Argas reflexus is considered obligate blood feeder that may cause skin redness and local swelling. For histopathological evaluation of biting site, pigeons were used as natural host species in this study. Adult ticks were collected from Urmia, North-west of Iran and kept in a desiccator before their use in the experiment. Sixteen Pigeons were infested experimentally and were divided into 4 groups, euthanized after 30 min, 4, 24 and 48h for evaluation of histopathological changes in biting sites. Early histopathologic lesions due to time of infestation included edema, hemorrhagic foci, vascular congestion, necrosis and mild to severe inflammatory reaction in dermis. In late lesions, presence of micro abscess foci in dermis was prominent. This study well documented the different pathological changes of skin of pigeons with Argas reflexus. However, further study should be performed to evaluate allergic immune responses and pathological changes in other animal species including human.

Identification of exogenous factors affecting spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) proliferation in vitro, provides worthy ways to study the basic biology of the cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a GnRH analogue (alareline acetate) on SSCs colonization in short-term co-culture with sertoli cells. Five, three-month old Holstein male calves were used to isolate spermatogonial and sertoli cells. Testicular germ cell collection was made by enzymatic digestion methods. The cells were co-cultured in a 15 day period and in vitro effects of various doses (0.5, 1, 2 and 4 µg/ml) of GnRHa on SSCs colonization were assessed. Effects of GnRHa on SSCs proliferation were dose dependent. In conclusion, it was demonstrated that 1 µg/ml GnRHa was the optimum dose for SSCs colonization in comparison with control group. The highest treatment dose (4 µg/ml GnRHa), negatively affected SSCs colonization in comparison with control group.

Although there are many evidences regard to the relationship between serum thyroid hormones, cholesterol, triglyceride and lipoproteins in different animals, but there are limited references in dogs. The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between thyroid hormones and concentrations of serum lipid and lipoprotein profiles, and also to detect relationship between the measured parameters in different season, sex and age groups of dogs in Ahvaz district, Southwest of Iran, on 2011. Blood samples were taken from the cephalic vein of 60 clinically healthy and non-pregnant native dogs in two seasons (summer and winter) and in two age groups (3 years). Sampling was done only once from each animal (30 dogs in every season). The serum concentrations of cholesterol, triglyceride (T.G), very low density lipoproteins (VLDL-cholesterol), low density lipoproteins (LDL-cholesterol), high density lipoproteins (HDL-cholesterol and their correlations with thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) hormones were measured in the studied dogs. The mean serum concentrations of cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, VLDL-cholesterol (mmol/L), T4 and T3 (µmol/L) were measured in the present survey. The above parameters were also obtained in two summer and winter seasons. Season had a significant effect on T.G, HDL, LDL and VLDL levels in the studied dogs (p0.05). No significant differences were detected for the measured cholesterol, T3 and T4 parameters in different age, sex and season groups (p>0.05). To the best of our knowledge, there was no previous research regarding the correlation of the thyroid hormones with the serum lipids and lipoproteins in dogs in Iran. Our results showed that thyroid hormones affect T.G, HDL, LDL and VLDL levels and observed seasonal change in serum may be partly due to changes in thyroid hormones.

Hepatic and renal contents of essential trace elements provide good clues to monitor the nutritional status of grazing animals. Liver and kidney samples were collected from 60 sheep and 60 goats slaughtered in Zarrinshahr abattoirs and analyzed for essential trace elements. Hepatic Fe concentrations were significantly higher in sheep than goats. There were also higher renal and hepatic Fe concentration in age group of 2-4 year Scompared with age groups of

Epidural analgesia is an effective and frequent method used to induce analgesia in perineal region during orthopedic or obstetric procedures of pain management. 18 healthy mixed-breed dogs, were randomly divided into three groups. Lumbosacral epidural analgesia was performed in all dogs in the following order: lidocaine (0.2 mg/kg) in group A, meloxicam (0.1 mg/kg ) in group B and the combination of both drugs in group C. Heart rate, respiratory rate and body temperatures were recorded for every 5 minutes, while analgesia onset time, duration of analgesia and paralysis were also recorded in all dogs. Without any systemic complications, no significant difference was observed in mean heart rate, respiratory rate and body temperature in all groups (p>0.05). Duration of analgesia was significantly lower in group B (59 ± 15) compared to group A (109±10) and C (127± 24) (p

Previous studies had reported that extracellular levels of ascorbic acid have modulatory effects on dopamine receptors. Both ascorbic acid and dopamine receptor have an important role in learning and memory processes. However, the central interaction between ascorbic acid and dopamine D2 receptor on spatial learning and memory has not yet been elucidated. All experiments were carried out on male Wistar rats. Animals were subjected to 5 days of training in the Morris water maze (MWM) task; 4 days with an invisible platform to test special learning and the 5th day with a visible platform to test motivation and sensorimotor coordination. The data showed that ascorbic acid (25 µg, i.c.v.) could improve spatial learning and memory indices. Administration of bromocriptine, a D2 agonist, increased the effect of ascorbic acid, while treatment with the selective D2 antagonist sulpiride resulted in prevention of the ascorbate-induced memory consolidation. These results indicate that dopamine D2 receptors may be involved in ascorbic acid-induced learning and memory impairment.

The aim of the present case report is to describe the outcome, hematological and biochemical changes of treatment of idiopathic thrombocytopenia in a Terrier dog using human intravenous immunglobulin. The complete blood count, serum biochemistry, indirect immunofluorescence antibody and direct coomb’s tests, radiography and sonography were performed. Laboratory findings indicated sever thrombocytopenia (

Campylobacteriosis is an important infectious disease of animals and humans caused by the pathogenic Campylobacter species. A total number of 132 aborted sheep fetuses and related placentas were admitted to the large animal clinic at the University of Tabriz, from October 2010 to March 2011. Tissue samples were collected from several fetal organs including liver, brain, kidney, lung, spleen, heart, stomach fluid and placenta, then separately pulverized under liquid nitrogen and finally stored at -20°C until DNA extraction. Of 132 submissions (fetuses and placentas), 12 (9.09%) and 2(1.51%) samples were diagnosed positive to the Campylobacter fetus subsp. fetus and Campylobacter jejuni by the PCR protocol, respectively. No samples were positive for Campylobacter coli.

Thepossible laxative and prokinetic effects of bitter almond were studied: 1- two groups of 7 rats were gavaged with ethanol extract of bitter almond (500mg/kg) or placebo and the number of feces, fecal weight and its percentage of water were studied 18-24h thereafter. 2- Ethanol extract of bitter almond (125 or 250mg/ml), lactulose (as positive control) or placebo was randomly injected into jejuna segments in anesthetized rats (n=9). The volume of the fluid in each segment was measured after 1h. 3- Gastrointestinal (GI) transit time was studied in rats treated with the extract or placebo using phenol red. The rats were sacrificed at times 30min, 1, 2 and 4h. ethanol extract of bitter almond at 500mg/kg significantly increased fecal weight and water. It had no significant effects on the osmotic infiltration of fluid into the intestine or on the transit time of the contents in the GI tract. The current results suggest that bitter almond has a laxative effect that seems to be due to malabsorption of electrolytes and water via enterocytes.

In poultry breeding, use of any antibiotics as a food additive that promotes growth, prevention or treatment of infectious diseases will increase the chance of drug residues in poultry meat products. In this study, the presence of different antibiotics in ten broiler flocks, which were later transported to Mashhad poultry abattoir have been investigated, using four plate test (FPT) method. A total of one hundred breast muscle and sixty liver samples (10 breast muscles and 6 liver samples from each flock) were collected randomly. The results of this study showed, the 18.75% of samples were positive for antibiotic residues and 6.88% of samples were suspected. The results also showed that sulfonamides residue in meat and liver samples were higher than other investigated antibiotics (22% in meat and 11.7% in livers). It can be concluded that the withdrawal time of antibiotics before slaughter has been ignored in many of these farms therefore, the administration of antibiotics in poultry farms must be more rigidly controlled to prevent drug residues in food-producing animals.