Immunoglobulin G4‐related disease in a dog

Immunoglobulin G4‐related disease (IgG4‐RD), which affects many organ systems, has been recognized as a distinct clinical entity in human medicine for just over a decade but has not been previously identified in dogs. In humans, IgG4‐RD is characterized by diffuse IgG4‐positive lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates that commonly lead to increased serum concentrations of IgG4 and IgE, peripheral eosinophilia, tumorous swellings that often include the parotid salivary glands, obliterative phlebitis, and extensive fibrosis. Herein we describe the diagnosis, clinical progression, and successful treatment of IgG4‐RD in an 8‐year‐old female spayed Husky mixed breed dog. Immunoglobulin G4‐related disease should be considered as a differential diagnosis for dogs with vague clinical signs, lymphoplasmacytic swellings, restricted polyclonal gammopathy, eosinophilia or some combination of these findings.     

Intestinal microbiota of broilers submitted to feeding restriction and its relationship to hepatic metabolism and fat mass: Fast‐growing strain

The present study was conducted to verify how feed restriction affects gut microbiota and gene hepatic expression in broiler chickens and how these variables are related to body weight gain. For the experiment, 21‐d‐old Cobb500^TM birds were distributed in a completely randomized experimental design with three treatments: T1. Control (ad libitum—3.176 Mcal/kg ME—metabolizable energy—and 19% CP—crude protein); T2. Energetic restriction (2.224 Mcal/kg ME and 19% CP) from 22 to 42 days with consumption equivalent to control; T3. Quantitative restriction (70% restriction, i.e., restricted broilers ingested only 30% of the quantity consumed by the control group—3.176 Mcal/kg ME and 19% CP) for 7 days, followed by refeeding ad libitum from 28 to 42 days. Ileum and caecum microbiota collections were made at 21, 28 and 42 days of age. Hepatic tissue was collected at 28 and 42 days old for relative gene expression analyses. At 43‐d‐old, body composition was quantified by DXA (Dual‐energy X‐ray Absorptiometry). Both feed restriction programmes decreased Lactobacillus and increased Enterococcus and Enterobacteriaceae counts. No differences were found in the refeeding period. Energetic restriction induced the expression of CPT1‐A (Carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A) gene, and decreased body fat mass. Quantitative feed restriction increased lipogenic and decreased lipolytic gene expression. In the refeeding period, CPT1‐A gene expression was induced, without changing the broilers body composition. Positive associations were found between BWG (Body Weight Gain) and Lactobacillus and Clostridium cluster IV groups, and negatively associations with Enterobacteriaceae and Enterococcus bacterial groups. In conclusion, differences found in microbiota were similar between the two feed restriction programmes, however, hepatic gene expression differences were only found in quantitative restriction. Higher counts of Lactobacillus and Clostridium cluster IV groups in ileum are likely to be related to better broiler performance and low expression of lipogenic genes.     

Seasonal and dietary effects on Vitamin D deficiencies detected in wild boar from mid‐western Spain

Vitamin D (VitD) is involved in important mammalian physiological mechanisms, such as Ca–P metabolism, bone development and immunological response. VitD deficiencies are frequently detected in domestic animals and related to various health problems (e.g., rickets, bone deformation). However, knowledge about the status of VitD in wildlife species, such as the wild boar, is scarce. The aims of this work were to explore VitD status in wild boar populations from mid‐western Spain and to elucidate the influence of daylight exposure and food supplementation in levels of VitD. Serum concentration of VitD (measured as 25‐hydroxivitaminD) was assessed in 276 wild boar from 27 game estates located in mid‐western Spain using a commercial ELISA kit. In 19 out of 27 estates, the staff supplied a specific VitD‐enriched food (2,000 UI/Kg) ad libitum throughout the year, while in the remaining estates (8), no food was supplied. Blood samples were extracted from hunted animals (198) between October and February of hunting seasons 2016/2017 and 2017/2018, and from live wild boar (78) that were captured, sampled and released (March–September of 2017). The percentage of animals with VitD deficiency (<20 ng/ml), VitD insufficiency (20–30 ng/ml) and VitD sufficiency (>30 ng/ml) was estimated, and the relationship of these levels to factors like sex, age and season was assessed using chi‐square tests. Furthermore, associations between daylight exposure and supplemental food with VitD levels were explored using linear models. Of the studied wild boar population, 82.2% showed a VitD deficiency or insufficiency. VitD deficiencies were more frequent in animals sampled in winter and spring. Furthermore, levels of VitD positively correlated with daylight exposure and supplemental food intake. Ad libitum supplementation with VitD‐enriched food was insufficient to prevent VitD deficiencies in wild boar from November to April, probably because food consumption is lower during this period.     

Evaluation of the carryover effect of antibiotic,bee pollen and propolis on growth performance,carcass traits and splenic and hepatic histology of growing rabbits

Sixty‐four nulliparous female rabbits were distributed among eight groups (eight animals/group). Group one was the unsupplemented control group; the other seven groups were supplemented with zinc bacitracin (ZnB) at 100 mg, or bee pollen (BP) and/or propolis (Pro) at 150 and 300 mg in a capsulated form, three times a week, day after day, continuously all over the experimental period. The experiment was run for eight parties; at each parity, 28 kids of each doe group (a total of 224 rabbits) were divided into two subgroups weaned, respectively, at 24 and 30 days of age. Thus, for each parity, there were 16 groups (eight does treatments × two weaning age, 14 rabbits per group). The growing rabbits fed the standard diets without supplements. The growth performance, the carcass traits, the liver and the spleen histology of rabbits were checked up to 90 days of age to find possible carryover effects of the supplements. The supplements had no significant effect on most of the growth performance at 90 days of age, but BP150 and BP+Pro300 increased the growth rate in comparison with ZnB group. The liver weight in the control, BP300 and Pro300 groups was higher than the ZnB one. The spleen weight was higher in the groups ZnB, BP150, Pro300 and BP+Pro300, followed by the control, BP300 and BP+Pro150 and thus Pro150. The heart % in the BP150 and Pro300 groups was higher than ZnB and BP+Pro150 groups. A lymphoid hyperplasia of splenic white pulp was observed in the BP+Pro groups, while propolis alone showed a mild activation of lymphobiosis. The Pro and BP groups showed the same picture of the control group exhibiting a hydropic degeneration of mostly hepatic cells, while the ZnB group exhibited adverse effect on the bile ducts featuring portal periductal inflammatory cells infiltration with epithelial hyperplasia reflecting chronic cholangitis.     

Bee pollen and propolis as dietary supplements for rabbit: Effect on reproductive performance of does and on immunological response of does and their offspring

To evaluate the effect of bee pollen (BP) and/or propolis (Pro) supplementation on rabbit does, 64 nulliparous NZW rabbits does were distributed among eight groups (eight animals/group). One unsupplemented group was the control; the other seven groups were supplemented, respectively, with zinc bacitracin (ZnB) at 100 mg, BP at 150 and 300 mg, Pro at 150 and 300 mg, BP+Pro at 150 and 300 mg of each three times/week, day after day continuously along eight parities. The BP300, Pro300 and BP+Pro150 groups had higher body weight of litter at birth and number of kids born alive. The BP supplementation at 150 mg increased plasma total protein and albumin than the control group. The BP or Pro at 150 mg decreased plasma T₃ than the other groups except for BP+Pro150. The ZnB group had significantly greater T₃/T₄ ratio compared to BP, Pro and BP+Pro at 150 mg. The BP+Pro150 group had less ALT than the control; BP300 and Pro 300 mg resulted in lower plasma AST than the groups Pro150 with or without BP and the control group. The plasma alkaline phosphatase of BP at 150 or 300 mg and BP+Pro150 was significantly greater than that of the Pro150 group. The BP+Pro300 group had higher WBCs than the other groups. In contrast, the lymphocytes were greater in the Pro and BP+Pro300 groups than in BP, Pro and BP+Pro at 150 mg. The groups supplemented with BP and BP+Pro at 150 and 300 mg had significantly greater SRBCs of doe rabbits and their offspring compared to the control and the ZnB group. The BP at 300 mg increased the serum albumin and α₁‐globulin than the control group. The Pro300 group had greater serum α₂‐globulin and β‐globulin than the control group. The total globulin was significantly greater for the 300 mg propolis‐supplemented groups than the control.     

Pigmentation of the aortic and pulmonary valves in C57BL/6J x Balb/cByJ hybrid mice of different coat colours

Neural crest‐derived melanocytes have been recorded in several parts of the mammalian heart but not in the pulmonary valve. We report here the presence of melanin‐containing cells in the leaflets (cusps) of both the aortic and pulmonary valves. A total of 158 C57BL/6J x Balb/cByJ hybrid mice exhibiting four coat colours, namely black, white, agouti and non‐agouti brown, were examined. We sought for any relationship between the presence of melanocytes in the valves and the coat colour of the animals. The pigmentation levels of the leaflets were accomplished using a scale of five pigment intensities. White mice lacked pigment in the heart. In 10.5% of the remaining animals, there were melanocytes in the pulmonary valve leaflets. Thus, this is the first study to report the presence of such cells in the pulmonary valve of mammals. Melanocytes occurred in the leaflets of the aortic valves of 87.2% of mice. The incidence of melanocytes and the pigmentation level of the leaflets did not statistically differ according to the coat colours of the animals. This disagrees with previous observations, indicating that the amount of melanocytes in the heart reflects that of the skin. The incidence and distribution of melanocytes in aortic and pulmonary valves are consistent with the notion that the formation of the arterial valves is mediated by specific subpopulations of neural crest cells. We hypothesize that melanocytes, even not producing melanin, may be more frequent in the heart than previously thought, exerting presumably an immunological function.