latency. We hypothesize that inflammatory infiltration of lymphoid cells in TG plays a role in regulating latency.     

中西医结合治疗牛传染性胃肠炎

牛传染性胃肠炎是由传染性胃肠炎病毒引起的一种急性肠道传染病。该病以牛的呕吐、严重腹泻和脱水为特征。不同品种和年龄的牛均易感。4周龄以内的犊牛发病率、死亡率较高。断奶牛、育成牛及成年牛发病症状较轻。病牛和带毒牛为主要传染源。排泄物和分泌物中带出的病毒常污染环境、饲料、水、空气及用具。犊牛吮吸含病毒乳汁或被污染的乳头,经消化道和呼吸道感染。常发于在寒冷的冬天或早春,传播迅速,常呈地方性流行。