Effects of ketamine and magnesium on the minimum alveolar concentration of isoflurane in goats

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of ketamine, magnesium sulfate, and their combination on the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) of isoflurane (ISO-MAC) in goats. ANIMALS: 8 adult goats. PROCEDURES: Anesthesia was induced with isoflurane delivered via face mask. Goats were intubated and ventilated to maintain normocapnia. After an appropriate equilibration period, baseline MAC (MAC(B)) was determined and the following 4 treatments were administered IV: saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (loading dose [LD], 30 mL/20 min; constant rate infusion [CRI], 60 mL/h), magnesium sulfate (LD, 50 mg/kg; CRI, 10 mg/kg/h), ketamine (LD, 1 mg/kg; CRI, 25 microg/kg/min), and magnesium sulfate (LD, 50 mg/kg; CRI, 10 mg/kg/h) combined with ketamine (LD, 1 mg/kg; CRI, 25 microg/kg/min); then MAC was redetermined. RESULTS: Ketamine significantly decreased ISOMAC by 28.7 +/- 3.7%, and ketamine combined with magnesium sulfate significantly decreased ISOMAC by 21.1 +/- 4.1%. Saline solution or magnesium sulfate alone did not significantly change ISOMAC. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Ketamine and ketamine combined with magnesium sulfate, at doses used in the study, decreased the end-tidal isoflurane concentration needed to maintain anesthesia, verifying the clinical impression that ketamine decreases the end-tidal isoflurane concentration needed to maintain surgical anesthesia. Magnesium, at doses used in the study, did not decrease ISOMAC or augment ketamine's effects on ISOMAC.     

Raccoonpox in a Canadian cat

Poxvirus infections affecting the skin of cats are extremely rare in North America, in contrast to Europe where cowpox virus is well recognized as an accidental pathogen in cats that hunt small rodents. The virus or viruses responsible for the anecdotal cases in North America have never been characterized. This paper reports a case of raccoonpox infection in a Canadian cat. Biopsy of the initial ulcerative lesion on the forepaw revealed ballooning degeneration of surface and follicular keratinoctyes. Infected cells contained large eosinophilic type A inclusions. Electron microscopic examination revealed virions of an orthopoxvirus, subsequently identified as raccoonpox by polymerase chain reaction and gene sequencing. The cat made a full recovery.     

Veterinary medical education for modern food systems: past, present, and brainstorming a future

Concepts presented here were derived from breakout sessions constituted by the 90 attendees of the Veterinary Medical Education for Modern Food Systems symposium, held in Kansas City, Missouri, USA, in October 2005. The attendees were food-animal educators, veterinary faculty, college deans and administrators, and veterinarians employed in government, industry, and private practice. Discussions at these breakout sessions focused on four primary areas: (1) determining the data needed to document the current demand for food-supply veterinarians (FSVs); (2) defining the information/skills/abilities needed within veterinary school curricula to address the current demands on FSVs; (3) outlining pre-DVM educational requirements needed to support FSVs; and (4) considering the role of post-DVM programs in meeting the demand for FSVs.     

Single-dose intravenous and oral pharmacokinetics of enrofloxacin in goral (Nemorrhaedus goral arnouxianus).

This study describes the pharmacokinetics of enrofloxacin following oral and i.v. administration to goral (Nemorrhaedus goral arnouxianus). The objective of this study was to expand upon current antimicrobial treatment options available for use in goral by measuring plasma concentrations and examining the pharmacokinetics of enrofloxacin in these animals. Two single-dose treatments of enrofloxacin were administered to four goral in a crossover design. Single-dose treatments consisted of administration of injectable enrofloxacin i.v. (5 mg/kg) and enrofloxacin tablets (136 mg chewable tablets) dissolved in a grain slurry and administered p.o. (10 mg/kg). Plasma levels of enrofloxacin and its metabolite ciprofloxacin were measured with the use of high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. Plasma volume of distribution for i.v. enrofloxacin was 2.15 - 1.01 L/kg, with a mean elimination half-life of 13.3 hr and total body clearance of 0.19+/-0.14 L/kg/hr. The maximum plasma concentration measured for oral enrofloxacin was 2.77 microg/ml, with a mean half-life of 5.2 hr and systemic availability of 14.6%. The area under the plasma concentration over time curve (AUC) for oral enrofloxacin was 21.06 microg/hr/ml. The area under the plasma concentration over time curve generated for oral enrofloxacin in goral yields an area under the plasma concentration over time curve to minimum inhibitory concentration ratio > 100 for many gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial pathogens common to small ruminants. Based on these results, oral enrofloxacin may be considered for further study as a treatment option for susceptible infections in goral.     

Blood lead levels of wild Steller's eiders (Polysticta stelleri) and black scoters (Melanitta nigra) in Alaska using a portable blood lead analyzer.

Sea duck populations are declining in Alaska. The reasons for the decline are not known; environmental lead exposure is one suspected cause. Thirty wild Steller's eider ducks (Polysticta stelleri) and 40 wild black scoter ducks (Melanitta nigra) were tested for blood lead levels using a portable blood lead analyzer (LeadCare; ESA, Inc., Chelmsford, Massachusetts 01824, USA). Sixty-seven and one-tenth percent of the sea ducks had undetectable blood lead levels, 30.0% had values indicating normal or background lead exposure, and 2.9% had values indicating lead exposure. None of the birds had values indicating lead toxicity, and no birds demonstrated clinical signs of toxicity. Birds in areas with higher human population density had higher blood lead levels than those in less densely populated areas. This is the first time a portable blood lead analyzer has been utilized with sea ducks in a field setting. Because it provides immediate results, it is valuable as a screening tool for investigators carrying out surgical procedures on birds in the field as well as establishing baseline blood lead data on sea ducks. Lead exposure does occur in wild sea ducks, and the study indicates that additional research is needed in order to determine the role environmental lead plays in declining sea duck populations.     

Effect of diet on the feces quality in javan langur (Trachypithecus auratus auratus).

A high intake of easily fermentable carbohydrates and a low intake of fiber material are generally regarded as major factors affecting the health of captive langurs. The effect on fecal consistency of excluding fruits and vegetables from the diet was evaluated in Javan langurs (Trachypithecus auratus auratus). Cross-over trials were carried out at Rotterdam Zoo and at the Apenheul Zoo, The Netherlands. During the first and third dietary period, the langurs were fed their usual diet, which contained fruits, vegetables, langur pellets, and browse. During the second period, the vegetables and fruits were excluded from the diet and the diet essentially consisted of pellets and browse. Feces consistency was scored using a fecal score chart developed for langurs. During the second feeding period the feces consistency improved significantly in animals at both zoos. Across all trials, a firmer feces consistency was correlated with an increase in dietary cell wall (measured as neutral detergent fiber) and a decrease in dietary water. It is suggested that the combined decrease in the intake of soluble sugars, the increase of fiber intake, and a lower amount of dietary water in the diet resulted in more solid stools. The results indicate that a dietary neutral detergent fiber content of approximately 46% in dry matter will result in a feces consistency indicative of undisturbed gut function.     

Nonspecific reactions to Mycoplasma serum plate antigens induced by inactivated poultry disease vaccines

Nonspecific serum plate agglutination reactions to some avian mycoplasma antigens were induced by injecting chickens with several commercial poultry disease vaccines. All of the vaccines were inactivated, and most of them had oil-emulsion adjuvants. The serum plate agglutination reactions appeared within 2 to 3 weeks post-vaccination and generally persisted for several weeks. The plate test reactions were noted with both Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) and M. synoviae (MS) antigens, although the degree and duration of the reactions varied with the vaccine involved and the source of MG and MS plate test antigens. Attempts to prevent the nonspecific reactions by heat-inactivation at 56 C for 30 minutes or by addition of equal volumes of solutions of 2-mercaptoethanol, dithiothreitol, or 3 M sodium chloride were ineffective. No hemagglutination-inhibition activity against MG or MS antigens was induced by the vaccines.     

Resumption of postpartum luteal function of primiparous, suckled beef cows exposed continuously to bull urine

The objective of this experiment was to determine if continuous exposure to bull urine alters resumption of ovarian cycling activity of primiparous, suckled beef cows. We tested the hypotheses that interval from urine exposure to resumption of luteal activity and proportions of cows that resume luteal activity by the end of the urine-exposure period do not differ between cows exposed to mature bull urine or steer urine. Thirty-eight Angus (A) x Hereford (H) cows, 4 mature A x H bulls and four 10-mo-old A x H steers, were used in this study. Cows were stratified by calving date, cow BW, calf BW, calf sex, dystocia score, and BCS; fitted with a controlled urine delivery device 2 wk before the start of treatments; and assigned randomly to be exposed continuously (24 h/d) to bull urine (n = 19) or steer urine (n = 19) beginning 40 d after calving. Urine was collected from bulls and steers every third day of the experiment. Blood samples were collected from cows starting on d 0 and every third day thereafter until the end of the exposure period (approximately 64 d). Likewise, controlled urine delivery devices were filled and refilled on the same schedule. Neither interval from urine exposure to resumption of luteal activity nor proportions of cows that resumed luteal activity during the urine-exposure period differed between cows exposed to bull urine or steer urine. We concluded that continuous exposure to mature bull urine does not affect resumption of luteal activity of primiparous, suckled beef cows.     

Genetic partitioning of variation in ovulatory follicle size and probability of pregnancy in beef cattle

The objectives of this research were to partition variation in ovulatory follicle size into genetic and nongenetic components and to assess the utility of ovulatory follicle size as an indicator trait associated with reproductive success in beef cattle. Data were collected during the years 2002 to 2005 from 780 beef females that ranged in age from 1 to 12 yr (mean of 2.4 observations per female). Data were analyzed with a multiple trait Gibbs sampler for animal models to make Bayesian inferences from flat priors. A chain of 500,000 Gibbs samples was thinned to every 200th sample to produce a posterior distribution composed of 2,500 samples. Heritability estimates (posterior mean +/- SD) were 0.16 +/- 0.03 for follicle size and 0.07 +/- 0.02 and 0.02 +/- 0.01 for pregnancy rate as a trait of the female and service sire, respectively. Posterior means of genetic correlations were all <0.10, with 0.00 contained within the respective 90% probability density posterior intervals. Results indicate that whereas follicle size is of greater heritability than pregnancy rate, its usefulness to improve reproductive rate is greatest as an ancillary phenotype in multiple trait selection.