Use of 64Copper Measurements to Diagnose Canine Copper Toxicosis

Inherited canine copper toxicosis is a serious problem in Bedlington terriers and West Highland White terriers, and may also be a problem in other less-studied breeds. Affected dogs become ill at midlife with progressive and ultimately fatal liver disease. Treatments for removal of copper and prevention of copper accumulation are available, but are most effective if begun before the dog becomes ill. Until recently diagnosis has not been available until the dog is 1 year of age, and then only by an invasive liver biopsy with determination of liver copper concentration. The authors studied the use of 64copper for early diagnosis of canine copper toxicosis. Two procedures were evaluated. The first involved measuring the concentration of 64copper in blood 24 hours after oral administration of the radioisotope. At this time, 64copper was associated primarily with ceruloplasmin secreted into the blood by the liver. This procedure is useful in the diagnosis of the human counterpart, Wilson's disease. However, the authors found it to be nondiscriminatory between affected and unaffected dogs. In contrast, the second procedure, which involved measuring 64copper excreted in stool during 48 hours after an intravenous dose of radioisotope, yielded results that differentiated most affected and unaffected dogs.     

Evaluation of Three Feeds for Hatchery Rearing Channel Catfish Fry

Two 7 day feeding trials were conducted with channel catfish swim-up fry to evaluate growth, feed conversion ratio, and body composition of fish fed one of the following feeds: salmon starter, catfish starter, or trout starter. Fish fed the salmon or trout starter feeds gained 50–75% more weight, converted feed more efficiently, and had higher body fat stores than fish fed the catfish starter feed. This may be related to the higher protein and energy content of these two feeds. It may be advantageous to feed salmonid starter feeds to hatchery reared catfish fry; however, it is not known whether or not the improved performance observed in the hatchery continues once the fish are stocked into nursery and grow out ponds.     

Coagulopathic Effects and Therapy of Brodifacoum Toxicosis in Dogs

The clinical signs and laboratory changes of brodifacoum (BDF) intoxicated dogs and their response to vitamin K1 treatment were examined. Brodifacoum, a second-generation anticoagulant rodenticide, was fed to four dogs for 3 consecutive days producing a cumulative dose of 1.1 mg BDF/kg body weight. Clinical observations of the animals were made daily throughout the study. Monitored laboratory parameters included: one-stage prothrombin time (OSPT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), activated coagulation time (ACT), complete blood counts, thrombocyte counts, and serum chemistry values. Response to vitamin K1 therapy was evaluated clinically and by laboratory tests. Serum BDF concentrations were monitored. Inappetence and hemorrhagic tendencies were exhibited by day 5 postrodenticide exposure. One-stage prothrombin time, APTT, and ACT were 25% greater than time zero values at 24, 24, and 72 hours postdosing, respectively. All laboratory parameters returned to normal within 48 hours of initiating vitamin K1 therapy (0.83 mg/kg orally, TID for 5 days). Serum brodifacoum concentrations were highest (1065-1215 ng/mL) during the 3 days after BDF dosing and were detectable (3.0-7.5 ng/mL) until day 24 postexposure. A mean BDF elimination half-life of 6 +/- 4 days was observed.     

Sugar beet mash silage as a component of a total-mixed-ration for dairy cows--effects on parameters of digestion and animal performance.

Sugar beet mash silage (BMS) was offered in amounts up to 35% of DM to dairy cows as a component of a total-mixed-ration (TMR). Barley and molasses in the control ration were replaced by BMS half in ration BMS 1/2 and in total in ration BMS 1/1 on the basis of the calculated contents of net energy for lactation. Two trials were carried out. In trial I each ration was tested on parameters of rumen fermentation and digestibility of crude nutrients using 4 Holstein cows with rumen fistula. Chewing activity was tested on 2 Holstein cows for each ration. With the BMS rations the ruminal NH3 concentration was lower and the drop in pH was less than in the control ration. The pattern of volatile fatty acids in the rumen fluid from the BMS groups tended towards more propionic and butyric acid. The feeding of BMS showed no negative impact on chewing and rumination. Energy digestibility raised significantly from 59.8% in the control ration to 72.6% in the BMS 1/1 ration. In trial II the same rations were fed in a change-overdesign to a herd of 24 Holstein cows to test feed intake and animal performance. The results showed no significant effects of BMS rations on DM intake and milk production. The results of both trials indicate that even high amounts of cereals can be replaced by BMS without negative effects on rumen fermentation, milk yield and milk composition with slight drop in fat content. For a better handling of BMS, it is of advantage to include it in a TMR.     

Presentation of postweaning Escherichia coli diarrhea in southern Ontario, prevalence of hemolytic E. coli serogroups involved, and their antimicrobial resistance patterns

Post-weaning Escherichia coli diarrhea (PWECD) in Ontario was investigated using a case-control study involving 50 Ontario nurseries. The clinical signs and the impact on productive parameters were determined by means of a producer survey. The hemolytic E. coli serogroups involved in PWECD (O149:K91:K88) were examined in this study. Based on a polymerase chain reaction test, the hemolytic E. coli from 82% of the case herds were positive for 3 enterotoxins (STa, STb, and LT), those from 12% of the case herds were positive for STb and LT only, and those from one herd (6%) were positive for 3 enterotoxins, as well as for verotoxin and F18 pili. The E. coli involved in disease were resistant to multiple antibiotics. Case farms commonly used a wide variety of antibiotics either in the feed or water, or as injectable drugs. The most common antibiotic used to treat PWECD on the study farms was apramycin, but evidence of resistance to this antibiotic was noted. The PWECD problem was commonly seen within a week of weaning but onset of diarrhea was reported as late as the grower-finisher stage. Growth rate was poorer in case herds and mortality was higher than in control herds, demonstrating that PWECD is an economically important disease in Ontario.     

Enzyme arrangement of various tissues in swine. 1. Studies of the effect of 32 hours of fasting, administration of actinomycin D, and fasting in combination with administration of actinomycin D on crude protein level, activities of GOT, GTP, fructose-1,6-diphoaphatase as well as ATPase of liver, kidneys and semitendinous muscle in newborn piglets]

The effects of sufficient milk intake as well as of 32 hours of fasting after birth, administration of actinomycin D (intraperitoneal application of 1 mg/kg five weight), and fasting in combination with actinomycin D on the development of body and liver weights, crude protein levels in homogenate and supernatant of liver, kidneys, and M. semitendinosus as well as on the activities of certain tissue enzymes were analysed with four groups of piglets (n = 4). Fasting, administration of actinomycin, and fasting in combination with actinomycin D resulted in rapid reduction in body and liver weights, while the crude protein levels in those tissues were not affected with significance. GOT and fructose-1,6-diphosphatase activities in supernatant from liver tended to decline under fasting conditions. The ATPase activity in the homogenate of the above tissues did not change in response to differentiated treatment.     

Influence of age,sex, capture technique,and restraint on hematologic measurements and serum chemistries of wild California sea otters

Hematologic and/or serum chemical analyses were done on a total of 27 non-tranquilized adult and juvenile wild sea otters, 66 tranquilized adult and juvenile wild sea otters, and 26 wild sea otter pups. The median and inner 90 percentile range were determined for the adult, juvenile, and pup groups and for the following subgroups: adult male versus adult female, juvenile male versus juvenile female, pup male versus pup female, captured with dip net versus captured with Wilson trap, and tranquilized adults and juveniles versus non-tranquilized adults and juveniles. When values for adults were compared to values for juveniles and pups, hematocrits, red blood cell counts, and hemoglobin levels were significantly lower in pups. This is consistent with documented findings in other species. White cell counts were also somewhat lower in younger animals. Among the subgroups, significantly higher hemoglobin levels, white cell counts and neutrophil counts were found in adult females than in adult males. This is in direct contrast to what is seen in other mammalian species and warrants further documentation. Method of capture and tranquilization did not appear to influence either hematologic or serum biochemical determinations from a clinical perspective.