Morphological study of Socorro Island Merino sheep and its crosses with hair breeds

Tropical Animal Health and Production - A study was conducted with the objective to characterize the morphology of Socorro Island Merino sheep. A total of 67 sheep, 62 females, 26 purebred and 36...     

A recombinant-based ELISA evaluating the efficacy of netobimin and albendazole in ruminants with naturally acquired fascioliasis

The therapeutic efficacy of albendazole and netobimin in ruminants with naturally occurring fascioliasis was investigated using a recombinant-based ELISA. The variation in the IgG response against a 2.9-kDa recombinant protein (FhrAPS), termed efficacy index (EI) 1, and the egg-output changes, termed EI 2, were used to evaluate drug efficacy.The values of EI 1 ranged between 0% and 50% in sheep, and between 0% and 30% in cattle after treatment with albendazole and netobimin. Similar EI 2 values were observed in sheep receiving albendazole or netobimin, but the highest values were found in cattle treated with netobimin. The significant reduction in the IgG response to FhrAPS found in this study shows promise in terms of developing alternative methods for evaluating the efficacy of chemotherapy against Fasciola hepatica in grazing ruminants.     

Molecular characterisation of Cryptosporidium isolates from pet reptiles

In this study, we investigated the presence of Cryptosporidium in 171 faecal samples from reptiles commonly used as pet animals. These include lizards belonging to the genera Eublepharis, Pogona, Chlamydosaurus, Hemiteconyx, Teratoscincus, Tiliqua, Iguana, and Chamaeleo, snakes of the genera Lampropeltis, Elaphe, Python, Boa and Corallus, and tortoises belonging to the genera Testudo and Kinixys. Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected by immunofluorescence using a commercially available kit and cryptosporidial DNA by amplification of a polymorphic fragment of the 18S rDNA and the HSP70 locus.Cryptosporidium was detected in 38.6% and 25.1% of the samples analysed by immunofluorescence and PCR, respectively. Molecular characterisation of the isolates confirmed that C. serpentis and C. varanii (syn. C. saurophilum) are the main species involved in infection in pet reptiles but also showed the presence of C. parvum and C. muris, as well as other species or genotypes of this parasite including the Cryptosporidium mouse genotype and Cryptosporidium tortoise genotype previously described in reptiles. In addition, a Cryptosporidium sp. was isolated from a chameleon and a python.     

An assessment of the clonality of the components of canine mixed mammary tumours by mitochondrial DNA analysis

The aim of this study was to investigate if mutations in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) D-loop fragment control region of canine mammary mixed tumours could be used as clonal markers that identified the cell population of origin. Ten benign mixed mammary tumours and nine carcinomas arising from benign mixed tumours were microdissected and DNA from epithelial and mesenchymal tumour cells and from normal mammary tissue was examined for sequence variations in a fragment of the hypervariable control region.Identical sequence variants in both the epithelial and mesenchymal components (as well as in the corresponding normal tissue) were found in 80% of the benign mixed tumours and in 89% of the carcinomas arising from benign mixed tumours suggesting a shared clonal origin. The distinctive sequence alterations identified in the epithelial and mesenchymal components of 15.8% of all 19 tumours examined, suggests the possibility that a minority of mammary tumours are polyclonal in origin or that early clonal divergence occurs. Increased mutation within the mtDNA D-loop fragment of mixed tumour components was not observed.     

The Andean hog-nosed skunk Conepatus chinga Molina, 1782 as a new definitive host for Spirometra erinacei Faust, Campbell & Kellog, 1929

This report describes the finding of Spirometra erinacei Faust, Campbell & Kellog, 1929 (Cestoda, Diphyllobothridae) infecting the small intestine of two Andean hog-nosed skunks (Conepatus chinga Molina, 1782), collected from the locality “Abra La Raya”, at Cusco, Peru. Four cestodes were studied and identified as S. erinacei. This is the first report showing that the Andean hog-nosed skunk is one of the natural hosts for this parasite.     

Morphophysiology of forage peanut submitted to different intensities of defoliation on grazing with sheep

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The aim was to monitor the growth, the dry mass accumulation curve, and the structural photosynthetic components of forage peanut pasture, in different...     

以食品安全为饲料目标

(接《新饲料》第10期第14页)2针对食品安全进行饲料的营养调控2.1霉菌毒素的控制霉菌毒素是最重要的饲料污染物之一,并且会给动物以及公众健康带来严重影响。霉菌毒素有多种危     

Comparison of bupivacaine femoral and sciatic nerve block versus bupivacaine and morphine epidural for stifle surgery in dogs

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy of combined femoral and sciatic nerve blocks as an alternative to epidural anesthesia and analgesia in dogs undergoing stifle surgery under general anesthesia.Study designProspective, blinded, randomized, clinical comparison.AnimalsTwenty dogs weighing 37 ± 11 (mean ± SD) kg, aged 3 (1–8) [median (minimum–maximum)] years undergoing elective unilateral tibial-plateau leveling osteotomy.MethodsDogs were assigned randomly to receive either epidural anesthesia (bupivacaine 0.5%, 0.5 mg kg^?1 + morphine 0.1%, 0.1 mg kg^?1, in 0.2 mL kg^?1; EPID) or femoral and sciatic nerve blocks (Bupivacaine 0.5%, 0.1 mL kg^?1, was administered at each site; F + S) guided by electrolocation. All patients received a standard general anesthesia technique. Pain and sedation were scored (on scales of 0–10 and 0–3, respectively) pre-operatively, at extubation, and at 1, 4 and then every 4 hours thereafter up to 24 hours. Postoperatively, hydromorphone was administered to any patient with a pain score of >5 or whenever the blinded caregiver determined that more hydromorphone was necessary. Intraoperative heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), end tidal isoflurane (FE′ISO), body temperature, post-operative pain scores, time to first hydromorphone dose after surgery, time to first feeding, time to first drinking, time to first urination, time to first ambulation (walk on a lead) and cumulative dose of hydromorphone were recorded.ResultsIntra-operatively, FE′ISO and MAP were significantly lower in the EPID group (p = 0.05 and p = 0.04, respectively). Postoperatively, the cumulative hydromorphone consumption (p = 0.04) and the incidence of urinary retention (p = 0.03) were higher in the EPID group.Conclusion and clinical relevance F + S is a practical alternative to EPID that produces less urine retention and reduces opioid consumption in the 24 hours after surgery. EPID might be associated with a lower isoflurane requirement and lower systemic blood pressure.