Use of a sclerosing agent (1% polidocanol) to treat an orbital mucocele in a dog

A case of a salivary gland mucocele in a dog causing nonpainful exopthalmos with dorsolateral deviation of the globe and protrusion of the third eyelid. Diagnosis was made via ultrasound and confirmed with computed tomography. Aspiration of the cystic material along with injection of a sclerosing agent, 1% polidocanol (Aethoxysklerol), was used to destroy the mucocele. Follow-up monthly examination post injection confirmed resolution of clinical signs to date, namely abnormal globe position, with no complications observed.     

Clostridium novyi caused outdoor sow mortality in croatia

In a Croatian outdoor pig breeding unit 32 sows (died between days 2 and 14 post partum) were subjected to gross pathological and further laboratory investigations. Necropsy findings revealed tympany and purple discoloration of the skin, the surface of the livers was dark and had honeycomb appearance with gas bubble infiltrations, congested lungs, hemorrhages, serosanguinous exsudates in body cavities and the stomachs were full. Gram-stains of smears revealed large numbers of Gram-positive rods. Anaerobic cultures yielded high numbers of Clostridium (C.) novyi and fluorescent antibody test (FAT) confirmed this diagnosis. Enzyme immunoassay and toxin testing by neutralisation in Chinese hamster ovary cells revealed toxin B. Based upon the clinical symptoms, gross-pathological signs, bacteriological findings and toxin testing we concluded that C. novyi caused sow mortality. Suboptimal outdoor environment and high outdoor infectious pressure might have contributed the C. novyi caused losses in this unit.     

Towards a dengue vaccine: progress to date and remaining challenges

The increased incidence and extended geographical reach of Dengue virus over the past two decades have made the development of an effective vaccine an international urgency. Various strategies are being pursued, including live, vectored and killed/recombinant preparations. For all approaches, the challenge is to induce a broad durable immune response against all four serotypes of Dengue virus simultaneously whilst avoiding the possible exacerbation of risk of developing the severe forms of disease through incomplete or modified responses. This review presents the current state of knowledge and discusses the challenges of further clinical development.     

Effects of chronic gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist treatment on serum luteinizing hormone and testosterone concentrations in boars.

Mature boars were subjected to chronic treatment with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist, goserelin (D-Ser[But]6, Azgly-NH210), and serum luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone concentrations were measured. Ten sexually mature boars were randomly assigned to treatment (n = 5) or control (n = 5) groups. On day 0, boars were implanted sc (day 0) with 2 GnRH agonist implants (1 mg of GnRH/implant) or sham implants. Blood samples were collected at 12-hour intervals on days -2 and -1, at 6-hour intervals on days 0 through 4, and at 12-hour intervals on days 5 through 8. In addition, blood samples were collected at 15-minute intervals for 6 hours on days -1, 0, 4, and 8. Serum testosterone and LH concentrations were determined by radioimmunoassay. Maximal LH (7 +/- 1 ng/ml) and testosterone (26 +/- 3 ng/ml) concentrations were observed at 5 and 18 hours, respectively, after GnRH agonist treatment. Subsequently, LH and testosterone concentrations decreased to pretreatment values (0.3 +/- 0.1 ng/ml and 1.8 +/- 0.4 ng/ml, respectively) by 24 and 48 hours, respectively, after GnRH agonist implantation. Few differences in the characteristics of pulsatile LH release were observed between the groups. Testosterone and LH concentrations in samples collected at 6- and 12-hour intervals and pulsatile LH release did not change after sham treatment of control boars. Whereas previous reports indicated that chronic GnRH administration suppressed serum LH and testosterone concentrations in rams, rats, and dogs, our results indicate that chronic GnRH agonist treatment induced transitory increases, without subsequent suppression, in LH and testosterone concentrations in mature boars.     

Effects of season and estradiol-17 beta on luteinizing hormone release in ovariectomized sows.

This study examined the ability of estradiol-17 beta (E2) to suppress LH release in the sow during different months of the year. Six chronically ovariectomized sows were fitted with vena caval cannulas (d 0) and blood samples were collected at 6-h intervals for 6 d. Sows were treated s.c. with E2 capsules (24 mg of E2/275 kg of BW) at d 3. Additional blood samples were collected at 15-min intervals for 8 h on d 2 and 5. After each 8-h frequent sampling period, sows were treated i.v. with GnRH at .5 microgram/kg of BW, and blood samples were collected at 10-min intervals for 3 h. The protocol was repeated at monthly intervals for 13 mo. Luteinizing hormone concentrations were determined for all serum samples, and E2 concentrations were quantified in samples collected at 6-h intervals. Data were analyzed by split-block analyses of variance. Serum E2 concentrations increased (P less than .001) from 5.0 +/- .3 pg/ml before E2 treatment to 26.0 +/- .2 pg/ml after E2 treatment. The interval from GnRH administration to peak LH concentration was shorter (P less than .001) before E2 treatment than after E2 treatment (28.7 +/- 2.2 vs 71.0 +/- 2.2 min). It was evident that baseline LH, mean LH, pulse frequency, and pulse amplitude and LH release after GnRH administration failed to demonstrate seasonal changes. In summary, LH release was suppressed after treatment with E2 and was affected minimally by month of the year. In addition, E2 inhibitory effects of LH release included hypothalamic and anterior pituitary sites of action.     

Evaluation of peripheral lymphocytes after weaning and vaccination for Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae

This study evaluated immune cell populations in pigs following weaning and vaccination for Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. Piglets (n = 24) were weaned (day 0) at 16 (±1) days of age, and randomly assigned to the vaccination group (n = 16) or control group (n = 8). Complete blood cell counts, flow cytometry and serology were completed for blood samples collected on days 0 (within hours of weaning), 3, 7, 14, 30 and 60. The M. hyopneumoniae S:P ratios (sample optical density: positive control optical density) were negative in the vaccination group until days 30 and 60, when the S:P ratios were 1.3 and 1.0, respectively. Control animals remained serologically negative. The percentage of CD4⁺ T cells was less (P < 0.01) in control pigs than vaccinated pigs at day 3. In contrast, numbers of CD8⁺ and CD4⁺CD8⁺ T cells were greater (P < 0.01) in control pigs than in vaccinated pigs at days 3 and 7. After day 7, few differences in immune cell types were evident between the groups. Differences in lymphocyte populations could not be solely attributed to vaccination, due at least in part, to the confounding influence of weaning. It was difficult to distinguish the influence of vaccination from the impact of weaning on peripheral immune cell populations.     

Epidemiologic assessment of porcine circovirus type 2 coinfection with other pathogens in swine

OBJECTIVE: To identify important pathogens and characterize their serologic and pathologic effects in porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2)-infected pigs in relation to pig age and type of swine production system. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. ANIMALS: 583 conventionally reared pigs. PROCEDURES: 3- (n = 157), 9- (149), 16- (152), and 24-week-old (125) pigs from 41 different 1-, 2-, and 3-site production systems (5 pigs/age group/farm) were euthanized and necropsied. Pigs with and without PCV2 infection were identified (via PCR assay); infection with and serologic responses to other pathogens and pathologic changes in various tissues (including lungs) were assessed. Logistic regression models were constructed for effects overall and within each age group and type of production system. RESULTS: Compared with PCV2-negative pigs, PCV2-positive pigs were more likely to have swine influenza virus (SIV) type A and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infections and sample-to-positive (S:P) ratios for SIV H1N1 from 0.50 to 0.99; also, PCV2-positive pigs had higher serum anti-porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) antibody titers and more severe lung tissue damage. Infection with SIV (but lower SIV H1N1 S:P ratio) was more likely in 3-week-old PCV2-positive pigs and evidence of systemic disease was greater in 16-week-old PCV2-positive pigs than in their PCV2-negative counterparts. By site type, associations of coinfections and disease effects between PCV2-positive and -negative pigs were greatest in 3-site production systems. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In PCV2-positive pigs, coinfections with SIV, M. hyopneumoniae, and PRRSV are important, having the greatest effect in the early to late nursery phase and in 3-site production systems.     

SURVIVAL TIMES FOR CANINE INTRANASAL SARCOMAS TREATED WITH RADIATION THERAPY: 86 CASES (1996–2011)

Sarcomas comprise approximately one‐third of canine intranasal tumors, however few veterinary studies have described survival times of dogs with histologic subtypes of sarcomas separately from other intranasal tumors. One objective of this study was to describe median survival times for dogs treated with radiation therapy for intranasal sarcomas. A second objective was to compare survival times for dogs treated with three radiation therapy protocols: daily‐fractionated radiation therapy; Monday, Wednesday, and Friday fractionated radiation therapy; and palliative radiation therapy. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed for dogs that had been treated with radiation therapy for confirmed intranasal sarcoma. A total of 86 dogs met inclusion criteria. Overall median survival time for included dogs was 444 days. Median survival time for dogs with chondrosarcoma (n = 42) was 463 days, fibrosarcoma (n = 12) 379 days, osteosarcoma (n = 6) 624 days, and undifferentiated sarcoma (n = 22) 344 days. Dogs treated with daily‐fractionated radiation therapy protocols; Monday, Wednesday and Friday fractionated radiation therapy protocols; and palliative radiation therapy protocols had median survival times of 641, 347, and 305 days, respectively. A significant difference in survival time was found for dogs receiving curative intent radiation therapy vs. palliative radiation therapy (P = 0.032). A significant difference in survival time was also found for dogs receiving daily‐fractionated radiation therapy vs. Monday, Wednesday and Friday fractionated radiation therapy (P = 0.0134). Findings from this study support the use of curative intent radiation therapy for dogs with intranasal sarcoma. Future prospective, randomized trials are needed for confirmation of treatment benefits.     

Effects of oral vaccination against Lawsonia intracellularis on growing-finishing pig's performance in a pig production unit with endemic porcine proliferative enteropathy (PPE)

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of oral vaccination against Lawsonia intracellularis (LI) on growing-finishing pig's performance. In a large Hungarian growing-finishing pig production unit, pigs with positive LI status were randomly divided into 2 groups and treated as follows: Group one: growing pigs (n = 4112) were LI vaccinated with an avirulent oral live vaccine (Enterisol Ileitis Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., St. Joseph, USA). Group two: growing pigs (n = 4188 pigs) have not received LI vaccination. Culling and mortality rates, reasons for culling or mortality, and average daily weight gain were evaluated. Porcine proliferative enteropathy (PPE) caused culling and mortality rates were lower (0.2 % vs. 14.9 %, P < 0.001), and vaccinated pigs had lower none-PPE caused culling and mortality rates compared with the non-vaccinated ones (1.4 vs. 2.6 %, P > 0.05). While systemic infections and social stress or cannibalism related culling or mortality were significantly (P < 0.05) lower in vaccinated than in non-vaccinated pigs, reasons for culling or mortality due to non-LI caused diseases were non-significantly different between the vaccinated and non-vaccinated pigs. Average daily weight gain was higher (P < 0.05) in the LI vaccinated group of animals compared with the non-vaccinated ones (780 +/- 45 g vs. 660 +/- 71 g). The present results indicate that that LI vaccination does not only prevent PPE, but might result in more resistance and tolerance against other infectious and management caused losses.