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.

Analysis of hepatic enzyme activities in serum samples from 1- to 3-day-old pups revealed alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities that were 30 times higher and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) activities that were 100 times higher than activities in clinically normal adult dogs. A study was conducted to investigate high enzyme activity in pups and to determine whether there is any association between serum enzyme activity and colostrum ingestion, passive transfer of maternal serum enzyme (in colostrum or in utero), or excessive renal or hepatic tissue enzymes. Serum enzyme activity was quantified in 15 neonatal pups before and after ingestion of colostrum and in 3 colostrum-deprived neonates fed a milk substitute. Serum samples were collected on postpartum days 0, 1, 10, 15, and 30. Enzyme activity was also quantified in serum from pregnant and lactating bitches (collected on days - 2, 0, 1, 10, 30), hepatic and renal tissue from clinically normal adult dogs and 1-day-old pups, colostrum, milk (collected on days 10 and 30), and milk replacer. Significant (P < 0.01) differences in serum GGT and ALP activities between colostrum-deprived and suckling pups did not exist before initial feeding. Significant (P < 0.001) increases in serum GGT and ALP activities developed within 24 hours in suckling pups, but not in the colostrum-deprived pups. At 10 and 30 days after birth, serum GGT and ALP activities were less than values before suckling in all pups. Enzyme activities in bitches' serum remained within the normal range for adult dogs throughout whelping and lactation. Renal GGT and ALP activities were substantially greater than hepatic enzyme activities in neonates and adults. Renal tissue from adults contained 3 times greater GGT and 2 times greater ALP activities than that from neonates. Hepatic tissue from neonates contained 5 times more GGT activity than did hepatic tissues from clinically normal adults; however, hepatic ALP activity was similar in adults and neonates. Colostrum and milk bad substantially higher enzyme activities than did bitches' serum. Activities of GGT and ALP in milk were 100 times and 10 times greater, respectively, than activities in serum through day 10. By day 30, GGT and ALP activities in milk were less than before suckling. Enzyme activity was not detected in the milk substitute. These studies reveal an association between colostrum ingestion by suckling and acute, profound increases in serum GGT and ALP in 1- to 3-day-old pups. Although this phenomenon might be useful as an indicator of colostrum ingestion, it precludes the diagnostic use of either enzyme as an indicator of hepatobiliary disease in 3-day-old pups.

Ten foals of various breeds were deprived of colostrum from birth to 36 hours of age, then were allotted to 2 groups. Foals of group 1 (n = 6) were given 20 g (200 ml) of purified equine IgG IV in a 10% solution, and foals of group 2 (n = 4) were given 30 g (300 ml) of the same preparation. Total administration time for each 10 g of IgG in 100 ml was approximately 10 minutes. Serum IgG concentration in foals was assessed prior to, between 24 and 48 hours, and at 7 and 14 days after IgG administration. Between 24 and 48 hours after IgG administration, mean serum IgG concentration in group-1 foals was 425 mg/dl (range, 350 to 480 mg/dl). Mean body weight for this group of foals was 50.3 kg (range, 43.3 to 54.7 kg). For group-2 foals, mean serum IgG concentration was 768 mg/dl (range, 640 to 920 mg/dl) between 24 and 48 hours after administration of IgG. Foals of this group had mean body weight of 43.2 kg (range, 36.5 to 47.5 kg). Serum IgG concentration in group-2 foals at 24 to 48 hours was significantly (P = 0.005) greater than that in group-1 foals. Mean total IgG recovery at 24 to 48 hours, calculated on the basis of 94.5 ml of plasma volume/kg of body weight, was approximately 100%. Values of IgG measured in all foals 1 and 2 weeks after administration of the IgG concentrate were equivalent to values expected after normal decay of passively acquired IgG. Mild, adverse reactions occurred in 3 of the treated (1 group-1 foal and 2 group-2 foals).

Ten colostrum-deprived calves were assigned to 1 of 2 treatment groups (5 calves/group), and fed colostrum that had either low (naturally infected cows) or high (immunized cows) antibody titers to bovine coronavirus (BCV). All calves were inoculated orally and intranasally with virulent BCV when they were 24 to 48 hours old and challenge exposed 21 days later. Blood, feces, nasal secretions, tears, saliva, and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids were collected weekly from each calf for 5 weeks after inoculation. The titers to whole BCV or the relative amounts of isotype-specific antibodies to BCV structural proteins were evaluated in these samples by ELISA or immunoblotting, respectively. Both pools of colostrum contained primarily IgG1, IgG2, and IgA antibodies to the E2 and E3 BCV proteins. Calves fed the high-titer colostrum had correspondingly higher amounts of passive IgG1 and IgA antibodies to whole BCV and to the E2 and E3 BCV proteins in serum, feces, and BAL fluid at postinoculation week 1 than those calves fed low-titer colostrum. Active IgG1, IgA and IgM antibody responses in serum and active IgA and IgM antibody responses in most mucosal secretions to whole BCV and to the E2 and E3 proteins were lower or delayed in calves fed high-titer colostrum, compared with responses in calves fed low-titer colostrum. In contrast, increased responses to the BCV N protein were observed in all samples (except in serum and BAL fluid) in the calves fed high-titer colostrum, compared with calves fed low-titer colostrum. Upon challenge exposure, responses to E2 and E3 BCV proteins in serum and BAL fluid were lower in the group fed high-titer colostrum, compared with those in the group fed low-titer colostrum. Our findings indicate that the level of passive immunity in calves at the time of BCV inoculation can influence the development of active antibody responses in serum, feces, and mucosal secretions to whole BCV and to some BCV proteins individually.

Immunoglobulin values were determined in fetal and kitten sera. In the fetal and precolostral kitten sera, only IgG was detected, except in 1 case in which IgM was detected. The IgG, IgA, and IgM were transferred to the kittens through colostrum ingestion with some selectivity. Concentration of the transferred IgG, IgA, and IgM decreased significantly with half-lives of 4.15 +/- 1.29 days, 2.03 +/- 0.33 days, and 2.2 +/- 1.2 days, respectively. As a result of this decrease and increase of de novo immunoglobulin synthesis, IgG, IgA, and IgM were at their lowest values when kittens were 20 to 25 days, 14 to 20 days, and 8 to 10 days old, respectively. After their nadir was reached, IgG values increased gradually, IgA slowly, and IgM rapidly, as a result of de novo immunoglobulin synthesis. When the kittens were 90 days old, their immunoglobulin values were 80% (IgG), 7% (IgA), and 100% (IgM), compared with those of adult cats. These findings suggest that kittens that receive inadequate colostrum from their mothers will be particularly susceptible to infection after they are 5 weeks old.

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.