Association of pruritus with anxiety or aggression in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between pruritus and anxiety-related and aggressive behaviors in dogs. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. ANIMALS: 238 dogs between 1 and 8 years old. PROCEDURES: Information including a score for general degree of pruritus (visual analogue scale from 0 to 10) and frequency of anxiety-related and aggressive behaviors was collected via a survey distributed to clients at 3 privately owned practices. RESULTS: Median score for pruritus was 2.4. Dogs were assigned to 2 groups on the basis of pruritus score (nonpruritic [0 to 2.4] and pruritic [2.5 to 10]). There was no significant difference between pruritic and nonpruritic dogs with regard to aggression or with regard to reactivity to being alone; to thunderstorms or noises; or to unfamiliar people, animals, or objects. Post hoc analysis revealed significantly more reactivity to thunderstorms or noises in dogs treated with glucocorticoids (18/37 [49%]) than in those not administered glucocorticoids (57/197 [29%]). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: An association was not detected between pruritus and aggressive, anxious, or fearful behavior in dogs. There was greater reactivity to thunderstorms or noises in glucocorticoid-treated dogs. These findings do not preclude the possibility of a relationship between certain dermatoses or pruritic conditions and behavior. However, a concurrent behavioral abnormality cannot be assumed to result from a dermatosis and be expected to resolve with treatment of only the skin disease. Dogs with behavioral disorders and pruritic disease require primary treatment of both conditions. Additional studies to examine the effect of disease and glucocorticoids on canine behavior are warranted.     

Infection of cattle in Queensland with bluetongue viruses: 1. prevalence of antibodies

SUMMARY A survey of nearly 20 000 cattle in Queensland was conducted to describe the prevalence and distribution of infection by serotypes of bluetongue virus. The overall prevalence of serum antibodies to one or more bluetongue viruses was 8.7% (95% confidence interval 8.3 to 9.1). Sera from cattle contained neutralising activity against 2 serotypes, 1 and 21. No evidence was found of infection with other serotypes previously isolated in Australia. The overall prevalence of serotype 1 antibodies was 7.7% (95% CI 7.3 to 8.0) and the prevalence of serotype 21 antibodies was 3.3% (95% CI 3.1 to 3.6). The prevalence of serotype 1 antibodies was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that of serotype 21 in every region of the State, except in the central highlands and south-west Queensland. Overall, 3 significantly (P < 0.05) different zones of prevalence were found: high prevalence (> 20%) in far north Queensland, moderate (5 to 20%) in north-west, northern and southern coastal Queensland, and low (< 5%) in the central highlands, Darling Downs and south-west Queensland.     

In vitro Evaluation of in vivo Fertilizing Ability of Frozen Rabbit Semen

The present work studied different spermatozoa parameters and the ability of frozen rabbit spermatozoa to fertilize, in vitro, in vivo‐matured oocytes, as a test to predict their in vivo fertility and prolificacy. Semen from rabbit bucks was frozen using two freezing protocols [in a freezer at ?30°C or in liquid nitrogen vapour (LNV)]. For the in vivo trial, females were inseminated with frozen‐thawed spermatozoa. Oocytes used for in vitro testing were recovered 14 h after ovulation induction from donors and co‐incubated with 2 × 10⁶ frozen‐thawed spermatozoa during 4 h at 37°C in Tyrode's medium under an atmosphere of 5% CO₂ in air with maximal humidity. After co‐incubation period, presumptive zygotes were cultured in TCM199 supplemented with 20% foetal bovine serum (FBS), under the same conditions described above. Although no statistical differences were observed between freezing protocols in seminal parameters [motility rate: 40 and 35%, VCL: 35 and 46 μm/s, amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH): 1.7 and 2.4 μm, for semen frozen at ?30°C and in LNV, respectively], significant differences were noted in the fertilizing ability in vivo and in vitro. Semen frozen at ?30°C showed the highest fertilizing ability in vitro (26.7% vs 6.2 and 8.7% for semen frozen at ?30°C, in LNV and fresh semen, respectively) and the lowest fertility rate in vivo (21.7% vs 64.2% and 70.6% for semen frozen at ?30°C, in LNV and fresh semen, respectively). Sperm frozen at ?30°C seemed to be more capacitated.