Comparison of two injectable anesthetic regimes in feral cats at a large-volume spay clinic

Same‐day mass sterilization of feral cats requires rapid onset, short‐duration anesthesia. The purpose of this study was to compare our current anesthetic protocol, Telazol–ketamine–xylazine (TKX) with medetomidine–ketamine–buprenorphine (MKB). Feral female cats received either IM TKX (n = 68; 0.25 mL cat^?1; tiletamine 12.5 mg, zolazepam 12.5 mg, K 20 mg, and X 5 mg per 0.25 mL) or MKB (n = 17; M 40 µg kg^?1, K 15 mg kg^?1, and B 10 µg kg^?1). Intervals measured included time from injection to recumbency, time to surgery, duration of surgery, and time from reversal of anesthesia (TKX: yohimbine 0.50 mg cat^?1 IV; MKB: atipamezole 0.50 mg cat^?1 IM) to sternal recumbency. Following instrumentation (Vet/Ox 4403 and Vet/BP Plus 6500), physiological measurements were recorded at 5‐minute intervals, and included rectal temperature, heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), SpO₂ (lingual or rectal probes), and indirect mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) (oscillometric method). Nonparametric means were compared using Mann–Whitney U‐tests. Parametric means were compared using a two‐factorial anova with Bonferroni's t‐tests. The alpha‐priori significance level was p < 0.05. Values were mean ± SD. Body weight (TKX: 2.9 ± 0.5 kg, MKB: 2.7 ± 0.7 kg), time to recumbency (TKX: 4 ± 1 minutes, MKB: 3 ± 1 minutes), time to surgery (TKX: 28 ± 7 minutes, MKB: 28 ± 5 minutes), and duration of surgery (TKX: 11 ± 7 minutes, MKB: 8 ± 5 minutes) did not differ between groups. In contrast, MKB cats required less time from reversal to sternal recumbency (TKX: 68 ± 41 minutes, MKB: 7 ± 2 minutes) and were recumbent for shorter duration (TKX: 114 ± 39 minutes, MKB: 53 ± 6 minutes). Temperature decreased during the study in both groups, but overall temperature was higher in MKB cats (38.0 ± 0.95 °C) than in TKX cats (37.5 ± 0.95 °C). RR, HR, and SpO₂ did not change during the study in either group. However, overall HR and RR were higher in TKX cats (RR: 18 ± 8 breaths minute^?1, HR: 153 ± 30 beats minute^?1) compared to MKB cats (RR: 15 ± 7 breaths minute^?1, HR: 128 ± 19 beats minute^?1). In contrast, overall SpO₂ was lower in the TKX group (90 ± 6%) compared to the MKB group (94 ± 4%). MAP was also lower in the TKX group (112 ± 29 mm Hg) compared to that in the MKB group (122 ± 20 mm Hg). However, MAP increased in the TKX group during surgery compared to pre‐surgical values, but did not change in the MKB group. The results of this study suggested that MKB might be more suitable as an anesthetic for the purpose of mass sterilization of feral female cats.     

The incidence and severity of intercarpal ligament damage in the equine carpus

SUMMARY The arthroscopic findings in 104 intercarpal joints in 76 horses were reviewed to determine the incidence and severity of changes in the medial intercarpal ligament. Damage to the intercarpal ligament was observed in 43 joints in 35 horses, ranging from mild fraying of the edges of the ligament to complete disruption of all fibres. This represented an incidence of 41% of joints being affected. In 9 joints examined arthroscopically primarily as a further diagnostic procedure, ligament damage was evident in all cases. In horses undergoing arthroscopic surgery primarily for the treatment of osteochondral chip or slab fractures, there was some correlation between the severity of articular cartilage damage and the presence of ligament damage.     

宁夏荒漠草原蒙古冰草资源分配特征

为了解不同群落生境蒙古冰草(Agropyron mongolicum)资源权衡策略及种群维持机制,在宁夏荒漠草原选取以蒙古冰草为优势种或亚优势种的群落为研究对象,研究了不同群落蒙古冰草资源分配特征。结果表明：(1)蒙古冰草个体生物量及根冠比在不同群落之间差异显著(P<0.05),构件生物量分配均表现为根>茎>叶>穗;(2)不同群落蒙古冰草各构件C,N,P含量均以根部最低,C/N,C/P以茎部最高,N/P以叶部为高,比值范围为18～23;不同群落之间则表现为C/N和C/P总体以M2群落较高,地上部各构件N/P以M3群落较高(P<0.05);(3)蒙古冰草地下生物量与土壤含水量呈显著负相关,与各构件N,P元素含量呈显著正相关;各构件P元素含量与其生物量分配比及地上地下生物量之间存在显著相关关系(P<0.05)。综上,蒙古冰草可通过调整自身构件分配格局和养分利用策略保证其在不同群落生境的生长发育和繁殖。     

Salmonella in captive and wild Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) in Tasmania

Translocation of Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) is a common strategy for recovery of the species as carried out by the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program. Dasyurids including the endangered Tasmanian devil are well known to asymptomatically harbour the zoonotic bacteria Salmonella enterica in their intestinal tracts. Testing for Salmonella is a routine component of pretranslocation health testing, so a statewide microbiological survey of captive and wild devils was implemented in order to understand prevalence and common Salmonella serotypes, and inform decision-making when positive cultures are identified. This preliminary study identified a significantly higher proportion of Salmonella isolations in wild compared with captive devils. Mississippi and Typhimurium were the most common serotypes, followed by Lexington, Bovismorbificans, Kottbus and Amsterdam. Given the common finding of Salmonella in wild devils and the range of serotypes involved, in addition to numerous isolations in domestic species and humans, it is unlikely that the release of small numbers of captive devils to the wild in Tasmania poses a significant risk to the destination ecosystem. Ongoing monitoring of devils is required as the stress of acclimatisation could predispose devils to clinical disease. Appropriate personal protective attire is pertinent to protect personnel handling animals from this zoonotic infection.     

Review of kinematic analysis in dogs

Objective gait analysis techniques aid investigators in the study of motion. Kinematic gait analysis techniques that objectively quantitate motion are valuable tools used to understand normal and abnormal motion in domestic animals. Recent advances in video technology have made the study of motion more readily accessible. Available systems can document gait in two or three dimensions (2D or 3D, respectively). Knowledge of fundamental gait analysis concepts is critical to generating meaningful data. The objective of this report is to review principles of kinematic data collection and analyses, with a focus on differences between 2D and 3D systems.     

小熊猫源铜绿假单胞菌耐药性和耐药基因的研究

为了鉴定小熊猫(Ailurus fulgens)肺源致病菌并研究其耐药性和耐药基因,从死亡小熊猫肺部组织中无菌分离培养致病菌,进行革兰氏染色及16S rDNA测序鉴定。采用纸片扩散法(K-B法)进行细菌药敏试验和小鼠致病性试验,应用PCR法检测分离株的28种β-内酰胺酶相关基因、6种氨基糖苷类修饰酶基因(AMEs)、外膜蛋白D2基因(oprD2)、磺胺耐药基因(qacE△1-sul1)、3种整合子基因(intⅠ1、2、3)和主动外排泵调节基因(mexR)等共40种耐药基因。肺组织样品中分离培养的1株菌鉴定为铜绿假单胞菌,革兰氏染色阴性,药敏试验对氯霉素敏感,对β-内酰胺类、头孢类、氨基糖甙类、大环内酯类、硝基咪唑类、喹诺酮类和利福霉素等均具有耐药性,小鼠表现与小熊猫相似的症状而死亡。5种耐药基因TEM、aac(3)-Ⅱ、ant(3″)-Ⅰ、qacE△1-sul1、intⅠ1为阳性,其他35种为阴性。该小熊猫肺源铜绿假单胞菌具有较强的致病性和多药耐药性,其耐药机制与5种耐药基因有关。     

酵母β-葡聚糖对仔猪生产性能影响的研究

选用72头28日龄断奶,体重均一的健康三元杂交仔猪,随机分成4组,每组3个重复,每重复6头猪。对照不添加,饲喂基础日粮;添加0.025%β-葡聚糖组;0.05%β-葡聚糖组;0.1%β-葡聚糖组;试验期28d。实验结果表明,与对照组相比:添加0.025%β-葡聚糖可通过提高日采食量提高试验期内的仔猪日增重10.8%(P>0.05),对降低腹泻率的影响差异不显著(P>0.05);添加0.05%β-葡聚糖可显著降低仔猪腹泻率(P<0.05),可提高日增重7.6%(P>0.05);添加0.1%β-葡糖对日增重和腹泻率都无显著影响(P>0.05)。本研究认为添加0.025%和0.05%β-葡聚糖都可在一定程度上提高断奶仔猪的生产性能。     

Detection of the Matrix Metalloproteinases MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 and Tissue Inhibitors of Metalloproteinases TIMP‐1 and TIMP‐2 in Llama (Lama glama) Oviduct

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their inhibitors (TIMPs) are involved in several reproductive events like oocyte–spermatozoa interaction and semen liquefaction. In order to study their role in the llama oviductal reproductive process, MMP activity in oviductal fluid (OF) was assayed. Considering that llama genome sequences are partially known, a strategy to procure cDNA sequences of MMP‐2, MMP‐9, TIMP‐1 and TIMP‐2 was designed. Afterwards, their expression patterns in the different llama oviductal segments were assayed. Gelatine zymograms detected 62 and 94 kDa protease activities that matched MMP‐2 and pro‐MMP‐9, respectively. Expression pattern analysis showed that MMP and TIMP mRNAs were present in ampulla, isthmus, utero‐tubal junction (UTJ) and papilla. Altogether, these findings support the argument that MMPs/TIMPs are produced in the oviduct and secreted into the oviductal lumen. Our results encourage further studies to elucidate the role of these proteins in reproductive oviductal events.