Gallbladder aspirate from a dog

A 7-year-old, male, castrated, Labrador Retriever with a history of pancreatitis and inflammatory bowel disease presented for vomiting and anorexia. Serum biochemistry findings were indicative of cholestasis, hepatocellular insult, and decreased hepatic function. Ultrasound examination showed sediment and gas within the gallbladder, and a diagnosis of emphysematous cholecystitis was made. Emergency gallbladder resection was performed. Cytologic examination of bile fluid collected at surgery showed a mixed population of bacteria (bactibilia) together with fungal organisms consistent with Cyniclomyces guttulatus (previously known as Saccharomycopsis guttulatus). Similar fungal organisms were seen on a fecal smear. Bacteria cultured were normal gastrointestinal flora, supporting ascending infection; the fungal organisms were interpreted as incidental. Histopathology of the gallbladder indicated active (suppurative) and chronic (lymphocytic) cholecystitis and sections of liver tissue had evidence of chronic liver disease. A positive liver culture indicated concurrent bacterial hepatitis or cholangiohepatitis. Despite supportive care, the dog continued to decline and was euthanized 30 days later. Necropsy results confirmed end stage liver disease, but an initiating cause was not found. This case highlights the role of bactibilia in the development of acute cholecystitis and the unique cytologic appearance of C guttulatus as an incidental finding in bile fluid.     

Seasonality in Saint Croix male lamb reproductive development in northern Mexico

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of the season of birth on the body weight, testicular size, testosterone concentrations, semen output and sexual behaviour in Saint Croix male lambs. Thirty‐three lambs were born in spring (n = 10), summer (Sum; n = 12) or autumn (n = 11). Body weight and the scrotal circumference were weekly recorded; semen was also weekly collected by electroejaculation; and sexual behaviour towards oestrous ewes was weekly evaluated. Data were recorded from 15 to 33 weeks of age. The reproductive development of Saint Croix male lambs differed according to the period in which they were born. More lambs born in spring than in summer and autumn achieved puberty during this study and were also more precocious in semen production and displayed sexual behaviour earlier. Lambs born in summer delayed their semen production; however, season‐related negative effects were less pronounced at the end of the study than in autumn born lambs born. In conclusion, despite the apparently low seasonality of the breed, Saint Croix male lambs showed in this study a seasonal pattern in their reproductive development at least until they achieve the puberty.     

What is your diagnosis? Particulate material in peritoneal fluid from a dog

9-year-old castrated male Greyhound dog was presented for evaluation of vomiting and lethargy of 1-week duration. On physical examination, the dog was febrile and dehydrated with a tense abdomen and petechial hemorrhages. Clinicopathologic abnormalities included relative polycythemia, mild lymphopenia with reactive lymphocytes, hypoalbuminemia, hypocholesterolemia, hyperbilirubinemia, increased ALP, mild hypokalemia, hyperamylasemia, hyperlipasemia, increased D-dimer concentration, and hyperfibrinogenemia. Cytologic evaluation of peritoneal fluid revealed marked suppurative inflammation with intracellular barium sulfate particles. The day before presentation, the referring veterinarian had administered oral barium sulfate in an upper gastrointestinal contrast study. Radiographs revealed free contrast material in the peritoneal cavity, consistent with gastrointestinal perforation, and leakage of contrast material. Abdominal exploratory surgery revealed a mid-jejunal perforation and a hepatic nodule. Histopathologic diagnosis of the jejunal and liver lesions was T-cell lymphoma. The patient recovered well postoperatively and received chemotherapy for treatment of lymphoma. Most commercial barium sulfate preparations contain relatively uniform, weakly birefringent, pale yellow particles <1 microm in diameter. Because barium sulfate is found occasionally in clinical specimens, cytopathologists should be familiar with its cytologic appearance.     

Ultrasound-guided posterior extraconal block in the dog: anatomical study in cadavers

Objective

To describe a novel ultrasound-guided posterior extraconal block in the dog.

In growing pigs, chlortetracycline induces a reversible green bone discoloration and a persistent increase of bone mineral density dependent of dosing regimen

We studied in growing pigs the effects of exposure to dietary chlortetracycline on bone mineral density (BMD) and bone color. Pigs were randomly allocated to a drug-free diet (n = 48) or a diet fortified with 800 ppm of chlortetracycline, starting either at 28- or 84-d of age, and for either a 28- or 56-d duration (n = 16 pigs/group). The lumbar vertebral discoloration and BMD of randomly chosen pigs were evaluated at 28-d intervals up to 168-d of age. The odds of bone discoloration increased with dosing duration and age at treatment onset, and decreased with the withdrawal time and age at treatment onset interaction (p ? 0.001). The measured trabecular BMD linearly increased with age and squared treatment duration (p ? 0.005). Therefore, TC-induced bone discoloration is reversible, and may be prevented with proper dosing regimen design. Moreover, TC induces a persistent increase on BMD that could be detected with quantitative computed tomography.     

Effect of a bacterial lipopolysaccharide treatment on rabbit testis and ejaculated sperm

In a previous study, we reported the short- and long-term effects of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation on rabbit sperm quality. This study was aimed at exploring the spermatogenesis of the rabbit model focussing on the possible damages occurring to the testis and ejaculated sperm. Twenty New Zealand White rabbit bucks were divided into two groups. One group was inoculated intra-peritoneally with LPS, the other group, considered as control, was treated under the same conditions with saline only. Semen samples were collected before LPS injection, the 7th, 14th, 21st, 30th, 45th, 60th and 90th day after LPS treatment. Semen parameters were evaluated following international guidelines. The kinetic characteristics of ejaculated sperm were analysed using a computer-assisted sperm analyzer and the ultrastructural characteristics were explored by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). On the 7th, 14th and 30th day, testis from treated rabbits and controls were obtained. Testis samples were analysed by light microscopy and TEM. The induced LPS lesions in the testis became evident the 7th day after treatment, with a decrease in germinal cells and with an increase in structurally altered Sertoli cells; normal spermatogenesis was restored on the 30th day. The testicular damages observed on day 7 were probably responsible for the reduction in sperm concentration and motility and the ultrastructural alterations that were detected in the ejaculated sperm on the 14th through the 30th days after treatment. In conclusion, rabbit buck treated with LPS could be a useful model for studying the effect of an induced systemic inflammation on spermatogenesis.     

Factors involved in Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated gene transfer into Pinus nigra Arn. ssp. salzmannii (Dunal) Franco

Cotyledons from dissected sterile embryos of salgareño pine (Pinus nigra Arn. ssp. salzmannii (Dunal) Franco) were inoculated with different disarmed Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains harbouring the binary vector p35SGUSint. The transient expression of a β-glucuronidase gene (uidA) was studied, using a histochemical staining procedure. Nineteen days after inoculation, the activity of β-glucuronidase was detected in epidermal and subepidermal layers of cotyledonary explants. The EHA105 strain harbouring a disarmed agropine-type Ti-plasmid (pTiBO542) was the most effective for gene transfer of the uidA gene. The effects of exudates and extracts from 0-day-old embryos on induction of vir gene expression in A. tumefaciens were also examined. The results of this study showed that salgarño pine embryo exudates contain a substance(s) that induce vir gene expression, in similar way to that observed with 100 μM acetosyringone (AS).All these findings suggest that T-DNA processing and transfer might take place when Agrobacterium infects suitable tissues of salgareño pine.