Detrimental effects on villus form during conventional oralrehydration therapy for diarrhoea in calves; alleviation by a nutrient oral rehydration solution containing glutamine

This paper examines the possibility that treatment of diarrhoea with conventional oral rehydration solutions (ORSs) may be detrimental to villus structure by imposing nutrient deprivation and that such detrimental effects may be reduced or avoided by using a nutrient ORS. A conventional WHO-type ORS (W) was compared with two nutrient solutions (N and G) both containing high glucose concentrations and the latter containing glutamine; their effects on enteric structure were assessed by morphometric analysis of samples obtained from diarrhoeic calves after 96h treatment. Comparisons were also made with samples from controls and diarrhoeic calves at the stage where oral rehydration would have begun in the treated groups. As in our previous ORS studies, diarrhoea was induced with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (09:K30:K99). We measured villus length and width, crypt depth and width and calculated villus surface area in proximal, mid and distal small intestine (PSI, MSI, DSI), using standard morphometric techniques. Proximal and distal spiral colon samples (PC, DC) were examined for crypt depth and width; mitoses per crypt were counted in samples from all regions. Non-diarrhoeic calves showed the expected gradient of villus length through PSI, MSI and DSI, hence data for each region are normalized as a percentage of the control value for that region. PSI showed the greatest loss of villus length and surface area (50%) with diarrhoea. In MSI and DSI the villus loss was greater with solution W and N or G, as were increased mitoses and crypt depth. Crypt depth and mitoses also increased in the colon with solution W. Colonic crypt width increased with diarrhoea and conventional oral rehydration but less so with G; there is reason to believe that such changes have functional significance. Crypt changes in colon, MSI and DSI were least with solution G. The changes developing in diarrhoeic calves prior to treatment were thus less apparent in those treated with a nutritional ORS, particularly if it contained glutamine.     

The Effects of Different Types of Stress on Blood Glucose in the Giant Tiger Prawn Penaeus monodon

Abstract— Juvenile Penaeus monodon prawns were exposed to a variety of putative stressom and blood glucose concentrations monitored as an index of metabolic stress. Prawns were held under controlled conditions and food deprived for 12–18 h before blood sampling. Juvenile prawns maintained in tanks at densities of 9, 23, 36 and 50 prawns/m² for 4 wk did not have significantly different baseline levels of blood glucose, with mean concentrations varying from 1.1 to 1.3 mmol/L. In contrast, as an index of overall condition, antennal length and rostral spine length were significantly degraded in the 36 and 50 prawns/m² groups compared to the 9 and 23 prawns/m² groups ( P < 0.05). Blood glucose levels were significantly elevated after prawns were exposed to air for 10 min and also increased Significantly when dissolved oxygen was decreased from 6.5 mg/L to 2.1 mg/L. ( P < 0.05). Gassing of water from pH 8.5 to 5.9 with carbon dioxide, with a corresponding decrease of dissolved oxygen from 6.6 to 5.9 mg/ L, induced a rapid and significant rise in blood glucose levels from 1.1 to 2.3 mmol/L. In contrast, a decrease of water pH from 8.3 to 5.9 with sulfuric acid, did not result in a significant change in blood glucose concentrations. These findings are discussed in relation to pond management for maintaining prawns in a low stress environment.     

Transient enhancement of the serum antibody response to Brucella abortus strain 19 in cattle treated with levamisole

Two experiments were done on 57 steers. These cattle were allotted to 8 groups (4 groups/experiment) and vaccinated with 1 to 3 X 10(9) colony-forming units of Brucella abortus strain 19. Cattle in 3 of the 4 groups/experiment were given 6 mg of levamisole/kg, subcutaneously, either at the time of vaccination (day 0), 7 days later, or at both times. Serum antibody titers to B abortus were measured sequentially for 28 days in experiment 1 and for 56 days in experiment 2, using the card test, Rivanol test, complement-fixation test, fluorometric immunoassay, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In general, the highest mean antibody titers, as determined by all serologic tests, occurred in steers treated with levamisole at 7 days after vaccination or in those treated at the time of vaccination and 7 days later. By the card test on day 56, there was a significantly (P less than 0.05) greater number of seropositive cattle among those given levamisole 7 days after seropositive cattle among those given strain 19 alone. Simultaneous administration of strain 19 and levamisole did not alter antibody responses to B abortus.     

Cutaneous cryptococcosis in three cats

Cutaneous cryptococcosis was diagnosed in 3 cats. No other organ involvement was found. One cat has remained healthy after surgical excision of the cryptococcal skin lesion. One cat was euthanatized after diagnosis. The third cat was treated successfully with a 5-month course of ketoconazole.     

Plasma enteroglucagon and neurotensin levels in gnotobiotic calves infected with enteropathogenic and non-enteropathogenic viruses

Five gnotobiotic calves were each infected with five viruses. Each calf was inoculated with coronavirus at seven days old, followed by astrovirus, Newbury agent, parainfluenzavirus type 3 and rotavirus at intervals of two weeks. Three of the viruses were enteropathogenic (bovine coronavirus, bovine calici-like virus and bovine rotavirus) and two were not (bovine astrovirus and parainfluenzavirus type 3). Plasma levels of the peptide hormones enteroglucagon and neurotensin and faecal output were measured daily and xylose absorption was studied before and after each infection. A close correlation was found between a rise in plasma enteroglucagon and neurotensin and infection with enteropathogenic viruses. The three enteropathogenic viruses caused increased daily faecal output, and elevated plasma levels of enteroglucagon and neurotensin, while the non-enteropathogens did not. The calici-like virus and rotavirus but not the coronavirus caused xylose malabsorption.     

Management of inappetant sheep during export by sea

In the first of 2 experiments, a simulated voyage was conducted to examine the effects of various treatments on bodyweight change and feeding frequency of inappetant sheep at the end of lot-feeding (non-feeders). The treatments, applied during simulated shipping, were: normal quantities of feed and length of troughs; extra trough length; extra feed. Adult Merino wethers (n = 108) were used in each treatment. A voyage to the Middle East was then conducted to establish whether shipboard mortality could be reduced by separating non-feeders (n = 305) from feeders (n = 5,620) late in the feedlot hase and housing the groups separately aboard ship. A control group of non-feeders (n = 215) mixed with feeders (n = 5,732) was used for comparison. Bars (marker bars), containing a coloured dye, were attached to feed troughs to mark sheep that fed. Most non-feeders (82%) began eating when placed in shipping pens in both studies. However, there was no significant difference in percentage of sheep that fed between non-feeders given extra trough length or extra feed compared with non-feeders given standard management at any stage of simulated shipping. There was no significant difference in mean bodyweights between treatment groups on days 1, 8 and 15 of simulated shipping. Differences in bodyweight on d 22 were probably associated with different levels of gut fill. Death rates were not significantly different in separated and control groups (1.1%, 0.9%, P = 0.6) in the voyage of 14 d to the Middle East.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Prolonged coagulopathy associated with brodifacoum poisoning in two dogs

Two dogs developed a generalised bleeding disorder after ingestion of brodifacoum, a compound belonging to a new generation of more potent and longer-acting anticoagulant rodenti-cides. Haemorrhage recurred after treatment with conventional dosages of vitamin K₁ Successful therapy required dosages of vitamin K₁ of 5 mg/kg for a period of up to eight weeks.     

Detection of Eperythrozoon suis DNA from swine blood by whole organism DNA hybridizations

A procedure is described for isolating Eperythrozoon suis DNA of sufficient quantity and purity to serve as a probe in whole-organism DNA hybridizations for detecting parasitized swine. The E. suis organisms were isolated from the blood of infected swine; the DNA was recovered and digested with restriction endonucleases and resolved on agarose gels. In DNA hybridizations using recovered E. suis DNA, blood samples from parasitized swine could be differentiated from uninfected, control samples. A high salt lysate recovery technique was used in sampling swine whole blood for E. suis DNA and found to offer many advantages in the collection and recovery process.