A diet formulated from by‐products and indigenous foodstuffs for laying hens

1. The performance of six commercial stocks of laying hens fed on a diet composed of home‐produced foodstuffs, not usually used for human consumption, was compared with that of birds fed on a conventional diet.

2. The experimental diet was calculated to be low in energy and methionine and high in fibre by conventional standards. Birds ate up to 12% more of this diet, but the calculated intakes of energy and methionine were less than those of the corresponding controls.

3. White stocks fed on the experimental diet produced seven eggs less per bird than controls while the production of brown stocks was essentially unaffected.

4. The gross efficiency of energy utilisation for egg production was better with the experimental diet.     

Age-related variations in hematologic and plasma biochemical test results in Beagles and Labrador Retrievers

OBJECTIVE: To investigate age-related variations in results of hematologic and plasma biochemical tests performed on dogs of 2 common breeds. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. ANIMALS: 34 Beagles and 44 Labrador Retrievers. PROCEDURE: Blood samples were collected throughout the dogs' lives; 589 samples were collected from the Beagles and 964 samples were collected from the Labrador Retrievers (age at the time of sample collection ranged from 22 days to 15 years). White blood cell and RBC counts; hemoglobin concentration; Hct; mean cell volume; mean cell hemoglobin concentration; alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase activities; and calcium, phosphorus, cholesterol, urea, protein, and albumin concentrations were measured. RESULTS: For all tests, there were significant effects of age on test results. There was a significant interaction between age and breed for all tests except hemoglobin, albumin, and phosphorus concentrations. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggested that there were age-related changes in hematologic and plasma biochemical test results in these 2 breeds of dogs. Changes were most evident during the first year of life, reflecting growth and maturation of the puppies. In some instances, values for puppies diverged markedly from those for adults, necessitating the use of age-specific reference ranges for the interpretation of clinical data.     

Dietary antioxidants and behavioral enrichment enhance neutrophil phagocytosis in geriatric Beagles

The study objective was to determine the effects of feeding food enriched in antioxidants and a program of environmental/cognitive enrichment on selected ex vivo assays of inflammatory and immune cells in healthy geriatric Beagle dogs (n=21). Four groups of dogs were tested using a 2 x 2 factorial design. The 2-year longitudinal study included both nutritional (control food or antioxidant-fortified food) and behavioral (normal level or cognitive enrichment) interventions. Behavior enrichment included increased exercise, environmental enrichment, and a series of learning tasks. Phagocytosis of opsonized latex-coated beads by peripheral blood neutrophils was measured by flow cytometry and found to be significantly increased in dogs receiving both dietary antioxidants and cognitive enrichment. Simultaneous stimulation of cells with Con A and suppression with Dex resulted in decreased lymphocyte proliferation in dogs receiving both dietary antioxidants and cognitive enrichment, compared to dogs receiving dietary antioxidants or cognitive enrichment alone. There were no significant differences between the groups of dogs for percentages of CD4 and CD8 T-lymphocyte subpopulations before or after lymphocyte stimulation with Con A. These results support our hypothesis that both dietary antioxidants and behavioral enrichment enhance host defense mechanisms.     

Comparative efficacies of oral ketoconazole and terbinafine for reducing Malassezia population sizes on the skin of Basset Hounds

The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of oral ketoconazole and terbinafine for reducing population sizes of Malassezia yeasts on canine skin. Twenty-one Basset Hounds were randomised in three groups of seven according to Malassezia populations. Dogs in the first group were treated by oral administration of ketoconazole (Ketofungol) 200 mg, Janssen-Cilag) at 10 mg x kg-1, every 24 h with food, for 3 weeks. Dogs in the second group were treated by oral administration of terbinafine (Lamisil) 250 mg, Novartis) at 30 mg x kg-1, every 24 h with food, for 3 weeks. The seven remaining dogs were used as controls. Malassezia population sizes were assessed by use of contact plates on four cutaneous sites at days 7, 14 and 21. Both ketoconazole and terbinafine were effective in reducing the baseline levels of Malassezia organisms with no significant difference between the two drugs. In further studies, oral terbinafine should be evaluated for the management of canine cases of Malassezia dermatitis.     

Effects of high and low inspired fractions of oxygen on horse erythrocyte membrane properties, blood viscosity and muscle oxygenation during anaesthesia

ObjectivesTo evaluate whether a period of hyperoxia or after a period of hypoxia produced changes attributable to reactive oxygen species in anaesthetized horses.Study designProspective randomized experimental study.AnimalsSix healthy (ASA I) geldings, aged 4.5–9.5 years and weighing 510–640 kg^?1.MethodsAfter 30 minutes breathing air as carrier gas for isoflurane, horses were assigned randomly to breathe air as carrier gas (CG0.21) or oxygen as carrier gas (CG1.00) for a further 90 minutes. After an interval of 1 month each horse was re-anaesthetized with the other carrier gas for the 90 minute test period. Ventilation was controlled throughout anaesthesia. Arterial blood was sampled to measure gas tensions, lactate, cholesterol, vitamin E, 4-hydroxy-alkenals, 8-epi-PGF_2α, half haemolysis time, half erythrolysis time, and erythrocyte membrane fluidity. Muscle blood flow and oxygenation were evaluated by near infrared spectroscopy and coloured Doppler.ResultsAfter the first 30 minutes horses were hypoxemic. Subsequently the CG1.00 group became hyperoxaemic (PaO₂～240 mmHg) whereas the CG0.21 group remained hypoxaemic (PaO₂～60 mmHg) and had increased lactate concentration. No significant changes in vitamin E, 4-hydroxy-alkenals, or 8-epi-PGF_2α concentrations were detected. During the 90 minute test period the CG0.21 group had increased resistance to free-radical-mediated lysis in erythrocytes, whereas the CG1.00 group had slightly decreased resistance of whole blood to haemolysis. CG0.21 induced a progressive muscle deoxygenation whereas CG1.00 induced an increase in muscle oxygen saturation followed by progressive deoxygenation towards baseline.Conclusions and clinical relevanceDuring isoflurane anaesthesia in horses, the hyperoxia induced by changing from air to oxygen induced minimal damage from reactive oxygen species. Using air as the carrier gas decreased skeletal muscle oxygenation compared with using oxygen.     

Clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of cyclosporine in dogs with atopic dermatitis

OBJECTIVE: To determine efficacy and safety of cyclosporine in the treatment of atopic dermatitis among dogs in North America. DESIGN: Randomized controlled (phase 1) and open-label (phase 2) trials. ANIMALS: 268 dogs with atopic dermatitis. PROCEDURE: In phase 1, dogs were randomly assigned to be treated with cyclosporine (5 mg/kg [2.3 mg/Ib], PO, q 24 h) or a placebo. In phase 2, all dogs were treated with cyclosporine for 16 weeks. Frequency of cyclosporine administration was decreased if dogs improved clinically. RESULTS: At the end of phase 1, canine atopic dermatitis extent and severity index (CADESI) scores for dogs treated with cyclosporine were significantly lower than scores for control dogs. Percentage of dogs with severe pruritus decreased from 67% to 16% for the cyclosporine group but from 66% to only 61% for the control group. During phase 2, cyclosporine dosage was decreased to every-other-day administration in 39% of the dogs after 4 weeks. After 12 weeks, 22% of the dogs were treated twice weekly and 36% were treated every other day. After 16 weeks, CADESI score had decreased > 50% in 68% of the dogs and 47% of dogs had no or mild pruritus. The most frequent adverse reactions were gastrointestinal tract signs. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that cyclosporine is efficacious for the treatment of atopic dermatitis in dogs and that frequency of cyclosporine administration can be reduced following an initial induction period. The drug was well tolerated.     

Fatal overdose after ingestion of a transdermal fentanyl patch in two non‐human primates

Case history and presentationTwo non-human primates (Macaca fascicularis), weight 3.5 kg, enrolled in an experimental protocol received a 25 μg hour^?1 transdermal fentanyl patch for postoperative analgesia. The following day both animals were clinically normal, but after a new induction of anaesthesia with ketamine, they developed severe and prolonged respiratory distress, profound coma and myosis.Management and follow-upAttempted reversal with naloxone was ineffective. After several hours of ventilation, both primates eventually died, 7 and 15 hours after ketamine injection, respectively. In both cases, the patch was discovered in the animal's cheek pouch. Subsequent fentanyl serum concentration measurements (8.29 and 14.80 μg L^?1) confirmed fentanyl overdose.ConclusionsThis report of two fatal intoxications in non-human primates secondary to ingestion of a transdermal fentanyl patch demonstrates that this method of analgesia is inappropriate for non-human primates, because of their tendency to chew almost anything they can reach.