Influence of selenium on aflatoxin B1 or crotalaria toxicity in turkey poults

This research compared the toxic effects of aflatoxin B1 and monocrotaline, the active principle of Crotalaria spectabilis, and the additive effect between aflatoxin B1 and monocrotaline in turkey poults. It was of interest whether selenium fed at dosage levels of 0.1, 5, or 10 micrograms/g of feed would protect against the toxic effect of aflatoxin and/or monocrotaline, and whether the toxicants would result in detectable residues in poult tissues. A total of 180 healthy 1-day-old male turkey poults was assigned at random to 12 treatment groups (15 birds/group). Body and liver weight losses, and low serum concentrations in total protein (TP), albumin (A), alpha-globulin (alpha G), and beta-globulin (beta G), as well as high values in gamma-globulin (gamma G), were produced in the groups fed crotalaria. Pathologic changes were induced by monocrotaline with no protection afforded by the added selenium. Low values in TP, A, alpha G, and beta G and in body and liver weights were observed in groups given the combination of aflatoxin plus crotalaria. Gross lesions were associated with an additive toxic effect and a lack of protective effect of selenium against this combination. However, higher values in TP, A, alpha G, and beta G, and liver weights in groups fed aflatoxin B1 plus selenium indicated that selenium had a protective effect against aflatoxin toxicity. Residues of aflatoxin B1 and aflatoxin M1 were found in the kidneys of poults fed aflatoxin B1; also, dehydroretronecine (the metabolite of monocrotaline) was detected in livers of poults fed Crotalaria spectabilis seeds.     

A new analgesic drug combination in the horse

A xylazine and butorphanol drug combination produced minimal and transient hemodynamic effects and no significant respiratory depression when administered to 6 healthy horses. Combining xylazine and butorphanol produced a synergistic analgesic effect and provided good chemical restraint for a standing surgical procedure.     

Hematologic and biochemical abnormalities associated with induced extrahepatic bile duct obstruction in the cat

Bile duct obstruction was induced in 6 cats by surgical ligation and transection of the common bile duct. Clinical and laboratory changes were monitored weekly for 25 to 54 days. Clinical signs of obstruction were similar in all cats and included anorexia, pyrexia, lethargy, intermittent vomiting, weight loss, palpable gallbladder, hepatomegaly, and bleeding tendencies. Tissue jaundice and acholic feces were evident grossly as early as postsurgical day (PSD) 4 with a mean onset of jaundice at PSD 5.3 +/- 0.4. Hematologic changes were initially characterized by a mild neutrophilic leukocytosis that increased with the chronicity of bile duct obstruction. Regenerative anemia developed in 4 cats associated with gastrointestinal blood loss. Acute serum biochemical changes were characterized by a marked increase in the mean values of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total cholesterol, and copper. Comparatively, only moderate increases in mean serum alkaline phosphatase activity were observed. Mean total bilirubin values increased remarkably at postsurgical week (PSW) 1, reaching a maximal value of 23.1 +/- 4.4 mg/dl at PSW 3 with 71.6 +/- 2.7% direct bilirubin. With chronicity of bile duct obstruction ranging from PSW 3 to PSW 7, the mean serum values of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total cholesterol, serum alkaline phosphatase, and total and direct bilirubin stabilized and then declined, whereas the increased mean serum copper values persisted. At PSD 25 to 54, hepatic copper values and serum bile acids were markedly increased. Seemingly, clinicopathologic changes of induced cholestatic hepatic injury depended largely on the duration of biliary obstruction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Influence of formulation on the efficacy of experimental oil-emulsion Newcastle disease vaccines

Twenty-one experimental oil-emulsion vaccines with different emulsifier contents, aqueous-to-oil ratios, and antigen concentrations were compared by immunization of 4-week-old chickens. Vaccines that contained oil-phase (Arlacel 80) and aqueous-phase (Tween 80) emulsifiers induced 2-to-4-fold higher hemagglutination-inhibition titers than vaccines with only the oil-phase emulsifier. The emulsion vaccines containing both emulsifiers were also more stable at 37 C and less viscous than those containing only the oil-phase emulsifier. Vaccines that had different aqueous-to-oil ratios and contained different quantities of allantoic-fluid antigen (1.2% to 50% of the vaccine volume) induced similar protection against challenge, but hemagglutination-inhibition titers were proportional to the amount of antigen added. Vaccines that had different aqueous-to-oil ratios but contained equal amounts of antigen induced similar hemagglutination-inhibition titers and similar protection against challenge.     

Death of an African elephant from probable toxemia attributed to chronic pulpitis

A 31-year-old captive male African elephant (Loxodonta africana) of 5,000-kg body weight died suddenly in ventral recumbency. Lesions seen at necropsy were bilateral purulent pulpitis and periodontitis of both tusks, serous atrophy of coronary groove fat, Grammocephalus cholangitis, myocardial and skeletal lipofuscinosis, and scattered segmental necrosis in the pectoral muscles. Nonhemolytic streptococci, Corynebacterium sp, Peptostreptococcus anaerobius, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Bacteroides sp, were recovered from the exudate around one or both tusks. We postulated that the elephant died of hypoxia from prolonged ventral recumbency because of weakness and inability to rise secondary to toxemia from bilateral pulpitis and periodontitis.     

Experimental Pseudomonas aeruginosa ulcerative keratitis model in the dog

Primary Pseudomonas aeruginosa ulcerative keratitis and accompanying secondary ocular disease were induced bilaterally in 12 of 12 dogs subjected to corneal trephination and intrastromal inoculation. Successful experimental infection was based on recovery of viable Pseudomonas organisms from the lesions, as well as gross and biomicroscopic appearance of the corneas.     

Dystrophy, degeneration and infiltration of the canine cornea

Three conditions of the cornea in the dog are described; a form of corneal dystrophy (central/paracentral lipid dystrophy, lipidosis, lipoidosis, cholesterolosis), degeneration (fatty and calcareous degeneration) and infiltration (arcus lipoides corneae, anterior embryotoxon, pre-senile arcus). The clinical appearance, together with histopathological and ultrastructural details, are recorded. The age, sex, breed incidence and possible hereditary factors are also included. Reference is made to previous reports in the veterinary literature and the three conditions are compared with similar conditions in man.