Effect of Insemination–Ovulation Interval and Addition of Seminal Plasma on Sow Fertility to Insemination of Cryopreserved Sperm

In swine, the use of frozen-thawed (FT) sperm for artificial insemination (AI) is limited because of poor sow fertility, possibly associated with a post-thaw capacitation-like status resulting in fewer fully viable sperm. Sow fertility to AI with FT sperm may improve with deeper deposition of sperm within the female tract, insemination very close to ovulation, or reversal of cryocapacitation by seminal plasma (SP). We performed two experiments to examine these suggestions. In experiment 1, 122 multiparous Yorkshire sows received 600 IU equine chorionic gonadotrophin at weaning and 5 mg pLH 80 h later to control time of ovulation. The predicted time of ovulation (PTO) was 38 h after pLH injection. Thereafter, sows were assigned on the basis of parity to a single AI of FT sperm at 2 h before PTO, or at 12 h before PTO, or FT sperm supplemented with 10% SP at 12 h before PTO. Control sows received fresh semen at 12 h before PTO. All semen doses were adjusted to 3 x 10(9) live cells and deposited into the cervix. Experiment 2 employed 99 multiparous crossbred sows and repeated the treatments of experiment 1 except that all FT inseminations were intrauterine. In both experiments, farrowing rates were lower (p < 0.01) following FT inseminations with no effect of time of insemination or of supplemental SP. In experiment 1, litter size was smaller following FT insemination (p < 0.05), but no effect on litter size was evident in experiment 2. Supplemental SP had no effect on litter size in either experiment. The lack of effect of either SP or timing of FT insemination on sow fertility suggests that the non-lethal sperm cryoinjury affecting fertility involves more than just cryocapacitation.     

Use of transesophageal echocardiography for visualization of the patent ductus arteriosus during transcatheter coil embolization

Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) enhances our ability to see the patent ductus arteriosus in the dog. The improved visualization may potentially improve our ability to perform transcatheter coil embolization in patients that are more likely to have a successful outcome. This report uses still and video images to detail the specifics of coil embolization as performed with the assistance of TEE and compares the images with those of angiography, surgery and postmortem examination.     

Field trials of a formulation containing moxidectin and 6 in 1 vaccines for sheep

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of a formulation containing moxidectin and 6 in 1 vaccine in sheep under field conditions.
Design: Efficacy and safety study.
Animals: Two hundred and five crossbred Merino lambs and two hundred and eight Merino ewes were used in the studies.
Procedure: A formulation was made for the simultaneous treatment of sheep with moxidectin and immunisation against clostridial diseases and caseous lymphadenitis. The efficacy against nematodes, vaccine response and safety were assessed.
Results: Effective control of nematodes and responses to antigens were achieved following subcutaneous administration. The formulation was safe to administer; occasional minor tissue reactions were evident, but no other adverse effects of treatment were observed in either pregnant ewes or lambs, using either the recommended dose, or an overdose of the formulation.
Conclusion: Administration of a formulation containing moxidectin, five clostridial antigens and caseous lymphadenitis antigen proved safe and efficacious under field conditions.     

Patterns of Follicular Growth in Superovulated Sheep and Influence on Endocrine and Ovarian Response

Objectives of this study were to characterize patterns of follicular development in sheep superovulated with purified follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) (OVAGEN^TM, ICP, Auckland, New Zealand) and to determine its influence on preovulatory events (onset of the oestrus behaviour and timing of the preovulatory luteinizing hormone surge) and ovarian response (ovulation rate and embryo yield). Number and size of all ≥ 23 mm follicles from the first FSH injection to withdrawal of progestagen sponges was determined by transrectal ultrasonography just prior to every FSH injection in nine Manchega ewes superovulated with eight decreasing doses (ml) (1.5 × 3, 1.25 × 2 and 1 × 3) of OVAGEN injected twice daily from 60 h before to 24 h after the withdrawal of 40 mg fluorogestone acetate sponges. Oestrous detection and jugular blood sampling for LH radioimmunoassay were performed every 3 h from 14 to 53 h after sponge removal and ovulation rate and number of embryos were determined 4 days after progestagen withdrawal. Administration of OVAGEN induced a significant rise (p < 0.0005) in the number of follicles ≥ 4 mm in size because of an increased growth in size of follicles from the first FSH injection to sponge removal, an increase in the number of newly detected follicles from 12 to 36 h of the first FSH dose (p < 0.005) and a decrease in regression rate from 24 h (p < 0.001). The number of follicles 2–3 mm in size at first FSH dose (10.4 ± 1.5) was positively correlated with the number of ≥ 4 mm follicles at 0 h (19.0 ± 2.7, p < 0.01). A higher number of ≥ 4 mm follicles at 0 h was related with an earlier appearance of oestrus (31.5 ± 1.5 h, p = 0.08) and LH surge (45.0 ± 2.3 h, p < 0.005), and a higher ovulation rate (18.2 ± 3.8, p < 0.005). On the other hand, the rate of embryo recovery was decreased in ewes with earlier preovulatory LH peaks (p < 0.005), with a shorter interval between oestrus and LH peak (p < 0.05).     

Blood neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as a diagnostic marker in dogs with chronic enteropathy

Few routinely available biomarkers are clinically useful in assessing dogs with chronic enteropathy (CE) and aid in CE subclassification. The diagnostic potential of the blood neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has not been evaluated in canine CE. We evaluated the NLR in 93 dogs with CE (no steroid treatment for ≥2 wk prior) and tested for an association with clinical, clinicopathologic, and histologic characteristics and also with CE subclassification. NLR was significantly higher in CE dogs with severe clinical disease than dogs with mild clinical disease (p = 0.047). Hypoalbuminemia (p < 0.001), but not hypocobalaminemia, was associated with higher NLRs. NLR was correlated with fecal alpha₁-proteinase inhibitor concentrations (ρ = 0.47) and the serum-to-fecal alpha₁-proteinase inhibitor ratio (ρ = –0.48; both p < 0.001) but not with serum or fecal inflammatory markers nor with the overall histologic score (all p > 0.05). Dogs with steroid- or other immunosuppressant-responsive (IRE) or nonresponsive enteropathy (NRE) had significantly higher NLRs (median: 7.3) than dogs with food-responsive enteropathy (FRE; median: 3.0; p = 0.003), and a NLR ≥5.5 best distinguished both groups of dogs. No difference in NLR was detected between dogs with IRE and dogs diagnosed with NRE. These findings suggest that leukogram changes (i.e., NLR) could be clinically useful in canine CE, and that neutrophils might play a role in the systemic inflammatory response associated with canine CE. The NLR can be easily assessed on routine hematology and can potentially aid in the subclassification of dogs with CE based on the response to treatment.     

Development and analytic validation of a radioimmunoassay for the quantification of canine calprotectin in serum and feces from dogs

OBJECTIVE: To develop and analytically validate a radioimmunoassay (RIA) for the quantification of canine calprotectin (cCP) in serum and fecal extracts of dogs. Sample Population-Serum samples (n = 50) and fecal samples (30) were obtained from healthy dogs of various breeds and ages. PROCEDURES: A competitive, liquid-phase, double-antibody RIA was developed and analytically validated by assessing analytic sensitivity, working range, linearity, accuracy, precision, and reproducibility. Reference intervals for serum and fecal cCP concentrations were determined. RESULTS: Sensitivity and upper limit of the working range were 29 and 12,774 microg/L for serum and 2.9 and 1,277.4 microg/g for fecal extracts, respectively. Observed-to-expected ratios for serial dilutions of 6 serum samples and 6 fecal extracts ranged from 95.3% to 138.2% and from 80.9% to 118.1%, respectively. Observed-to-expected ratios for spiking recovery for 6 serum samples and 6 fecal extracts ranged from 84.6% to 121.5% and from 80.3% to 132.1%, respectively. Coefficients of variation for intra-assay and interassay variability were < 3.9% and < 8.7% for 6 serum samples and < 8.5% and < 12.6% for 6 fecal extracts, respectively. Reference intervals were 92 to 1,121 microg of cCP/L for serum and < 2.9 to 137.5 microg of cCP/g for fecal extracts. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The RIA described here was analytically sensitive, linear, accurate, precise, and reproducible for the quantification of cCP in serum and fecal extracts. This assay should facilitate research into the clinical use of serum and fecal cCP measurements in dogs with inflammatory bowel disease.