Physiological responses in foals weaned by abrupt or gradual methods

Physiological responses to weaning procedures were studied in 21 foals assigned to one of five treatments: (1) abrupt, total separation of mare and foal, no preweaning creep feed (TSNC); abrupt, total separation with preweaning creep feed (TSC); partial separation of mare and foal allowing fenceline contact, no preweaning creep feed (PSNC); (4) partial separation with creep feed (PSC); and (5) control (CON) no separation of mare and foal, foals creep fed. Changes in adrenal response to exogenous ACTH, basal and peak plasma cortisol concentrations, plasma triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) concentrations, weight gains and feed consumption were measured. Foals on the total separation treatments had higher adrenal responses (P<.05) and pre-ACTH basal (P<.05) and post-ACTH peak plasma cortisol concentrations (P<.05) than foals on other treatments indicating they were stressed at weaning. The PSNC, PSC and CON treatments did not differ (P>.05) in any cortisol response. No treatment differences were found in thyroid hormone concentrations in this study. On partial separation treatments, creep-fed and non-creep-fed foals consumed similar amounts of feed during the first week postweaning. On total separation treatments, non-creep-fed foals consumed more feed (P<.05) than creep-fed foals. All foals without creep feed gained more weight immediately after weaning (0–2 weeks) than creep-fed foals (P<.05), reflecting higher feed intakes and possible compensatory gains. Total postweaning weight gains (0–8 weeks) of foals were not significantly affected by treatment.     

Efficacy of ivermectin against Dirofilaria immitis larvae in dogs 30 and 45 days after induced infection

Forty-two Beagles, 14 to 15 weeks of age, were injected subcutaneously with 50 infective larvae of Dirofilaria immitis and were allotted by weight, within sex, to 6 treatment groups. Group 1 served as nonmedicated vehicle-treated controls; groups 2 through 5 were given an oral tablet form of ivermectin at dosages of 0.3 micrograms/kg, 1.0 micrograms/kg, 2.0 micrograms/kg, and 3.3 micrograms/kg at 30 days after inoculation; group 6 was given the 2.0 micrograms/kg dosage at 45 days after inoculation. Dogs were euthanatized and necropsied 154 days after treatment (day 139 for dogs in group 6) and examined for heartworms. On the numerical bases of helminths recovered in the groups, the efficacies for preventing heartworm maturation were 0% (group 2), 53.2% (group 3), 97.2% (group 4), 98.1% (group 5), and 63.8% (group 6). Drug-related adverse reactions were not detected.     

An aspirin-prednisolone combination to modify postadulticide lung disease in heartworm-infected dogs

A combination of aspirin and prednisolone was used in an attempt to modify the pulmonary disease produced by thiacetarsamide treatment of heartworm-infected dogs. Results of 6 heartworm-infected dogs treated with prednisolone (1 mg/kg, daily for 4 weeks) and aspirin (10 mg/kg, daily for 4 weeks) after thiacetarsamide treatment were compared with previously published results of 3 groups of dogs (6 dogs/group). One of these 3 groups was a nontreated control group, another was treated with prednisolone, and the 3rd was treated with aspirin. All dogs, each with 9 adult heartworms transplanted, were treated with a 2-day, twice-a-day treatment of thiacetarsamide (1 mg/kg) 4 weeks after the transplant. Thoracic radiographs were taken before and at 1, 2, and 3 weeks after thiacetarsamide treatment to evaluate lung disease. Pulmonary arteriography was performed before and 3.5 weeks after thiacetarsamide treatment to evaluate pulmonary blood flow. After treatment, radiographs of the aspirin-prednisolone group were similar to radiographs of the prednisolone group, both with a marked attenuation of the parenchymal disease, as compared with the non-treated group. Addition of aspirin to prednisolone prevented the blood flow obstruction and intraluminal filling defects that were present in the groups not receiving aspirin. Sixteen of 54 transplanted heartworms survived thiacetarsamide treatment in both prednisolone-treated groups, in contrast to complete elimination of heartworms in the nontreated group. Aspirin may be considered for treatment of any heartworm-infected dog that does not have hemotypsis, but postthiacetarsamide use of prednisolone should be restricted to the dog that develops severe lung disease after the heartworms have been killed.     

Segmental axonopathy of Merino sheep in New Zealand

AIM: To investigate an axonopathy of Merino sheep that caused progressive hindlimb ataxia and slight to moderate paresis, with the purpose of understanding its pathogenesis.

METHODS: Tissues were fixed in buffered paraformaldehyde or paraformaldehyde and glutaraldehyde, processed into wax and epoxy resin, respectively, and examined by light and electron microscopy. Fresh frozen spinal cord and trigeminal nerve roots were subjected to homogenisation, centrifugation and two-dimensional electrophoresis. Selected protein spots were identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation (MALDI) mass spectrometry.

RESULTS. By light microscopy, there were large pale foamy spheroidal axonal swellings affecting peripheral as well as central axons. By electron microscopy, these were shown to contain many membrane-bound vesicles. The main abnormalities in expressed proteins involved cytoskeletal elements and myosin heavy chain, the latter interpreted as associated with the molecular motor myosin Va.

CONCLUSIONS: The disorder is the same as that described in Merinos in Australia as segmental axonopathy, and believed to have an inherited aetiology. The lesions and protein changes indicate abnormalities of the cytoskeleton, its relationship with the myelin sheath, and myosin Va molecular motor. The consequence appears to be abnormal axonal transport and inability to maintain the integrity of axons and their myelin sheaths.     

Interleukin‐31: its role in canine pruritus and naturally occurring canine atopic dermatitis

Background – Interleukin‐31 (IL‐31) is a member of the gp130/interleukin‐6 cytokine family that is produced by cell types such as T helper 2 lymphocytes and cutaneous lymphocyte antigen positive skin homing T cells. When overexpressed in transgenic mice, IL‐31 induces severe pruritus, alopecia and skin lesions. In humans, IL‐31 serum levels correlate with the severity of atopic dermatitis in adults and children. Hypothesis/Objective – To determine the role of IL‐31 in canine pruritus and naturally occurring canine atopic dermatitis (AD). Animals – Purpose‐bred beagle dogs were used for laboratory studies. Serum samples were obtained from laboratory animals, nondiseased client‐owned dogs and client‐owned dogs diagnosed with naturally occurring AD. Methods – Purpose‐bred beagle dogs were administered canine interleukin‐31 (cIL‐31) via several routes (intravenous, subcutaneous or intradermal), and pruritic behaviour was observed/quantified via video monitoring. Quantitative immunoassay techniques were employed to measure serum levels of cIL‐31 in dogs. Results – Injection of cIL‐31 into laboratory beagle dogs caused transient episodes of pruritic behaviour regardless of the route of administration. When evaluated over a 2 h period, dogs receiving cIL‐31 exhibited a significant increase in pruritic behaviour compared with dogs that received placebo. In addition, cIL‐31 levels were detectable in 57% of dogs with naturally occurring AD (≥13 pg/mL) but were below limits of quantification (<13 pg/mL) in normal, nondiseased laboratory or client‐owned animals. Conclusions – Canine IL‐31 induced pruritic behaviours in dogs. Canine IL‐31 was detected in the majority of dogs with naturally occurring AD, suggesting that this cytokine may play an important role in pruritic allergic skin conditions, such as atopic dermatitis, in this species.     

Molecular expression of caprine estrogen receptor gene 1 in reproductive and non‐reproductive tissues

During the last decades, physiological effects of oestrogens have been increasingly explored by scientists and biotechnologists. Estrogens exert a wide range of effects on a large variety of cell types. Oestrogen and its receptors are essential for sexual development and reproduction. Estrogen receptor alpha is a nuclear receptor activated by the hormone oestrogen. In male, ERα is encoded by the gene estrogen receptor gene 1 (ESR1), responsible for better fertility. The ESR1 is involved in the reabsorption of luminal fluid during the transit of spermatozoa from the testis to the head of the epididymis which is important for their survival and maturation during epididymal storage. The absence of ESR1 leads to reduced epididymal sperm content, reduced sperm motility and fertilizing ability. Therefore, this is a good startby to study the expression pattern of estrogen receptor 1 gene in high‐fertile (G1) and low‐fertile (G2) bucks of Jamunapari and Barbari breeds identified on the basis of seminal quality traits and fertility trials. RNA was extracted from the tissues by TRIzol method. The identification and expression pattern of caprine ESR1 gene was analysed by real‐time PCR (Roche LC‐480). Our work shows that the relative quantification by RT‐PCR indicates more fold in head of epididymis as compared to spleen of caprine ESR1 gene. Furthermore, the RT‐PCR indicated that fertile bucks of Jamunapari breed have more fold value as compared to Barbari breed in respect of reproductive organ.