Urinary aldosterone to creatinine ratio in cats before and after suppression with salt or fludrocortisone acetate

Background: The endocrine diagnosis of primary hyperaldosteronism in cats currently is based on an increased plasma aldosterone to renin ratio, which has several disadvantages for use in veterinary practice. Objectives: To establish a reference range for the urinary aldosterone to creatinine ratio (UACR) and to determine whether oral administration of either sodium chloride or fludrocortisone acetate is effective for use in a suppression test. Animals: Forty‐two healthy cats from an animal shelter and 1 cat with primary hyperaldosteronism from a veterinary teaching hospital. Methods: Morning urine samples for determination of the basal UACR were collected from 42 healthy cats. For the suppression tests, urine samples for the UACR were collected after twice daily oral administration for 4 consecutive days of either sodium chloride, 0.25 g/kg body weight (n = 22) or fludrocortisone acetate, 0.05 mg/kg body weight (n = 15). Results: The median basal UACR was 7.2 × 10^?9 (range, 1.8–52.3 × 10^?9), with a calculated reference range of <46.5 × 10^?9. Administration of sodium chloride resulted in adequate salt loading in 10 of 22 cats, but without significant reduction in the UACR. Administration of fludrocortisone resulted in a significant decrease in the UACR (median, 78%; range, 44–97%; P < .001) in healthy cats. In the cat with an aldosterone‐producing adrenocortical carcinoma, the basal UACR and the UACR after fludrocortisone administration were 32 × 10^?9 and 36 × 10^?9, respectively. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Using the UACR for an oral fludrocortisone suppression test may be useful for the diagnosis of primary hyperaldosteronism in cats.     

Physiological and immunological responses to weaning and transport in the young pig: modulation by administration of porcine somatotropin

To examine the effects of exogenous porcine (p) ST on measures of stress and immune function in weaned pigs with or without transport, pigs (20 +/- 1 d of age) received daily injections of pST (0.5 mg/kg; n = 16) or saline (n = 16) for 5 d. On d 5, a blood sample was collected immediately before injection. At 4 h postinjection, pigs were weighed, sampled for blood, injected with di-nitrophenyl-conjugated keyhole limpet hemocyanin, and weaned. One half of the pigs in each group were transported for 3 h before placement in the nursery. Pigs were weighed, and blood was collected on 1, 7, and 14 d postweaning. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Serum IGF-I concentrations were increased by pST and decreased by weaning, but not affected by transport. The free cortisol index was elevated in all pigs 1 d postweaning, although less in transported versus nontransported pigs. By 7 d postweaning, the free cortisol index returned to prewean values. Serum concentrations of immunoglobulin (Ig) G increased in all pigs by 14 d postweaning, but were not affected by pST or transport. Serum IgM concentrations were elevated at 7 and 14 d postweaning. Before weaning and again 1 d postweaning, pigs treated with pST had greater concentrations of IgM than did control animals. Circulating neutrophils increased in pST-treated pigs 4 h after the final pST injection. Improved immune function in weaned pigs by pST may lead to greater health and growth in a commercial setting.     

Dog-associated risk factors for human plague

Plague is a rare but often fatal zoonosis endemic to the western United States. Previous studies have identified contact with pets as a potential risk factor for infection. We conducted a matched case-control study to better define the risks associated with pets at both the household and individual levels. Using a written questionnaire, we surveyed nine surviving plague patients, 12 household members of these patients, and 30 age- and neighbourhood-matched controls about household and individual exposures. Overall, 79% of households had at least one dog, 59% had at least one cat and 33% used flea control, with no significant differences between case and control households. Four (44%) case households reported having a sick dog versus no (0%) control households [matched odds ratio, (mOR) 18.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.3-infinity], and four (44%) patients reported sleeping in the same bed with a pet dog versus three (10%) controls (mOR 5.7, 95% CI 1.0-31.6). Within case households with multiple members, two (40%) of five patients slept with their dogs versus none (0%) of 12 healthy family members (P=0.13). The exposures to cats were not significant. Sleeping in the same bed as a pet dog remained significantly associated with infection in a multivariate logistic regression model (P=0.046). Our findings suggest that dogs may facilitate the transfer of fleas into the home and that activities with close extended contacts with dogs may increase the risk of plague infection.     

Prevalence of dental disorders in 483 horses and ponies

Prevalence of dental disorders in 483 horses and ponies Five equine veterinarians working at three equine referral hospitals examined the oral cavity of 483 horses and ponies prior to surgery, to gain information about the prevalence of common dental disorders in the horse. A thorough examination, using hands/fingers, a full-mouth speculum, a dental mirror and a good light source, is essential to detect such disorders. Many horses examined needed dental attention even though there were no problems with mastication or riding. The most detected abnormalities were sharp enamel points on the buccal side of the upper arcade and the lingual side of the lower arcade, and hooks at 106/206 and 311/411. Regular dental care would improve the condition and welfare of horses.     

Stress and immunological response of heifers divergently ranked for residual feed intake following an adrenocorticotropic hormone challenge

Background: When an animal is exposed to a stressor, metabolic rate, energy consumption and utilisation increase primarily through activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal(HPA) axis. Changes to partitioning of energy by an animal are likely to influence the efficiency with which it is utilised. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the physiological stress response to an exogenous adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH) challenge in beef heifers divergently ranked on phenotypic residual feed intake(RFI).Results: Data were collected on 34 Simmental weaning beef heifers the progeny of a well characterized and divergently bred RFI suckler beef herd. Residual feed intake was determined on each animal during the postweaning stage over a 91-day feed intake measurement period during which they were individually offered adlibitum grass silage and 2 kg of concentrate per head once daily. The 12 highest [0.34 kg DM/d] and 12 lowest[-0.48 kg DM/d] ranking animals on RFI were selected for use in this study. For the physiological stress challenge heifers(mean age 605 ± 13 d; mean BW 518 ± 31.4 kg) were fitted aseptically with indwelling jugular catheters to facilitate intensive blood collection. The response of the adrenal cortex to a standardised dose of ACTH(1.98 IU/kg metabolic BW~(0.75)) was examined. Serial blood samples were analysed for plasma cortisol, ACTH and haematology variables. Heifers differing in RFI did not differ(P = 0.59) in ACTH concentrations. Concentration of ACTH peaked(P 0.001) in both RFI groups at 20 min post-ACTH administration, following which concentration declined to baseline levels by 150 min. Similarly, cortisol systemic profile peaked at 60 min and concentrations remained continuously elevated for 150 min. A RFI × time interaction was detected for cortisol concentrations(P = 0.06) with high RFI heifers had a greater cortisol response than Low RFI from 40 min to 150 min relative to ACTH administration. Cortisol response was positively associated with RFI status(r = 0.32; P 0.01). No effect of RFI was evident for neutrophil, lymphocytes, monocyte, eosinophils and basophil count. Plasma red blood cell number(6.07 vs. 6.23; P = 0.02) and hematocrit percentage(23.2 vs. 24.5; P = 0.02) were greater for low than high RFI animals.Conclusions: Evidence is provided that feed efficiency is associated with HPA axis function and susceptibility to stress, and responsiveness of the HPA axis is likely to contribute to appreciable variation in the efficiency feed utilisation of cattle.     

Pharmacokinetics of liposomal encapsulated buprenorphine suspension following subcutaneous administration to cats

We investigated the effects of liposome encapsulation at prolonging the systemic exposure of buprenorphine following subcutaneous administration in cats. Seven healthy male cats were dosed intravenously with 0.02 mg/kg buprenorphine solution (STD‐BUP), followed 14 days later by a subcutaneous injection of 0.2 mg/kg buprenorphine as a liposomal suspension (SUS‐BUP) containing drug molecules both in liposomes and the suspending vehicle. Buprenorphine time plasma concentration data for both dosing routes were analyzed simultaneously with four compartmental models. Goodness of fit was assessed both graphically and with the Akaike information criterion. The time‐course of intravenous STD‐BUP was biphasic, with a 4.39 h average terminal half‐life. The subcutaneous SUS‐BUP produced plasma buprenorphine concentrations above 0.5 μg/L for more than 96 h, with three distinct peaks in the first 15 h. The model with best fit comprised a central and a peripheral compartment, plus three subcutaneous absorption compartments: one of dissolved drug molecules that were absorbed through a first‐order process, and two of liposome‐encapsulated drug molecules that were transferred to the solution compartment through separate zero‐order processes. Liposomes effectively prolonged the systemic exposure of buprenorphine in cats.     

The New Zealand meat industry

Extract

At the outset, some idea might be given of the size and scope of the industry, the various types of business involved and the roles played by the Meat Producers' Board, the government, and the trade.     

An experimental sod seeder

The design and development of an efficient sod‐seeder for the Ngongoni Veld of Natal is described.