Water intake of weaned piglets from three to seven weeks old

One hundred and two large white cross landrace piglets weaned at 21 (+/- 1) days old were randomly allocated to one of two commercial early weaning diets for a four week growth trial. The piglets were housed in groups of between six and 10. After initial moderate restriction the piglets were fed ad libitum. Food intakes and weight gains were recorded weekly. Water consumption of individual pens of piglets was recorded daily. Dietary treatment had no significant effect on mean daily feed intake, daily liveweight gain or food conversion ratio. The relationship between water and food intake, piglet weight and daily gain was examined using regression and multiple regression analyses. Water intake was related to all these parameters, with daily feed intake being the best single predictor of water intake. The relationship was described by the equation: water intake (litres/day) = 0.149 + 3.053 feed intake (kg/day).     

An Update on the Serodiagnosis of Canine Lyme Borreliosis

The first report of canine Lyme borreliosis was published in 1984, and since that time there have been numerous reports. Clinical manifestations have varied, and serology is often used to make the diagnosis. This review is designed to inform veterinary clinicians about the current serologic tests and their limitations. In endemic areas, the fact that up to 50% of the canine population can be asymptomatic, yet seropositive, suggests that positive antibody titers do not necessarily indicate the presence of disease. Instead, the presence of a positive antibody titer should be considered evidence of exposure to the agent. Many dogs apparently are exposed to the agent of Lyme borreliosis but do not come down with the disease. Immunoblots are not able to distinguish between infection versus exposure. Newer diagnostic tests, such as antigen assays, are being evaluated. However, the fact that spirochetes have been isolated from 8% of asymptomatic dogs living in an endemic area is evidence that these tests will also need to be cautiously interpreted. Our inability to characterize the relationship between clinical signs and serology has hampered our understanding of canine Lyme disease. Presently, the diagnosis should be one of exclusion. A diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis should be considered confirmed only when other diseases are completely ruled out.     

Outcome of and complications associated with prophylactic percutaneous laser disk ablation in dogs with thoracolumbar disk disease: 277 cases (1992-2001)

OBJECTIVE: To determine outcome of and complications associated with prophylactic percutaneous laser disk ablation in dogs with thoracolumbar disk disease. DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: 277 dogs. PROCEDURE: Medical records of dogs with a history of thoracolumbar disk disease in which the 7 intervertebral disks from T10-11 through L3-4 were ablated with a holmium-yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser inserted through percutaneously placed needles were reviewed. Complications and episodes of a recurrence of neurologic signs (eg, paresis or paralysis) were recorded. Owners were contacted by telephone for follow-up information. RESULTS: Nine of 262 (3.4%) dogs for which follow-up information was available had a recurrence of paresis or paralysis. Follow-up time ranged from 1 to 85 months (mean, 15 months); signs recurred between 3 and 52 months (mean, 15.1 months) after laser disk ablation. Acute complications occurred in 5 dogs and included mild pneumothorax in 1 dog, an abscess at a needle insertion site in 1 dog, and proprioceptive deficits in 3 dogs, 1 of which required hemilaminectomy within 1 week because of progression and severity of neurologic signs. One dog developed diskospondylitis. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that prophylactic percutaneous laser disk ablation is associated with few complications and may reduce the risk of recurrence of signs of intervertebral disk disease in dogs.     

Repeated oral administration of a cathepsin K inhibitor significantly suppresses bone resorption in exercising horses with evidence of increased bone formation and maintained bone turnover

Our investigations evaluated the effect of VEL‐0230, a highly specific irreversible inhibitor of cathepsin K (CatK). The objectives of our study were to determine whether repeated dosing of a CatK inhibitor (CatKI) produced a desired inhibition of the bone resorption biomarker (CTX‐1), and document the effect of repeated dosing on bone homeostasis, structure, and dynamics of bone resorption and formation in horses. Twelve young exercising horses were randomized in a prospective, controlled clinical trial and received 4 weekly doses of a CatKI or vehicle. Baseline and poststudy nuclear scintigraphy, blood sampling and analysis of plasma bone biomarkers (CTX‐1 and osteocalcin), poststudy bone fluorescent labeling, and bone biopsy were performed. Bone specimens were further processed for microcomputed tomography and bone histomorphometry. Each dose of this CatKI transiently inhibited plasma CTX‐1 (reflecting inhibition of bone collagen resorption) and increased bone plasma osteocalcin concentrations, with no detectable adverse effect on normal bone turnover in the face of exercise. Bone morphology, density, and formation rate were not different between control and treated group. Further investigation of CatK inhibition in abnormal bone turnover is required in animals with bone diseases.