Long-term outcome of gonadectomy performed at an early age or traditional age in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To determine long-term results and complications of gonadectomy performed at an early age (prepubertal) or at the traditional age in dogs. DESIGN: Cohort study. ANIMALS: 269 dogs from animal shelters. PROCEDURE: Dogs that underwent gonadectomy were allotted to 2 groups on the basis of estimated age at surgery (traditional age, > or =24 weeks old; prepubertal, < 24 weeks old). Adoptive owner information was obtained from shelter records, and telephone interviews were conducted with owners to determine physical or behavioral problems observed in the dogs since adoption. Follow-up information was obtained from attending veterinarians for dogs with complex problems or when owners were uncertain regarding the exact nature of their dog's problem. RESULTS: Prepubertal gonadectomy did not result in an increased incidence of behavioral problems or problems associated with any body system, compared with traditional-age gonadectomy, during a median follow-up period of 48 months after gonadectomy. Rate of retention in the original adoptive household was the same for dogs that underwent prepubertal gonadectomy as those that underwent traditional-age gonadectomy. Infectious diseases, however, were more common in dogs that underwent prepubertal gonadectomy. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: With the exception of infectious diseases, prepubertal gonadectomy may be safely performed in dogs without concern for increased incidence of physical or behavioral problems during at least a 4-year period after gonadectomy.     

The effects of health classification and housing and management of feeder pigs on performance and meat inspection findings of all-in-all-out swine-finishing herds

The effects of health classification and of housing and management on performance and meat inspection findings were studied in 166 all-in-all-out finishing herds in Finland in 1995 and 1998. Producers could buy either health-classified (certified free of certain diseases) or standard-class pigs for their farms. Herds that had attained a certain level of housing and management were eligible to join the LSO 2000 management system for finishing herds. In 1995, none of the study herds were LSO 2000 units. In 1998, 76 of them had become LSO 2000 units, while 90 had remained as non-LSO 2000 units. Continuous outcome variables (daily gain and time in the finishing unit) were analysed with a mixed-model procedure with repeated measurements from the same farms. Discrete variables were analysed either with Poisson regression (mortality, whole- and partial-carcass condemnations, organ condemnations, arthritis, abscesses) or logistic regression (liver condemnations, pneumonia, pleuritis). The models were adjusted for the year, size of the herd and the average slaughter weight of the batch.The benefits obtained by the health classification of the feeder pigs included a substantial increase in daily gain (37g, about 5%) and decrease in time in the finishing unit (4 days, about 4%), decrease in mortality (odds ratio, OR 0.68), a substantial decrease in pneumonia (OR 0.37) and pleuritis (OR 0.60), and a substantial decrease in liver (OR 0.45) and organ (OR 0.72) condemnations. Classification of the pigs did not have an effect on the prevalence of whole-carcass condemnations, arthritis or abscesses. The health-classified pigs had, unexpectedly, more partial-carcass condemnations (OR 1.15) than the standard-class pigs. The obtained benefits of the LSO 2000 units were an increase in daily gain (14g, about 2%), decrease in time in the finishing unit (2 days, about 2%), a decrease in mortality (OR 0.69) and a decrease in whole-carcass (OR 0.69) and partial-carcass (OR 0.81) condemnations. The LSO 2000 units did not have any advantage over the non-LSO 2000 units in their prevalence of liver or organ condemnations, arthritis, abscesses, pneumonia or pleuritis.     

An investigation of heavy metal exposure and risks to wildlife in the Kafue flats of Zambia

Exposure and ecological risks to heavy metals (copper, zinc, manganese, iron) at Lochnivar and Blue Lagoon National Parks in wildlife dependent on the Kafue river contaminated with mining waste was evaluated. Samples included water, fish, grasses and Kafue Lechwe (Kobus leche kafuensis) liver. At both parks copper ranged from 0.03-0.04 mg/l; 3.0-6.0 mg/kg; 11.0-44.0 mg/kg; trace -199.0 mg/kg; while zinc was 0.01 mg/l; 32.0-82.0 mg/kg; 15.0-21.0 mg/kg; and 52.0-138.0 mg/kg; in water, fish, grasses and lechwe, respectively. Manganese ranges were 0.15-0.16 mg/l; 7.0-18.0 mg/kg; 51.0-145.0 mg/kg; and 40.0-53.0 mg/kg while iron ranges were 0.13-0.14 mg/l; 26.0-134.0 mg/kg; 1766.0-1797.0 mg/kg; and 131.0-856.0 mg/kg; in water, fish, grasses and lechwe, respectively. Levels in all samples except water were high indicating potential for adverse effects.     

Observations on ascites in nine cattle

Signs of ascites were observed in only nine of 1863 cattle examined over a period of five years. The ascites was most commonly associated with either primary or secondary cardiac disease; cattle with ascites have a poor prognosis because the condition is usually assocaited with terminal disease. Two animals had cor pulmonale with chronic pneumonia, three had cardiomyopathy, one had bacterial endocarditis, two had thrombosis of the caudal vena cava and one had diffuse abdominal epithelioid mesothelioma.     

Variability of acetone in milk in a large low-production dairy herd: a longitudinal case study

The objective of this study was to relate acetone in milk with cow and management factors in one low producing dairy herd (5260 kg milk per 305-day lactation). Milk acetone was measured in regular monthly milk samples one to three times within 100 days of lactation in 4433 lactations (2639 cows, 7800 measurements) from one herd over a period of 32 months (1988-91). Associations between milk acetone and cow factors and surrogate measures of management were evaluated by variance components of multiple fixed effect models. Lactation stage, calendar month of study, production groups and milk yield were strong, and percentage milk fat and parity were weak predictors of milk acetone. There was a trend of increasing body weight loss from the first to the second month of lactation with increasing milk acetone level. A substantial increase in milk production in 1991 was accompanied by an almost twofold rise in milk acetone. It was concluded that environmental parameters had strong relationships with milk acetone even in this low-producing herd.     

Effect of walking velocity on ground reaction force variables in the hind limb of clinically normal horses

OBJECTIVE: To measure the effect of subject velocity on hind limb ground reaction force variables at the walk and to use the data to predict the force variables at different walking velocities in horses. ANIMALS: 5 clinically normal horses. PROCEDURE: Kinematic and force data were collected simultaneously. Each horse was led over a force plate at a range of walking velocities. Stance duration and force data were recorded for the right hind limb. To avoid the effect of horse size on the outcome variables, the 8 force variables were standardized to body mass and height at the shoulders. Velocity was standardized to height at the shoulders and expressed as velocity in dimensionless units (VDU). Stance duration was also expressed in dimensionless units (SDU). Simple regression analysis was performed, using stance duration and force variables as dependent variables and VDU as the independent variable. RESULTS: Fifty-six trials were recorded with velocities ranging from 0.24 to 0.45 VDU (0.90 to 1.72 m/s). Simple regression models between measured variables and VDU were significant (R2 > 0.69) for SDU, first peak of vertical force, dip between the 2 vertical force peaks, vertical impulse, and timing of second peak of vertical force. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Subject velocity affects vertical force components only. In the future, differences between the forces measured in lame horses and the expected forces calculated for the same velocity will be studied to determine whether the equations can be used as diagnostic criteria.     

Effect of tetracosactid on post partum cyclicity in cows after induction of parturition with PGF2 alpha

Parturition and retention of fetal membranes were induced with PGF2 alpha in 3 primiparous dairy cows. Starting on day 12 post partum (PP) the cows were treated with 500 micrograms i.m. of ACTH-analogue (tetracosactid) every 6 h for 6 times. Changes in plasma concentrations of cortisol, progesterone and 15-ketodihydro-PGF2 alpha were evaluated immediately after treatment. The effects on the resumption of ovarian activity were evaluated by clinical and ultrasound examinations and by progesterone and 15-ketodihydro-PGF2 alpha analyses for 56 days after parturition. Treatment was able to induce a statistically significant (p < 0.01) similar increase in cortisol and progesterone after both the 1st and the 6th injections, in all cows. No changes in 15-ketodihydro-PGF2 alpha concentrations were seen after any of the injections of ACTH-analogue. The first corpus luteum (CL) was seen on day 18 PP (cow A), and 28 (cow B) and in both cases it was followed by a normal ovarian cyclicity. No CL was observed during the whole period of study in cow C. Progesterone profiles confirmed these clinical and ultrasonographic findings. The steroid output, especially progesterone, induced by the ACTH-analogue might be a stimulus for the onset of ovarian cyclicity, since 2 of the 3 animals ovulated earlier than expected. These findings point to the fact that interference with the stress system might have a positive effect on ovarian cyclicity. The different pattern of response does however demand further studies.     

Non-bioequivalence of various trademarks of enrofloxacin and Baytril in cows

Including Baytril, in various parts of the world many commercial preparations of enrofloxacin for parenteral administration are being employed for the treatment of bacterial diseases in cows. To optimize clinical responses and to minimize development of bacterial resistance to this agent, the copied pharmaceutical preparations must comply with some key pharmacokinetic features when bioequivalence studies are performed. To assess whether or not there was bioequivalence among nine commercial preparations of enrofloxacin and the original one, a controlled pharmacokinetic study was carried out. These was done utilizing the microbiological agar-diffusion test as quantitative/qualitative analytical method. A non-compartmental model defined kinetic variables. Results for Baytril revealed that maximal serum concentration (Csmax) was only matched by one preparation while area under the curve (AUC) of the serum concentration/activity of enrofloxacin and metabolites in time was not matched by any preparation. Time to Csmax (Tmax), elimination half-life, and shape of the time-serum concentrations of enrofloxacin profiles obtained for the nine generic preparations differ significantly somehow from the corresponding data obtained for the reference enrofloxacin. The need for studies to demonstrate bioequivalence becomes mandatory if similar preparations of enrofloxacin become commercially available. Enrofloxacin should be used selectively and cautiously to limit development of bacterial resistance. Non-bioequivalence of relevant pharmacokinetic values, such as Csmax and bioavailability (AUC) would facilitate development of bacterial resistance and limit the useful life span of this antibacterial agent.