Evaluation of a continuous glucose monitoring system for use in dogs, cats, and horses

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) for use in dogs, cats, and horses. DESIGN: Prospective clinical study. Animals-7 horses, 3 cats, and 4 dogs that were clinically normal and 1 horse, 2 cats, and 3 dogs with diabetes mellitus. PROCEDURE: Interstitial glucose concentrations were monitored and recorded every 5 minutes by use of a CGMS. Interstitial glucose concentrations were compared with whole blood glucose concentrations as determined by a point-of-care glucose meter. Interstitial glucose concentrations were also monitored in 2 clinically normal horses after oral and i.v. administration of glucose. RESULTS: There was a positive correlation between interstitial and whole blood glucose concentrations for clinically normal dogs, cats, and horses and those with diabetes mellitus. Events such as feeding, glucose or insulin administration, restraint, and transport to the clinic were recorded by the owner or clinician and could be identified on the graph and associated with time of occurrence. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Our data indicate that use of CGMS is valid for dogs, cats, and horses. This system alleviated the need for multiple blood samples and the stress associated with obtaining those samples. Because hospitalization was not required, information obtained from the CGMS provided a more accurate assessment of the animal's glucose concentrations for an extended period, compared with measurement of blood glucose concentrations. Use of the CGMS will promote the diagnostic and research potential of serial glucose monitoring.     

Long-Term Production and Profitability From Grazing Cattle in the Northern Mixed Grass Prairie

Conventional wisdom among rangeland professionals has been that for long-term sustainability of grazing livestock operations, rangeland should be kept in high good to low excellent range condition. Our objective was to analyze production parameters, costs, returns, and profit using data generated over a 34-yr period (1969–2002) from grazing a Clayey range site in the mixed-grass prairie of western South Dakota with variable stocking rates to maintain pastures in low–fair, good, and excellent range condition classes. Cattle weights were measured at turnout and at the end of the grazing season. Gross income · ha^?1 was the product of gain · ha^?1 and price. Prices were based on historical National Agricultural Statistics Services feeder cattle prices. Annual variable costs were estimated using a yearling cattle budget developed by South Dakota State University agricultural economists. All economic values were adjusted to a constant dollar using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index. Stocking rate, average daily gain, total gain, net profit, gross revenue, and annual costs · ha^?1 varied among range condition classes. Net income for low–fair range condition ($27.61 · ha^?1) and good range condition ($29.43 · ha^?1) were not different, but both were greater than excellent range condition ($23.01 · ha^?1). Over the life of the study, real profit (adjusted for inflation) steadily increased for the low–fair and good treatments, whereas it remained level for the excellent treatment. Neither drought nor wet springs impacted profit differently for the three treatments. These results support generally observed rancher behavior regarding range condition: to maintain their rangeland in lower range condition than would be recommended by rangeland professionals. Ecosystem goods and services of increasing interest to society and associated with high range condition, such as floristic diversity, hydrologic function, and some species of wildlife, come at an opportunity cost to the rancher.     

Possible immunoenhancement of persistent viremia by feline leukemia virus envelope glycoprotein vaccines in challenge-exposure situations where whole inactivated virus vaccines were protective

Kittens immunized with purified native FeLV-gp70 or -gp85 envelope proteins developed ELISA, but not virus neutralizing, antibodies in their serum to both whole FeLV and FeLV-gp70. Kittens vaccinated with envelope proteins and infected with feline sarcoma virus (FeSV) developed smaller tumors than nonvaccinates, but a greater incidence of persistent retroviremia. Similarly, FeLV-gp70 and -gp85 vaccinated kittens were more apt to become persistently retroviremic following virulent FeLV challenge exposure than nonvaccinates. Kittens vaccinated with inactivated whole FeLV developed smaller tumors after FeSV inoculation and had a lower incidence of persistent retroviremia than nonvaccinates. The protective effect of inactivated whole FeLV vaccine against persistent retroviremia was also seen with FeLV challenge-exposed cats. Protection afforded by inactivated whole FeLV vaccine was not associated with virus neutralizing antibodies, although ELISA antibodies to both whole FeLV and FeLV-gp70 were induced by vaccination.     

Migration of retrobulbar wooden foreign body between diagnostic imaging and surgical extraction in a German shepherd dog

A 2‐year‐old, male castrated German shepherd dog was presented to the University of Tennessee Veterinary Medical Center (UTVMC) with periorbital swelling and conjunctival mucopurulent discharge 2 days following removal of a twig from the medial canthus by the owner. Diagnostic imaging was pursued due to the suspicion of a retrobulbar foreign body (FB). A cylindrical FB approximately 3.0 cm in length and 1.0 cm in diameter with concentric rings, suspected to be wooden material, was identified on computed tomography (CT) imaging. An attempt to remove the FB via a stab incision using ultrasound guidance was unsuccessful, and postmanipulation ultrasound confirmed the FB position was unchanged. An exploratory orbitotomy was performed, using the acquired CT images for guidance in locating the FB; however, the FB was not present at the predicted site. The CT imaging was repeated and showed that the FB had migrated rostrally approximately 3.0 cm, compared to the originally acquired study and its same location during attempted ultrasound‐guided removal. A combination of CT‐guided needle placement and contrast injection was then used with repeat imaging in an attempt to better localize the FB and its soft tissue tract. The dog was taken back into the operating room, and the wooden FB was successfully removed.     

Risk factors for development of dysautonomia in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To identify risk factors associated with dysautonomia in dogs. DESIGN: Case-control study. ANIMALS: 42 dogs with dysautonomia examined between October 1988 and January 2000 and 132 control dogs examined during the same period for an unrelated problem. PROCEDURE: Information was gathered from medical records and surveys mailed to owners of case and control dogs. RESULTS: 42 case and 132 control dogs were included; completed surveys were returned by owners of 30 case and 103 control dogs. Dogs with dysautonomia were significantly younger (median, 18 months) than control dogs (median, 60 months) and more likely to come from rural areas and to spend > or =50% of their time outdoors. Compared with rural control dogs that spent at least some time outdoors, affected dogs were more likely to have access to pasture land, farm ponds, and cattle, and to have consumed wildlife, at least occasionally. The largest numbers of dogs with dysautonomia were identified during February and April, with relatively few dogs identified during the summer and early fall. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although the cause of dysautonomia is unknown, results suggest that dogs with dysautonomia were significantly more likely to live in rural areas and spend > or =50% of their time outdoors than were control dogs examined for unrelated diseases.     

Effects of inorganic and organic copper supplemented to first-calf cows on cow reproduction and calf health and performance

Two experiments were conducted to determine whether the supplementation of Cu in the organic or inorganic form to 2-yr-old cows, before and after calving, affects reproduction rate, calf health and performance, passive transfer of immunoglobulin, or liver and serum Cu concentrations compared with unsupplemented controls. Cows (n = 75 in 1997; n = 120 in 1998) were randomly assigned by estimated calving date and body condition score to one of three treatments: 1) Control, control; 2) Inorganic, inorganic Cu supplement (200 mg Cu from CuSO4); 3) Organic, organic Cu supplement (100 mg Cu from AvailaCu). In 1998, a fourth treatment was added; 4) CU-ZN, organic Cu and Zn (400 mg Zn from AvailaZn in the Organic diet). Cows were fed a hay-based diet and individually fed supplements for approximately 45 d before and 60 d after calving (approximately January 15 to May 15 each year). Liver biopsies were obtained from cows before supplementation began, and from cows and calves at 10 and 30 d after calving. Blood samples were obtained from both cows and calves at calving, and colostrum samples were collected for IgG and mineral content. Cow liver Cu concentrations before supplementation began were 58 mg/kg in 1997 and 40 mg/kg (DM basis) in 1998. By 10 d after calving, liver Cu concentrations of Control cows had decreased (P < 0.05) to 24 mg/kg (Cu deficient) in both years, whereas liver Cu concentrations of Cu-supplemented cows increased (P < 0.05) in both years. Calf liver Cu concentrations at 10 d of age were similar (P > 0.10) for all treatment groups. No differences (P > 0.10) were found in colostrum Cu concentrations, or in calf health among treatments. No differences (P > 0.10) were found in cow BW change, calf serum Cu concentrations, calf weaning weights, or in cow 60-d pregnancy rates among treatments in either year. In 1998, cows in the Organic group had higher (P < 0.05) 30-d pregnancy rate than Control cows. Neither serum samples nor placental tissue were reliable indicators of Cu status in cows. Feeding supplemental Cu (either inorganic, organic, or organic with extra Zn) to cows with liver Cu concentrations of approximately 50 mg/kg before calving did not improve cow 60-d pregnancy rates or the health and performance of their calves when compared with unsupplemented cows.     

Evaluation of praziquantel for treatment of experimentally induced paragonimiasis in dogs and cats

Praziquantel was used successfully for treatment of a small number of dogs and 1 cat infected with Paragonimus kellicotti. To further evaluate the usefulness of this drug in treating such infections, 7 cats and 7 dogs were inoculated orally with metacercariae (12 and 20 to 22, respectively) obtained from crayfish, then were treated after the infections became patent; 2 cats and 2 dogs served as noninfected controls. Beginning 1 week before infection, and continuing weekly thereafter, physical, hematologic, and fecal examinations were performed on each animal; thoracic radiography was performed every other week. By postinoculation week 6, all dogs given metacercariae had patent infection diagnosed on the basis of positive results of fecal examination. By postinoculation week 7, 5 cats had confirmed patent infection, but 2 cats given metacercariae never had patent infection or had signs of infection. Clinical signs of infection were minor and included increased respiratory tract noise, slight inducible cough, or mild dyspnea. Transient eosinophilia was detected in dogs around postinoculation week 3. Pretreatment radiography revealed cavitated lesions in cats only; pleural lines and patchy infiltrates in cats and dogs; or pneumothorax in dogs only. The treatment regimen consisted of 23 mg of praziquantel/kg of body weight given every 8 hours for 3 days; 1 infected cat and dog were not treated. By 11 days after treatment, eggs had disappeared from the feces of infected animals, and marked resolution of lung lesions was evident radiographically.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Molecular epidemiology of rabies in Botswana: a comparison between antibody typing and nucleotide sequence phylogeny

A panel of rabies virus isolates (RABV) endemic within Botswana between 1988 and 1992 have been typed by anti-nucleocapsid monoclonal antibodies (MAb) into two dominant groups. The first associated with the domestic dog (Canis familiaris) and the second associated with a range of wildlife species. Using nucleoprotein coding sequence data, we have applied molecular phylogenetic techniques to the same panel of 35 well-characterised rabies virus isolates from throughout Botswana in an attempt to compare both techniques and to further investigate the virus/host species relationships within this African country. The results confirm that there are indeed two major groups and that these are related primarily to biotype. The wildlife-associated biotype appeared more phylogenetically diverse and was more commonly isolated in the southeast of the country, with the canine-associated group dominating the north of the country. In addition, molecular phylogeny identified further groupings within both biotypes and a small number of isolates, which were not classified by MAb typing, could be assigned to a group. During the study period (4 years) there appeared to be little sequence variation within groups suggesting that distinct lineages persisted throughout the study and that there appears to be little evolutionary pressure on the nucleoprotein coding region of the viral genome.