Experimental acute yellow-wood (Terminalia oblongata) intoxication in sheep

SUMMARY An aqueous suspension of air-dried, hammer-milled leaf of Terminalla oblongata (yellow-wood) was administered to sheep by gavage, as a single dose of 5 to 20 g (dry weight)/kg body weight. Doses of 15 g/kg, or more, caused depression, Inappetence, abdominal pain and reduced ruminal movements within 24 to 48 h and some sheep also showed dyspnoea, oplsthotonus and champing of the Jaws. Haematology and blood gas and acid-base measurements were unaffected. In sheep given a dose of 12.5 g/kg, or more, plasma osmolality, aspartate aminotransferase activity and potassium and bilirubin concentrations Increased while plasma total protein markedly decreased and plasma sodium concentration and alkaline phosphatase activity remained normal. Most sheep were necropsled 48 h after dosing. The liver showed zonal hepatocellular necrosis, the pattern of which varied with the dose given. No renal lesions were observed, although one sheep given a very high dose became azotaemic and hyperkalaemic. Hydrothorax, hydroperlcardlum and ascltes developed In sheep given doses of 15 or 20 g/kg.     

Assessment of changes in blood volume in response to resuscitative fluid administration in dogs

Objective: To determine the continuous changes in blood volume in response to fluid administration using an in‐line hematocrit monitor. Design: Prospective study. Setting: Research laboratory. Animals: Four healthy dogs. Interventions: Each dog received intravenous boluses of 80 mL/kg of 0.9% saline (S), 4 mL/kg of 7.5% saline (HS), 20 mL/kg of dextran 70 (D), 20 mL/kg of hetastarch (HES), or no fluids (control, C) on separate occasions. Fluids were administered at 150 mL/min in the S, D, and HES groups, and at 1 mL/kg/min in the HS group. Measurements and main results: Blood volume changes were measured every 20 seconds for 240 minutes using an in‐line hematocrit monitor. There was a rapid rise in blood volume during all infusions. Immediately after the administration of crystalloid fluids, the rapid rise in blood volume ceased. Subsequently, there was a steep decline in blood volume for 10 minutes, and a slower decline thereafter. In contrast, the rise in blood volume continued for at least 10 minutes after the infusion of the colloids was complete, and a plateau was observed for the remainder of the experiment. The blood volume effect, as measured by area under the curve, was significantly greater in the saline group than the other groups during the infusion time and for the 0–240 minutes time period. The areas under the curve for the two colloid solutions were not significantly different from each other during any time periods. The percent increase in blood volume immediately following the infusions was 76.4±10.0 in the S group, 17.1±3.2 in the HS group, 23.0±10.5 in the D group, and 27.2±6.4 in the HES group. At 30 minutes from the start of the infusion, the mean percent increases in blood volumes were 35.2±9.3 in the S group, 12.3±0.9 in the HS group, 35.9±7.3 in the D group, and 36.8±6.5 in the HES group. At 240 h post‐infusion, the mean percent increases in blood volume were 18.0±9.7 in the S group, 2.9±6.1 in the HS group, 25.6±16.1 in the D group, and 26.6±8.6 in the HES group. The C group had a mean percent change in blood volume of ?3.7±3.4 at the end of the experiment. Conclusions: This study indicates that the rapid administration of saline at clinically relevant doses leads to the largest immediate increase in blood volume, although this change is transient because of rapid redistribution of the fluid. Despite a brief increase in blood volume that was almost 3 times the volume administered, hypertonic saline led to the smallest increase in blood volume post‐infusion. The synthetic colloid solutions increased the blood volume by an amount greater than that infused and the effect was sustained for a longer period of time than seen following crystalloid administration, but the maximum increase in blood volume was significantly less than saline. The measurement of continuous changes in blood volume, using an in‐line hematocrit monitor, was a useful means of assessing the dynamic effects of fluid administration in dogs in a research setting.     

Antegrade pyelography for suspected ureteral obstruction in cats: 11 cases (1995-2001)

OBJECTIVE: o determine sensitivity and specificity of radiography, ultrasonography, and antegrade pyelography for detection of ureteral obstructions in cats. DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: 11 cats. PROCEDURE: Medical records of cats that had radiography, ultrasonography, and antegrade pyelography performed for suspected ureteral obstructions were examined. Ultrasound-guided pyelocentesis and fluoroscopic-assisted antegrade pyelography were performed on 18 kidneys in 11 cats. Obstructive ureteral lesions were confirmed in all cats by surgical or necropsy examination. Sensitivity and specificity of survey radiography, ultrasonography, and antegrade pyelography for identification of ureteral obstructions were calculated. Surgical or necropsy findings were used as the standard for comparison. RESULTS: All cats were azotemic. Mean +/- SD serum creatinine and BUN concentrations were 10.2 +/- 6.1 and 149 +/- 82 mg/dL, respectively. Fifteen of 18 ureters were found to be obstructed at surgery or necropsy. Sensitivity and specificity were 60 and 100% for radiography and 100 and 33% for ultrasonography, respectively, in identification of ureteral obstructions. Leakage of contrast material developed in 8 of 18 kidneys during antegrade pyelography and prevented diagnostic interpretation in 5 of 18 studies. For the 13 diagnostic studies, specificity and sensitivity were 100% by use of the antegrade pyelography technique. Correct identification of the anatomic location of the ureteral obstruction was obtained in 100% of diagnostic antegrade pyelography studies and in 60% of radiography or ultrasonography studies. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Antegrade pyelography can be a useful alternative in the diagnosis and localization of ureteral obstructions in azotemic cats, although leakage of contrast material may prevent interpretation of the study.     

COMPARISON BETWEEN THE SCINTIGRAPHIC UPTAKE AND PLASMA CLEARANCE OF 99mTc-DIETHYLENETRIAMINEPENTACETIC ACID (DTPA) FOR THE EVALUATION OF THE GLOMERULAR FILTRATION RATE IN DOGS

The scintigraphically measured percentage dose uptake of ^99mTc-DTPA by the kidneys and the plasma clearance of ^99mTc-DTPA have been reported to correlate well with inulin clearance. These two parameters were evaluated in seven dogs with known or suspected naturally occurring renal disease and compared to simultaneously measured renal inulin clearance. Correlation between inulin clearance and the ^99mTc-DTPA plasma clearance was better ( p =.0016) than the correlation between the percentage DTPA uptake by the kidney. It was concluded that measurement of ^99mTc-DTPA plasma clearance is a more accurate method to estimate global glomerular filtration rate (GFR) than the percentage kidney uptake.     

Immunohistochemical Expression of Growth Factors in the Follicular Wall of Normal and Cystic Ovaries of Sows

The expression of growth factors was evaluated immunohistochemically in normal and cystic ovaries of sows. The immunohistochemically stained area (IHCSA) was quantified by image analysis to analyse the expression of these proteins in the follicular wall of secondary, tertiary and cystic follicles. IGF‐I immunoreactivity was strong in the granulosa cell layer (GC), moderate in the theca interna (TI) and mild in the theca externa (TE) of the normal follicles. There was severe reduction of the labelling to IGF‐I in the GC of the follicular and luteinized cysts. In the normal follicles, the reactivity for IGF‐II was very similar to pattern noted in IGF‐I. There was reduction of the IHCSAs in the GC of the follicular and luteinized cysts, but the decrease was not significant. The staining of the IGF‐II in the TI and TE of the cysts was increased, in comparison with normal follicles. The IHCSAs for VEGF were higher in the GC and TE of the normal follicles in contrast to TI, but this difference was noted only in the tertiary follicle. The VEGF reactivity increased in the GC of the cysts, in relation to normal follicles. The results of the current study show that the formation of ovarian cysts in sows is associated with alterations in the immunohistochemical expression of some growth factors.