Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of circulating antigens of Toxoplasma gondii in the serum of cats

An ELISA was developed to detect circulating antigens of Toxoplasma gondii in the serum of cats. For the experiment, toxoplasmosis was induced in a group of cats by oral administration of bradyzoites. An ELISA that detects anti-Toxoplasma IgG, an ELISA to detect circulating antigens, and fecal examinations were performed on samples from each cat for 1 year after inoculation. When coupled with IgG-class antibody measurement, antigen detection can aid in the diagnosis of some cases of subclinical feline toxoplasmosis.     

Biomicroscopy of the tear film: the tear film of the pekingese dog

Polarised light biomicroscopy was used to examine the normal pre-corneal tear film in 21 eyes of 12 pekingese dogs. The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of excessive exophthalmos on the pre-corneal tear film in the dog. The majority of the animals were found to have high levels of ocular surface contamination by particulate material and plaques of viscous mucus. Other abnormalities included surface lipid with an abnormal granular (three dogs) or 'curdled' (two dogs) appearance; excessive thinning of the lipid layer of the tear film; and the presence of dark globular structures in two dogs, which were presumed to be abnormal meibomian lipid. Break up of the tear film was observed in one dog. Grossly, a thread of viscous mucus was frequently observed along the margin of the lower eyelid. It is postulated that this thread forms because of the excessively exophthalmic conformation of the breed, which prevents the normal access of effete mucus and entrapped debris to the lower conjunctival fornix. The combination of the above factors in the pekingese is suggested as the mechanism whereby the tear film has a reduced stability, thus enhancing the risk from factors more usually considered to initiate corneal ulceration in the breed. The possible adverse effects of lid splitting for the mass removal of distichiae in exophthalmic dogs is discussed.     

Armillaria species in northern Britain

Five species of Armillaria, A. borealis, A. cepistipes, A. ostoyae. A. mellea and A. lutea , were identified among 145 isolates collected from sites in northern Britain. Most of the collection sites were in coniferous woodland containing dead or dying trees and A. ostoyae , a well-known pathogen of conifers, was the most frequently isolated species. Two species believed to be weakly pathogenic, A cepistipes and A. lutea , were also commonly found; the former has only rarely been recorded in Britain before. The significance of the records is discussed.     

Practice versus family: the great balancing act

Dairy practice often requires substantial time commitments. Those veterinarians with families may find that if they do not actively budget some time for spouse and children, the family unit may suffer. A successful practice and meaningful family life are both possible if the doctor or doctors involved are willing to work for their achievement.     

Scanning electron microscopic studies of the kidney glomerulus of Pudu pudu (Molina, 1782), and a comparison with that of cattle, goats, sheep and angora rabbits

The kidney's microvascularization of the Pudu pudu is mostly similar to that of domestic animals. The renal parenchymatous arteries do not give off capsular branches. The majority of the Pudu pudu's glomerula shows spherical shape. Glomerula next to the medulla have a diameter which is an average of 25 microns larger than the diameter of those situated more peripherally. Their volume is comparable to that of the angora rabbit. The capillaries form anastomosis in the inner and outer part of the glomerulus.     

Ocular manifestations of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in dogs

Dogs were examined ophthalmoscopically to determine the prevalence and type of ocular lesions associated with naturally acquired Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF). In a consecutive series of 11 dogs with serologically confirmed RMSF, 9 had ocular involvement reflecting various degrees of vascular damage, including subconjunctival hemorrhage, hyphema, anterior uveitis, iris stromal hemorrhage, retinal petechiae, and focal areas of retinal edema and perivascular inflammatory cell infiltrate. The ophthalmic lesions generally were mild, and most resolved without complication after systemic administration of appropriate antibiotics. The high prevalence of ocular lesions in these dogs suggested that critical ophthalmologic evaluation is a useful diagnostic tool for the early detection and management of RMSF in dogs.     

Food aversion learning: ability of lambs to distinguish safe from harmful foods

We studied the ability of lambs to select safe foods in the presence of harmful foods. In a series of feeding experiments, 3- to 6-mo-old lambs were offered a choice between 1) a familiar, safe and a novel, harmful food, 2) a novel, safe and a novel, harmful food and 3) a familiar, harmful and a novel, safe food. All harmful foods were palatable feeds that had been treated with lithium chloride (LiCl), a non-lethal gastrointestinal poison. When lambs ingested a meal composed of a novel food containing LiCl and a familiar, safe food, lambs subsequently avoided the novel food. Lambs avoided the novel food even when the familiar food contained LiCl. The response of lambs varied when lambs were given a choice between a novel, safe food and a novel food containing LiCl. Lambs either avoided the novel food containing LiCl and ingested the safe food or they limited their intake of both novel foods. Their response was dependent on the novelty of the food containing LiCl. When a novel, palatable food contained 2% LiCl, lambs always ate some of the food, even after experiencing illness from ingesting it. Lambs experienced with foods containing LiCl displayed greater food neophobia than lambs naive to LiCl-treated foods. Thus, novelty was the major criterion that lambs used to associate foods with gastrointestinal illness.     

Cytological, Immunocytochemical and Ultrastructural Study of the Adenohypophyseal Pars Distalis of the Kid (Capra hircus): The TSH cell

The structure and ultrastructure of the adenohypophyseal pars distalis in kids of the Murciano-granadiana breed (18 males and 12 females), aged 2-3 months and with an average carcass weight of 8 kg has been studied. Techniques of staining (Tetrachrome Herlant's, and Cleveland-Wolfe) and histochemistry (PAS, PAS-OG and BA-PAS-OG) contrasted with immunolabelling (PAP) have been used. In addition an ultrastructural study has been made and nucleus and cytoplasm, secretory granules, mitochondria and lysosomes have been measured with a semiautomatic image analyzer (IBAS-1). TSH cells are found in sagittal section in the anterior area and in an antero-caudodorsal band, and transversally in the ventral and medial region; they are 6% and their average size is 14.15 microns. Ultrastructurally they are a single cellular type with spherical granules whose size is 195 nm in males and 149 in females; these granules are characterized by a clear halo and a variable electronic density. The rough endoplasmic reticulum is found as slightly enlarged vesicles with a homogeneous and moderately electro-dense content or in concentric stratifications.