Additive benefits of EFAs in dogs with atopic dermatitis after partial response to antihistamine therapy

It has been reported that 20 to 70 per cent of atopic cases in the dog can be controlled with antihistamines, though the effective antihistamine cannot be predetermined. Combination therapy with essential fatty acids (EFAS) and antihistamines has been shown to be useful in dogs. All of the work published to date has been performed in open studies, without the use of placebo, and in dogs where the aim has been to control pruritus as a symptom rather than that caused specifically by atopy. The aim of this study was to assess the combined effects of four antihistamines; hydroxyzine, chlorpheniramine, cyproheptadine and clemastine; with both an EFA supplement and a placebo of olive oil, in 25 dogs to control pruritus in clinically proven cases of atopy.     

Systemic histiocytosis in the Bernese mountain dog

Systemic histiocytosis is a rare familial histiocytic disorder seen in the Bernese mountain dog. This article documents six confirmed cases of the disease seen at the Animal Medical Centre between June 1992 and June 1994 and describes the different presentations of the disease, response to therapy and progression. Three of the dogs are still alive; of these, two are in remission six and 18 months later and in one case the owner refused treatment. Three of the cases were euthanased for humane reasons.     

Efficacy of a topical formulation of eprinomectin against endoparasites of cattle in New Zealand

Two controlled studies involving 24 cattle were conducted in New Zealand to determine the efficacy of a topical, non-flammable formulation of eprinomectin against induced and naturally acquired nematode infections. In Trial 1, nematode infections were induced on Day -5 with third-stage larvae of Cooperia spp., Haemonchus contortus, Ostertagia ostertagi and Trichostrongvlus colubriformis so that the nematodes would be at the fourth larval stage when the cattle were treated. In Trial 2, cattle had naturally acquired nematode infections as determined by faecal nematode egg counts and larval cultures. The cattle were allocated on Day 0 (Trial 1) or Day 6 (Trial 2) on a stratified random basis according to bodyweight to one of two treatments: untreated control or eprinomectin (0.5% w/v) applied topically at 1 ml/10 kg bodyweight. Necropsies were undertaken on Days 14 and 15 and total nematode counts were done. In Trial 1, cattle treated with eprinomectin had significantly (p < 0.05) fewer Cooperia spp. and O. ostertagi than the controls. Larvae of H. contortus and T. colubriformis did not establish. In Trial 2, cattle treated with eprinomectin had significantly (p < 0.05) fewer of the following parasites than the controls: Haemonchus spp. (adult), Cooperia surnabada (adult), C. oncophora (adult), Cooperia spp. (L,), Ostertagia lyrata (adult), O. ostertagi (adult), Oesophagostomum spp. (adult), T. avei (adult and L1) and Trichuris spp. (adult). Reductions of 100% were observed for Capilfaria spp. (adult), D. viviparus (adult and L,), and Nematodirus helvetianus (adult), but these were not statistically significant (p > 0.05) because four or fewer control animals were infected with these parasites. In Trial 2, efficacies of greater than 99% were observed against all species for which moderate to high burdens occurred in the untreated controls. These findings indicate that eprinomectin in a topical formulation is a highly effective nematocide in cattle.     

Mycobacterium bovis infections in wild ferrets

Extract

Bovine tuberculosis is one of the more important animal health problems in New Zealand. In contrast to a number of other countries, the classical test and slaughter methods in New Zealand have not led to the eradication of bovine tuberculosis. The failure to eradicate bovine tuberculosis is due to the continual spread of Mycobacterium bovis from wildlife to cattle and farmed deer. Although the Australian brushtail possum Trichosurus vulpecula is the most important wildlife reservoir of infection in New Zealand, M. bovis has also been isolated from wild deer, feral pigs, feral goats, feral cats and feral cattle. In this letter we wish to report the finding of M. bovis-infected wild ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) in seven geographically distinct areas of New Zealand (Figure 1). While there are reports from overseas of M. bovis being isolated from domesticated ferrets, there are no reports of its isolation from wild ferrets or polecats (Mustela putorius)⁽¹⁾.     

Labile and recalcitrant plant fractions are utilised by distinct microbial communities in soil: Independent of the presence of roots and mycorrhizal fungi

Plant inputs of organic material to soil are thought to be key determinants of microbial activity, community composition and processes. However, the identity of organisms utilising these chemically diverse inputs is not well understood. In this study, we applied tracer amounts of highly enriched, ¹³C-labelled plant tissue fractions (whole, insoluble and soluble) to soil cores that either allowed or prevented access to roots and mycorrhizal fungi. For all tissue fractions, C derived from the additions was detected rapidly (<2 h after additions) in soil respiration. The additions did not alter microbial community structure, but their fate was strongly dependent on the addition type. The mineralisation of the soluble fraction was the most rapid and was recovered predominantly in bacterial PLFA biomarkers. In contrast, the insoluble addition was mineralised more slowly and recovered in fungal biomarkers to a greater extent. The presence of roots and/or mycorrhizas did not significantly affect rates of mineralisation or the biological fate of additions. A second harvest indicated that the distribution of substrate-derived C within the microbial community was still distinct (i.e. dependent on the form of addition) after 49 d, but with accumulation of ¹³C within the enchytraeid biomass. The results indicate that under the conditions of this experiment, transfer of C between microbial groups is relatively slow, suggesting that the range of chemical forms of plant inputs are likely important in maintaining microbial community structure in soils.     

The effect of storage temperature on reducing sugar concentration and the activities of three amylolytic enzymes in tubers of the cultivated potato,Solanum tuberosum L.

Summary Reducing sugar content, and activities of three starch hydrolysing enzymes, alpha-amylase, beta-amylase and debranching enzyme were measured over several months in tubers of five cultivars stored at 4°C or 10°C. Cultivars differed in their sensitivity to storage temperature. Reducing sugar content of tubers and the activities of three starch hydrolysing enzymes increased sharply during the first weeks of storage at 4°C. At 10°C, reducing sugar content, and the activity of the three enzymes remained constant or increased only slightly. Deceased.     

Nitrogen balance and amino acid disappearance from the small intestine in calves fed soybean meal-, toasted soybean meal- or corn gluten meal-supplemented diets

Nine crossbred (Hereford X Angus X Charolais) heifer calves (139 kg; 6 mo of age) with abomasal and ileal cannulas were used in a repeated design to evaluate N balance and amino acid disappearance in the small intestine. Calves were fed either soybean meal (SBM), toasted SBM (TSBM, 93 C for 90 min) or corn gluten meal (CGM) as supplemental protein sources. Each calf received approximately 83 g N/d from a cottonseed hull-corn based diet with 43% of the total dietary N supplied by the test proteins. Each experimental period consisted of a 10-d adaptation, 6-d digesta collection and 5-d excreta collection. Following the first 21-d period, calves were randomly re-allotted to treatment and the sampling process was repeated. Dry matter (64%) and N digestibilities (61%) and N retention (36.8 g/d) were similar (P greater than .10) among treatments. Nitrogen flow to the small intestine was similar for TSBM- and CGM-fed calves (119.1 g/d), but greater (P less than .01) than for those offered SBM (96.3 g/d). Offering TSBM and CGM resulted in greater quantities of essential, nonessential and total amino acids reaching the abomasum compared with SBM. Total amino acid flow to the small intestine was 100, 120 and 128% of intake for SBM, TSBM and CGM, respectively. Numerically, amino acid digestibility was lower in CGM-fed calves. Methionine digestibility was highest (64.6%), while histidine was lowest (43.7%). Feeding CGM may result in greater quantities of amino acids reaching the small intestine; however, several of these amino acids may be less digestible than for TSBM.     

Foraging and denning patterns of brushtail possums, and their possible relationship to contact with cattle and the transmission of bovine tuberculosis

Radio-tracking and direct observation were used over 18 months in 1990-92 to investigate both the use of sleeping dens and foraging activity by possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) on a 21 ha site in the Wairarapa used for a longitudinal study of bovine tuberculosis. Males had larger home ranges than females, and both sexes had larger activity areas during the autumn mating season than at other times of the year. Possums typically foraged in only a small area of their home ranges (termed an activity area) on any one night, and the areas used by individuals were commonly very similar over a series of nights. Activity areas overlapped extensively among possums. Possums used a limited number of dens, commonly in a small and in most cases a circumscribed part of their home range. No simultaneous den-sharing was found, with the exception of mother-joey pairs. The mortality of juveniles after independence was 36%. Only two of 25 juveniles under surveillance to detect dispersal dispersed more than 500 m off the study site, and both subsequently died. Grazing patterns of cattle meant that almost all accessible areas of the paddock were covered by at least some grazing cattle, and so all activity areas of possums within the paddock were covered by areas where cattle foraged. However, possums avoided contact with cattle, and when some cattle were excluded from access to the part of the paddock principally used by both tuberculous and healthy possums for denning, transmission of Mycobacterium bovis from possums to these cattle ceased, although there was subsequent transmission to deer. Cattle which grazed the area used principally for possum denning continued to become infected, and these denning areas appeared to be of importance in the transmission of tuberculosis.     

Aortic body chemodectoma causing pulmonary oedema in a cat

A seven-year-old male domestic shorthaired cat was presented with persistent dyspnoea. Thoracic radiography and echocardiography revealed pulmonary oedema and a mass at the base of the heart. At necropsy the mass was found to be an aortic body chemodectoma that had metastasised to the sternal lymph node. This is a rare tumour in the cat, the third reported case where there was evidence of metastasis, and only the second reported case where there was evidence of lymphocytic infiltration of the primary tumour. Pulmonary oedema is an unusual presentation of this tumour in the cat.