Hepatozoon canis: The prevalence of antibodies and gametocytes in dogs in Israel

A survey for the prevalence of antibodies to Hepatozoon canis and for intraneutrophilic H. canis gametocytes in the peripheral blood neutrophils of dogs in Israel showed that 33.1% were seropositive, while only 1% of the dogs sampled had detectable parasites in their blood smears. Exposure to H. canis is widespread but it appears that most infected dogs undergo a subclinical infection and only a small proportion develop clinical disease.Abbreviations IFAT indirect fluorescent antibody test     

Ultrasonic observations on the turnover of ovarian follicular cysts and associated changes of plasma LH, FSH, progesterone and oestradiol-17β in cows

Changes in the diameters of individual follicular structures on ovaries were measured by transrectal ultrasonography for 29 to 40 days and the plasma concentrations of luteinising hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), progesterone and oestradiol 17β were determined in four cows with ovarian cysts. When these structures decreased in size, new follicular structures appeared and developed into cysts. Progesterone concentrations in plasma were below 1·0 ng ml⁻¹ during the experimental periods. Plasma concentrations of oestradiol-17β fluctuated. The mean concentration of oestradiol-17β in plasma differed (P<0·01) depending on the stage of the cyst. No preovulatory surges of LH were detected during the developmental stage of the cysts.     

Pharmacokinetics of gamithromycin after intravenous and subcutaneous administration in pigs

The aim of this study was to investigate the pharmacokinetic properties of gamithromycin in pigs after an intravenous (i.v.) or subcutaneous (s.c.) bolus injection of 6 mg/kg body weight. The plasma concentrations of gamithromycin were determined using a validated high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method, and the pharmacokinetics were noncompartmentally analysed.     

Murine xenograft model demonstrates significant radio-sensitising effect of liposomal doxorubicin in a combination therapy for Feline Injection Site Sarcoma

Therapy of cats suffering from feline injection site sarcomas (FISS) is still a challenging problem, as the recurrence rate after surgery is up to 70%. Four FISS-derived primary tumour cell lines and corresponding xenograft tumour mouse models were established to evaluate the efficacy of a concomitant chemo-/radiation therapy with doxorubicin. In vitro, strongly depending upon the timing of administration, pre-treatment with 0.25 µmol doxorubicin resulted in a significant enhancement of radiation-induced (3.5 Gy) tumour cell death. This result was confirmed in vivo, where only the combined chemo-/radiation therapy resulted in a significant reduction in tumour growth compared to the respective mono-therapies with either doxorubicin or radiation. These results support the use of the concomitant chemo-/radiation therapy for adjuvant treatment of FISS, particularly in advanced or recurrent disease where surgery alone is no longer feasible.     

Inductive expression of the NOD1 signalling pathway in chickens infected with Salmonella pullorum

1. The aim of this study was to describe the role of Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 1 (NOD1) receptor signalling in chicken.

2. Tissue-specific expression analysis of NOD1, receptor-interacting serine-threonine kinase 2 (RIPK2), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase 11 (MAPK11 or p38) by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) revealed their wide distribution in various organs and tissues.

3. Salmonella pullorum infection activated NOD1 receptor signalling in vivo and in vitro, resulting in significant induction of downstream signalling molecules RIPK2, NF-κB/p65, MAPK11/p38 and the effector molecules IL-1b and IL-8.

4. Activation of NOD1 by its agonist bacterial γ-D-glutamyl-meso-diaminopimelic acid (iE-DAP) in HD11 cells induced the adapter molecular RIPK2 and activated the NF-κB/p65 and MAPK11/p38 pathways, resulting in an increase in IL-8 but not IL-1β. Additionally, inhibition of NOD1 using NOD1-shRNA resulted in downregulation of RIPK2, MAPK11 and IL-8, while NF-κB/p65 and IL-1β were unaltered.

5. These results highlight the important role of NOD1 receptors in eliciting the innate immune response following pathogenic invasion in chicken.     

The muscular dystrophic chicken is hypernatremic

1. The E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 1 (WWP1) gene, the mutation of which causes muscular dystrophy in chickens, is expressed not only in the pectoral muscle, but also in a number of tissues such as the kidney. Therefore, this study examined some parameters related to kidney function in muscular dystrophic (MD) chickens.

2. Plasma osmolality, Na⁺ and K⁺ concentrations, aldosterone levels, and the expression of aquaporin (AQP) 2, AQP3, and α subunits of the amiloride-sensitive epithelial sodium channel (αENaC) were analysed in the kidneys of 5-week-old MD chickens and White Leghorn (WL) chickens under physiological conditions or after one day of water deprivation.

3. Plasma osmolality, Na⁺ concentrations, and plasma aldosterone levels were significantly higher in MD chickens than in WL chickens. αENaC mRNA expression levels were lower in MD chickens than in WL chickens. AQP2 and AQP3 mRNA expression levels were similar in the two strains of chickens.

4. Plasma osmolality correlated with aldosterone levels and AQP2 and αENaC mRNA levels in WL chickens. In MD chickens, plasma osmolality correlated with AQP2 mRNA levels, but not with plasma aldosterone or αENaC mRNA levels.

5. These results suggest that neither water reabsorption nor the expression of AQP2 and AQP3 is impaired in MD chickens and that a WWP1 gene mutation may or may not directly induce an abnormality in Na⁺-reabsorption in the kidneys of MD chickens, potentially through αENaC.     

A vitamin e response in a young dog

Extract

This subject will be covered in three sections, first, a brief history of how the idea of using trained dogs to help the blind was conceived, then the present-day methods of training guide dogs, and, finally, how the blind person is trained with their guide dog to work together as a team.     

Potentiated trimethoprim for the therapy of calf scours

Abstract

Extract

Trimethoprim became generally available 3 years ago, following its original discovery as a unique antibacterial agent for combating diseases of both man and animals (Hitchings and Bushby, 1961 Hitchings, G. H. and Bushby, S. R. M. 5-Benzyl-2, 4-diaminopyrimidines a new class of systemic anti-bacterial agents. 5th Int. Congr. Biochem. Moscow. pp.165–165.  [Google Scholar]; Pugsley et al., 1969 Pugsley, D. G., Mwanje, L., Pearson, C and Blowers, R. 1969. Use of trimethoprim and sulphamethoxazole in tropical Africa: Typhoid fever; Salmonella typhi carriage and Staphylococcus aureus sepsis. Postgrad, med. J., 45: 95–99. Nov. 1969, Suppl. [Google Scholar]; McGuinness, 1969 McGuinness, B. W. 1969. A combination of trimethoprim and sulphamethoxazole in upper respiratory infection. Postgrad, med. J., 45: 99–101. Nov. 1969, Suppl. [Google Scholar]; McCaig, 1970 McCaig, J. 1970. A clinical trial using trimethoprim-sulphadiazine in dogs and cats. Vet. Rec., 87: 265–265.  [Google Scholar]; Barnett and Bushby, 1970 Barnett, Margaret and Bushby, S. R. M. 1970. Trimethoprim and the sulphonamides. Vet. Rec., 87: 43–51.  [Google Scholar]; Rehm and White, 1970 Rehm, W. F. and White, G. 1970. A field trial with trimethoprim and sulphadoxine in bacterial diseases of cattle and pigs. Vet. Rec., 87: 39–42.  [Google Scholar]; Craig 1972 Craig, G. R. 1972. The place of potentiated trimethoprim in the therapy of diseases of the skin in dogs and cats. J. small Anim. Pract., 13: 65–70.  [Google Scholar]).     

Experimental tuberculosis in red deer (Cervus elaphus)

This study was designed to investigate experimental Mycobacterium bovis infection of red deer (Cervus elaphus). Three intravenously inoculated deer (dose 10µg–1000µg) developed miliary tuberculosis of the lungs and all died within 28 days of being infected. No clinical illnesses were observed in four subcutaneously (dose 1 uµg–100uµg) and three intratracheally (dose lµg–100µg) inoculated deer. At the conclusion of the experiment six weeks post inoculation, these seven animals reacted to 2 mg/ml of bovine purified protein derivative. The principal lesions in the intravenously inoculated deer were in the lungs which had multiple foci of necrosis containing very large numbers of acid fast bacilli. A gradation of changes was seen in the subcutaneously inoculated deer. The animal receiving the 1µg dose only had lesions at the injection site and the draining prescapular lymph node. Deer receiving higher doses also had histopathological changes in the lungs and liver. Microscopic changes in the intratracheally infected animals were restricted to the thoracic cavity. The ability of the deer to control infection was related to the route of inoculation.     

Red urine from red deer grazed on pure red clover swards

Twenty-four red deer hinds with their calves were released on to a newly established pure red clover sward and, 2 days later, red staining of the tail, perineum and hocks was observed. This was presumed to be of urinary origin. Observation of micturition showed that when urine was passed, it was a normal straw colour but it turned scarlet-red about 1 hour after exposure to air. Midstream urine remained the normal colour when held under a pure nitrogen atmosphere immediately after micturition, but it turned red when held in air in the dark, suggesting that the colour change was due to an oxidative rather than a photosensitive reaction. All deer grazing red clover were affected but this did not occur in deer grazing ryegrass/white clover swards. No adverse effects were observed in the deer grazing the red clover, and calf growth was significantly higher than on ryegrass/white clover, suggesting that the red urine had no effect on health or productivity.

Blood and urine analyses showed no signs of haemolysis, haematuria or haemoglobinuria. Preliminary chemical analyses suggest that the compounds involved are not those found in the urine of sheep grazing oestrogenic clover. The nature of the compounds have yet to be determined.