Artificial Insemination of Gilts with 1.5 Billion Sperms Stored in Different Periods Associated with Different Pre-ovulatory Intervals

This study evaluated the reproductive performance of gilts inseminated at three intervals before ovulation (0-12, 13-23, 24-30 h) with sperm doses (SD) stored for 0-48 and 96-120 h. A total of 218 PIC Camborough 22 gilts were inseminated once with SD of 1.5 x 10(9) sperms. Pregnant gilts (n = 166) were slaughtered 30.8 +/- 3.7 days after artificial insemination. The number of corpora lutea (CL) and total embryos (TE) was counted. Pregnancy rates (PR) were analysed by chi-square test. TE and embryonic survival (ES), obtained as the ratio between viable embryos and CL, were analysed by GLM procedure (SAS) and mean values were compared by Tukey's test. Pregnancy rate was similar among artificial insemination-ovulation (AIOV) intervals when semen was stored for 0-48 h. However, the lowest PR was observed in the 24-30 h AIOV interval with storage time (ST) of 96-120 h (p < 0.05). There was a significant effect of the interaction between ST and AIOV (p < 0.05) on TE and ES variables. Total embryos and ES did not differ (p > 0.05) among AIOV intervals in ST of 0-48 h. However, gilts inseminated at 24-30 h AIOV interval with ST of 96-120 h showed a reduction of 6.7 embryos (p < 0.05) compared with gilts in the same interval inseminated with semen stored for 0-48 h. ES for the 24-30 h AIOV interval and ST of 96-120 h was lower than that observed in the other groups (p < 0.05).     

Leptospirosis in dogs: a serologic survey and case series 1996 to 2001

All leptospirosis microscopic agglutination test titers for the Leptospira serovars icterohaemorrhagiae, canicola, grippotyphosa, bratislava, hardjo, and pomona conducted on 1,260 blood samples from dogs at the University of Illinois Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory between March 1996 and March 2001 were evaluated. Low titers (1:100 to 1:400) were predominantly L. icterohaemorrhagiae and L. canicola, which represented the predominant serovars (65.4%) among all positive samples with low titers. L. grippotyphosa was the predominant serovar (72.1%) among samples with clinically significant titers (greater than 1:800). The medical records of 87 dogs with a titer greater than 1:800 that were patients at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the University of Illinois were reviewed. A clinical diagnosis of leptospirosis was made in 15 cases (17.2%) based on the elevated titer, appropriate clinical signs, lack of recent vaccination, and lack of concurrent disease that could explain the clinical signs present. Renal disease was present in 10 of the cases, concurrent renal and hepatic disease in two, and hepatic disease in three. In 12 cases, the predominant serovar was L. grippotyphosa; titers to L. grippotyphosa and L. bratislava were equal in magnitude in three cases.     

Leptospirosis in dogs: a serologic survey and case series 1996 to 2001

All leptospirosis microscopic agglutination test titers for the Leptospira serovars icterohaemorrhagiae, canicola, grippotyphosa, bratislava, hardjo, and pomona conducted on 1,260 blood samples from dogs at the University of Illinois Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory between March 1996 and March 2001 were evaluated. Low titers (1:100 to 1:400) were predominantly L. icterohaemorrhagiae and L. canicola, which represented the predominant serovars (65.4%) among all positive samples with low titers. L. grippotyphosa was the predominant serovar (72.1%) among samples with clinically significant titers (greater than 1:800). The medical records of 87 dogs with a titer greater than 1:800 that were patients at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the University of Illinois were reviewed. A clinical diagnosis of leptospirosis was made in 15 cases (17.2%) based on the elevated titer, appropriate clinical signs, lack of recent vaccination, and lack of concurrent disease that could explain the clinical signs present. Renal disease was present in 10 of the cases, concurrent renal and hepatic disease in two, and hepatic disease in three. In 12 cases, the predominant serovar was L. grippotyphosa; titers to L. grippotyphosa and L. bratislava were equal in magnitude in three cases.     

Camelid mucoutaneous fibropapillomas: clinicopathologic findings and association with papillomavirus

Five camelid mucocutaneous fibropapillomas with histologic features similar to equine sarcoids were diagnosed. They were characterized by a dermal fibroblastic proliferation and overlying, often ulcerated hyperplastic epidermis with thin rete pegs extending down into the dermis. Two of the tumors came from llamas and three from alpacas. Four of the animals were 6-year-old females. The fifth was a 6-year-old castrated male. The fibropapillomas were located on the nose, lip, and cheeks. One of the llama tumors waxed and waned before surgery and recurred and spread after surgery. None of the other tumors recurred. All five tumors were positive for papillomavirus (PV) DNA by polymerase chain reaction testing. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the PCR product from one of the llama fibropapillomas confirmed a unique PV. This report provides the microscopic and clinical features of fibropapillomas in camelids as well as evidence for a PV etiology.     

Ketoconazole for successful treatment of cryptococcosis in a cat

Cryptococcosis affecting the skin and a lymph node in a 1 1/2-year-old cat was treated successfully with ketoconazole as the sole therapeutic agent. The cat was lesion-free 1 year after treatment.