Clinical,pathologic, and toxicologic characterization of Salvia reflexa (lance-leaf sage) poisoning in cattle fed contaminated hay

Salvia reflexa (lance-leaf sage)-contaminated alfalfa hay was fed to ~500 mixed-breed beef cattle. Within hours of exposure, nearly half of the cattle developed lethargy, anorexia, depression, and recumbency, followed by bellowing, colic, and death. Even though the uneaten contaminated hay was removed the first day, nearly 100 animals died within the first 48 h. Three of these cattle were examined postmortem, and tissues and hay samples were collected for microscopic and chemical analysis. Several days later, a smaller number of the clinically poisoned cattle developed neurologic disease with aberrant behavior, aggression, icterus, blindness, exhaustion, and death. A total of 165 cattle were fatally poisoned. Poisoned cattle had swollen, dark, mottled livers that had a prominent nutmeg-like lobular pattern on cut section. Histologically, there was severe centrilobular-to-panlobular hepatic necrosis with marked hepatocellular swelling, degeneration, and necrosis. The surviving cattle developed liver disease characterized by altered serum biochemical analyses and microscopic hepatocellular degeneration and necrosis. In subsequent biopsies and analysis, these lesions resolved within 6–7 mo. After confirming toxicity of the hay in cattle, goats, and mice, followed by a mouse bioassay–guided chemical fractionation process, Salvia reflexa was identified as the contaminant in the hay responsible for the hepatotoxicity. S. reflexa has not been reported previously to cause fatal hepatotoxicity in livestock in North America, to our knowledge.     

Growth performance and carcass quality are not different between pigs fed diets containing cold-fermented low-oil DDGS and pigs fed conventional DDGS,but pelleting improves gain to feed ratio regardless of source of DDGS

The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that growth performance and carcass characteristics of pigs fed diets containing cold-fermented, low oil distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) is not different from that of pigs fed diets containing conventional DDGS regardless of the physical form of the diets. A total of 160 barrows and gilts were used. There were 4 diets, 10 pens per diet, and 4 pigs per pen. Pigs were weaned at 21 d of age and fed a common phase 1 diet that did not contain DDGS during the initial 7 d post-weaning. Pigs were then allotted to the four diets that were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial design with two sources of DDGS (cold-fermented and conventional DDGS) and two diet forms (meal and pellets). Pigs were fed phase 2 diets from day 7 to 21 and phase 3 diets from day 21 to 43 post-weaning. All diets were based on corn and soybean meal, but phase 2 diets also contained 15% DDGS and phase 3 diets contained 30% DDGS. From day 43, pigs were fed grower diets for 38 d, early finisher diets for 38 d, and late finisher diets for 18 d and these diets also contained 30% DDGS. Feed was provided on an ad libitum basis and daily feed allotments were recorded. Pigs were weighed at the beginning of each phase and at the conclusion of the experiment. On the last day of the experiment, the pig in each pen with a body weight that was closest to the pen average was slaughtered and carcass measurements were determined. Combined results for the two nursery phases indicated that feeding meal diets instead of pelleted diets increased (P < 0.001) average daily feed intake and decreased (P < 0.05) gain to feed ratio (G:F). However, no differences between the two sources of DDGS were observed for the overall growth performance of weanling pigs. For the entire growing-finishing period, the source of DDGS did not affect growth performance, but pigs fed meal diets had reduced (P < 0.001) G:F compared with pigs fed the pelleted diets. There were no differences between the two sources of DDGS for carcass characteristics. Back fat was greater (P < 0.05) for pigs fed pelleted diets than for pigs fed meal diets. In conclusion, no differences in growth performance or carcass characteristics between pigs fed cold-fermented DDGS and pigs fed conventional DDGS were observed. However, pigs fed pelleted diets had greater G:F and greater back fat than pigs fed meal diets.     

Reduced immunoreactivity of tyrosine hydroxylase in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus of the seizure sensitive gerbil

We compared the immunoreactivity and numbers of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactive neurons and neuropil in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus between the seizure sensitive (SS) and seizure resistant (SR) gerbils. The distributional pattern of TH immunoreactivity was similar in both groups: TH immunoreactivity was seen mainly in magnocellular neurons of the PVN. However, total TH immunoreactivity in the neurons and neuropil in the SS gerbils was significantly lower than that in the SR gerbils. In addition, the number of TH immunoreactive neurons in the SS gerbils was also much lower than those in the SR gerbils. These results indicate that SS gerbils have a low TH immunoreactivity in the hypothalamic PVN compared with that in SR gerbils.     

Retrospective study of 103 presumed cases of tick (Ixodes holocyclus) envenomation in the horse

Objective Review 103 cases of presumed tick envenomation in horses. Design Retrospective study. Method Variables, including date of presentation, age, breed, weight, presence of ticks, gait and respiration scores, duration of recumbency, treatment, outcome and complications were recorded. A series of univariable screening tests were performed and used in a multivariable logistic regression model. Results There were a total of 103 cases affecting 10 breeds, aged between 1 week and 18 years of age. Horses >6 months old and weighing >100 kg had a higher odds of death than those <6 months old and <100 kg. Cases were seen from North Queensland to the central coast of New South Wales and were more likely to present in the warmer months. There was no association between the number of ticks found on an animal and death. Horses with a higher respiratory score had higher odds of dying, but there was no association between gait score and survival. Horses recumbent >120 h after presentation had higher odds of dying. Complications were reported in 35% of horses. The odds ratio for survival was higher for horses receiving >0.5 mL/kg of tick antiserum. Overall, 74% of horses survived. Multivariable modelling was limited by the small sample size. Conclusion In general, tick envenomation in horses follows the geographic distribution of Ixodes holocyclus. Tick antiserum administered at >0.5 mL/kg increases the odds of survival. It would appear that the complications associated with managing a recumbent horse increase the odds of death.     

Efficacy of dog-appeasing pheromone (DAP) for ameliorating separation-related behavioral signs in hospitalized dogs

Dogs hospitalized in veterinary clinics are likely to show signs of separation-induced anxiety from hospitalization. The study assessed the effect of dog-appeasing pheromone (DAP) on 10 typical separation-related behavioral signs in hospitalized dogs. A DAP treated group (n = 24) was compared with a placebo control group (n = 19). There was overall amelioration of the signs without ‘vigilance’ and ‘anorexia’ in the DAP-treated dogs; marked decreases were noted in elimination (P = 0.038), excessive licking (P = 0.005), and pacing (P = 0.017). The results suggest that the use of DAP could decrease separation-induced anxiety, distress, and fear in inpatients, and possibly facilitate recovery in hospitalized dogs.     

Pax-7 immunoreactivity in the post-natal chicken central nervous system

In this immunocytochemical study on the constitutive expression of Pax-7 protein in the postnatal chicken brain, Pax-7 showed region and cell type specific expression. In the optic tectum, only cells in grey matter showed positive immunoreactivities (IRs), whereas those in the white matters did not show any IRs. In thalamic nuclei and several pontine nuclei, we also localized Pax-7 positive IRs. On the contrary, in the cerebellum, Pax-7 was mainly localized within the Bergmann glia, whereas Purkinje cells did not show any IRs. In double immunolabelling studies, most of the Pax-7 IRs did not originate from neuroglial cells such as oligodendrocytes, microglia or astrocytes, but from neurons, with the exception of Bergmann glia in the cerebellum. The presence of Pax-7 IRs in the adult chicken brain could suggest that Pax-7 might play a role in maintaining normal physiological function in some postnatal chicken brain cells.     

Feline Leukaemia Virus Testing

Sir, — Cat owners, cat breeders and veterinarians are now well aware that feline leukaemia virus (Felv) is a cause of serious disease in cats and also that Felv is involved in the pathogenesis of many diseases other than lymphosarcoma⁽⁸⁾. Epidemiological studies using a variety of techniques to detect virus and antibodies have defined populations of cats that are at risk from the effects of the virus and methods of control have been suggested^(2)(3)(4). All methods of control are based on separation cf Felv-infected cats from susceptible animals. To do this, viraemic cats need to be identified either by the demonstration of Felv-specific antigen in the cytoplasm of circulating leucocytes or platelets (by immunofluorescence on blood smears), demonstration of viral antigen in serum or plasma, or by isolation of virus from the plasma in feline cell cultures.