Ultrastructural analysis of platelets and megakaryocytes from a dog with probable essential thrombocythemia

Blood platelets and bone marrow megakaryocytes from a dog with essential thrombocythemia were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy and compared with those of control dogs. Platelets varied in size and shape and contained enlarged and dilated open canalicular systems. Megakaryocytes were dysmorphic and had evidence of abnormal maturation, with large numbers of megakaryoblasts containing alpha granules and poorly organized and reduplicated demarcation membranes. The fewer, more mature megakaryocytes lacked normal cytoplasmic organization. Most notable was the absence of well-demarcated "platelet fields," due to the excessive and disorderly array of demarcation membranes.     

Ophthalmic emergencies.

Ophthalmic emergencies are common presenting complaints in an emergency room. Most ophthalmic emergencies can be treated and stabilized until an ophthalmologist can be consulted. Most ocular emergencies involve loss of vision, compromised globe integrity, or severe ocular pain. Delay in treating true emergencies may result ina blind eye or loss of an eye. This article discusses the clinical signs,diagnosis, and treatment as well as the prognosis of some of the more common ophthalmic emergencies.     

Snake bites recorded by veterinary practices in Australia

Objective To determine the extent of the snake bite problem in domestic animals, its regional significance and the effects of antivenom treatment.
Design A questionnaire was designed seeking information on the number and type of domestic animals referred, whether treated or untreated, type of snakes and management of the bite.
Procedure The survey form was sent to 10% of veterinary surgeons, selected at random throughout Australia.
Results The response of 106 veterinary surgeons revealed that snake bite in domestic animals is frequent, with an estimated 6200 cases reported annually. Bites were more prominent in rural (78%) than urban areas (22%) with brown, tiger and black snakes accounting for 76%, 13% and 6% of cases, respectively. Cats and dogs were the most frequently reported victims. Ninety-one percent of cats and 75% of dogs survived following the administration of antivenom whereas 66% of cats and 31% of dogs survived without antivenom. Overall, in 33% of cases antivenom was not used, and venom detection kits were used in only 1% of cases. A number of drugs were used in various combinations with or without antivenom and intravenous fluids in the treatment of animals with snake bite, but their role in reducing the severity of envenomations was not assessed.
Clinical implications Antivenom significantly improves the chances of survival of domestic animals bitten by snakes.     

Impact of foot-and-mouth disease on mastitis and culling on a large-scale dairy farm in Kenya

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a highly transmissible viral infection of cloven hooved animals associated with severe economic losses when introduced into FMD-free countries. Information on the impact of the disease in FMDV-endemic countries is poorly characterised yet essential for the prioritisation of scarce resources for disease control programmes. A FMD (virus serotype SAT2) outbreak on a large-scale dairy farm in Nakuru County, Kenya provided an opportunity to evaluate the impact of FMD on clinical mastitis and culling rate. A cohort approach followed animals over a 12-month period after the commencement of the outbreak. For culling, all animals were included; for mastitis, those over 18 months of age. FMD was recorded in 400/644 cattle over a 29-day period. During the follow-up period 76 animals were culled or died whilst in the over 18 month old cohort 63 developed clinical mastitis. Hazard ratios (HR) were generated using Cox regression accounting for non-proportional hazards by inclusion of time-varying effects. Univariable analysis showed FMD cases were culled sooner but there was no effect on clinical mastitis. After adjusting for possible confounders and inclusion of time-varying effects there was weak evidence to support an effect of FMD on culling (HR = 1.7, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.88-3.1, P = 0.12). For mastitis, there was stronger evidence of an increased rate in the first month after the onset of the outbreak (HR = 2.9, 95%CI 0.97-8.9, P = 0.057).

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13567-015-0173-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Evaluation of the effect of ketoprofen on experimentally induced ephemeral fever in dairy heifers

Objective To evaluate ketoprofen for the therapy of ephemeral fever.
Design A blind controlled clinical trial.
Animals Sixteen cattle (one immature Holstein bull, eight Holstein and seven Jersey heifers).
Procedure Ephemeral fever was induced by the intravenous injection of blood leucocyte layer from a clinical case. Ketoprofen solution or a coded placebo was injected intramuscularly at the rate of 3 mg/kg daily for three days.
Results Ketoprofen reversed locomotor dysfunctions significantly compared with controls, but did not have any effect on rectal temperatures, leucocyte counts, plasma fibrinogen concentrations, ionised Ca-concentrations or the presence of dyspnoea.
Conclusion Ketoprofen is a safe and effective drug for the treatment of locomotor symptoms of milk fever, but has no effect on the duration of clinical respiratory abnormalities.     

Thyroid state: effects on pre- and postsynaptic central noradrenergic mechanisms

For hypothyroid rats, spontaneous motor activity was less than that in matched normal controls, and the specific activity of tyrosine hydroxylase in the midbrain was significantly greater than that in controls. Rats made hyperthyroid with thyroxine became hyperactive and showed increased sensitivity to the behaviorally activating effects of norepinephrine administered intraventricularly. In hyperthyroid rats, the specific activity of tyrosine hydroxylase in the midbrain remained within the normal range. These results are consonant with studies that suggested both receptor "tuning" and feedback regulation of activity of enzymes involved in biosynthesis of presynaptic neurotransmitter as methods of regulation of the central catecholamine synapse. These results may also help explain the reported potentiation by thyroid hormone of the antidepressant effects of imipramine.