A retrospective evaluation of the surgical management of equine carpal injury

SUMMARY: Records of 220 thoroughbred horses presented to the Randwick Equine Centre or the University of Queensland Veterinary Teaching Hospital for surgical management of carpal injury were reviewed. Details of racing performance were obtained, enabling evaluation of racing success following surgery. Age and sex matched control horses not known to have suffered carpal injury were selected from the Australian Stud Book and the Australian Racehorse Register. Control and treated populations were compared in terms of overall career racing success.
Radiographs or xeroradiographs from 198 horses were available for evaluation. The dorsomedial aspects of the distal articular surface of the radial carpal bone and the proximal articular surface of the third carpal bone were the most commonly observed locations of osteochondral fracture. Bilateral carpal injury was found to be sufficiently common to warrant routine radiographic examination of both limbs. The dorsolateral-palmaromedial oblique, flexed lateral and dorsoproximal-dorsodistal oblique (skyline) projections were the most useful views for evaluation of carpal degenerative joint disease. Surgical removal of osteochondral fractures by arthrotomy or arthroscopy was found to be a suitable method of treatment.
Arthroscopy was associated with a significantly shorter convalescent period than arthrotomy. Seventy-six percent of the treated population returned to racing following surgery. Average earnings following surgery were 20 000. However, the median value was only 1400 and 48% of the treated population failed to earn more than 1000. Male horses in both the treated and control groups performed significantly better than females. Treated horses performed significantly better than the randomly selected control population.     

Immunodiffusion test antigen from bluetongue virus-infected newborn mouse brains

Three methods of extracting bluetongue virus (BTV)-infected newborn mouse brains to prepare immunodiffusion (ID) test antigen were used. The most readily readable and reproducible results were obtained with fluorocarbon-extracted brains homogenized in 8.5% sucrose. Mouse brain- and reference cell culture-derived antigens gave a line of identity with anti-BTV serum. Extracts of noninfected brains were nonreactive. ID tests on field-collected bovine sera, comparing the two types of antigen, resulted in only 73% agreement due to a greater sensitivity of cell culture-derived antigen. A 70.5% agreement resulted when comparing mouse brain-derived antigen in ID tests with complement fixation tests, the latter being least sensitive. ID test results with sera from experimental sheep gave 95.9% agreement between cell culture- and mouse brain-derived antigens. Between ID, which detects antibody to the BTV common or group antigen, and virus neutralization, which detects type-specific antibody, the agreement was 71.4% with postchallenge sera. Data from pre- and postinjection sera, however, indicate the possible activity in Texas of viruses other than International BTV Types 10, 11, 13, and 17.     

Serologic study of the incidence and prevalence of bluetongue infections in cattle in the Mexican states of Nuevo Leon,Tamaulipas, Coahuila and San Luis Potosi

Serum samples from 2156 cattle in 40 herds in northeastern Mexico were tested for antibody activity to bluetongue virus. In addition, animals from 5 other herds were sampled each month to determine when new infections were occuring. Prevalence rates ranged from 7 to 100%, with a herd average of 42%. New infections occurred on each of the five ranches sampled monthly. Attack rates for the study period were 9, 63, 22, 18 and 57%.     

THE TOXICITY AND EFFICIENCY OF ARECOLINE HYDROBROMIDE IN THE TASMANIAN HYDATID CONTROL PROGRAM

SUMMARY Results on the efficiency and toxicity of arecoline hydrobromide during the first 11 years of the hydatid limitation program in Tasmania are presented. A satisfactory mucous purge was obtained from about 80% of dogs when arecoline was used at 3.25 mg/kg and from about 75% when the dose rate was reduced to 1.62 mg/kg of body weight. Arecoline is considered to have a low efficiency in detecting tapeworm infection in individual dogs, but is valuable as a diagnostic aid in groups of dogs. Toxicity was seen as acute cardiac collapse in about 5 dogs per 1000 dosed. Deaths followed in 1 dog in about 9,500.