Pretaping of the Aorta Prior to Patent Ductus Arteriosus Ligation

SURGICAL repair of the patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is one of the most common cardiovascular procedures performed in veterinary and human medicine.^1–3 The techniques have been well documented and used successfully.^2–5     

Computers as medical management tools. Computer-assisted diagnosis and medical decision support

The potential of computers to assist veterinarians in medical management is reviewed. It is argued that computers will contribute to improved patient care by solving the information retrieval and processing problems in medicine. Strategies to accomplish this goal are discussed in detail, and criteria for evaluating diagnostic information systems are proposed.     

Primary isolation and identification of avian rotaviruses from turkeys exhibiting signs of clinical enteritis in a continuous MA 104 cell line

Avian rotaviruses were isolated from turkeys with enteritis using MA 104 cell line. MA 104 cells were suitable for primary isolation and propagation of avian rotaviruses. Trypsin appeared essential for the enhancement of infectivity and the occurrence of cytopathic effect (CPE). Serum neutralization (SN), electron microscopy (EM), and analysis of genomic RNA were done to identify and confirm the identity of rotaviruses. Electrophoretic migration patterns of genomic RNA from avian rotaviruses were examined, and they were compared with those from mammalian rotaviruses. The migration patterns differed between these groups.     

Effects of dietary yeast extract on turkey stress response and heterophil oxidative burst activity

1. Effective nutritional approaches to counteract the negative effects of stress may provide food animal producers with useful alternatives to antibiotics. In this study, turkeys were fed on a standard diet, or the same diet supplemented with yeast extract (YE), to determine if YE would improve disease resistance in a stress model.

2. At 16 weeks of age, half of the birds were exposed to a bacterial challenge using a coarse spray of the pen environment. A subset of control and challenged birds was also treated with dexamethasone (Dex) prior to challenge (Dex/challenge). At 18 weeks, another subset was subjected to a 12?h transport stress protocol (Challenge/transport). All birds were bled and necropsied the morning after transport. The numbers and proportions of blood cells and the heterophil oxidative burst activity (OBA) were determined. Serum corticosterone (Cort) levels of male birds were measured using a commercial ELISA kit. Body weight and gain were increased by YE during week 1.

3. YE decreased mortality and bacterial isolation following Dex/challenge only in females. Cort levels in male turkeys were decreased by YE and Dex treatment. OBA was higher in males and in birds given YE and was reduced by challenge and transport.

4. These results suggest there may be gender differences in the turkey stress response and that dietary YE has potential for modulating the impact of stress on innate immunity of turkeys.     

Adrenergic and peptidergic innervation of the trachealis muscle in the normal horse: a preliminary report

The tone of respiratory smooth muscle is largely determined by the input from autonomic nerves. The distribution of adrenergic and selected nonadrenergic, non-cholinergic (NANC) nerves in the normal equine trachealis muscle was investigated using immunohistochemistry. The smooth muscle of the trachealis was found to contain numerous nerves immunoreactive for an enzymatic marker of adrenergic nerves, as well as many nerves immunoreactive for a putative NANC neurotransmitter, peptide histidine isoleucine, a potent bronchodilator. The tissues surrounding the respiratory smooth muscle contained numerous nerves immunoreactive for the neuropeptides substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide, which can cause marked vasodilation and bronchoconstriction. The complex innervation of the equine trachea should be kept in mind when interpreting the results of physiological experiments.     

Recovery threshold of Toxocara canis eggs from soil

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the threshold of Toxocara canis eggs form soil samples through utilisation of a centrifuge-flotation technique (CFT). Aliquots of soil (1 g each) were artificially contaminated with known numbers of T. canis eggs (1, 10, 25, 50, 100, and 200 eggs). The threshold was evaluated based on a CFT using zinc sulphate (Zn₂SO₄) and sodium nitrate (Na₂NO₃) solutions at a specific gravity of 1.20. The number of eggs recovered was directly proportional to the number of eggs employed to seed the soil. Both solutions enabled full recovery of samples containing merely three eggs; only Zn₂SO₄ demonstrated efficiency in soil contaminated with a single egg. A recovery rate of 100% was obtained for all tests with samples containing 10 and 25 eggs for Zn₂SO₄ and Na₂NO₃, respectively_. There was no difference in the mean number of recovered eggs regarding either the efficacy of the solutions or the repetition of evaluations in the same trial (p > 0.05). Therefore, the CFT is efficient for the detection of Toxocara eggs, even in samples containing low egg numbers.     

Pre-anesthetic meperidine: associated vomiting and gastroesophageal reflux during the subsequent anesthetic in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of meperidine administered prior to anesthesia on the incidence of vomiting before, and gastroesophageal reflux (GER) and regurgitation during, the subsequent period of anesthesia in dogs. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized, controlled trial. ANIMALS: A total of 60 healthy dogs, 4.3 +/- 2.3 years old, and weighing 35.5 +/- 13.1 kg. METHODS: Dogs were admitted to the study if they were healthy, had no history of vomiting, and were scheduled to undergo elective orthopedic surgery. The anesthetic protocol used was standardized to include thiopental and isoflurane in oxygen. Dogs were randomly selected to receive one of the following pre-medications: morphine (0.66 mg kg(-1) IM) with acepromazine (0.044 mg kg(-1) IM), meperidine (8.8 mg kg(-1) IM) with acepromazine (0.044 mg kg(-1) IM) or meperidine alone (8.8 mg kg(-1) IM). A sensor-tipped catheter was placed to measure esophageal pH during anesthesia. Gastro-esophageal reflux was judged to have occurred if there was a decrease in esophageal pH below four or an increase above 7.5. RESULTS: No dogs vomited after the administration of meperidine, but 50% of dogs vomited after the administration of morphine. When compared with morphine, treatment with meperidine alone or combined with acepromazine before anesthesia was associated with a 55% and 27% reduction in absolute risk of developing GER, respectively. Dogs receiving meperidine alone were significantly less sedate than other dogs in the study, and required more thiopental to induce anesthesia. Arterial blood pressure and heart rate were not significantly different between groups at the start of the measurement period. Cutaneous erythema and swelling were evident in four dogs receiving meperidine. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Administration of meperidine to healthy dogs prior to anesthesia was not associated with vomiting and tended to reduce the occurrence of GER, but produced less sedation when compared with morphine. Meperidine is not a useful addition to the anesthetic protocol if prevention of GER is desired.     

Rumen-protected choline administration to transition cows: effects on milk production and vitamin E status

We investigated the influence of rumen-protected choline (RPC) supplementation on milk production, lipid metabolism and vitamin E status in dairy cows receiving a silage-based diet. Twenty-six Italian Holstein multiparous cows were assigned by weight and average production in the previous lactation, to one of two groups: control (no RPC supplementation) and RPC (supplemented with 20 g/day rumen-protected choline chloride). Treatment began 14 days before expected calving and continued for 30 days after parturition. Choline administration significantly increased milk production during the first month of lactation and also the concentration (and total secretion) of choline in milk, but did not affect fat or protein concentrations in milk, or plasma levels of glucose, beta-hydroxybutyrate, cholesterol and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA). However, around parturition, NEFA concentrations in plasma were lower in treated animals than in controls, suggesting improved lipid metabolism as a result of choline supplementation. Choline supplementation also increased alpha-tocopherol plasma concentrations, suggesting a novel aspect in dairy cows.     

Meal size and starch content affect gastric emptying in horses

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Feeding practices have been associated with colic in horses. If meal size and composition have an effect on gastric emptying, this could be one of the mechanisms by which feeding practices are related to the occurrence of colic. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of meal size and starch content on solid phase gastric emptying. METHODS: Solid phase gastric emptying of 3 different radiolabelled meals, small low-starch (SmLS), small high-starch (SmHS) and large high-starch (LgHS) meals, was measured in 5 horses by scintigraphy using 99mTc-disofenin. Data were compared among meals using nonlinear mixed-effects models and paired t tests. RESULTS: On a percentage basis, SmHS emptied significantly faster than LgHS and SmLS emptied significantly faster than SmHS meals. However, when meals of unequal size were compared by emptying rate in g/min and Kcal/min, LgHS emptied significantly faster than SmHS. CONCLUSIONS: Meal size and composition affect gastric emptying. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: Further work needs to be performed in order to substantiate the possibility of a relationship between digestive functions and occurrence of colic and gastric ulcers.