Feline renal ultrasonography: quantitative analyses of imaged anatomy

Maximal kidney dimensions from serial ultrasonograms were measured in 10 healthy cats. Because clinical ultrasonographic examination is often performed in conjunction with excretory urography, the effect of radiographic contrast medium-induced diuresis on dimensional change also was evaluated. Although a slight, statistically significant increase in size was observed (compared with kidneys scanned without contrast medium), this increase could not be detected on the basis of visual image evaluation alone.     

Histopathology of attachment sites of Amblyomma variegatum and Rhipicephalus appendiculatus on zebu cattle of varying resistance to ticks.

Mature, unimproved East African Zebu cattle (Bos indicus) naturally exposed to ticks from birth were ranked for resistance to ticks by repeated whole-body counts of infesting ticks. Four cattle of high resistance, four of low resistance and two of intermediate resistance were artificially infested with nymphs of Amblyomma variegatum and Rhipicephalus appendiculatus. Two Friesian cattle (Bos taurus) with less exposure to ticks were similarly infested. Biopsies of tick attachment sites were examined histologically. All attachment sites showed acute inflammatory lesions, and sites of both tick species on high resistance cattle showed delayed hypersensitive reactions with intra-epidermal pustulation and significant increases in the numbers of granulocytes. The predominant cells infiltrating attachment sites on high resistance cattle were eosinophils with A. variegatum and neutrophils with R. appendiculatus. Such differences need to be taken into account in developing immunological tests for selecting cattle for resistance but there are sufficient common features of reactions to the two infesting tick species to justify dermal hypersensitivity tests.     

Germfree technique for the rearing of kittens--a research tool

Techniques to derive and rear germfree kittens (Felis catus) for biomedical research were explored and refined. The isolator units, equipment, sterilization procedures, husbandry techniques, and safety issues are discussed. This method proved to be successful for the surgical derivation and hand-rearing of germfree kittens.     

Clinical encephalitis following avian encephalomyelitis vaccination in broiler breeder pullets

Twelve-to-fourteen-week-old broiler breeder pullets and cockerels from two different companies were found to have encephalitis 2 weeks after vaccination with avian encephalomyelitis (AE) vaccine. Histologic examination and virus isolation indicated that affected chickens had AE. All chickens had been vaccinated with either one of two serials of AE vaccine approximately 2 weeks before the onset of clinical signs.