Colloid oncotic pressure and total protein changes in horses during anesthesia fluid therapy

It is unknown whether overlapping or sequential use of nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory (NSAIDs) results in an increased risk for gastrointestinal (GI) ulceration. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the GI effects of various combinations of an injectable NSAID followed by an oral NSAID, a scenario often employed clinically for management of the pre‐ and post‐operative canine patient. Six healthy Walker hounds received four treatment regimens in a randomized, cross‐over design with a 2 week washout period between each treatment week: carprofen (4 mg kg^–1, SQ) followed by placebo (PO, q24 × 4 days); placebo (SQ) followed by deracoxib (3–4 mg kg^–1, PO, q24 × 4 days); carprofen (4 mg kg^–1, SQ) followed by carprofen (4 mg kg^–1, PO, q24 × 4 days); carprofen (4 mg kg^–1, SQ) followed by deracoxib (3–4 mg kg^–1, PO, q24 ×4 days). Weekly bloodwork (CBC, biochemistry panel, fecal evaluation, fecal occult blood) and daily clinical scoring (TPR, vomiting, diarrhea, appetite) were obtained. GI endoscopy was performed on days –2, 1, 2, 5, and 11 days post treatment of each treatment period and lesions scored using a previously reported 6‐point scale. Data was analyzed using a mixed anova for repeated measures. There were no significant differences in clinical or clinicopathologic data between groups. Within the carprofen‐carprofen and carprofen‐deracoxib groups, lesions worsened by Day 5 (1 day after last oral dose) for the fundic and antral regions (p < 0.05). Fundic, antral and lesser curvature lesions improved by Day 5 in the carprofen‐placebo group and lesser curvature lesions improved in the placebo‐deracoxib group (p < 0.05). No significant within‐group differences were noted for the esophagus, cardia or duodenum. The small number of dogs precludes general conclusions about the safety of sequential NSAID use, but these results suggest that a larger scale study is warranted.     

Hypocalcemia in a critically ill patient

Objective: To present a case of clinical hypocalcemia in a critically ill septic dog. Case summary: A 12‐year old, female spayed English sheepdog presented in septic shock 5 days following hemilaminectomy surgery. Streptococcus canis was cultured from the incision site. Seven days after surgery, muscle tremors were noted and a subsequent low serum ionized calcium level was measured and treated. Intensive monitoring, fluid therapy, and antibiotic treatment were continued because of the sepsis and hypocalcemia, but the dog was euthanized 2 weeks after surgery. New or unique information provided: Low serum ionized calcium levels are a common finding in critically ill human patients, especially in cases of sepsis, pancreatitis, and rhabdomyolysis. In veterinary patients, sepsis or streptococcal infections are not commonly thought of as a contributing factor for hypocalcemia. Potential mechanisms of low serum ionized calcium levels in critically ill patients include intracellular accumulation of calcium ions, altered sensitivity and function of the parathyroid gland, alterations in Vitamin D levels or activity, renal loss of calcium, and severe hypomagnesemia. Pro‐inflammatory cytokines and calcitonin have also been proposed to contribute to low ionized calcium in the critically ill. Many veterinarians rely on total calcium levels instead of serum ionized calcium levels to assess critical patients and may be missing the development of hypocalcemia. Serum ionized calcium levels are recommended over total calcium levels to evaluate critically ill veterinary patients.     

Evaluation of three types of structured floating plastic media in moving bed biofilters for total ammonia nitrogen removal in a low salinity hatchery recirculating aquaculture system

Three different commercially available structural plastic media were evaluated in triplicate in moving bed biofilters under low salinity (11–12 ppt) warm water culture conditions and two different feed loading rates. The culture system consisted of nine separate modules that include a double drain fish culture tank paired to a moving bed biofilter. The biofilters were filled with 0.11 m³ of one of three different types of floating plastic structured media. The three types of media evaluated were K1 kaldnes media, MB3 media, and AMB media. Volumetric total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) removal rates (g TAN removed/m³ media-day), TAN removal efficiency, and biofilm kinetic constants, K_i (h⁻¹) were determined for the three media types at two different daily feed load rates of 3.5 and 8.2 kg feed/m³ media. The feed provided was a 4.8 mm slow sinking marine grower diet pellet (45% protein, 17% fat). Average (±standard deviation, SD) volumetric TAN removal rates (VTR) at the lower feed load for the three media types were 92.2 ± 26.3, 86.1 ± 27.5, and 82.5 ± 25.9 for the MB3, AMB, and K1 kaldnes media, respectively. At the higher feed load the average VTR for the three media types was 186.4 ± 53.7, 172.9 ± 47.8, and 139.9 ± 38.9 for the MB3, AMB, and K1 kaldnes media, respectively. Influent TAN concentrations varied by the feed load rate and ranged from 0.55 to 0.93 mg/L and 0.83 to 1.87 mg/L for the low and higher feed loads, respectively. The percent TAN removal rates for the MB3 media was the highest of the three media types at both the low and high feed load rates averaging 12.3% and 14.4%, respectively. The MB3 media was selected for use in the moving bed biofilters because of the greater VTR and removal efficiency results for use in the 0.11 m³ moving bed biofilters of the hatchery recirculating aquaculture system.     

Effect of wean-to-finish management on pig performance

In each of three trials, 240 crossbred barrows weaned at 17 d of age (5.1 kg BW) were assigned to one of three experimental treatments based on light and heavy weight outcome groups. Experimental treatments were 1) wean-to-finish at 0.69 m2/pig and 15 pigs/pen; 2) wean-to-finish double-stocked at 0.35 m2/pig, 30 pigs per pen for 8 wk and then randomly split into two pens (either stayed in same pen or moved to new pen) for growth to slaughter at 0.69 m2/pig; and 3) nursery facility for 8 wk at 0.35 m2/pig and 15 pigs/pen followed by move to the same grow-finish facility housing wean-to-finish and double-stocked pigs and maintaining pen integrity. Beginning at 38 kg BW, diets were supplemented with either bacitracin methylenedisalicylate at 33 mg/kg to slaughter or tylosin at 44 mg/kg to 59 kg BW and 22 mg/kg thereafter. There were no trial x treatment interactions, even though there was considerable variation in health status among trials. At the end of the 56-d nursery period, wean-to-finish pigs weighed more than nursery (28.7 vs 27.7 kg; P = 0.071) and double-stocked pigs (28.7 vs 26.9 kg; P = 0.002), due to greater ADG (wean-to-finish vs nursery; P = 0.062; wean-to-finish vs double-stocked; P = 0.002) and greater ADFI (wean-to-finish vs nursery; P = 0.024; wean-to-finish vs double-stocked, P = 0.002). There was no effect of treatments (P > 0.1) on ADG, feed conversion, carcass lean percentage, or lean gain during the growing-finishing period. There was also no effect of treatment (P > 0.1) on ADG or ADFI from weaning to slaughter. There was no difference (P > 0.1) between bacitracin methylenedisalicylate and tylosin for ADG, feed conversion, carcass lean percentage, or daily lean gain. These data suggest that housing 5-kg weaned pigs in fully slatted growing-finishing facilities from weaning to slaughter was not detrimental to overall performance. In this experiment, dietary additions of bacitracin methylenedisalicylate or tylosin from 38 kg BW to slaughter weight resulted in similar growth performance.     

Genetic variability in meiotic gynogenetic muskellunge,Esox masquinongy (Mitchell), estimated from segregation of microsatellite alleles

Muskellunge, Esox masquinongy, is an important recreational freshwater fish native to North America. Since muskellunge populations are often maintained through stocking efforts, advances in muskellunge reproductive technologies are of direct relevance to fishery enhancement. We evaluated the efficiency of inbreeding through induced meiotic diploid gynogenesis. Eggs from six female muskellunge were manually stripped and activated using ultra violet‐irradiated yellow perch, Perca flavescens, sperm. Hydrostatic pressure shocking regimes (48 263 kPa) were then applied to the eggs to prevent second polar body expulsion producing unambiguous meiotic gynogens. Six female dams and samples of 12–20 of their gynogenetic progeny were genotyped at seven polymorphic microsatellite loci. Chromosomal recombination frequencies of microsatellite loci based on retention of heterozygosity among gynogens ranged from 0.043 to 0.839 (0.576 ± 0.237). There were no statistical differences in recombination frequency among females at any of the loci. The average inbreeding coefficient (F‐value) ranged from 0.581 to 0.979, equivalent to three to fourteen generations of full‐sibling crosses respectively. The average F‐value overall was 0.712, equivalent to between five and six generations of full‐sibling crosses. Centromere map distances of the seven microsatellite loci ranged from 2.15 to 41.95 cM and meiotic gynogenesis was useful in eliminating heterozygosity at loci proximal to the centromere, but not distal. Since the age at maturity of female muskellunge is approximately 5 years, gynogenesis may pose an expeditious alternative to traditional breeding strategies for creation of homozygous pedigrees for some loci that may be outcrossed to introduce positive heterozygosity effects in the offspring.     

Extending the postharvest life of carnations with nitric oxide—comparison of fumigation and in vivo delivery

The ability of nitric oxide (NO) to extend the postharvest life at 20 °C of carnations (Dianthus caryophyllus L. cv. White-Sim) was investigated using delivery by gas-based fumigation and in vivo release via a solution containing the NO donor compound 2,2′-(hydroxynitrosohydrazino)-bisethanamine (DETA/NO). Treatment with NO gas in air at 1 and 5 μl l⁻¹ produced about a 30% increase in postharvest life while DETA/NO applied in solution at 10 mg l⁻¹ extended postharvest life by about 50% when dissolved in water. For flowers, use of solid delivery appears to offer a more convenient and more effective method of NO treatment than gaseous fumigation to extend postharvest life.