Opuntia ficus-indica has traditionally been used in prevention and treatment of various diseases such as diabetes mellitus. The current study was performed to determine whether Opuntia ficus-indica is associated with diabetes. Diabetic rat models were induced with streptozotocin (STZ). This study divided rats into 1 day (short-term) and 4 consecutive weeks (long-terms) of daily administration. These groups were subdivided into four groups each other for assessment of blood glucose level as follows: Group 1, untreated rats given distilled water; Group 2, untreated rats given Opuntia ficus-indica; Group 3, STZ-induced diabetic rats given distilled water; Group 4, STZ-induced diabetic rats given Opuntia ficus-indica. Blood glucose level was measured for one day and four weeks. In addition, serum markers of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), cholesterol, and creatinine were determined, and total protein triglycerides were measured at four weeks. Blood glucose level was highest in both groups (Group 3 and Group 4) at 30 minutes and two weeks and gradually decreased in a time-dependent manner. The difference in blood glucose among the four groups was significant (p < 0.05). Additionally, the levels of ALT, AST and triglycerides were significantly decreased by Opuntia ficus-indica.

The purpose of this retrospective study was to provide additional data on the use of toceranib in a wide variety of tumor types in small breed dogs, especially < 8 kg (except 5 dogs). This was a retrospective study of 31 dogs with malignant tumors treated with a 2.5 mg/kg median dose of toceranib (Palladia; Zoetis, USA) on a Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule. Clinical benefit was observed in 13 of 15 dogs (86.7%, 3 with complete response, 4 with partial response, 6 with stable disease) with gross disease. Distant metastasis, response to treatment, and treatment setting were significantly associated with survival time. Negative prognostic factors were multiple chemotherapy and distant metastasis (affecting progression-free survival [PFS]), surgery, regional enlarged lymph nodes, underlying disease, and toxicity (affecting median survival time [MST]). Positive prognostic factors were epithelial and round cell tumor (affecting PFS), epithelial tumor, microscopic disease, no evidence of disease response, and stable disease (MST). In conclusion, a clinical benefit from toceranib treatment was noted in most of the dogs with gross disease in our study. This study suggested that the toceranib is probably selective treatment to various tumor types in small breed dogs.

The purpose of this retrospective study was to describe cases of feline intermediate- to high-grade alimentary lymphoma regarding signalment, clinical presentation, laboratory findings, response to therapy (modified 25-week University of Wisconsin-Madison [UW-25] vs. COP [cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone]), toxicosis, and outcomes and to identify prognostic factors. Sixteen cats were treated with chemotherapy protocols. Response rates and survival did not differ statistically between the two protocols. The progression-free interval (PFI) and median survival time (MST) in cats achieving a response to therapy were longer than in those with no response [NR] (complete remission [CR] vs. partial remission [PR] vs. NR; PFI, 124 vs. 49 vs. 12 days, p < 0.001; MST, 361 vs. 118 vs. 16 days, p < 0.001). Clinical stage was another prognostic factor for PFI and MST. The PFI and MST in cats in stage I were longer than in those in other stages (PFI, 107 days vs. 30 days; MST, 193 days vs. 54 days). Hematologic and gastrointestinal toxicosis was mostly low grade. In comparing the modified UW-25 protocol with the COP protocol, there was not much difference in the number of neutropenic episodes and grade levels.

The levels of aflatoxin (AFT) and ochratoxin (OCT) were assessed at different seasons in raw materials, different feed manufacture processing stages, and animal feeds in feed mills in Korea implementing the hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) system. Two hundred samples were collected in all four seasons from five feed mills implementing the HACCP system and examined for AFT and OCT contents. The AFT and OCT levels were analysed by using HPLC method to provide information on raw material and product stage. The AFT content of raw ingredients in the spring season was highest in corn gluten (3.84 ppb) and lowest in corn (1.82 ppb) The AFT content of corn was highest in the winter season (2.17 ppb). The content of OCT in wheat was highest in the winter season. The amounts of AFT and OCT at processing stages were higher than in the raw materials or feed. In particular, AFT content was higher in the transfer stage (3.88 ppb) than in the mixing (2.86 ppb) or filling stages (3.45 ppb) in the summer season. The means of AFT and OCT level in laying hen feed was 3.41 ppb and 1.14 ppb for broiler feed, respectively. The means of AFT and OCT level in and broiler feeds was 3.44 ppb and 1.17 ppb for broiler feed, respectively.

The reproductive tracts have an intimate relationship with reproduction because there are bacterial communities that can affect reproductive health. The differences in the bacterial community of periparturient dairy cows were investigated. Vaginal and fecal samples were collected seven days before and after calving, and DNA was extracted to sequence the V3-V4 regions of the 16S rRNA genes. In the postpartum vaginas, operational taxonomic units, Chao1, Shannon, and Simpson were decreased, and phyla Fusobacteria and Bacteroidetes were increased. In summary, bacterial abundance can affect the periparturient biological differences in dairy cows, suggesting a susceptibility to infection within one week after calving.

To evaluate avian hepatitis E virus (aHEV) as an RNA vaccine platform, ORF2 of aHEV was replaced by heterologous genes, such as eGFP and HA-tag, in aHEV infectious cDNA clones. eGFP and HA-tag replicons were expressed in LMH cells. To confirm expression of the heterologous protein, ORF2 was replaced with the antigenic S1 gene of IBV. The IBVS1 replicon was expressed in LMH cells. To our knowledge, this is the first investigation the showing potential as a RNA vaccine platform using an aHEV. In the future, it may be used in the development of RNA vaccines against various pathogens.

This study reports the detection and genotyping of the first clinical case of bovine anemia due to Theileria orientalis group (BATOG) in non-grazed dairy cow in upper Korea. Blood and serum tests revealed anemia and hyperbilirubinemia from animal showing clinical symptoms, and later confirmed as piroplasmosis-positive. Follow-up surveillance on the herd revealed 2 asymptomatic cows with anemia. The three animals were confirmed theileriosis-positive and genotyping revealed the clinical and one of the asymptomatic cases have Chitose, while the other has Ikeda genotype. Clinical BATOG cases were rarely reported worldwide, and asymptomatic animals left untreated could serve as parasite reservoir.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the beneficial effects of the short-term application of insect-based diet in canine allergic dermatitis. Total 19 atopic dogs with concurrent cutaneous adverse food reactions were enrolled and classified into 3 groups. The treatment group (n = 7) was fed insect-based diet, the positive control group (n = 6) was fed salmon-based diet, and the negative control group (n = 6) was fed commercial or homemade diet for 12 weeks. The degree of skin lesions was evaluated based on canine atopic dermatitis extent and severity index (CADESI-4). Additionally, transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and pruritus visual analog scale were evaluated. All indices were evaluated every 4 weeks after the initial administration of hypoallergenic diets. In the treatment group, significant decrease in the CADESI-4 score was observed at 8 weeks compared to the baseline score (p = 0.031). There were significant differences in the CADESI-4 score between the groups at 8 weeks (p = 0.008), 12 weeks (p = 0.012), and TEWL at 12 weeks (p = 0.022). This preliminary result demonstrates the potential hypoallergenicity of an insect-based diet through features that diminish cutaneous lesions and skin barrier dysfunction.

A 5-year-old neutered female Dachshund dog presented with a 3-month history of hyperthermia, skin lesions, and shifting lameness. Based on physical examination, blood tests, urinalysis, and radiographs, the dog was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus. Clinical signs improved after administration of prednisolone and cyclosporine but relapsed after the prednisolone was reduced due to side effects. Oral levamisole was commenced and the other immunosuppressants were tapered over a period of 2 months and then stopped. Levamisole was retained as the sole therapy for an additional 2 months. Six months after discontinuation of all treatment, the patient remained in remission.

A 12-year-old, castrated male, mixed dog presented with a history of gradual abdominal distention for a year and anorexia recently, with abdominal radiographs showing a gastric pylorus distention. A solitary, pedunculated, heterogeneous mass arising from the mucosal layer in the pylorus with intact wall layers was identified during ultrasound and computed tomography. The gastric muscular layer was evenly thick. After surgical excision of the mass, histological examination confirmed hypertrophic pyloric gastropathy with polypoid growth and Helicobacter spp. infiltrating the gastric mucosal epithelium. This is the first reported diagnostic imaging case of hypertrophic pyloric gastropathy with Helicobacter spp. in a dog.