Bronchoalveolar lavage in horses: effect of exercise and repeated sampling on cytology

SUMMARY Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed at weekly intervals in 10 Thoroughbred horses in race training (group 1) and in 4 rested horses (group 2) for 10 weeks. Lavages were continued on a weekly basis in 4 group 1 horses for an additional 9 weeks (group 3). Cytological analysis of samples included leukocyte counts, erythrocyte counts, differential leukocyte counts, and haemosiderophage score. The mean leukocyte concentration was significantly lower in group 1(92.1 ± 4.6 cells/μL) when compared with group 2 (133.5 ± 8.2 cells/μL), P = 0.037. The differential leukocyte data were not significantly different between groups. There was a large amount of variability in the percent-age of macrophages and lymphocytes in the differential counts over time with no obvious trends. The proportion of neutrophils demonstrated a tendency to decrease over time for both groups 1 and 2. Erythrocyte counts and haemosiderin scores were significantly higher in the exercising group than the rested horses. Neither exercise nor the technique itself evoked an inflammatory response in the BAL fluid.     

Differences in larval growth among families of Penaeus stylirostris Stimpson and P. vannamei Boone

Abstract. Full-sib families of Penaeus stylirostris Stimpson and Penaeus vannamei Boone were grown under controlled conditions in five experiments. Total length of shrimp larvae was measured at the following substages: protozoea one, mysis one and postlarva one. Analysis of variance showed that families differed significantly in size in all experiments at all substages tested. The average size possessed by a group of larvae early in development was significantly correlated with the size obtained in the later stages in P. siylirosiris , but not in P. vannamei . The component of variance in size due to family differences was determined and used to estimate heritabilities of size at the three larval substages in both species. Estimated heritabilities were higher for P. stylirostris than P. vannamei . In P. vannamei . the hcritability of size is greater for the protozoea and postlarval stages than the mysis stage.     

Melaena associated with dexamethasone therapy in the dog

A retrospective study of seventeen cases of canine melaena incriminated a mean daily dosage of 3.6 mg/kg (range 1.3–13.8 mg/kg) of dexamethasone. All dogs were afflicted with some central nervous system disorder with intervertebral disc disease present in twelve of the cases. Ten of the the seventeen subjects had concurrently received ampicillin therapy. Causation was linked by the previous finding that ACTH and cortisone impede both gastric epithelial renewal and surface mucus formation.     

Studies on cultured and gill-attached Paramoeba sp. (Gymnamoebae: Paramoebidae) and the cytopathology of paramoebic gill disease in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., from Tasmania

Abstract. The normally free-living amoeba Paramoeba sp. is associated with epithelial hyperplasia on the gills of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., in Tasmania. Gill-attached paramoebae were significantly larger than cultured ones. Unlike cultured paramoebae, gill-attached ones had small electron-dense, cytoplasmic deposits and small surface projections at the host-parasite interface. Examination of sequential samples of Tasmanian salmon gills from spring to summer indicated that pathological changes in the gill filaments were associated only with the presence of Paramoeba ; the parasite was also associated with necrosis of surface epithelial cells, and cytoplasmic processes passed into and between surface cells of hyperplastic gill epithelium. The evidence points to the paramoebae as primary opportunistic pathogens causing mechanical and possibly chemical damage. Based on size and ultrastructure, the Paramoeba sp. most closely resembles P. pemaquidensis Page.     

IDENTIFICATION AND PREVALENCE OF ERRORS AFFECTING THE QUALITY OF RADIOGRAPHS SUBMITTED TO AUSTRALIAN THOROUGHBRED YEARLING SALE REPOSITORIES

We aimed to identify common mistakes made when radiographing yearling sale horses. Radiographic examinations from repositories at eight yearling sales held in Australia in 2003 were assessed by one of four veterinary radiology specialists. Each radiographic examination consisted of a maximum of 34 radiographs. Each radiograph was assessed for errors associated with movement, exposure, positioning, labeling or marker placement, and processing, and categorized as either ideal, less than ideal or nondiagnostic. In addition, from the first 800 sets catalogued, 167 were selected randomly and read twice by the four radiologists for agreement analysis. A total of 81,297 radiographs were examined for errors affecting quality. Positioning errors were the most common reason for radiographs to be considered nondiagnostic (2432/81,297; 3%), with the flexed lateromedial (LM) metacarpophalangeal joint, LM metatarsophalangeal joint, and the dorsomedial palmarolateral (DMPaLO) carpal views being the most frequently involved. Overexposure (14,357/81,297; 17.7%) was the most common reason for radiographs being categorized as less than ideal with the LM stifle view the most represented. Agreement within and between radiologists for reporting errors in positioning of the flexed LM metacarpophalangeal joint, LM metatarsophalangeal joint, and DMPaLO carpal views varied from slight to almost perfect. The low repeatability within radiologists on some views suggests that before declaring a radiograph nondiagnostic it is worth considering rereading it at another time. Care should be taken in positioning of the flexed LM metacarpophalangeal, LM metatarsophalangeal, and DMPaLO carpus views to maximize radiograph quality.     

EVALUATION OF LYMPHOMA IN A CAT USING 99mTc-SESTAMIBI

This report describes the evaluation of cutaneous lymphoma in a cat using 99mTc-sestamibi. A mass in the left pes with extension to the left popliteal lymph node was diagnosed as B-cell lymphoma. Thoracic and abdominal radiography and abdominal ultrasound were unremarkable. Scintigraphy using 99mTc-sestamibi confirmed the lesion was confined to the left hind leg, and the leg was amputated. The cat made a full recovery.     

Feeding Unusual Pets

Abstract— A review is presented of some of the problems concerned in the nutrition and dietary requirements of unusual pets. The species discussed are the budgerigar, canary, parrot, monkey, rabbit, guinea pig, mouse, rat, hamster, skunk, snake, turtle, ocelot and alligator.
Résumé— Revue de quelques-uns des problèmes entrant en ligne de compte dans la nutrition et les exigences diététiques de certains anirnaux familiers peu courants. Les espèces envisagées sont la perruche ondulée, le canari, le perroquet, le singe, le lapin, le cobaye, la souris, le rat, le hamster, le skunk, le serpent, la tortue, l'ocelot et l'alligator.
Zusammenfassung— Es wird eine Übersicht über einige Probleme gegeben, die mit der Ernährung und den Diätvorschriften ungewöhnlicher Haustiere zusammenhängen.     

Molecular diagnosis of Marteilia sydneyi (Paramyxea) in Sydney rock oysters, Saccostrea commercialis (Angas)

Abstract. To prepare a diagnostic test, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with universal primers was used to amplify the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) of Marteilia sydneyi rDNA. A radiolabelled probe for M. sydneyi comprising putative ITS1 rDNA gave a strong signal for genomic DNA from M. sydneyi and no signal for host genomic DNA in Southern blots. A PCR to detect M. sydneyi used a forward primer designed from an internal site within the sequenced region and a reverse universal primer. It amplified a 650-bp fragment of M. sydneyi DNA when a combination of host and parasite DNA, extracted from an infected oyster, was used as the template.