Risk Factors for Coughing in Dogs with Naturally Acquired Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease

Background

Cough often is reported as the primary clinical sign of congestive heart failure (CHF) in dogs with chronic degenerative myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD). Concurrent airway disease and compression of the left mainstem bronchus by a large left atrium also have been proposed as potential causes of coughing in these patients.

Objectives

To investigate the association between the presence of coughing and different potential causes of cough, including CHF, abnormal radiographic airway pattern, and cardiomegaly in dogs affected by naturally acquired MMVD.

Animals

Two hundred six client‐owned dogs.

Methods

Retrospective analysis performed on medical records of dogs affected by MMVD that underwent full cardiac evaluation, including echocardiographic examination and thoracic radiography.

Results

Univariate analyses showed that CHF is not a predictor of coughing (OR = 1.369; 0.723, 2.594), whereas abnormal radiographic airway pattern (OR = 3.650; 2.051, 6.496) and increased left atrial size observed radiographically (OR = 3.637; 1.904, 6.950) or echocardiographically (OR = 2.553; 1.436, 4.539) were significantly associated with coughing in dogs with MMVD. The same risk factors were significant in multivariate analyses.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

This study indicates that CHF is not significantly associated with coughing in dogs with MMVD. Instead, abnormal radiographic airway pattern and left atrial enlargement are associated with coughing in these patients. This important finding should be taken into account when considering diagnosis and clinical management of CHF in these dogs.     

Cerebrospinal Fluid Myelin Basic Protein as a Prognostic Biomarker in Dogs with Thoracolumbar Intervertebral Disk Herniation

Background: Release of myelin basic protein (MBP) into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is associated with active demyelination and correlates with outcome in various neurological diseases. Hypothesis/Objectives: To describe associations among CSF MBP concentration, initial neurological dysfunction, and long‐term ambulatory outcome in dogs with acute thoracolumbar intervertebral disk herniation (IVDH). Animals: Five hundred and seventy‐four dogs with acute thoracolumbar IVDH and 16 clinically normal dogs. Methods: Prospective case series clinical study. Signalment, initial neurological dysfunction as determined by a modified Frankel score (MFS), and ambulatory outcome at >3‐month follow‐up were recorded. Cisternal CSF MBP concentration was determined by an ELISA. Associations were estimated between CSF MBP concentration and various clinical parameters. Results: Dogs with thoracolumbar IVDH that did not ambulate at follow‐up had a higher CSF MBP concentration (median, 3.56 ng/mL; range, 0.59–51.2 ng/mL) compared with control dogs (median, 2.22 ng/mL; range, 0–3.82 ng/mL) (P= .032). A CSF MBP concentration of ≥3 ng/mL had a sensitivity of 78% and specificity of 76% to predict an unsuccessful outcome based on receiver‐operating characteristics curve analysis (area under the curve =0.688, P= .079). Affected dogs with a CSF MBP concentration ≥3 ng/mL had 0.09 times the odds of ambulation at follow‐up compared with affected dogs with CSF MBP concentration <3 ng/mL when adjusted for initial MFS (95% confidence interval 0.01–0.66, P= .018). Conclusions and Clinical Importance: These results would suggest that CSF MBP concentration may be useful as an independent prognostic indicator in dogs with thoracolumbar IVDH.     

Humoral Response to 2 Inactivated Bluetongue Virus Serotype‐8 Vaccines in South American Camelids

Background: Bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV‐8) has caused disease in domestic ruminants in several countries of northern Europe since 2006. In 2008 a mass‐vaccination program was launched in most affected countries using whole virus inactivated vaccines. Objective: To evaluate 2 inactivated vaccines (Bovilis BTV 8; BTVPUR AlSap8) for immunogenicity and safety against BTV‐8 in South American camelids (SAC) in a field trial. Animals: Forty‐two SAC (25 Alpacas, 17 Llamas) aged between 1 and 16 years. Methods: The animals were vaccinated twice at intervals of 21 days. They were observed clinically for adverse local, systemic, or both reactions throughout the trial. Blood samples collected on days 0, 14, 21, 43, and 156 after vaccination were tested for the presence of BTV‐8 virus by real time‐polymerase chain reaction and of specific antibodies by competitive ELISA and a serum neutralization test. Results: All vaccinated animals developed antibodies to BTV‐8 after the 2nd administration of the vaccine. No adverse effects were observed except for moderate local swellings at the injection site, which disappeared within 21 days. Slightly increased body temperatures were only observed in the first 2 days after vaccination. The BTV was not detected in any of the samples analyzed. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: The administration of the 2 inactivated commercial vaccines was safe and induced seroconversion against BTV‐8 in all vaccinated animals. The results of this study suggest that 2 doses injected 3 weeks apart is a suitable vaccination regimen for SAC.     

一株鸡新城疫病毒的分离鉴定及其油乳剂灭活苗免疫效果评价

从河南某种鸡场发病鸡群中分离出1株毒株,经HA、HI和动物回归试验,确定分离的病毒为NDV,命名为HNYD株。经过测定,HNYD株鸡胚半数致死量（ELD50）为10^90/0．1mL;鸡胚最小致死量的平均致死时间（MDT）为53．8h;对1日龄SPF雏鸡脑内致病指数（ICPI）为1．86,提示HNYD株为强毒力株。血清交叉反应试验显示HNYD株和La Sota株存在一定的抗原性差异。用HNYD株油乳剂灭活苗对HNYD株和La Sota株的保护率分别为90％和100％,明显优于La Sota株油乳剂灭活苗,提示HNYD株制备的疫苗对流行毒株和经典毒株的攻击均能很好的保护。     

Development of Nucleic Acid Lateral Flow Immunoassay Detection Method for Foot-and-mouth Disease Virus

In this article, through the combination of nucleic acid probes and immune chromatography, a simple, sensitive and specific detection system——nucleic acid lateral flow immunoassay (NALFIA) for amplifing foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) 3D RT-PCR products was established.An ultrasensitive nucleic acid biosensor (NAB) based on streptavidin-labeled gold nanoparticles dual labels and lateral flow strip biosensor (LFSB) were used in this system.The biotinylated goat anti-rabbit IgG was marked to the NC membrane as the alleged strip and the anti-digoxin antibody was labeled to the NC membrane to capture the digoxin probe.After assemblying gold-labeled strip and detecting RT-PCR products, the detection limit of NALFIA was 0.3×10^-3 to 3×10^-3 μg/μL.The NALFIA was compared with agar gel electrophoresis analysis, the results showed that the sensitivity of NALFIA was higher than agar gel electrophoresis.There was an excellent agreement between the two methods.NALFIA was a method with high sensitive, low cost and short time.In conclusion, this method provided a good alternative to detect FMDV.     

Potential as an aerosol vaccine of an improved Newcastle disease vaccine derived from the LaSota strain—II. In vivo studies

Aerosol administrations of RIT 4030 and other available vaccine strains have been carried out in SPF and in conventional chickens. The results indicate that the RIT 4030 and Ulster 2C strains are significantly less reactogenic than the LaSota and the Hitchner B1 strains.The RIT 4030 strain produces an immune response even when administered to chickens with maternal antibodies and induces a better protection to challenge than the Ulster 2C strain.The replication of the RIT 4030 strain in the respiratory tract will be discussed with respect to its attenuation and transmissibility.