Glucose lowering effects of inhaled insulin in healthy cats

Inhaled medications have proven effective and well tolerated in cats, and inhaled insulin has been used successfully for the management of diabetes mellitus in humans. Thus, we hypothesize that delivery of aerosolized regular insulin can lower blood glucose in healthy cats. Five adult cats were administered aerosolized 0.9% saline (IS), regular insulin intravenously (IV) 0.5 U/kg, and aerosolized regular insulin 15 U/kg (I15) and 25 U/kg (I25) and blood glucose was evaluated. Mean blood glucose was significantly lower at 15, 30 and 45 min in the I25 and IV groups compared to baseline. Similarly, the IV and I25 groups had a significantly greater maximal percent change in blood glucose than the IS group. Significantly more cats developed severe hypoglycemia (<50 mg/dl; 2.7 mmol/l) in the IV and I25 groups than in the IS group. Results of this study demonstrate that aerosolized insulin can effectively lower blood glucose concentrations in healthy cats.     

Determination of the inhibitory concentration 50% (IC50) of four selected drugs (chlortetracycline, doxycycline, enrofloxacin and difloxacin) that reduce in vitro the multiplication of Chlamydophila psittaci

A total of 18 chlamydial isolates from various psittacine birds, one isolate from a domestic pigeon and one isolate from a Pekin duck were isolated in continuous Buffalo Green Monkey (BGM) kidney cell cultures. All 20 isolates were identified by nested multiplex polymerase chain reaction as Chlamydophila psittaci. These isolates were multiplied to high titres and subsequently tested for in vitro sensitivity against two tetracyclines (chlortetracycline and doxycycline) and two quinolones (enrofloxacin and difloxacin) at concentrations of 0.0, 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, and 10.00 microg/ml. Replication of chlamydia in BGM cell cultures is assayed on the basis of formation of intracytoplasmic inclusions that are visualized by Giménez staining. All isolates, although to variable degrees, are sensitive to all four drugs. The number of chlamydial inclusions decreases gradually over a broad range of increasing concentrations of the drugs. The variation in the number of inclusions between isolates is remarkably high for chlortetracycline less for doxycycline and minimal for both fluoroquinolones, the enrofloxacin and difloxacin. The decline in numbers of inclusions is highly dose-dependend and the observed reduction stretches over a wide range of drug dilutions. Therefore, it is proposed to calculate drug sensitivity values in terms of inhibitory concentration 50%, (IC5). Its calculation includes all tested drug dilutions instead of the hitherto more common minimal inhibitory concentration, MIC, which is based on results of serial dilution tests for cell-free growing bacteria. Using a logistic regression model for the calculation of the inhibitory concentration 50% of all 20 chlamydial isolates, the IC50 is 0.807 microg/ml for tetracycline, 0.497 microg/ml for doxycycline, 0.180 microg/ml for enrofloxacin and 0.168 microg/ml for difloxacin. Complete prevention of inclusion formation was already seen for enrofloxacin at a concentration of 1.0 microg/ml in 12 out of 20 and for difloxacin in 5 out of 20 isolates whereas more than 10 microg/mI chlortetracycline is needed in 15 out of 20 isolates and for doxycycline 9 out of 20 isolates yielded inclusions at 10 microg/ml.     

Defective lipolysis and altered energy metabolism in mice lacking adipose triglyceride lipase

Fat tissue is the most important energy depot in vertebrates. The release of free fatty acids (FFAs) from stored fat requires the enzymatic activity of lipases. We showed that genetic inactivation of adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) in mice increases adipose mass and leads to triacylglycerol deposition in multiple tissues. ATGL-deficient mice accumulated large amounts of lipid in the heart, causing cardiac dysfunction and premature death. Defective cold adaptation indicated that the enzyme provides FFAs to fuel thermogenesis. The reduced availability of ATGL-derived FFAs leads to increased glucose use, increased glucose tolerance, and increased insulin sensitivity. These results indicate that ATGL is rate limiting in the catabolism of cellular fat depots and plays an important role in energy homeostasis.     

Serologic survey of brucellosis in captive neotropical wild carnivores in northeast Brazil

Abstract. This study reports the detection of antibodies against Brucella abortus and B. canis in wild neotropical carnivores kept in captivity in three zoos in northeastern Brazil. A total of 42 serum samples were examined, 17 from coatis (Nasua nasua), eight from crab-eating raccoons (Procyon cancrivorus), three from crab-eating foxes (Cerdocyon thous), three from hoary foxes (Lycalopex vetulus), two from little spotted cats (Leopardus tigrinus), five from tayras (Eira barbara), two from greater grisons (Galictis vittata), and two from neotropical river otters (Lontra longicaudis). The Rose-Bengal test and complement fixation test (CFT) were performed to detect anti-Brucella spp. antibodies, whereas the agar gel immunodiffusion test (AGID) was employed to detect anti-B. canis antibodies. The overall seroprevalence varied by species and by test; in addition, CFT and AGID seemed better able to detect antibodies against B. abortus and B. canis, respectively. This is the first study on the presence of anti-Brucella spp. antibodies in captive carnivores from Brazil, as well as the first report of antibodies to Brucella spp. in coatis, crab-eating raccoons, hoary foxes, little spotted cats, tayras, and greater grisons.     

Genetic parameters for androstenone, skatole, indole, and human nose scores as measures of boar taint and their relationship with finishing traits

The purpose of this study was to evaluate measures of boar (Sus scrofa) taint as potential selection criteria to reduce boar taint so that castration of piglets will become unnecessary. Therefore, genetic parameters of boar taint measures and their genetic correlations with finishing traits were estimated. In particular, the usefulness of a human panel assessing boar taint (human nose score) was compared with chemical assessment of boar taint compounds, androstenone, skatole, and indole. Heritability estimates for androstenone, skatole, and indole were 0.54, 0.41, and 0.33, respectively. The heritability for the human nose score using multiple panelists was 0.12, and ranged from 0.12 to 0.19 for individual panelists. Genetic correlations between scores of panelists were generally high up to unity. The genetic correlations between human nose scores and the boar taint compounds ranged from 0.64 to 0.999. The boar taint compounds and human nose scores had low or favorable genetic correlations with finishing traits. Selection index estimates indicated that the effectiveness of a breeding program based on human nose scores can be comparable to a breeding program based on the boar taint compounds themselves. Human nose scores can thus be used as a cheap and fast alternative for the costly determination of boar taint compounds, needed in breeding pigs without boar taint.     

Efficacy of a pour-on formulation of doramectin against lice, mites, and grubs of cattle

OBJECTIVE: To determine effectiveness of a pour-on formulation of doramectin against Damalinia bovis, Haematopinus eurysternus, Linognathus vituli, Solenopotes capillatus, Chorioptes bovis, Sarcoptes scabiei, Hypoderma bovis, and Hypoderma lineatum. ANIMALS: Cattle of various ages with naturally acquired or artificial infestations with 1 or more species of lice, mites, or grubs. PROCEDURE: In 10 louse and 6 mite studies, cattle were treated with doramectin (500 microg/kg, topically) on day 0, and parasite counts were performed approximately weekly from days 0 to 35. In 6 grub studies, cattle expected to harbor Hypoderma spp were treated before emergence of warbles. After warbles began to emerge, they were counted every 2 weeks, and grubs were collected and identified by species. RESULTS: Burdens of D bovis, H eurystemus, L vituli, and S capillatus on doramectin-treated cattle were 0 by 28 days after treatment. Burdens of C bovis and S scabiei decreased to 0 in naturally infested cattle and approximately 0 in artificially infested cattle by day 14 to 15. In grub studies, 107 of 136 control cattle had warbles, whereas 2 of 136 doramectin-treated cattle had 1 warble each, which represented a cure rate of 98.5%. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: One topical application of doramectin was highly efficacious against common species of lice, mites, and grubs known to affect performance, health, and appearance of cattle.