Comparative studies of the acid-base status in venous, capillary and mixed blood from the ear of the dog

Ten experimental dogs were tested in twelve experimental arrangements, with a view to finding out the extent to which results of acid-base determination or blood gas analysis could be significantly affected by induced hyperaemia of the ear or by the choice of a site for blood collection, including puncture of an ear vein. No difference was secured. Hence, ear vein puncture may be used to collect so-called capillary blood. Reference is made to the author's own values for use as criteria.     

Demonstration of the agent of bovine viral diarrhea-mucosal disease (BVD/MD) in comparison between organ fluoresence freezing method and the direct cultivation in tissue culture]

Organs of 100 calves whose clinical symptoms indicated a BVD/MD viral infection have been examined in the laboratory by different methods on BVD/MD virus in order to compare the effectivity of the single test-systems. By inoculation of organ material into tissue culture from foetal calf kidneys and additional staining with swine-fever conjugate in the CCSC-system 59 calves were detected as BVD/MD virus carriers. Taking this result for comparative purposes equal to 100% there could be stated an effectivity of 73% by inoculation of tissue cultures and judging cpe instead of staining with fluorescent antibody as above. Only 34% reactions could be demonstrated by means of heterotypic immunofluorescence in organ tissues. For diagnostic purposes a combination of the easy and quick method of heterotypic immunofluorescence in organ tissues and a cultural virus isolation from organ material with additional immunofluorescence is recommended.     

Six-month prophylactic efficacy of moxidectin sustained release (SR) injectable for dogs against experimental heartworm infection in growing puppies

The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of moxidectin sustained release injectable for dogs (moxidectin SR, Fort Dodge Animal Health) in protecting growing puppies from experimental infection with the heartworm, Dirofilaria immitis, six months after treatment. The study involved 27 puppies, approximately 12 weeks of age at the beginning of the study, with nine puppies in each of three size classes. The small breed class included eight Pekingese and one purpose-bred small breed mongrel; the medium breed class included nine purpose-bred mongrels, and the large breed class included nine puppies with an anticipated adult weight >or=30-35 kg. Both genders were included with no attempt made to have equal numbers of male and female puppies. Puppies were blocked by weight within each size class and randomly assigned to three treatment groups of nine dogs. On Day 0, pups in two groups were injected subcutaneously with moxidectin SR, dosed to deliver 0.17 mg moxidectin/kg b.w. The third group was injected with sterile saline. Personnel making observations were blinded to the treatment status of the animals. Following treatment, puppies were observed for signs of adverse local and systemic reactions. Puppy weights and serum moxidectin levels were also monitored. On Day 180, puppies in all treatment groups were inoculated subcutaneously with 50 third-stage larvae of D. immitis. On Days 348 and 349, puppies were euthanatized and necropsied. Hearts and lungs were examined for adult heartworms. All animals in the saline control group were infected with an arithmetic mean of 39.22 adult heartworms each. Seventeen of 18 dogs in the moxidectin SR-treated groups were uninfected. One treated puppy was infected with a single adult heartworm. This infected individual was from the large breed size class and had the second highest percent increase in body weight. Based on arithmetic means, the heartworm recovery from all treated puppies represents a 99.86% reduction relative to the saline control. There were no adverse local or systemic reactions to treatment in any animal.