An exploration of Cryoprotective compounds for fowl spermatozoa

1. Glycerol is an effective cryoprotective for fowl spermatozoa, but after thawing the frozen semen it must be reduced in concentration from the level adequate to protect spermatozoa during freezing, otherwise it has a contraceptive action.

2. A series of alternative cryoprotective compounds were tested for their effect on fertility when fowl spermatozoa were inseminated fresh in their presence. Under these circumstances dimethylsulphoxide, dimethylaceta‐mide, ethane‐diol, propane‐diol and methylpyrrolidone did not depress fertility when used in concentrations equivalent to that of glycerol or in amounts reported previously to be non‐toxic and adequate to protect cells during freezing.

3. Dimethylacetamide was compared with propane‐diol for use in freezing fowl semen and the former enabled encouraging levels of fertility to be obtained.     

Salmon poisoning disease in dogs on southern vancouver island

Salmon poisoning disease in dogs has previously been reported in North America only along the western coast of the U.S.A. This paper presents the findings from eight affected dogs recently diagnosed on Vancouver Island, Canada. The clinical signs shown by these dogs were lethargy, anorexia, pyrexia and lymph node enlargement. The causative agent, Neorickettsia helminthoeca was observed in macrophages obtained from lymph node aspirates. This organism is transmitted to dogs in cysts of the fluke Nanophyetus salmincola salmincola within the tissues of the salmon or trout. The presence of fluke eggs in the feces of dogs showing typical signs is very suggestive of a diagnosis of salmon poisoning disease. Appropriate treatment, including chloramphenicol or oxytetracycline and fluid therapy, resulted in recovery. Prevention of salmon poisoning disease in endemic areas can be achieved by advising owners against allowing their dogs to eat raw salmon or trout. We suggest, based on the diagnoses made in these eight dogs, that Vancouver Island now be considered an endemic area for salmon poisoning disease.     

Surgical treatment for multiple lesions of elbow dysplasia in two dogs

The presence of an ununited coronoid process, an ununited anconeal process and an ectopic proximolateral radial ossification center are described in a single elbow joint of a ten month old unspayed Great Dane. This animal and a nine month old spayed Saint Bernard, also with an ununited coronoid process, both had marked degenerative osteoarthritis associated with the instabilities.

Chronic lameness and significant palpable elbow joint enlargement(s) were apparent in both dogs. Radiography was used to identify the lesions and surgical treatment produced satisfactory remission of signs.

     

Treatment of a strandling whale (Kogia breviceps)

A stranded young pygmy sperm whale was nursed for four days in a pool, fed an artificial diet via a stomach tube and injected intramuscularly with antibiotics and corticosteroids. Initially unable to maintain her balance or to swim, she showed progressive improvement and by the third day could swim and dive quite strongly. Early on the fifth day her condition rapidly worsened and she died. An autopsy revealed extensive deep bruising in the head and mid-abdominal regions consistent with injuries sustained during the stranding.     

Un ostéosarcome de la diaphyse du fémur d'un chien, associé à un implant métallique

An osteosarcoma of the femoral diaphysis associated with the presence of a bone plate in a dog     

Comparison of an enzyme-linked immunospecific assay (ELISA) with the cold complement fixation test for the serodiagnosis of Brucella ovis infection

An enzyme-linked immunospecific assay (ELISA) for the serodiagnosis of Brucella ovis infection in sheep is described and compared with the cold complement fixation (CF) test. ELISA was performed in microtiter plates, using horse-radish peroxidase conjugated to anti-normal sheep serum globulins, and hydrogen peroxide plus o-phenylenediamine as substrate. A heated, cell-free B. ovis extract was used as antigen in both tests. ELISA was easier to perform, distinguished better between positive and negative sera, and did not need heat-inactivated sera.     

Levels of selenium in blood and tissues associated with some selenium deficiency diseases in New Zealand sheep

Whole bloods from weaned lambs with severe selenium responsive unthriftiness usually contain <5 ng Se/ml. Mildly or moderately affected lambs have blood levels of 5-10 ng/ml. Selenium responsive infertility in ewes appears to be associated with whole blood selenium levels below 10 ng/ml.     

An automated micro-method for the enzymatic determination of D-B-hydroxybutyrate in ruminant plasma

1. An enzymatic ‘reaction rate’ micro-method for the rapid routine estimation of D-B-hydroxybutyrate (D-B-HOB) in ruminant plasma, using an I.L. Multistat III centrifugal analyzer, is described.
2. Reaction conditions were optimized to give a linear response for plasma D-B-HOB concentrations between 100 and 2500 μmoles per litre, at 30°C and pH 9.0.
3. For the standardized method the within-run and between-run coefficients of variation for deproteinised ovine plasma were consistently less than 3.5%.
4. There was good agreement between plasma concentrations obtained by the present method and both original U.V. end-point technique (r=0.927b=0.950) and a colorimetric end-point procedure (r=0.937. b=0.879).
5. Utreated ovine and bovine plasma consistently exhibited high ‘blank’ activity and this was directly correlated with plasma lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in both species (r=0.971; p<0.001 and r=0.949; p<0.001 respectively). The distribution of LDH activity in man was similar to sheep but, contrastingly, non-specific interference was extremely low in human plasma and unrelated to LDH. Horse, chicken and rat had negligible ‘blank” activity and comparatively low LDH levels. In both cattle and sheep non-specific interference was abolished by perchloric acid precipitation. In the sheep subtraction of ‘blank’ activity gave D-H-HOB concentrations for untreated plasma comparable to those in deproteinised samples. However, in the bovine, D-B-HOB levels remained significantly (t=6.44; p<0.001) higher even after ‘blank’ correlation. In contrast to man and other non-ruminants, perchloric acid precipitation is essential in ruminants to avoid false overestimation of plasma D-B-HOB levels.
6. Plasma with EDTA as anticoagulant and serum gave concentrations of D-B-HOB approximately 60% lower, than samples containing heparin or oxalate/fluoride. However, heparin was associated with much higher (up to 50%) non-specific NAD rduction than oxalate/fluoride.
7. High levels of acetoacetate (400–1000 μmoles per litre) reduced the recovery of D-B-HOB from ovine plasma by less than 10%. This effect was negated by the inclusion of hydrazine hydrates in the reaction mixture. Perchlorate ion concentrations above 25 μmoles per litre per test dramatically inhibited the assay in ovine plasma, and therefore precipitation conditions must be carefully controlled.
8. Plasma with oxalate/fluoride as anticoagulant showed the greatest stability in storage; 24 hours at room temperature, one week at +4°C and at least one month at ?20°C.

     

The overwintering mode ofBemisia tabaci and its parasitoids in Israel

Wild and cultivated plants in the vicinity of Kibbutz Nahshon and a few additional locations in Israel were sampled for the presence ofBemisia tabaci Genna-dius (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae). The whiteflies, together with their parasites,Eretmocerus mundus andEncarsia lutea, were found to develop on numerous host species throughout the winter. Especially high levels were reached onLan-tana camara, Abutilon grandifolium andIpomoea batatas. During late winter and spring the population on these hosts declined. From April onwards the populations increased on potatoes and sunflowers.