Ketoconazole in the treatment of dermatomycosis in cats and dogs

Ketoconazole (Nizoral, Janssen Pharmaceutica) a new systemic antimycotic was tested in dermatomycosis in cats and dogs. The daily dose (10 mg/kg body weight) was administered for 10 or 20 days without any other measures being taken. After the 20-day treatments new hair growth was observed in 96.7 per cent of the cats and 89.9 per cent of the dogs. Clinical cure was complete in 96.8 per cent of the cats and 90.5 per cent of the dogs. Particularly the good tolerance in the cat was appreciated. There were practically no side-effects in dogs (except vomiting in two pups) or in cats.     

核受体PPARs与动脉硬化

过氧化物酶体增殖激活受体 (PPARs)是配体激活转录因子 ,存在 3种亚型 ,在多种细胞组织内广泛分布。动脉硬化的特征性变化之一是巨噬细胞源和平滑肌源泡沫细胞在内皮下大量聚集 ,血脂代谢障碍和免疫因素是及其重要的病理生理变化。近年来研究发现 ,PPARα、PPARγ也在血管壁的多种细胞中表达 ,在其配体作用下 ,抑制某些致病基因的表达 ,对动脉粥样硬化斑块的形成和发展具有重要的调节作用     

氮磷肥对3种牧草的生长效应和氮磷吸收的影响

采用田间试验,单因素随机区组排列,以豆科牧草柱花草和禾本科牧草扭黄茅和孔颖草为试验材料,研究适量氮磷肥的施用对3种牧草旺盛期生长及土壤氮磷吸收的影响和效果。试验结果表明,与未施氮磷肥比较,氮磷的施用有利柱花草、扭黄茅和孔颖草旺盛期(7-9月)的生长,3种牧草物候期有所延迟,可以提高3种牧草旺盛期绝对生长量,显著增加了孔颖草总生物量和氮吸收量(P<0.05)。与未施氮肥对比,施氮(施纯氮120 kg·hm^-2)有利柱花草和孔颖草对氮的吸收,显著提高柱花草含氮量和孔颖草氮的吸收量(P<0.05),促进柱花草和孔颖草的生长,提高柱花草和孔颖草地上部和地下部生物量,提高扭黄茅地上部的生长量和生物量。与未施磷肥对比,施磷(施纯磷75 kg·hm^-2)显著提高孔颖草氮的吸收量(P<0.05)。本研究为3种牧草和其他牧草氮磷的施用提供理论依据,即:适量的氮磷施用有利3种牧草产量的提高。     

Bone marrow lesions of the distal condyles of the third metacarpal bone are common and not always related to lameness in sports and pleasure horses

The metacarpophalangeal joint is a common site of pain in horses. Little information is available about bone marrow lesions in the distal condyles of the third metacarpal bone in sports and pleasure horses. Aims of this prospective, retrospective, observational study were to evaluate the prevalence of bone marrow lesions in the distal condyles of the third metacarpal bone, to describe their anatomic distribution and to correlate lesions with the presence of lameness and the level and type of activity. All sports and pleasure horses undergoing standing low‐field MRI of the front fetlock region between 2009 and 2016 were included and divided into three lameness groups according to the results of diagnostic analgesia. Bone marrow lesions were analyzed and graded by one reader. Grades were compared between anatomical locations and between lameness groups. A total of 166 horses were sampled. The prevalence of bone marrow lesions was 76.5% (127/166). The dorsal aspects of the medial condyle (31%, 39/127) and of the sagittal ridge (28%, 36/127) were the most commonly affected locations. There was no significant difference between both forelimbs (lame limb and non‐lame limb) of the same horse. Lesion severity was neither significantly associated with the lameness group nor with the type or level of activity. The prevalence of bone marrow lesions in the distal condyles of the third metacarpal bone is high in this population and the clinical significance is not always clear. Further studies are required to elucidate the clinical significance of this finding in sports and pleasure horses.     

Bilateral subcutaneous fibrosarcomas in a cat following feline parvo-, herpes- and calicivirus vaccination

A crossbred cat developed a subcutaneous fibrosarcoma on the left side of the thorax at the site of previous administration of a feline parvo-, herpes- and calicivirus vaccine. A few months later the cat developed a second mass on the right side of the thorax after a booster vaccine had been administered at this site. This unique case of bilateral fibrosarcomas in a cat shortly after vaccination with parvo-, herpes- and caliciviruses suggests an individual disposition for the development of vaccine-associated sarcomas and a possible triggering of this type of pathological response which could have precipitated the development of the second tumour. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first case of vaccine-induced fibrosarcomas occurring bilaterally after injection of a feline parvo-, herpes- and calicivirus containing vaccine at different sides of the thorax.     

Severe alopecia due to demodicosis in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in Belgium

Demodex mites are part of the normal fauna of hair follicles of many, if not all, healthy mammal species. Normally these parasites live in harmony with their host, however in states of putative immunosuppression the acarids undergo excessive proliferation and cause clinical disease, which may be localised or generalised. This paper describes four cases of demodicosis in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) with localised to generalised alopecia.     

Optimizing ex situ genetic resource collections for European livestock conservation

Ex situ collections offer the potential to reduce extinction risks, affording option to society in maintaining future breeding opportunities for productivity and heritage traits. However, how much should we be seeking to collect and conserve in gene banks, and where? We developed a mathematical model to optimize logistical decisions of breed conservation choices and to evaluate alternative scenarios for efficiently re‐allocating genetic materials currently stored in different European gene banks, allowing for cross‐country collections, cost and cryogenic capacity differentials. We show how alternative allocations for the breeds that are currently stored in 11 European gene banks could reduce overall conservation costs by around 20% by selecting cryogenic banks that have relatively lower combination of fixed and collection costs, and are geographically closer to collection regions. Our results show that centralizing collections in one gene bank would double the costs, relative to collective European collections approaches. We also calculate marginal costs of collections and show that increasing diversity within the gene banks implies in higher costs per conserved breed.     

Ketamine as a part of anaesthetic management in a dog with twiddler's syndrome

An 11‐year‐old male German shepherd dog was referred for possible pacemaker implantation. A routine 6‐lead electrocardiogram revealed a third‐degree atrio‐ventricular block with a heart rate of 40 to 45 beats/minute. A transvenous pacemaker implantation procedure was scheduled. The dog was premedicated with 10 µg/kg acepromazine and 5 mg/kg pethidine. A dose of 5 mg/kg ketamine and 0·2 mg/kg diazepam were used for induction and isoflurane in O₂ and a constant rate infusion of ketamine (20 to 30 µg/kg/minute) were administered for maintenance of general anaesthesia. Due to a twiddler's syndrome, the pacemaker had to be repositioned. For the second procedure, the same protocol was employed except for a lower dose of ketamine both for induction (3 mg/kg) and constant rate infusion (10 to 15 µg/kg/minute). Ketamine appeared to be useful for both management of anaesthesia and cardiac pacemaker implantation in the absence of a temporary pacemaker.     

Total vertebrectomy for stabilisation of chronic spinal lumbar luxation in a paraplegic dog without nociception

An adult male crossbred dog was referred with a history of a road traffic accident that took place 1 month earlier. Neurological examination revealed paraplegia with absent nociception in the pelvic limbs. On epaxial palpation, significant curvature of the anatomical axis of the spine between the third and fourth lumbar vertebrae was observed, with the presence of a bone end almost piercing the dog's skin. Survey radiographs of the lumbar spine revealed severe dislocation between L3 and L4 vertebrae. During surgery, the spinal cord was not visible between the dislocated segments. Because of difficulties in reducing the lumbar luxation during surgery, vertebrectomy and vertebral shortening were performed. After alignment between vertebrae L3 and L5, eight cortical orthopaedic screws and bone cement were used for fixation. After 30 days, the dog started to use a wheelchair and was considered by its owner to have a good quality of life with no evidence of pain. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first case of severe luxation treated by total vertebrectomy and spine shortening in a dog. This surgery can be considered as an option in the management of severe spine luxation when the spinal cord is physically transected.