Effects of external thermal manipulation on laminar temperature and perfusion scintigraphy of the equine digit

AIMS: To assess the effects of external thermal manipulation on the soft-tissue and vascular perfusion of the equine digit using nuclear scintigraphy and documented tissue temperatures. METHODS: Six horses were used in a randomised crossover design. Each horse was treated with external heat (47 degrees C) or external cold (4 degrees C) applied to a digit for 30 minutes. The opposite front foot was untreated and used for control measurements. Nuclear scintigraphy was performed before, during, and after therapy to assess vascular and soft-tissue perfusion to the digit in response to therapy. Dorsal hoof wall laminar-tissue temperatures were recorded before, during, and after therapy using a thermistor. RESULTS: Treatment with topical cold therapy significantly decreased soft-tissue perfusion of the digit to 80.5% of the pre-cooled values. Conversely, the application of external heat significantly increased soft-tissue perfusion of the digit 25.1% above the pre-heated values. Vascular perfusion showed similar, but not statistically significant trends. External cold application to the digit caused a significant mean decrease in laminar-tissue temperatures of 11.6 degrees C during therapy, while external heat application to the digit caused a significant mean increase in laminar-tissue temperatures of 3.9 degrees C. CONCLUSION: The external application of heat and cold to the normal equine foot could effectively alter soft-tissue perfusion and laminar-tissue temperatures within 30 minutes of treatment. The application of hot water and ice water to the digit was a safe, well-tolerated, and economical therapy. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Cooling the foot could decrease enzymatic reactions associated with laminitis, and warming could increase local perfusion when desired.     

Select modalities

Physical rehabilitation modalities such as therapeutic ultrasound (TU), transcutaneous electrical neuromuscular stimulation (TENS), neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES), cold or low-level laser therapy (LLLT), and pulsed magnetic field therapy (PMF) can all, when used properly, assist in treating orthopedic injuries, neurological conditions, and chronic conditions brought about by normal aging in our small animal companions. TU uses sound waves to produce both thermal and nonthermal effects that aid in tissue healing, repair, and function. TENS uses different frequencies of electrical current to decrease pain and inflammation. NMES also uses an electrical current to stimulate muscle contraction to assist in normal neuromuscular function in postorthopedic and neurological injuries. LLLT uses light energy to reduce pain, decrease inflammation, and stimulate healing at a cellular level. PMF uses magnetic field to stimulate normal cellular ion exchange and oxygen utilization and promote generalized healing of tissues. These modalities are discussed in detail covering mechanism of action, parameters, settings, and indications/contraindications of use in our small animals. Although these modalities are important in the physical rehabilitation of small animals, they need to be incorporated with a proper diagnosis, manual therapy, and home exercise program into a specific and individualized patient treatment protocol.     

荸荠种杨梅产后保鲜新技术研究

为探索总结出荸荠种杨梅产后保鲜的最佳应用方案,本文通过比较试验分别得出荸荠种杨梅在风冷型冷藏冷库和管冷型冷藏冷库中预冷所需的时长,且不建议冷冻冷库用于荸荠种杨梅预冷。通过保鲜效果比较试验得出,一是普遍应用的风冷型冷藏冷库中,荸荠种杨梅预冷的时间建议控制在4h左右,且不建议预冷过夜;二是荸荠种杨梅保鲜的包装建议从内到外依次为PP塑料镂空托盘、塑封真空包装、冰袋、保温袋、泡沫箱、外箱,外箱外的热封膜无特殊需求不建议使用。可作为广大梅农和杨梅经营主体的参考。     

Environmental effects on thermoregulation and nutrition of horses

Horses are reared in all types of weather. Temperatures as diverse as -40 degrees C to 40 degrees C are tolerated by horses. The nutrient requirement most influenced by cold weather is energy. In cold weather, feeding good quality hays free-choice is usually sufficient for mature horses in good body condition. Grain may have to be fed when poor quality hays are used. Hot weather (greater than 30 degrees C) necessitates heat loss to maintain body core temperature. Horses sweat to reduce body heat. Heat stress can be minimized by feeding diets that reduce the heat increment. Use of grain and fat in the diet, which have a lower heat increment than fibrous feeds such as hays, may benefit horses in hot climates. Wind or precipitation necessitate protection to minimize chilling in cold weather and discomfort in hot weather. However, it is a moot point whether horses will use shelters under these circumstances.     

Response of twenty-seven horses with lower leg injuries to cold spa bath hydrotherapy

The influence of hypertonic cold water (5-9°C) spa bath hydrotherapy on the response of 27 horses with various lower leg injuries is described. Fifteen horses with grade 2 or 3 superficial digital flexor tendon damage and four with suspensory ligament injury treated for 10 minutes three times a week responded with markedly improved ultrasonographic echogenicity and fiber realignment of injured tissues. All but two of these horses when placed back into training returned to compete successfully within six months without re-injury. Two equestrian sports horses with traumatic contusion injury treated twice daily were able to compete successfully 72 hours after injury without supportive drug therapy. Responses of six individual horses with other leg conditions also responded to hydrotherapy faster than expected. The responses indicate hypertonic cold water spa therapy could be a valuable addition to therapeutic regimes with or without other therapies.     

Effects of Cold Compression, Bandaging, and Microcurrent Electrical Therapy after Cranial Cruciate Ligament Repair in Dogs

Objective— To compare 4 therapeutic techniques to reduce soft tissue swelling after cranial cruciate ligament repair in the dog.
Study Design— Prospective study.
Animals— Twenty-four dogs with cranial cruciate ligament rupture (CCLR).
Methods— Dogs with naturally occurring CCLR, were surgically repaired by an extracapsular technique and randomly divided into 4 treatment groups (cold compression [CC], modified Robert Jones bandage [B], cold compression and bandage [CCB], and microcurrent electrical therapy and bandage [METB]) each with 6 dogs. Data were collected at 2 time points, the morning after surgery before the 1st treatment and 72 hours later after the last treatment. Limb girth was measured at 3 anatomic locations to assess soft tissue swelling and all affected limbs were evaluated for presence (or absence) of pitting edema and bruising. Analysis of covariance was used to determine effect of treatment on the percent change in circumference. Duncan's multiple-range test was used to determine differences in treatment groups circumferential percent change over 72 hours. Statistical significance was set at P <.05.
Results— Use of a Robert Jones bandage had the least effect on reducing postoperative soft tissue swelling with CC, METB, and CCB being equally effective in reducing swelling by 72 hours after surgery.
Conclusion— Use of cold compresses alone or with a bandage, or using microcurrent electrical therapy in combination with a bandage decreases soft tissue swelling over 72 hours more than a bandaging alone after extracapsular repair of CCLR.
Clinical Relevance— CC, METB, and CCB should be considered as viable options to limit soft tissue swelling after extracapsular repair of CCLR in dogs.     

High Velocity Projectiles for Killing Whales. Hunting Trials using 20 mm High Velocity Projectiles for Minke Whales in 1982

Norway was requested by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to explore the use of high-velocity projectiles to replace cold harpoon as killing device for minke whales (Anon 1980). Tests of suitable high-velocity projectiles for minke whales were therefore initiated in 1982 as part of a wider project with the purpose of studying alternative killing methods to the traditional cold harpoon used in the Norwegian minke whale hunt until 1984 (Øen 1995). The results of the trials have previously been presented in unpublished reports to the IWC (Øen 1982, 1983, 1992).     

Cystourethroscopy in the dog

The cystourethroscopic examination with cold light cystoscopes forms an essential part of a complete urological examination and is useful for diagnostic as well as surgical procedures. The fast and non-invasive character of the procedure limits the inconvenience to the patient. With the rigid non-flexible scope its use is, however, limited to female dogs, unless in the male dog a urethro(s)tomy is performed.     

The use of intravenous lipid emulsion as an antidote in veterinary toxicology

Objective – To review the use of IV lipid emulsion (ILE) for the treatment of toxicities related to fat‐soluble agents; evaluate current human and veterinary literature; and to provide proposed guidelines for the use of this emerging therapy in veterinary medicine and toxicology. Data Sources – Human and veterinary medical literature. Human Data Synthesis – Human data are composed mostly of case reports describing the response to treatment with ILE as variant from mild improvement to complete resolution of clinical signs, which is suspected to be due to the variability of lipid solubility of the drugs. The use of ILE therapy has been advocated as an antidote in cases of local anesthetic and other lipophilic drug toxicoses, particularly in the face of cardiopulmonary arrest and unsuccessful cardiopulmonary cerebral resuscitation. Veterinary Data Synthesis – The use of ILE therapy in veterinary medicine has recently been advocated by animal poison control centers for toxicoses associated with fat‐soluble agents, but there are only few clinical reports documenting successful use of this therapy. Evidence for the use of ILE in both human and veterinary medicine is composed primarily from experimental animal data. Conclusions – The use of ILE appears to be a safe therapy for the poisoned animal patient, but is warranted only with certain toxicoses. Adverse events associated with ILE in veterinary medicine are rare and anecdotal. Standard resuscitation protocols should be exhausted before considering this therapy and the potential side effects should be evaluated before administration of ILE as a potential antidote in cases of lipophilic drug toxicoses. Further research is waranted.     

壁饰草毯开发研究Ⅰ草皮培育

以美学、成毯性、抗拉强度为特征指标,从5种常用冷地型草坪草种中预选出适宜作为壁饰草毯的2个草种--草地早熟禾Poa pratensis和匍匐剪股颖Agrostis stelonifena.在早期的草皮培育中,以有机混合基质配合营养液培育较自然土壤和砂基配合营养液更为理想.     

上海动物园天鹅湖水鸟的空间利用分布特征

2010年10月～2011年4月,采取定点观察和扫描取样相结合的方法,记录上海动物园天鹅湖中水鸟的空间位置。将水鸟划分为天鹅类、鸭类及鹈鹕类进行分析,探讨水鸟在冷季节和暖季节对天鹅湖空间的利用特征。天鹅类和鸭类对天鹅湖空间利用均比较广泛,约占湖水总面积的62.0%～72.3%;鹈鹕类的活动区域面积相对较小,占湖水总面积的24.8%～51.4%;核心活动区约占整个活动区的17.3%～21.8%。水鸟的活动范围及核心活动区域的面积在暖季节大于冷季节。天鹅类和鸭类对天鹅湖的空间利用存在很大重叠,重叠度系数（OI）从0.83～0.86,在冷季节鹈鹕类的活动区则与天鹅类（OI=0.54）和鸭类（OI=0.49）存在明显的空间分离,核心活动区的分离则更加明显。     

Overview of the use of antimicrobial drugs for the treatment of bacterial infections in horses

The use of antimicrobials in veterinary medicine is under great scrutiny with the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in the human population. Equine veterinarians rely on antimicrobials as an essential tool for the treatment of infections in horses, but there is much criticism of some use, particularly prophylaxis. While the appropriate use of antimicrobials can be justified in equine medicine, the misuse cannot. The definition of appropriate use is complex and involves the indication for therapy, antimicrobial selection, dosing regimen and timing and route of administration, duration of therapy and modification of therapy based on microbial susceptibility and clinical response. The aim of this article is to provide guidance on these factors to assist equine veterinarians in determining what constitutes appropriate antimicrobial use in horses.     

Cystourethroscopy in the dog

Summary

The cystourethroscopic examination with cold light cystoscopes forms an essential part of a complete urological examination and is useful for diagnostic as well as surgical procedures. The fast and non‐invasive character of the procedure limits the inconvenience to the patient.

With the rigid non‐flexible scope its use is, however, limited to female dogs, unless in the male dog a urethro(s)tomy is performed.     

浑浊型饲用微生态菌剂悬浮剂的制备及稳定性研究

[目的] 建立一种浑浊型微生态菌剂悬浮剂的制备方法,并对其稳定性进行评价。[方法] 以黄原胶和羧甲基纤维素钠为稳定剂,以饲用微生态菌剂干粉为悬浮成分,制备微生物水悬浮体系。对制备的悬浮剂进行稳定性评价,测定指标包括稳定系数、黏度、存放稳定性、冷贮存稳定性和活菌总数。[结果] 随着稳定剂添加比例的增加,悬浮剂的稳定系数逐渐增加。添加0.20%稳定剂,体系的稳定系数达到91.38%,极显著（P<0.01）高于空白对照组。悬浮体系的黏度随着稳定剂添加量的增加和贮存温度的降低而增大,当稳定剂添加比例为0.20%时,体系不出现分层现象,达到稳定状态。经过24 h冷贮存（4 ℃）后,添加0.10%稳定剂的悬浮剂活菌数出现下降,添加0.10%~0.25%稳定剂显著（P<0.05）低于空白对照组,但仍维持在10⁹ CFU/mL以上。[结论] 稳定剂添加量为0.20%时,饲用微生态菌剂悬浮剂无分层现象出现,无论常温还是冷贮存24 h后,制成的悬浮剂中活菌数均保持在10⁹ CFU/mL以上,能够保证饲用微生态菌剂的有效活菌数。     

开发糖甜菜作饲料 促进畜牧业发展

糖甜菜不仅是糖料作物，而且其收获和制糖后的副产品都有很高的饲料价值，每公顷生产的饲料单位高于饲用甜菜等块根类饲料作物，其茎叶营养价值与苜蓿接近；糖甜菜抗逆性强，对温度适应范围广，耐旱、耐寒、抗盐碱，用于开发饲料具有重要的经济意义，在农业种植结构调整中，糖甜菜作为饲料作物纳入三元结构中有显著优势。     

Response of Boar Sperm to the Treatment with Cholesterol‐Loaded Cyclodextrins Added Prior to Cryopreservation

Cryopreserved boar sperm is not used extensively for artificial insemination, owing to the poor fertility rates of the sperm after freezing and thawing. The sperm membrane is damaged as the cells are cooled from body temperature to 5°C (cold shock), as well as during the freeze–thaw process. Increasing the cholesterol content of boar sperm membranes could help them survive cryopreservation, similar to sperm from other species that are cold shock sensitive. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal cholesterol‐loaded cyclodextrin (CLC) concentration to use for boar sperm cryopreservation, and the influence of CLCs on the cryosurvival of sperm from boars classified as good or poor freezers. Treating boar sperm with 1 mg of CLC/120 × 10⁶ sperm slightly improved (p < 0.05) the percentage of viable sperm after freezing–thawing. On the other hand, sperm, from both good and poor freezers, responded similarly to CLC treatment. Nevertheless, additional studies will be needed to study the effect of this treatment on other parameters of sperm quality.     

Influence of topically applied cold treatment on core temperature and cell viability in equine superficial digital flexor tendons

OBJECTIVE: To determine rate and degree of cooling for the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) during a standard cryotherapy application in horses and evaluate in vitro effects of cooling on survival of tendon cells. SAMPLE POPULATION: 6 limbs of 5 adult horses and cultured cells obtained from SDFT of 3 adult horses during necropsy. PROCEDURE: In vivo data were acquired by use of a thermocouple temperature probe inserted into the SDFT of a forelimb of each standing sedated horse. After baseline temperatures were recorded, a commercial compression splint with circulating coolant was placed on each selected limb, which was then exposed to cold treatment for 60 minutes. Temperatures were recorded at 30-second intervals. Mean minimum core temperature was calculated and used to design a protocol for in vitro cold treatment of cells. Specimens were obtained from the SDFT of horses during necropsy; tendon cells were cultured in suspension and exposed to 1-hour of cold treatment that mimicked the in vivo procedure. Viability of cells after cold treatment was compared with viability of cells maintained at body temperature. RESULTS: After 1 hour of cold treatment, SDFT core temperature was reduced by a mean of 21.8 degrees C, reaching a mean minimum temperature of 10 degrees C. Viability did not differ significantly between cold-treated and control cells. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results indicated that topical application of cryotherapy significantly reduced core SDFT temperature in standing sedated horses. Temperatures achieved in vivo during cold treatment were not detrimental to the in vitro viability of tendon cells.     

Psychotropic drugs and behavioral therapy

Psychotropic drugs often are helpful in the treatment of selected behavior problems in dogs and cats. Drug therapy is rarely curative by itself and in most cases is only indicated as ancillary therapy in a behavior modification program. Very few of the psychoactive drugs are approved for use in companion animals, and owners should be made aware that their use is considered experimental. Before prescribing any of the psychotropic drugs, veterinarians should be thoroughly familiar with dosages, side effects, and contraindications. Some of the more common behavior problems in which drug therapy may be useful are reviewed.