Blood Chemistry Values for Shovelnose and Lake Sturgeon

Abstract

Blood chemistry panels are commonly used for assessing the general health of vertebrate animals. Here, we present novel blood chemistry data for two North American sturgeon species, shovelnose sturgeon Scaphirhynchus platorynchus and lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens. Measurements were done using a portable chemistry analyzer (VetScan Analyzer; Abaxis). Among the plasma values measured (mean ± SD for shovelnose and lake sturgeon, respectively) were total proteins (3.7 ± 0.9 and 2.8 ± 0.4 g/dL), albumin (2.0 ± 0.5 and 1.1 ± 0.2 g/dL), globulin (1.7 ± 0.7 and 1.7 ± 0.3 g/dL), glucose (107 ± 46 and 62 ± 9.7 mg/dL), sodium (Na⁺; 132 ± 3.6 and 150 ± 14 mEq/L), potassium (K⁺; 3.5 ± 0.2 and 2.8 ± 1.7 mEq/L), phosphorus (10.4 ± 1.9 and 11.6 ± 3.6 mg/dL), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST; 676 ± 433 and 634 ± 234 IU/L). Higher values for total proteins, albumin, glucose, and Na⁺ in shovelnose sturgeon than in lake sturgeon probably are the result of handling stress. In addition, the plasma of male shovelnose sturgeon had higher concentrations of AST, glucose, and globulin than did that of females, whereas the plasma of females had higher concentrations of albumin and K⁺ than that of males. This study is the first to report blood chemistry data for shovelnose sturgeon. Robust blood chemistry databases can be used by aquaculturists and fish managers for monitoring sturgeon health.

Received July 8, 2011; accepted February 2, 2012     

A seismotectonic model for the 300-kilometer-long eastern tennessee seismic zone

Ten years of monitoring microearthquakes with a regional seismic network has revealed the presence of a well-defined, linear zone of seismic activity in eastern Tennessee. This zone produced the second highest release of seismic strain energy in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains during the last decade, when normalized by crustal area. The data indicate that seismicity produced by regional, intraplate stresses is now concentrating near the boundary between relatively strong and weak basement crustal blocks.     

Complications associated with 696 tibial plateau leveling osteotomies (2001-2003)

A total of 696 tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) procedures were performed over a 30-month period following TPLO training. The overall complication rate was 18.8%. Complications were classified as perioperative (1%), short-term (9.3%), and long-term (8.5%). Examples of complications encountered during the study were hemorrhage, swelling at the incision site, premature staple removal by the dog, tibial tuberosity fracture, patella tendon swelling, and implant complications. Based on the rate of complications observed, clinical outcomes of TPLO procedures within 30 months of TPLO training were considered good.     

Surgical management of umbilical masses with associated umbilical cord remnant infections in calves

Intra-abdominal umbilical cord remnant infections were diagnosed in 21 calves during a 5-year period. The urachal remnant alone was involved in 15 calves, umbilical artery remnant alone in 1 calf, and the umbilical vein remnant alone in 4 calves. Both urachus and umbilical vein were involved in 1 calf. All cases were managed surgically by ventral celiotomy. Infected urachal remnants not extending to the bladder, infected umbilical artery remnant, and infected umbilical vein remnants not extending to the liver were dissected free of surrounding adhered structures, ligated proximal to the infected segment, transected, and removed. Infected urachal remnants extending to the bladder were similarly isolated and removed after resection of the attached bladder apex. Infected umbilical vein remnants extending to the liver were marsupialized. Of 19 calves available for follow-up from 1 to 32 months after surgery, 15 recovered without any postoperative complications, 3 had short-term complications, and 1 calf developed an incisional hernia.     

Surgery of the bovine abomasum

Intensive management of cattle has resulted in an increased incidence of abomasal disorders. Many of these disorders require surgical intervention for the best outcome. This article reviews the anatomy and physiology of the abomasum, abomasal disorders that may be treated by surgery, and the advantages and disadvantages of various surgical approaches to those disorders.     

Praziquantel treatment for yellowtail kingfish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Seriola lalandi</Emphasis>): dose and duration safety study

Regulatory approval is being sought to use praziquantel (PZQ) to treat flukes infecting yellowtail kingfish (YTK), but accurate safety data were not available. We investigated the effect of increased doses or prolonged exposure of orally administered PZQ on YTK by assessing changes in haematological and biochemical characteristics, and mortality. Fish were intubated daily for 3 days with 0, 100, 300 and 500 mg PZQ kg^?1 BW day^?1 or once daily for 9 days at 0 and 100 mg PZQ kg^?1 BW day^?1. Blood was taken 24 h after the cessation of treatment. There was no significant difference between any of the haematological or biochemical indices in YTK treated with PZQ and controls, indicating that PZQ is safe for use at 100 mg PZQ kg^?1 BW day^?1 in YTK and that exposure to high doses or prolonged duration does not have negative effects on the YTK haematological or biochemical parameters we measured.     

A comparison of the test tube and the dialysis tubing in vitro methods for estimating the bioavailability of phosphorus in feed ingredients for swine

The validity of a simplified in vitro test tube (TT) method was compared with a more complicated dialysis tubing (DT) method to estimate the percentage of available phosphorus (P) in 41 plant origin and five animal origin feed ingredients for swine. The TT method using 1.0 or 0.25 g samples was compared with the DT method using 1.0 g samples at two pancreatic incubation times (2 vs 4 h) in a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Each DT and TT method treatment was replicated three and six times, respectively. Both methods utilize three enzymatic digestions: (i) predigestion with endoxylanase and beta-glucanase for 1 h, (ii) pepsin digestion for 2 h, and (iii) pancreatin digestion for 2 or 4 h. For the TT method, the entire procedure was conducted in a 50 mL conical centrifuge tube and replicated six times. For the DT method, the first two digestions were conducted in a 10 mL plastic syringe before the contents were quantitatively transferred into a segment of DT for the pancreatic digestion. The percentages of hydrolyzed P for plant origin ingredients measured by the DT method using 1.0 g samples and the TT method using 0.25 g samples were highly correlated (r = 0.94-0.97, P < 0.001) with each other and with published in vivo available P values for swine. Repeatabilities for these two methods ranged from 99.64 to 99.86%. The TT method using 1.0 g samples, however, did not provide valid estimates of P availability for all ingredients. For animal origin ingredients, neither method was significantly correlated (r = 0.1-0.6, P >or = 0.4) with published in vivo available P values. In conclusion, the accuracy and validity of the TT method using 0.25 g samples with a 2 h pancreatic digestion time was equal to or superior to the DT method using 1.0 g samples with a 4 h pancreatic digestion time for estimating P availability in plant origin feed ingredients.     

Evaluation of various inclusion rates of organic zinc either as polysaccharide or proteinate complex on the growth performance, plasma, and excretion of nursery pigs

Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of feeding dietary concentrations of organic Zn as a Zn-polysaccharide (Quali Tech Inc., Chaska, MN) or as a Zn-proteinate (Alltech Inc., Nicholasville, KY) on growth performance, plasma concentrations, and excretion in nursery pigs compared with pigs fed 2,000 ppm inorganic Zn as ZnO. Experiments 1 and 2 were growth experiments, and Exp. 3 was a balance experiment, and they used 306, 98, and 20 crossbred pigs, respectively. Initially, pigs averaged 17 d of age and 5.2 kg BW in Exp. 1 and 2, and 31 d of age and 11.2 kg BW in Exp. 3. The basal diets for Exp. 1, 2, and 3 contained 165 ppm supplemental Zn as ZnSO4 (as-fed basis), which was supplied from the premix. In Exp. 1, the Phase 1 (d 1 to 14) basal diet was supplemented with 0, 125, 250, 375, or 500 ppm Zn as Zn-polysaccharide (as-fed basis) or 2,000 ppm Zn as ZnO (as-fed basis). All pigs were then fed the same Phase 2 (d 15 to 28) and Phase 3 (d 29 to 42) diets. In Exp. 2, both the Phase 1 and 2 basal diets were supplemented with 0, 50, 100, 200, 400, or 800 ppm Zn as Zn-proteinate (as-fed basis) or 2,000 ppm Zn as ZnO (as-fed basis). For the 28-d Exp. 3, the Phase 2 basal diet was supplemented with 0, 200, or 400 ppm Zn as Zn-proteinate, or 2,000 ppm Zn as ZnO (as-fed basis). All diets were fed in meal form. In Exp. 1, 2, and 3, pigs were bled on d 14, 28, or 27, respectively, to determine plasma Zn and Cu concentrations. For all three experiments, there were no overall treatment differences in ADG, ADFI, or G:F (P = 0.15, 0.22, and 0.45, respectively). However, during wk 1 of Exp. 1, pigs fed 2,000 ppm Zn as ZnO had greater (P < or = 0.05) ADG and G:F than pigs fed the basal diet. In all experiments, pigs fed a diet containing 2,000 ppm Zn as ZnO had higher plasma Zn concentrations (P < 0.10) than pigs fed the basal diet. In Exp. 1 and 3, pigs fed 2,000 ppm Zn as ZnO had higher fecal Zn concentrations (P < 0.01) than pigs fed the other dietary Zn treatments. In conclusion, organic Zn either as a polysaccharide or a proteinate had no effect on growth performance at lower inclusion rates; however, feeding lower concentrations of organic Zn greatly decreased the amount of Zn excreted.     

Congenital urethral obstruction, uroperitoneum, and omphalitis in a calf

A neonatal calf with anuria, uroperitoneum, azotemia, hyperphosphatemia, and hyperkalemia was found to have a congenital urethral obstruction. The calf had a concomitant infection of the internal umbilical remnants. Surgical intervention corrected both conditions.     

Treatment of infectious arthritis and osteomyelitis.

Infectious arthritis and osteomyelitis are commonly encountered diseases of the skeletal system that can result in premature loss of an affected animal from the herd. Selection of the best possible treatment approach for an individual animal requires a solid understanding of the pathophysiologic processes involved in the infection of bone or joint; recognition of the unique aspects of the anatomy, physiology, behavior, management, and economics of the species involved; and a broad grasp of the availability and role of various therapeutic options. By recognizing the importance of all three of these areas, a clinician not only will be able to make realistic and effective judgments about care of commonly encountered cases today but also will have a sufficient basis for rational variations in therapy as pharmacologic options expand and environmental or economic pressures change.