Components of electroencephalographic responses to slaughter in halothane-anaesthetised calves: Effects of cutting neck tissues compared with major blood vessels

AIM: To identify whether cutting neck tissues or cutting major blood vessels initiates the mechanisms responsible for electroencephalographic (EEG) responses to slaughter by ventral-neck incision without prior stunning in halothane-anaesthetised calves.

METHODS: Calves were assigned to two groups, viz transection of neck tissues with intact blood circulation through the brain (n=10), or transection of the major blood vessels of the neck but not most other neck tissues (n=7). They were minimally anaesthetised with halothane, using an established anaesthesia protocol. The animals in the neck-tissue transection group had their carotid arteries and jugular veins exposed and cannulated proximal and distal to the proposed site of subsequent ventral-neck incision; this diverted blood fl ow through these vessels so that cerebral perfusion and drainage were preserved. In animals in the blood-vessel transection group, the carotid arteries and jugular veins were exposed bilaterally by surgical dissection. They were then transected without further damage to the remaining structures of the neck. Changes in the median frequency (F50), 95% spectral edge frequency (F95), total power of the EEG (Ptot), and arterial blood pressure were compared within each group before and after neck-tissue or blood-vessel transection, and between groups following treatments.

RESULTS: Neck-tissue transection resulted in little overall change in the F50, an increase in the F95, and an initial increase in Ptot followed by a transient decrease and eventual return to pre-treatment values. There was between-animal variation in these EEG parameters. Transection of the major blood vessels of the neck resulted in a decrease in F50 in most animals; changes in F95 were highly variable, and there was a decrease in Ptot.

CONCLUSIONS: The EEG responses seen following necktissue and blood-vessel transection were qualitatively distinct, and suggested that cutting neck tissues caused greater noxious sensory input than transection of only the major blood vessels of the neck. These observations support the conclusion that the EEG responses seen after ventral-neck incision in intact animals are primarily due to noxious stimulation as a result of incision of ventral-neck tissues and not mainly as a result of loss of blood flow through the brain.     

Retrospective study of 108 foals with septic osteomyelitis

Objective   To determine the clinical characteristics, short-term outcome and future athletic performance of foals with septic osteomyelitis.
Design   Retrospective clinical study of 108 Thoroughbred foals with radiographic evidence of bone infection that were presented at the Scone Veterinary Hospital between August 1995 and December 2001. Medical records were reviewed and information concerning signalment, the clinical, laboratory and radiographic findings, treatment and outcome was obtained. Racing records were obtained and evaluated for surviving foals that had reached racing age.
Results   Mean age of foals at initial evaluation was 39 days (range 1–180 days); 21 foals had multiple radiographic bone lesions (19.4%), and 76 had concurrent septic arthritis (70.4%). The most frequently affected bones were the femur, tibia and distal phalanx. In total, 87 foals were discharged from the hospital (80.6%), 79 survived long-term to reach racing age and 52 raced (65.8%). Overall, 48% (52/108) of the foals treated for osteomyelitis raced. Foals less than 30 days of age at the time of diagnosis, critically ill foals and those with multiple bones or joints affected were significantly less likely to be discharged from hospital. Multiple septic joints, but not multiple bone involvement, had an unfavourable prognosis for racing.
Conclusions   The prognosis for survival of foals with septic osteomyelitis or osteitis is favourable. Multiple bone or joint involvement is an important short-term prognostic indicator; however, the involvement of multiple joints, but not multiple infected bones, is associated with an unfavourable prognosis for racing.     

Inhibited development of trichostrongylid worms in grazing cattle

Inhibition of development of gastro-intestinal trichostrongylid worms was studied using successive groups of tracer calves and groups of continuously grazed calves over one year in the Tully area of North Queensland lowland wet tropics. The results, assessed by means of worms from these calves recovered at necropsy 3 weeks after their removal from pastures, showed inhibition in the development of Haemonchus placei and Cooperia punctata at the early fourth stage at the approach to and during the relatively dry period in the area. Inhibition was however minor and inhibited larvae formed but only a small percentage of worm burdens in both categories of calves, indicating that they were not in any way of major epidemiological importance. It was suggested that the minor nature of inhibition was due to the mild climatic conditions which could not produce appropriate conditioning treatment, or caused only mild selection pressure for inhibition in the area.     

Urinary catecholamine metabolites during behavioral changes in a patient with manic-depressive cycles

3-Methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol and normetanephrine were analyzed in daily urine specimens of a patient with manic-depressive cycles who was studied longitudinally. The quantities of these catecholamine metabolites excreted into urine were decreased during periods of depression as compared with periods of mania. Urinary excretion of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol varied cyclically with a period length of approximately 20 days. Changes in this metabolite, and perhaps in normetanephrine, preceded the affective and behavioral shifts.     

江苏省实施兽药GSP试点工作的基本做法与推进思考

江苏省GSP试点工作通过加强组织领导、广泛宣传推动、强化培训指导和注重检查交流等措施,基本建立了兽药GSP制度的框架,进一步提高和统一了对兽药GSP的认识,提高了试点企业的质量管理水平。但在兽药GSP实施过程中,存在对其重要性认识不足,部分暂行管理办法内容与实际脱节,技术指导力量薄弱等问题。