A study was conducted to investigate whether aspiration of amniotic fluid is associated with a deleterious effect on absorption of colostral immunoglobulins or on blood gas and acid-base values of healthy newborn calves. Fourteen calves purchased from commercial sources were transported to a research facility immediately after birth and fed colostrum with known concentrations of immunoglobulins. Blood samples for gas analyses were collected within 5 hours of birth, 24 hours later, and prior to euthanasia. Between 3 and 5 days of age, calves were euthanatized by an overdose of barbiturates. Eleven calves had evidence of bronchoaspiration of amniotic fluid, as determined by presence of meconium, squamous epithelium, or keratin in histologic sections of fixed lung or by cytologic analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Blood gas tensions and pH were within reference ranges in 11 of 14 calves. Aspiration of amniotic fluid could not be linked to any specific changes in blood gas tensions, acid-base status, or absorption of colostral immunoglobulins. Presence of keratin and meconium in the lungs often was accompanied by mild exudative alveolitis and focal atelectasis. It was concluded that aspiration of small amounts of amniotic fluid with or without meconium is common in calves and is not associated with hypoxemia, respiratory acidosis, or failure of passive transfer.

Adrenocortical function was assessed in 27 Beagle pups at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 weeks of age by determination of plasma sodium, potassium, and chloride concentrations; serum aldosterone and cortisol concentrations; and plasma ACTH concentrations. Serum cortisol concentration was measured before and 1 and 2 hours after IM administration of 2.2 IU of ACTH/kg of body weight. Serum progesterone concentration also was determined for all pups at 2, 4, and 6 weeks of age. Mean baseline cortisol concentration was lower for pups 8 weeks old or younger than for mature dogs. Nevertheless, mean serum ACTH-stimulated cortisol concentration in dogs of all age groups increased into the adult reference range after administration of ACTH. For pups 4 weeks old or younger, increase in cortisol concentration was maximal at 2 hours after ACTH administration. However, in pups between 6 and 12 weeks of age, the increase in cortisol concentration was maximal 1 hour after ACTH administration in about a third of the pups, whereas the remaining pups had peak values at 2 hours. Mean plasma sodium, potassium, and chloride concentrations for each age group were within the reference ranges established for mature dogs, with the exception of lower mean plasma sodium and chloride concentrations in pups 4 weeks old or younger. Mean serum aldosterone concentration in pups of each age group was substantially higher than the range of aldosterone concentrations for clinically normal mature dogs. Median progesterone concentration was uniformly less than 0.2 ng/ml for all pups 6 weeks old or younger. The normal endogenous ACTH concentration and adequate cortisol responses to exogenous ACTH seen in our pups would support functional pituitary gland and adrenal cortex for cortisol production. The low baseline cortisol concentration observed in the pups of this study may be related to reduced binding of cortisol to plasma proteins, as exists in human infants.

We examined the effect of infusion of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on serum tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) concentration and clinical attitude in 2- to 3-day-old colostrum-fed (CF) and colostrum-deprived (CD) foals. Eleven CF and 8 CD neonatal foals were given a bolus IV infusion of Escherichia coli 055:B5 lipopolysaccharide (0.5 microgram/kg of body weight) in sterile saline (0.9% NaCl) solution. Four CF and 2 CD foals were given saline solution alone. Serum IgG concentration and serum anti-LPS IGG(T) antibody titer were determined for each foal prior to infusion. A depression index was used to score clinical abnormalities. Serum TNF alpha concentration was estimated by use of an in vitro cytotoxicity bioassay that used WEHI 164 clone 13 cells as targets. The cytotoxic serum factor was identified as TNF alpha by immunoprecipitation with caprine antisera raised against the 15 NH2-terminal amino acids of human TNF alpha. Tumor necrosis factor alpha was not detected in any preinfusion serum samples nor in any samples from foals given saline solution alone. Serum TNF alpha concentration increased in all LPS-infused foals and peaked between 60 and 90 minutes after infusion. Serum TNF alpha concentrations, expressed as mean percentage of peak serum TNF alpha concentration, persisted longer in CD foals given LPS than in CF foals given LPS. All LPS-infused foals displayed clinical signs of endotoxemia, but mean depression index scores of the CF and CD foals given LPS were not significantly different at any time. Serum TNF alpha concentrations were correlated with depression index scores in both LPS-infused groups. Mean rectal temperature increased by 1 hour and remained high for 4 hours after infusion in CF foals given LPS. Mean rectal temperature in CD foals given LPS was significantly less than that for CF foals given LPS 1 and 2 hours after infusion and was higher than mean rectal temperature prior to infusion 3 and 4 hours after.

Failure to obtain passive transfer of immunity via colostrum can be detrimental to the health and survival of a young pup. It has been stated that pups that do not receive colostrum in the first 2 days after birth, be given adult dog serum as a source of protective immunoglobulins. Twenty-five Beagle pups were obtained by cesarean section from 6 Beagle bitches. The pups were allotted to 3 groups at birth. Group 1 was a control group and was allowed to suckle colostrum. Group-2 pups received 22 ml of pooled adult dog serum/kg of body weight (10 ml/lb) SC at birth. Group-3 pups were given 22 ml of pooled adult dog serum/kg by stomach tube at birth. Pups from groups 2 and 3 were separated from the bitch for 48 hours to prevent colostral antibody absorption and were fed a commercially available milk replacer by stomach tube. After 48 hours, all pups were returned to the bitch until they were weaned at 6 weeks of age. Blood samples were collected from all of the pups at birth and on days 1, 2, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35. The concentration of IgA, IgG, and IgM in serum was determined by radial immunodiffusion and compared by use of a one-way analysis of variance. The control pups had significantly higher serum concentrations of IgA and IgG, than the pups in groups 2 and 3 on days 1 and 2 and 2 and 7, respectively. Group-2 pups had significantly higher serum IgM concentrations on day 1 than either group 1- or group-3 pups.

Newborn pups from 4 large litters were allotted to 6 groups to determine effect of time and route of administration on absorption of an alternate source of immunoglobulin. Selective absorption of specific classes of immunoglobulins was also investigated. The alternate source of immunoglobulin consisted of pooled serum that was administered either PO or SC. Control groups were either left with the dam (group C1) or fed milk replacer (group C2). Blood samples were collected from pups at birth and 24 hours. Immunoglobulin (IgA, IgG, IgM) concentrations were determined by use of radial immunodiffusion on samples of pooled serum, colostrum, and pups' serum (birth and 24 hours). Serum IgA concentration was less than the sensitivity of the procedure and was not included in the statistical analysis. Pups fed 8 ml of pooled serum at birth and 12 hours later (group T1) absorbed more (P < 0.05) IgG and IgM than did group-C2 pups, but less (P < 0.05) than did group-C1 pups. Pups fed 8 ml of pooled serum at 12 hours only had significant (P < 0.05) increase of IgG concentration, but no absorption of IgM (P > 0.05) at 24 hours, compared with control pups (group C2). Pups administered 8 ml of pooled serum SC at birth (group SC1) had similar (P > 0.05) absorption of IgG and higher (P < 0.05) absorption of IgM than did pups of group T1. Pups administered 16 ml of pooled serum SC at birth had the highest increase of IgG and IgM concentrations of all treatment groups, but immunoglobulin concentrations were lower (P < 0.05) than those for group-C1 pups. Absorption of IgG was favored, compared with IgM, when pooled serum was fed. Results indicate clearly that intestinal absorption of immunoglobulins is minimal after 12 hours and thus, another route of administration should be used. Pups in groups SC1 and T1 had similar absorption of IgG, despite lower IgM absorption in pups of group T1. This lower IgM concentration in group-T1 pups may have been the result of selective intestinal absorption or the consequence of low number of pups per group. Subcutaneous administration of 16 ml of pooled serum was the most successful alternative to colostrum, with minimal pain to pups if serum was administered slowly. Serum IgG concentration in C1 pups was higher than expected and probably was attributable to the amount of colostrum available to the pups.

Gentamicin sulfate, equivalent to 4 mg of gentamicin base/kg of body weight, was administered IV to 6 Thoroughbred foals on day 1 (12 to 24 hours of age) and at 5, 10, 15, and 30 days after birth. On day 40 after parturition, gentamicin was given to the mares at a dosage similar to that used in foals. Decay of serum gentamicin concentrations was best described by a 2-compartment model. Among foals, the overall elimination rate constant at 30 days of age was significantly (P less than 0.05) greater than at days 1, 10, and 15. There was, however, no difference in the overall elimination rate constant between foals and mares. The volume of distribution (Vd), determined on the basis of total area under the disposition curve, did not change between day 1 and day 30. Mean values of Vd of foals were between 1.5 and 2.5 times higher than the mean Vd of the mares; however, only values from the foals at days 5 and 10 were significantly greater. Both age and interindividual differences were reflected in the total body clearance (ClB) of gentamicin. Total body clearance of gentamicin of foals on day 1 was less than that of foals on days 5, 10, and 30. Additionally, ClB of gentamicin on day 15 was less than that on day 30. There was no significant difference between ClB of foals and mares except for the day-30 group, which had a higher clearance rate than did the adults. Protein binding of gentamicin was less than 30% in all groups, and there were no apparent age-related differences.