Efficacy of a collar impregnated with amitraz and pyriproxyfen for prevention of experimental tick infestations by Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Ixodes ricinus, and Ixodes scapularis in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of collars impregnated with 9% amitraz or 9% amitraz and 0.5% pyriproxyfen (PPF) for control of newly established tick infestations by Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Ixodes ricinus, and Ixodes scapularis in dogs and determine whether egg production by surviving female ticks was decreased. DESIGN: Prospective study. ANIMALS: 72 dogs. PROCEDURE: Dogs were fitted with 1 of 3 test collars impregnated with amitraz, amitraz and PPF, or only excipients (untreated controls). In 3 trials corresponding to each of the 3 tick species, dogs were infested with 150 unfed adult ticks on days 8, 10, 13, and 18. The number of feeding female ticks was recorded on days 10, 13, 18, and 28. Surviving females were weighed and permitted to oviposit under controlled conditions. RESULTS: Collars impregnated with amitraz and PPF decreased tick loads as efficiently as collars containing amitraz alone. Inclusion of PPF into the collar did not significantly decrease the efficacy of amitraz. The few female ticks that survived after feeding on dogs treated with collars containing PPF were unable to oviposit. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Collars impregnated with amitraz were efficient in preventing tick infestations in dogs but did not inhibit oviposition in the few surviving female ticks. Incorporation of PPF into the amitraz-impregnated collar resulted in impairment of the reproductive ability of ticks.     

Influence of litter size on metabolic status and reproductive axis in primiparous sows

This study on primiparous sows was designed to 1) determine the impact of nursing a large litter on LH secretion and follicular development, and 2) investigate the metabolic adaptations by which milk yield increases with litter size. At farrowing, crossbred, primiparous sows were assigned to 1 of 3 experimental groups differing in litter size and feed allowance. Sows with 13 or 14 piglets (13AL, n = 7) were fed ad libitum. Sows with 7 piglets were fed ad libitum (7AL, n = 6) or were feed-restricted (7R, n = 8). The restriction was based on the estimated energy deficiency for the 13AL sows. On d 9 +/- 1 of lactation, a jugular catheter was surgically implanted. Serial blood samplings and glucose tolerance tests were performed in mid- and late lactation. Sows were slaughtered 3 d after weaning, and ovarian characteristics were recorded. During lactation, the 7AL sows lost no or little body reserves, and their estimated energy balance was near zero. The 13AL and 7R sows exhibited similar negative energy balances and similar losses of backfat and estimated lipid content. Litter growth rate was greater (P < 0.05) in the 13AL than in the 7AL and 7R groups. After weaning, the volume of the largest 14 follicles was smaller (P < 0.05) in sows nursing 13 or 14 piglets than in sows with 7 piglets. Plasma concentrations of LH and LH pulse frequency did not differ between groups (P > 0.1). The longer glucose half-life on d 16 than on d 27 of lactation (22.5 vs. 18.8 min; P < 0.05) indicated a lower glucose tolerance in mid- than in late lactation. The area under the insulin curve was greater in the 7AL than in the 13AL sows (P = 0.08) and intermediate in the 7R group, with no differences in glucose profiles. This led to the suggestion that the 7AL sows were more resistant to insulin than the 13AL sows. In all groups of sows, follicular development after weaning was correlated with LH secretion in midlactation. Active follicular development was associated with prolonged secretion of insulin in response to glucose challenge. Our results show that besides litter size, a sow's metabolic status in lactation influences follicular maturation after weaning and also indicate that the metabolic adaptations by which primiparous sows nursing large litters increase litter growth rate and body reserve mobilization do not involve an accentuated peripheral insulin resistance.     

Measuring cultured fish swimming behaviour: first results on rainbow trout using acoustic telemetry in tanks

An experiment was conducted to measure swimming activity of rainbow trout (254.0±33.7 g) held in outdoor tanks under three culture conditions with stocking density used to generate differences: 27 (Culture Density 1, CD1), 80 (CD2) and 136 kg m⁻³ (CD3). Fish were fed dry pellets at 1% of tank biomass from 9h00 to 13h00 with automatic feeders. Using acoustic telemetry, fish positions were monitored every 5 s during 48 h for nine fish (three in each treatment). Swimming behaviour was analysed in terms of trajectories: they varied between (i) holding position (high turning angles), (ii) chaotic trajectories (equal use of all turning angles) and (iii) circular swimming (average turning angle of 60°). Space utilisation differed for each culture condition: CD3 conditions induced a prolonged residence time in the central zone of the tank. Rainbow trout swimming activity patterns and levels differed depending on both day–night alternation and culture conditions. All fish reared at CD1 and one reared at CD2 were day-active. All the other fish showed high activity pattern variability and a higher swimming level was observed under CD3. These results illustrate that monitoring fish swimming activity is feasible even under high densities and provide relevant insights on fish activity which can lead to behavioural welfare indices in relation to constraints imposed by culture conditions.     

Evaluation of the arterial blood pressure of dogs by two noninvasive methods.

The determination of the arterial blood pressure was done on 12 healthy mixed breed dogs in both the anesthetized and the conscious state, to evaluate two instruments (Doppler flow detector and infrasonde D4000), in their ability to indirectly determine arterial blood pressure. The coefficients of variation were higher with indirect methods when compared with the results obtained by cannulation. These coefficients were lower with the Doppler flow detector. The correlation study showed that both apparatuses were reliable in most situations. The infrasonde D4000 was more accurate than the Doppler in the conscious animals. However the results showed a lack of precision in hypertensive conscious dogs. The diastolic arterial blood pressure was particularly precise in the case of the anesthetized hypotensive dogs. Its sensitivity allowed it to register muscle movement artifacts. The Doppler flow detector showed less variation and was particularly accurate in both anesthetized and conscious hypertensive dogs. Its sensitivity allowed artifact movement sounds to be detected. The Doppler should be used in quiet surroundings or earphones should be worn by the evaluator. Some form of restraint is needed with the use of both instruments. Even if the correlations with the direct arterial blood pressure values were better with the infrasonde D4000, greater variations were found in the individual readings. The Doppler instrument represents in the hands of the investigators a better instrument for routine monitoring of blood pressure in the dog.     

Group G streptococcal toxic shock-like syndrome in three cats

Three 8-week-old kittens were presented with a history of acute, generalized weakness and severe fever. One cat was dead upon presentation, and necropsy findings were supportive of a group G Streptococcus spp. septicemia. During their clinical courses, two of the three kittens developed a progressive, marked swelling of one or more limbs. One moribund and severely hypothermic cat was euthanized a few hours after presentation, and necropsy was also supportive of a group G Streptococcus spp. septicemia. One kitten recovered. Group G streptococcal toxic shock-like syndrome was suspected because of the fulminant progression of the septicemia.