Ultrasound as a Mechanical Method for Male Dog Contraception

Therapeutic ultrasound (1.5 W/cm²) was investigated for its effect upon testicular size and consistency and semen quality in five dogs. Dogs were treated every other day with a total of three treatments and were examined up to 2 weeks after treatment. There was some tenderness after treatment and a significant decrease in testicular size and semen quality. This method may provide a suitable contraception technique in dogs and requires further investigation.     

Relationship Between Motility and Mitochondrial Functional Status in Canine Spermatozoa

Inner mitochondrial membrane potential (IMM) is considered a sensitive indicator for the energetic status and motility of spermatozoa. The relationship between sperm motility parameters evaluated by Computer Assisted Sperm motility Analyzer and plasma membrane integrity and IMM assessed by triple staining (PI/SYBR-14 and JC-1) was evaluated in 10 dogs of unknown fertility. Sperm motility showed large variations ranging from 10% to 98%. Proportion of viable sperm cells and of spermatozoa with high IMM ranged from 74% to 99% and from 53% to 87%, respectively. The presence of a high IMM assessed by JC-1 was more strongly correlated to sperm viability ( r  = 1) than to sperm motility ( r  = 0.778). Our results indicate that JC-1 is suitable for detection of IMM changes in canine spermatozoa, but it should always be associated with an objective motility analysis to avoid incorrect evaluation of potential sperm fertility. Ejaculates with a low motility rate showed an unexpectedly high proportion of sperm with high IMM, suggesting that mitochondrial respiration could not be sufficient to support sperm motility, although it may be important for sperm survival in the female genital tract.     

Bovine-associated MRSA ST398 in The Netherlands

During routinely screening (50.000 milk samples on an annual basis) 14 MRSA ST398 strains were identified in the period of January 2008 to September 2008 in 14 different dairy herds located in the provinces Overijssel and Gelderland, The Netherlands. Molecular analysis was performed by Cfr9I PFGE, ST398-specific diagnostic PCR, spa typing, SCCmec typing and Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL) gene PCR. The molecular analyses of 14 MRSA (one MRSA strain per herd) strains revealed that all strains belong to ST398 with 3 closely related spa types (t011, t108 and t889, all commonly found in pigs) and carry 2 different SCCmec types, IVa and V. All MRSA strains were resistant to two or more classes of antibiotics and also PVL negative. The majority of farms (n = 9, 64%) harboured combined livestock with both cows and pigs present. Our study contributes to the growing evidence that MRSA ST398 is transmitted among various animal species and can be considered as an etiological agent of mastitis in dairy cows.     

Effects of Storing Pig Ovaries at 4 or 20°C for Different Periods of Time on the Morphology and Viability of Pre-Antral Follicles

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of cooling ovarian tissue on pig pre-antral follicles. Ovaries were maintained in saline solution (0.9%) at 4 or 20 degrees C for 6, 12 or 18 h. After storage, pre-antral follicles were morphologically evaluated. While primordial follicles were not affected by the storage, the percentage of morphologically normal growing follicles was significantly reduced in ovarian tissue stored at 20 degrees C for 12 or 18 h. To test the viability of stored follicles, growing follicles isolated from ovaries stored at 4 degrees C for 18 h and at 20 degrees C for 6 h were cultured for 3 days. Follicles stored in either condition presented the same growth pattern in vitro as fresh follicles. We conclude that storage of pig ovaries at 4 degrees C for up to 18 h or at 20 degrees C for up to 6 h does not affect the morphology of growing follicles or their ability to grow in vitro.     

The use of irradiated embryos of Chrysomya bezziana for the detection of the Old World screw-worm fly

Irradiation of Chrysomya bezziana embryos 1 h before hatching with doses less than or equal to 7 kilorad (kr) had a significant effect on percentage egg hatch, weights and survival of larvae. Doses greater than or equal to 1 kr allowed larval development to the end of the 3rd instar stage in vitro, but prevented normal pupal development. Cattle with wounds infested with 1st instar larvae derived from irradiated embryos had 3rd instar larvae present after 3 d but these failed to pupate. Thus it would be feasible to use such larvae for wound infestation for the enhanced detection of screw-worm fly in areas where the release of fertile flies is undesirable.     

Prognostic factors for recovery from coxo-femoral dislocation in cattle

Details were recorded of 47 cases of coxo-femoral dislocation observed in cattle over 1 year. Treatment was successful in 20/47 (42.6%) cases using a method of closed reduction. Factors that most strongly influenced the prognosis were identified. The most useful single prognostic factor was whether the cow was able to stand before reduction. Other factors that also had a strong positive influence on the prognosis were: age less than 3y, bodyweight less than 400kg and duration of dislocation less than 12h. Nineteen unsuccessful cases were examined at the knackery. Four were found to have a fracture of the proximal femur. The coxo-femoral joint was carefully dissected in the other 15 cases and there was no evidence of hip dysplasia. A seasonal incidence of dislocations, which coincides with the calving and mating periods, was demonstrated during the survey and from practice records for the previous 3 years.     

Canine prostate specific esterase (CPSE) as an useful biomarker in preventive screening programme of canine prostate: CPSE threshold value assessment and its correlation with ultrasonographic prostatic abnormalities in asymptomatic dogs

Due to the increased attention that pet‐owners devote to their animals and to the improved veterinary care, investigations regarding methods to early detect prostatic disorders that might affect canine life quality have been performed. Canine prostate specific esterase (CPSE) concentration was reported to be higher in dogs suffering from prostatic diseases. This study aimed to estimate the CPSE threshold as a biomarker to early identify prostatic diseases in asymptomatic dogs. The ultrasonographic examination of the prostate was performed in 19 dogs (6–40 kg; 1–5 years) with no symptoms of prostatic diseases. Dogs were grouped according to the presence (Group A) or absence (Group B) of prostatic disorders at the ultrasound (altered appearance, the presence of cysts or irregular borders). For each dog, a venous blood sample was collected to measure serum CPSE and the ratio between calculated and normal expected prostatic volume was assessed for each dog. The CPSE data were statistically analysed (t test, p < .05), and the CPSE threshold in blood serum between groups was calculated by ROC. In 11 dogs, ultrasonography showed signs of prostatic abnormalities (Group A, 2–5 years), while no signs were detected in eight dogs (Group B, 1–3 years). The calculated/estimated volume ratio resulted greater than 1.5 in Group A dogs. The CPSE was statistically different between groups (p < .0001): higher in Group A (mean = 184.9, SD = 126 ng/ml) than in Group B (38.9 ± 22.1 ng/ml). The cut‐off CPSE threshold was 52.3 ng/ml (ROC, AUC = 0.974, SE 95.6%, SP 89.2%). This study suggests that CPSE serum concentration higher than 50 ng/ml in asymptomatic dogs is associated with ultrasonographic alterations and increased the prostatic size (volume by 1.5 times greater than the normal size). As the onset of prostatic disorders often remains asymptomatic, the rapid assessment of CPSE could be suitable for selecting preventively those animals that would require further accurate evaluation.     

Colour‐Doppler ultrasound imaging as a laparoscopy substitute to count corpora lutea in superovulated sheep

This study evaluated colour‐Doppler ultrasound imaging (UI) as a substitute for laparoscopy to count the corpora lutea (CL) in superovulated sheep. Twenty‐five Santa Ines ewes were superovulated three times at 21‐day intervals. Corpora lutea were counted by colour‐Doppler UI (CL_DOPPLER) 6 days after each superovulation and confirmed by laparoscopy (CL_LAP) 12 hr later. The mean number of CL was similar for both techniques (2.1 ± 2.5 vs. 2.1 ± 2.7 for CL_DOPPLER and CL_LAP, respectively) with a significant positive correlation (r = .94; r²=.89). Colour‐Doppler UI effectively evaluated the ovarian response in superovulated ewes and efficiently identified animals that did not respond to superovulation.     

Bone Morphogenetic Protein‐6 (BMP‐6) Stimulates the Antrum Formation by the Regulation of its Signalling Pathway in Caprine Pre‐antral Follicles Cultured In Vitro

BMP‐6 has been found to be important to ovarian cells and oocyte, as well as to uterus. Thus, this study investigated the effect of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP‐6) and recombinant follicle‐stimulating hormone (rFSH) alone or in combination on the in vitro culture (IVC) of isolated caprine secondary follicles (Experiment 1) and the mRNA levels for BMP receptors/Smad signalling pathway (BMPR1A, BMPR2, SMAD1, SMAD4, SMAD5, SMAD6, SMAD7 and SMAD8) in vivo and in vitro using BMP‐6 (Experiment 2). Secondary follicles were cultured in αMEM⁺ alone (control medium) or supplemented with BMP‐6 at 1 or 10 ng/ml and rFSH alone or the combination of both BMP‐6 concentrations and rFSH. The results from Experiment 1 showed that the antrum formation rate was higher in the BMP‐6 at 1 ng/ml (p < 0.05) than in MEM. In Experiment 2, the mRNA expression for BMPR2, SMAD1, SMAD5 and SMAD6 was detected in non‐cultured control and after in vitro culture (MEM and 1 ng/ml BMP‐6); while the expression of SMAD7 and SMAD8 mRNA was only detected after IVC, SMAD4 was only detected in the BMP‐6 at 1 ng/ml treatment. In conclusion, the low BMP‐6 concentration positively influenced antrum formation and ensured normal mRNA expression for BMP receptor and Smads after IVC of caprine secondary follicles.