Mechanical Testing and Evaluation of Eight Synthetic Casting Materials

Eight synthetic casting materials were evaluated with respect to tensile and fatigue strengths, exothermicity (evolution of heat during polymerization), permeability (porosity), radiolucency, and cost. Strength determination for a five-layer sample included measurement of the ultimate load at which a material failed, the ability to absorb energy, and the stiffness a material possessed after application of a cyclic stress. Results indicated that Vet Cast was superior with respect to tensile and fatigue strengths. The exothermic reaction associated with the "curing" or polymerization process was evaluated and not considered excessive although Ultra Cast attained a temperature of 48.0°C and was uncomfortable to handle during application. Permeability was determined. Delta Lite and Hexcelite NS were the most permeable materials and dried more rapidly and thoroughly after immersion than the other casting materials. Hexcelite NS was considered the least radiolucent material and was the most expensive material studied. Each of the synthetic casting materials demonstrated superiority in one or more of the categories tested. No one product demonstrated consistent superiority in criteria appropriate for clinical application.     

Bacterial Isolates From Plaque and From Blood During and After Routine Dental Procedures in Dogs

Objective — This study evaluates the association between dental procedures and bacteremia in dogs, including a comparison of bacteria isolated from plaque and blood, severity of the bacteremia versus the severity of dental disease, and the longevity of bacteremia.
Study Design — Bacteria cultured from the blood over time were compared with those isolated from the plaque and crevicular fluid and in relation to severity of dental disease.
Animals or Sample Population — Twenty adult greyhounds.
Methods — Blood samples were collected for culture before induction of general anesthesia, immediately after intubation, 20 minutes after initiation of the dental procedure, and at 10-minute intervals until 10 minutes after the dental procedure was completed. Samples of plaque were taken for microbiological culture.
Results — Sixty to ninety percent of the bacterial genera isolated from the plaque were present in the blood. Dogs classified according to severity of dental disease showed no difference in the total number of different species or number of different Gram-negative, Gram-positive, or anaerobic bacteria isolated from plaque or blood (P <.05). Bacteremia was present in all of the dogs studied, within 40 minutes from the initiation of the dental procedure, regardless of the severity of oral disease.
Conclusions — Gram-negative, Gram-positive, and anaerobic bacteria are present in blood during dental procedures; the bacteremia can persist beyond the dental procedure, and is not associated with the severity of dental disease.
Clinical Relevance — The nature and extent of bacteremia occuring during routine dental procedures is important in understanding a potential risk to dogs.     

Exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage in the racing appaloosa horse

A retrospective survey was carried out at a Florida racetrack in 1984, to determine the prevalence of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) in Appaloosa horses. Of 94 horses examined endoscopically between 30 and 90 minutes after racing, forty-nine (52%) were found to exhibit some degree of EIPH. There was a significantly increased prevalence of EIPH with increasing age in this population. An increased prevalence of EIPH was noted with mares and geldings as compared with stallions, but this was not statistically significant. More horses bled from the right lung than from the left, but the difference was statistically insignificant. An increased prevalence of EIPH with distance run was evident, but this was not significant when animals of the same age were examined.     

Exothermic heat released during catalytic polymerization of basswood-methyl methacrylate composites

Summary Oven dried basswood was vacuum impregnated with methyl methacrylate monomer containing various amounts of free radical catalyst and trifunctional crosslinking agent. The wood-monomer composite was polymerized at 60°C in an air oven and the rate of heat generated was followed by means of a thermocouple placed in the center of the sample.Increasing the concentration of Vazo free radical catalyst in the basswood-MMA impregnated samples reduces the time to the exothermic peak and increases the exothermic peak temperature. High Vazo concentrations also decraase the percentage conversion of monomer to polymer.Trimethyl propane trimethacrylate (TMPTMA) crosslinker reduces the time to the exothermic peak and dramatically increases the exothermic peak temperature. The use of a crosslinker rapidly increases the initial viscosity of the system, and therefore, the autoacceleration of the polymerization is more pronounced.Our thanks are due to DuPont Company and Sartomer Resins for supplying the monomers and catalysts. Research funds were provided by Organized Research Budget of the College of Forestry.     

Intermuscular Heterotopic Ossification in the Shoulder Region Associated with a Hopping-type Forelimb Lameness

Heterotopic ossification has not previously been described in the horse. An event horse was investigated due to poor performance and development of a hopping-type forelimb lameness when ridden. Comprehensive local analgesic techniques did not alter the hopping-type lameness. Radiological assessment revealed an osseous plate between the biceps brachii and brachiocephalicus muscles of the lame limb. Ultrasonographic examination verified that there was no involvement of the intertubercular bursa or tendon of biceps brachii or the muscles themselves. The horse was humanely destroyed because of multilimb lameness, with multiple sources of pain. Postmortem examination revealed a large plate of bone with very sharp, pointed margins, which was easily dissected from the adjacent muscles. The radiological and gross appearances of the bone plate were typical of heterotopic ossification in human beings.     

The Use of Equine Follicle Stimulating Hormone to Increase Equine Chorionic Gonadotropin in the Pregnant Mare

Equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG), obtained from pregnant mares, is used for assisted reproductive technologies in laboratory rodents and livestock. The objective of the present study was to use equine follicle-stimulating hormone (eFSH) to increase the incidence of twin pregnancies, through multiple ovulations, and increase eCG. Nineteen light horse–type mares were enrolled in the study. The control group (n = 9) was bred with fresh or cooled semen and given human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) at the time of breeding. The second group (n = 10) was given 12.5 mg of eFSH intramuscularly twice a day beginning 5–7 days after ovulation. Prostaglandin F2α was administered intramuscularly the second day of eFSH treatment. Treatment with eFSH continued until follicles were >35 mm in diameter, and mares were then given no treatment for 36 hours. The mares were then bred with fresh or cooled semen from the same stallion as the control group and given hCG. Blood samples were taken weekly from day 35 to day 105 after ovulation. Serum concentration of eCG was obtained, and data were analyzed with multivariate analysis using the mixed procedure. Significance was set at P < .05. Data were combined for all mares carrying twins and compared with those carrying singletons. The group of mares carrying twins had higher peak concentrations of eCG and higher values for area under the curve compared with mares carrying singletons (P < .05). These results suggest inducing twins could be a method used to increase eCG production.