Hypovolaemic shock after anthelmintic treatment of canine angio-strongylosis

Canine angiostrongylosis was diagnosed in a whippet with typical signs of respiratory and circulatory distress. Subclinical Angiostrongylus vasorum infections were also demonstrated in two other whippets belonging to the same owner. All three dogs were given standard anthelmintic levamisole treatment combined with corticosteroids. Two days after initiation of treatment, one of the subclinically infected dogs developed severe hypovolaemic shock that required intravenous fluid therapy and corticosteriods to save its life. The shock is believed to have been caused by an anaphylactic reaction triggered by the rapid release of a large amount of worm antigen in the blood due to the rapid death of adult worms by levamisole. Thus, dog owners should be instructed to monitor dogs undergoing levamisole treatment against A vasorum. Alternatives to levamisole treatment of canine angiostrongylosis should be considered.     

Bioavailability of ketoprofen in horses after rectal administration

Six healthy mares ranging in age from 6 to 12 years and weighing from 415 to 540 kg were used to determine the rectal bioavailability of ketoprofen. For the rectal administration, three different formulations, each containing 1 g of ketoprofen, were administered in a fatty and a hydrophilic suppository base and as a liquid suspension. An average elimination half-life of 1.3 h (±1.2) was found. The average value for the total plasma clearance ( Cl _T) was 131.9 mL/min.kg (range 95-183.5). The volume of distribution V _d(area) was 255 mL/kg and the mean residence time (MRT)P = 0.05; Friedman test). Despite the low rectal bioavailability obtained in this study, there was some evidence for the clinical effectiveness of the rectal formulations.     

Associations between body weight and rectal temperature in turkey poults

1. Associations between body weight and rectal temperature were observed in female turkeys.

2. Turkeys with lower weights between 13 and 30 d of age tended to have higher temperatures.

3. Turkeys with lower weights at 7 d exhibited depressed body temperatures.

4. Higher or lower body temperatures may be associated with poorer performance depending on the time of appearance.     

Clinical pathologic alterations in horses during a water deprivation test

A 72-hour water deprivation test was performed in 12 horses to determine clinical pathologic changes. Reference values for electrolyte (X) clearance, expressed as a percentage of creatinine clearance (CLCR; %CLCRX), were also determined. A comparison was made between urine concentration measurement techniques. Results of %CLCRX determination in 12 horses before water deprivation were 0.034 +/- 0.095 %CLCRNa, 42.4 +/- 9.8 %CLCRK, 0.352 +/- 0.190 %CLCRCl, and 0.710 +/- 0.250 %CLCRP. During water deprivation, there was individual variation for electrolyte clearances, but Na excretion increased significantly (P less than 0.01) at 24 and 48 hours. After 48 hours' water deprivation, %CLCRNa decreased significantly, but was still greater than the initial clearance. Plasma protein was a better indicator of water deprivation (dehydration) in the horse than was PCV. Electrolyte concentrations in serum and urine were determined. Little significant (P less than 0.01) change in acid-base values was noticed after 72 hours' water deprivation. Urine osmolality (as determined by osmometry) was compared with sp gr (determined by refractometry) in determining urine concentration. Initially, sp gr correlated well with urine osmolality determinations, but this correlation decreased after 48 hours.     

Diaphragmatic hernia. Analysis of fifty-six cases in dogs and cats

A review of fifty-six cases of diaphragmatic hernia in the dog and cat is presented. These were admitted to the University of Glasgow Veterinary School between January 1972 and August 1978. Fifty-three of these cases were treated surgically but only twenty-nine survived to be discharged from the hospital. The reasons for the low survival rate are discussed in detail.     

Urinary protein level determination as a rapid method for the detection of contamination of slaughtered swine

Reference is made to work undertaken by Stehle (1983) on rapid semiquantitative determination of urinary protein in pigs for slaughter to identify premortal strain and stress, with additional studies being conducted into the suitability of the method. The investigations performed for this study covered urinary protein samples from 59 living and 762 slaughtered pigs. The Biophan E paper strip test was applied to groups of animals, and, when compared to high-accuracy laboratory determination of urinary protein, it provided sufficiently accurate information on the presence of stress-related proteinuria. Its accuracy, however, proved to be insufficient, when individual animals were examined. The number of clearly stressed slaughter pigs was unexpectedly high, although the same animals had been rated clinically inconspicuous prior to slaughter. Brief rest period resulted in significant rise of stress. The Biophan E paper strip test was found to be suitable for instantaneous determination of stress and strain on pigs for slaughter.     

Endogenous opioid suppression of release of luteinizing hormone during suckling in postpartum anestrous beef cows

Beef cows were used to determine if suckling influences release of LH via endogenous opioids at 28 +/- 4 d after parturition. Cows of similar weight and body condition (6.8 +/- .1, 1 = emaciated, 9 = obese) were assigned randomly to five groups (n = 6 to 7): 1) control-suckled/saline (suckled 15 min every 6 hr for 48 hr); 2) control-suckled/naloxone; 3) calf-removal/saline (calf removal for 52 hr); 4) calf-removal/naloxone; and 5) control-suckled/GnRH (Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone). At 0 hr, saline was administered to all cows. This treatment was continued at 6 hr intervals for 24 hr. Either naloxone (0.5 mg/kg), GnRH (40 ng/kg) or saline was administered to cows in their respective groups every 6 hr during the ensuing 24-hr period in calf-removal groups, or immediately preceding each suckling episode in the control-suckled groups. Blood samples for analysis of luteinizing hormone (LH) were collected at 15-min intervals for 1 hr prior to and 3 hr after treatment at 0, 24, 36 and 48 hr. Cows were observed for estrus twice daily. All cows in the control-suckled/GnRH group released LH (P less than .05) in response to exogenous GnRH, indicating the presence of releasable quantities of the gonadotropin. Mean concentrations of LH were not effected (P greater than .05) by the control-suckled regime. However, calf-removal alone, or in combination with naloxone, increased (P less than .05) mean concentrations of LH by 48 hr.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Arthropathy associated with Brucella abortus strain 19 vaccination in cattle. II. Experimental studies

Attempts to reproduce in calves the arthropathy associated with Brucella abortus strain 19 (S19) vaccination by direct intra-articular injection of S19 or virulent Brucella cells were unsuccessful. Intra-articular injection of rabbits and a calf with immune complexes isolated from the synovial fluid of a field case produced clinical and histological signs of arthropathy accompanied by the development of rheumatoid factor.