Primary hyperparathyroidism in a dog.

A 6-year-old male Standard Poodle had hypercalcemia, hypophosphatemia, and a urinary concentrating defect. A parathyroid adenoma involving the left caudal parathyroid gland was surgically removed. Transient hypocalcemia followed, which resolved without treatment. A renal biopsy did not demonstrate renal parenchymal mineral deposition. Urinary concentrating ability returned after surgery.     

Fertility in buffaloes after oestrus synchronisation with cloprostenol and fixed time insemination.

Fifty-seven cycling buffalo cows of the river type were treated with two doses of 0.5 mg cloprostenol intramuscularly given 11 days apart. Each animal was inseminated twice at 72 and 96 hours after the second injection of cloprostenol. The first service conception rate diagnosed by rectal palpation at 90 days was 38.6 per cent. At the time of insemination the cervix was easily penetrable on both days in only 39 (68.4 per cent) of the animals. They were inseminated at or beyond the internal cervical os, while the others were inseminated in the cervical canal. There was a marked difference in conception rate between those receiving deep inseminations (48.7 per cent) and the others (16.7 per cent). In relation to the interval from calving to insemination the conception rates for those which had calved 60 to 90, 90 to 120 and 120 to 150 days earlier were 16.6, 36.4 and 55.5 per cent respectively. The use of cloprostenol treatment and fixed-time insemination is a useful method of overcoming the problem of oestrus detection in buffaloes. Acceptable levels of fertility can be obtained in those animals which have a sufficiently relaxed cervix to permit semen deposition at the internal os, provided the interval from calving to insemination is more than 90 days.     

Polioencephalomalacia associated with canine distemper virus infection

Eight dogs with severe neurologic signs, including seizures, had polioencephalomalacia of the pyriform cortex, Ammon's horn and deep structures in the temporal lobe. The polioencephalomalacia was considered to be a consequence of canine distemper virus infection based on clinical signs, typical inclusions, the demonstration of viral antigens in the lesions and of characteristic paramyxovirus nucleocapsids by electron microscopy. Little evidence for neuronal destruction by direct viral activity was found. Selective nerve cell necrosis was attributed to ischemia (vascular lesions and seizure induced consumptive anoxia) and immune mechanisms. The selective involvement of the rhinencephalic structures was thought to be related to the mode of entry and spread of the virus.     

Fascicular nerve biopsy in the dog

A nerve fascicular biopsy technique that preserves the functional integrity of the parent nerve is reported in the dog. Fascicular biopsies from ulnar and peroneal nerves did not produce clinical sensory or motor deficits. Electrodiagnostic testing for the modalities of latency, duration, amplitude, and conduction velocities were not markedly altered after fascicular biopsies. Morphometric analysis of muscle fiber types, delineated by histochemic techniques, revealed no statistical (P greater than 0.05) difference between muscles from biopsied or control limbs. Fascicular biopsies resulted in small neuromas in all dogs.     

Reducing the proportion of animal protein in feed for rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri). 2. Supplementation of methionine and lysine

Continuing previous investigations, two test feedstuffs whose fishmeal content had been reduced to 5% and which were supplemented with 4.5 g methionine and 5.0 g lysine per kg resp. 6 g methionine and 6 g lysine per kg were proofed in comparison with a fattening feed for trout as customary in trade and with a fish meal content of 35%. The content of animal protein in the control feed was at least 75% (crude protein content 41%), in test feed I at most 35% (crude protein content 35.4%), in test feed II at most 17% (crude protein content 33.9%). All feedstuffs had the same energy content. The tests were made with rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) of 80...100 g at the beginning and at water temperatures of 11...12 degrees C. They were conducted over a period of 112 days. After giving the same amount of feed, growth of and feed expenditure for the fish feed with the test feedstuffs were less suitable than of those fish which had received the control feed. Concerning the protein efficiency ratio, the productive protein value and the energetic expenditure too, the best results were achieved with the control feed.     

Factors affecting dystocia and offspring vigour in different sheep genotypes

Birth difficulty and poor lamb vigour are significant causes of perinatal lamb mortality. In this study we investigated whether sheep breeds differing in appearance, muscularity and selection history also had differences in dystocia and lamb vigour, and considered some of the factors that may contribute to the variation in these traits. Data were collected at birth from a total of 3252 lambs of two terminal sire breeds selected for lean growth (Suffolk [S], n = 500 and Texel [T], n = 1207), from a Hill breed (Scottish Blackface [B], n = 610), which has been mainly selected for hardiness, and a crossbred (Mule × T [M], n = 935) representing a maternal line. For each lamb the degree of assistance at delivery, lamb presentation, amount of assistance to achieve successful sucking, sex, litter size and birth weight were recorded. T lambs required the most, and B and M lambs the least assistance at birth, S lambs were intermediate (% lambs assisted: T = 55.7, S = 30.7, B = 22.7, M = 24.9, P < 0.001). T and S lambs were equally likely to be malpresented at birth (29% of births) and more likely to be malpresented than B or M lambs (20%; P < 0.001). In T and S breeds lambs requiring veterinary assistance at delivery were mainly heavy and singleton lambs, whereas in B and M breeds these were exclusively low birth weight lambs in multiple litters. Although heavier lambs needed greater birth assistance, T lambs were lighter than S and M lambs, but heavier than B lambs (birth weight (kg): S = 4.66, M = 4.56, T = 4.32, B = 3.67, P < 0.001). S lambs were more likely to require assistance with sucking than other breeds, and T lambs also required more assistance than B or M lambs (% lambs assisted to suck: S = 56.0, T = 31.6, M = 19.8, B = 18.4, P < 0.001). Heavier lambs were more likely to suck unaided than lighter lambs (P < 0.001). The data suggest that the two terminal sire breeds, selected narrowly for greater productivity (muscle growth and conformation), are more likely to experience birth difficulty and poorer lamb vigour than the breed selected for hardiness, or the cross breed. Whether these effects arise as a consequence of genetic selection (e.g. for specific lamb conformation), or as a result of management practices to achieve selection goals (e.g. increased intervention at lambing) is unknown. Specific actions to improve birth difficulty and lamb vigour, such as including these traits in the selection index, would be beneficial in improving the welfare of ewes and lambs of the terminal sire breeds.     

Theileria mutans in Nigeria.

Two strains of bovine Theileria from northern Nigeria were shown to be identical to Theileria mutans in the indirect immunofluorescent antibody test. One of the strains was transmitted by the tick Amblyomma variegatum; large macroschizonts, typical for T mutans, could be demonstrated in infected cattle. It is concluded from these experiments and from the literature that there is reliable evidence so far for the occurrence in Nigeria of only two bovine Tehileria species, T mutans and T velifera.     

Lungworm: (Dictyocaulus arnfieldi) infection in donkeys.

The clinical, parasitological and pathological findings in a group of six donkeys naturally infected with D arnfieldi larvae are described. One animal had to be sacrificed at an early date because it developed pneumonia. The remaining five were unthrifty, showed mild clinical respiratory signs and had heavy strongyle infections. They had varying numbers of adult worms in the airways of the lungs and eggs were found coiled up in the smaller bronchi where they had apparently lead to an obstruction to airflow in that segment. The most striking gross pathological changes were circular discrete areas of over-inflation surrounding such bronchi. Histologically the infected bronchi exhibited a marked bronchiolitis with goblet cell hyperplasia and a mainly lymphoid inflammatory infiltrate. These areas also showed a localised bronchiolitus and overinflated alveolar tissue although true emphysema was not present. It is postulated that the parasite is well-adapted to its host and is able to survive for long periods within the lung without causing a debilitating amount of damage to the host. The immunological aspects of the infection are discussed briefly.