Clinical signs associated with brain tumors in dogs: 97 cases (1992-1997).

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of various clinical signs in dogs with brain tumors. DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: 97 dogs with brain tumors. PROCEDURE: Medical records were reviewed for signalment, tumor type and location, and clinical signs. RESULTS: 33 breeds were represented; Golden Retrievers were most commonly affected. Most dogs were older (median age, 9 years); 95% of dogs were > or = 5 years old. Seventy-six percent of dogs had tumors in the supratentorial region. Seizures were the most common clinical sign at initial examination, with lower prevalence for circling, ataxia, and head tilt. Meningioma was the most common tumor. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Brain tumors develop most often in dogs > or = 5 years old and are uncommon in dogs < 5 years old. Seizures are a common clinical sign, and a brain tumor should be considered in dogs that have their first seizure after they are 4 years old.     

Effects of temperature and salinity on larval survival and development of the western school prawn Metapenaeus dalli

International Aquatic Research - The effects of temperature and salinity on the survival and development of larval Metapenaeus dalli were investigated in two experiments. First, the effects of four...     

A comparison of the palatability of racemic praziquantel and its two enantioseparated isomers in yellowtail kingfish Seriola lalandi (Valenciennes, 1833)

The bitterness of racemic praziquantel (Rac‐PZQ) constrains its use as an in‐feed treatment against monogenean flukes in finfish aquaculture. Evidence exists in mammals that the R‐(?) enantiomer of PZQ is less bitter than the S‐(+) enantiomer. If fish exhibit this same response, then the recently described techniques for the large‐scale resolution of R‐(?)‐PZQ from Rac‐PZQ could facilitate the wide‐spread application of this effective anthelmintic compound via feed. The hypothesis that yellowtail kingfish Seriola lalandi would find R‐(?)‐PZQ more palatable than Rac‐PZQ and S‐(+)‐PZQ was tested in four trials. During the first three trials, the palatability of diets top‐coated with 10 g kg^?1 of Rac‐PZQ or its two enantioseparated isomers were compared in small (85–160 g) and large (1.2 kg) yellowtail kingfish. A fourth trial compared the palatability of R‐(?)‐PZQ and Rac‐PZQ at dietary inclusion levels of 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 g kg^?1 in small yellowtail kingfish (170 g). Ingestion data showed that R‐(?)‐PZQ to be no more palatable than either Rac‐PZQ or S‐(+)‐PZQ to yellowtail kingfish, regardless of size. Indeed, evidence suggested that the S‐(+)‐PZQ to be slightly more palatable than both R‐(?)‐PZQ and Rac‐PZQ. From these data, we hypothesize that the strong smell of R‐(?)‐PZQ (which was not present in S‐(+)‐PZQ) is an equally important determinant to palatability as taste in yellowtail kingfish. Results demonstrate that dietary inclusion level is a more important determinant to palatability than PZQ chirality; however, administration of R‐(?)‐PZQ may still be advantageous if it is demonstrated to be the only enantiomer efficacious against monogeneans.     

Stenting of the caudal aorta and aortic trifurcation for the treatment of thrombosis in 7 dogs

BackgroundAortic and aortoiliac thrombosis in dogs causes disease and death.ObjectiveTo describe the procedure and outcomes for stenting the caudal aorta and aortoiliac trifurcation.AnimalsSeven client‐owned dogs that underwent aortic/aortoiliac stenting for treatment of thrombosis.MethodsRetrospective multi‐center investigation. Medical records were reviewed for dogs that underwent stenting of the aorta or aortoiliac trifurcation between 2008 and 2020. Information collected included history, signalment, clinicopathologic data, diagnostic imaging, procedure reports, and outcomes.ResultsSeven dogs with an occlusive thrombus located at or near the aortic trifurcation were included. Four of 7 dogs were non‐ambulatory. Hind limbs were paretic in 5 dogs, paralyzed in 1 dog, and claudication alone was noted in 1 dog. Five of the 7 dogs had protein‐losing nephropathy (PLN). Of 5 dogs with PLN, 1 had protein‐losing enteropathy (PLE) and controlled hypothyroidism and 1 had caudal aortic chondrosarcoma. Two dogs had no identified underlying disease. Angiography was performed before catheter directed thrombolysis and stent placement. No deaths occurred during the procedure. Postoperative complications included pain (4/7), bruising and edema (3/7), bruising only (1/7), and edema only (1/7). Median survival time (MST) of the 7 dogs was 264 days (range, 1‐1053 days). Five of 7 dogs were ambulatory within 2 days of stenting and survived to discharge with a MST of 425 days (range, 208‐1053 days).Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceStenting of the aorta and aortoiliac trifurcation can provide an apparently safe and effective treatment with rapid return to ambulation for some dogs with aortic thrombosis.     

Models and designs for agricultural vaccine trials

Agricultural vaccine trials are costly, and it is important that they should provide the maximum amount of information. The traditional probit model often fails to provide a reliable estimate of median protective dilution. The complementary loglog transformation is to be preferred because it provides a probabilistic basis for fixing one of the parameters, thereby increasing the precision of estimation.     

NORMAL VARIATION IN SIZE OF THE LATERAL VENTRICLES OF THE LABRADOR RETRIEVER DOG AS ASSESSED BY MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING

Detecting canine brain lesions on computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR) scans can be difficult if the lesions do not enhance well following administration of intravenous contrast material. Changes in the shape and position of the ventricular system can be important in the diagnosis of such lesions. Normal variation within the canine ventricular system has not been documented. MR scans from 62 normal Labrador retriever type dogs were evaluated. Five dogs had symmetric enlargement of the ventricles, while nineteen dogs had mild to severe ventricular asymmetry. The incidence of asymmetry in normal dogs must be considered when using ventricular configuration as an indication of central nervous system abnormality.     

Effects of dried whey and copper sulfate on the growth responses to organic acid in diets for weanling pigs

Five 21-d to 28-d experiments involving 484 pigs weaned at 28 +/- 2 d of age were conducted to evaluate the effects of addition of organic acid to a fortified, corn-soybean meal diet (CS) or to a similar diet containing 15% dried whey (CSW) on performance of pigs. The effects of an antibiotic-sulfonamide combination (110 mg chlortetracycline, 110 mg sulfamethazine, 55 mg penicillin/kg) and the interactive effects of Cu sulfate (250 ppm Cu) and acid also were evaluated. The acid was a commercial product consisting of 96% organic acid (citric acid and Na citrate, 2:1). Treatments in Exp. 1 and 2 were factorial arrangements of the CS or CSW basal diets supplemented with 0 or 1% (Exp. 1) and 0, .5 or 1% (Exp. 2) of the acid product. Pigs fed diets containing whey consumed more feed (P less than .01) and gained weight faster (P less than .05), but they had feed/gain responses similar to those of pigs fed the CS diet. Addition of 1% acid improved (P less than .01) growth rate of pigs fed the CS diet but did not improve (P greater than .25) growth rate of pigs fed the CSW diet. Feed/gain was improved (P less than .01) by acid addition to both the CS and the CSW diets. Improvements in gain and feed/gain were similar for the two levels of acid. In Exp. 3 and 4, factorial combinations of 0 and 1% acid and 0 and 250 ppm Cu were evaluated in diets containing an antibiotic-sulfonamide combination. In addition, a negative control diet (no antibiotics, acid or Cu) was included. Pigs fed diets containing antibiotics gained faster and more efficiently (P less than .01) than those fed the control diet.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

MR, CT AND CLINICAL FEATURES FROM FOUR DOGS WITH NASAL TUMORS INVOLVING THE ROSTRAL CEREBRUM

The clinical findings and computed tomographic and magnetic resonance images from four dogs with nasal tumors that invaded the central nervous system were revlewed. There were minimal or no clinical signs related to nasal disease. Brain imaging with magnetic resonance or computed tomography demonstrated antemortem involvement of brain and nasal structures. Magnetic resonance imaging was optimal for demonstrating this involvement and showed more detailed anatomic features of the mass and secondary pathologies attributed to the mass.     

Recombinant porcine somatotropin for sows during late gestation and throughout lactation.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate whether administration of recombinant porcine somatotropin (pST) to sows (Hampshire-Yorkshire) enhanced lactational performance. In Exp. 1, sows (n = 84) were fed a corn-soybean meal diet (17.8% CP), or a similar diet with 8% added fat, from d 108 of gestation to d 28 of lactation. Half of the sows fed each diet were injected with 6 mg/d of pST from d 108 of gestation to d 24 of lactation. Diets were fed at 2.27 kg/d from d 108 of gestation until farrowing and then were self-fed during lactation. By d 3 of lactation, litter size was standardized at 8 to 10 pigs per litter. Treating sows with pST resulted in a 10-fold increase (P less than .001) in serum somatotropin at 4 h postinjection. Serum glucose was increased (P less than .01) and serum triglycerides, creatinine, and urea N were decreased (P less than .01) by pST. During the summer, apparent heat stress occurred in pST-treated sows, resulting in 14 deaths. Most (10) of the deaths occurred just before, during, or shortly after farrowing. Fewer (P less than .08) deaths occurred when pST-treated sows were fed the diet with added fat. Sows treated with pST consumed less feed (P less than .10) and lost more backfat (P less than .10) during lactation than controls. Increasing the dietary fat did not prevent these changes. Weaning weights of pigs and milk yield of sows (estimated by deuterium oxide dilution) were not affected by pST treatment. In Exp. 2, sows (n = 42) were injected weekly with 0 or 70 mg of pST on d 3, 10, 17, and 24 of lactation. Litters were standardized by d 3 at 8 to 10 pigs, and sows were fed the same control (low fat) diet as in Exp. 1. Sows treated with pST consumed less feed and lost more weight and backfat during lactation than untreated sows. Litter size, average pig weaning weights, and milk yield were not influenced by pST treatment. These data indicate that a 6-mg daily injection of pST from 6 d prepartum to d 24 of lactation or a 70-mg weekly injection of pST from 3 d postpartum to d 24 of lactation does not increase milk production in lactating sows.     

Retrospective Review of 50 Canine Intracranial Tumors Evaluated by Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed on 50 dogs with intracranial neoplasia. The following tumor features were assessed: axial origin, location, shape, growth pattern, MRI signal intensity, evidence for edema, and paramagnetic contrast enhancement. Histologic diagnoses included 5 intracranially invading nasal tumors, 7 pituitary tumors, 22 meningiomas, 6 choroid plexus tumors, 7 astrocytomas, 1 ependymoma, and 2 oligodendrogliomas. Axial origin, site, shape, and growth pattern were important diagnostic characteristics for tumor type. Signal intensity and contrast enhancement pattern allowed further differentiation. Characteristic MRI features that facilitate diagnosis and prognosis were identified. Accurate diagnosis of tumor type based on these features was not always possible because of similarities in MRI appearance for some tumors. Tissue biopsy remains necessary for definitive diagnosis of intracranial tumors.