Objective: To compare myocardial cytokine expression in dogs with naturally occurring cardiac or systemic diseases and dogs without cardiac or systemic diseases (control dogs). Sample: Myocardial tissue samples from 7 systemic disease-affected dogs (SDDs), 7 cardiac disease-affected dogs (CDDs), and 8 control dogs. Procedures: mRNA expression of interleukin (IL)-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interferon (IFN)-γ, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, TGF-β2, TGF-β3, and growth differentiation factor-15 in myocardial tissue samples obtained from CDDs, SDDs, and control dogs were analyzed via quantitative PCR assays. Results: In control dogs, only mRNA for TNF-α, TGF-β1, and TGF-β3 was detected; concentrations were significantly higher in male than in female dogs. In SDDs and CDDs, all cytokines, growth factors, and growth differentiation factor-15 were expressed. Compared with findings in SDDs, IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α, and IFN-γ expression was significantly increased in CDDs; specifically, IL-1, IL-8, TNF-α, TGF-β1, and TGF-β3 expression was increased in the atria and IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α, and IFN-γ expression was increased in the ventricles of CDDs. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Data suggested that the alterations in cytokine expression in SDDs and CDDs, compared with control dog findings, were a result of inflammatory system activation. The differences in cytokine expression in atria and ventricles between SDDs and CDDs were suggestive of different remodeling processes. A better knowledge of myocardial involvement in SDDs and of immune regulation in CDDs might beneficially affect morbidity and mortality rates and provide new treatment approaches.

Objective: To compare the degree of mRNA expression for matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), tissue inhibitors (TIMPs), and lysyl oxidase in myocardial samples from dogs with cardiac and systemic diseases and from healthy control dogs. Sample: Myocardial samples from the atria, ventricles, and septum of 8 control dogs, 6 dogs with systemic diseases, 4 dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), and 5 dogs with other cardiac diseases. Procedures: Degrees of mRNA expression for MMP-1, -2, -3, -9, and -13; TIMP-1, -2, -3, and -4; and lysyl oxidase were measured via quantitative real-time PCR assay. Histologic examination of the hearts was performed to identify pathological changes. Results: In myocardial samples from control dogs, only TIMP-3 and TIMP-4 mRNA expression was detected, with a significantly higher degree in male versus female dogs. In dogs with systemic and cardiac diseases, all investigated markers were expressed, with a significantly higher degree of mRNA expression than in control dogs. Furthermore, the degree of expression for MMP-2, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 was significantly higher in dogs with DCM than in dogs with systemic diseases and cardiac diseases other than DCM. Expression was generally greater in atrial than in ventricular tissue for MMP-2, MMP-13, and lysyl oxidase in samples from dogs with atrial fibrillation. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Degrees of myocardial MMP, TIMP, and lysyl oxidase mRNA expression were higher in dogs with cardiac and systemic diseases than in healthy dogs, suggesting that expression of these markers is a nonspecific consequence of end-stage diseases. Selective differences in the expression of some markers may reflect specific pathogenic mechanisms and may play a role in disease progression, morbidity and mortality rates, and treatment response.

Although bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC) is common in post-weaning cattle, BRDC prediction models are seldom analyzed. The objectives of this study were to assess the ability to predict cumulative cohort-level BRDC morbidity using on-arrival risk factors and to evaluate whether or not adding BRDC risk classification and daily BRDC morbidity and mortality data to the models enhanced their predictive ability. Retrospective cohort-level and individual animal health data were used to create mixed negative binomial regression (MNBR) models for predicting cumulative risk of BRDC morbidity. Logistic regression models were used to illustrate that the percentage of correctly (within |5%| of actual) classified cohorts increased across days, but the effect of day was modified by arrival weight, arrival month, and feedlot. Cattle arriving in April had the highest (77%) number of lots correctly classified at arrival and cattle arriving in December had the lowest (28%). Classification accuracy at arrival varied according to initial weight, ranging from 17% (< 182 kg) to 91% (> 409 kg). Predictive accuracy of the models improved from 64% at arrival to 74% at 8 days on feed (DOF) when risk code was known compared to 56% accuracy at arrival and 69% at 8 DOF when risk classification was not known. The results of this study demonstrate how the predictive ability of models can be improved by utilizing more refined data on the prior history of cohorts, thus making these models more useful to operators of commercial feedlots.

Objective-To compare the efficacy of gamithromycin with that of tulathromycin for control of undifferentiated bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC) in feedlot calves. Animals-2,529 weaned crossbred beef calves. Procedures-At each of 2 feedlots, calves at risk of developing BRDC were administered a single dose of gamithromycin (6.0 mg/kg, SC; n = 1,263) or tulathromycin (2.5 mg/kg, SC; 1,266) metaphylactically. Health (BRDC morbidity, mortality, case-fatality, and retreatment rates) and performance (average daily gain, dry matter intake, and feed-to-gain ratio) outcomes were compared between treatments via classical hypothesis testing. Bioequivalence limits for gamithromycin and tulathromycin were established for outcomes for which no significant difference between treatments was detected. Results-Mean BRDC morbidity rate (31.0%) for calves administered gamithromycin was greater than that (22.9%) for calves administered tulathromycin; otherwise, health and performance did not differ between treatments. Limits for mean differences within which gamithromycin was considered bioequivalent to tulathromycin were +/- 10% for BRDC retreatment rate, +/- 3.5% for BRDC mortality rate, ± 16% for case-fatality rate, +/- 37 kg for final body weight, +/- 0.1 kg/d for average daily gain, +/- 0.3 kg/d for dry matter intake, and +/- 0.7 for feed-to-gain ratio. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-The efficacy of gamithromycin did not differ from that of tulathromycin for all outcomes except morbidity rate; calves administered gamithromycin had a higher BRDC morbidity rate than did calves administered tulathromycin. On the basis of the bioequivalence limits established for this dataset, gamithromycin was considered equivalent to tulathromycin for the control of BRDC.

Objective—To evaluate the effect of ovariectomy on insulin sensitivity in horses and determine whether the effects of suppression of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis differ before and after ovariectomy. Animals—6 healthy mares. Procedures—The horses underwent an IV glucose tolerance test (IVGTT), an insulin sensitivity test, and a dexamethasone suppression test before and 5 weeks after ovariectomy. Body weight, serum cortisol and plasma ACTH concentrations, serum insulin-to-blood glucose concentration ratios, and changes in blood glucose concentration with time after injection of glucose or insulin were compared before and after ovariectomy. Results—The dexamethasone injection resulted in a decrease in serum cortisol concentration before and after ovariectomy. In all horses, baseline plasma ACTH concentrations were within the reference range before and after ovariectomy. For each mare, results of an IVGTT before and after ovariectomy were considered normal. No significant differences in basal blood glucose concentration or time to reach baseline glucose concentration after an IVGTT were observed. Basal serum insulin concentration and serum insulin-to-blood glucose concentration ratios were not significantly different before or after ovariectomy, nor was the mean time to attain a 50% decrease in blood glucose concentration after insulin injection. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results indicated that ovariectomy does not appear to modify dexamethasone response in horses and that it does not modify short-term measures of insulin sensitivity. Findings suggested that horses undergoing ovariectomy are not at higher risk of developing equine metabolic syndrome or hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction and associated morbidity.

The small ruminant industry in Malaysia is plagued by several significant problems related to health and management. Due to the hot, wet tropical climate, parasitic, bacterial and viral diseases are rampant and conveniently spread and enhanced by poor management. The Veterinary Research Institute has initiated a working group to&#xD;identify and control critical diseases in small ruminants as an educational cum advisory programme for farmers on the lower economic rung so that productivity and profits may be heightened. Farms are attended to base on the complaint of high mortality and morbidity, whereby a complete and holistic approach to disease control is taken. All the farms sampled were in the vicinity of the laboratory&#xD;that is within 150 km radius. Samples collected were faeces, blood (serum and whole blood) and nasal swabs as well as water and feed samples. A questionnaire on the management practices as well as&#xD;history of the farm was recorded. Tests on all samples were conducted according to routine procedures. Results from this study&#xD;on 7 farms involving 175 goats and sheep revealed that the common parasitic diseases encountered are helminthiasis, coccidiosis and blood protozoans. More than 80% of the animals showed strongyle and coccidial infections. The prominent bacterial infections are Caseous Lymphadenitis (34.3%), Brucellosis (Brucella melitensis), Leptospirosis (1.7%), Melliodosis and QFever whereas the viral diseases are Caprine Arthiritis Encephalitis (1.1%) and Blue Tongue (15.4%). Early detection for these diseases is critical so that production losses can be minimised. Poor nutrition and hygiene is a contributing factor for the high incidence of disease in small&#xD;ruminants. Farmer awareness on latest farming methods and services provided also contributes to general wellbeing of animals. One of the outcomes of this programme is to create awareness and getting farmers to be independent and confident in problem solving with regards to management and disease in their herds.