Concentrations of clindamycin in the mandibular bone of companion animals

Concentrations of clindamycin in the mandible were determined in 17 dogs and 13 cats with severe plaque, gingivitis/periodontitis, and calculus that were treated orally with clindamycin (11 mg/kg) once daily for 5 days prior to professional teeth cleaning and extractions. The animals were patients at the Dental Department of the Clinic for Surgery and Ophthalmology of the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, Austria. Clindamycin levels were determined during postextractional alveoloplasty. Approximately 1 to 3 mm3 of mandible was removed from the intraradicular septum in multirooted teeth and from the protruding labial/buccal alveolar rim with a small rongeur. The mean concentration of clindamycin was 8.18 microg/g in dogs (range=3.16 to 24.08 microg/g) and 17.43 microg/g in cats (range=2.45 to 51.60 microg/g). The concentration of clindamycin in the mandibles of dogs and cats may be useful to combat infections after periodontal procedures, tooth extractions, or injuries to the mandible.     

Bayesian spatio-temporal modelling of national milk-recording data of seasonal-calving New Zealand dairy herds

A spatio-temporal analysis was undertaken with the aim of identifying the dynamics of herd mean individual cow SCCs (MICSCC) in seasonally calving New Zealand dairy herds. Two datasets were extracted from the Livestock Improvement Corporation's extensive national dairy recording database: (1) milk-recording data aggregated at the herd-level and (2) sales questionnaire data containing information on the size, location and infrastructure of each farm. A Bayesian spatio-temporal modelling approach was applied to the analysis. The data were aggregated by 10 km² grid cells and linear regression models were developed with spatially structured and unstructured random effects, a linear temporal trend random effect and spatial-temporal interactions for log-transformed median MISCC (ln(median MISCC)).

Significant associations were found between ln(median MISCC) and milk yield, milk fat, milk protein, farm area and number of cups in the dairy. This led us to suggest that SCCs should be adjusted for volume and constituents prior to determining a threshold MISCC for identification of subclinical mastitis (SCM) problem herds. Part, or all, of the temporal trend in MISCC in the spatio-temporal model was accounted for by inclusion of yield and milk constituents as independent variables. This supports the hypothesis of a dilution effect with potential consequences for misdiagnosis of SCM, particularly in late lactation. Unmeasured covariates were similarly likely to be spatially structured and unstructured.     

Anthocyanin antioxidant activity and partition behavior in whey protein emulsion

The antioxidant activities of anthocyanins and anthocyanin fractions isolated from blackcurrants, raspberries, and lingonberries were investigated in whey protein-stabilized emulsion. The extent of protein oxidation was measured by determining the loss of tryptophan fluorescence and formation of protein carbonyl compounds and that of lipid oxidation by conjugated diene hydroperoxides and hexanal analyses. The antioxidant activity of berry anthocyanins increased with an increase in concentration. Blackcurrant anthocyanins were the most potent antioxidants toward both protein and lipid oxidation at all concentrations due to the beneficial combination of delphinidin and cyanidin glycosides. Most berry anthocyanins (69.4-72.8%) partitioned into the aqueous phase of the emulsion, thus being located favorably for antioxidant action toward protein oxidation. The presence of the lipid decreased the share of anthocyanin in the aqueous phase. Thus, the structure of food affects the antioxidant activity by influencing the partitioning of the antioxidant.     

Behavioural characteristics of dairy cows with lameness in Taranaki, New Zealand

AIM: To investigate possible relationships between the incidence of lameness in dairy cows, and walking order from the paddock into the milking shed, milking order, and dominance structure in the herd. METHODS: Ten dairy herds from the Taranaki region in New Zealand, with an average herd size of 183 cows, were observed during early, mid and late lactation. Each observation period consisted of five observations within 1 week, totalling 15 observations per farm. Three observers recorded the daily movement of cows between paddocks and the milking shed at each of three different locations. Additionally, the dominance structure of 21 cows per herd, randomly selected at the beginning of the study, was determined at the beginning of each of the three observation periods, on the basis of antagonistic behaviour. RESULTS: Within herds, walking and milking order showed a Kappa value of 0.31, reflecting fair agreement beyond chance. Based on the multivariate model, an increased risk of lameness was found for cows that walked or were milked in the last quarter of the herd (OR=1.8 and 1.5, respectively) compared with animals that walked/were milked in the first three quarters of the herd. The dominance structure of the randomly selected animals remained stable during the course of the lactation. High dominance animals tended to walk at the front of the herd and get milked first, whereas low dominance animals tended to walk at the back of the herd and get milked last. Although lameness was not significantly related to the dominance group, this could have been due to the low power of the study. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study suggested that there is a relationship between the position of the animal in the herd and the risk of lameness in dairy cows, but that the strength of this relationship varied between herds. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Walking/milking order was a risk factor for conditions causing lameness in dairy cows, and for the effective management of herd lameness problems it is important for farmers to be aware of this relationship.     

Small intestinal volvulus in 115 horses: 1988-2000

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the historical data, signalment, clinical signs, results of laboratory analyses, treatment, and outcome of horses with small intestinal (SI) volvulus. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. SAMPLE POPULATION: One hundred and fifteen client-owned horses, aged 1 month to 21 years. METHODS: Clinical signs, laboratory data, surgical or necropsy findings, and outcome for horses with SI volvulus were obtained from medical records, identified by computer search and manual review. RESULTS: There was no statistical difference in signalment between cases and the hospital population. Seventy-four percent of horses were >/=3 years. There were considerable variations in clinical signs on admission; high heart rate and signs of severe pain were not consistent features. Examination per rectum identified distended small intestine in only 69% of horses. One hundred horses had surgery, and small intestine resection was performed in 25. Eighty-four horses were recovered from surgery, and 67 horses survived to hospital discharge (80% of horses recovered from surgery, 58% of 115 horses). Forty-eight percent that were ultimately discharged had a post-operative complication and these horses had a longer average stay than horses with no complication (11 days versus 8.9 days). CONCLUSIONS: We identified 115 horses with primary SI volvulus over a 12-year period. We found that the population of horses with this lesion was older than has previously been reported and that the prognosis for post-operative survival to hospital discharge is good (80%). Post-operative complications were common, and affected approximately half the horses that were ultimately discharged from the hospital. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This information may aid diagnosis and prognosis and guide decision making for horses with this condition.