Supplemental yeast culture alters the plasma amino acid profiles of nursling and weanling horses

The ability of a dietary supplement of dried live yeast culture to influence the growth rates, feed conversion efficiency and plasma amino acid profiles of young horses was tested. 10-week old nursling foals fed a creep feed of corn, oats and pelleted alfalfa, made available at 1% bodyweight daily, were also given 10 g yeast culture per day, mixed with granulated sugar and fed by hand. The nurslings remained with their dams and were allowed to continue to nurse freely throughout the 7 weeks of the experiment. In a second, preliminary trial, 6–9 month old weanlings were fed a ration consisting of crimped oats, alfalfa hay, a pelleted concentrate/roughage mix and cracked corn, at 2% of bodyweight daily, with or without supplemental yeast culture (20 g/day). Jugular venous blood samples were drawn from supplemented and unsupplemented animals during each trial after 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 22 and 36 days, and from the nurslings again at 50 days. Significant increases in the plasma concentrations of arginine, glutamine, lysine, methionine and valine and significant decreases in ammonia, hydroxyproline and 3-methylhistidine were observed in the supplemented nurslings after 6–22 days. Compared to an unsupplemented weanling fed the same diet, 4 supplemented weanlings exhibited significant increases in plasma arginine, glutamine, glycine, isoleucine, leucine, methionine and valine concentrations, while ammonia, hydroxyproline and 3-methlylhistidine concentrations decreased. Rates of gain were significantly increased in both groups of supplemented foals, and feed conversion efficiency by weanlings improved 8% with supplementation. These findings suggest that supplemental yeast culture may influence amino acid balances and nitrogen metabolism in young horses, resulting in enhanced growth.     

Captopril Provides Sustained Hemodynamic Benefits in Dogs with Experimentally Induced Mitral Regurgitation

Mitral regurgitation was created surgically in 10 dogs. After measurement of baseline hemodynamic parameters on day 2, treatment with captopril (2 mg/kg orally 3 times daily) was begun in five dogs. Five control dogs received no therapy during the study. The hemodynamic parameters were measured again at weeks 6 and 22. In the treated dogs, the forward ejection fraction (FEF) increased slightly and the total peripheral resistance index (TPRI) decreased. In the controls, the FEF decreased and the TPRI increased. Changes in FEF and TPRI were significantly different between the two groups. The change in FEF correlated significantly with the change in TPRI in both groups. Although the most dramatic changes were observed at week 6, the differences persisted throughout the study. Captopril administration resulted in sustained hemodynamic improvement and may, therefore, delay the onset of congestive heart failure in dogs with mitral regurgitation.     

STANDING MYELOGRAPHY IN SIX ADULT HORSES

Standing myelography was conducted in six neurologically normal adult horses. Myelograms were performed without general anesthesia or tranquilization. Four horses were premedicated orally with 2.2 milligrams/kilogram (mg/kg) of phenobarbital 16 hours and 4 hours prior to myelography to raise their seizure threshold. One-hundred milliters (ml) of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) was withdrawn from the lumbosacral space prior to injection. Approximately 100 ml of technical grade metrizamide * was injected into the subarachnoid space via a lumbosacral tap. After injection the horse's head was lowered for approximately 10 minutes to facilitate cranial movement of the metrizamide. Lateral cervical radiographs were taken in a standing position. Filling of the subarachnoid space in the cranial cervical region was good to excellent in five horses. In one horse there was poor definition of the cranial cervical region. There was good to excellent filling of the subaranoid space in the caudal cervical region in all six horses. Reactions to metrizamide injection varied. The most severe reaction was generalized seizure.     

The incidence of bone lesions in the carpal and tarsal regions and the rate of physeal closure in weanling quarter horses

Sixty weanlings were maintained in dry lots without forced exercise and individually fed a diet consisting of 25% Bermudagrass hay and 75% balanced concentrate twice dally. Radiographs of the carpus, metacarpus and first phalanx, and other radiographs of the tarsal region, were taken initially at approximately 180 d of age and at approximately 236, 292 and 348 d of age. The radiographs were evaluated for the presence or absence of subchondral and/or cystic lesions in the carpal and tarsal regions and for closure of physes of the distal third metacarpus and proximal first phalanx. Physeal scores were: 1 = open; 2 -- partially closed; 3 = closed. Only 1.7% of the horses had subehondral lesions in the carpal region at 180 d, and none had those lesions at 236, 292 or 348 d. There was a 3.3% incidence of subchondral lesions of the tarsus at 180, 236 and 292 d, but only 1.7% at 348 d. Cystic lesions of the carpus were evident in 13.3% of the horses at 180 d, 16.7% at 236 d and 18.3% at 292 and 348 d. None of the hrses had cystic lesions oftbe tarsus at 180, 236 or 348 d, but 1.7% had them at 292 d. Physeal closure scores for the distal metacarpus averaged 1.5 and 2.6 at 180 and 236 d, respectively. At 292 and 348 d, all of the distal metacarpi were closed. Physeal closure scores for the proximal first phalanges were 1.5, 2.6 and 2.9 at 180,     

Depigmentation — copper supplement therapy a case report

A young Arabian horse showing depigmentation characteristics of “Arabian Fading Syndrome” was treated with 0.6 grams/day orally of a chelated copper supplement. After several months, repigmentation had begun and was proceeding at a satisfactory level. The copper supplementation was discontinued for several months during which time depigmentation began to reoccur. Copper supplementation again was given and brought about repigmentation.     

Effects of exercise on the hemostatic system of thoroughbred horses displaying post-exercise epistaxis

Hemostatic parameters in 5 Thoroughbreds which had recently displayed post-exercise epistaxis, and 4 normal horses, were assessed using blood samples taken when the animals were at rest, immediately before exercise, and 5 minutes after galloping 1.2. km at maximum speed. Exercise resulted in marked depression in the adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-induced aggregation response of platelets from both groups of horses. No significant differences were detected when comparing the results from each group. However, there was a tendency for the platelets from the bleeder group to be less responsive to ADP. Because not all aspects of platelet function were studied the possible role of platelet abnormalities in the pathogenesis of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage could not be completely discounted.     

Exophthalmia associated with paranasal sinus osteoma in a Quarterhorse mare.

An 11-year-old Quarterhorse mare developed a paranasal sinus osteoma that extended into the right orbit and led to ipsilateral exophthalmia. Although the tumor was radiographically evident in the paranasal sinuses, ultrasonography was used to demonstrate extension of the tumor into the retrobulbar space, and endoscopy was used to identify its extension into the nasopharynx. Biopsies were obtained using both fine-needle aspiration and paranasal sinus trephination. Despite numerous antemortem diagnostic tests, only postmortem histologic analysis of the mass afforded the diagnosis of osteoma.     

Ultrasound diagnosis: intra-abdominal torsion of a non-neoplastic testicle in a cryptorchid dog

A 6-month-old male bilaterally cryptorchid Boxer was examined for acute abdominal pain. The results of physical examination, laboratory testing, and ultrasonographic examination are presented. Intra-abdominal testicular torsion was suspected and confirmed at surgery. No evidence of neoplasia was found at histopathologic examination of the twisted testicle. A discussion of testicular torsion is presented.     

DEVELOPMENT OF INTERACTIVE PATIENT-BASED MULTIMEDIA COMPUTER PROGRAMS IN VETERINARY ORTHOPEDIC RADIOLOGY

Three computerized multimedia programs on large and small animal veterinary orthopedic radiology were developed and implemented for the radiology curriculum as an alternative to traditional film-based laboratory learning. Programs utilized "hot words" (colored text words that displayed an overlaid image label that highlighted lesions) and interactive quizzes which responded appropriately to selected answers. "Hot words" helped students develop confidence in accurate lesion detection and the interactive quizzes transformed learning from a passive to an active process. Multiple examples were provided for reinforcement and concepts were incorporated from other clinical disciplines for curriculum integration. Programs were written using a presentation software program, Toolbook® for DOS based platform, and contained radiographic images made by laser-scanning digitization. Multiple students could simultaneously access the programs through a network server. These pilot programs were implemented successfully and computerized multimedia presentation proved to be well suited to teaching radiology. Development of the programs required attention to a number of hardware, software, time and cost factors.     

Coagulation Abnormalities in 22 Cats with Naturally Occurring Liver Disease

Twenty-two cats with liver disease were evaluated for coagulation abnormalities including alterations in prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, thrombin time, factor VII activity, and platelet count. The purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence of coagulation abnormalities in this population of cats, classify abnormalities according to underlying pathogenesis, and determine if serum biochemical parameters typically used as indicatiors of liver disease showed any correlation with the coagulation abnormalities present. Study results indicated that at least 1 coagulation abnormality was present in 82% of the cats. Prolongation of prothrombin time was most common (16/22 cats) and factor VII activity was below reference range (<60%) in 15 cats. When classified according to underlying pathogenesis, vitamin K deficiency was the most common abnormality found (11/22). Other abnormalities were less common and included hepatic synthetic failure (3/22), indeterminate (3/22), and disseminated intravascular coagulation (1/22). Increase in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was the only biochemical abnormality that showed statistically significant correlation with coagulation abnormalities ( P = .023). Cats with marked increases in ALP activity were more likely to have coagulation abnormalities than those with only mild increases in ALP activity.