Sarcocystid organisms found in bile from a dog with acute hepatitis: a case report and review of intestinal and hepatobiliary Sarcocystidae infections in dogs and cats

Sarcocystidae is a family of coccidian protozoa from the phylum Apicomplexa that includes Toxoplasma, Neospora, Sarcocystis, Hammondia, and Besnoitia spp. All species undergo a 2‐host sexual and asexual cycle. In the definitive host, replication is enteroepithelial, and infection is typically asymptomatic or less commonly causes mild diarrhea. Clinical disease is most frequently observed in the intermediate host, often as an aberrant infection, and is mostly associated with neurologic, muscular, or hepatic inflammation. Here, we review the literature regarding intestinal Sarcocystidae infections in dogs and cats, with emphasis on the life cycle stages and the available diagnostic assays and their limitations. We also report the diagnostic findings for an 11‐year‐old dog with acute neutrophilic hepatitis, biliary protozoa, and negative biliary culture. Although Toxoplasma and Neospora IgG titers were both high, PCR for these 2 organisms was negative for bile. The organisms were identified by 18S rDNA PCR as most consistent with Hammondia, either H heydorni or H triffittae. This is the first report of presumed Hammondia organisms being found in canine bile.     

Embryonic Loss in Sows with Repeated Propensity for Small Litter Size

Information is lacking as to the timing and cause of sows that repeatedly have low litter size over several parities. Sows evaluated for the present study had at least two parities either small or=12 (NL) litter size. Following breeding of sows with contemporary boars, reproductive tracts were obtained on day 30 of gestation. There was no difference (p > 0.10) between SL and NL sows in the number of CL, embryo weight or placental length. The total number of embryos and embryonic survival tended to be lower (p < 0.10) in SL sows compared with NL sows, but there were 5.1 less viable embryos (p < 0.03) in SL. Results indicate that time of conceptus loss in SL sows was variable throughout gestation.     

Comparison of carprofen and pethidine as postoperative analgesics in the cat

The postoperative analgesia and sedation in cats given carprofen (4·0 mg/kg bodyweight by subcutaneous injection preoperatively) was compared to that in cats given pethidine (3·3 mg/kg bodyweight by intramuscular injection postoperatively) in a controlled, randomised, blinded, multicentre clinical trial. Further dosing with the particular analgesic was allowed if a cat was exhibiting unacceptable pain. In total, 57 carprofen cases and 59 pethidine cases were evaluated. Significantly fewer cats in the carprofen group required additional doses of analgesic, and mean pain scores were significantly lower from four hours after ovariohysterectomy, and at 18 to 24 hours after castration, compared to the pethidine group. In conclusion, carprofen provided as good a level of postoperative analgesia as pethidine, but of a longer duration (at least 24 hours) and was well tolerated. It thus provides an option for 'pre-emptive analgesia' in cats about to undergo surgery.     

Age-related changes in ecosystem structure and function and effects on water and carbon exchange in ponderosa pine

As forests age, their structure and productivity change, yet in some cases, annual rates of water loss remain unchanged. To identify mechanisms that might explain such observations, and to determine if widely different age classes of forests differ functionally, we examined young (Y, approximately 25 years), mature (M, approximately 90 years) and old (O, approximately 250 years) ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex P. Laws.) stands growing in a drought-prone region of central Oregon. Although the stands differed in tree leaf area index (LAIT) (Y = 0.9, M = 2.8, O = 2.1), cumulative tree transpiration measured by sap flow did not differ substantially during the growing season (100-112 mm). Yet when water was readily available, transpiration per unit leaf area of the youngest trees was about three times that of M trees and five times that of O trees. These patterns resulted from a nearly sixfold difference in leaf specific conductance (KL) between the youngest and oldest trees. At the time of maximum transpiration in the Y stand in May-June, gross carbon uptake (gross ecosystem production, GEP) was similar for Y and O stands despite an almost twofold difference in stand leaf area index (LAIS). However, the higher rate of water use by Y trees was not sustainable in the drought-prone environment, and between spring and late summer, KL of Y trees declined fivefold compared with a nearly twofold decline for M trees and a < 30% reduction in O trees. Because the Y stand contained a significant shrub understory and more exposed soil, there was no appreciable difference in mean daily latent energy fluxes between the Y stand and the older stands as measured by the eddy-covariance technique. These patterns resulted in 60 to 85% higher seasonal GEP and 55 to 65% higher water-use efficiency at the M and O stands compared with the Y stand.     

评估调质时间和温度对猪颗粒饲料淀粉糊化度和维生素沉积的影响

本论文研究了饲料加工的两个关键参数(调质温度和时间)对育肥猪颗粒饲料淀粉糊化度和维生素沉积的影响。日粮配方为含30%干酒糟及其可溶物的玉米-豆粕型基础日粮。整个试验中配方保持不变。本试验采用2×3双因子设计,调质温度分别为77℃和88℃,调质时间分别15秒、30秒和60秒。此外,本试验还设置一个对照组,对照组饲料不采用调质制粒工艺,而是采用粉料饲喂。因此,本试验共有7个处理组。采集调质后制粒前(热干粉)、制粒后冷却前(热制粒)、以及制粒冷却后(冷制粒)的样品,并分析这三种样品的总淀粉率、淀粉糊化     

Assessing the influence of mechanical ventilation on blood gases and blood pressure in rattlesnakes

ObjectiveTo characterize the impact of mechanical positive pressure ventilation on heart rate (HR), arterial blood pressure, blood gases, lactate, glucose, sodium, potassium and calcium concentrations in rattlesnakes during anesthesia and the subsequent recovery period.Study designProspective, randomized trial.AnimalsTwenty one fasted adult South American rattlesnakes (Crotalus durissus terrificus).MethodsSnakes were anesthetized with propofol (15 mg kg⁻¹) intravenously, endotracheally intubated and assigned to one of four ventilation regimens: Spontaneous ventilation, or mechanical ventilation at a tidal volume of 30 mL kg⁻¹ at 1 breath every 90 seconds, 5 breaths minute⁻¹, or 15 breaths minute⁻¹. Arterial blood was collected from indwelling catheters at 30, 40, and 60 minutes and 2, 6, and 24 hours following induction of anesthesia and analyzed for pH, PaO₂, PaCO₂, and selected variables. Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and HR were recorded at 30, 40, 60 minutes and 24 hours.ResultsSpontaneous ventilation and 1 breath every 90 seconds resulted in a mild hypercapnia (PaCO₂ 22.4 ± 4.3 mmHg [3.0 ± 0.6 kPa] and 24.5 ± 1.6 mmHg [3.3 ± 0.2 kPa], respectively), 5 breaths minute⁻¹ resulted in normocapnia (14.2 ± 2.7 mmHg [1.9 ± 0.4 kPa]), while 15 breaths minute⁻¹ caused marked hypocapnia (8.2 ± 2.5 mmHg [1.1 ± 0.3 kPa]). Following recovery, blood gases of the four groups were similar from 2 hours. Anesthesia, independent of ventilation was associated with significantly elevated glucose, lactate and potassium concentrations compared to values at 24 hours (p < 0.0001). MAP increased significantly with increasing ventilation frequency (p < 0.001). HR did not vary among regimens.Conclusions and clinical relevanceMechanical ventilation had a profound impact on blood gases and blood pressure. The results support the use of mechanical ventilation with a frequency of 1–2 breaths minute⁻¹ at a tidal volume of 30 mL kg⁻¹ during anesthesia in fasted snakes.