Administration of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin to Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica): dose response over seven days and comparison of delivery by daily injection or osmotic pump

AIMS: This study is part of a research programme that aims to develop a method of hormone treatment to stimulate breeding in female birds. The aims of this study were to compare dose rates and two different delivery methods, daily injection or osmotic pump, for hormone treatment of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) with pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG). METHODS: PMSG (0, 5, 10, 20, 40 and 80 IU PMSG/day) was administered to 6-week-old Japanese quail housed under short-day, cool-temperature conditions (8L:16D at 7-10 degrees C) by daily injections or osmotic pump for 7 days. Three additional groups were untreated: one group was dissected at Day 0, and two groups were maintained under either short-day, cool-temperature or long-day, warm-temperature (16L:8D, 20 degrees C) conditions for 7 days. Cloacal diameter was measured daily, and ovarian and oviductal mass and plasma oestradiol concentrations measured at the end of the treatment period. RESULTS: PMSG treatment stimulated ovarian and oviductal growth. After 7 days of treatment with 10-20 IU PMSG, ovarian and oviductal mass were similar to those in birds moved from short to long days. Females treated with the highest doses of PMSG (40 or 80 IU) had significantly larger cloacal diameters and ovarian and oviductal mass than other treated birds or birds maintained under long-day, warm-temperature conditions. Daily injections and osmotic pumps were equally effective methods of delivery. However, there was considerable variation in response to PMSG among individual birds and this was particularly obvious at the higher doses (20-80 IU PMSG). There were no differences in plasma oestradiol concentrations between groups treated using daily injections or osmotic pumps. CONCLUSIONS: A dose of 10 IU PMSG/day was chosen for use in future experiments with Japanese quail, for the first 7 days of treatment. The delivery method of choice for future studies will depend on the practical considerations of the research in question.     

Serotypes of non-O157 verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli isolated from meat in New Zealand

Verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) were isolated from meat in New Zealand. They were tested for the presence of virulence factors associated with VTEC and serotyped. Some of the serotypes found were identical to ones reported from other parts of the world, but some serotypes were also found which had not been reported elsewhere. This study confirms the world-wide distribution of these emerging food-borne pathogens.     

Ureterotomy for removal of two ureteroliths in a parrot

A 21-year-old male double-yellowheaded Amazon parrot was referred because of possible urolithiasis. The bird had strained to void since it was young, and recently, signs of depression and inappetence had appeared. Radiography revealed 2 mineralized opacities in the left caudal portion of the celomic cavity. A left lateral celiotomy revealed that the left ureter was dilated and contained a calculus, which was later determined to be composed of monosodium uric acid crystals and proteinaceous material. The second mineralized mass could not be located at that time, but was detected in the caudal aspect of the celomic cavity after surgery by use of radiography. Manual attempts to maneuver the uterolith from the ureter through the cloaca were unsuccessful. Five days after the initial surgery, the uterolith was removed by cloacotomy and ventral midline laparotomy. Excretory urography performed 10 and 31 days after surgery revealed that the left ureter was homogeneously opacified and gradually decreased to 3 to 6 mm in diameter. The bird remained healthy and seemed to strain less severely during voiding. Nonspecific signs associated with ureteroliths may result in delay in diagnosis. Surgical removal of ureteroliths may be an effective treatment for this uncommon condition, but it is complicated by certain anatomic features of birds and may result in ureteral stricture.     

Primary hyperoxaluria (L-glyceric aciduria) in the cat: a newly recognised inherited disease

The clinical features of a newly recognised inherited disease, primary hyperoxaluria in the cat, are reported. Affected cats developed acute renal failure between five and nine months old owing to the deposition of oxalate crystals in the tubules of the kidney. In addition to the signs attributable to kidney failure the affected animals became profoundly weak; there was evidence of denervation atrophy in skeletal muscle, and accumulations of neurofilaments were found in the proximal axons of the ventral horn cells and dorsal root ganglion cells of the spinal cord. Examination of urine from affected cats revealed L-glyceric aciduria and intermittent hyperoxaluria suggesting that the disease is a feline analogue of the human disorder, primary hyperoxaluria type 2. This supposition was confirmed by liver enzyme studies.     

Delayed physeal closure associated with castration in cats

Radiographs of 152 cats under four years of age were examined for evidence of physeal closure. Radiographic closure was compared between entire male, castrated male, and female (neutered and entire] cats. Physeal closure in castrated males was delayed when compared to that of entire males.     

Brain-derived acidic fibroblast growth factor: complete amino acid sequence and homologies

Bovine brain-derived acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) is a protein mitogen originally identified in partially purified preparations of whole brain. The protein was purified to homogeneity and shown to be a potent vascular endothelial cell mitogen in culture and angiogenic substance in vivo. The homology of aFGF to human interleukin-1 beta was inferred from partial sequence data. The complete amino acid sequence of aFGF has now been determined and observed to be similar to both basic FGF and interleukin-1's. A neuropeptide-like sequence, flanked by basic dipeptides, was observed within the aFGF sequence.     

Diarrhea associated with sand in the gastrointestinal tract of horses

Four horses with diarrhea had radiographic evidence of large quantities of sand in the gastrointestinal tract. Initially, none of the horses had sufficient fecal sand quantity to suggest sand enteropathy. Diarrhea resolved in all horses within 2 days of oral administration of psyllium hydrophilic mucilloid. Historically, all 4 horses had lost weight or had difficulty maintaining weight. After treatment was administered, the horses either gained weight or were easier to maintain in good condition.     

Salinomycin poisoning in point-of-lay turkeys

Salinomycin poisoning occurred in a flock of 700 point-of-lay turkeys; 400 birds died over 7 days as a result of consuming feed contaminated with 50 ppm salinomycin. No gross lesions were detected. Histologic evidence of a myopathy was most readily detected in leg muscles of turkeys 5 to 7 d after ingesting salinomycin. Feeding trials were undertaken and individual susceptibility to the drug was found to vary greatly. In affected birds the plasma concentrations of creatine kinase (CK) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were found to be in the range of 500,000 to 2,500,000 IU/l and 9000 to 25,000 IU/l, respectively. The marked increase in the plasma activities of these enzymes preceded histological evidence of segmental muscle necrosis.