Evaluation of a rapid specific test for detecting colostral IgG1 in the neonatal calf

A commercially available latex agglutination test was used to measure the concentration of IgG1 in bovine plasma and the results were compared with radial immunodiffusion and zinc sulphate turbidity methods. For concentrations of IgG1 up to 80 g/litre there were highly significant (P less than 0.001) correlation coefficients between the latex agglutination test and radial immunodiffusion, and between the latex agglutination test and zinc sulphate turbidity method (0.93 and 0.74 respectively). The coefficient of variation for the latex agglutination test ranged from 8.1 per cent to 17.9 per cent. IgG1 concentration was measured using the latex agglutination test in whole blood on a farm, in whole blood at a laboratory and in plasma at a laboratory. The correlation coefficients were highly significant (P less than 0.001) in all cases. The latex agglutination test is easy to use, rapid and specific. It is suitable for checking the colostral status of young calves on commercial farms.     

Food hypersensitivity

Hypersensitivities to foods afflict both dogs and cats. Clinical signs are highly variable, although pruritus is almost always present. Diagnosis and therapy are discussed.     

Feline miliary eczema: megestrol acetate does not suppress immune responses

Megestrol acetate was found to have no influence on immunological skin and corneal reactivity nor on antibody responses in guinea pigs. Its curative effect in feline miliary eczema is probably not, therefore, the result of interference with the immune response.     

Ear temperatures in the horse during recovery from anesthesia

Ear temperatures were measured during and after halothane anesthesia in 16 horses and ponies. Aural hypothermia developed during recovery and persisted for more than one hour following standing. The decreased ear temperature was attributed to decreased peripheral perfusion and was considered to be related to other cardio-pulmonary and neuro-endocrine derangements that occur during recovery.     

A case of hyperplastic gastropathy in a cat

Primary hyperplastic gastropathy is an uncommon human disease characterized by giant gastric mucosal folds and is associated with a spectrum of histopathological changes. Diagnosis is usually made on radiological and gastroscopic findings followed by full-thickness biopsy of the stomach wall. The aetiology is unknown and symptomatic treatment is usually disappointing. A similar condition has been described in a small number of dogs. A case of hyperplastic gastropathy is reported in a cat and compared with the findings in man and dogs. The cat presented with chronic vomiting and weight loss. Radiological and gastroscopic examinations revealed enlarged gastric rugae. Medical and surgical treatment was unsuccessful and the cat was destroyed. The pathological findings were similar to those described in man.     

Experimental visceral leishmaniasis in the opossum

Adult wild-trapped opossums were infected with Leishmania donovani (Khartoum strain, WR 378) and evaluated as an animal model of visceral leishmaniasis. All infected opossums died within 32 days. Loss of body fat, hepatomegaly, and petechiae of skin and abdominal musculature were seen at necropsy. Microscopically, numerous amastigote-laden macrophages were seen in histologic sections of liver, spleen, and lymph nodes; fewer parasite-laden macrophages were in the bronchial-associated lymphoid tissues and renal glomeruli. Hematological findings included thrombocytopenia (terminal), neutropenia, and lymphopenia. Blood lymphocyte blastogenesis in response to concanavalin A and phytohemagglutinin was decreased markedly at day 24 post-infection (PI). Serum antibodies (1:40 dilution) to promastigotes of L. donovani were detected in five of eight infected opossums tested on days 10 and 24 PI. Total bilirubin concentrations and alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities were increased after day 25 PI. Activated partial thromboplastin times and one-stage prothrombin times were prolonged before death. Concurrently, factors V, VIII, and XII activities were decreased.     

A modified technique for surgical repair of oesophageal hiatal herniation in the dog

The surgical repair of oesophageal hiatal herniation in five dogs is described. The initial presenting signs included regurgitation, vomiting, hypersalivation, anorexia, coughing, dyspnoea and exercise intolerance. Diagnosis was based upon the clinical signs, plain radiography and contrast fluoroscopic examination. The hernias were corrected by a hiatal plication technique which moved the diaphragmatic oesophagus to a new anatomical position, a 360° oesophagopexy and a proximal fundic gastropexy. Surgical results were considered excellent in all cases.     

Plasma cell stomatitis-pharyngitis in cats: 40 cases (1973-1991).

Clinical signs, laboratory findings, and treatment results of 40 cats with the histologic diagnosis of plasma cell stomatitis-pharyngitis are discussed. Median age was 7.1 years, with no discernable sex predilection. Anorexia and difficulty prehending food were the most common clinical signs. Hyperproteinemia with associated hyperglobulinemia was the most common laboratory finding. Of various treatments, administration of corticosteroids or injectable gold (aurothioglucose) proved most effective in controlling the clinical signs.     

Direct control of virus diseases

The prospects for the direct control of virus diseases are reviewed by examining relevant areas of current scientific research: (1) research aimed at elucidating the processes involved in the development of virus diseases; (2) research designed to improve our understanding of the natural defence mechanisms in plants. The development of a virus disease can be divided into three phases: (a) infection; (b) multiplication and spread; (c) symptom expression. First, large numbers of substances have been screened for effects on the processes of infection but so far without practicable results. The greatest effort has been devoted to studies of virus inhibitors already present in plants and other organisms. These are listed and their properties discussed. The effects of virus multiplication and on the host plant following treatment of infected plants with nucleic acid base analogues are described. The uracil analogues ribavirin and dioxohexahydrotriazine (DHT) have shown promising results. In extensive field trials, treatment of virus-infected potatoes with DHT significantly increased yield compared with untreated controls. Carbendazim has been used successfully to suppress virus-induced symptoms in tobacco, lettuce and rise. Secondly, plants possess a wide range of natural defence mechanisms, the nature of which is not understood. There has been considerable research into the question of how plants can localize some virus infections to a small number of cells around the point of infection. Research on the active agents possibly responsible is described, together with studies on the various chemicals that have been shown to activate or enhance this defence mechanism.