Hypercalcaemia associated with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia in a Giant Schnauzer.

A 7-year-old male Giant Schnauzer was referred with a history of severe vomiting, lethargy, weight loss, polydipsia and polyuria. Detailed investigations revealed leucocytosis with a marked lymphocytosis, mild non-regenerative anaemia, thrombocytopenia, hypercalcaemia and azotaemia. Circulating lymphocytes were small and well-differentiated, and the same lymphoid population was present in bone marrow. Chronic lymphocyctic leukaemia with associated paraneoplastic hypercalcaemia was diagnosed. Immunohistochemical staining of a bone marrow biopsy revealed a neoplastic B-cell line expressing CD79. The dog responded to therapy with prednisolone and chlorambucil for a period of 8 months.     

频域心电图对冠心病诊断价值的初步探讨

对５０例冠心病和５０例随机做平板运动试验（ＴＥＴ）者作频域心电图（ＦＣＧ）对比分析探讨ＦＣＧ对冠心病的诊断价值。结果表明：单纯根据ＦＣＧ异常诊断冠心病有较高假阳性（６５．２２％）。如将ＦＣＧ的阳性指标作综合判断，虽然敏感性降低（８８．００％降至７０．００％）。假阳性都明显降低（６５．２２％降至２６．００％）。认为ＴＥＴ的特异性较ＦＣＧ高。若两者均为阴性，则冠心病可能性很小。     

BACTERIAL ENDOCARDITIS WITH THROMBUS FORMATION AND ABSCESSATION IN A HORSE

A 2.5 year old Appaloosa stallion with progressive weight loss and a heart murmur was diagnosed as having vegetative endocarditis of the right atrioventricular valves with a mass in the right atrium. The ultrasonographic appearance of the lesion was characterized by extreme reverberation. On postmortem examination, a 9 cm diameter thrombus was found within the right atrium and auricle, occupying approximately 80% of the chamber volume. Additionally, a lenticular abscess extended throughout the parietal cusp of the right atrioventricular valve. Histologic examination revealed that the lesions were septic with numerous gram positive cocci in short chains, suggestive of Streptococcus equi , and gram negative rods.     

Application of Airway Pressure Therapy in Veterinary Critical Care: Part I: Respiratory Mechanics and Hypoxemia

Over the past several decades, recognition of acute respiratory failure as the cause of death in patients suffering from various clinical conditions has prompted aggressiv investigation into the area of respiratory physiology and supportive respiratory care. With the evolution of emergency medicine and critical care services in both human and veterinary medicine, many patients previously considered unsalvageable due to the severity of their underlying disease are now being resuscitated and successfully supported, creating a new population of critically ill patients. Where only a decade ago these patients would have succumbed to their underlying disease, they now survive long enough to manifest the complications of shock and tissue injury in the form of acute respiratory failure. Investigation into the pathophysiology and treatment of this acute respiratory distress syndrom (ARDS) has facilitated increased clinical application of respiratory theerapy and machanical ventilation.¹ The purpose of this paper is to provide a basic review of respiratory mechanics and the pathophysiology of hypoxemia as they relate to airway pressure therapy in veterinary patients and to review the use of airway pressure therapy in veterinary patients This paper is divided into two parts; part I reviews respiratory mechanics and hypoxemia as they apply to respiratory therapy, while part II deals specifically with airway pressure therapy andits use in clinical cases.     

北京鸭心迷走节前神经元的定位——HRP法研究

本研究用 HRP 逆行追踪法对北京鸭心脏各区的迷走节前神经元胞体进行定位。标记细胞呈双侧性,集中在疑核和迷走背核,以疑核占优势(占68.4%)。在疑核,标记细胞多位于闩的嘴侧(峰值在+1000～+1800 μm水平),为较大型(φ20～30 μm)、多突起的星形细胞。在迷走背核,标记细胞呈梭形(φ18～20μm),大部分位于闩嘴懊I平面(+100～+1800μm)的腹侧部。左心室主要接受疑核支配。发自迷走背核的心迷走神经节前纤维主要分布在冠状沟。     

Altered adenosine triphosphatase activities in pigs with naturally occurring hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

The purpose of this study was to determine whether myocardial adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activities were reduced in pigs with naturally occurring hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The selection of hearts for the HCM and the normal control groups depended on histological examination. Specific ATPase activity and 5-nucleotidase activity were measured in left ventricular myocardium obtained from HCM (n=7) and normal control (n=7) animals. The histological features of HCM included marked disorientation of muscle cells, thickening of the intramural coronary arterial wall with a narrowed lumen, endocardial fibrosis and myocardial fibrosis. The HCM group showed significant increases in both heart weight (32%) and heart weight to body weight ratio (46%). The total ATPase activity in crude homogenates from the HCM group was significantly decreased by 16%. Azide-sensitive ATPase (mitochondrial ATPase) activity, ouabain-sensitive ATPase (Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase) activity, basal Mg²⁺-ATPase activity and Ca²⁺-ATPase activity were all significantly decreased by 18%, 30%, 20% and 50%, respectively. In contrast, no significant decrease was found in the mean values for 5-nucleotidase activity. These results suggest that myocardial ATPase activities are suppressed in pigs with naturally occurring HCMAbbreviations ATP adenosine triphosphate - gww grams wet weight - HCM hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - Pi inorganic phosphate     

Electrocorticogram disturbances detected in rats exposed from early stages of life to residual doses of lindane

Functional brain alterations induced by lindane were examined in Rat chronically exposed to low doses of lindane (1 and 2 μg L⁻¹ in drinking water) from conception. Histological and electrophysiological investigations were conducted at 14 weeks of age. Lindane did not induce histological changes. It did not significantly modify the sleep-wakefulness cycle and EEG did not show major alterations. The spectral EEG analysis, by recording cortical variations in both energy spectrum and energy levels of different frequency bands, showed an increase in the 11-15 Hz activity in both groups exposed to lindane. This activity was characterised by spindles well-depicted during slow wave sleep or associated with fast activity during wakefulness and theta activity in paradoxical sleep. These data suggest that chronic exposure to lindane doses as low as 1 μg L⁻¹ in drinking water could lead to central electrophysiological effects possibly involving GABA-benzodiazepine mechanisms.     

TOTAL ANOMALOUS PULMONARY VENOUS CONNECTION IN A FOAL

An 8-day-old Arabian-Morgan cross colt underwent cardiac evaluation. The foal was tachycardic, tachypneic, exercise intolerant and had a loud right-sided heart murmur and cyanotic mucous membranes. Total anomalous pulmonary venous connection was diagnosed with echocardiography and confirmed at postmortem examination. Total anomalous pulmonary venous connection is a very rare congenital cardiac abnormality that has not been reported before in the horse.     

Association of hyponatremia and hyperglycemia with outcome in dogs with congestive heart failure

Objective: To evaluate plasma sodium and glucose concentrations in dogs with congestive heart failure (CHF) prior to treatment and evaluate the differences between survivors and non‐survivors. Design: Retrospective study. Animals: Fifty‐nine dogs with CHF prior to receiving cardiac medication. Interventions: None. Measurements and main results: The mean plasma sodium concentration in dogs with CHF was below the reference range (144–156 mmol/L) and significantly lower (P=0.009) in non‐survivors (141±6 mmol/L) compared with survivors (147±4 mmol/L). The mean plasma glucose concentration was above the reference range (76–117 mg/dL) and significantly higher (P=0.004) in non‐survivors (128±52 mg/dL) compared with survivors (100±13 mg/dL). Forty‐four percent of non‐survivors had concurrent low plasma sodium and high plasma glucose concentrations, whereas no survivors had both abnormalities (P<0.0001). Conclusions: Lower plasma sodium and higher plasma glucose are associated with a worse outcome in dogs with CHF.