Haematogenous osteomyelitis in cattle

The examination of 70 cattle with haematogenous osteomyelitis resulted in the classification of the bone lesions into two main groups: the physeal type, in which an infection, usually of metaphyseal bone, originated at or near the growth plate, usually in the distal metacarpus, metatarsus, radius or tibia, and the epiphyseal type, in which an infection originated near the junction of the subchondral bone and the immature epiphyseal joint cartilage, most often in the distal femoral condyle epiphysis, the patella and the distal radius. Combinations of physeal and epiphyseal defects and even diaphyseal involvement were occasionally seen. Epiphyseal osteomyelitis was mostly caused by salmonella infection, physeal by Corynebacterium pyogenes, salmonella and other bacteria. The salmonella affected animals were with one exception less than 12 weeks old and the majority had had some previous illness or came from a problem herd. The C pyogenes affected calves were in almost all cases more than six months old. The prognosis of the metaphyseal infection was in general satisfactory, and surgical intervention (osteotomy or sequestrectomy) was often required. The prognosis of the epiphyseal type was grave but two of the three animals in which physeal and epiphyseal defects were accompanied by diaphyseal lesions recovered.     

Efficacy of dichlorvos, fenbendazole, and ivermectin in swine with induced intestinal nematode infections

Anthelmintic efficacies of dichlorvos, fenbendazole, and ivermectin were compared in specific-pathogen-free crossbred weanling pigs inoculated with Ascaris suum, Trichuris suis, and Oesophagostomum dentatum. On postinoculation day (PID) 50, 24 pigs in each treatment group were treated orally with 43 mg of dichlorvos/kg of body weight, 3 X 3 mg of fenbendazole/kg, or 300 micrograms of ivermectin/kg, SC. Twenty-four pigs were not treated. On posttreatment day 7 (PID 57), 12 pigs from each treatment group (phase I) were slaughtered, and the anthelmintic efficacy of each treatment was determined. Efficacies against A suum, T suis, and O dentatum, respectively, were: dichlorvos, 100%, 99.9%, and 100%; fenbendazole, 100%, 99.8%, and 100%; and ivermectin, 98.7%, 53.9%, and 87.6%. Weight gains and feed conversions of the remaining pigs were monitored until they reached market weight (phase II). The average weight gains (kg) and feed conversions (kg of feed/kg of gain) at posttreatment day 81 (PID 131), respectively, were: 73.6 and 3.44 for nontreated controls, 78.9 and 3.31 for dichlorvos-treated pigs, 72.1 and 3.36 for fenbendazole-treated pigs, and 74 and 3.48 for ivermectin-treated pigs. Differences in average weight gains and feed conversions were not significant (P greater than 0.05).     

Comparison of various treatments for experimentally induced equine infectious arthritis

To evaluate the effects of 5 treatments on clinical responses, synovial fluid analysis, radiographic changes, bacteriologic culture results of the synovial fluid and synovial membrane, microscopic characteristics of the synovial membrane, and articular cartilage histochemistry, Staphylococcus aureus organisms (1.6 X 10(6) colony-forming units) were inoculated into the tarsocrural joints of 12 horses (n = 24 joints; 2 joints/horse). Each horse was given phenylbutazone (2 g) orally, every 24 hours, beginning 24 hours after inoculation. Two horses (ie, 4 joints) were not given other treatment (controls; group 1). All other horses (ie, 20 joints) were given a trimethoprim-sulfadiazine combination orally, once daily (30 mg/kg; 8 joints) or twice daily (30 mg/kg q 12 hr; 12 joints). Each of these 20 joints were assigned to 1 of 5 treatment groups (4 joints/group) in a balanced incomplete block design. Group 2 (4 joints) was given only the antibiotics once daily. Twelve joints were treated by through-and-through joint lavage on day 1 (group 3), days 1 and 3 (group 4), or days 1, 3, and 6 (group 5). Joints in group 6 had an arthrotomy performed on day 1, with subsequent lavage via an indwelling drain every 12 hours for 4 days. In groups 3 through 6, 1 joint in each group was treated with antibiotics once daily, and 3 joints were treated with antibiotics twice daily. All horses were clinically assessed each day. Complete blood count was performed on days 3, 6, 10, and 21. Before inoculation and on days 0, 1, 3, 6, 10, and 21, synovial fluid specimens were collected and analyzed for color, clarity, total protein concentration, WBC count, differential count, and mucin clot-forming ability. Synovial fluid specimens were cultured bacteriologically before inoculation and on days 0 and 21. Horses in group 1 (controls) were euthanatized before day 6. All other horses were euthanatized on day 21. Tarsocrural joints were opened and examined. Synovial membrane specimens were bacteriologically cultured. Synovial membrane specimens were examined histologically (hemotoxylin and eosin stain) and articular cartilage specimens were (safranin O fast green stain) evaluated histochemically. Synovial membrane specimens were histologically graded into 5 categories. Intensity of articular cartilage intercellular staining with safranin 0 was graded for superficial, outer intermediate, inner intermediate, and deep zones. Two-way analysis of variance was performed to evaluate differences among groups and across time for the determinants evaluated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Arthritis and systemic disease caused by Borrelia burgdorferi infection in a cow

Infection with Borrelia burgdorferi caused arthritis, myocarditis, glomerulonephritis, and pneumonitis in a cow. Spirochetes were detected by use of immunofluorescent staining in liver and lung specimens and were isolated from the liver. The carpal, stifle, and tarsal joints had marked synovial proliferation, and synovial fluid obtained from these joints had high antibody titers against B burgdorferi. The cow was from an area of Wisconsin that is not endemic for borreliosis.     

Comparison of the effects of etomidate and its fluoro analogue, R 8110, on plasma Cortisol, 11β-deoxycortisol, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone and testosterone concentrations in dogs

R 8110, an imidazole derivative, was shown to be clinically superior to etomidate for induction and maintenance of anaesthesia in dogs. The present study compared the effects of intravenous (i.v.) R 8110, etomidate and Ringer solution on cortisol biosynthesis by the adrenal gland in seven male labradors. A tetracosactide challenge was carried out 30 min after the i.v. injection of 3 mg/kg of both drugs and after i.v. Ringer solution (1 ml/kg). Etomidate and R 8110 both suppressed the cortisol response to tetracosactide almost completely and increased the plasma 11 beta-deoxycortisol levels more than 20 fold. Maximal 11 beta-deoxycortisol values were reached 120 min after R 8110, and not less than 300 min after etomidate. Plasma 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone and testosterone concentrations did not differ between placebo and R 8110 treatment, but they decreased after etomidate. These results indicate that the effects of R 8110 on steroid biosynthesis in dogs are less pronounced than those of etomidate and are largely limited to a temporary inhibition of the 11 beta-hydroxylase in the adrenal gland.     

Immunocytological confirmation of a diagnosis of canine distemper using cells in urine

Immunofluorescent staining of epithelial cells present in urine of early clinical cases of canine distemper confirmed the presumptive diagnosis by revealing fluorescing intracytoplasmic inclusions. Positive results were not obtained in urine samples from control dogs nor from samples from dogs ill for more than three weeks. The urine samples, with added preservative, still yielded positive results after 5 days storage at 37°C or 21 days storage at 18°C.