Anesthesia of Tibetan yak (Bos grunniens) using thiafentanil - xylazine and carfentanil - xylazine

The use of 0.025 +/- 0.012 mg/kg (median +/- interquartile range) thiafentanil with 0.15 +/- 0.03 mg/kg xylazine (TX) and 0.011 +/- 0.0015 mg/kg carfentanil with 0.25 +/- 0.093 mg/kg xylazine (CX), with dosages based on estimated bodyweight, was used in the anesthesia of 37 Tibetan yak (Bos grunniens) housed within a drive-through animal park setting. The median time to lateral recumbency was 5 and 7 min for each group, respectively. With the addition of propofol in 8 CX animals and 17 TX animals, the anesthetic plane was suitable for a wide range of procedures. The median time to standing recovery following administration of naltrexone was 4 +/- 3.5 min with TX and 7 +/- 1.5 min with CX. There was one fatality and one case of renarcotization in the TX group. Overall, the dosages used in the study provided a reliable and useful anesthetic induction protocol, with TX animals demonstrating a more rapid induction and recovery with less cardiac depression than CX animals.     

Synergistic effects of Miconazole and Polymyxin B on microbial pathogens

The therapeutic value of antibiotics depends on the susceptibility of the infecting microorganism and the pharmacological profile of the drugs. To assess the value of an antibiotic combination of polymyxin B and miconazole this study examined the in vitro synergistic potential of the two drugs on Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and yeast. Antifungal and antibacterial activity was tested by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of broth macrodilution and urea broth microdilution, by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Synergism was calculated using the fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICi). With Staphylococcus intermedius as target we found up to an eightfold reduction of the individual MICs when both drugs were combined. However, the FICi was 0.63 suggesting no real interaction between the two drugs. With Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Malassezia pachydermatis as targets the antimicrobial drug combination reduced the MICs of polymyxin B and miconazole from fourfold to hundredfold resulting in FICi between 0.06 and 0.5 which defines a synergistic action. Thus, if polymyxin B and miconazole are combined their effect is greater than the sum of the effects observed with polymyxin B and miconazole independently, revealing bactericidal and fungicidal synergism. Our results indicate a strong therapeutic value for the combination of these antimicrobial agents against Gram-negative bacteria and yeast and a weaker value against Gram positive bacteria for clinical situations where these pathogens are involved.     

The 2006 American Association of Feline Practitioners Feline Vaccine Advisory Panel report

Vaccination is a medical procedure, and the decision to vaccinate should be based on a risk-based assessment for each cat and each vaccine.     

Veterinary aspects of ecological monitoring: the natural history of emerging infectious diseases of humans,domestic animals and wildlife

Proliferation of disease pathogens capable of affecting humans, domestic livestock and wildlife increasingly threatens environmental security and biodiversity. Livestock and wild animals in proximity to human beings are often in the chain of transmission and infection. Globalization of industrial livestock production (especially poultry upon which so much of the burgeoning human population depends) often permits transcontinental disease spread. Rapidly expanding (and often illegal) international trade in wild and domestic animals and their products are increasingly involved in the emergence of new diseases that may have the ability to transmit among humans, livestock and wildlife. Rapidly increasing urbanization has led in many places to overcrowded townships that rely on “bushmeat” for sustenance and has contributed to the emergence of virulent zoonotic pathogens. The emergence and proliferation of pathogens are exacerbated by anthropogenic transformation of natural landscapes in order to increase agricultural and livestock production. This paper posits that data gathered by veterinary ecologists should be interpreted and used by other disciplines. The importance of a thorough knowledge of the “natural history” (ecology) of the disease agent and its human, domestic and wild hosts is stressed.     

The Effects of Feed Form on Consumption Time and Glucose and Insulin Response to a Concentrate Meal in Equine

This study tested the hypothesis that feeding an identically formulated, low sugar and starch concentrate in three forms (5-mm extruded [E], 4-mm pellet [P], and 19-mm oval [O]) would affect consumption rate and glucose or insulin responses, or both. Horses received 1.8 kg treatment feed in a randomized, crossover design, with samples taken every 30 minutes for 6 hours for blood glucose and insulin response. Pearson's correlation compared consumption time, insulin and glucose peak, and time to peak insulin and glucose. The pellet (P) elicited a lower (P = .01) glucose concentration at 2.5 hours than O. The pellet also elicited a lower (P = .03) insulin concentration at 5.5 hours than E and O. There were no differences (P > .05) in area under the curve (AUC) insulin, peak insulin, and time to peak insulin for the three treatments. Average insulin concentration was lower (P = .01) for P versus O. There were no differences (P > .05) in average insulin between P and E, nor between O and E. There were no differences (P > .05) in AUC and peak glucose concentration. Time to peak glucose was longer (P = .04) for P versus E. Average glucose concentration was lower (P = .02) for P versus O. Consumption time was longer (P = .03) for O versus P. There was a positive correlation between consumption time and time to peak insulin (r = 0.46, P = .029). Further research on feeding practices, feed forms, and consumption times that affect glycemic response is necessary.     

Fecal and urinary lignans, intrafollicular estradiol, and endometrial receptors in lactating dairy cows fed diets supplemented with hydrogenated animal fat, flaxseed or sunflower seed

We hypothesized that the inclusion of flaxseed in the diets of lactating dairy cows will increase urinary and fecal concentrations of the lignans, secoisolariciresinol diglycoside (SDG), enterolactone and enterodiol, reduce intrafollicular concentrations of IGF-I and estradiol, and subsequently reduce estradiol and oxytocin receptor expression in the endometrium. To test this hypothesis, 27 cycling, lactating Holstein cows were assigned to 1 of 3 diets supplemented with saturated fatty acids (SAT), flax (FLX), or sunflower (SUN) seed. Rations were formulated to provide 750 g supplemental fat/cow/d in all dietary groups. Ovulation (Day 0) was synchronized, and 5 d later, follicles>8 mm were ablated by an ultrasound-guided procedure in all cows. Samples of blood (Days 0 to 14), follicular fluid (Day 5 and 15), endometrium (Day 15), as well as urine and feces were collected in a subset of the animals. The fecal concentrations of SDG and enterodiol were higher (P<0.05) in cows fed FLX than in those fed SAT or SUN. Enterodiol increased (P<0.05) in urine samples of cows fed FLX, compared to those of cows fed SUN. However, follicular estradiol concentrations on Day 5 and 15 and endometrial concentrations of estradiol and oxytocin receptors on Day 15 did not differ among the dietary groups. Mean plasma progesterone concentrations were higher (P<0.05) in cows fed FLX and SUN than in those fed SAT. In summary, a diet supplemented with flaxseed increased the concentrations of SDG and enterodiol in feces, as hypothesized, but did not alter intrafollicular concentrations of IGF-I or estradiol, or endometrial populations of oxytocin or estrogen receptors in lactating dairy cows.     

Unidentified Plasmodium species in Australian black swans (Cygnus atratus) hatched and raised in North America

A pair of Australian black swans (Cygnus atratus) with origins in Wakefield, Virginia, USA, was admitted to the quarantine area at the Baltimore Zoo for general health assessments before housing in the collections. During the quarantine period, no clinical signs of disease were manifest; however, upon examination of a blood smear, intraerythrocytic parasites were detected and initially determined to be Haemoproteus species. Diagnostic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing results, however, indicated that the parasites were within the genus Plasmodium. Subclinical infections with Plasmodium species in birds may affect collection management, and transmission from refractory hosts to susceptible hosts should be considered when multispecies exhibits are used. In addition, changes in the dynamics of host-vector-parasite interactions might have significant impacts on wild or domesticated populations of birds.