Effects of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor on urine spraying behavior in cats.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of a readily available selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), fluoxetine hydrochloride, on reducing problem urine spraying in cats. DESIGN: Randomized placebo-controlled double-blind clinical trial. ANIMALS: 17 neutered cats > 1 year old with objectionable urine spraying behavior. Procedure-Owners recorded urine-spraying events for 2 weeks (baseline). Cats that vertically marked a mean of > or = 3 times per week were treated for 8 weeks with fluoxetine or fish-flavored liquid placebo. If urine spraying was not reduced by 70% by weeks 4 through 5, the dosage was increased by 50% for weeks 7 and 8. After discontinuation of treatment at the end of 8 weeks, owners recorded daily urine marks for another 4 weeks. RESULTS: The mean (+/- SE) weekly rate of spraying episodes in treated cats was 8.6 (+/- 2.0) at baseline, decreased significantly by week 2 (1.7 +/- 0.6), and continued to decrease by weeks 7 and 8 (0.4 +/- 0.2). The mean weekly spraying rate of cats receiving placebo was 7.8 (+/- 1.5) at baseline, decreased only slightly during week 1 (5.5 +/- 1.8), and did not decline further. When treatment was discontinued after 8 weeks, the spraying rate of cats that had received treatment varied. The main adverse reaction to the drug was a reduction in food intake, which was observed in 4 of 9 treated cats. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Administration of fluoxetine hydrochloride for treatment of urine spraying in cats can be expected to considerably reduce the rate of urine marking. The frequency of spraying before treatment is predictive of the spraying rate when the drug is discontinued.     

Determination of albumin in caprine serum

Dye-binding techniques using bromocresol green (BCG) and bromocresol purple (BCP) were compared with cellulose acetate electrophoresis for the determination of caprine serum albumin. When a caprine standard was used the electrophoretic values showed little difference from those obtained with BCG. However, when a bovine standard or BCP were used, there were differences. Bias was detected between the values determined with bovine and caprine albumin standards owing to the different absorbances of the dye-protein mixtures. Using BCG, a closer correlation was obtained between the electrophoretic and caprine standard values than between the electrophoretic and bovine standard values, but with BCP the reverse was true although these differences were not significant. BCP was considered a less suitable dye than BCG for routine analysis because of low absorbance changes and the resulting poor precision.     

Admission clinicopathological data, length of stay, cost and mortality in an equine neonatal intensive care unit

Veterinary internists need to prognosticate patients quickly and accurately in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). This may depend on laboratory data collected on admission, the cost of hospitalisation, length of stay (LOS) and mortality rate experienced in the NICU. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective study of 62 equine neonates admitted to a NICU of a private equine referral hospital to determine the prognostic value of venous clinicopathological data collected on admission before therapy, the cost of hospitalisation, LOS and mortality rate. The WBC count, total CO2 (TCO2) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were significantly higher (P < or = 0.05) and anion gap lower in survivors compared with nonsurvivors. A logistic regression model that included WBC count, hematocrit, albumin/globulin ratio, ALP, TCO2, potassium, sodium and lactate, was able to correctly predict mortality in 84% of cases. Only anion gap proved to be an independent predictor of neonatal mortality in this study. In the study population, the overall mortality rate was 34% with greatest mortality rates reported in the first 48 hours and again on day 6 of hospitalisation. Amongst the various clinical diagnoses, mortality was highest in foals after forced extraction during correction of dystocia. Median cost per day was higher for nonsurvivors while total cost was higher in survivors.     

Human-directed aggression in miniature pet pigs

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether associations exist between human-directed aggression and sex, neutering status, age of weaning, the presence of other pet pigs, or the presence of environmental enrichment objects in miniature pet pigs. DESIGN: Internet survey. STUDY POPULATION: Responses from 222 owners of miniature pet pigs. PROCEDURES: Pet pig owners were requested to complete a 48-item multiple-choice and short-answer Internet survey for each pig that they presently owned. RESULTS: Among 222 surveys that met enrollment criteria, human-directed aggression that occurred on at least 1 occasion was reported in 64% (n = 142) and aggression that occurred once or more per month was reported in 31% (69). No significant differences were found in the prevalence of human-directed aggression among castrated males, sexually intact females, and spayed females. Ages of weaning and neutering and the presence of objects intended to serve as environmental enrichment were not associated with frequency of aggression. A significant inverse association was detected between presence of other pigs in the same household and human-directed aggression, such that 21% (20/95) of pigs that lived with at least 1 conspecific were aggressive on a frequent basis, compared with 39% (49/126) of pigs that lived with no conspecific. A similar inverse association was evident regarding aggression that occurred on at least 1 occasion. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggested that human-directed aggression is a common problem in miniature pet pigs. The presence of a conspecific can be expected to reduce the likelihood of human-directed aggression.     

Prevalence and pathogenicity of anoplocephala perfoliata in a horse population in South Auckland

A survey of the prevalence of A noplocephala perfoliata in 65 horses is described. An overall prevalence rate of 82% was found for A. perfoliata infection and 77% of infected horses exhibited ulcerative pathology in the ileo-caecal region directly associated with this parasite. Anoplocephela magna and Paranoplocephala mamillana were not recovered.     

Foetal losses during pregnancy in the thoroughbred mare: A record of 2,562 pregnancies

Abstract

Extract

Losses during pregnancy in the thoroughbred mare are very common. There are, however, very few detailed reports on either incidence, stages of pregnancy at which the losses occur, or their aetiology. Matassino (1962) Matassino, D. 1962. A study of the vital statics of Hafling mares in Southern Italy. I. Services, conceptions, non-pregnancies, abortions, parturitions and average age at different parturitions. Ann. Fac. Sci. agr. Portici, 28: 249–267. Ser. 3 [Abstr. 1788 in Anim. Breeding Abs., 31 (1963)]. [Google Scholar] reported an overall abortion rate of 13.8% in Italy, reaching a peak in young horses of 34%. Du Plessis (1964) Du Plessis, J. L. 1964. Some observations and data in thoroughbred breeding. J. S. Afr. vet. med. Ass., 35: 215–221.  [Google Scholar] in South Africa, recorded a rate of 14%, while more recently van Niekerk (1965) van Niekerk, C. H. 1965. II. Early embryonic resorption in mares. J. S. Afr. vet. med. Ass., 36: 61–69.  [Google Scholar], in the same country, reported a very high rate of foetal death between 25 and 31 days of gestation in mares on low protein veld grazing. This paper describes foetal losses during pregnancy from mares examined in the Hunter Valley, Australia, between 1957 and 1962 and covers 2,562 individual pregnancies.     

Meningoencephalomyelitis in a foal due to Salmonella agona infection

CASE HISTORY: A neonatal Thoroughbred foal was presented with rib fractures and left forelimb lameness secondary to dystocia.

CLINICAL FINDINGS: The foal developed a head tilt, seizures and watery diarrhoea during hospitalisation and died at 7 days of age. Histological examination of the brain and spinal cord revealed a suppurative meningoencephalomyelitis with vasculitis, and numerous intralesional, gram-negative bacilli. Similar microscopic lesions were noted in the lungs, renal medullary interstitium, and umbilicus. Bacilli in the brain, spinal cord and umbilicus were identified immunohistochemically as Salmonella group B. Salmonella agona was isolated in pure culture from the brain, lung, liver, kidney, and intestine.

CONCLUSION: This is the first report of meningoencephalomyelitis and septicaemia due to Salmonella infection in an equine neonate.     

Critical test evaluation of micronized mebendazole against Anoplocephala Perfoljata in the horse

Extract

More than half of the writer's group practice involves equine cases, mostly racehorses, and a large percentage of the surgery associated with them is orthopaedic. For this reason, and because a prosthetic technique requiring good surgical facilities has been used for surgical correction of laryngeal hemiplegia, an attempt was made to design and have constructed a unit which would fulfil the following :

2. A table of suitable size and strength with adequate padding.

3. The table to be elevated reliably to a comfortable operating height.

4. The elevation to be; rapid so that after induction of anaesthesia and elevation the horse would still be deeply anaesthetized enough to allow easy passage of the endotracheal tube.

5. A safe and efficient method to move the anaesthetized post-operative patient to a recovery room.

The capital and maintenance costs of the theatre had to be met by the returns from surgical fees and, to avoid increasing these significantly, the construction was carried out using facilities already available, and using only essential items.