The blood composition of different breeds of bulls undergoing beef performance tests

Blood samples taken on three occasions from each of 66 bulls undergoing beef performance tests were analysed for packed cell volume, blood glucose, haemoglobin, serum albumin, urea nitrogen, total protein, inorganic phosphate, Ca, Ca, Mg, K, Na, Cu, Fe and total iron binding capacity. The bulls were individually fed and situated at two centres, one accommodating Lincoln-Red, Devon and Sussex breeds and the other, Hereford. Significant differences between the Lincoln-Red, Devon and Sussex breeds were observed in concentrations of glucose, urea nitrogen, total iron binding capacity (P less than 0.001), Ca (P less than 0.01), Na and Cu (P less than 0.05). There were no significant correlations between the growth rates of individual bulls and their blood composition.     

Bovine rotavirus diagnosis: comparison of various antigens and serological tests

Agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) and counter-immunoelectrophoresis (CIEP), complement fixation (CF), radio-immunoassay (RIA), haemagglutination (HA) and haemagglutination inhibition (HI) tests were compared in their efficiency for the detection of bovine rotavirus antigens and antibodies. As a test for antigen using hyperimmune serum, CIEP was found to have advantages over AGID by being more rapid as well as approximately four times more sensitive regardless of whether the antigen was of faecal or tissue culture origin. The CF test was more sensitive than either of the immunodiffusion procedures studied for antigen detection, but was more tedious to perform and of limited use as some faecal samples exhibited anti-complementary activity. For measurement of rotavirus antibody the radio-immunoassay (RIA) was the most sensitive technique and the CIEP least sensitive. Using the RIA a limited survey of cattle demonstrated that approximately 75% of the animals tested possessed specific antibody to rotavirus.     

From Osler to Olafson. The evolution of veterinary pathology in North America

Most branches of biological science in North America developed first in the United States, and later were taught and practiced in Canada. An exception was veterinary pathology, which as a discipline taught in veterinary colleges and as a field of research, developed first in Canada, and from there crossed the border to the United States. Pathology was first taught at the Montreal Veterinary College, founded in 1866 by Duncan McEachran, a graduate of the Edinburgh Veterinary College. From the outset, he formed a close association with the medical faculty of McGill University, permitting his students to attend the same classes in the basic subjects with the medical students. Eventually, the Montreal Veterinary College became formally affiliated with McGill University, as the Faculty of Comparative Medicine and Veterinary Science. The McGill veterinary faculty was forced to close for economic reasons in 1903, but it left an enduring legacy, particularly in the field of veterinary pathology. The legacy, a novel concept in the 1870's, was that pathology was the cornerstone of a veterinary education; the place where anatomy, physiology, chemistry and botany met with the clinical subjects, and gave the latter meaning. This tradition was formed at the Montreal Veterinary College by the world renowned physician William Osler, North America's leading medical teacher, whom McEachran had invited to teach at the College in 1876 in addition to his duties in the faculty of medicine. Osler had studied with Virchow in Berlin and applied his methods of autopsy technique and of scientific inquiry to his teaching of both human and veterinary pathology at McGill. Osler also undertook investigations into various diseases of domestic animals, at the request of McEachran, who doubled as Chief Veterinary Inspector for the Dominion Department of Agriculture. Osler left McGill University in 1884. Only after that year did other North American veterinary schools adopt pathology as a discipline of instruction. However, by 1884, Osler had already left his indelible imprint on the students (both medical and veterinary) he had taught in Montreal, one of whom took over the teaching of pathology in the veterinary college. Another, who followed Osler's example and also studied in Berlin with Virchow, wrote the first book in the English language on veterinary post mortem technique in 1889.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Serum and mucosal antibody responses against Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae following intraperitoneal vaccination and challenge of pigs with M hyopneumoniae

Pigs were immunised intraperitoneally when six weeks old and again at about 10 weeks old with killed Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae antigen prepared in an oil adjuvant. The pigs were challenged with live M hyopneumoniae (Beaufort strain) at between 11 and 15 weeks old. Antigen specific antibody levels for both IgG and IgA classes in serum and respiratory tract secretion were monitored over time. In serum anti-M hyopneumoniae antibody was detected shortly after the second intraperitoneal vaccination and was largely IgG. In respiratory tract secretion the response was observed after challenge, and was primarily IgA. Anti-M hyopneumoniae antibody-containing cells and their immunoglobulin class specificity were monitored in lung and tracheal lamina propria. In lung the majority of anti-M hyopneumoniae-containing cells were IgG, whereas in the tracheal lamina propria the majority were IgA. These results are discussed in terms of the use of intraperitoneal vaccination for the control of M hyopneumoniae infection.     

Endoscopic Diagnosis of Chronic Hypertrophic Pyloric Gastropathy in Dogs

The endoscopic appearance of chronic hypertrophic pyloric gastropathy (CHPG) in five dogs is described. Several patterns of enlarged mucosal folds that surrounded and obstructed the pyloric canal were observed. Initially, endoscopically obtained biopsy samples of mucosa were judged to be histologi-cally normal. Diagnosis of CHPG was confirmed and relief of pyloric obstruction accomplished at exploratory laparotomy (in four dogs). Retrospective evaluation of pyloric tissue samples, obtained during endoscopy, identified subtle histological characteristics of CHPG. Gastric and duodenal neopla-sia or antral polyps can mimic the endoscopic appearance of CHPG but can be differentiated based on their endoscopic and histological appearance. These cases show that endoscopic examination is a valuable procedure for the diagnosis of CHPG in dogs that chronically vomit. (Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 1993; 7:335–341. Copyright © 1993 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.)     

Congenital Esophageal Hiatal Hernia in the Chinese Shar-Pei Dog

Esophageal hiatal hernia was diagnosed in 11 young Chinese Shar-Pei dogs between October 1985 and July 1991. The dogs ranged in age from 2 to 11 months and included 3 females and 8 males. The most common clinical signs were regurgitation, vomiting, and hypersalivation. Physical examination was normal in 6 dogs; abnormal physical examination findings in the other 5 dogs included fever, dehydration, hypersalivation, and pulmonary wheezes and crackles. Laboratory evaluation was significant only for neutrophilia in 5 dogs. A diagnosis of hiatal hernia was made on the basis of survey thoracic radio-graphic and/or barium esophagram findings of displacement of the esophagogastric junction and stomach into the thoracic cavity; the diagnosis was confirmed by surgery in 9 dogs and at necropsy in 2 dogs. Megaesophagus (n = 7), gastroesophageal reflux (n = 4), and esophageal hypomotility (n = 1) were additional findings in some dogs. Aspiration pneumonia was diagnosed in 7 of the dogs. Medical therapies formulated for the therapy of presumed reflux esophagitis generally failed to resolve the clinical signs associated with the hiatal hernia. Hiatal herniae were surgically repaired in 9 of the Shar-Peis by various combinations of diaphragmatic crural apposition, fixation of the esophagus to the diaphragmatic crus (esophagopexy), and left fundic tube gastropexy. Eight of the animals survived surgery, six of which have been asymptomatic since surgery (19 to 36 months). The megaesophagus, esophageal hypomotility, and bronchopneumonia resolved in all of these dogs. (Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 1993; 7:210–215. Copyright © 1993 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.)     

Bacterial growth associated with metallic implants in dogs

Tissue and swab specimens for bacteriologic culture were obtained from the operative wound in 40 dogs in which plates and screws were applied and then removed from the sites of healed fractures or arthrodeses. Implants were removed after a mean (+/- SD) application period of 15.7 +/- 9.3 months. Bacteria were isolated from the plate-bone interface in 17 dogs. Of the 17 dogs, 9 had had complications associated with initial management (eg, osteomyelitis, open fractures, or multiple surgical procedures). Control specimens were obtained from 30 dogs that had clean elective orthopedic procedures that did not involve implantation of metallic prostheses. None of the dogs of the control group were given antibiotics. Bacteria were isolated from 2 of 30 specimens obtained from control dogs. The difference between the number of culture-positive specimens from dogs of the implant group and those from dogs of the control group was significant (P less than 0.01).     

Effect of factors associated with insemination on calving rate in dairy cows

The results of 7569 inseminations performed on 6007 cows in 94 dairy herds were used to investigate the relative importance of time of insemination, bull and inseminator on calving rates in dairy cows. Although the time of insemination in relation to the first observation of oestrus was shown to have some effect, the effect was minimal during the first 24 hours. The maximum difference in expected calving rates between cows served with semen from groups of bulls with a history of either low or high fertility was 20 per cent, and the maximum difference in expected calving rate between cows inseminated by groups of inseminators who had consistently achieved either low or high fertility was 13 per cent.