Histology of the hair cycle in male beagle dogs

A detailed histologic study of the hair follicles of male Beagle dogs was made to determine changes in microscopic structure associated with the three stages in the hair cycle. Observed changes are that the bulbs of hair follicles in anagen are more closely associated with adipose tissue than they are in telogen. This is due to the deeper penetration of the follicles into the subcutaneous tissue during anagen. The hair germ cells of telogen were presumed to arise from the stratum basale of the matrix cells rather than from the outer root sheath cells. During telogen, the dermal papilla is separated from the club hair, but remains in close proximity to it. There is no connecting stalk as is reported for other animals.     

DORSAL DISPLACEMENT OF THE LEFT VENTRAL AND DORSAL COLON IN TWO HORSES

This paper describes the clinical signs and surgical treatment of 2 cases of dorsal displacement of the left ventral and dorsal colon. The condition, in which the colon becomes enclosed in the space bounded by the base of the spleen, the dorsal aspect of the suspensory ligament of the spleen (phrenicosplenic ligament), the left kidney and the adjacent body wall, is characterised by moderate to severe pain, minimal signs of shock, no response to medical therapy and a tendency for a ventral midline abdominal paracentesis to enter the spleen. Both horses recovered after surgical replacement of the colon, one case requiring a second laparotomy because of a recurrence of the displacement.     

Bovine Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency in Danish Holstein-Friesian Cattle: I. PCR Screening and Allele Frequency Estimation

Jergensen, C. B., J. S. Agerholm, J. Pedersen and P. D. Thomsen: Bovine leukocyte adhesion deficiency in Danish Holstein-Friesian Cattle I. PCR screening and allele frequency estimation. Acta vet. Scand. 1993,34,231-236.–A screening program for bovine leukocyte adhesion deficiency (BLAD) in Danish Holstein-Friesian cattle has been initiated. During the first months 1611 animals were tested by a PCR based assay. Of these animals 1256, 346, and 8 were assigned normal, BLAD carriers, and BLAD affected animals, respectively One bull, born as a co-twin, showed weak reaction for the BLAD allele on DNA isolated from leukocytes, but a normal genotype on DNA isolated from semen. Chromosome analysis showed that this bull was a blood chimaera. Estimation of the BLAD allele frequency upon the PCR test results showed that around 450 Danish calves born in 1991 might have been affected with the recessive disorder.     

Quantitative analysis of production traits in saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus): II. age at slaughter

Crocodile morphometric (head, snout‐vent and total length) measurements were recorded at three stages during the production chain: hatching, inventory [average age (±SE) is 265.1 ± 0.4 days] and slaughter (average age is 1037.8 ± 0.4 days). Crocodile skins are used for the manufacture of exclusive leather products, with the most common‐sized skin sold having 35–45 cm in belly width. One of the breeding objectives for inclusion into a multitrait genetic improvement programme for saltwater crocodiles is the time taken for a juvenile to reach this size or age at slaughter. A multivariate restricted maximum likelihood analysis provided (co)variance components for estimating the first published genetic parameter estimates for these traits. Heritability (±SE) estimates for the traits hatchling snout‐vent length, inventory head length and age at slaughter were 0.60 (0.15), 0.59 (0.12) and 0.40 (0.10) respectively. There were strong negative genetic (?0.81 ± 0.08) and phenotypic (?0.82 ± 0.02) correlations between age at slaughter and inventory head length.     

Participatory study on feeding strategies for working donkeys used by Campesino farmers in the highlands of central Mexico

The aim of this work was to describe the feeding strategies for donkeys used by peasant farmers in central Mexico. Feeding strategies for the dry and wet seasons are described, as well as the nutritional characteristics of the main forages and supplements used by the farmers. The extent to which the feeding practices used by farmers matched the digestible energy and crude protein requirements of donkeys for maintenance and work was determined. It was concluded that grazing on native grassland could provide enough energy and protein for donkeys at maintenance level and for those performing only a moderate amount of work. More research in required in order to have better estimates of intake and plant species preferred by donkeys under prevailing grazing conditions.     

Cerebellar cortical abiotrophy in Wiltshire sheep

AIM: To investigate the nature of a neurological disease in Wiltshire sheep. METHODS: Three affected lambs were examined, humanely killed and necropsied. Selected neurological tissues were examined by light and electron microscopy. RESULTS: Primary neurological lesions were confined to the cerebellum and were characterised by loss of Purkinje cells and the presence of large hypertrophied dendrites of surviving Purkinje cells. These contained stacks of smooth endoplasmic reticulum. There was hyperplasia and cell swelling of Bergmann glia. Mild Wallerian-type degeneration affected white matter in the cerebellum and spinal cord. CONCLUSION: The cerebellar lesions were of a degenerative and reactive rather than hypoplastic nature. These, and the history, suggest a genetic cause with putative inheritance as an autosomal recessive trait. Accordingly, the disorder is described as a cerebellar abiotrophy.     

Plasma pharmacokinetics and faecal excretion of ivermectin (Eqvalan paste) and doramectin (Dectomax, 1%) following oral administration in donkeys

Ivermectin (IVM- Eqvalan paste, 1.87%) and doramectin (DRM-Dectomax 1%) were each administered orally to donkeys at 200 microgkg(-1) bodyweight. Blood and faecal samples were collected at predetermined times over 30 days and plasma pharmacokinetics and faecal excretion determined. Maximum plasma concentrations (C(max)) of IVM (23.6 ngml(-1)) and DRM (33.9 ngml(-1)) were obtained at (t(max)) 19.2 and 24h, respectively. The area under the concentration curve (AUC) of DRM (228.9 ngdayml(-1)) was significantly larger than that of IVM (119.3 ngdayml(-1)) and mean residence time (MRT) was 6.5 days for IVM and 9.1days for DRM. The highest (dry weight) faecal concentrations (9.33 microgg(-1) - IVM, 12.12 microgg(-1) - DRM) were detected at 55.9 and 48.0 h, respectively and each compound was detected (0.05 microgg(-1)) in faeces between 11h and 9 days following oral administration in donkeys.     

Serologic responses of dogs given a commercial vaccine against Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona and Leptospira kirschneri serovar grippotyphosa

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate serum titers obtained by use of the microscopic agglutination test (ie, MAT titers) to Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona and autumnalis and Leptospira kirschneri serovar grippotyphosa in dogs given a commercial vaccine against serovars pomona and grippotyphosa. ANIMALS: Forty 12-week-old puppies and 20 mature Beagles. PROCEDURE: Puppies received a commercial vaccine against serovars pomona and grippotyphosa at 12 weeks of age, then received a booster vaccine and 3 weeks later; mature dogs received the vaccine once. Serum MAT titers to serovars pomona, autumnalis, and grippotyphosa were measured before vaccination and at 2, 4, 6, 10, and 16 weeks after the first or only vaccination. RESULTS: Of the 40 puppies vaccinated, 40, 0, and 40 developed MAT titers of > 100 after vaccination to serovars pomona, grippotyphosa, and autumnalis, respectively. Microscopic agglutination test titers to serovar autumnalis were higher than MAT titers to serovars pomona and grippotyphosa and persisted in some dogs for 16 weeks (6 weeks longer than for titers to serovar pomona). Of the 20 mature dogs, 13, 5, and 20 developed MAT titers of > 100 at 2 weeks to serovars pomona, grippotyphosa, and autumnalis, respectively. Titers to serovar pomona were higher and persisted in some dogs beyond 16 weeks after vaccination, compared with titers to serovars pomona and grippotyphosa, which persisted for 10 and 6 weeks, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Subunit vaccines against serovars pomona and grippotyphosa induce MAT titers not only to homologous antigens but also to serovar autumnalis, which could lead to a misdiagnosis of leptospirosis caused by serovar autumnalis.