Histopathology and physiopathology of gastric mucous hyperplasia in rats heavily infected with Taenia taeniaeformis.

Rats heavily infected with larval Taenia taeniaeformis show hyperplasia of the gastric mucosa accompanied by mucous cell proliferation, increase in the level of intragastric pH and hypergastrinemia. Sixty one rats were divided into 2 groups designed as infected (36 rats) and control (25 rats) group. These rats were examined with time course of the infection histopathologically and physiopathologically, during 14-112 days postinfection (DPI). In the infected rats, gastric mucosal hyperplasia began to be observed at 56 DPI, and the structural disturbance of zymogenic units in the corpus and mucous units in the antrum had increased with time. However, the degree of these changes in the antrum was weaker than those in the corpus. Alcianblue and/or PAS-positive cells increased in their numbers with time, and 4 types of cells other than typical surface mucous cell and mucous neck cell were observed by electron-microscopy. However, zymogenic and parietal cells decreased in their number after 56 DPI. Further, the infected rats showed changes in the serum concentration of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, blood urea nitrogen, glucose and total protein. Some similarities with Menetrier's disease were discussed.     

Pharmacokinetics and physiologic/behavioral effects of buprenorphine administered sublingually and intravenously to neonatal foals

Buprenorphine is absorbed following sublingual administration, which would be a low‐stress delivery route in foals. However, the pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics are not described in foals. Six healthy foals <21 days of age participated in a blinded, randomized, 3‐period, 5‐sequence, 3‐treatment crossover prospective study. Foals received 0.01–0.02 mg/kg buprenorphine administered SL or IV with an equivalent volume of saline administered by the opposite route. Blood was collected from the cephalic vein for pharmacokinetic analysis. Physiologic parameters (HR, RR, body temperature, GI sounds), locomotion (pedometer), and behavioral data (activity level, nursing time, response to humans) were recorded. Plasma concentration of buprenorphine exceeded a presumed analgesic level (0.6 ng/ml) in five foals in the IV group and one in the SL group but only for a very brief time. Pharmacokinetic analysis following IV administration demonstrated a short elimination half‐life (t_1/2β 1.95 ± 0.7 hr), large volume of distribution (6.46 ± 1.54 L/kg), and a high total clearance (55.83 ± 23.75 ml/kg/min), which differs from adult horses. Following SL administration, maximum concentrations reached were 0.61 ± 0.11 ng/ml and bioavailability was 25.1% ± 10.9%. In both groups, there were minor statistical differences in HR, RR, body temperature, locomotion, and time spent nursing. However, these differences were clinically insignificant in this single dose study, and excitement, sedation, or colic did not occur.     

Long‐term use of non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs in cats with chronic kidney disease: from controversy to optimism

This is the first of a series of capsule reviews published by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association ‐ Global Pain Council (WSAVA‐GPC). Each of these short articles provides a brisk assessment of the scientific evidence in specific aspects of pain management, including analgesic techniques, recommendations and controversies surrounding their use. In this first capsule review, the scientific evidence available on the long‐term use of non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs in cats with concomitant chronic pain and chronic kidney disease is discussed.     

Field experiments to evaluate the feasibility of eradication of Aujeszky's disease virus by different vaccination schedules.

In the present report, the extent of the reduction in Aujeszky's disease virus (ADV) dissemination achieved when pigs were intensively vaccinated with gI-deleted vaccines under field circumstances, was examined. On widely dispersed breeding-fattening farms, a gI-negative status was most rapidly obtained and the rate of new waves of infections was lowest when the attenuated Bartha strain was administered to both the sows and the fatteners. It was more difficult not only to reach but also to keep a gI-negative status on farms on which the sows were vaccinated with an inactivated vaccine and the fatteners with the attenuated Bartha strain or when the fattening pigs were not vaccinated at all. In a densely populated area, 9 of the 17 farms had gI-positive fatteners at the start of the intensive vaccination programme in which the attenuated Bartha strain was given to both the sows and the fatteners. Antibodies were not detected in the sera of the fatteners of each farm at some time during the experiments, but the fatteners on 7 of the 18 farms still showed antibodies against gI after 20 months of vaccination. At the end of the experiment, the percentage of fatteners with antibodies on these farms was markedly reduced compared with the percentage at the start of the experiment. Therefore, elimination of field virus may be feasible if intensive vaccination is carried out over a sufficiently long period of time. However, the high rate of reinfections experienced either due to reintroduction of the virus or to recrudescence should be a warning against too much optimism, particularly in regions with a dense swine population.     

Effects of phenothiazine and thiabendazole on bovine dorsal pedal vein contractility induced by ergonovine and serotonin; Potential for alleviation of fescue toxicity

Phenothiazine and thiabendazole were studied for their ability to antagonize venoconstriction induced by ergonovine, and the biogenic amine serotonin, in the isolated dorsal pedal vein of cattle. The two compounds are commercially available, approved for usage in cattle and have been reported to reverse some of the toxic effects associated with the intake of Acremonium coenophialum-infested fescue forage by cattle. Neither compound had any antagonistic activity against venoconstriction induced by ergonovine. However, thiabendazole did have some activity against venoconstriction induced by serotonin. Ergot alkaloids are known to cause venoconstriction through effects on biogenic amine receptors, including serotonergic receptors, and since thiabendazole has anti-serotonin activity, part of the reported beneficial effects of thiabendazole in alleviating fescue toxicity may be due to the anti-serotonin activity of the drug. Further work is needed to determine if phenothiazine and thiabendazole have any effect on other types of alkaloids that are present in A. coenophialum-infested fescue.     

Cross-reactivity between a monoclonal antibody that recognizes a tumor-associated antigen on bovine lymphosarcoma cells and blood lymphocytes from various mammalian species.

Tumor-associated antigens that are expressed in lymphosarcoma B cells of cattle with enzootic bovine leukosis had been analyzed in terms of their reactivity with 13 monoclonal antibodies (MAB). By use of flow cytometry and radioimmunoprecipitation, 1 of the MAB (c143) that recognized a tumor-associated antigen cross-reacted with blood lymphocytes (BL) from various mammalian species. By use of flow cytometry, the c143 MAB reacted with 10 to 49% of BL derived from human beings, mice, dogs, horses, pigs, llamas, sheep, goats, and cattle. Titer of the c143 MAB with BL from horses, pigs, human beings, and llamas ranged between 1:6.0 x 10(4) and 1:5.3 x 10(5); titer associated with BL of goats and sheep was 1:1.6 x 10(6); and that associated with BL of cattle was 1:4.3 x 10(7). The c143 MAB specifically immunoprecipitated 3 homologous proteins from cell extracts of caprine, ovine, and bovine BL (32-, 34-, and 36- to 37-kDa bovine proteins; 31-, 32-, and 36- to 37-kDa caprine proteins; and 31.5-, 33-, and 36- to 37-kDa ovine proteins), but none was immunoprecipitated from human, murine, canine, porcine, and llama BL. These results indicate that the avidity of the c143 MAB in binding to BL from ruminants (eg, goats, sheep, and cattle) is higher than that to BL from human beings, mice, dogs, horses, pigs, and llamas. In sheep, the c143 MAB could immunoprecipitate the aforementioned proteins from BL of the Suffolk breed, but not BL from the Corriedale breed, whereas the c143 MAB immunoprecipitated apparently identical proteins from BL of 4 breeds of cattle.     

The effect of ticlopidine on canine platelets, fibrinogen, and antithrombin III activity

The effect of ticlopidine on platelet function, platelet number, mean platelet volume, antithrombin III activity, and fibrinogen was evaluated in 10 laboratory beagles. Ticlopidine (62 mg/kg) significantly inhibited ADP- and collagen-induced platelet aggregation within 2 days of the beginning of oral administration. Collagen-induced platelet 14C-serotonin release was not inhibited by day 9 of medication but was inhibited by day 20 in two of three beagles given medication for 32 days. Significant increases in mean platelet number were observed on days 2 and 5. The trend toward increased platelet number continued until day 16, at which time platelet number began to decrease toward baseline in three of three dogs treated for 32 days. Mean platelet volume (MPV) was significantly decreased compared to baseline on days 5 and 9. In three dogs treated for 32 days, the lowest MPV was observed on day 9 in two dogs and on day 12 in one dog. Significant changes were not observed in antithrombin III activity or fibrinogen with ticlopidine treatment.     

Methodology for assessing zinc bioavailability: efficacy estimates for zinc-methionine, zinc sulfate, and zinc oxide.

The bioavailability of zinc-methionine (ZnMET) was compared to that of feed-grade ZnSO4.H2O using three different diets: purified (crystalline amino acid [AA]), semipurified (soy isolate), and complex (corn-soybean [C-SBM]) diet. With the Zn-deficient purified or semipurified diet, weight gain and tibia Zn responded linearly to both ZnSO4.H2O and ZnMET supplementation. Common-intercept, multiple linear regression indicated differences in Zn bioavailability between ZnMET and ZnSO4.H2O for both diets as indicated by bone Zn. With the ZnSO4.H2O standard set at 100%, bioavailability of Zn from ZnMET was 117% (P less than .05) in the AA diet and 177% (P less than .01) in the soy isolate diet. The ZnMET was also compared to ZnSO4.H2O in a C-SBM diet containing 117 mg of Zn/kg. When high levels of Zn were added to this diet (0, 250, 500, and 750 mg/kg of supplemental Zn), consistent tissue Zn responses did not occur beyond the first increment. Addition of lower levels of supplemental Zn (0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 mg/kg) to a Zn-unsupplemented C-SBM basal diet (45 mg/kg of Zn), however, resulted in a broken-line, two-slope response in tibia Zn for both ZnMET and ZnSO4.H2O. Inflection points occurred at 60 and 54 mg of Zn/kg of diet for ZnSO4.H2O and ZnMET, respectively. The ratio of slopes (ZnMET:ZnSO4.H2O) below the inflection points was 206% (P less than .01), indicating that Zn was considerably more bioavailable in ZnMET than in ZnSO4.H2O for chicks consuming C-SBM diets. When feed-grade ZnO was compared to feed-grade ZnSO4.H2O in chicks consuming C-SBM diets, bone Zn slopes below the respective inflection points indicated that Zn was 61% bioavailable in ZnO relative to ZnSO4.H2O.