ULTRASOUND‐GUIDED CERVICAL CENTESIS TO OBTAIN CEREBROSPINAL FLUID IN THE STANDING HORSE

Horses with intracranial lesions and severe ataxia are not good anesthesia candidates; however, only one method to obtain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the cervical region in a standing horse has been reported. This method is not performed routinely due to the difficulty for sample acquisition. Our hypothesis is that standing cervical centesis can be performed in horses without complication. Ultrasound‐guided centesis of the CSF between C1 and C2 in 11 clinically normal horses and two horses with neurologic signs were performed. Horses were sedated and ultrasound was used to identify the subarachnoid space and spinal cord between C1 and C2. With ultrasound guidance, a needle was introduced into the dorsal aspect of the subarachnoid space using a lateral approach. Ten milliliters of CSF was obtained and analyzed. Two normal horses in this study had moderate red blood cell contamination in the CSF (940 and 612 RBC/μl). One horse had 11 RBC/μl and the remaining horses had <4 RBC/μl. The total procedure time was approximately 2 min. No reaction was observed and no complications were detected up to 48 h after the procedure. Ultrasound‐guided centesis between C1 and C2 is a rapid procedure that causes minimal to no reaction in standing, sedated horses used in this study. The use of ultrasound to guide a standing C1–2 centesis of the subarachnoid space provides an additional route to obtain CSF for analysis in the equine patient.     

THYROID TO SALIVARY RATIOS DETERMINED BY TECHNETIUM-99M PERTECHNETATE IMAGING IN THIRTY-TWO EUTHYROID CATS

Thyroid to salivary (TS) ratio is the most commonly used scintigraphic parameter for differentiating euthyroid and hyperthyroid cats. Studies to determine the normal TS ratio have been performed in small cat populations. In this study, the TS ratio was determined in 32 cats between 8 and 13 years of age. The study population was documented to be euthyroid based on normal initial and 6-week follow-up serum thyroid concentrations and normal T3 suppression tests. All images were obtained with a low-energy all-purpose collimator between 20 and 40 min after the injection of approximately 111 MBq (3.0 mCi) pertechnetate. Manual regions of interest (ROI) were made of the thyroid and salivary glands of the ventral image A 95% prediction interval based on the natural log of the TS ratio was computed to provide a normal range of 0.48-1.66. This range is similar to previous studies, but suggests a slightly higher upper limit than previously reported.     

Treatment of Moraxella bovis infections in calves using a long-acting oxytetracycline formulation

George, L.W. & Smith J.A. Treatment of Moraxella bovis infections in calves using a long-acting oxytetracycline formulation. J. vet. Pharmacol. Therap. 8, 55–61.
Studies were undertaken to determine the effectiveness of an oxytetracycline HCl formulation for the prophylaxis and treatment of chronic Moraxella bovis ocular infections in calves. Two separate experiments were performed. For the first, calves were separated into two groups and the eyes were infected with M. bovis. The eyes of these calves were observed and cultured for 37 consecutive days. On the 37th and 40th day, each of the five calves were treated intramuscularly with the drug (20 mg/kg of body weight). The other five calves (second group) remained untreated as controls. The cultures from the five treated calves were negative after the first antibiotic administration and remained so for 14 days. M. bovis was isolated from each eye of the control calves at least once during that time. None of the antibiotic-treated calves was completely resistant when reinfected with M. bovis. For the second experiment, calves were given a prophylactic administration of the formulation and were then infected with M. bovis 48 ( n = 4 calves) or 72 ( n = 4 calves) h later. These treatments resulted in a lower incidence of keratoconjunctivitis and a decreased duration of bacterial shedding, as compared to controls ( n = 8 calves), but did not completely prevent the occurrence of disease or the establishment of ocular infections.
Lisle W. George, Department of Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, U.S.A.     

Preparation and properties of monoclonal antibodies to the anabolic agent zeranol

Monoclonal antibodies have been produced using two haptens, zeranol-7-hemisuccinate coupled to bovine serum albumin and zeranol-16-carboxypropyl ether coupled to human serum albumin. An assessment of cross-reactivity demonstrated that the monoclonal antibody raised against the 7-hemisuccinate derivative reacted with zeranol (100%), talernol (12%), zearalenone (17%), zearalanone (100%) and α-and ß-zearalenol (17% and <0.01%, respectively). In contrast the antibodies to the 16-carboxypropyl ether derivative reacted only with zeranol (100%) and also with a α-zearalenol (13-16%). All monoclonal antibodies were more specific than the polyclonal antibodies raised to the same haptens by conventional methods using sheep.     

Limb Fractures in the Dog and Cat—III Post-operative Therapy and Management

Abstract— A review is presented of the post-operative therapy and management of limb fractures in the dog and cat. Immediate post-operative care, post-anaesthetic recovery care, plaster casts, oedema, gangrene, pressure sores, dermatitis, physiotherapy, manipulative therapy, diet and specific fractures are all discussed.
Résumé— Une étude est présentée sur la thérapeutique post-opérative et le maniement des fractures de membres chez le chat et le chien. Les soins immédiate post-opératifs, les soins de recouvrement post-anesthésiques, moulages de plâtre, oedèmes, gangrènes, douleurs de pression, dermatoses, physiothérapie, thérapeutique manipulative, régime et fractures spécifiques sont tous discutés.
Zusammenfassung— Überblick über postoperative Therapie und Manipulation von Glieder-brüchen bei Hunden und Katzen. Alle Umstände von postoperativer Behandlung, über post-operative Behandlung zur Bewusstseinserlangung bis zu Gipsverbänden, Hautödemen, Gangränen, Druckgeschwüren, Dermatitis, physikalischer Therapie, Manipulationstherapie, Diät und spezifischen Brüchen werden besprochen.