Evaluation of intratesticular injection of glycerol for nonsurgical sterilization of dogs

OBJECTIVE: To determine efficacy of intratesticular injection of glycerol as a means to sterilize dogs. ANIMALS: Six 2- to 4-year-old sexually intact male dogs. PROCEDURE: Testicular volume, serum testosterone concentration, and number of sperm in ejaculate were determined before and at weekly intervals for 12 weeks following intratesticular injection of a 70% glycerol solution (1 ml/testis). Testicular tissue specimens for histologic evaluation were obtained 4, 8, and 12 weeks following injection. RESULTS: Number of sperm in ejaculate following glycerol injection was not significantly different from number before injection. Compared with preinjection values, serum testosterone concentrations were significantly less 5, 9, and 10 weeks following injection, although libido and ejaculate characteristics were unchanged. Testicular swelling was evident 24 to 48 hours following injection, and testicular volume decreased starting on week 5 following treatment. Seminiferous tubules and evidence of normal spermatogenesis were detected in testicular biopsy specimens obtained from all dogs 12 weeks following injection. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Intratesticular injection of a 70% glycerol solution did not result in azoospermia and sterility in dogs.     

Stress and feather pecking in laying hens in relation to housing conditions

1. Possible association between high rates of feather pecking and increased stress were investigated in laying hens. 2. From week 19 to week 30 after hatching, 16 groups of 11 hens (white Lohman Selected Leghorn hybrids) were kept in pens with or without long-cut straw as foraging material and provided with food in the form of pellets or mash. 3. Stress was assessed by egg production, weight gain, tonic immobility (TI), heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio and antibody titres to sheep red blood cells (SRBC), tetanus toxoid (TT) and human serum albumin (HSA). 4. Provision of foraging material and food form influenced feather pecking. Rates of feather pecking were highest in groups housed without straw and fed on pellets. 5. Egg production was reduced in pens without straw but not affected by food form. Both the duration of TI and H/L ratios were influenced by provision of foraging material and food form. TI was longer and H/L ratios were increased in hens housed without straw and in those fed on pellets. Antibody titers to SRBC and TT were lower in pens without straw than with straw but not influenced by food form. 6. In conclusion, foraging material and food form affected both feather pecking and indicators of stress, suggesting that feather pecking in laying hens is associated with stress.     

GnRH antagonist inhibition of gonadotropin and steroid secretion in boars in vivo and steroid production in vitro

The hormone GnRH has a stimulatory effect on gonadotropin synthesis and secretion. The objective of the first study was to evaluate concentrations of FSH and LH in plasma of boars after successive treatment with SB75, a GnRH antagonist. Thirteen boars greater than 1 yr of age (eight White Composite [WC] and five Meishan [MS]) were injected once daily with SB75 (10 microg/kg of body weight) for 4 d. Plasma concentrations of LH and testosterone (T) decreased after 1 h from the first dose of SB75. After 12 h of treatment, LH gradually returned to pretreatment concentrations, but T remained suppressed (< 2 ng/mL) until after the last injection of SB75. There was a modest, but significant, reduction in FSH during treatment with SB75. The prolonged inhibitory effect of SB75 on suppression of plasma T concentrations, in the presence of pretreatment concentrations of LH, implied direct effects of SB75 at the testis. In the second experiment, testicular tissue from adult boars was incubated in the presence of three doses of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG; 0, .5, and 5 IU) with SB75 (250 ng/mL) or with Deslorelin, a GnRH agonist (500 ng/mL). Samples of media were collected every hour for 3 h, and concentrations of T and estrone (E1) were determined by RIA. Concentrations of T and E1 increased with time in response to treatment with hCG. Co-treatment with SB75 decreased media concentrations of T (P < .01) and E1 (P < .03) compared to controls (77.9 vs 85.7 +/- 2.0 and 4.7 vs 5.3 +/- .2 ng/g). In contrast, treatment with Deslorelin had no effect on the amount of T (P > .50) or E1 (P > .26) released with all dosages of hCG. These results indicate that a GnRH antagonist has a direct effect on the testis, decreasing amounts of T and E1 released from the Leydig cells; however, treatment with a GnRH agonist had no direct effect on release of these gonadal steroids. Thus, it remains unresolved whether the site of action of GnRH antagonist on testicular steroidogenesis is through a testicular GnRH receptor or through some other mechanism.     

Pheasant ataxia: a new condition in pheasant poults

Between 1995 and 1997 a neurological condition in pheasant poults from 24 sites in England and Scotland was investigated. Affected birds showed varying degrees of ataxia and incoordinated movements and, in severe cases, recumbency, but generally remained alert with their heads held upright. The condition characteristically affected poults from seven weeks of age and the incidence on any one site was low. No significant bacteria were isolated consistently from brain tissue. The condition was characterised histologically by a non-suppurative meningoencephalitis, in which lesions were found predominantly in the cerebellum in 61 of 81 samples examined (75.3 per cent). A non-suppurative myelitis was recorded in 16 of 20 spinal cords examined. No lesions were recorded in peripheral neural tissue and lesions were rare in other tissues. The condition appeared not to have been recorded previously in pheasants. A viral aetiology was suspected but Newcastle disease virus was not involved.     

Complicated periodontal disease

Not all patients experience "normal" levels of periodontal disease. More complicated cases with deep periodontal pockets or excessive inflammation require specialized procedures and therapy.     

Radial carpal bone fractures in 15 dogs

Between 1977 and 1992, 15 adult dogs were presented to the Universities of Bristol, Glasgow, Liverpool and London with fractures of the radial carpal bone which had occurred without a known episode of violent trauma. Eleven of the dogs were boxers and the other breeds affected were a Pharaoh hound, rottweiler, springer spaniel and a greyhound. The condition was bilateral in three cases. Eleven dogs were treated surgically by cast immobilisation (four cases), fragment removal (one case), lag screw fixation (three cases), pan-carpal arthrodesis (one case) and lag screw reduction followed by pan-carpal arthrodesis (two cases). The remaining four dogs were treated conservatively with rest and tactical use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Follow-up periods ranged from two months to 11 years. Varying degrees of lameness, which tended to be exacerbated by exercise, persisted in all cases. The radial carpal bone appears to have at least three separate centres of ossification which eventually fuse; their planes of fusion correspond approximately to the two main fracture lines. These areas of fusion could be weak points within the radial carpal bone.     

Antibody response to toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 of Staphylococcus aureus in dairy cows

Antibody response to toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) of Staphylococcus aureus in dairy cows was examined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Serum antibody to TSST-1 was not detected in 39 (76.5%) of 51 calves, which were 1-6 months of age. In contrast, TSST-1 antibody was demonstrated in 1728 (72.6%) of 2380 lactating cows housed on 36 dairy farms. The ELISA values of antibody ranged from 0.2 to 3.0 OD and presented a distribution with the peak at 1.6 OD. The mean ELISA value differed between farms, and it increased slightly along with parturient history. Somatic cell counts of milk from 174 lactating cows was compared with TSST-1 antibody and tst1,000,000 cells per ml. The mean ELISA values in milk were lower than those of sera, but they rose as somatic cells increased. The tst gene of S. aureus detected in 76.0-86.2% of the milk samples containing somatic cells > 500,000 cells per ml, a level which indicates mastitis. The data suggests that many lactating cows may be infected by TSST-1- producing S. aureus.     

Comparison of haemodynamic changes during two surgical methods for neutering female dogs

The aim was to investigate if intraoperative registrations of blood pressure and heart rate could be used to estimate surgical trauma. In a prospective clinical trial, registrations in eight dogs neutered by laparoscopic ovariectomy (LOE) were compared with eight dogs subjected to open ovariohysterectomy (OHE). For comparisons phases were used: phase zero = steady state after induction of anaesthesia; phase one = opening of abdomen; phase two = severing of ovarian pedicles; and, phase three = abdominal closure. During LOE, mean systolic blood pressure increased by 7 mm Hg (p = 0.05) and 15 mm Hg (p = 0.01) from phase zero to phase one and two, respectively, and during OHE by 3 mm Hg (ns) and 29 mm Hg (p < 0.0001), respectively. The increase from phase one to phase two differed between groups (p = 0.03). Heart rate did not change. Frequent intraoperative measurements of blood pressure appear a promising method for evaluating surgical trauma.     

Effects of supplementation of whole corn germ on reproductive performance, calf performance, and leptin concentration in primiparous and mature beef cows

A 2-yr study using primiparous and multiparous, spring-calving, crossbred beef cows was conducted to evaluate the effects of supplemental whole corn germ on reproductive performance, calf performance, and serum leptin concentrations. Each year, cows were blocked by age and BCS and assigned randomly to one of three treatments: PRE (n = 115) cows received 1.14 kg/d (DM basis) of whole corn germ for approximately 45 d before calving; POST (n = 109) cows were fed 1.14 kg/d of whole corn germ for approximately 45 d after calving; and control cows (n = 118) were fed similar energy and protein from dry-rolled corn (1.82 kg of DM/d) for 45 d before and after calving. Additionally, PRE cows were grouped with controls after calving, and POST cows were grouped with control cows before calving, so that corn germ-supplemented cows received the control supplement in the alternate feeding period. Cow BW (538 +/- 13 kg) and BCS (5.4 +/- 0.13) did not differ among treatments at any time during the experiment. Calf birth weight (39 +/- 2 kg), weaning weight (225 +/- 7 kg), and age-adjusted weaning weight (234 +/- 8 kg) did not differ because of dam supplementation regimen. Treatment did not affect the proportion of cows exhibiting ovarian luteal activity before the start of the breeding season (67%) or pregnancy rate (91%). The interval from exposure to bulls until subsequent calving did not differ (P = 0.16) among PRE (298 +/- 2.3 d), POST (303 +/- 2.6 d), and control (304 +/- 2.3 d) cows. Leptin concentrations did not differ among treatments and were 2.15 +/- 0.75, 1.88 +/- 0.76, and 1.91 +/- 0.75 ng/mL for control, POST, and PRE cows, respectively. Age and week relative to calving influenced leptin concentration. Primiparous cows had similar leptin concentrations to 3-yr-old and mature cows for wk -7 and -6 relative to calving, but lower (P < 0.10) concentrations than mature cows for wk -5, and lower (P < 0.05) concentrations than either 3-yr-old or mature cows for wk -4 to +7 relative to calving. Serum leptin was correlated with BCS (P < 0.0001; r = 0.35) at initiation of the feeding period and was correlated with BCS (P = 0.02; r = 0.12) and weight (P < 0.01; r = 0.14) at the completion of the supplement period, but it was not correlated with initial BW or interim BCS. Calving interval was not correlated (P > 0.12) with weekly measures of serum leptin concentration. Supplementing beef cows with whole corn germ had no effect on cow performance, calf performance, or serum leptin concentrations of cows.     

Relationship between total transit time and faecal quality in adult dogs differing in body size

Fed the same diet, large and giant-breed dogs have higher faecal moisture and increased frequency of soft stools than small ones. This could be the result of physiological differences, such as a different gastrointestinal transit time. In this study, we have correlated mean total transit time (MTT) with body size and faecal consistency in dogs varying in body size. Fifty dogs from 13 different breeds were used, from a Dachshund to a Great Dane. The MTT was determined using coloured plastic beads [Cummings and Wiggins, Gut, Vol. 17 (1976), p. 219], and faecal consistency was scored daily during the study. We confirmed the strong correlation between height at the shoulder (body size) and faecal score (r = 0.76; p < 0.0001). The MTT increased with body size, from 22 h for a Miniature Poodle to 59 h for a Giant Schnauzer. We found significant positive correlations (p < 0.0001) between MTT and body size as well as faecal scores (r = 0.71 and 0.70 respectively). In the present study, we observed an effect of body size on MTT. In our 50 healthy dogs a longer MTT was related to a poorer faecal quality. Previous studies reported no relationship between body size and the upper gastrointestinal transit time in healthy dogs. So, we hypothesized that body size would mainly affect colonic transit time and that a longer colonic residence time would be related to a poorer faecal quality by promoting fermentation activity.