Coagulase-negative staphylococci and mammary gland infections in cows

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) are the most frequently isolated bacteria from bovine mammary gland milk samples. The objective of this study was to determine the type of inflammation evoked by CNS in the mammary gland of cows during their first lactation. Twenty-four Israeli-Holstein heifers in their first lactation were tested for bacteriological status, somatic cell count (SCC) and differential leucocyte count in milk 60-120 days postparturition and every 50-60 days after until drying off. Following the first testing, the 96 quarters of the 24 heifers were classified as follows: 69.8% as no bacterial growth (NBG), 27.1% infected with CNS and 3.1% infected with Staphylococcus aureus. During lactation, 84.5% quarters had no change in their classification, 6.2% were newly infected with other pathogens, 3.1% were classified as self-cured and in 6.2% sporadic bacteria were isolated. Among the CNS, S. intermedius, S. chromogenes and S. haemolyticus were the most frequently isolated. Milk from CNS-infected quarters had significantly higher SCC than milk from NBG quarters. An analysis of the leucocyte pattern in milk from CNS vs. NBG quarters revealed a significant increase in polymorphonuclears and a significant decrease in the percentage of total lymphocytes and lymphocytes bearing CD4+ or CD8+. The high percentage of CNS-infected quarters that remained unchanged in their bacterial status during the first lactation, indicates that those CNS have the ability to elude the immune system and persist in the mammary gland for a long time. The persisting infection, resulting to some extent from an increase of SCC by some CNS strains, suggests that in the near future control steps will have to be taken into consideration, in order to enhance the improvement of milk quality.     

Randomized, controlled study of inhaled fluticasone propionate, oral administration of prednisone, and environmental management of horses with recurrent airway obstruction

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether administration of glucocorticoids provides additional benefits to environmental management of horses with recurrent airway obstruction (RAO). ANIMALS: 28 horses with RAO. PROCEDURE: Horses were classified as having mild, moderate, or severe RAO. Within each category, horses were randomly assigned to receive inhaled fluticasone propionate, inhaled control substance, or oral administration of prednisone. During the 4-week study, horses were maintained outdoors and fed a pelleted feed. Clinical scores, pulmonary function, results of cytologic examination of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and adrenal gland function were determined before and 2 and 4 weeks after initiation of treatment. RESULTS: Clinical score and pulmonary function of all RAO-affected horses improved during the treatment period. After 4 weeks, clinical scores and pulmonary function of horses treated with a glucocorticoid were not different from those for the control treatment. In horses with severe RAO, treatment with fluticasone for 2 weeks resulted in significantly greater improvement in pulmonary function, compared with pulmonary function after treatment with prednisone or the control substance. Treatment with a glucocorticoid for 4 weeks and a low-dust environment did not have any effect on cellular content of BALF Treatment with prednisone for 2 weeks resulted in a significant decrease in serum cortisol concentration, compared with concentrations after administration of fluticasone or the control substance. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Environmental management is the most important factor in the treatment of horses with RAO. Early treatment with inhaled fluticasone can help accelerate recovery of horses with severe RAO.     

Lung worm (Marsupostrongylus spp.) infection in common brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula)

Marsupostrongylus spp. are the metastrongyloid nematodes most commonly associated with verminous pneumonia in Australian marsupials. Currently, there is a scarcity of information regarding this parasite in the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula). Thirty-four free-living possums submitted to two wildlife hospitals in Sydney, Australia, between 2008 and 2015 were diagnosed with verminous pneumonia on postmortem examination. The majority of possums presented ill with multiple comorbidities. However, only five cases had clinical signs of respiratory disease. Necropsy and histopathology revealed extensive lung lesions characterised by diffuse, mixed interstitial infiltrates of macrophages, lymphocytes and plasma cells with mild to marked concentrations of eosinophils. Bronchopneumonia, pulmonary oedema, interstitial fibrosis, atelectasis and type II pneumocyte hyperplasia were also present in most cases. Adult nematodes, first-stage larvae and embryonating eggs were present in the large airways and alveolar spaces. The parasites were definitively identified as Marsupostrongylus spp. in eight cases with presumptive diagnoses based on histopathological characteristics reached in a further 26 cases. Twenty-nine of the 34 affected possums were adults with no sex predisposition. A review of the brushtail possum records at Taronga Wildlife Hospital from 1999 to 2015 revealed no lungworm infections were reported in the 45 possums examined before 2008. However, between 2008 and 2015, 30 of 47 possums (63.8%) examined were diagnosed with metastrongyloid lungworms. This case series is the first detailed report of Marsupostrongylus nematodes in common brushtail possums and highlights the clinical and pathological features, along with epidemiological findings.     

A placebo-controlled trial of two intranasal vaccines to prevent tracheobronchitis (kennel cough) in dogs entering a humane shelter

A placebo-controlled field trial was conducted to compare the effectiveness of intranasal (IN) vaccines containing Bordetella bronchiseptica and canine-parainfluenza virus, with (IN-BPA) or without (IN-BP) canine-adenovirus type 2, for prevention of kennel cough at a humane shelter. Dogs were examined on admission to the shelter and those without respiratory signs of disease were assigned daily, on a rotating basis, to receive one of three vaccines. We enrolled 972 healthy dogs. Dogs were monitored for up to 30 days post-vaccination for coughing and other clinical signs of respiratory disease. Thirty-three (10.7%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 7.2%, 14.2%) dogs in the IN-BP group, 36 (10.2%; CI: 7.0%, 13.4%) [corrected] dogs in the IN-BPA group, and 42 (13.5%; CI: 9.7%, 17.3%) [corrected] dogs in the IN-P group coughed spontaneously for > or = 1 day within 30 days of vaccination (P = 0.37). The IN-BP and IN-BPA vaccines were 20.7 and 24.4% effective, respectively, in reducing coughing compared with a placebo vaccine. The strongest prognostic factor for coughing (regardless of vaccine group) was the number of days spent at the shelter, with each additional day increasing the risk of coughing by 3% (95% CI: 1.01, 1.06) [corrected] The low incidence of coughing in the shelter during this study precluded observation of differences in vaccine effectiveness. No differences in vaccine-associated adverse events (coughing, sneezing, nasal or ocular discharge) were noted during the first 3 days post-administration or thereafter.     

Epidemiologic, clinical, pathologic, and prognostic characteristics of splenic hemangiosarcoma and splenic hematoma in dogs: 217 cases (1985)

Data on age, sex, and breed were obtained from surgical pathologic records of 92 dogs with splenic hemangiosarcoma (SHS) and for 125 dogs with splenic hematoma (SHA) diagnosed in 1985 at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. Further information on body weight, clinical and surgical findings, and survival time was obtained for 59 dogs (64.1%) with SHS and 91 dogs (72.8%) with SHA. Splenic hemangiosarcoma was markedly more common in dogs 8 to 13 years old, and SHA was appreciably more common in dogs greater than or equal to 8 years old, compared with dogs 1 to 7 years old. Compared with sexually intact females, only spayed females were at significantly (odds ratio [or], 2.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2 to 4.1) increased risk for developing SHS; sex predisposition was not found for dogs with SHA. The German Shepherd Dog was the only breed with increased risk for development of either SHS (OR, 4.7; 95% CI, 2.7 to 7.8) or SHA (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.7 to 4.9), compared with all other purebred dogs. Association of tumor type for 7 commonly reported clinical signs with observance of hemoperitoneum at surgery was determined; anorexia (P = 0.01), collapse (P = 0.01), and hemoperitoneum (P less than 0.001) were significantly more common in dogs with SHS. The median survival time for dogs with SHS was 19 days, compared with 338 days for dogs with SHA (P less than 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Influence of host factors on survival in dogs with malignant mammary gland tumors

The purpose of our study was to determine if specific host factors, such as age at diagnosis, obesity, and hormone status, influence the prognosis of canine mammary gland carcinomas and to confirm if previously reported risk factors (ie, histologic subtype, tumor size, and World Health Organization [WHO] stage) were important in a large series of affected dogs. Ninety-nine female dogs with mammary gland carcinomas, no previous therapy, an excisional biopsy, and known cause of death were studied. No significant association with survival was noted for age at diagnosis (chronologic or physiologic), obesity, or hormone status (ie, spayed versus intact, regardless of time of being spayed). Of the tumor factors analyzed, the histologic subtype anaplastic carcinoma (P = .02), WHO stage I (P = .01), evidence of metastasis at the time of diagnosis (P = .004), and tumor size of 3 cm or smaller (P = .005) all significantly influenced survival. Dogs that were classified as having tumor-related mortality had a shorter postoperative survival compared to dogs that died of other causes (14 months versus 23 months; P = .03). In conclusion, histologic subtype, WHO stage, and tumor size remain important prognostic factors in canine mammary gland tumors. Further study of other prognostic factors is needed to determine which tumors are adequately addressed with local therapy only and which dogs may require adjuvant treatment with chemotherapy.     

Pharmacokinetics of clindamycin HCl administered intravenously, intramuscularly and subcutaneously to dogs

A buffered aqueous solution of clindamycin Hcl (200 mg/mL) was injected intravenously (i.v.) intramuscularly (i.m.) and subcutaneously (s.c.) in a non-randomized, partial cross-over trial involving six male and six female dogs. Blood samples were collected at conventional, predetermined time periods and serum drug concentrations were determined by microbiological assay. Dogs were observed clinically for signs of pain, and activity of serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) was monitored after i.m. dosing. The i.v. data from five of the dogs best fitted a two-compartment open-system pharmacokinetic model whereas a non-compartment model was most suitable for analysis of the data from the remaining seven dogs. The mean i.v. elimination half-life (t1/2 beta) and the mean residence time (MRT) were 124 and 143 min, respectively. The mean volume of distribution at steady state (Vss) was 0.86 L/kg. Little pain was recorded upon i.m. injection; mean peak serum drug concentration (Cmax) was 4.4 micrograms/mL, the elimination half-life (t1/2el) was 247 min and the calculated bioavailability (F) was 115% of the i.v. dose. Serum CPK activity was elevated to 25-fold the pretreatment level in samples collected 4, 8 and 12 h after i.m. injection. Pain was not recorded after s.c. drug administration; the mean Cmax of 20.8 micrograms/mL was significantly greater than the corresponding value for the i.m. route, and F was 310%. The s.c. route appears to be superior to the i.m. route in terms of local tolerance and serum drug level; a 10 mg/kg SID treatment regimen is suggested for treatment of canine infections due to clindamycin sensitive bacteria.