A Universal Index of Uterine Discharge Symptoms from Calving to 6 Weeks Postpartum

In this paper, a new uterine discharge index (D‐index) was created and tested. It was based on a principal component analysis (PCA) of clinical findings of classical uterine discharge symptoms and rectal temperature during the postpartum period of dairy cattle. The PCA analysis revealed how uterine discharge features relate to each other and how they cluster together possibly representing different degrees of uterine inflammation. The D‐index was the result of the multivariate PCA‐analysis, and the D‐index gives a continuous value between 0 and 10. It was demonstrated that the same scale, i.e. the D‐index, can be used without any adjustment from 1 to 6 weeks post‐calving. It is valid for any type of uterine discharge without defining the type of infection or differentiating between infection and contamination. The D‐index was tested using the uterine involution data. Uterine involution was significantly delayed in the high‐D‐index group of cows. Similarly, in the test with all cows, involution was progressively delayed and the rate of involution of the pregnant horn was slowed down with the increase of the D‐index values. It is concluded that the D‐index can be a new practical, universal, tool for improved management of dairy cows in the postpartum period under commercial conditions.     

Immunomodulatory drugs and their application to the management of canine immune-mediated disease

This review summarises the current understanding of immune response and T cell subsets in the context of development of autoimmunity in the dog. Mode of action and rational usage in immune-mediated disease in the dog are discussed for the following drugs: glucocorticoids, azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, ciclosporin, tacrolimus, human intravenous immunoglobulin, vincristine, danazol, leflunomide, mycophenolate mofetil and liposome-encapsulated clodronate. Disease mechanisms are discussed and published evidence for drug efficacy is scrutinised for five important immune-mediated diseases: immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia, immune-mediated thrombocytopenia, myasthenia gravis, glomerulonephritis and inflammatory bowel disease. Future strategies for more refined manipulation of adverse immune responses are presented.     

Survival of an adult Quarter Horse gelding following bacterial meningitis caused by Escherichia coli

Bacterial meningitis in the mature horse is a rare and typically fatal condition. This report describes a 7‐year‐old Quarter Horse gelding that initially presented following suspected trauma to the left eye but subsequently developed bacterial meningitis, and a nasal and palpebral abscess, all of which cultured the same isolate of Escherichia coli. The entry site of infection in bacterial meningitis is often related to a breach in the calvarium and extension of bacteria residing in the paranasal sinuses. This case is unique as there were multiple pathways through which bacteria may have entered the central nervous system including haematogenous spread from a nasal abscess, local extension of periocular infection or an undetected skull fracture. Aside from persistent blindness in the left eye, the horse made a full recovery.     

Orbital neoplasms in cats: 21 cases (1974-1990).

Squamous cell carcinoma was the most common neoplasm found in a review of case records of 21 cats with histopathologically confirmed orbital neoplasms. Other neoplasms found were lymphosarcoma, undifferentiated carcinoma, malignant melanoma, adenocarcinoma, fibrosarcoma, chondroma, and hemangiosarcoma. Three (14%) neoplasms were primary, 15 (71%) were secondary, invading the orbit from adjacent tissues, and 3 (14%) were a manifestation of multicentric disease. The most common clinical sign was exophthalmia, followed by chronic epiphora, enophthalmia, and strabismus. Mean survival time after diagnosis was 1.9 months. Ten cats were euthanatized at the time of diagnosis because of extensive disease. Mean survival time of the other 11 cats was 4.3 months. Skull radiography was helpful in diagnosing orbital neoplasms in 8 of 11 cats that had invasion of the orbit by adjacent neoplasms.     

Efficacy of tropicamide,homatropine, cyclopentolate,atropine and hyoscine as mydriatics in Angora goats

Abstract

AIM: To document the efficacy of five commercially available mydriatics for their potential for diagnostic and therapeutic use in Angora goats.

METHODS: Over 8 weeks, the mydriatic effects of 1% tropicamide, 2% homatropine, 1% cyclopentolate, 1% atropine and 0.25% hyoscine were evaluated. Given as block treatments, drugs were applied randomly to one eye of 10 Angora goats, and the contralateral eye served as a control. Vertical and horizontal pupil diameters were measured to document onset ofeffect, time to reach a difference of 5 mm in the vertical/horizontal pupil diameter between eyes, time to maximum pupillary dilation, and duration of mydriatic action.

RESULTS: Onset of mydriasis for all drugs occurred within 15 minutes. Time to reach a difference of 5 mm in the vertical pupil diameter between eyes was shortest for 1% tropicamide and 0.25% hyoscine (0.5 h), then 2% homatropine and 1% atropine (0.75 h), and longest for 1% cyclopentolate (1.5 h). The maximum vertical pupillary dilation occurred earliest with 1% tropicamide and 1% atropine (2 h), followed by 0.25% hyoscine (3 h), 2% homatropine (4 h), and latest with 1% cyclopentolate (8 h). The duration of vertical dilation of the pupil was shortest with 1% tropicamide (6 h), then 2% homatropine (12 h), 1% cyclopentolate (12 h), 1% atropine (24 h), and longest for 0.25% hyoscine (96 h).

The time to reach maximum horizontal dilation of the pupil in treated eyes was shortest with 1% cyclopentolate (1 h), followed by 1% tropicamide (1.5 h), 0.25% hyoscine (3 h), 2% homatropine (3.5 h), and 1% atropine (4 h). The duration of horizontal pupil dilation was shortest with 1% tropicamide (4.5 h), and longest with 0.25% hyoscine (48 h).

CONCLUSION: All five mydriatics induced clinical dilation. Tropicamide (1%) had the shortest duration of effect, but gave incomplete dilation. Good dilation was achieved with 1% cyclopentolate and 2% homatropine, but took too long to reach maximum dilation for routine mydriasis. The largest vertical dilation of the pupil was achieved with 1% atropine and 0.25% hyoscine, but pupils remained dilated for more than 24 h.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: For routine mydriasis in goats, it is recommended that 1% tropicamide be used, though there may be incomplete dilation. For a longer duration of mydriasis, such as in the treatment of anterior uveitis, 1% atropine or 0.25% hyoscine would be the drugs of choice.     

Amyloid deposition in 2 feline thymomas

Two cases of feline thymoma with amyloid deposition were encountered between 1982 and 2010. Neoplastic cells were separated by abundant, pale eosinophilic, homogeneous material that was congophilic and birefringent. Ultrastructurally, the neoplastic cells were connected by desmosomes, and the extracellular deposits were composed of nonbranching, hollow-cored fibrils, 8-10 nm in diameter. In the case with sufficient archived tissue for additional sections, the amyloid remained congophilic following potassium permanganate incubation, and the neoplastic cells were immunoreactive for pancytokeratin. The histologic, histochemical, ultrastructural, and immunohistochemical features of both neoplasms are consistent with epithelial-predominant thymoma with the unusual feature of intratumoral amyloid deposition. The affinity of the amyloid for Congo red following potassium permanganate incubation is consistent with non-AA amyloid. The ultrastructural findings were consistent with amyloid production by the neoplastic epithelial cells.     

Clinical and clinicopathologic abnormalities in young dogs with acquired and congenital portosystemic shunts: 93 cases (2003-2008)

Objective-To determine whether clinical and clinicopathologic data could assist differentiation of congenital portosystemic shunts (CPSSs) from acquired portosystemic shunts (APSSs) in young dogs. Design-Retrospective case series. Animals-Dogs < 30 months of age with CPSSs (n = 62) or APSSs (31). Procedures-Medical records from 3 referral centers identified 31 dogs with APSSs and 62 dogs with CPSSs diagnosed from July 2003 to July 2008. Signalment, clinical signs, physical examination, and clinicopathological data were recorded, and statistical analyses were performed to determine differences between groups. Results-Univariable analysis showed APSS patients were older, heavier, and in poorer body condition, compared with CPSS patients. In CPSS patients, diarrhea was less prevalent, and neurologic signs were more prevalent. Ascites was more prevalent in APSS (Fisher exact test; OR, 50.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 6.2 to 409.7), with no significant difference in albumin concentration between groups. The logistic regression model used to assess clinicopathological parameters showed lower Hct (OR, 1.42 × 10(-12); 95% CI, 1.42 × 10(-17) to 4.0 × 10(-6)), higher mean corpuscular volume (OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.08 to 1.50), and higher alanine aminotransferase concentrations (OR, 1.005; 95% CI, 1.001 to 1.009) were more likely in APSS patients. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Several clinicopathologic differences between dogs with congenital and acquired shunts were identified; however, assessed alone, these would be unlikely to enable differentiation between the 2 conditions. Awareness of the rarity of ascites in CPSS cases should prompt recognition of a likely diagnosis of APSS, allowing the veterinarian to target further diagnostics and counsel the owner appropriately.     

Correlation between blood and milk serum leptin in goats and growth of their offspring

Boer and Boer crossbred meat-type does were used in two experiments to determine whether goat milk serum contains leptin and to investigate possible correlations of milk and serum leptin in does and subsequent growth of their offspring. Blood and milk samples were collected within 2 h of kidding (d 0) from 20 (Exp. 1; spring) or 22 does (Exp. 2; the following fall). Blood milk samples were then collected again on d 0.5, 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, and 56 (Exp. 1) or d 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, and 21 (Exp. 2). Body weights of kids were recorded on d 0, and BW of kids and does were recorded weekly beginning on d 7 (kids) or 21 (does), with BCS also recorded for does beginning on d 28 for Exp. 1 and on d 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, and 21 for Exp. 2. Leptin was detected in colostral milk and was influenced by days postpartum, decreasing (P < 0.001) over time with an average of 4.4 +/- 0.3 ng/mL (Exp. 1) and 18.1 +/- 1.0 ng/mL (Exp. 2) on d 0 compared with 1.0 +/- 0.3 ng/mL on d 56 (Exp. 1) and 2.9 +/- 0.2 ng/mL on d 21 (Exp. 2). Day postpartum and milk serum leptin were negatively correlated (P < 0.001) for Exp. 1 (r = -0.27) and Exp. 2 (r = -0.46). For Exp. 1 only, blood serum leptin tended (P = 0.09) to be influenced by day, with a weak positive correlation (r = 0.15; P < 0.02). Weak positive correlations (P < 0.01) were found between blood serum leptin and doe BCS (r = 0.42 in Exp. 1, and r = 0.13 in Exp. 2) and doe BW (r = 0.44 in Exp. 1, and r = 0.26 in Exp. 2), with the absence of a stronger relationship likely due in part to the short time period measured and the lack of significant changes in BCS and BW during that time. In conclusion, leptin was present in milk and blood serum of does, and blood serum leptin was weakly correlated with doe BW and BCS, but it was not related to kid BW. Therefore, further studies are needed to clarify the relationships involving milk and serum leptin in goats.