Ultrasonography of the urinary tract in 29 female Saanen goats

The left and right kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder and urethra of 29 female clinically healthy Saanen goats were examined via transcutaneous and transrectal ultrasonography. In order to establish reference values the examinations were performed using a 5.0 MHz linear transducer to scan the right caudal costal part of the abdominal wall, right and left dorsal flanks and right and left inguinal regions of standing goats. A 5.0 MHz intracavity probe was used for transrectal ultrasonographic examination of the urinary bladder and urethra. The kidneys were examined in longitudinal and cross section and assessed subjectively. They could usually be seen from the 12th intercostal space on the right side and dorsal right flank. The right kidney was 8.0 ± 0.67 cm long and the left was 8.4 ± 0.64 cm long. The ureters could not be visualized in any of the goats. The length of the urinary bladder was 5.1 ± 1.38 cm, and its largest cross-sectional diameter was 2.6 ± 1.01 cm. The urethra was seen in 23 goats and appeared as echogenic lines with no visible lumen. The transition from the neck of the bladder to the internal urethral orifice extended beyond the brim of the pelvis in only one goat.     

California National Animal Health Monitoring System for meat-turkey flocks, 1988-1989: diagnostic testing results.

Six hundred fourteen meat turkeys were submitted for necropsy from 24 California ranches as part of the National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS). Enteritis was the most frequent pathologic diagnosis in birds 18 days old or younger and the second most frequent diagnosis in birds 19-70 days old. Hemorrhagic enteritis was the most frequent diagnosis in birds aged 19-70 days. Tibial dyschondroplasia, bronchopneumonia, and ascaridiasis were ranked one through three in frequency of diagnoses in birds over 70 days of age. Salmonella was isolated from 71% of flocks tested, and Mycoplasma meleagridis was isolated from 33% of tested flocks over 70 days of age. Antibodies to several disease agents were detected, including hemorrhagic enteritis (100% of flocks over 70 days old) and Newcastle disease (63% of flocks over 70 days old).     

Intraocular hemorrhage in a goat with thrombocytopenia and metastasis of an adenocarcinoma in the iris

This case report describes the findings in a 10-year-old goat with metastasis of an adenocarcinoma in the iris. Two weeks before admission, the owner had noticed blepharospasm of the left eye. Clinical examination by the referring veterinarian revealed unilateral intraocular hemorrhage. The goat was referred to our clinic for further work-up. The rectal temperature was 40 degrees C. The most important haematological result was severe thrombocytopenia. There was mild corneal oedema of the left eye. Approximately 75 per cent of the anterior chamber was filled with non-coagulated blood. The fluid in the anterior chamber dorsal to the blood was cloudy, and the corpora nigra could not be seen clearly. All other internal parts of the eye could not be seen. Ultrasonography of the left eye confirmed cloudiness of the anterior chamber and revealed moderate thickening of the iris. The right prescapular lymph node was markedly enlarged. Cytological examination of a fine needle aspirate of the lymph node showed a mixed population of neoplastic cells. Based on immunohistochemical evaluation of the cells metastasis of a carcinoma was diagnosed. The goat was subjected to euthanasia, and a postmortem examination was carried out. The anterior chamber of the left eye contained blood, and the iris was thicker than normal and adhered to the posterior surface of the cornea. There were neoplastic alterations in the iris, the oesophagus, the lung lobes, the liver, the kidney and in the prescapular, retropharyngeal, mediastinal and hepatic lymph nodes. Histologically, a diagnosis of carcinoma was confirmed, but the origin of the tumour could not be determined.     

Thyroid hormones concentrations and ECG picture in the dog

Disorders of the thyroid gland activity are the most commonly encountered disturbances of endocrine origin in the dog. Hypo- or hyperthyroidism may disturb the function of the cardiovascular system and cause arrhythmias. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of thyroid gland activity on electrocardiogram (ECG) picture in the dog by comparing ECG curves of healthy dogs, dogs with hypothyroidism and dogs with cardiac insufficiency caused by endocardiosis of the mitral valve. The study was performed on 38 dogs, patients of the Department of Internal and Parasitic Diseases with Clinic for Horses, Dogs and Cats in Wroc?aw. The animals were assigned to 3 groups: Group I--control group, 13 clinically healthy dogs; Group II--14 dogs with diagnosed cardiac insufficiency caused by endocardiosis of the mitral valve; Group III--11 dogs with hypothyroidism. Clinical examination of the animals was conducted according to the following pattern: anamnesis, general clinical examination, cardiological examination (ECG, USG of the heart) and laboratory analysis (triacylglycerydes, cholesterol, T3, T4, FT4). In this study, the significant influence of thyroid gland activity on ECG picture of the evaluated dogs was found. In the dogs with hypothyroidism a decrease in the sino-atrial node activity was observed, which led to decreased heart rate. In dogs with hypothyroidism, the innerheart conduction was reduced, which was demonstrated by prolongation of the P wave, QRS complex and the QT interval.     

Evaluation of veld potential in east griqualand using beef cattle under two grazing management systems

Abstract

Beef production from veld, in the short term, was found to be greater under a continuous grazing system than under a rotational grazing system. Average daily gains decreased from a maximum in late‐spring and the highest three‐year mean value was 0,5 kg/animal/day. Livemass gains/ha were highest at a stocking rate of 2,2 animals/ha and were 131,4 kg/ha under continuous grazing and 88,6 kg/ha under rotational grazing. Estimated mean maximum gains/ha were 0,78 kg/ha/day at a stocking rate of 2,5 animals/ha under continuous grazing and 0,55 kg/ha/day at a stocking rate of 1,7 animals/ha under rotational grazing. However, optimum economic stocking rates were estimated to occur below those where beef production/ha was maximum.     

Effect of animal age,postmortem chilling rate,and aging time on meat quality attributes of water buffalo and humped cattle bulls

The study was aimed to investigate the influence of animal age, post‐slaughter chilling rate, and aging time on meat quality of M. longissimus dorsi (LD) of water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) and humped cattle (Bos taurus indicus) bulls. After slaughtering, one side of carcasses was subjected to rapid chilling (RC) (0 ± 2°C) and other side was hanged in controlled room temperature (25 ± 2°C) for 3 hr, then allowed to the chiller (0 ± 2°C). The meat quality traits were analyzed at 1, 7, and 14 days of storage. It was noted that rapidly chilled carcasses from the younger animals of both species missed the ideal pH/temperature window, which affects the toughness of the meat. Buffalo meat presented higher shear force, color L* values, and lower b* value as compared to the cattle meat. Moreover, meat shear force values decreased while all color coordinates and cooking loss values increased with lengthening the storage time in both age groups of cattle and buffalo. In conclusion, the tenderness of cattle meat was superior to that of buffalo and RC adversely affect the shear force values of young cattle and both age groups of buffalo bulls.     

Identification of focal adenomyosis as a uterine lesion in two dogs

A focal uterine adenomyosis is described in two bitches. In both cases, the uterus showed knobbly enlargements of 4 to 8 cm in diameter, which resulted in distinct clinical symptoms. Other pathological changes of the uterus were not present. One bitch was presented because of a history of vaginal discharge of several months' duration. Radiographs, as well as ultrasonography, revealed a soft tissue lesion at the cervix. The other bitch showed a marked reduction in its general condition and a sudden onset of a tense abdomen. Radiologically, a lesion of soft tissue opacity was observed in the mid-abdomen and was seen to originate from the left uterine horn during exploratory laparotomy. A torsion of the lesion was present, which explained the clinical signs in this second case.     

Preliminary observations on the relationship between gas production and microbial protein synthesis in vitro

The relationship between gas production and microbial protein synthesis was studied in vitro using the method of MENKE et al. (1979). 150 mg starch or cellulose or a mixture of 10% glucose, 40% starch and 50% cellulose was used as the carbohydrate source. The microbial protein synthesis and gas production occurring during 2 hrs after the 5th, 10th, and 23rd hr of incubation were studied. Total and net microbial synthesis were estimated using 32P as a microbial marker and by the net disappearance of NH3-N respectively. The data indicate that the type of carbohydrate and the rate of carbohydrate fermentation influence microbial protein synthesis per unit volume of gas produced. However, the relationship between total synthesis and cumulative gas production (up to 8 hrs incubation) with carbohydrate mixture as the substrate was linear. With reference to these observations, the possibilities and difficulties in using cumulative gas production as an index of microbial growth potential of the feedstuffs are discussed.     

Autologous Platelet Concentrates as an Adjunctive Treatment for Chronic Laminitis in a Mare with Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction

The aim of this article was to describe a case of a 7-year-old mare with chronic laminitis secondary to pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction that was successfully treated with autologous platelet concentrates (APC) obtained by the tube method, 4 months before being treated with oral pergolide. After the diagnosis of pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, the patient was treated with three intralesional injections of APC at 10-day intervals. APC presented a mean concentration of 430 ± 22 × 10⁶ platelets and 8.6 ± 1.3 leukocytes/mL. The treatment with APC produced growth of the hooves at a rate of 5 mm/wk and substantially reduced the foot pain (lameness) after two APC applications. The mare could be ridden 2 weeks after the third APC treatment. The treatment with oral pergolide 4 months later improved the clinical picture of the patient, albeit hirsutism remained. APC could be useful as adjunctive treatment of chronic laminitis in horses. However, additional clinical studies are necessary to determine the safety and effectiveness of APC in chronic laminitis.