Effect of pre-medication on gastroduodenoscopy in isoflurane-anesthetized cats

The pre‐medicant chosen may influence the ease with which gastroduodenoscopy (GD) is performed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relative ease of GD in cats under ketamine and isoflurane anesthesia after IM injection of hydromorphone (H, 0.1 mg kg^?1), hydromorphone plus glycopyrrolate (HG, 0.1 mg kg^?1 (H), 0.01 mg kg^?1 (G)), medetomidine (M, 0.03 mg kg^?1), or butorphanol (B, 0.4 mg kg^?1). Eight cats were assigned randomly to receive each treatment in a cross‐over design with at least 7 days between treatments. Twenty minutes after pre‐medication, medetomidine produced greater (p = 0.001) sedation than the other treatments when assessed, using a subjective ordinal scale. The cats were injected with ketamine (10 mg kg^?1 IM), orotracheally intubated, connected to a pediatric circle breathing system, and allowed to spontaneously breathe isoflurane in oxygen. Once end‐tidal isoflurane concentration was stable at 1.4% for 15 minutes, endoscopy was started. A single endoscopist (REG), who was unaware of the treatment used, performed all endoscopies. The endoscopist scored the difficulty of endoscopy subjectively (0–3). The significance of differences between treatments was evaluated using Friedman's test. Time for entering the stomach was 9.4 (4.7–15.9) (median (minimum–maximum)), 6.6 (5.2–11.7), 8.4 (6.3–16.5), and 7.7 (5.1–14.7) seconds and for entering the duodenum from the stomach was 20.5 (13.8–40.9), 18.2 (10.3–39.8), 20.2 (16.2–119.5), and 22.2 (11.8–83.8) seconds for H, HG, M, and B treatments, respectively. There were no significant differences in the time for, or difficulty of, endoscopy. We conclude that any of these drugs can be used satisfactorily at the doses and combinations tested to pre‐medicate cats prior to general anesthesia for GD.     

Nutritional responses in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fed diets with different physical qualities at stable or variable environmental conditions

Rainbow trout with initial body weight 1144 g were fed two diets with high (feed A) or low (feed B) water stability for 6 weeks. During the last 2 weeks either stable or fluctuating oxygen saturation, salinity and temperature was introduced. High water stability of the feed was associated with harder pellets, less dust formation and less broken pellets compared to feed with low water stability. During the first 4 weeks, feed intake was 23% higher in trout fed diet B than in those fed diet A. Fluctuating environment resulted in a severe drop in feed intake for both dietary groups. At termination of the trial, stomachs of trout fed feed B contained mashed pellets and free water and oil. Stomachs of trout fed feed A contained more intact pellets and little fluid. The apparent digestibility of protein, starch, dry matter and energy was highest in feed A. The apparent digestibility of P and Zn was highest at stable environment, and the absorption of P was highest from feed A. In conclusion, physical quality affected the nutritional value of the feeds, and differences in nutritional value at stable or fluctuating environment appeared to be related to feed intake.     

Polycystic kidney disease in lambs in New Zealand

Extract

A lethal congenital polycystic kidney disease (PCKD) has been known in lambs in New Zealand for more than 50 years and assumed to be genetic in origin. We have studied this in lambs from an experimental mating in a flock experiencing an outbreak the previous year. Two Perendale rams identified by DNA profiling (SignaGen) as sires of PCKD lambs were each mated to the other's daughters. From 71 such matings, 10 ewes gave birth to 15 PCKD lambs of both sexes. The results are in accord with those expected for a recessive autosomal trait. All lambs were dead or died shortly after birth. Their abdomens were distended by enlarged kidneys 40–140 mm in length. Their cut surface showed a multitude of cystic spaces 1–5 mm in diameter in both the cortex and medulla. Livers of affected lambs showed complex tubular and cystic patterns of bile ducts containing bile, and supported by an excess of fibrous tissue. Cystic changes also occurred in the pancreas and salivary glands.     

Screening for the Mucopolysaccharidosis-IIIA gene in Huntaway dogs

Abstract

Extract

A single case of the inherited lysosomal storage disease known as mucopolysaccharidosis-IIIA (MPS-IIIA), due to a deficiency of the enzyme heparan sulphatase, was reported in an 18-month-old male Huntaway dog (Jolly et al 2000 Jolly, RD, Allan, FJ, Collett, MG, Rozaklis, T, Muller, VJ and Hopwood, JJ. 2000. Mucopolysaccharidosis IIIA (Sanfilippo syndrome) in a New Zealand Huntaway dog with ataxia. New Zealand Veterinary Journal, 48: 144–148. [Taylor &; Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). He had developed normally but when presented with a history of progressive ataxia over the preceding month, had a high stepping, prancing gait and difficulty in jumping into a utility vehicle. In addition, he had started to defaecate in his kennel. Following diagnosis of the enzyme deficiency, the mutant heparan sulphatase gene was sequenced and a PCR/restriction enzyme diagnostic test developed, based on the mutation. This is capable of detecting both homozygous and heterozygous individuals (Yogalingam et al 2000 Yogalingam, G, Pollard, T, Gliddon, B, Jolly, RD and Hopwood, JJ. 2001. Identification of a mutation causing mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIA in New Zealand Huntaway dogs. Genomics, 79: 150–153.  [Google Scholar]).     

Evidence for extreme climatic warmth from late cretaceous arctic vertebrates

A Late Cretaceous (92 to 86 million years ago) vertebrate assemblage from the high Canadian Arctic (Axel Heiberg Island) implies that polar climates were warm (mean annual temperature exceeding 14 degreesC) rather than near freezing. The assemblage includes large (2.4 meters long) champsosaurs, which are extinct crocodilelike reptiles. Magmatism at six large igneous provinces at this time suggests that volcanic carbon dioxide emissions helped cause the global warmth.     

Cretaceous vertical motion of australia and the australian- antarctic discordance

A three-dimensional model of mantle convection in which the known history of plate tectonics is imposed predicts the anomalous Cretaceous vertical motion of Australia and the present-day distinctive geochemistry and geophysics of the Australian-Antarctic Discordance. The dynamic models infer that a subducted slab associated with the long-lived Gondwanaland-Pacific converging margin passed beneath Australia during the Cretaceous, partially stagnated in the mantle transition zone, and is presently being drawn up by the Southeast Indian Ridge.