Corticocancellous bone graft was obtained from the caudoventral portion of the mandible of 8 dogs. The recipient site was an alveolar jugal and alveolar defect from vital root amputation of the mesiobuccal root of the maxillary fourth premolar. Anatomic observations of 20 canine cadavers indicated that guidelines for harvesting bone from the caudoventral portion of the mandible of dogs were the mesial aspect of the masseteric fossa, the distal aspect of the roots of the first mandibular molar, and the ventral aspect of the mandibular canal. The mean weight of corticocancellous bone harvested was 0.4 +/- 0.1 g. Harvested corticocancellous bone was adequate to fill recipient sites measuring a mean volume of 105.0 +/- 28.5 mm3. Histologic evaluation of the recipient site revealed progressive osseous integration of the bone. graft site during a mean follow-up period of 3.5 +/- 1.9 months. There was normal bone healing of the donor site without adverse effects on the mandibular molars or neurovascular structures of the mandibular canal. Vital amputation sites receiving silver amalgam had evidence of plasmacytic/lymphocytic inflammation associated with residual silver amalgam in the bone-graft area. The caudoventral portion of the mandible may be used as a donor site for autogenous corticocancellous bone in periodontal surgery of dogs.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for the detection of Toxoplasma gondii antigen-containing IgM immune complexes (T gondii-specific IgM-IC) and IgG immune complexes (T gondii-specific IgG-IC) in the serum of cats were developed. Serum from clinically ill, naturally infected cats; healthy, naturally infected cats; and healthy cats experimentally inoculated with T gondii was assayed. All combinations of T gondii-specific IgM, IgG, antigens, IgM-IC, and IgG-IC were detected in naturally infected and experimentally infected cats. Clinically ill cats and cats with ocular signs of toxoplasmosis were more likely than healthy cats to have T gondii-specific IC in serum. It was concluded that T gondii-specific IC form in the serum of cats, may play a role in clinical disease development, and affect the results of T gondii-specific IgM, IgG, and antigen serologic assays.

Antiparasitic activity of several compounds was evaluated over a long period (about 25 years) in the same flock of sheep. Haemonchus contortus was of special interest, including its relation to drug resistance, especially to thiabendazole and other benzimidazoles, in addition to phenothiazine. Eleven compounds were evaluated in 15 controlled tests, done between 1966 and 1989 in naturally infected lambs (n = 145) born and raised on the same pasture. Sheep were first placed on the pasture in 1962, and a few more were added thereafter. Internal parasites in these sheep were classified in 3 general categories: indeterminate exposure to parasiticides; H contortus, resistant to thiabendazole; and H contortus, resistant to phenothiazine. The parasitic infections probably became more homogeneous after several years because of few introductions of outside sheep after initial establishment of the flock. Activity against naturally acquired internal helminths was evaluated for cambendazole (CBZ: dosage, 20 mg/kg of body weight), fenbendazole (FBZ: 5 or 7.5 mg/kg), mebendazole (MBZ: 10 mg/kg); oxfendazole (OFZ: 3.5 or 10 mg/kg), oxibendazole (OBZ: 10 mg/kg); parbendazole (PBZ: 15 mg/kg), phenothiazine (PTZ: 550 mg/kg); pyrantel pamoate (PRT: 25 mg base/kg), tetramizole (TET: 15 mg/kg); thiabendazole (TBZ: 30 or 44 mg/kg), and trichlorfon (TCF: 100 mg/kg). Thiabendazole was used more often (9 tests) than the other compounds. Thiabendazole was more active against mature H contortus in later years than when first used in 1966, although it was never 100% effective. Efficacy against immature H contortus for TBZ did not exceed 86%. Activity against immature and mature stages of this parasite was good overall for the other benzimidazoles. Results indicated no definite side resistance of non-TBZ benzimidazoles for this species. Removal of both stages of H contortus was generally low for PTZ. For the other nonbenzimidazoles (PRT, TET, and TCF), efficacy against immature and mature H contortus was 93 to 100%, except for 1 test with PRT (79% on mature worms) and 1 with TCF (77% on immature worms). With regard to other abomasal parasites, activity for the compounds tested against 2 species of Ostertagia was greater than or equal to 97%, with 1 exception; numbers of these parasites in nontreated lambs were less than numbers of H contortus. All compounds, except PTZ and TCF, were effective against a third species, Trichostrongylus axei. Activity against several species of intestinal parasites, most present in low numbers, was determined for 5 compounds (TCF, TBZ, CBZ, PTZ, and PRT) in 5 rests. Thiabendazole, CBZ, and PRT were highly effective against trichostrongylus, with a few exceptions. Trichlorfon and PTZ had overall less activity against trichostrongylus than did the other products. Against trichurids, PRT and TCF were highly efficacious.

A suction blister technique was used in 10 healthy dogs to remove the epidermis from the dermis in a standardized way. Collection chambers were attached to these skin windows and filled with autologous serum to attract exudative neutrophils. The chambers were emptied by fine-needle aspiration at 4-hour intervals and were refilled with serum for 24 hours after the Int aspiration. The collected cells were counted, differentiated, and stained, using the trypan blue dye-exclusion method to determine cell viability. Multiple skin biopsy specimens obtained during the procedure were examined histologically. The chamber fluid collected after 24 hours was cultured for bacteria. Increasing numbers of viable neutrophils were collected during the 24-hour period from the induced skin windows. In all but 1 dog, sufficient viable neutrophils could be collected to perform further functional tests in vitro. Our conclusion is that this technique might be useful to study chemotaxis in vivo and to perform functional tests on exudative neutrophils.

Albendazole, administered orally at a dose rate of 25 mg/kg of body weight to presumed pregnant cows or heifers on days 21, 31, 41, 51, and 61 of gestation, did not induce toxicosis in embryos or fetuses, and all calves born were structurally normal. Albendazole administration at a rate of 25 mg/kg to cows at 7 and/or 14 days of gestation decreased the apparent conception rate (ie, embryolethality), but did not have a teratogenic effect. Apparent embryolethality was greater in cows administered 25 mg/ kg only on day 14, compared with those administered the drug only on day 7. Single dosage of 25 mg/kg given in the final 3 months of gestation did not induce abortion. There were no adverse effects of albendazole at a dosage of 10 or 15 mg/kg on developing embryos or fetuses when administered to presumed pregnant cows at various times in early gestation.

Ten coxofemoral joints from 5 dog cadavers were used to study the effect of coxofemoral positioning on passive hip laxity. A material test system was used to measure lateral translation when force was between 20 N of compression and 40 N of distraction. Using the orthogonal coordinate system imposed in this study, neutral position was empirically defined at 15 degrees of extension and 10 degrees of abduction, relative to the plane of the pelvis, and no internal or external rotation of the femur. The hips were mounted in a custom-designed jig that allowed 1 rotational degree of freedom (ie, either flexion/extension, adduction/abduction, or internal/external rotation), while holding the other 2 constant. Lateral translation of the hips was tested at 10 degrees intervals from 30 degrees of flexion to 70 degrees extension, 40 degrees of adduction to 60 degrees of abduction, and 30 degrees of internal rotation to 40 degrees of external rotation. Lateral displacement was maximal at 10 degrees of extension, 20 degrees of abduction, and 10 degrees of external rotation, approximating the neutral coxofemoral position during stance. As the hips were rotated into extreme positions, the amount of lateral displacement occurring with the same applied load decreased significantly to 32.0 to 65.3% of the maximal displacement. Determining the position of the hip associated with maximal passive laxity in vitro is essential to the design of a precise and accurate clinical stress-radiographic method to quantitate joint laxity in dogs. Our results confirm earlier work that passive hip joint laxity is at a maximum with the hip approximately in a neutral weight-bearing position.

Plasma and lung tissue pharmacokinetics of danofloxacin calves with naturally induced acute pneumonia were determined in 2 separate studies. A maximal pneumonic tissue concentration of 1.17 microgram/g was achieved 1.8 hours after IM injection of 1.25 mg of danofloxacin/kg of body weight. Pneumonic tissue danofloxacin concentrations were 5.5 times greater than those in plasma at 1 and 2 hours after injection. Cranioventral pneumonic tissue had significantly decreased danofloxacin concentration, compared with that of grossly normal tissue from the caudodorsal part of the lungs at 2 of 6 sample times. After IV injection, the apparent steady-state volume of distribution was 3.44 +/- 1.13 L/kg, and the elimination half-life was 6.26 2.27 hours. Maximal plasma danofloxacin concentration of 0.25 microgram/ml was detected 0.80 hour after IM injection. Bioavailability was 91%. Our findings indicated that a large percentage of danofloxacin is rapidly absorbed after IM administration to calves with acute pneumonia. Extensive tissue penetration was suggested by a high steady-state volume of distribution and was indicated by high concentrations in pneumonic tissue.

Vaginal aerobic bacterial flora was studied in 5 healthy bitches before, during, and after a 10-day period of treatment with ampicillin and an equally long period of treatment with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Blood variables and antimicrobial drug susceptibility also were studied. Bacteria were isolated from all bitches before the first treatment period. Bitches from which only a sparse number of bacteria were isolated had flora that varied from day to day. In most instances when bitches were given an antibiotic to which their vaginal bacterial flora was susceptible, these bacteria were eradicated after only 1 day of treatment. This was true for pasteurellae, streptococci, and, in all but one case, Escherichia coli. Staphylococcus intermedius was more difficult to eradicate, and, although susceptible in vitro, it was unaffected by antibiotic treatment in 1 bitch and it took 7 days to eradicate in another. Eradication of aerobic bacteria in the vagina was total only in the bitch that had sparse flora from the beginning. Bacteria colonized within 0 (in 4/5 bitches) to 4 days after termination of treatment with ampicillin and within 0 (in 4/5 bitches) to 3 days for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Mycoplasmas emerged during and after both treatment periods, and E coli became apparent during treatment with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Because mycoplasmas may be genital pathogens in bitches and E coli is a common uropathogen, their appearance should be an argument against widespread use of antibiotics in healthy breeding bitches. Two bitches developed a vaginal discharge during treatment or shortly after. Blood variables did not change during the study, nor did antimicrobial drug resistance of the isolated bacteria.

Immunoelectrophoresis and single radial immunodiffusion were used to identify and measure tear immunoglobulin concentrations in 50 healthy dogs. Immunoglobulin A and IgG were detected in all samples analyzed, whereas IgM was not detected in any sample. Mean IgA concentration was 25.28 +/- 1.9 mg/dl, adult dogs (> 18 months) having significantly higher mean value. The IgA concentration related to age had significant (P < 0.006) positive correlation; mean IgG concentration was 23.10 +/- 1.72 mg/dl. Linear correlation analysis revealed significant (P < 0.0007) correlation coefficient between tear total protein and IgA concentrations. The IgA and IgG concentrations also were significantly (P < 0.0001) correlated when expressed as milligrams per 100 mg of protein. Relation with sex was not established for either immunoglobulin.

The susceptibility of 50 clinical Escherichia coli isolates to various antibacterials, including cefoxitin and cefotetan was ascertained, and the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of cefoxitin and cefotetan for each of these isolates was determined. The pharmacokinetics of cefoxitin and cefotetan after a single IV or SC injection (30 mg/kg of body weight) were determined in 4 dogs. Of the 50 E coli isolates, 98% were susceptible in vitro to cefotetan, 90% were susceptible to cefoxitin, and 88% were susceptible to gentamicin. The MIC that would inhibit the growth of 90% of the E coli isolates (MIC90) was 0.25 micrograms/ml for cefotetan and 4 micrograms/ml for cefoxitin. Plasma cefotetan concentrations remained above MIC90 for (mean SD) 8.2 +/- 1.72 hours and 13.52 +/- 0.28 hours after IV and SC administration, respectively. Plasma cefoxitin concentrations remained above MIC90 for (mean +/- SD) 5.37 +/- 1.18 hours and 7.95 +/- 0.71 hours after IV and SC administration, respectively. We concluded that cefotetan was superior to cefoxitin in activity against E coli in vitro. We recommend that cefotetan be given at a dosage of 30 mg/kg, IV, every 8 hours, or SC, every 12 hours.