Comparison of four methods for detection of oestrus in dairy cows with resynchronised oestrous cycles

OBJECTIVE: To compare the sensitivity and positive predictive value of four methods for detection of oestrus in dairy cows with resynchronised oestrous cycles. PROCEDURE: Oestrous cycles in cows in three herds were synchronised for a first round of artificial insemination (AI) and then resynchronised for a second round of AI. Sensitivity and positive predictive value of four aids (pedometers, radiotelemetric transmitters [HeatWatch; HW], tail-paint and heatmount detectors) that were used to detect the resynchronised oestrus were compared. Milk progesterone concentration and pregnancy testing at 12 weeks were used as the reference standard for cows being in oestrus. RESULTS: The mean sensitivity and positive predictive value for detecting the resynchronised oestrus, for each aid that was used, was > 80%. Tail-paint was significantly more sensitive at detecting oestrus compared to heatmount detectors (P = 0.002), but not significantly more sensitive than pedometers (P = 0.07) or HW (P = 0.55) for detecting oestrus (91.3, 85.7; 81.4 and 88.4%, respectively). Positive predictive value of HW for detecting oestrus was greater than tail-paint (P = 0.014) and heatmount detectors (P = 0.024) but not pedometers (P = 0.25; 100, 91.7, 92.9 and 87.5%, respectively). Positive predictive value of heatmount detectors was greater than pedometers in herd C (93.4% vs 73.3%; P = 0.035) but not in herds A (95.0% vs 90.0%; P = 0.56) or B (90.8% vs 100%; P = 0.10). No other significant differences in sensitivity or positive predictive value of detection of oestrus were found between aids. CONCLUSION: Tail-paint, heatmount detectors, pedometers and HW provide a high sensitivity (> 80%) and positive predictive value (> 85%) of detecting oestrus in dairy cows with resynchronized oestrous cycles.     

Clinical, echocardiographic, and electrocardiographic abnormalities in Boxers with cardiomyopathy and left ventricular systolic dysfunction: 48 cases (1985-2003)

OBJECTIVE: To identify clinical, echocardiographic, and electrocardiographic abnormalities in Boxers with cardiomyopathy and echocardiographic evidence of left ventricular systolic dysfunction. DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: 48 mature Boxers. PROCEDURE: Medical records were reviewed for information on age; sex; physical examination findings; and results of electrocardiography, 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiography, thoracic radiography, and echocardiography. RESULTS: Mean age of the dogs was 6 years (range, 1 to 11 years).Twenty (42%) dogs had a systolic murmur, and 9 (19%) had ascites. Congestive heart failure was diagnosed in 24 (50%) dogs. Seventeen (35%) dogs had a history of syncope. Mean fractional shortening was 14.4% (range, 1% to 23%). Mean left ventricular systolic and diastolic diameters were 4.5 cm (range, 3 to 6.3 cm) and 5.3 cm (range, 3.9 to 7.4 cm), respectively. Twenty-eight (58%) dogs had a sinus rhythm with ventricular premature complexes (VPCs), and 20 had supraventricular arrhythmias (15 with atrial fibrillation and 5 with sinus rhythm and atrial premature complexes). Sixteen of the dogs with supraventricular arrhythmias also had occasional VPCs. Morphology of the VPCs seen on lead II ECGs was consistent with left bundle branch block in 25 dogs, right bundle branch block in 8, and both in 11. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that Boxers with cardiomyopathy and left ventricular dysfunction frequently have arrhythmias of supraventricular or ventricular origin. Whether ventricular dysfunction was preceded by electrical disturbances could not be determined from these data, and the natural history of myocardial disease in Boxers requires further study.     

Experimental infection of pregnant gilts with swine hepatitis E virus

To determine the effect of swine hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection on pregnant gilts, their fetuses, and offspring, 12 gilts were intravenously inoculated with swine HEV. Six gilts, who were not inoculated, served as controls. All inoculated gilts became actively infected and shed HEV in feces, but vertical transmission was not detected in the fetuses. There was no evidence of clinical disease in the gilts or their offspring. Mild multifocal lymphohistiocytic hepatitis was observed in 4 of 12 inoculated gilts. There was no significant effect of swine HEV on fetal size, fetal viability, or offspring birth weight or weight gain. The offspring acquired anti-HEV colostral antibodies but remained seronegative after the antibodies waned by 71 days of age. Swine HEV infection induced subclinical hepatitis in pregnant gilts, but had no effect on the gilts' reproductive performance, or the fetuses or offspring. Fulminant hepatitis associated with HEV infection was not reproduced in gilts.     

Epidemiology and cost of Lyme disease‐related hospitalizations among patients with employer‐sponsored health insurance—United States, 2005–2014

An estimated 300,000 cases of Lyme disease occur in the United States annually. Disseminated Lyme disease may result in carditis, arthritis, facial palsy or meningitis, sometimes requiring hospitalization. We describe the epidemiology and cost of Lyme disease‐related hospitalizations. We analysed 2005–2014 data from the Truven Health Analytics MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters Databases to identify inpatient records associated with Lyme disease based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD‐9‐CM) codes. We estimated the annual number and median cost of Lyme disease‐related hospitalizations in the United States in persons under 65 years of age. Costs were adjusted to reflect 2016 dollars. Of 20,983,165 admission records contained in the inpatient databases during the study period, 2,823 (0.01%) met inclusion criteria for Lyme disease‐related hospitalizations. Over half of the identified records contained an ICD‐9‐CM code for meningitis (n = 614), carditis (n = 429), facial palsy (n = 400) or arthritis (n = 377). Nearly 60% of hospitalized patients were male. The median cost per Lyme disease‐related hospitalization was $11,688 (range: $140–$323,613). The manifestation with the highest median cost per stay was carditis ($17,461), followed by meningitis ($15,177), arthritis ($13,012) and facial palsy ($10,491). Median cost was highest among the 15‐ to 19‐year‐old age group ($12,991). Admissions occurring in January had the highest median cost ($13,777) for all study years. Based on extrapolation to the U.S. population, we estimate that 2,196 Lyme disease‐related hospitalizations in persons under 65 years of age occur annually with an estimated annual cost of $25,826,237. Lyme disease is usually treated in an outpatient setting; however, some patients with Lyme disease require hospitalization, underscoring the need for effective prevention methods to mitigate these serious cases. Information from this analysis can aid economic evaluations of interventions that prevent infection and advances in disease detection.     

Racing Performance in 72 Racehorses Treated with Prosthetic Laryngoplasty for Laryngeal Hemiplegia

The purpose of this study was to compare racing performance before and after prosthetic laryngoplasty for treatment of laryngeal hemiplegia in inexperienced (horses without at least one start before surgery) and experienced (horses with at least one start before surgery) Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racehorses. Medical records of 54 Thoroughbred and 18 Quarter Horse racehorses or horses intended for racing treated with prosthetic laryngoplasty and unilateral ventriculectomy for laryngeal hemiplegia were reviewed. Signalment, age at the time of surgery, resting endoscopic grade of laryngeal function, surgical procedure, and type of suture were recorded. Median performance index (PI), earnings, distance, and Beyer speed figure (BSF) per start for three races before and after surgery were compared, and factors associated with improved postsurgical performance were evaluated. Seventy-three percent of horses that had not raced before surgery and 84% of horses that competed in at least one race before surgery were able to return to racing after surgery. Fifty-nine percent and 27% of Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses, respectively, were able to improve their PI after surgery. Sixty-two percent and 20% of Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses, respectively, significantly increased their distance after surgery. Additionally, 61% and 66% of racehorses were able to increase their earnings and BSF after surgery, respectively. Horses treated with laryngoplasty and unilateral ventriculectomy have a good prognosis for return to racing. Inexperienced racehorses have a better prognosis for improvement after surgery than do experienced racehorses. Thoroughbred racehorses have a better success rate than Quarter Horse racehorses.