Progestogen-related gross and microscopic changes in female Beagles.

Long-term studies of megestrol acetate and chlormadinone acetate in 100 female dogs are in progress. Doses of zero, one, 10 and 25 times the expected human dose of megestrol acetate and 25 times the expected human dose of chlormadinone acetate (on a milligram per kilogram body weight basis) are being given daily. During the first 4 years, eight dogs from each of the five groups were killed. The principal gross findings included enlarged uteri with mucoid material in the lumina, mammary development in dogs given middle and high doses of megestrol acetate and chlormadinone acetate, and thickened gallbladder walls in dogs given high doses of each. Histologic evaluation showed inhibition of ovulation for progestogen-treated dogs and suppression of ovarian follicular development with the high doses. Cystic endometrial hyperplasia was slight in the low-dose dogs and moderate to severe in most of the high-dose dogs; a few also had ulcerative endometritis and pyometra. The mammary glands of dogs given the middle and high doses produced lobules, acini, and secretion exceeding natural metestrus. Slight to marked cystic mucinous hyperplasia occurred in the gallbladders of most dogs given the high doses. Tow high-dose megestrol dogs had clinical signs and microscopic pancreatic, renal, and ocular changes indicative of diabetes mellitus.     

The effects of benzimidazole resistance and route of administration on the uptake of fenbendazole and thiabendazole by Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus colubriformis in sheep

Radiolabelled fenbendazole (FBZ) and thiabendazole (TBZ) were administered into the rumen or abomassum of sheep previously infected with benzimidazole-susceptible or resistant Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus colubriformis. Plasma radioactivity was determined for 12 hours following anthelmintic administration and at the end of this time the incorporation of radiolabel into the parasites was determined.Incorporation of radiolabel from FBZ was significantly greater in susceptible than in resistant worms. However, with TBZ there was no significant difference. There were no significant differences in the incorporation between H. contortus and T. colubriformis. Incorporation of TBZ was greater than FBZ in the worms except after ruminal administration to sheep showing clinical parasitism resulting from infection with benzimidazole- susceptible worms. TBZ was administered at five times the dose rate as FBZ, and thus a lower proportion of the administered TBZ than FBZ was incorporated.With the exception of incorporation of TBZ by resistant worms, the route of administration had a major effect on incorporation by the parasites and on plasma levels. Based on plasma levels, TBZ appeared to be rapidly absorbed from both the rumen and abomasum, whereas FBZ was less readily absorbed from the rumen with the rate of absorption being markedly greater if FBZ was administered directly into the abomasum. The findings suggest that the rumen may act as a reservoir of FBZ prolonging the period of high anthelmintic concentration in the host. This may contribute to the high efficacy of this anthelmintic.     

Aspects of canine renal pathology

Abstract— —The paper summarizes the functional anatomy of the kidney in terms of (a) the arterial vascular supply (b) the glomeruli (c) the tubules and interstitial tissues. Common pathological lesions of these parts and their possible functional effects are discussed. Résumé— —L'article résume l'anatomie fonctionnelle du rein en termes de (a) la provision vasculaire artérielle, (b) les glomérules, (c) les tubes et le tissu interstitiel. Les lésions pathologiques communes de ces éléments et leurs possible effet fonctionnel sont discutés. Zusammenfassung— —Der Artikel fasst die funktionelle Anatomie der Niere zusammen und bespricht (a) die arterielle Blutversorgung, (b) die Glomeruli und (c) die Tubuli und das interstitielle Gewebe. Uebliche pathologische Veraenderungen dieser Teile und ihre zu erwartenden funktioneilen Wirkungen werden besprochen.     

Neuropathological findings in cats with clinically suspect but histologically unconfirmed feline spongiform encephalopathy

Central nervous system (CNS) tissues from 192 cats with neurological signs were examined histologically, and tissues from 173 of them were later examined immunohistochemically as part of a survey to determine the prevalence of feline spongiform encephalopathy (FSE). One of the cats was from Norway and the others were from Great Britain. The most commonly recorded clinical signs were ataxia, behavioural changes and epilepsy, but none of the cats had histopathological evidence of FSE. The most common organic CNS lesions were non-suppurative encephalomyelitis in 28 per cent, neoplasia in 15 per cent and a heterogeneous group of degenerative encephalopathies in 9 per cent of the cats. A range of minor histological lesions of uncertain significance was also observed. No histological lesions were observed in the tissues of 63 (33 per cent) of the cats. Disease-specific prion protein (PrP(Sc)) was observed in only one of the 173 cats examined by immunohistochemistry.     

Comparative efficacy of tulathromycin, tilmicosin, and florfenicol in the treatment of bovine respiratory disease in stocker cattle

The therapeutic efficacy and field safety of tulathromycin were evaluated in stocker calves with undifferentiated bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in three field studies conducted over two consecutive grazing seasons in Nebraska. Eight hundred calves exhibiting clinical signs of BRD and with rectal temperatures of 104 degrees F or higher were treated with tulathromycin (n = 340), florfenicol (n = 240), or tilmicosin (n = 220) and evaluated for approximately 60 days. Florfenicol and tilmicosin were administered as single SC injections according to labeled dosage. Tulathromycin was administered as a single SC injection of 2.5 mg/kg. In all three studies, the cure rate of calves 60 days after treatment with tulathromycin was significantly higher (P < or = .05) than that of calves treated with florfenicol or tilmicosin. Suspected adverse reactions were not reported for any of the study drugs. Tulathromycin proved to be significantly more effective than either florfenicol or tilmicosin in the treatment of BRD in stocker calves.