Maintaining mineral homeostasis as well as the secretion and metabolism of mineralotropic hormones is important for healthy of periparturient dairy cows. To increase the activity of mineralotropic hormones, blood pH can be adjusted. The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in blood pH and the mechanism of action of this change in induced hypercalcaemic cows. Six non-lactating Holstein cows were used in a 2 × 2 crossover design. To induce hypercalcaemia, calcium borogluconate was administered subcutaneously to experimental cows and normal saline was administered subcutaneously to control cows. Blood and urine samples were collected serially after administration. Whole blood without any anticoagulant was processed with a portable blood gas analyser. Plasma concentration and urinary excretion of calcium were measured. In hypercalcaemic cows, both blood and urine calcium levels were significantly increased at 8 h compared to those at 0 h (P < 0.05), and a spontaneous increase in blood pH was also observed. The calcium concentration in plasma was highest at 2 h after administration (3.02 ± 0.27 mmol/L). The change in pH correlated with that in bicarbonate (r = 0.781, P < 0.001) rather than that in partial pressure of CO₂ (r = 0.085, P = 0.424). Hypercalcaemia induced a spontaneous change in blood pH through the bicarbonate buffer system and this system may be a maintainer of calcium homeostasis.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinicopathologic, hemodynamic, and echocardiographic effects of short-term administration of anti-inflammatory dosages of prednisolone to systemically normal cats. ANIMALS 10 cats with allergic dermatitis and 10 healthy control cats. PROCEDURES Cats with allergic dermatitis were randomly allocated to 2 groups and received 2 dosages of prednisolone (1 and 2 mg/kg/d, PO, for 7 days) in a crossover design followed by 9-day tapering and 14-day washout periods. Each prednisolone-treated cat was matched to a healthy control cat on the basis of sex, neuter status, age (± 1 year), and body weight (± 10%). Control cats received no treatment during the 35-day observation period. Clinicopathologic, echocardiographic, and hemodynamic variables were measured at baseline (day 0) and predetermined times during and after prednisolone administration and compared within and between the 2 treatment groups. RESULTS Prednisolone-treated cats had expected clinicopathologic alterations (mild increases in neutrophil and monocyte counts and serum concentrations of albumin, cholesterol, and triglycerides) but systolic arterial blood pressure; blood glucose, serum potassium, and cardiac biomarker concentrations; urinary sodium excretion; and echocardiographic variables did not differ significantly from baseline at any time. Statistically significant, albeit clinically irrelevant, increases in blood glucose and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide concentrations were observed between baseline and the prednisolone pharmacokinetic steady state (7 days after initiation) only when the 2-mg/kg dosage was administered. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated short-term oral administration of anti-inflammatory dosages of prednisolone did not cause relevant hemodynamic, echocardiographic, or diabetogenic effects in systemically normal cats with allergic dermatitis.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the transit time from various locations in the intestines of cows with cecal dilatation-dislocation (CDD), healthy control cows, and cows with left displacement of the abomasum (LDA). ANIMALS 15 cows with naturally occurring CDD (group 1), 14 healthy control cows (group 2), and 18 cows with LDA (group 3). PROCEDURES 5 electronic transmitters were encased in capsules and placed in the lumen of the ileum, cecum, proximal portion of the colon, and 2 locations in the spiral colon (colon 1 and colon 2) and used to measure the transit time (ie, time between placement in the lumen and excretion of the capsules from the rectum). Excretion time of the capsules from each intestinal segment was compared among groups. RESULTS Cows recovered well from surgery, except for 1 cow with relapse of CDD 4 days after surgery and 2 cows with incisional infection. High variability in capsule excretion times was observed for all examined intestinal segments in all groups. Significant differences were detected for the excretion time from the colon (greater in cows with CDD than in healthy control cows) and cecum (less in cows with LDA than in cows of the other 2 groups). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE The technique developed to measure excretion time of capsules from bovine intestines was safe and reliable; however, the large variability observed for all intestinal segments and all groups would appear to be a limitation for its use in assessment of intestinal transit time of cattle in future studies.

In this study, a genetically engineered live attenuated Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) vaccine was evaluated for its ability to protect against Salmonella Typhimurium (ST) infection in chickens. The birds were orally primed with the vaccine on the 1st day of life and given an oral booster at 5 wk of age. Control birds were orally inoculated with phosphate-buffered saline. Both groups of birds were orally challenged with a virulent ST strain at 9 wk of age. Compared with the control chickens, the vaccinated chickens had significantly higher levels of systemic IgG and mucosal IgA against specific ST antigens and a significantly greater lymphoproliferative response to ST antigens. The excretion of ST into the feces was significantly lower in the vaccinated group than in the control group on days 9 and 13 d after challenge. In addition, the vaccinated group had significantly fewer pronounced gross lesions in the liver and spleen and lower bacterial counts in the internal organs than the control group after challenge. These data indicate that genetically engineered live attenuated SE may induce humoral and cellular immune responses against ST antigens and may confer protection against virulent ST challenge.

Four consecutive 6-hour urine sample collections were performed on 7 healthy adult Holstein cows fed a diet of coastal Bermuda hay with ad libitum water consumption. Urine (via indwelling urinary catheter) and venous blood samples were collected at 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours. Total 24-hour urine production for the 7 cows ranged from 4,515 to 7,130 ml/d (mean +/- SD, 5,633 +/- 946 ml/d) or 0.02 to 0.04 ml/kg of body weight/d (mean +/- SD, 0.03 +/- 0.007 ml/kg/d). Renal clearance (C) of creatinine (Cr), sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) varied significantly (P less than 0.05) among individuals, but did not vary significantly among the four 6-hour collection periods. Clearance of chloride (Cl) and phosphorous (P) did not vary significantly either among individuals or among the four 6-hour periods. Clearance of potassium (K) varied significantly (P less than 0.05) among individuals and among the four 6-hour periods. Creatinine clearance was significantly (P less than 0.01) correlated with CCl, CCa, CP, and CMg when all data were considered. Significant (P less than 0.05) correlations were also found between CCl, and CK, CCa, CP, and CMg; between CCa and CP and CMg; and between CP and CMg. Fractional excretion (FE) of Na, K, Cl, Ca, P, and Mg did not vary significantly among the four 6-hour periods. Fractional excretion of Na, Ca, and Mg (P less than 0.01) and K and P (P less than 0.05) varied significantly within individuals among the 6-hour periods. Mean FE values, calculated by averaging values for each of the 4 collection periods for all 7 cows, ranged from 0.05 to 0.78% for FENa; 129.33 to 670.40% for FEK; 1.23 to 6.23% for FECl; 0.17 to 4.44% for FECa; 0.36 to 1.14 for FEP; and 4.96 to 11.73% for FEMg. Linear relationships between the clearance and fractional excretion of electrolytes were observed on base-10 logarithmically transformed data for Na, Ca, P, and Mg. Linear relationship was not found between CK and FEK or between CCl and FECl.

The influence of induced chronic renal failure on 24-hour urinary excretion and fractional excretion of sodium and potassium was studied in cats. Induction of chronic renal failure significantly increased fractional excretion of potassium (P < 0.0001) and sodium (P < 0.05); however, 24-hour urinary excretion of sodium and potassium decreased slightly following induction of chronic renal failure. Fractional excretion and 24-hour urinary excretion of sodium and potassium were compared by linear regression in clinically normal cats, cats with chronic renal failure, and clinically normal and affected cats combined. In clinically normal cats, linear regression revealed only moderate correlation between fractional excretion and 24-hour urinary excretion for sodium and potassium. Linear regression of these same relationships in cats with chronic renal failure, and in clinically normal cats and cats with chronic renal failure combined, indicated low correlation. Fractional excretions of sodium and potassium were not reliable indicators of 24-hour urinary excretion of these electrolytes in cats with chronic renal failure or unknown glomerular filtration rate. Fractional excretion of potassium and sodium correlated only moderately with urinary excretion in clinically normal cats.

Renal electrolyte and net acid excretion were characterized during generation and maintenance of hypochloremic metabolic alkalosis in a ruminant model. Two phases of renal response with regard to sodium and net acid excretion were documented. An initial decrease in net acid excretion was attributable to increase in bicarbonate excretion with associated increase in sodium excretion. As the metabolic disturbance became more advanced, a second phase of renal excretion was observed in which sodium and bicarbonate excretion were markedly decreased, leading to increase in net acid excretion and development of aciduria. Throughout the metabolic disturbance, chloride excretion was markedly decreased; potassium excretion also decreased. These changes were accompanied by increase in plasma renin and aldosterone concentrations. There was apparent failure to concentrate the urine optimally during the course of the metabolic disturbance, despite increasing plasma concentration of antidiuretic hormone.

To determine their capacity to host Brucella abortus, face flies were examined 1 to 120 hours after feeding on broth containing bacteria and bovine erythrocytes. Brucella abortus was cultured in large numbers from whole flies for 12 hours after feeding, but not after 72 hours. Histologic analysis showed that brucellae were rapidly taken into the midgut, sequestered from erythrocytes, transiently stored, and shed in the feces; there was no evidence of bacterial replication within epithelial cells. Immunoperoxidase and immunogold techniques revealed that most brucellae in the gut were confined to the lumen by the peritrophic membrane, that brucellae were degraded in secondary lysosomes of midgut epithelial cells, and that intact brucellae passed into connective tissues surrounding the midgut. Bacterial excretion without midgut replication is consistent with transient, but not long-term, insect transmission in nature.

Urinary liver-type fatty acid-binding protein (uL-FABP) is a clinically useful biomarker for monitoring chronic kidney disease (CKD) in humans. However, long-term monitoring of uL-FABP in CKD cats has not been reported. The objective of this preliminary study was to investigate whether the urinary excretion of L-FABP could predict the deterioration of renal function in 2 CKD model cats. Urinary liver-type fatty acid-binding protein (uL-FABP) increased before standard renal biomarkers, including serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and symmetric dimethylarginine, in 1 cat with deteriorating renal function, but remained low and relatively stable in another cat with stable renal function. Our results suggest that uL-FABP is a potential clinical biomarker for predicting the progression of CKD in cats, as it is in humans.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether a dose-response relationship exists between short-term oral prednisone administration and common clinicopathologic variables, cardiovascular biomarkers, and systolic arterial blood pressure (SAP) in healthy dogs. ANIMALS 8 healthy Beagles. PROCEDURES Dogs underwent five 5-day experiments (no prednisone treatment [control condition] and prednisone administration at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h), with a 9-day washout period between protocols. Analyses performed before and after treatments included a CBC, serum biochemical analysis, and determination of SAP, fractional excretion of electrolytes, urine protein-to-creatinine ratio, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), serum N-terminal pro B–type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and plasma cortisol concentrations, and plasma renin activity. Linear mixed-effects modeling was used to compare changes in variables from baseline (day 1 for the same experiment) among treatment conditions. RESULTS Changes in serum glucose concentration and GFR were significantly greater after administration of prednisone at 4 mg/kg than for the control condition. Fractional excretion of sodium was decreased from baseline when dogs received 0.5, 1, or 4 mg of prednisone/kg, compared with results for the control condition. Several expected changes in clinicopathologic values were observed after prednisone administration at any dose. Changes in serum NT-proBNP concentration, plasma renin activity, and SAP did not differ from changes for the control condition at any prednisone dose. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Oral prednisone administration did not affect SAP, NT-proBNP concentration, or measures of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system activation in healthy laboratory-housed dogs but was associated with relative increases in GFR and serum glucose concentration.