Experimental immune complex glomerulonephritis and the nephrotic syndrome in cats immunised with cationised bovine serum albumin

Membranous nephropathy was induced in four cats by repeated intravenous injections of 120 mg cationic bovine serum albumin (BSA, pI 9.5). All four cats developed diffuse granular deposits of IgG and C3 along the glomerular capillary walls as early as five weeks which persisted until the end of the experiment at 17 weeks. Ultrastructural studies revealed many subepithelial electron dense deposits. Two cats developed severe proteinuria and the nephrotic syndrome characterised by hypoalbuminaemia and oedema. An additional four cats received repeated injections of unmodified native BSA (pI 4.5) and remained basically normal. This is the first report of membranous nephropathy and the nephrotic syndrome in an experimental animal model which, unlike other animal models, is subject to the spontaneously occurring disease.     

The detection and isolation of a paralysis toxin present in Argas (Persicargas) walkerae

One-day-old leghorn chickens were used in a laboratory assay to determine the toxicity of crude extracts of the tick Argas (Persicargas) walkerae and of fractions obtained during the isolation procedure. Extracts of unfed and engorged larvae, nymphae and females were tested using this in vivo test system. Only extracts of replete A. (P.) walkerae larvae produced paralysis. A toxic fraction was isolated from replete larval extracts by gel-permeation and ion-exchange chromatography. This fraction with a pI of 4,5, showed 2 major bands corresponding to a Mr of 32 kDa and 60 kDa after SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.     

The isoelectric focusing properties of serum alkaline phosphatase in disease and following prednisolone and phenylbutazone administration in the horse.

This study was undertaken to ascertain if the isoelectric focusing pattern of serum alkaline phosphatase (AP) from sick horses with high activity is useful for determining its tissue origin. The effect of oral prednisolone and phenylbutazone therapy on this enzyme in healthy horses was also investigated. The sick horses were divided into three groups: hepatic, intestinal and miscellaneous. All sera had approximately thirteen bands of AP activity when focused on agarose gels with a pH gradient of 3.5 to 9.5. All the horses in the liver disease group had greater than 65% of enzyme activity in bands 3 to 7 (counted from the anode) whereas the other two groups had at least 30% and up to 80% of activity in bands 8 to 13. This was true even in the several cases of primary intestinal disease that had additional biochemical evidence of liver damage. All bands were heat sensitive indicating that little if any AP was of small intestinal or renal origin. Oral prednisolone and phenylbutazone for 20 and 12 days respectively had no affect on serum AP activity or isoelectric pattern. We concluded that the AP in bands 3 to 7 is of liver origin but the origin of bands 8 to 13 remains undetermined although small intestinal or renal origin is unlikely. Isoelectric focusing of serum AP shows promise in differentiating cases of primary from secondary liver disease but further studies are required correlating serum patterns and tissue patterns in animals with diseases.     

The use of biotin-labeled cDNA probes for the detection of infectious bursal disease viruses

A cDNA library was prepared from the double-stranded RNA genome of the infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) strain ST-C. The cDNA molecules were annealed into the plasmid pUC9 and used to transform Escherichia coli strain JM107. A cDNA clone that contained IBDV-specific nucleotide sequences was selected and designated STC-1. Radiolabeled probes were prepared from STC-1 and hybridized to genome segment A of ST-C in a northern blot hybridization assay. The STC-1 cDNA was 448 base pairs in length, and its nucleotide sequence indicated that it is located near the VP-2/VP-4 junction in IBDV genome segment A. Biotin-labeled probes were prepared from STC-1 and used in a dot-blot hybridization assay to detect IBDV. Under relatively low stringency conditions of hybridization, the biotinylated probes detected four subtypes of IBDV serotype 1 and a serotype 2 IBDV isolate.     

Epidemiology of feline leukaemia and feline immunodeficiency virus infections in the Czech Republic

Commercial serological sets were used for the examination of 727 cats kept in larger towns of the Czech Republic. FeLV antigen and antibodies to FIV were demonstrated in 96 (13.2%) and 42 (5.8%) of the animals, respectively. Seven (0.96%) animals were positive for both FeLV and FIV. Most of the FeLV and/or FIV positive patients were intact rambling males aged 1-4 years. Chronic gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases were found in 54.2% and 43.8% of the FeLV-positive patients, respectively. Chronic urinary tract diseases and generalized lymphadenopathy were found in 47.6% and 45.2% of the FIV-positive patients, respectively. The results of this first survey in the Czech Republic have shown prevalence values and clinical patterns similar to those reported formerly from other European countries.     

Presence of cervical vertebral malformation in Dobermann puppies and the effects of diet and growth rate

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between diet, growth rate and the presence of caudal cervical malformation in Doberman puppies. DESIGN: A prospective study of 15 Dobermann puppies from three unrelated litters, aged from 0 to 16 weeks. PROCEDURE: The growth rate in terms of body weight gain and increase in ulna length were measured weekly for all puppies. In addition the nutritional quality of the diets was assessed. Radiographs of the cervical spine were taken at 6 and between 12 and 16 weeks of age and examined for the presence of caudal cervical vertebral malformation. A mixed model for repeated measures data was used to investigate the relationship between the growth rate of the puppies and the fixed effects age, dam, diet, gender and presence of caudal cervical malformation. RESULTS: Five of the puppies had changes consistent with caudal cervical malformation. The diets fed were either balanced or transiently deficient in protein, calcium, phosphorus and/or magnesium. There was no significant association between growth rate and the variables dam, gender and the presence of caudal cervical vertebral malformation. There was no significant association between diet and increase in ulna length, but a trend existed between body weight gain and the feeding of a balanced diet (P = 0.0672). CONCLUSION: Caudal cervical vertebral changes can be detected radiographically as early as 6 weeks of age in some Dobermann puppies. A balanced diet and growth rate are not significant factors in its initial development.     

Feather folliculoma in a captive-bred barn owl (Tyto alba).

Proliferative cutaneous lesions are frequently encountered in examination of avian species. Tumors of the skin have been reported in many bird species, although comparatively less is known about the incidence of integumentary neoplasia in nondomesticated species than in production or companion species. An adult male, 9-yr-old, captive-bred barn owl (Tyto alba) was presented for examination of a proliferative skin mass of several months' duration on the left wing. An excisional biopsy was performed, and the owl recovered uneventfully. Light microscopic examination of tissue sections of the mass revealed a focal, unencapsulated, well-demarcated, multiloculated mass that consisted of variably sized cystic spaces lined by stratified squamous epithelium and containing concentric laminations of keratin and foci of feather differentiation. A histopathologic diagnosis of feather folliculoma was made. This neoplasm has not previously been described in owls. Its incidence and documentation are significant in that this neoplasm should be considered as a differential diagnosis of proliferative skin lesions in this raptorial species.     

Laminectomy for 34 dogs with thoracolumbar intervertebral disc disease and loss of deep pain perception

The case details and the results of treatment of 34 dogs with thoracolumbar intervertebral disc disease, without deep pain perception, that had been treated by laminectomy and fenestration, are presented. The association of a number of potential prognostic factors with the neurological outcome is examined. Twenty-one dogs (62 per cent) recovered neurological function, seven (21 per cent) failed to recover neurological function and three (9 per cent) developed progressive myelomalacia postoperatively, while three dogs (9 per cent) were euthanized intraoperatively because of diffuse myelomalacia. Twenty of the dogs that recovered neurological function showed a return of deep pain perception within two weeks of decompressive surgery. Statistical analysis showed significant differences in the outcome between dogs that took less than one hour to lose the ability to ambulate and dogs with a longer duration of onset of inability to ambulate. The extent of spinal cord swelling determined by myelography was not found to be a useful prognostic indicator.