Long distance transport of foot-and-mouth disease virus over the sea

The conditions required for the transport of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus in the atmosphere over long distances and in sufficient concentrations to cause infection in exposed animals are described. Using these factors a series of 23 outbreaks of FMD in Europe, where the original outbreaks were separated from later outbreaks by sea passage, have been investigated. The findings obtained support the hypothesis that under certain conditions the airborne transmission of FMD over a long sea passage is possible.     

Effect of graded nitrogen supplements on egg protein synthesis and body protein retention in broiler hens

In the top laying period (29th/30th week of life) egg protein synthesis and protein retention in the bodies of laying hens were ascertained. Based on egg-N analyses, the relation between N-intake/live weight0.67kg and egg-N discharge/kg LW0.67kg was regressively calculated and described. The subtraction of egg-N discharge/LW0.67kg from N-balance/LW0.67kg made it possible to estimate N-retention/LW0.67kg in the body. From the intersection of this curve with the chi-axis it follows that the broiler hen meets the N-requirement for maintenance and egg production with a daily consumption of 1,264.7 mg N/LW0.67kg, which corresponds to 15.8 g crude protein, and then neither loses nor retains body protein. At a daily intake of this amount of CP (15.8 g) the broiler hen produces 44.1 g egg per day. An energy intake of more than 70 EFUhen/animal and day resulted in fat retention in the broiler hen.     

Energy utilisation in germ-free and conventional chicks fed diets containing sorbose

1. In experiment 1, growing conventional (CV) chicks were fed on diets containing graded amounts (0, 100, 200 and 300 g/kg diet) of sorbose from 4 to 14 d. Protein, fat and energy deposition were determined after carcase analysis. The values for growth, food efficiency, metabolisable energy (ME) and fat and energy depositions declined as the dietary sorbose content increased. 2. In experiment 2, the performances of germ-free (GF) and CV chicks fed on diets with (100 g sorbose/kg diet) or without sorbose were investigated. On both diets, body weight gain, food consumption and protein accumulation in GF chicks were significantly higher than those in CV birds. No significant differences were observed between the dietary treatment except for ME values, which were significantly lower for the sorbose diet. 3. It is suggested that dietary sorbose decreased energy utilisation, and that the microbial contribution to the utilisation of dietary sorbose was negligible in the chicken.     

NHLRC1 repeat expansion in two beagles with Lafora disease

Lafora disease is a fatal genetic disorder characterised by neurotoxic deposits of malformed insoluble glycogen. In humans it is caused by mutation in the EPM2A or NHLRC1 genes. There is a known mutation in miniature wirehaired dachshunds which has not been documented in other dog breeds, including beagles, in which the disease is relatively commonly reported. This case report describes the causative defect in two affected beagles, namely the same massive expansion as in miniature wirehaired dachshunds of a 12‐nucleotide repeat sequence that is unique to the canine NHLRC1 gene. This is the first mutation described in beagles with Lafora disease, and so far the only Lafora disease genetic variant in dogs.     

N. femoralis, N. obturatorius and N. ischiadicus: deviation in creation in the dogs

Two hundred and twelve dog cadavers belonging to different breeds were examined, to investigate the formation of the femoral, obturator and the sciatic nerve. Besides the commonly described formation patterns of the mentioned nerves, some variations were also found. These variations were not gender-related, but on the other hand we discovered a certain correlation between the variations appearing in the formation of the femoral, obturator and the sciatic nerve. In 74.05% of cases, the femoral nerve was formed from ventral branches of the 4th, 5th and 6th lumbar nerve, and 16.98% of the dogs had the nerve formed from ventral branches of the 3rd, 4th and 5th lumbar nerve. Many dogs (i.e. 2.30%) had the femoral nerve formed from the ventral branches of the 5th, 6th and 7th, the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th or the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th lumbar nerve, respectively. In 1.88% of dogs in particular, the femoral nerve was formed from ventral rami of the 4th and 5th lumbar nerve. In 66.98% of the examined dogs, the obturator nerve was formed from the ventral branches of the 4th, 5th and 6th lumbar nerve, followed by 16.59% of the dogs with the obturator nerve formed from the ventral rami of the 4th and 5th lumbar nerve and 9.43% of dogs in which the nerve was formed from the ventral branches of the 5th and 6th lumbar nerve. In 4.71% of dogs, the obturator nerve was formed from the ventral rami of the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th lumbar nerve, while only 2.30% of the examined dogs had the same nerve formed from the ventral branches of the 5th, 6th and 7th lumbar nerve. The sciatic nerve was formed from ventral branches of the 6th and 7th lumbar nerve and the 1st sacral nerve in 86.79% of the dogs. In 5.18% of cases, the same nerve was formed from a junction of the ventral branches of the 7th lumbar and the 1st and 2nd sacral nerve, and, in the same percentage of cases, it was formed from a junction of ventral branches of the 6th and 7th lumbar nerve and the 1st and 2nd sacral nerve. In 2.83% of the dogs, it was formed from a junction of the ventral branches of the 6th and 7th lumbar and the 1st sacral nerve. The correlation of variations established in the formation of the femoral, obturator and the sciatic nerve was not statistically significant.     

Real-time non-invasive measurement of heart rate in working dogs: a technique with potential applications in the objective assessment of welfare problems

The Polar Sport Tester (Polar Electro OY) is a telemetric heart rate monitor designed for use in humans. Its usefulness as a monitor during training of guide dogs is assessed in this paper. Heart rates from six representative dogs at a similar stage of early training were recorded at 5-s intervals during a 15-20 min work session. The dogs were F1 Labrador Retriever x Golden Retrievers. They were chosen if their behaviour could be clearly categorized by their experienced trainers as either 'calm/non-stress prone' (Type A) or 'excitable/stress prone' (Type B) during work. Verbal recordings were made of environmental cues and behavioural responses in each dog. Variability in heart rate was significantly related to a subject's described temperament.     

Desmopressin enhances the binding of plasma von Willebrand factor to collagen in plasmas from normal dogs and dogs with type I von Willebrand's disease.

A new in vitro von Willebrand factor-collagen binding activity (vWF:CBA) assay was used to assess qualitative changes in vWF in normal dogs and dogs with Type I von Willebrand's disease (vWD) following treatment with desmopressin acetate (DDAVP). Although DDAVP induced increases in vWF antigen concentrations at 1 hour postinfusion in both normal and vWD dogs (57% and 60% increases, respectively), there were disproportionately greater increases in vWF:CBA (96% and 103% increases). These results support the hypothesis that the enhanced hemostatic activity induced by DDAVP is, at least in part, due to the selective release of more functionally active vWF multimers. The assay, as described, provides a convenient means of simultaneously assessing vWF quantity and function before and after DDAVP administration.     

Plasma myeloperoxidase level and polymorphonuclear leukocyte activation in horses suffering from large intestinal obstruction requiring surgery: preliminary results.

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is a specific enzyme of neutrophil azurophilic granules with a strong oxidative activity. Thanks to a radioimmunoassay of equine myeloperoxidase, the authors have observed a significantly higher plasma level of MPO in horses operated for strangulation obstruction of the large intestine (n = 6) than in horses suffering from a non-strangulating displacement of the large intestine (n = 9). For the 2 groups, 3 phases were distinguished: reception (P1), intensive care (P2) and terminal phase (P3). The mean peak values of MPO for these phases were 121.6 ng/mL (P1), 168.6 ng/mL (P2), and 107.0 ng/mL (P3) for the non-strangulating group, and 242.6 ng/mL (P1); 426.0 ng/mL (P2), and 379.5 ng/mL (P3) for the strangulation group. The variations of the mean peak values of plasma MPO were significantly different between the 2 groups and between the different phases. A significant increase of the least square means of MPO was observed between P1 and P2. A significant decrease of the least square means of the number of circulating leukocytes was observed between P1 and P3. Polymorphonuclear neutrophil activation could play a major role in the pathogenesis of acute abdominal disease and endotoxic shock.