Cryptosporidiosis in newborn red deer (Cervus elaphus).

Red deer calves dying at 24 to 72 hours old were infected with cryptosporidia. The clinical signs were extreme depression and weakness, but they did not consistently have diarrhoea. One calf was severely uraemic, and evidence from subsequent cases suggested that cryptosporidium infection in very young red deer calves may result in terminal uraemia. The possibility of intrauterine infection is considered. The factors which could have predisposed to the outbreak of infection were investigated; the calves were deficient in vitamin E despite having received adequate colostrum.     

Anesthesia for patients with severe systemic debilitation.

Any patient presenting for anesthesia and surgery who has a severe debilitating problem is at great risk for a prolonged recovery, renal failure, or hypotension. A stable hemodynamic state should be maintained. Fluid homeostasis should be ensured. Anesthetic induction techniques using narcotics and benzodiazepines are my preferred approach, with maintenance of anesthesia incorporating isoflurane, narcotics, or both or the use of regional anesthesia.     

Effects of nicarbazin on sugar intestinal absorption in rabbits.

Nicarbazin is an anticoccidial drug, used mainly in birds, which can also be used in rabbits. It has been shown to produce several effects, such as inhibition of growth and feed efficiency in poultry. The aim of the present work was to determine whether nicarbazin alters intestinal absorption of sugar. Results obtained show that nicarbazin decreases D-galactose accumulation in the jejunal tissue and increases mucosal to serosal transepithelial fluxes of this sugar, in both cases in a dose-dependent way. Furthermore, nicarbazin seems not to modify the sugar diffusion across the intestinal epithelium. The drug also stimulates the sugar uptake in brush border and basolateral membrane vesicles. The results suggest that in rabbits nicarbazin increases sugar intestinal absorption mediated by carriers.     

Sex difference in the morphology of erythrocyte nucleus and melanising activity of blood of one-day-old chicks

Erythrocyte nuclear breadth and area were found to be less in the male than in the female of 1‐d‐old chicks. The nuclear length and area of erythrocyte as a whole did not vary between sexes. The percentage of erythrocytes with narrow nuclei was higher in the male than in the female. Blood from males showed higher melanising activity than that from females.

From the results obtained it is suggested that these sex differences are due to the male's higher oxidation rate.     

THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF BIRDSVILLE DISEASE OF HORSES

In a feeding experiment with eight horses fed toxic levels of Indigofera dominii, the poisonous plant which caused Birdsville disease of horses, three of four supplemented with peanut meal and one supplemented with gelatin did not develop the disease. Two non-supplemented control horses, one supplemented with peanut meal and another who was fed gelatin but rejected it, contracted Birdsville disease. This experiment, along with treatment trials in field cases is presented as evidence of the value of arginine-rich protein supplement in protecting and treating horses against the toxic effects of Indigofera dominii. The possible mode of action is discussed.