Unusual anatomic variation of bilateral ectopic ureters in a dog

An unusual anatomic variation of bilateral ectopic ureters was diagnosed in a 6-week-old female Siberian Husky with urinary incontinence. Assessment during surgery revealed bilateral ectopic ureters with a common opening in the proximal portion of the urethra. Ureteroneocystostomy was performed bilaterally. After surgery, intermittent urinary incontinence continued, but was less severe. After resection of a persistent hymen in the 6-month-old dog, incontinence appeared to resolve, but then recurred, and has been controlled by phenylpropanolamine administration.     

Full-length diaphyseal sequestrum as a consequence of segmental transverse fractures of the large metatarsal bone in a calf

A 1-week-old calf was treated for fractured right metatarsus; however, at 3.5 months of age, the fracture site again became unstable. Radiography disclosed segmental transverse metatarsal fractures with an isolated, full-circumference diaphyseal sequestrum. Arteriography and nuclear scintigraphy confirmed the isolation and necrosis of the diaphyseal segment. Diaphyseal sequestra usually develop as cortical or partial circumferential necrotic fragments. The finding of a full-length diaphyseal sequestrum was unusual.     

RADIOGRAPHIC CHANGES IN AN EQUINE PATELLA FOLLOWING MEDIAL PATELLAR DESMOTOMY

Medial patellar desmotomy has been considered a benign surgical treatment in horses with suspected upward fixation of the patella. Our clinic has previously observed radiographic changes in the equine stifle following medial patellar desmotomy but preoperative radiographs were not made and the changes therefore could not be directly associated with the desmotomy. In this report we describe a case with normal stifle radiographs before medial patellar desmotomy. Radiographs made 3 months later demonstrated degeneration of the patella with enthesophytes, osteolysis and bone fragments. It is hypothesized that the lesion developed as a result of lateral rotation of the patella creating stress concentration in the subchondral bone of the distal articular surface of the patella. The pathogenesis of the patellar lesion is thought to be similar to the "gull wing" lesion on the distal palmar aspect of the third metacarpal bone. We recommend a more prudent approach to medial patellar desmotomy in the horse.     

Pharyngeal polyps in two feline siblings

Pharyngeal polyps were diagnosed in 2 sibling kittens referred for evaluation of chronic upper respiratory tract disease. Surgical excision of the masses was performed in both kittens after skull radiography and oral examination. One kitten had a recurrence of pharyngeal polyps 5 weeks after surgery and was euthanatized and necropsied. The clinical and histologic findings in these 2 cases suggested a congenital origin of this disease.     

Cattle acclimate more substantially to repeated handling when confined individually in a pen than when assessed as a group

Chute (CS) and exit (ES) scores are common subjective methods used to evaluate temperament in cattle production systems. A pen test, which allows behavior to be observed in a non-restrained setting, may also be an effective method to evaluate temperament by allowing more variation among animals to be expressed. The merit of pen scores in assisting producers in evaluating temperament is equivocal. The objectives of this study were to validate the usefulness of a pen score in delineating temperamental cattle and to determine whether these behavioral scores change under repeated and routine management. Over 3 consecutive years, a factorial design of two measurement protocols (frequent [F], infrequent [IN]) and three recording periods was used. The F measurements were collected over 3 consecutive days and IN measurements only on day 1 within a recording period. Each year, 20 mostly Angus commercial Bos taurus heifers were randomly assigned to each protocol. Behavior was measured using a CS, ES, and exit velocity. Body temperature and heart rate also were recorded. A fecal and blood sample were collected and analyzed for levels of various metabolites including glucose concentration and serum cortisol. Following routine handling, each heifers’ response to 30 s of exposure to a human stressor was recorded both individually and in groups of four. An individual (IPS) and group (GPS) pen scores were assigned from 1 (docile) to 6 (aggressive). For all heifers, protocol, event, and their interaction, were compared on the first day of an event. For F heifers, event and day within event were instead used. Body weight was included as a covariate, with sire and year fitted as random effects. Reliability of IPS and GPS were determined using a kappa (K) coefficient. Both IPS and GPS were reliably assigned (K = 0.64 and 0.44 for IPS and GPS, respectively) and positively correlated with body temperature, heart rate, glucose, and serum cortisol (r = 0.28 to 0.37). Furthermore, F heifers acclimated to repeated handling in an individual pen setting (P < 0.05) while acclimation to handling within groups was not evident (P > 0.14). IPS provides a reliable evaluation of temperament in a non-restrained setting that is indicative of an animal’s response to stress and may be useful when attempting to make phenotypic selection decisions. However, temperamental heifers became calmer with repeated gentle handling.     

Impacts of agricultural management practices on C sequestration in forest-derived soils of the eastern Corn Belt

Soil organic matter has recently been implicated as an important sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂). However, the relative impacts of various agricultural management practices on soil organic matter dynamics and, therefore, C sequestration at spatial scales larger than a single plot or times longer than the typical three year experiment have rarely been reported. Results of maintaining agricultural management practices in the forest-derived soils of the eastern Corn (Zea mays L.) Belt states of Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania (USA) were studied. We found annual organic C input and tillage intensity were the most important factors in affecting C sequestration. The impact of rotation on C sequestration was primarily related to the way it altered annual total C inputs. The removal of above-ground plant biomass and use of cover crops were of lesser importance. The most rapid changes in soil organic matter content occurred during the first five years after a management practice was imposed with slower changes occurring thereafter. Certain management practices, e.g. no-tillage (NT), increased the soil's ability to sequester atmospheric CO₂. The impact of this sequestration will be significant only when these practices are used extensively on a large percentage of cropland and when the C-building practices are maintained. Any soil C sequestered will be rapidly mineralized to CO₂ if the soil organic matter building practices are not maintained.     

Association of Factor V Secretion with Protein Kinase B Signaling in Platelets from Horses with Atypical Equine Thrombasthenia

Background

Two congenital bleeding diatheses have been identified in Thoroughbred horses: Glanzmann thrombasthenia (GT) and a second, novel diathesis associated with abnormal platelet function in response to collagen and thrombin stimulation.

Hypothesis/Objectives

Platelet dysfunction in horses with this second thrombasthenia results from a secretory defect.

Animals

Two affected and 6 clinically normal horses.

Methods

Ex vivo study. Washed platelets were examined for (1) expression of the αIIb‐β3 integrin; (2) fibrinogen binding capacity in response to ADP and thrombin; (3) secretion of dense and α‐granules; (4) activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)‐protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathway; and (5) cellular distribution of phosphatidylinositol‐4‐phosphate‐3‐kinase, class 2B (PIK3C2B) and SH2 containing inositol‐5′‐phosphatase 1 (SHIP1).

Results

Platelets from affected horses expressed normal amounts of αIIb‐β3 integrin and bound fibrinogen normally in response to ADP, but bound 80% less fibrinogen in response to thrombin. α‐granules only released 50% as much Factor V as control platelets, but dense granules released their contents normally. Protein kinase B (AKT) phosphorylation was reduced after thrombin activation, but mTOR Complex 2 (mTORC2) and phosphoinositide‐dependent kinase 1 (PDK1) signaling were normal. SH2‐containing inositol‐5''‐phosphatase 1 (SHIP1) did not localize to the cytoskeleton of affected platelets and was decreased overall consistent with reduced AKT phosphorylation.

Conclusions and clinical significance

Defects in fibrinogen binding, granule secretion, and signal transduction are unique to this thrombasthenia, which we designate as atypical equine thrombasthenia.     

Gonadal Activity in Male and Female Captive Fossas (Cryptoprocta ferox) During the Mating Season

The fossa is an endangered, mongoose-like carnivore species endemic to Madagascar with a breeding season (BS) in the southern hemisphere spring. For the present study, faecal samples of captive fossas were collected for over 1 year for five males and four non-pregnant females, and for two pregnant animals during the reproductive period. The goal was to assess gonadal activity using non-invasive hormone measurements of faecal testosterone (T) and gestagen metabolites using assays previously established in our laboratory and further validated in this study. All study animals were housed in northern hemisphere zoos. In males, the seasonal T metabolite profile revealed a peak in spring (March). High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was used to characterize the faecal hormone metabolite composition. The highest immunoreactivity was detected in the position of dihydrotestosterone, whereas native T was not detected. In the two pregnant females, gestagen metabolite concentrations increased 4–9 days after the initial matings and remained elevated throughout gestation with concentrations dramatically higher than those of the non-pregnant females during the BS. In these females, gestagen metabolite analyses did not reveal a seasonal pattern similar to the males. The HPLC-analysis revealed that the major proportion of immunoreactivity was associated with an unknown metabolite, whereas native progesterone was undetectable. The seasonal hormone pattern of male fossas gives proof of the reproductive seasonality of this species.
The elevated 5α-pregnan-3β-ol-20-one levels in pregnant animals allows for the characterization of pregnancy in the fossa based on analysis of faecal steroid metabolite concentrations.