Objective-To assess the effects of oxygen insufflation rate, respiratory rate, and tidal volume on fraction of inspired oxygen (Fio2) in cadaveric canine heads attached to a lung model. Sample-16 heads of canine cadavers. Procedures-Each cadaver head was instrumented with a nasal insufflation catheter through which oxygen was delivered. The trachea was attached to a sample collection port connected by means of corrugated tubing to a lung model. Eight treatment combinations that varied in respiratory rate (10 or 20 breaths/min), tidal volume (10 or 15 mL/kg), and oxygen insufflation rate (50 or 100 mL/kg/min) were applied to each head in a replicated Latin square design. Gas samples were manually collected, and inspired oxygen concentrations were analyzed. The Fio2 and end-tidal CO2 concentration were determined and compared among sample groups. Results-Estimated least squares mean Fio2 for various treatment combinations ranged from 32.2% to 60.6%. The Fio2 was significantly increased at the higher insufflation rate (estimated marginal least squares mean, 48.7% vs 38.6% for 100 and 50 mL/kg/min, respectively), lower respiratory rate (48.9% vs 38.3% for 10 and 20 breaths/min, respectively), and smaller tidal volume (46.8% vs 40.0% for 10 and 15 mL/kg, respectively). Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Fio2 in the model was affected by oxygen insufflation rate, respiratory rate, and tidal volume. This information may potentially help clinicians interpret results of blood gas analysis and manage canine patients receiving oxygen insufflation via a nasal catheter.

This study evaluated the influence of temperature and organic load on the effectiveness of domestic bleach (DB), Surface Decontamination Foam (SDF), and Virkon in inactivating Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores, which are a surrogate for Bacillus anthracis spores. The spores were suspended in light or heavy organic preparations and the suspension was applied to stainless steel carrier disks. The dried spore inoculum was covered with the disinfectants and the disks were then incubated at various temperatures. At −20°C, the 3 disinfectants caused less than a 2.0 log10 reduction of spores in both organic preparations during a 24-h test period. At 4°C, the DB caused a 4.4 log10 reduction of spores in light organic preparations within 2 h, which was about 3 log10 higher than what was achieved with SDF or Virkon. In heavy organic preparations, after 24 h at 4°C the SDF had reduced the spore count by 4.5 log10, which was about 2 log10 higher than for DB or Virkon. In general, the disinfectants were most effective at 23°C but a 24-h contact time was required for SDF and Virkon to reduce spore counts in both organic preparations by at least 5.5 log10. Comparable disinfecting activity with DB only occurred with the light organic load. In summary, at temperatures as low as 4°C, DB was the most effective disinfectant, inactivating spores within 2 h on surfaces with a light organic candload, whereas SDF produced the greatest reduction of spores within 24 h on surfaces with a heavy organic load.

Serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) is a technique that could be considered one of the most useful diagnostic aids available to the clinician. The effect of storage time and temperature on the total proteins and electrophoretic fractions (albumin, α1-, α2-, β1-, β2-, and γ-globulins) was assessed in 24 healthy horses. All samples, collected by jugular vein puncture, were centrifuged and divided into 4 aliquots. The 1st aliquot was analyzed within 3 h from collection (time 0), the 2nd was refrigerated at +4°C for 24 h, the 3rd was refrigerated at +4°C for 48 h, and the last was frozen at -20°C for 48 h. One-way repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed a significant effect (P < 0.05) of the different storage conditions on the concentrations of all the parameters studied and significant variations in the percentages of albumin, α1-globulins, α2-globulins, and γ-globulins. Compared with time 0 the total protein concentration increased significantly after 48 h at -20°C, the albumin percentage decreased after 48 h at -20°C, the α1-globulin percentage increased after 24 h at +4°C, the α2-globulin percentage increased after 48 h at +4°C and at -20°C, and the γ-globulin percentage increased after 48 h at -20°C. The results should help veterinary practitioners handle and store equine serum samples appropriately. Further investigations at different storage times and temperatures could be useful.

Objective—To evaluate the influence of acidifying or alkalinizing diets on bone mineral density and urine relative supersaturation (URSS) with calcium oxalate and struvite in healthy cats. Animals—6 castrated male and 6 spayed female cats. Procedures—3 groups of 4 cats each were fed diets for 12 months that differed only in acidifying or alkalinizing properties (alkalinizing, neutral, and acidifying). Body composition was estimated by use of dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, and 48-hour urine samples were collected for URSS determination. Results—Urine pH differed significantly among diet groups, with the lowest urine pH values in the acidifying diet group and the highest values in the alkalinizing diet group. Differences were not observed in other variables except urinary ammonia excretion, which was significantly higher in the neutral diet group. Calcium oxalate URSS was highest in the acidifying diet group and lowest in the alkalinizing diet group; struvite URSS was not different among groups. Diet was not significantly associated with bone mineral content or density. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Urinary undersaturation with calcium oxalate was achieved by inducing alkaluria. Feeding an alkalinizing diet was not associated with URSS with struvite. Bone mineral density and calcium content were not adversely affected by diet; therefore, release of calcium from bone caused by feeding an acidifying diet may not occur in healthy cats.

Hemorrhagic pneumonia can be a major cause of mortality in farmed mink in the fall. In its classic form, hemorrhagic pneumonia is caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In recent years, however, outbreaks of this type of pneumonia that are associated with hemolytic Escherichia coli have also occurred in farmed mink. The purpose of this study was to compare histological lesions of acute hemorrhagic pneumonia associated with both P. aeruginosa and E. coli in mink, including a description of tissue distribution of pathogens, in an attempt to differentiate between the 2 disease entities based on histopathology. The study included material submitted for diagnostic investigation to the National Veterinary Institute in Denmark from 2006 to 2009. Altogether, 19 cases of hemorrhagic pneumonia with a pure lung culture of P. aeruginosa and 18 cases of hemorrhagic pneumonia with a pure lung culture of E. coli were examined. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded lung tissue obtained from the mink was examined by histology and fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH). It was possible to detect a slight histological difference between hemorrhagic pneumonia caused by P. aeruginosa and by E. coli, as P. aeruginosa was most often found surrounding blood vessels and lining the alveoli, while E. coli showed a more diffuse distribution in the lung tissue. Furthermore, P. aeruginosa often elicited a very hemorrhagic response in the lung, while infection with E. coli was associated with a higher frequency of alveolar edema and mild lymphoid cuffing in the lungs.

The objective of this study was to characterize the highly elevated levels of clotting factor VIII (FVIII) in camel plasma. Whole blood was collected from healthy camels and factor VIII clotting activity (FVIII:C) assays were conducted using both the clotting and the chromogenic techniques. The anticoagulant citrate phosphate dextrose adenine (CPDA) produced the highest harvest of FVIII:C, the level of plasma factor VIII, compared to heparin:saline and heparin: CPDA anticoagulants. Camel FVIII can be concentrated 2 to 3 times in cryoprecipitate. There was a significant loss of camel FVIII when comparing levels of FVIII in camel plasma after 1 h of incubation at 37°C (533%), 40°C (364%), and 50°C (223%). Thrombin generation of camel plasma is comparable to that of human plasma. It was concluded that camel plasma contains very elevated levels of FVIII:C, approaching 8 times the levels in human plasma, and that these elevated levels could not be attributed to excessive thrombin generation. Unlike human FVIII:C, camel FVIII:C is remarkably heat stable. Taken together, these unique features of camel FVIII could be part of the physiological adaptation of hemostasis of the Arabian camel in order to survive in the hot desert environment.

Oxidative stress is a key component in the immunosuppression of chronic kidney disease (CKD), and neutrophil function may be impaired by oxidative stress. To test the hypothesis that in uremic dogs with CKD, oxidative stress is increased and neutrophils become less viable and functional, 18 adult dogs with CKD were compared with 15 healthy adult dogs. Blood count and urinalysis were done, and the serum biochemical profile and plasma lipid peroxidation (measurement of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) were determined with the use of commercial reagents. Plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was measured with a spectrophotometer and commercial reagents, superoxide production with a hydroethidine probe, and the viability and apoptosis of neutrophils with capillary flow cytometry and the annexin V-PE system. The plasma concentrations of cholesterol (P = 0.0415), creatinine (P < 0.0001), and urea (P < 0.0001) were significantly greater in the uremic dogs than in the control dogs. The hematocrit (P = 0.0004), urine specific gravity (P = 0.015), and plasma lipid peroxidation (P < 0.0001) were significantly lower in the dogs that were in late stages of CKD than in the control group. Compared with those isolated from the control group, neutrophils isolated from the CKD group showed a higher rate of spontaneous (0.10 ± 0.05 versus 0.49 ± 0.09; P = 0.0033; median ± standard error of mean) and camptothecin-induced (18.53 ± 4.06 versus 44.67 ± 4.85; P = 0.0066) apoptosis and lower levels of superoxide production in the presence (1278.8 ± 372.8 versus 75.65 ± 86.6; P = 0.0022) and absence (135.29 ± 51.74 versus 41.29 ± 8.38; P = 0.0138) of phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate stimulation. Thus, oxidative stress and acceleration of apoptosis occurs in dogs with CKD, the apoptosis diminishing the number of viable neutrophils and neutrophil superoxide production.

A study was conducted to determine the interdependence among the conformation traits of 28 “Pallaresa” cows using principal component analysis. Originally 21 body linear measurements were obtained, from which eight traits are subsequently eliminated. From the principal components analysis, with raw varimax rotation of the transformation matrix, two principal components were extracted, which accounted for 65.8% of the total variance. The first principal component alone explained 51.6% of the variation, and tended to describe general size, while the second principal component had its loadings for back-sternal diameter. The two extracted principal components, which are traits related to dorsal heights and back-sternal diameter, could be considered in selection programs.

Commercial bivalent killed Salmonella vaccine Salenvac-T has been used in several countries in order to prevent salmonellosis with Salmonella enterica serovars Enteritidis (SE) and Typhimurium (ST) in poultry. However, this vaccine has not been used in poultry farms in South Korea. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of Salenvac- T vaccine to protect against the challenge of virulent SE and ST, and the effect of the vaccine on egg production and mortality in layer hens. The colonization of liver, spleen and cecum with challenged SE and ST was reduced in vaccinated chickens compared with that of unvaccinated control group. The twice vaccination with Salenvac-T induced elevated antibody responses against both SE and ST detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The higher average hen-day production was observed in the vaccinated layer hens than in the unvaccinated layer hens without significance. The average mortality was lower in the vaccinated layer hens during the experiment period. The antibody responses to both SE and ST were persistently detected in the vaccinated layers. In summary, vaccination with Salenvac-T reduces colonization of internal organs and induces good antibody responses, thereby results in higher performance and lower egg contamination with SE and ST in layer hens.

A ten-year-old dog was presented with pancreatitis and increased hepatic enzymes. On necropsy a large firm mass was observed in the liver extending to the gall bladder. Smaller masses with similar texture were found in multiple organs including lung, stomach, pancreas, lymph nodes, omentum, and mesentery. Neoplastic cells were spindle shaped with prominent osteoid production and occasional trabeculae of woven bone. Tumor cell emboli were observed in the blood vessels and lymphatics of the omentum and stomach. Hepatic osteosarcoma with systemic metastasis is very rare and may serve to broaden the diagnostic spectrum of hepatic and pancreatic diseases in dogs.