Behavior of sick animals

The behavior of the sick animal is not necessarily a result of physical debilitation; it can be viewed as part of a highly organized adaptive strategy that is at times critical to survival if the animal were living in the wild state. Domestic ruminants appear to have retained this behavioral mode when they are sick. This article brings together several lines of current research about depression, appetite control, and the role of fever in facilitating an animal's ability to combat viral and bacterial infections.     

Probabilistic model for estimating field mortality of target and non-target bird populations when simultaneously exposed to avicide bait

A probabilistic model was developed to estimate target and non-target avian mortality associated with the application of the avicide CPTH (3-chloro-p-toluidine hydrochloride) to minimize sprouting rice damage in the southern USA. CPTH exposures for individual birds were predicted by random sampling from species-specific non-parametric distributions of bait seed consumption and CPTH residues detected on individual bait seeds. Mortality was predicted from the species-specific exposure versus mortality relationship. Individual variations in this response were captured in the model by Monte Carlo sampling from species-specific distributions of slopes and median toxicity values (LD50) for each bird. The model was used to simultaneously predict mortality (percentage of exposed population and number of birds killed/weight of consumed bait) for a target (blackbird) and non-target (mourning dove) species feeding on bait sites for up to five consecutive days.     

Efficacy and safety of a purified porcine insulin zinc suspension for managing diabetes mellitus in dogs

The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a purified porcine insulin zinc suspension for treating dogs with uncomplicated diabetes mellitus. Fifty-three dogs were treated for 60 days after an initial dose determination period. The means of the blood glucose concentrations during 12-hour glucose curves and the means of the blood glucose nadir concentrations during 12-hour glucose curves for all dogs were determined before beginning insulin therapy (time 0), at the end of the dose determination period (time 1), 30 days after time 1 (time 2), and 60 days after time 1 (time 3). Presence of polyuria, polydipsia, and ketonuria was determined at each time point. Adequacy of control of hyperglycemia was based on 12-hour blood glucose curves and improvement in clinical variables (results of physical examinations, historic information, polyuria, polydipsia, and ketonuria). Safety was evaluated by questionnaire, performance of physical examination, CBC, serum chemistry profile, and urinalysis. The means of the blood glucose concentrations during 12-hour glucose curves and the means of the blood glucose nadir concentrations during 12-hour glucose curves for all dogs at times 1, 2, and 3 were significantly lower compared with time 0 (P < .0001). There was a reduction in the proportion of dogs with polyuria, polydipsia, and ketonuria of 82, 86, and 80%, respectively. All of the dogs had adequate glycemic control at time 1, 66% at time 2, and 75% at time 3. At time 3, 66% of dogs required insulin injections q12h. Other than hypoglycemia, there were no important adverse effects of insulin administration. The insulin, was safe and efficacious for reducing blood glucose and clinical signs in dogs with diabetes mellitus.     

Comparison of diazepam with progestin for effectiveness in suppression of urine spraying behavior in cats.

The most common treatment for urine spraying and marking in cats has been administration of long-acting progestins. Treatment with diazepam has recently been gaining favor, particularly because of reported adverse effects of progestins. Results of a clinical trial involving 20 cats indicated that diazepam was effective in eliminating or markedly reducing spraying in 11 (55%) of them. However, most cats required continuous treatment, or at least intermittent treatment, when spraying recurred. The physiologic and behavioral dependency of cats on diazepam, which presumably develops over the course of administration, may contribute to the tendency for spraying to recur once diazepam treatment is discontinued. Using data from previously published findings on progestin administration, plus additional cases, it was documented that a significantly (P less than 0.05) higher percentage of males than females responded favorably. Although the number of cases was not sufficient for a statistical comparison of diazepam vs progestin treatment with regard to male vs female, possible gender difference in the effectiveness of diazepam was not indicated.