Echoguided closed commissurotomy for mitral valve stenosis in a dog

Surgical treatment of mitral stenosis (MS) usually consists of open mitral commissurotomy (MC) or percutaneous balloon MC, which require a cardiopulmonary bypass or transseptal approach, respectively. We describe here the first surgical management of congenital MS in a dog using a less invasive procedure, a surgical closed MC under direct echo guidance. A 5-year-old female Cairn terrier was referred for ascites, weakness, and marked exercise intolerance for 2 months, which was refractory to medical treatment. Diagnosis of severe MS associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) was confirmed by echo-Doppler examination and electrocardiography. Poor response to medical treatment suggested a corrective procedure on the valve was indicated. However, due to the cost and high mortality rate associated with cardiopulmonary bypass, a hybrid MC was recommended. A standard left intercostal thoracotomy was performed and three balloon valvuloplasty catheters of differing diameters were sequentially inserted through the left atrium under direct echo guidance. Transesophageal echocardiography revealed a 62% reduction in the pressure half-time compared to the pre-procedure. Thirteen months after surgery the dog is still doing well with resolution of ascites and a marked improvement of most echo-Doppler variables.     

A case of hypertrophic osteoarthropathy in a Belgian blue cow

A 12-year-old cow was presented with chronic respiratory disease and lameness. Chronic pleuritis, pneumonia, and bronchial carcinoma were found as well as periosteal proliferation on limb bones. Ancillary tests and necropsy confirmed a combined pathology of pulmonary inflammation and neoplasm, and hypertrophic pulmonary osteopathy.     

高大冷杉温室Strophosoma象甲的微生物防治

In Denmark, the weevils Strophosoma melanogrammum and S.capitatum cause economic damage in Noble fir due to the adult stage feeding on the needles.No chemical treatments of these weevils are allowed in Denmark,so biological control is an attractive solution.We evaluated the potential for microbial control of larvae of Strophosoma spp.based on laboratory bioassays and field applications,taking effect on both target and non-target into consideration,as well as persistence of the applied fungus.In the laboratory Beauveria bassiana,Paecilomyces farinosus and Metarhizium anisopliae were able to infect and cause mycosis in Strophosoma larvae.Among the tested isolates the most virulent isolate was M.anisopliae BIPESCO 5,which resulted in 80 % mortality.In the field experiment M.anisopliae,isolate BIPESCO 5,was applied to the soil as a conidial suspension against larvae of Strophosoma spp.The effect of the fungus on the target population was monitored at a weekly basis by counts of emerging adult weevils during their activity periods.The population of Strophosoma spp.was reduced by up to 60% in treated plots compared to control plots.The non-target effects of M.anisopliae were studied by sampling insects and ticks from both treated and control plots.Seven days after treatment,two sampled insect orders (Hemiptera and Coleoptera) and ticks were found with prevalences of M.anisopliae above 50%,compared to no infection in the insects collected from control plots.Infections in coccinellids were found as long as 277 days after treatment.However,the effect on population level of non-target is still unexplored.The persistence of the fungus was documented by plating a soil suspension onto agar.We documented that conidia of M.anisopliae could persist in the greenery plantation for at least 418 days after application.     

Analysis of Canadian and American legislation for controlling exotic species in the Great Lakes

• 1. The legislation of the Great Lakes jurisdictions dealing with control of exotic species introduced through ballast water, canals, and recreational boating was analysed to determine whether the USA and Canada have the capacity to manage nuisance exotic species effectively. Despite the deleterious ecological effects attributed to exotic aquatic species, there is a lack of complementary legislation between Canada and the USA to remedy this problem. Current legislation is fragmented at the bilateral, national, and the state/provincial level.
• 2. American legislative initiatives are far ahead of Canada's, especially for regulating ballast water in oceanic shipping. Canada lacks strong federal and provincial legislation to regulate ballast water in shipping and to prevent the secondary spread of exotic aquatic species through watersheds.
• 3. Legislation to regulate ballast water is developing quickly among the US federal government and the Great Lakes states. However, legislation affecting the spread of exotic nuisance species via canals and recreational boaters is needed to complement ballast water laws and to give agencies a broader mandate for management.
• 4. Amendment of the Boundary Waters Treaty Act, the Fisheries Act, and the Canada Water Act could give the Canadian federal government authority to regulate ballast water in vessels entering the St Lawrence and to begin the rehabilitation of aquatic habitats impaired by nuisance exotic species.
• 5. Preventing further species introduction and spread through the Great Lakes basin requires restricting certain shipping and boating practices. This can be achieved only by the enactment of complementary laws among all the American and Canadian jurisdictions.

Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluation of a romifidine constant rate infusion protocol with or without butorphanol for dentistry and ophthalmologic procedures in standing horses

ObjectiveTo compare the clinical usefulness of constant rate infusion (CRI) protocols of romifidine with or without butorphanol for sedation of horses.Study designProspective ‘blinded’ controlled trial using block randomization.AnimalsForty healthy Freiberger stallions.MethodsThe horses received either intravenous (IV) romifidine (loading dose: 80 μg kg^?1; infusion: 30 μg kg^?1 hour^?1) (treatment R, n = 20) or romifidine combined with butorphanol (romifidine loading: 80 μg kg^?1; infusion: 29 μg kg^?1 hour^?1, and butorphanol loading: 18 μg kg^?1; infusion: 25 μg kg^?1 hour^?1) (treatment RB, n = 20). Twenty-one horses underwent dentistry and ophthalmic procedures, while 19 horses underwent only ophthalmologic procedure and buccal examination. During the procedure, physiologic parameters and occurrence of head/muzzle shaking or twitching and forward movement were recorded. Whenever sedation was insufficient, additional romifidine (20 μg kg^?1) was administered IV. Recovery time was evaluated by assessing head height above ground. At the end of the procedure, overall quality of sedation for the procedure was scored by the dentist and anaesthetist using a visual analogue scale. Statistical analyses used two-way anova or linear mixed models as relevant.ResultsSedation quality scores as assessed by the anaesthetist were R: median 7.55, range: 4.9–9.0 cm, RB: 8.8, 4.7–10.0 cm, and by the dentist R: 6.6, 3.0–8.2 cm, RB: 7.9, 6.6–8.8 cm. Horses receiving RB showed clinically more effective sedation as demonstrated by fewer poor scores and a tendency to reduced additional drug requirements. More horses showed forward movement and head shaking in treatment RB than treatment R. Three horses (two RB, one R) had symptoms of colic following sedation.Conclusions and clinical relevanceThe described protocols provide effective sedation under clinical conditions but for dentistry procedures, the addition of butorphanol is advantageous.