Combined transscleral diode laser cyclophotocoagulation and Ahmed gonioimplantation in dogs with primary glaucoma: 51 cases (1996-2004)

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the combined diode laser cycloablation procedure and adjunctive Ahmed gonioimplant use in dogs with primary glaucoma. DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: 48 dogs, 51 eyes with primary glaucoma. PROCEDURE: Medical records from two large private clinical ophthalmology services were reviewed. Signalment, duration of glaucoma, gonioscopic evaluation, laser power and duration settings, immediate postoperative and final intraocular pressure and visual results, short and long-term visual outcome, and surgical complications were recorded. RESULTS: The age range of affected dogs was 3.0-14.0 years, with a mean age of 7.5 +/- 2.6 years. Eleven pure breeds were represented, with the most common being the American Cocker Spaniel. The sex distribution was 22 neutered males, 1 intact male, 23 spayed females, and 2 intact female dogs. The right eye was affected in 33 cases, and the left eye in 18 cases. The average total joules, which was administered with the diode laser, was 109.6 +/- 23.6 J. Immediate surgical complications included fibrin formation in the anterior chamber (15), corneal ulcers (4), hyphema (7), and focal retinal detachment (1). Long-term complications included cataract formation (8 total, 2 of which were significant, vision-threatening), elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) (6), unstable gonioimplant (1), and glaucoma recurrence (14). Additional surgeries performed on the eyes over the course of study included: intrascleral prosthesis (4), enucleation (1), resection of fibrotic scar tissue (5), and repeat laser cycloablation (8). The dogs were examined for a mean follow-up time of 17.6 months (range: 2-83 months postoperatively). Twenty-nine cases were followed greater than one year. Vision was maintained in 42/51 eyes (82%) in the immediate short-term of this study. In all cases included in the study, good control of IOP was achieved in 39/51 (76%) of eyes, and IOP was poor or uncontrolled in 12/51 (24%) of eyes. Twenty out of 41 eyes (49%) maintained fair to excellent vision six months after surgery. Twelve months postoperative observations demonstrated that 12/29 (41%) of the eyes were still visual. CONCLUSIONS: In primary glaucoma, the combined procedure of laser diode cyclophotocoagulation and Ahmed valve implant was associated with return or maintenance of vision in 42/51 eyes (82%) in the immediate short-term of this study, and a long-term IOP control in 39/51 (76%) of the cases, with 12/29 eyes (41%) visual after 12 months.     

Distribution of power across the hind limb joints in Labrador Retrievers and Greyhounds

OBJECTIVE: To quantify angular excursions; net joint moments; and powers across the stifle, tarsal, and metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joints in Labrador Retrievers and Greyhounds and investigate differences in joint mechanics between these 2 breeds of dogs. ANIMALS: 12 clinically normal dogs (6 Greyhounds and 6 Labrador Retrievers) with no history of hind limb lameness. PROCEDURE: Small retroreflective markers were applied to the skin over the pelvic limb joints, and a 4-camera kinematic system captured data at 200 Hz in tandem with force platform data while the dogs trotted on a runway. Breed-specific morphometric data were combined with kinematic and force data in an inverse-dynamics solution for stance-phase net joint moments and powers at the stifle, tarsal, and MTP joints. RESULTS: There were gross differences in kinematic patterns between Greyhounds and Labradors. At the stifle and tarsal joints, moment and power patterns were similar in shape, but amplitudes were larger for the Greyhounds. The MTP joint was a net absorber of energy, and this was greater in the Greyhounds. Greyhounds had a positive phase across the stifle, tarsal, and MTP joints at the end of stance for an active push-off, whereas for the Labrador Retrievers, the only positive phase was across the tarsus, and this was small, compared with values for the Greyhounds. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Gross differences in pelvic limb mechanics are evident between Greyhounds and Labrador Retrievers. Joint kinetics in specific dogs should be compared against breed-specific patterns.     

Efficacy of a long-acting formulation of ceftiofur crystalline-free acid for the treatment of naturally occurring infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of ceftiofur crystalline-free acid (CCFA) administered into the posterior aspect of an ear for treatment of corneal ulceration associated with naturally occurring infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK). ANIMALS: 78 beef calves located at Sierra Foothills Field Station (SFS) and 52 calves located at a commercial dairy (CD). All calves were from 3 to 9 months old. PROCEDURE: At each site, calves were randomly allocated to 1 of 2 treatment groups by use of a block design determined by corneal ulcer size. A single dose of CCFA (6.6 mg of ceftiofur equivalents/kg, s.c.) was administered into the posterior aspect of a pinna. A second group of calves received a single dose of vehicle (0.03 mL/kg, s.c.; controls). Corneal ulcers were photographed, and clinical signs were assessed in calves every 3 to 4 days for 21 days. RESULTS: A positive treatment effect was detected at SFS. Results at the CD were inconclusive because ulcer healing occurred rapidly in control and CCFA-treated calves. At SFS, treatment with CCFA resulted in shorter mean healing times, smaller corneal ulcer surface area measurements, amelioration of ocular discharge and photophobia, and a 50% increase in the percentage of calves healed by day 14. After adjustment for initial corneal ulcer size, treatment with CCFA resulted in a 4-fold increase in the odds of corneal ulcer healing by day 14, compared with controls. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: A single dose of CCFA administered into the posterior aspect of a pinna had a positive treatment effect against naturally occurring IBK in calves with corneal ulcerations.     

养猪生产中后代性别的预选——发展现状和应用前景

动物精子的性别可通过流式精子分选仪和DNA标识进行鉴定,而利用鉴定性别的精子(即性控精子)并借助人工授精技术或其它授精技术产生的后代,在过去5年中估计已多达30000个(其中大多数是母牛)。有关文献资料证明,能有效地区分X精子和Y精子的唯一标记物是精子染色体中的DNA。众所周知,目前世界各地采用的方法是Beltsville精子分选技术,该技术根据X精子群和Y精子群中DNA相对含量上的差异,用荧光染液(Hoechst33342染液)标记精子,随后利用流式细胞仪分选经荧光标记的精子,从而达到分离精子的目的。目前,X精子或Y精子正常的生产速度是每小时1500万个,该项技术已在家畜、实验动物和动物园动物中应用,如果将该技术应用在人上,在预选后代性别比例上可达90%～95%的成功率。因动物品种不同,性控精子在动物体内的授精部位也不相同。常规的人工授精技术、宫内授精技术、输卵管内授精技术、用于胚胎移植的体外受精(in-vitro fertilization,IVF)技术或子宫角深部授精技术均能有效地使动物怀孕,至于利用哪种技术进行性控精子的精则取决于动物品种。尽管所有动物都能获得高纯度的分选精子,但是在实际生产中利用低剂量精子还难以让母猪怀孕。子宫角深部授精技术每次授精0.5～1.00亿个性控精子已能产生可喜的效果:利用特制的输精管,输入常规人工授精所需精子量的五十分之一的性控精子,足以使动物怀孕。性控精子通过常规的授精技术能够被猪成功利用前,还需重新设计输精管,同时输精的次数和每次授精时精子数量也需作进一步的研究。分选精子的低温保存技术已被牛人工授精普遍采用。尽管已能利用冷冻的性别分选精子生产小猪,但是性别分选精子经冷冻和解冻处理后在常规生产中的应用还未达到最理想的效果。本文将讨论猪精子性别分选的最新研究成果及其发展趋势,并重点探讨将性别分选技术应用于养猪生产中必须对其进行必要的技术开发。     

Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus canis,and Arcanobacterium phocae of healthy Canadian farmed mink and mink with pododermatitis

Pododermatitis is a disease of concern for mink breeders in Canada and worldwide, as it causes discomfort and lowers the breeding rates on farms affected by the disease. Unfortunately, the etiology and pathogenesis of pododermatitis are still unknown. In this study, we compared Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus canis isolates from healthy mink with isolates from animals with pododermatitis on 2 farms in Ontario. Almost all hemolytic Staphylococcus spp. isolated were shown to be Staphylococcus delphini Group A by 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) sequence analysis and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) did not reveal any S. delphini or S. canis clonal lineages specifically associated with pododermatitis, which suggests that these bacteria do not act as primary pathogens, but does not dismiss their potential roles as opportunistic pathogens. While S. delphini and S. canis were the most prevalent bacterial pathogens in mink pododermatitis, they were also present in samples from healthy mink. Arcanobacterium phocae is occasionally isolated from pododermatitis cases, but is difficult to recover with conventional culture methods due to its slow growth. A quantitative real-time PCR was developed for the detection of A. phocae and was tested on 138 samples of footpad tissues from 14 farms. The bacterium was detected only in pododermatitis-endemic farms in Canada and was at higher concentrations in tissues from infected footpads than in healthy tissues. This finding suggests that A. phocae is involved in the pathogenesis of pododermatitis.     

Deep‐water cirripedes colonizing dead shells of the cephalopod Nautilus macromphalus from New Caledonian waters

Fossil cephalopods are frequently encrusted by epibionts; however, determining whether encrustation occurred prior to or post‐mortem to the host, and whether the final environment of deposition corresponds to the habitat of encrustation is complex. The present paper describes cirripede epibionts, their calcareous bases and their attachment scars on 6 post‐mortem shells of Nautilus macromphalus, collected from deep water off New Caledonia. The cirripedes have left both cemented calcareous bases of Hexelasma and scars associated with bioerosion and discoloration produced by verrucomorph barnacles. Live cirripedes included a Metaverruca recta, with articulated opercular plates and organic tissue (on a shell that had been exposed on the sea floor for at least 150 years), and specimens of Hexelasma velutinum, one of which was partly attached to an internal surface of a shell. The disposition of verrucomorphs indicates that most Nautilus shells were colonized post‐mortem rather than during a floating stage. However, as cirripedes are known to have colonized living Nautilus, some Hexelasma, preserved only as calcareous eroded bases, may represent specimens that settled on a living Nautilus. The degree of bioerosion and discoloration induced by verrucomorph barnacles varies according to the surface preservation of Nautilus shells, with deeper and discolored traces preserved on old and degraded shells. Traces made by verrucomorphs described here are ellipsoidal and a new ichnotaxon, Anellusichnus ellipticus, is proposed to accommodate them. Importantly, verrucomorphs and other cirripede taxa with membranous bases that were attached to pristine shells may not leave any substantial scars, and, thus, will be difficult to detect in the fossil record.