Immunohistochemical characterisation of the lesions of canine idiopathic pericarditis

Pericardial tissue was obtained from 14 dogs with idiopathic pericarditis, and from three dogs with pericardial effusion associated with neoplastic disease, for histopathological assessment and characterisation of infiltrating leucocytes by immunohistochemistry. The major pathological change was extensive pericardial fibrosis which was generally accompanied by a mixed inflammatory response that was of greatest intensity at the cardiac surface of the tissue. Perivascular lymphoplasmacytic aggregates were present at the pleural surface and within the fibrosed pericardium. There were no features that clearly distinguished the samples from dogs with neoplastic disease from dogs with idiopathic pericarditis. The pericardial infiltrates were dominated by MAC 387+ monocyte-macrophages and plasma cells expressing immunoglobulin (Ig)A or IgG. CD3+ T lymphocytes and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II+ macrophages were less common, although the perivascular aggregates were mixtures of T and B lymphocytes and a proportion of fibroblasts expressed MHC class II. There was no vascular pathology or deposition of immunoglobulin or complement within vessel walls. These findings are consistent with an immune response dominated by humoral effector mechanisms (Th2 immunity) but do not clearly support a primary immune-mediated pathogenesis for idiopathic pericarditis.     

Associations between age or sex and prevalence of gastric ulceration in Standardbred racehorses in training

OBJECTIVE: To determine associations between age, sex, or medical treatment and prevalence and severity of gastric ulceration in Standardbred racehorses in training. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. ANIMALS: 224 Standardbred racehorses in training. PROCEDURE: Gastroscopy was performed on each horse, and mucosal ulceration was graded from 0 (normal mucosa, no lesions) to 3 (extensive, often coalescing, lesions with areas of deep ulceration). Associations between age, sex, or treatment and prevalence and severity of ulcers were evaluated. RESULTS: Prevalence of gastric ulceration was 87%. Although there was little association between age and prevalence of ulcers, there was an association between age and severity of ulcers. Most 2-year-old horses (57.7%) had an ulcer score of 0 or 1. In all other age groups, most (58% to 82.61%) of horses had an ulcer score of 2 or 3. Although overall prevalence of ulceration was comparable among sex groups, the relative risk for gastric ulceration increased with age in castrated males, whereas it decreased in females and sexually intact males. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Gastric ulceration is common in Standardbred horses in race training. Severity is higher in horses > or = 3 years of age than in 2-year-old horses. Relative risk for ulceration increases with age in castrated males.     

An avian model of limb deviation induced by periosteal surgery

A model of limb deviation induced by hemi-circumferential periosteal stripping of the distal tibiotarsus of domestic chicks is described. This model has been developed to study the effects of periosteal stripping on the cellular, mechanical, vascular, and biochemical status of the immature bone and growth plate. It is hoped that such studies may further elucidate the mechanisms involved in altered bone growth following periosteal stripping techniques which are used in human and equine orthopaedics for the management of leg length discrepancies and angular limb deformities respectively (Auer and Martens 1980, Warrell and Baker 1987). Hemi-circumferential periosteal stripping of the left distal tibiotarsus of 28-day-old chicks resulted in significant change in metaphyseal-diaphyseal angle with time, compared to both the controls and the untreated right legs (P<0.0001). This model of limb deviation developed rapidly and consistently, and the procedures were well tolerated by the birds over the short survival time (maximum 28 days).     

Effects of ruminal and postruminal infusion of starch hydrolysate or glucose on the microbial ecology of the gastrointestinal tract in growing steers

Forty crossbred steers were used to determine the effects of carbohydrate supply site on the indigenous bacteria of the gastrointestinal tract. Steers were fitted with ruminal and abomasal infusion catheters and assigned randomly to one of eight groups in a complete randomized block design. The experimental period was 36 d. Treatments included: 1) a pelleted basal diet fed at 0.163 Mcal ME x (kg BW(0.75)) x 1 x d(-1) (LE); 2) the basal diet fed at 0.215 Mcal ME x (kg BW(0.75)) (-1) x d(-1) (HE); 3) the basal diet fed at 0.163 Mcal ME x (kg BW(0.75))(-1) x d(-1) with ruminal infusion of starch hydrolysate (SH) (RSH); 4) the basal diet fed at 0.163 Mcal ME x (kg BW(0.75))(-1) x d(-1) with abomasal infusion of SH (ASH); and 5) the basal diet fed at 0.163 Mcal ME x (kg BW(0.75))(-1) x d(-1) with abomasal infusion of glucose (AG). The total volume ofinfusate (5 kg x site(-1) x d(-1)) was equalized across treatments and infusion sites by infusion of water. Glucose and SH were infused at rates of 14.35 and 12.64 g x (kg BW(0.75)) x d(-1), respectively. Ruminal, cecal, and fecal samples were obtained on d 36. Ruminal pH was low (5.79) in LE steers and unaffected (P > 0.10) by increased energy intake or carbohydrate infusion. Cecal and fecal pH were 6.93 and 7.00, respectively, for LE steers. Increasing energy intake (P < 0.10) and the rate of carbohydrate infusion (P < 0.01) significantly decreased cecal and fecal pH compared with LE. Ruminal counts of anaerobic bacteria in LE steers were 8.99 log10 cells/g and abomasal carbohydrate infusion had no affect (P > 0.10) on these numbers. However, ASH and AG steers had approximately 1.5 log10 cells/g more (P < 0.01) cecal and fecal anaerobic populations. Ruminal, cecal, and fecal aerobic bacterial counts were 40, 22, and 23%, respectively, lower than anaerobic counts. Generally, aerobic counts responded similarly to the anaerobic counts. Less than 1% of the anaerobic bacteria enumerated in the rumen, cecum, and feces were coliforms, and 97% of the coliforms were Escherichia coli. Carbohydrate infusions resulted in only numerical increases in fecal coliform and E. coli concentrations (P > 0.10). Fecal E. coli were highly acid sensitive in all steers, with less than 1% surviving a 1-h exposure to low pH (2.0). This suggests that cecal or fecal pH is not a good indicator of acid resistance, and it supports the concept that there are other factors that may induce acid resistance.     

The Italian Information System on Zoonoses Data Collection

In the framework of the international obligations subscribed by the Italian government, the Italian Ministry of Health should provide the European Union (EU) (European Commission, European Food Safety Authority – EFSA) with a set of data and information related to the report and the spread of zoonoses and to the activities put in place for monitoring and control of zoonoses. In 2008, the Italian Ministry of Health commissioned the Istituto G. Caporale (ICT) to implement an information system able to provide information and data on the monitoring and control of zoonoses in the national territory, in accordance with the national and community legislation. The system is part of the e‐Government process that involves all public administrations of the EU and refers to the use of information and communication technologies for the digital processing of documents in order to obtain simplification and interoperability of administrative procedures through the Internet, as defined in the strategic lines published by the National Centre for Information Systems in Public Administration (DigitPA) in 2009–2011.     

A randomised,blinded, crossover study to assess the efficacy of a feed supplement in alleviating the clinical signs of headshaking in 32 horses

Reasons for performing study: Feed supplements are commonly used by owners to alleviate headshaking; however, randomised, controlled trials are required to assess their efficacy. Objective: To determine the efficacy of a feed supplement for alleviation of the clinical signs of headshaking using a randomised, blinded, placebo‐controlled trial. Methods: Using a crossover design, 44 horses previously diagnosed with chronic idiopathic headshaking received both the supplement and a matching placebo per os for 28 days with a washout period between of 14 days. Video recordings were taken at rest and exercise prior to the study and at the end of both periods of treatment. The degree of headshaking was assessed in a blinded, randomised manner by 2 veterinary surgeons. At the same time points, owners completed a questionnaire to assess the severity of headshaking signs. A Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to compare the scores while on supplement and placebo. Results: Using the video assessments, there was no significant difference between scores while on supplement compared with placebo (P = 0.7). Using the questionnaire responses, there was no significant difference between scores for any activity when the placebo and the supplement were compared with each other. However, owners reported significant improvement during all activities for both placebo and supplement compared with pretreatment scores. Conclusions and potential relevance: The supplement offered no benefit over a placebo in alleviating the clinical signs of headshaking. There appeared to be a significant proxy placebo effect when the outcome was based on subjective owner perception of clinical signs. This study demonstrated no beneficial effect of this supplement on the clinical signs of headshaking. The study did show a significant placebo effect, thereby highlighting the necessity of properly conducted, randomised controlled trials, with blinding, to assess true treatment effects in trials in animals.     

Oestrus control and the incidence of mammary nodules in bitches,a clinical study with two progestogens

Summary

The incidence, size and location of mammary nodules were established in 10 practices in The Netherlands by the clinical examination of bitches in which oestrus was controlled with proligestone (P), 331 animals, or medroxyprogesterone acetate (MAP), 341 animals and in 339 animals never medicated with such compounds.

In comparison with the unmedicated controls and the P‐medicated animals of comparable age the incidence of mammary nodules of all sizes was significantly increased in the MAP‐medicated animals.

There was no significant difference in nodule incidence between the P‐medicated animals and the control animals.

Based on the assumption that nodules above a certain size are most likely tumours, these results indicate that oestrus control with MAP stimulates tumour development even in animals medicated for less than four years.

The practical value of the reported differences, especially in relation to the subsequent requirement for surgical removal of tumours in bitches, medicated for oestrus control, is discussed.     

Clinical Leptospira interrogans serogroup Australis serovar lora infection in a stud farm in the Netherlands

Summary

A Leptospira interrogans serogroup australis serovar lora infection in a stud farm is reported. During three successive years (1984–1986) clinical leptospirosis with a severe often rapid, fatal course was seen in 12 foals.

Clinical examination revealed severe respiratory distress, depression and pyrexia. Other symptoms were diarrhea (2), jaundice (1), and an unsteady gait (1). Morphological characteristics of the disease were massive pulmonary haemorrhage and haemorrhagicthrombotic or extracapillary glomerulonephritis with tubulonephrosis and interstitial oedema. In most foals high or increasing MAT titres to serovar bratislava were found; from one foal Leptospira interrogans serovar lora was isolated.

Serological examination of all 56 mares at the farm (August 1986) revealed antibodies to serovar bratislava in 64 per cent of the animals. These findings support the idea that Leptospira interrogans serovar bratislava and closely related strains (in this study serovar lora) may be adapted to and maintained by the horse population.     

A correction factor for,and its application to,visual censuses of littoral fish

Visual estimation techniques were used between October 1976 and May 1977 on the fish fauna of an enclosed mid-intertidal pool in the eastern Cape, South Africa, to test the usefulness and accuracy of this non-consumptive census method. In January, 1977, two pools were censused for fish, then poisoned using the ichthyocide ‘pronoxfish’ and all fish collected. Forty species in 21 families were obtained from the two stations. The accuracy of visual estimates varied with the species of fish. Secretive and cryptically coloured types, as well as species which Inhabit crevices, were underestimated, between 0 and 86% being counted. Other fish with protective colours but that occur more openly and do not react adversely to divers, as well as schooling species, were also underestimated, but up to 100% of the total were observed. Those which occur singly or in small groups in the water column were counted more accurately, with 57 to 100% of the actual number being seen. Correction factors were calculated from these data and applied to a census taken of one pool in May. Comparisons of corrected and actual numbers Indicate that these factors were relatively accurate for non-secretive species. The factors will, however, vary for each species, from observer to observer, depending on their personal experience, and from area to area.