Idiopathic epilepsy in dogs: owners' perspectives on management with phenobarbitone and/or potassium bromide

OBJECTIVES: To explore seizure management from the perspective of the owners of dogs with idiopathic epilepsy. METHODS: Questionnaires were mailed to owners of 29 dogs under management for suspected or diagnosed idiopathic epilepsy through the clinics of the Small Animal Hospital of the University of Glasgow Veterinary School, using either phenobarbitone or potassium bromide alone or in combination. RESULTS: The postal survey had an 86 per cent response rate. Analysis of the responses demonstrated that "the dog's quality of life", "adequate seizure frequency" and "acceptable side effects of antiepileptic drugs" were the three greatest concerns for owners; 52 per cent of owners strongly agreed that the seizure management for their dog was adequate, though the seizure frequency reported varied within this group; the majority of owners did not consider the administration of medication a nuisance. However, approximately 60 per cent of owners reported that caring for an epileptic dog had an effect on the organisation of their free time, though this was not dependent on perception of seizure control. Opinions as to the value of further diagnostic procedures, in particular intracranial imaging, were significantly affected by having pet health insurance. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: From the owners' perspective, adequacy of seizure control is determined by the balance between "the dog's quality of life", "adequate seizure frequency" and "acceptable side effects of antiepileptic drugs". A frequency of less than one seizure every three months is associated with the perception by owners of adequate seizure control.     

Antiserum against culture filtrate is cross-protective for various serovars of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae

The protective effect of porcine antiserum prepared against culture filtrate (CF) of an attenuated strain of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae (serovar 2) in mice to challenge with 20 virulent strains of 18 serovars and one type N was investigated. Passively immunized mice survived after challenge with serovars 1a, 1b, 2, 5, 6, 8 (strain Goda), 11, 12, 15, 16, 21 or type N, but 10-30% mortality occurred in immunized mice challenged with each strain of serovars 4, 7, 8 (strain 911), 9, 18 or 19 and 70% mortality to serovar 10 (strain 2179). All immunized mice died after challenge with serovar 20 (strain 2553). Non-treated control mice died after challenge with all serovars and the type tested.     

Virulence factors in Escherichia coli isolated from piglets with neonatal and post-weaning diarrhea in Japan

A total of 567 strains of Escherichia coli were isolated from piglets with neonatal diarrhea (ND) or post-weaning diarrhea (PWD) in Japan. They were investigated for enterotoxigenicity and possession of adhesins and O antigens. There were clear differences between the strains of ND origin and those of PWD origin in the occurrence of enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) strains, type of enterotoxin and frequency of adhesins: ETEC was found in 77 (25.7%) of 300 strains of ND origin and in 137 (51.3%) of 267 strains of PWD origin. ETEC strains producing heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) or heat-stable enterotoxin (STa), alone or in combination were evenly distributed among the strains of PWD origin. In contrast most of the ETEC strains of ND origin produced LT alone. Adhesins appeared in 42 (54.5%) of 77 ETEC strains of ND origin and in 36 (26.3%) of 137 ETEC strains of PWD origin. Adhesins were less common in ETEC strains of PWD origin than in those of ND origin. Some K99-positive ETEC strains of PWD origin produced both LT and STa. There was a similarity in the distribution of O antigens, particularly O149 and O157, between the strains of ND origin and those of PWD origin.     

Antigenic variation of porcine transmissible gastroenteritis virus detected by monoclonal antibodies

Mouse myeloma cells (SP2/O) were fused with spleen cells from BALB/c mice immunized with detergent-solubilized antigen of purified virus, and 21 monoclonal (MC) antibodies reactive in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with the TO-163 strain of porcine transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) virus were obtained. Of these MC antibodies, 14, 6 and 1 were IgG1, IgG2a and IgM, respectively. All of the MC antibodies contained light chains of the kappa type. Of these MC antibodies, 8 were found to have neutralization (NT) activity against the TO-163 strain. Comparison of 7 strains of TGE virus by NT tests using our panel of MC antibodies confirmed their close antigenic relationships, but also revealed the occurrence of distinct antigenic differences. These results suggest that there may be at least 6 different epitopes involved in NT reaction on the virion of the TO-163 strain. This notion was confirmed by the competitive binding assay.     

Exploration of the cellular mediated immunity by the blastogenesis test during chronic brucellosis in human

The diagnosis of the chronic, human brucellosis is frequently difficult and usually needs experimental methods. This paper describes a lymphocyte stimulation test with a Brucella antigen and the results of this test concerning 45 brucellic or not brucellic patients. It is concluded that this test is interesting, especially for the chronic and sero-negative Brucellosis diagnosis.     

Correlation between adherence of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae strains of serovar 1a to tissue culture cells originated from porcine kidney and their pathogenicity in mice and swine

Adherence of four virulent and four avirulent strains of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, serovar 1a, to porcine kidney cell lines, PK-15 and ESK cells, was examined in an in vitro system. The virulent strains adhered well to the cells (range of means, 9.95 +/- 0.87-36.01 +/- 1.10 per cell). In contrast, the avirulent strains showed negligible adherence to the cells (range of means, 0.11 +/- 0.04-1.41 +/- 0.13 per cell). Pretreatment of bacteria with heat, trypsin, or antiserum resulted in a marked decrease in adherence. Scanning electron microscopic examination revealed that the bacteria attached directly to the microvilli of cells.     

Potential potassium buffer capacity of Kamchatka volcanic soils

The volcanic soils of Kamchatka are characterized by low and very low values of their potential potassium buffer capacity. The largest amount of readily exchangeable potassium (-ΔK ₀) is observed in the surface layers of the natural soils and is due to the active biogenic accumulation. The soddy horizons have a high content of strongly fixed potassium (K _X ). The main factors determining the content of the labile potassium and its mobility are the contents of physical clay, humus, and exchangeable potassium. The extremely nonuniform distribution of all the potassium status parameters throughout the soil profile reflects the discrete character of the volcanic pedogenesis. The low values of the potential buffer capacity for the potassium (PBC^K) at the high values of the equilibrium potassium potential (AR ₀) and the medium content of the labile potassium in the light-textured synlithogenic soils simultaneously indicate both the good potassium supply of the plants and the incapability of the soils to resist potassium exhaustion under agricultural production conditions for a long time.     

Cutaneous leiomyosarcoma with visceral metastases in a White Carneau pigeon and literature review

Cutaneous leiomyosarcomas are malignant mesenchymal tumors of smooth muscle origin and are reported occasionally in avian species. A 14-y-old male laboratory White Carneau pigeon (Columba livia) was presented for surgical excision of a cervical soft tissue mass. Ultrasonography with color flow Doppler imaging revealed multiple cavitations of mixed echogenicity within the mass and vascularization. Histologically, the dermis and subcutis were expanded by a densely cellular multinodular mass comprised of fusiform cells forming haphazardly arranged broad streams and short interwoven bundles, often surrounding blood vessels and variably sized cavitations. Neoplastic cells were strongly immunopositive for desmin and α–smooth muscle actin, and negative for pancytokeratin, S100, and von Willebrand factor. Based on histopathology and IHC findings, the cutaneous mass was diagnosed as leiomyosarcoma (LMS). The pigeon died 312 d post-operatively. Postmortem examination revealed masses infiltrating the left and right pulmonary airways and one hepatic nodule, but no regrowth at the surgical site. Histologic and IHC evaluation of the pulmonary and hepatic masses were consistent with LMS, representing metastatic foci from the primary cutaneous LMS. Our case highlights the malignant behavior and histomorphologic features of cutaneous LMS in an avian species.