Field studies investigating anthelmintic resistance in young cattle on five farms in New Zealand

AIM: To investigate the efficacy of pour-on anthelmintics against field strains of parasitic nematodes in young cattle on five farms in New Zealand.

METHODS: Faecal nematode egg count (FEC) reduction (FECR) tests were carried out on five calf-rearing farms using pour-on formulations of levamisole, ivermectin, eprinomectin, and the simultaneous administration of levamisole and ivermec- tin. Faecal samples were collected per rectum before treatment and about 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after treatment, for FEC and faecal nematode larval culture.

RESULTS: Resistance (i.e. <95% reduction in FEC) of Cooperia oncophora to ivermectin and eprinomectin was identified on all five farms. There was limited evidence of possible emerging resistance in Ostertagia spp to ivermectin but not eprinomectin, in short-tailed larvae of Cooperia spp to ivermectin and eprinomec- tin, and in Trichostrongylus spp to ivermectin, eprinomectin and levamisole used separately. Levamisole was effective against C. oncophora, but had variable efficacy against Ostertagia spp in the calves in this study. Simultaneous treatment with levamisole and ivermectin pour-on formulations were effective against all genera on all farms.

CONCLUSIONS: To effectively manage roundworm parasites in their calves farmers need to be aware of the resistance status of the parasites on their farms. Levamisole is likely to be an effective anthelmintic on most farms at times of the year when the impact of Ostertagia spp is not high. Simultaneous administration of levamisole and ivermectin pour-on anthelmintics to cattle is likely to control both ML-resistant C. oncophora and stages of Ostertagia spp that are not controlled by levamisole alone.     

Use of a continuous, local infusion of bupivacaine for postoperative analgesia in dogs undergoing total ear canal ablation

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether addition of a continuous, local infusion of bupivacaine would improve postoperative analgesia in dogs undergoing total ear canal ablation. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. ANIMALS: 16 dogs undergoing total ear canal ablation (12 unilaterally and 4 bilaterally with > 1 month between procedures). PROCEDURE: Dogs were randomly allocated to receive morphine (0.25 mg/kg [0.11 mg/lb]) at the end of the procedure (10 procedures) or morphine and a continuous, local infusion of bupivacaine (0.13 to 0.21 mg/kg/h [0.06 to 0.1 mg/lb/h]; 10 procedures). Dogs were observed for 48 hours after surgery. Additional doses of morphine were administered up to every 4 hours in dogs with signs of severe pain. RESULTS: Temperament, sedation, analgesia, and cumulative pain scores were not significantly different between groups any time after surgery. Recovery score was significantly higher for dogs that received bupivacaine than for control dogs 2 hours after extubation but not at any other time. Serum cortisol concentration was not significantly different between groups at any time but, in both groups, was significantly increased at the time of extubation, compared with all other observation times. Total number of additional doses of morphine administered was not significantly different between groups. Bupivacaine was not detected in the plasma of any of the dogs that received the local bupivacaine infusion. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that addition of a continuous, local infusion of bupivacaine did not significantly increase the degree of postoperative analgesia in dogs that underwent total ear canal ablation and were given morphine at the end of surgery.     

Hemoxygenase-2 is an oxygen sensor for a calcium-sensitive potassium channel

Modulation of calcium-sensitive potassium (BK) channels by oxygen is important in several mammalian tissues, and in the carotid body it is crucial to respiratory control. However, the identity of the oxygen sensor remains unknown. We demonstrate that hemoxygenase-2 (HO-2) is part of the BK channel complex and enhances channel activity in normoxia. Knockdown of HO-2 expression reduced channel activity, and carbon monoxide, a product of HO-2 activity, rescued this loss of function. Inhibition of BK channels by hypoxia was dependent on HO-2 expression and was augmented by HO-2 stimulation. Furthermore, carotid body cells demonstrated HO-2-dependent hypoxic BK channel inhibition, which indicates that HO-2 is an oxygen sensor that controls channel activity during oxygen deprivation.     

Associations between sole ulcer, white line disease and digital dermatitis and the milk yield of 1824 dairy cows on 30 dairy cow farms in England and Wales from February 2003-November 2004

The milk yields of 1824 cows were used to investigate the effect of lesion-specific causes of lameness, based on farmer treatment and diagnosis of lame cows, on milk yield. A three-level hierarchical model of repeated test day yields within cows within herds was used to investigate the impact of lesion-specific causes of lameness (sole ulcer, white line disease, digital dermatitis and other causes) on milk yield before and after treatment compared with unaffected cows. Cattle which developed sole ulcer (SU) and white line disease (WLD) were higher yielding cattle before they were diagnosed. Their milk production fell to below that of the mean of unaffected cows before diagnosis and remained low after diagnosis. In cattle which developed digital dermatitis (DD) there was no significant difference in milk yield before treatment and a slightly raised milk yield immediately after treatment. The estimated milk loss attributable to SU and WLD was approximately 570 and 370 kg, respectively. These results highlight that specific types of lameness vary by herds and within herds they are associated with higher yielding cattle. Consequently lesion-specific lameness reduction programmes targeting the cow and farm specific causes of lameness might be more effective than generic recommendations. They also highlight the importance of milk loss when estimating the economic impact of SU and WLD on the farms profitability.     

Ergovaline does not alter the severity of ryegrass staggers induced by lolitrem B

AIM: To investigate a possible interaction between lolitrem B and ergovaline by comparing the incidence and severity of ryegrass staggers in sheep grazing ryegrass (Lolium perenne) containing lolitrem B or ryegrass containing both lolitrem B and ergovaline.

METHODS: Ninety lambs, aged approximately 6 months, were grazed on plots of perennial ryegrass infected with either AR98 endophyte (containing lolitrem B), standard endophyte (containing lolitrem B and ergovaline) or no endophyte, for up to 42 days from 2 February 2010. Ten lambs were grazed on three replicate plots per cultivar. Herbage samples were collected for alkaloid analysis and lambs were scored for ryegrass staggers (scores from 0–5) weekly during the study. Any animal which was scored ≥4 was removed from the study.

RESULTS: Concentrations of lolitrem B did not differ between AR98 and standard endophyte-infected pastures during the study period (p=0.26), and ergovaline was present only in standard endophyte pastures. Ryegrass staggers was observed in sheep grazing both the AR98 and standard endophyte plots, with median scores increasing in the third week of the study. Prior to the end of the 42-day grazing period, 22 and 17 animals were removed from the standard endophyte and AR98 plots, respectively, because their staggers scores were ≥4. The cumulative probability of lambs having scores ≥4 did not differ between animals grazing the two pasture types (p=0.41).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: There was no evidence for ergovaline increasing the severity of ryegrass staggers induced by lolitrem B. In situations where the severity of ryegrass staggers appears to be greater than that predicted on the basis of concentrations of lolitrem B, the presence of other tremorgenic alkaloids should be investigated.     

Evaluation of a multi‐agent chemotherapy protocol combining lomustine,procarbazine and prednisolone (LPP) for the treatment of relapsed canine non‐Hodgkin high‐grade lymphomas

The standard of care treatment for canine lymphoma is multi‐agent chemotherapy containing prednisolone, cyclophosphamide, vincristine and an anthracycline such as doxorubicin (CHOP) or epirubicin (CEOP). Lomustine, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone (LOPP) has been evaluated as a rescue, with encouraging results; however, resistance to vincristine is likely in patients relapsing on CHOP/CEOP, and this agent may enhance LOPP toxicity without improving efficacy. The aim of this study was to evaluate responses to a modified‐LOPP protocol that does not include vincristine (LPP) and is administered on a 21‐day cycle. Medical records of dogs with high‐grade multicentric lymphoma from 2012 to 2017 were reviewed. Dogs with relapsed lymphoma that received LPP as a rescue protocol were enrolled. Response, time from initiation to discontinuation (TTD) and toxicity of LPP were assessed. Forty‐one dogs were included. Twenty‐five dogs (61%) responded to LPP including 12 complete responses (CR) and 13 partial responses (PR). Responders had a significantly longer TTD (P < .001) compared to non‐responders with 84 days for CR and 58 days for PR. Neutropenia was documented in 20 dogs (57%): 12 grade I to II, 8 grade III to IV. Thrombocytopenia was infrequent (20%): 5 grade I to II, 2 grade III to IV. Twelve dogs developed gastrointestinal toxicity (30%): 10 grade I to II and 2 grade III. Nineteen dogs had elevated ALT (59%): 9 grade I to II, 10 grade III to IV. Treatment was discontinued due to toxicity in 8 dogs (19%). The LPP protocol shows acceptable efficacy and toxicity‐profile and minimizes in‐hospital procedures.