Evaluation of five clinical chemistry analyzers for use in health assessment in sea turtles

OBJECTIVE: To compare blood biochemical values obtained from a handheld analyzer, 2 tabletop analyzers, and 2 diagnostic laboratories by use of replicate samples of sea turtle blood. DESIGN: Validation study. ANIMALS: 22 captive juvenile sea turtles. PROCEDURES: Sea turtles (18 loggerhead turtles [Caretta caretta], 3 green turtles [Chelonia mydas], and 1 Kemp's ridley turtle [Lepidochelys kempii]) were manually restrained, and a single blood sample was obtained from each turtle and divided for analysis by use of the 5 analyzers. Hematocrit and concentrations or activities of aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase, glucose, total protein, albumin, BUN, uric acid, P, Ca, K, Na, Cl, lactate dehydrogenase, and alkaline phosphatase were determined. Median values for each analyte were compared among the analyzers. RESULTS: Significant differences were found among the analyzers for most values; however, data obtained from the 2 diagnostic laboratories were similar for all analytes. The magnitude of difference between the diagnostic laboratories and in-house units was > or = 10% for 10 of the 15 analytes. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Variance in the results could be attributed in part to differences in analyzer methodology. It is important to identify the specific methodology used when reporting and interpreting biochemical data. Depending on the variable and specific case, this magnitude of difference could conceivably influence patient management.     

Laboratory findings, histopathology, and immunophenotype of lymphoma in domestic ferrets

Lymphoma is a common tumor in ferrets, but anatomic distribution, histomorphology, immunophenotype, laboratory abnormalities, and response to chemotherapy are incompletely defined. In this study, lymphoma was diagnosed by histopathology of tumor tissue in 29 ferrets ranging in age from 0.8 to 8.5 years, including 12 males and 17 females. Tumors involved the viscera of the abdominal cavity (n = 11), thoracic cavity (n = 1), or abdominal and thoracic cavities (n = 7); the skin (n = 2); or the viscera of both body cavities plus other sites (n = 8). Microscopically, all tumors had diffuse architecture. Assessment by histomorphology and immunophenotype classified tumors as peripheral T-cell lymphoma (n = 17), anaplastic large T-cell lymphoma (n = 5), anaplastic large B-cell lymphoma (n = 4), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (n = 1), and Hodgkin-like lymphoma (n = 2). Cytologic evaluation of tumor tissue was diagnostic in 11 of 13 cases. Twenty-two of 27 ferrets had anemia, 2 had leukemia, and 5 were neutropenic. Common comorbid disorders were adrenal disease (n = 27) and insulinoma (n = 6). Tumors most frequently involved mesenteric lymph nodes, while enlargement of peripheral lymph nodes was uncommon (n = 3). Ferrets with Hodgkin-like lymphoma had massive enlargement of single lymph nodes. Mean survival of ferrets not immediately euthanized was 5.0 months (T-cell lymphoma) and 8.4 months (B-cell lymphoma). Ferrets treated with chemotherapy survived an average of 4.3 months (T-cell lymphoma, n = 9) or 8.8 months (B-cell lymphoma, n = 4). Results indicate that lymphomas in ferrets most commonly affect abdominal viscera, may be amenable to cytologic diagnosis, are frequently associated with anemia and, in some cases, may be chemosensitive, resulting in relatively long survival times.     

Diabetes insipidus in a Swiss Braunvieh heifer with internal hydrocephalus

This case report describes the findings in a seven-month-old heifer with diabetes insipidus attributable to internal hydrocephalus. The heifer was referred to the clinic because of reduced appetite, polydipsia, decreased faecal output and weight loss. The heifer was examined daily for 8 days. She was thin and weak and had a dull dry hair coat and decreased appetite. The heifer urinated frequently; the urine was clear and yel low, had a specific gravity of 1.015. A complete blood cell count, biochemical profile and blood gas analysis revealed increased serum urea, increased serum creatinine, hypernatraemia, hyperchloraemia, hypercalcaemia and hypophosphataemia. The heifer received 10 litres of water and 3 litres of ruminal fluid from a healthy cow per os daily for 5 days. The heifer had access to fresh water ad libitum. The general condition of the heifer did not improve after this treatment. Although the concentration of serum urea and creatinine decreased, the concentrations of sodium, chloride and calcium remained higher than normal. Based on the findings, a diagnosis of diabetes insipidus was made and the heifer was euthanatized. Postmortem examination revealed severe internal hydrocephalus, and a definitive diagnosis of central diabetes insipidus attributable to internal hydrocephalus was made.     

The role of genetic engineering in livestock production

In this paper we discuss the use of genetic engineering in livestock production. We examine the main two different aspects of genetic engineering: cloning and transgenesis. After commenting what has been expected from both techniques in livestock production in the last 25 years, the practical difficulties for implementing cloning and transgenesis are examined. Apart from technical difficulties, problems derived from the detection of genetically superior animals and evaluation of the clones and the transgenic animals make these techniques less interesting than they appear to be. Most of the observed variability of the economically interesting traits is not genetic, genetic evaluation needs a large number of animals and cloning success will represent a serious loss of genetic variability and the loss of the flexibility needed for markets in constant evolution. There is a risk in transgenic animals of production of new intermediate biochemical products that may be toxic, allergenic or carcinogenic. The benefits produced by transgenic animals hitherto hardly justify this risk. The expectations that genetic engineering produced 25 years ago should be re-examined, considering the risks and the high investment required.     

Dermatographism in a horse,responsive to cetirizine treatment

Dermatographism is a common condition in man that occurs when pressure is applied to the skin and mast cells are triggered to release histamine, causing local urticarial lesions. This case report concerns a 4-year-old Quarter Horse gelding that was presented with pressure induced urticaria. Moderate pressure on the skin induced nonpruritic urticaria-like swelling after approximately 3–5 min, which lasted for approximately 2–3 h. Initial treatment with cyproheptadine gave an incomplete response and unacceptable sedation as a side effect. On the second generation antihistamine cetirizine (0.2 mg/kg bwt twice daily), dermatographism was no longer present and no side effects occurred. Treatment was continued for 4 months, with at least three attempts to discontinue therapy resulting in recurrence of lesions within 24 h. Lesions resolved each time within 24 h of recommencing therapy. Dermatographism did not recur after the horse was moved to another location despite discontinuation of therapy. This report describes a case of equine dermatographism responsive to cetirizine.     

The outcomes of epidural anaesthesia in horses with perineal and tail melanomas: Complications associated with ataxia and the risks of rope recovery

Melanoma is a common neoplasm in horses, with a high rate of incidence in the perineum and ventral tail. Surgical excision is often recommended to remove such masses and can be achieved in the standing horse either via local infiltration of local anaesthetic, or via epidural administration of a local anaesthetic and/or an adrenergic α₂ receptor agonist. The clinical records of all horses with tail and/or perineal melanomas that received epidural anaesthesia at a single equine hospital, over a 7-year period, were reviewed to determine the drugs administered and complications associated with the epidural injection. Twenty-five cases were identified, five of which received epidural anaesthesia on two occasions. Epidural anaesthesia was insufficient to allow surgical melanoma excision in two horses; repeated epidural injection allowed sufficient loss of sensation in one of these horses and additional regional infiltration of local anaesthetic allowed completion of surgery in the other. Three horses developed significant ataxia associated with epidural anaesthesia, two of which became recumbent. Both recumbent horses were placed under general anaesthesia, and in one of these, rope-assisted anaesthetic recovery resulted in additional complications associated with facial nerve paresis, fractured ribs and a fracture of the first coccygeal vertebra, with associated neurological dysfunction of the rectum, anus, tail and surrounding skin.