Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (FARAD): a pharmacokinetic-based information resource

The Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (FARAD) is a pilot project funded through the USDA Extension Service. It represents a major effort to compile into a single source large amounts of information on veterinary pharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics and physiochemical properties of drugs and other chemicals used in livestock production. FARAD is a computer-based system consisting of five data and numerous command files that access the data files to facilitate rapid input and retrieval of the desired information. The data files include proprietary information on all pharmaceutical products approved for use in food animals in the United States; physicochemical information on more than 100 chemicals contained in the databank; regulatory information pertaining to tolerance and action levels of chemical residues in animal products and allowable concentrations of drugs in feed; pharmacokinetic rate and volume constants pertinent to residue depletion modeling in a variety of species; bibliographic citations to which all of the information contained in the databank is referenced. All of the information in FARAD is currently available through three regional access centers in the United States, and direct computer access to the data may become available in the future.     

Caudal Approach to the Shoulder Joint in the Dog

A caudal approach to the scapulohumeral joint for treatment of osteochondritis dissecans of the humeral head was performed in seven dogs. By 14 days after surgery, three of the seven dogs were walking normally. At 6 weeks after surgery, all dogs were considered sound. Visualization was adequate for curettage of the osteochondritis dissecans lesions. Access to the medial joint compartment also was afforded.     

Maple syrup urine disease in calves: a clinical, pathological and biochemical study

The clinical, pathological and biochemical findings of a study of 30 Poll Hereford, Hereford, Poll Hereford cross or Hereford cross calves affected with branched chain ketoacid dehydrogenase (BCKAD) complex deficiency or maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) are presented. In breeding studies, 6 of 21 calves from obligate heterozygote matings were affected with MSUD, suggesting the disease is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. Calves were clinically affected from birth, but there were variations in the subsequent course of progressive deterioration of central nervous system function. Concentrations of the branched chain amino acids and keto acids were elevated in pre-suckle plasma and cerebellar water content was higher in affected calves. Activity of BCKAD complex was minimal in fibroblasts cultured from an affected calf. Spongiform encephalopathy and elevated ratios of the branched to straight chain amino acids in formalin fixed cerebral tissue were found in a stillborn foetus and a 3-month-old Hereford calf. These findings suggest the disease occurs prenatally and that a delayed form may exist.     

Chlamydial infection in a colony of captive koalas

Forty three koalas in a captive colony were investigated for the presence of Chlamydia psittaci infection and associated disease. Swabs were taken from conjunctivae and urogenital sites for cell culture isolation of C psittaci and for cytological examination (direct smears) for chlamydial inclusions and evidence of inflammation. On the basis of cell culture isolation, 28 samples from 25 koalas were positive for C psittaci (that is, infected). Three koalas were positive from both sites, 5 from conjunctivae alone and 17 from urogenital sites alone. Seven of the 8 koalas with positive conjunctival swabs had overt signs of conjunctivitis, but only 3 of the 20 koalas with positive urogenital swabs had overt signs of 'wet bottom' (continual urine soiling due to cystitis) or purulent discharge. However, 5 of the 20 with positive urogenital swabs had past episodes of 'wet bottom'. Moreover, examination of direct cytological smears showed evidence of inflammation (neutrophils) in 7 of 8 koalas with positive conjunctival swabs and 17 of 20 with positive urogenital swabs. Chlamydial inclusions were rarely identified with surety on direct cytological smears. In the 18 koalas without chlamydia, one had overt conjunctivitis while 2 had past episodes of conjunctivitis. The koala with conjunctivitis at the time of sampling had a prior history of 'wet bottom'. Examination of direct cytological smears revealed 2 of the chlamydial negative koalas had high numbers of neutrophils in urogenital smears. It was concluded that C psittaci infection may cause overt or sub-clinical disease, with the former developing when the koalas were stressed through management procedures or concomitant disease.     

Assessment of the potential toxicity of a poison for rabbits, pindone (2-pivalyl 1, 3 indandione), to domestic animals

The toxicity of pindone, a rabbit poison, to horses, cattle, goats, chickens, dogs and cats was investigated, using extension of prothrombin time (PT) as an index of poisoning. The daily dose of pindone, administered for 5 days, ranged from 0.3 mg/kg for dogs to 2.5 mg/kg for chickens. This range of dose rates was considered to be indicative of the worst possible case that could arise following a campaign of baiting for rabbits. Although significant elevations in PT (more than double baseline values) were noted in all species other than horses, clinical signs of anticoagulant poisoning were not observed in any of the species tested. From the observed PT, cattle and cats appeared to be the most susceptible, and horses the least susceptible, to pindone toxicity. The half-lives of the elevated PT were calculated as 3.1 days for cattle, 2.8 days for goats and chickens, 1.9 days for horses and dogs and less than one day for cats. It is proposed that these half-lives can be used as a guide for determining the duration of treatment of pindone-affected animals.     

Successful surgical removal of an epileptogenic focus in a dog

A case of localized secondary fungal meningo-encephalitis with seizures is presented. The clinical features and the surgical treatment of the case are described. Pre-surgical and post-surgical electroencephalograms and cessation of clinical signs revealed the successful removal of the epileptogenic focus. Some of the diagnostic features of chronic pyelonephritis, as they affect this case, are reported.
Résumé. On décrit un cas de méningo-encéphalite fungoïde, secondaire et localisée, accompagnée d'attaques brusques. On passe en revue les traits cliniques et le traitement chirurgical du cas. Les électro-encéphalograrnmes avant et après l'opération et l'arrêt des signes cliniques ont révélé que le foyer épileptogène a pu être éloigné avec succès. On rapporte certains des éléments diagnostiques de la pyélo-néphrite chronique qui intéressent ce cas.
Zusammenfassung. Ein Fall von lokalisierter sekundärer fungaler Meningoencephalitis mit Anfallen wird beschrieben. Die klinischen Merkmale und die chirurgische Behandlung des Falles werden besprochen. Elektroencephalogramme vor und nach der chirurgische Behandlung. Und das Verschwinden der klinischen Merkmale zeigten die erfolgreiche Entfernung des epileptogenen Focus. Einige der diagnostischen Merkmale chronischer Pyelonephritis, welche von Bedeutung für diesen Fall waren, werden angegeben.     

The serological responses of chickens to mass vaccination with a live V4 Newcastle disease virus vaccine in the field and in the laboratory 2. Layer pullets

Layer chickens on a commercial started pullet farm were vaccinated once at 31 to 52 days of age by drinking water or aerosol with live V4 Newcastle disease virus (NDV) vaccine. Flockmates which had been rehoused in laboratory isolation pens shortly beforehand were similarly vaccinated. Samples of birds were bled at intervals and the serums tested for haemagglutination inhibiting antibody to NDV. Log2 mean titres of up to 4.88 and assumed protection levels (based on the percentage of birds with log2 titres of 4 or greater) of up to 81%, were obtained in the field trials within 4 weeks of vaccination. A subsequent laboratory trial further compared the response of different breeds of chicken to different routes of vaccination. Differences were observed between breeds, routes of vaccination, and parallel field and laboratory trials. The results show that this V4 vaccine can produce an adequate serological response following mass vaccination of Australian layer pullets housed under commercial conditions, and that care should be exercised in extrapolating results obtained under laboratory conditions.