Benign masses in the pericardium of two dogs

Two miniature Schnauzer dogs were treated for pericardial masses. In one dog the mass consisted of necrotic fat that was attached to the apex of the pericardium by a pedicle. No obvious communication with the abdomen was present. The second dog had a peritoneopericardial hernia associated with a chronic cystic haematoma. In each case the mass was presumed to have arisen following congenital displacement of the omentum into the pericardium. The pericardial mass was removed and subtotal pericardectomy performed in both dogs. Recovery was complete in each case.     

Nutrition of captive reptiles.

In reptile practice, most nutritional problems arise from improper husbandry, including poor feeding management and provision of imbalanced diets. Each reptile species has its own requirements for temperature and humidity, space and social interaction, lighting, and habitat components. Failure, to provide these requirements often results in failure to thrive and secondary nutritional disorders. Common dietary problems include deficiencies of energy, calcium, vitamin D3, vitamin A, and fiber.     

Complications and survival associated with surgical compared with medical management of horses with duodenitis-proximal jejunitis

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Based on clinical observation, it is hypothesised that horses with duodenitis-proximal jejunitis (DPJ) that are treated surgically have a shorter duration, smaller volume, and slower rate of nasogastric reflux (NGR) compared to horses treated medically, are more likely to develop diarrhoea than medically managed cases, and have a higher incisional infection rate than a sample population of horses undergoing abdominal exploration for gastrointestinal disease other than DPJ. OBJECTIVES: To compare: 1) duration, volume and rate of NGR and the percentage of horses with diarrhoea between medically and surgically treated DPJ cases; and 2) incisional infection rate in horses with DPJ undergoing abdominal exploration to a sample population of horses undergoing abdominal exploration for gastrointestinal disease other than DPJ. METHODS: Medical records of cases with DPJ diagnosed 1995-2006 were reviewed. Information obtained included subject details, presenting clinical findings, treatment category (medical/surgical), complications (diarrhoea, incisional infection), and outcome (survival/nonsurvival). Data were analysed using a Chi-squared test and a mixed model analysis of variance. Level of significance was P<0.05. RESULTS: Compared to medical cases, surgical cases had significantly decreased survival, a longer duration and larger total volume of NGR, and were more likely to develop diarrhoea. The incisional infection rate for horses with DPJ undergoing abdominal exploration was 16% compared to 7% for the sample population of horses. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical treatment of horses with DPJ did not lead to resolution of NGR faster than medical treatment. Surgical cases were more likely to develop diarrhoea and did not have a significantly higher incisional infection rate than the sample population.     

Evaluation of d,l-ethionine as a mechanism for pancreatic islet regeneration in dogs

Objective To determine whether induction of pancreatic necrosis and islet proliferation by d,l‐ethionine has potential for treating dogs with b ‐cell insufficiency. Design Eighteen mixed breed dogs of both sexes were given d,l‐ethionine at 100 mg/kg three times weekly for 2 weeks; 6 dogs were euthanased at 2, 14 and 28 d after the last dose. Methods Clinical signs during administration and recovery were assessed. Routine biochemical analyses were performed before each ethionine dose and then once weekly. Faecal samples were examined weekly for malassimilated nutrients and blood. Blood coagulation screening tests (OSPT and APTT) were determined on four dogs after ethionine administration. Intravenous glucose tolerance tests were conducted before the first and after the last ethionine dose and then fortnightly. All dogs were necropsied and pancreas, liver, kidney and jejunum were examined microscopically. Results During ethionine administration all animals displayed vomiting, inappetence, diarrhoea (often with blood), weight loss and depression. Three dogs were euthanased prematurely due to severe illness, but those allowed to recover were eating and brighter 7 d after cessation of ethio‐nine administration. Serum concentrations of TLI, amylase and lipase increased initially, then decreased, during administration but returned to normal during recovery. Concentrations of ALT, ALP, unconjugated and conjugated bilirubin increased during administration then decreased slowly. Histological examination revealed hepatic lipidosis and necrosis, but no renal or jejunal lesions. In most dogs, faecal examination demonstrated increased undigested starch and muscle, as well as increased digested and undigested fat, during ethio‐nine administration or early during the recovery period, suggesting transient malassimilation. APTT was unchanged but OSPT was prolonged in all dogs. There was no impairment of insulin secretion or glucose intolerance and C‐peptide concentrations were unaffected. Immediately after ethionine administration there was delayed insulin degradation and by day 43 there was evidence of increased insulin sensitivity. Conclusion d,l‐ethionine administration in dogs appeared not to interfere with insulin secretion, but caused clinical signs and laboratory changes indicative of pancreatic exocrine necrosis, severe hepatobiliary disease and transient malas‐similation. Pancreatic and hepatic dysfunction was severe but clinical recovery occurred after ethionine administration ceased. The severe side‐effects observed with d,l‐ethionine should preclude its potential use for treating diabetes mellitus in dogs.     

The use of tiletamine hydrochloride and zolazepam hydrochloride for sedation of the mountain brushtail possun Trichosurus caninus Ogilby (Phalangeridae: Marsupialia)

SUMMARY A combination of tiletamine hydrochloride and zolazepam hydrochloride in a 1:1 ratio by weight was used successfully to sedate mountain brushtail possums, Trichosurus caninus, in the field. A standard total dose of 50 to 60 mg provided adequate sedation for the completion of a range of handling procedures. We describe the induction time, dose rate and side-effects associated with the use of tiletamine and zolazepam in T caninus.     

Clonidine Mects Growth Hormone and Growth in Juvenile Coho Salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch

Growth hormone concentrations in juvenile cocho salmon were determined after intraperitoneal injections (yearlings; age 1+) and oral treatments (yearlings and fry; age 0+) with clonidine. Weights and lengths were also measured in coho juveniles fed diets supplemented with clonidine.
Plasma growth hormone concentration increased significantly (78.2%) 24 h after injection. Yearlings fed clonidine showed a significant increase (136%) in plasma growth hormone after 14 days, and levels remained elevated through 28 days (116%) before dropping to control levels at 42 days. Coho yearlings fed clonidine showed no significant increase in growth compared to controls after 56 days of treatment, but coho fry were significantly heavier (33%) and longer (8%) after 70 days.     

Preferences of veterinarians for drugs to treat heart disease in dogs and cats

SUMMARY Responses (473) were collated from a questionnaire sent to 5054 veterinarians in Australia enquiring about drug preferences for treating cardiac disease in dogs and cats. When treating a small breed dog with endocardiosis and mild left congestive heart failure, 74% of 472 respondents used a diuretic, 67% a theophylline derivative, 27% a vasodilator and 20% a positive inotrope. Frusemide was the preferred diuretic and digoxin the preferred inotrope, but vasodilator use varied. Low sodium diets were “often recommended” by 71% of respondents. Propranolol was preferred to diltiazem for treating feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Digoxin was clearly preferred for treating supraventricular dysrhythmias, while lignocaine and digoxin were preferred equally for ventricular dysrhythmias. Respondents appeared more willing than US veterinarians to use theophylline derivatives and prasozin, and less inclined to employ nitrates, hydralazine, inotropes other than digoxin, and low sodium diets.     

Recurrent intraplate tectonism in the new madrid seismic zone

For the first time, New Madrid seismicity can be linked to specific structural features that have been reactivated through geologic time. Extensive seismic reflection profiling reveals major faults coincident with the main earthquake trends in the area and with structural deformation apparently caused by repeated episodes of igneous activity.     

Molecular characterization of porcine TT virus, an orphan virus, in pigs from six different countries

Human TT virus (TTV), originally isolated from a patient with post-transfusion hepatitis in 1997, is ubiquitous and non-pathogenic. Viruses related to human TTV have since been identified in non-human primates, bovine, ovine, porcine, feline, and canine. The objective of this study was to genetically characterize porcine TTV from pigs in different geographic regions. PCR primers based on the non-coding region of the only available porcine TTV isolate were designed to amplify porcine TTV DNA from sera of pigs in six different countries. Porcine TTV DNA was detected in 66.2% (102/154) of the swine sera. The percentages of positive pigs varied greatly from country to country and even within the same country: 33% in Iowa, USA; 40% in Thailand; 46% in Ontario, Canada; 80% in China; 85% in Korea; 90% in Spain; 100% in Quebec and Saskatchewan, Canada. A total of 40 porcine TTV isolates (five from each geographic region) were sequenced for a 218 bp fragment within the non-coding region. Sequence analyses revealed that porcine TTV isolates from different geographic regions shared 86-100% nucleotide sequence identity to each other. The prototype Japanese isolate of porcine TTV, Sd-TTV31, shared 90-97% nucleotide sequence identity with porcine TTV isolates reported in this study. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the clustering of the porcine TTV isolates is not associated with geographic origins. Although porcine TTV is not known to be associated with any swine disease, co-infection of pigs with TTV and other known swine pathogens may result in enhanced disease. There are also concerns for risk of potential human infection during xenotransplantation.