Imaging diagnosis--cervical spine chondroma in a dog

An extradural chondroma originating in the cervical spine was diagnosed in an 8-year-old, intact male Chow-Chow that presented acute cervical pain and chronic right thoracic limb lameness. Myelographic images were within normal limits. With magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, an extradural mass was identified at the level of the C4-C5 vertebrae. This mass was excised, and the histologic diagnosis was chondroma. Fifteen months after surgery, the dog was clinically normal, and no regrowth of the mass was identified on follow-up MR images. Spinal chondromas are rare tumors in the dog, but should be considered as a rule out for contrast-enhancing extradural vertebral masses.     

Bacterial species isolated from cats with lower urinary tract infection and their susceptibilities to cefovecin

Background

The aim of this study was to determine the bacterial species recovered from 61 cats with lower urinary tract infection (LUTI), and their susceptibility to cefovecin in vitro.

Results

The clinical signs and final clinical diagnosis for cats with confirmed LUTI were also reported. After physical examination of the cats, urine samples including ≥5-6 leucocytes in microscopic evaluation were cultured using bacteriological techniques. The isolates were identified by conventional microbiological methods and tested for in vitro susceptibility using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method recommended by the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute. Bacterial growth was observed in 16 of 61 urine samples. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests showed that 13 of 16 (81%) isolates were susceptible to cefovecin. The most frequently isolated bacterium from cats with signs of lower urinary tract infection, was Escherichia coli.

Conclusion

Cefovecin was found to be effective in cats with LUTI. Because cefovecin is a new antimicrobial agent in veterinary medicine, there are only few studies about urine culture of cats with LUTI. It is the first study on in vitro activity of cefovecin against bacterial isolates from cats with lower urinary infections in Istanbul, Turkey.     

温度对荔枝开花的影响

低温能促进荔枝（LitchichinestsSonn．）开花,但是成功诱导开花的临界温度和所需低温量并不清楚。研究了最高温／最低温：15°／5°,20°／5°,20°／10°,20°／15°,25°／10°,25°／15°,25°／20°和30°／20℃8个温度处理对KwaiMayPink荔枝和Casino荔枝营养生长和开花的影响。在第2个试验中,WaiChee荔枝在转移到无诱导条件的30°／20℃温度前,分别给予0,2,4,6,8,10和31周的15℃低温诱导。在第3个试验中．WaiChee荔枝生长温度为15℃时,每24小时内给予高于20℃的温度处理时间分别为0,1,2和8h（15℃以上分别为0,2,4和15h）。在第1个试验中,KwaiMayPink的营养生长温度为25°／20℃和30°／20℃,温度为25°／10℃和25°／15℃时,既有营养生长,又有花穗发育,较低的温度更利于开花。Casino荔枝除了在25°／10℃和25°／15℃的温度条件下既无营养生长,也无花穗发育外,其余处理的反映和KwaiMayPink荔枝类似。对2个荔枝品种而言,在20°／15℃和更低的温度时,几乎所有枝条都开了花。‘WaiChee’荔枝成花诱导条件为在转移到高温条件下之前,保持15℃的低温4周,最长6周。低温时间的长短还影响花穗的类型,15℃的低温诱导10周后,‘WaiChee’荔枝几乎无有叶花穗。保持15℃的低温     

Efficacy and safety of ivermectin applied topically to cattle under field conditions in Australia

Fifteen controlled field trials were conducted to evaluate the efficacy against gastrointestinal nematodes and safety of ivermectin when applied topically to cattle in Australia. Three hundred and fifty-one cattle received ivermectin, and 88 were untreated controls. The trials were conducted in 3 States and included a variety of cattle breeds and environmental conditions. Faecal samples were collected before treatment and 11 to 14 days after treatment for nematode egg counts. Data from these trials show that under Australian conditions, ivermectin applied along the mid line of the back from the withers to the sacral region at a dose rate of 500 mcg/kg body weight, effectively controlled gastrointestinal nematode infections, and did not produce unacceptable adverse reactions in the animals.     

M-MODE ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC PARAMETERS AND INDICES IN THE NORMAL GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG

M-mode echocardiographic measurements were made from 50 healthy German Shepherd dogs (30 males and 20 females). The dogs were awake and unsedated, in right lateral recumbent position. The following parameters were measured on the echocardiographic images: interventricular septal thickness at end-diastole (IVSd), interventricular septal thickness at end-systole (IVSs), left ventricular internal dimension at end-diastole (LVIDd), left ventricular internal dimension at end-systole (LVIDs), left ventricular posterior wall thickness at end-diastole (LVPWd), left ventricular posterior wall thickness at end-systole (LVPWs), left atrial dimension (LAD), aortic root dimension (AOD), left atrial to aortic root ratio (LAD/AOD), right ventricular internal dimension at end-diastole (RVID), amplitude of mitral valve excursion (DE amplitude), velocity of mitral valve opening (D-E slope), and velocity of mitral valve closure (E-F slope). Fractional shortening (FS) was also calculated. The effect of gender and age on each echocardiographic parameter was analyzed and the relationship between body weight (BW) and each parameter was also investigated. There was a significant relationship between gender and LVPW in systole and diastole and FS. Significant association was also found between BW and IVS, LVID, and LVPW in systole and diastole, FS, LAD, AOD, RVID, DE amplitude, and D-E slope of the mitral valve.     

Chemical composition of Mopane worm sampled at three sites in Botswana and subjected to different processing

Effects of site and degutting on chemical composition of mopane worm were investigated. Samples were cooked for 30 min in either brine or in plain water. Samples from Moreomabele were high in acid detergent fibre (ADF) (P < 0.05) and acid detergent insoluble nitrogen (ADIN) (P < 0.01) while samples from Sefophe had least ADF and ADIN concentrations. In vitro true dry matter digestibility (IVTDMD) tended (P = 0.06) to be high in samples from Maunatlala than those from Moreomabele and Sefophe. No site difference (P > 0.05) was observed on the rest of the variables. Degutted samples had high crude protein (CP), ADF and IVTDMD (P < 0.05) but lower (P < 0.001) concentrations of ash, acid detergent lignin (ADL) and condensed tannins. Acid detergent insoluble nitrogen was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in degutted than whole samples. Salting did not (P > 0.05) change concentrations of all but ADF which tended (P = 0.09) to be high in salted samples. Samples which were degutted and salted had higher (P < 0.01) ADF and ADIN than degutted and salted or those left whole and salted or left unsalted. Leaving samples as whole diluted the concentration of CP but increased the fibre components and condensed tannins content. However, mopane worm destined for livestock feeding may be left whole and salt added.     

Dry Matter and Crude Protein Degradability of Four Parasitic Plants (Mistletoes) Associated with Browse Trees in Botswana

Four parasitic plants (Tapinanthus lugardii, Erianthenum ngamicum, Viscum rotundifolium and Viscum verrucosum) associated with browse trees in Botswana were evaluated for the degradability of their dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP). All these plants have high levels of crude protein, ranging from 144.5 to 163.4 g/kg DM, with a significant (p<0.001) difference in crude protein content between the plants. The rate of degradation of DM was highest for V. rotundifolium (0.197 h⁻¹) and lowest for E. ngamicum (0.031 h⁻¹). The two Viscum species had the highest effective DM degradability at an outflow rate of 0.05%. The rate of degradation of crude protein was highest for V. rotundifolium (0.144 h⁻¹) and lowest for T. lugardii (0.0346 h⁻¹). The effective degradability (ED) of crude protein was highest for V. rotundifolium at 0.03 and 0.05 h⁻¹ outflow rates. T. lugardii and E. ngamicum had an apparently low effective degradability, but this may result from an association of their protein with tannins, which would be able to supply amino acids in the small intestine after dissociation due to the abomasal pH. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.