Trichlorfon-induced congenital cerebellar hypoplasia in neonatal pigs

The neuroteratogenicity of trichlorfon was evaluated in 3 groups of pregnant sows (8/group). The treatments were: control (no trichlorfon), trichlorfon (60 mg/kg of body weight) in the feed only on day 55 of gestation, or trichlorfon (60 mg/kg of body weight) in the feed on day 55 and day 70 of gestation. One week after farrowing, all newborn pigs were removed from the sows and were euthanatized. Brain and cerebellum weights of the newborn pigs were recorded. Mean cerebellum weights and cerebellum/total brain weight ratios of the neonatal pigs were 3.780 and 0.106 (group 1, n = 26), 3.183 and 0.098 (group 2, n = 42), and 2.986 and 0.088 (group 3, n = 61). Although trichlorfon interfered with cerebellar development and the severity of the trichlorfon-induced cerebellar hypoplasia was dosage-related, ataxia did not develop in the neonatal pigs.     

EFFECTS OF ANESTHETIC PROTOCOL ON NORMAL CANINE BRAIN UPTAKE OF 18F‐FDG ASSESSED BY PET/CT

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of four anesthetic protocols on normal canine brain uptake of 2‐deoxy‐2‐[¹⁸F]fluoro‐d ‐glucose (FDG) using positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). Five clinically normal beagle dogs were anesthetized with (1) propofol/isoflurane, (2) medetomidine/pentobarbital, (3) xylazine/ketamine, and (4) medetomidine/tiletamine–zolazepam in a randomized cross‐over design. The standard uptake value (SUV) of FDG was obtained in the frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital lobes, cerebellum, brainstem and whole brain, and compared within and between anesthetic protocols using the Friedman test with significance set at P<0.05. Significant differences in SUVs were observed in various part of the brain associated with each anesthetic protocol. The SUV for the frontal and occipital lobes was significantly higher than in the brainstem in all dogs. Dogs receiving medetomidine/tiletamine–zolazepam also had significantly higher whole brain SUVs than the propofol/isoflurane group. We concluded that each anesthetic protocol exerted a different regional brain glucose uptake pattern. As a result, when comparing brain glucose uptake using PET/CT, one should consider the effects of anesthetic protocols on different regions of the glucose uptake in the dog's brain.     

Relationship between oocyte maturation and fertilization on zygotic diversity in swine

Two experiments were conducted to examine how oocyte maturation and fertilization influence zygotic diversity in swine. In the first experiment, the distribution of oocyte maturation was compared to that of zygotic development. Oocytes were aspirated from follicles of 31 gilts and classified into stages of meiosis. Zygotes were flushed from oviducts of 19 additional gilts and classified into stages of meiosis and fertilization. The second experiment examined whether the time from ovulation to fertilization was constant among all oocytes. To test this premise, four to six oocytes from follicles of 10 mated gilts were aspirated just before or during ovulation, stained and transferred back into the oviducts of these same gilts. Zygotes were recovered 10 h later to determine whether the first oocytes ovulated were the more developed zygotes and, conversely, whether the last oocytes to be ovulated represented the lesser developed contemporaries. The skewed (P less than .05) distribution of oocyte maturation was similar to that of zygotic development. Regression of the frequency distribution describing early oocyte maturation resulted in a line with a slope (.59) that was similar to the slope (.58) of the regressed distribution of zygotic development. Likewise, the order of ovulation and order of subsequent stages of zygotic development were similar. These data suggest that variation in zygotic development in swine was due to variability in oogenesis; the time from ovulation to fertilization appeared to be constant.     

Intraosseous approach to the nasolacrimal duct for removal of a foreign body in a dog

A Labrador retriever was evaluated because of chronic mucopurulent discharge from the left eye. A foreign body was identified in the nasolacrimal duct by use of dacryocystorhinography. Attempts to alleviate the inflammation by use of flushing and administration of antimicrobials were unsuccessful. At surgery, the infraorbital foramen was used as a landmark for a skin incision, because the nasolacrimal duct courses dorsal and parallel to the infraorbital canal. An air drill was used to remove the portion of the maxillary bone overlying the nasolacrimal duct, which exposed the intraosseous portion of the duct and allowed removal of a plant-material foreign body. The incision in the duct was allowed to heal by second intention, and the dog recovered without complications.     

Alveolar mucosal approach to the canine nasal cavity

A nine-year-old, intact female Afghan hound was presented for evaluation of an intermittent, mucopurulent, unilateral nasal discharge with a three-year duration. Radiographs showed the ipsilateral canine tooth within the rostral nasal cavity. The tooth was removed through an alveolar mucosal rhinotomy. There has been no recurrence of the nasal discharge or complications associated with the surgical procedure during the 20-month follow-up period.     

Influence of the embryo on intrauterine migration in sheep.

Mechanisms of intrauterine migration were examined in 55 ewes. In the first experiment, corpora lutea were removed from unilaterally ovariectomized ewes on d 4 (d 0 = estrus) and pregnancy was maintained by giving exogenous progesterone. In Exp. 2, the reproductive tract was altered surgically such that embryos initially entered the uterine horn contralateral to the site of ovulation. In Exp. 3, ewes received beads of silastic polydimethylsiloxane that released either cholesterol or estradiol-17 beta in an attempt to mimic embryonic synthesis of estradiol. In the fourth experiment, unilaterally ovariectomized ewes were superovulated and spacing of embryos within the uterus was then examined. In all experiments, ewes were slaughtered on d 15 and recovery of embryos or beads from each uterine horn indicated that migration had occurred. All ewes in Exp. 1 and 2 that had two conceptuses experienced embryonic migration. Beads impregnated with estradiol migrated farther (P less than .01) than cholesterol-containing beads (27.6 +/- 4.3 vs 12.5 +/- 1.6 cm, respectively). In Exp. 4, only one conceptus had migrated into the contralateral horn in all ewes. These results demonstrated that 1) embryonic migration was not affected by local vs systemic exposure to progesterone, 2) embryos migrated into the unoccupied horn, regardless of the initial horn of entry, 3) estradiol may stimulate embryonic migration, and 4) conceptuses were not equally distributed between horns.     

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING OF THE CANINE BRAIN AT 7 T

The purpose of this study was to describe relevant canine brain structures as seen on T2-weighted images following magnetic resonance (MR) imaging at 7 T and to compare the results with imaging at 1.5 T. Imaging was performed on five healthy laboratory beagle dogs using 1.5 and 7 T clinical scanners. At 1.5 T, spin echo images were acquired, while gradient echo images were acquired at 3 T. Image quality and conspicuity of anatomic structures were evaluated qualitatively by direct comparison of the images obtained from the two different magnetic fields. The signal-to-nose ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were calculated and compared between 1.5 and 7 T. The T2-weighted images at 7 T provided good spatial and contrast resolution for the identification of clinically relevant brain anatomy; these images provided better delineation and conspicuity of the brain stem and cerebellar structures, which were difficult to unequivocally identify at 1.5 T. However, frontal and parietal lobe and the trigeminal nerve were difficult to identify at 7 T due to susceptibility artifact. The SNR and CNR of the images at 7 T were significantly increased up to 318% and 715% compared with the 1.5 T images. If some disadvantages of 7 T imaging, such as susceptibility artifacts, technical difficulties, and high cost, can be improved, 7 T clinical MR imaging could provide a good experimental and diagnostic tool for the evaluation of canine brain disorders.     

Characterization of infectious bursal disease viruses isolated in 2007 from Delmarva commercial broiler chickens

A study was performed in 2007 to isolate and characterize infectious bursal disease viruses (IBDVs) in commercial broilers grown in the Delmarva (DMV) Peninsula region of the United States. Bursae of Fabricius were collected weekly from 1 to 4 wk of age from broilers on 10 farms with a history of poor performance. Microscopic pathology was used to determine the infectious bursal disease (IBD) status of the broilers. Bursae from 1- and 2-wk-old broilers did not show IBD microscopic lesions. Moreover, broilers on 1 of the 10 farms were IBD lesion free at 3 and 4 wk of age. However, 3 of 9 and 9 of 9 farms yielded broilers with IBD-affected bursae from 3- and 4-wk-old commercial broilers, respectively. Ten IBDV isolates were recovered from 3 of 3 lesion-positive bursal pools at 3 wk of age and 7 of 9 lesion-positive bursal pools at 4 wk of age. Analysis of the viral protein (VP) 2 genes identified all isolates as serotype 1 Delaware (Del) variant viruses. Five field isolates, each representing different molecular clades of the Delaware variant viruses, were selected for further study. Experimental infection of specific-pathogen-free white leghorn chickens with isolates DMV/4813/07, DMV/4947/07, DMV/4955/07, DMV/5038/07, and DMV/5041/07 produced gross and microscopic pathology of the bursa consistent with Delaware variant infection. Monoclonal antibody testing showed DMV/4813/07, DMV/4947/07, DMV/ 4955/07, and DMV/5041/07 to be similar to previous recognized variant viruses. However, DMV/5038/07 was found to be unreactive with the monoclonal antibodies that typically recognize reference strains STC, Del E, GLS, RS593, and AL2. In a challenge of immunity study, 10-day-old progeny from breeders immunized with a commercially available inactivated IBDV vaccine containing the Del E and classic strains were protected to a lesser degree against isolate DMV/5038/07 compared to Del E challenge based on microscopic lesion scores (P < 0.01) of the bursa. This result suggests the virus is antigenically different from the Del E strain contained in the vaccine. Collectively, the monoclonal antibody and progeny challenge of immunity findings suggest DMV/5038/07 is antigenically different from the Del E strain contained in the vaccine.