Whole-blood and plasma cholinesterase levels in normal koi (Cyprinus carpio).

Organophosphate and carbamate insecticides produce their toxic effects by binding with cholinesterase enzymes, resulting in the inhibition of acetylcholine catabolism. Excessive acetylcholine levels cause excessive synaptic neurotransmitter activity. In most animal species, whole blood is the preferred sample for evaluation of cholinesterase activity. Previous reports of cholinesterase activity in carp have involved sampling of serum, plasma, brain, liver, muscle, and heart. Whole-blood samples were obtained from 12 healthy koi (Cyprinus carpio). Whole-blood cholinesterase activity was measured in all 12 samples. Plasma cholinesterase activity was also measured in 4 samples. The overall average of the whole-blood cholinesterases was 0.08 micromol/ml/minute (SD = 0.024). The results for the plasma cholinesterases were similar, with an average of 0.08 micromol/ml/minute (SD = 0.012). Because these reference values are below the minimum detection limit for the method of analysis used, results from blood samples from koi suspected to be suffering from anticholinesterase toxicosis may be uninterpretable.     

Uterine leiomyomas in three captive eastern Bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci).

Uterine leiomyomas occurred in three eastern bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci) 10, 15, and 16 yr of age at three separate zoological institutions. Two animals were nulliparous, and one had given birth to 14 calves over its lifetime. Two of the leiomyomas originated in the cervix. The third originated in the uterine wall and incorporated the body of the uterus and both uterine horns. The tumors in the two animals that had never calved were large and nonresectable. They were associated with gastrointestinal clinical signs including diarrhea, anorexia, and the inability to defecate. The tumor in the animal that had calved was an incidental finding at necropsy. Uterine leiomyomas have not been previously documented in the literature on eastern bongo.     

A devastating outbreak of malignant catarrhal fever in a bison feedlot.

In early 2003, an outbreak of malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) occurred in a bison feedlot in southern Idaho. The outbreak resulted in a 51.2% (n = 825) mortality rate among bison, which had been exposed to sheep for 19 days. Diagnosis was made by detection of ovine herpesvirus 2 (sheep-associated MCF virus) DNA in tissues or peripheral blood by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and by histological examination of tissue lesions. Peak losses occurred between 41 and 55 days postmean exposure time (PME), and reached a maximum of 41 head per day. No known cases of MCF were observed among the 177 head of bison that arrived in the lot 3 1/2 weeks after the departure of the sheep. Of the several thousand head of beef cattle in the lot during the outbreak, only a single case of MCF was identified. This outbreak illustrates the devastating impact the MCF virus can have on bison under certain exposure conditions, the high threat posed by adolescent lambs to susceptible species, the significantly greater susceptibility of bison than beef cattle to MCF, and the lack of horizontal transmission from clinically affected bison to herdmates.     

Contact transmission of vesicular stomatitis virus New Jersey in pigs

OBJECTIVE: To determine how viral shedding and development or lack of clinical disease relate to contact transmission of vesicular stomatitis virus New Jersey (VSV-NJ) in pigs and determine whether pigs infected by contact could infect other pigs by contact. ANIMALS: 63 pigs. PROCEDURE: Serologically naive pigs were housed in direct contact with pigs that were experimentally inoculated with VSV-NJ via ID inoculation of the apex of the snout, application to a scarified area of the oral mucosa, application to intact oral mucosa, or ID inoculation of the ear. In a second experiment, pigs infected with VSV-NJ by contact were moved and housed with additional naive pigs. Pigs were monitored and sampled daily for clinical disease and virus isolation and were serologically tested before and after infection or contact. RESULTS: Contact transmission developed only when vesicular lesions were evident. Transmission developed rapidly; contact pigs shed virus as early as 1 day after contact. In pens in which contact transmission was detected, 2 of 3 or 3 of 3 contact pigs were infected. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Transmission was lesion-dependent; however, vesicular lesions often were subtle with few or no clinical signs of infection. Contact transmission was efficient, with resulting infections ranging from subclinical (detected only by seroconversion) to clinical (development of vesicular lesions). Long-term maintenance of VSV-NJ via contact transmission alone appears unlikely. Pigs represent an efficient large-animal system for further study of VSV-NJ pathogenesis and transmission.     

Characterization of the inflammatory infiltrate during IgE-mediated late phase reactions in the skin of normal and atopic dogs

In canine and human atopic patients, the intracutaneous injection of offending allergens is followed by the development of both immediate and late-phase reactions. The present study was performed to expand on the characterization and dynamics of inflammatory cell subsets during IgE-mediated late-phase reactions in canine skin. Three normal dogs and three Dermatophagoides farinae -allergic dogs were selected for this experiment. All dogs were challenged intradermally with mite allergen, purified anticanine IgE antibodies (positive control) or phosphate-buffered saline (negative control). Skin biopsies were obtained before and 6, 12 and 24 h post-injection. Sections were stained with metachromatic and eosinophil-specific histological stains. Additionally, we used an immunohistochemical method with antibodies specific for canine leukocyte antigens. This study confirmed the occurrence of a late-phase reaction in atopic skin following allergen challenge, and in normal and atopic canine skin after intradermal injection of IgE-specific antibodies. Whereas early emigrating dermal cells were composed chiefly of neutrophil and activated eosinophil granulocytes, there was an influx of αβ T-lymphocytes and dermal dendritic cells in later stages of the late-phase reactions. Because IgE-mediated late-phase reactions resemble spontaneous atopic canine skin lesions, both at macroscopic and microscopic levels, we propose the use of similar challenges to study the anti-inflammatory effects of anti-allergic drugs in a pre-clinical setting.     

Genotypic Variation in Nutritional Composition of Buckwheat Groats and Husks

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum), a highly nutritious pseudocereal rich in bioactive compounds, is principally cultivated in central and eastern European countries. Buckwheat groats and husks of 10 cultivars were subjected to nutritional composition analysis and in vitro starch digestibility determination. Significant genetic variation was detected in buckwheat groats for 1,000‐kernel weight (16.5–39.8 g), protein content (10.2–17.9%), soluble dietary fiber (1.4–3.4%), insoluble dietary fiber (2.3–8.6%), total dietary fiber (3.6–10.6%), free phenolics (4.5–17.1 mg of gallic acid equivalent [GA]/g), and total phenolics content (6.8–20.7 mg of GA/g). The buckwheat husks exhibited large differences between cultivars in protein content (3.0–6.5%), bound phenolics (6.7–26.1 mg of GA/g), and total phenolics content (32.4–58.6 mg of GA/g), which was 1.5–8 times higher than in the groat. Cooked and cooled buckwheat groats exhibited lower starch digestibility and greater resistant starch content than raw buckwheat groats. Buckwheat cultivars with unique nutritional composition, such as Co901 and Ta‐1, were identified for future breeding.     

A multi-centre prospective evaluation of internet research habits among owners seeing a veterinary oncologist

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the internet-use among pet owners seeing a veterinary oncologist. Over a two-month period, 137 questionnaires were collected at three specialty hospitals around a large urban city. Approximately 85% of respondents reported using the internet to research their pet's condition and/or treatment. A search engine was the most employed means however veterinary university websites were considered to provide the most accurate information. The odds of owners who researched their own health condition online researching their pet's condition was 4.3 (95% CI: 1.2–23.1, p < .021) times as high as owners who did not research their own health condition. The odds of owners who have been to their oncologist previously to research their pet's condition was 4.7 (95% CI: 26.9.3, p < .001) times as high than owners who have not been to an oncologist previously. Oncologists should be aware internet use among pet owners appears common and further research to assess the accuracy and readability of veterinary medical websites appears indicated.