Antimicrobial susceptibilities and toxin types were determined for 275 Clostridium perfringens isolates collected in Ontario in the spring of 2005. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of C. perfringens isolates for 12 antimicrobials used in therapy, prophylaxis, and/or growth promotion of cattle (n = 40), swine (n = 75), turkeys (n = 50), and chickens (n = 100) were determined using the microbroth dilution method. Statistical analyses and MIC distributions showed reduced susceptibility to bacitracin, clindamycin, erythromycin, florfenicol, and tetracycline for some isolates. Reduced susceptibility to bacitracin was identified in chicken (64%) and turkey (60%) isolates. Swine isolates had predominantly reduced susceptibility to clindamycin (28%) and erythromycin (31%), whereas bovine isolates had reduced susceptibility to clindamycin (10%) and florfenicol (10%). Reduced susceptibility to tetracycline was spread across all species. No clear reduced susceptibility, but elevated MIC50 for virginiamycin was found in chicken isolates in comparison with isolates from other species. Toxin typing revealed that C. perfringens type A is the dominant toxin type isolated in this study across all 4 host species.

Objective—To compare values of urodynamic measurements of cats with idiopathic cystitis (IC) with previously published data for healthy female cats. Animals—11 female cats with IC. Procedures—2 sequential cystometrograms and 2 urethral pressure profiles were obtained for each cat. All tracings were evaluated for evidence of overactive urinary bladder (OAB). Maximum urethral pressure (MUP), maximum urethral closure pressure (MUCP), and functional profile length were recorded. Results—Only 3 cats had obvious micturition events. None of the 11 cats had evidence of OAB. Although not significant, threshold pressure was lower in cats with IC than in healthy cats (mean ± SD, 89.0 ± 12.0 cm H2O vs 75.7 ± 16.3 cm H2O, respectively); however, the total volume infused was significantly lower in cats with IC (4.8 ± 2.1 mL/kg vs 8.3 ± 3.2 mL/kg). The MUCP was significantly higher in cats with IC than in healthy cats (158.0 ± 47.7 cm H2O vs 88.9 ± 23.9 cm H2O, respectively). The MUP was also significantly higher in all portions of the urethra in cats with IC. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—No evidence of OAB was identified in any cat evaluated; therefore, medications used to target this abnormality did not appear justified. The high MUCP in cats with IC suggested that α1-adrenoceptor antagonists or skeletal muscle relaxants may be useful in this disease, and if these data were applicable to male cats, then α1-adrenoceptor antagonism may help prevent recurrent obstructive IC. Further studies are indicated to determine the effects, if any, these drugs might have in cats with IC.

Objective—To evaluate the effects of carprofen and meloxicam on conductance and permeability to mannitol and on the histologic appearance of sections of canine gastric mucosa. Sample—Gastric mucosa from 6 mature mixed-breed dogs. Procedures—Sections of gastric mucosa were mounted in Ussing chambers, and carprofen (40 or 400μg/mL [CAR40 and CAR400, respectively]), meloxicam (8 or 80μg/mL [MEL8 and MEL80, respectively]), or no drug (controls) was added to the bathing solution. For all sections, conductance was calculated every 15 minutes for 240 minutes and flux of mannitol was calculated for 3 consecutive 1-hour periods; histologic examination was performed after the experiment. The area under the conductance-time curve for each chamber was calculated. Values of conductance × time, flux of mannitol, and the frequency distribution of histologic findings were analyzed for treatment effects. Results—For CAR400- and MEL80-treated sections, conductance X time was significantly higher than that for control and MEL8-treated sections. The effect of CAR40 treatment was not different from that of any other treatment. Over the three 1-hour periods, mannitol flux increased significantly in MEL80-, CAR40-, and CAR400-treated sections but not in MEL8- treated or control sections. Major histologic changes including epithelial cell sloughing were limited to the CAR400-treated sections. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—In the gastric mucosa of dogs, carprofen and meloxicam increased in vitro conductance and permeability to mannitol. At a concentration of 400 μg/mL, carprofen caused sloughing of epithelial cells. Carprofen and meloxicam appear to compromise gastric mucosal integrity and barrier function in dogs.

Objective—To evaluate effects of cyclosporine, dexamethasone, and the immunosuppressive agent human CTLA4-Ig on cytokine production by feline lymphocytes in vitro and to assess patterns of cytokine production for 5 immunosuppressed renal transplant recipient cats. Animals—21 clinically normal cats and 5 immunosupressed renal transplant recipient cats. Procedures--Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from clinically normal cats and stimulated with concanavalin A (Con A; 10 μg/mL) alone or Con A with cyclosporine (0.05 μg/mL), dexamethasone (1 × 10−7M), a combination of cyclosporine-dexamethasone, or human CTLA4-Ig (10 g/mL). Cells from transplant recipients were stimulated with Con A alone. An ELISA was performed to measure production of interferon (IFN)-γ, granulocyte macrophage–colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, and IL-10. Proliferation of CD4+ and CD8+T cells from immunosuppressed cats were also evaluated. Pairwise comparisons were performed via a Wilcoxon signed rank test or Wilcoxon rank sum test. Results—Cyclosporine, dexamethasone, cyclosporine-dexamethasone combination, and CTLA4-Ig caused a significant decrease in IL-2, IFN-γ, and GM-CSF production. Cyclosporine and cyclosporine-dexamethasone, but not human CTLA4-Ig, caused a significant decrease in IL-10 production. High basal concentrations of IL-2 and IL-10 were identified in transplant recipients, and IL-10 was significantly increased in stimulated cultures. In immunosuppressed cats, there was a decrease in frequency of responders and proliferative capacity of CD4+ and CD8+T cells. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—CTLA4-Ig successfully inhibited proinflammatory cytokines while sparing cytokines critical for allograft tolerance. These data may be useful for developing better strategies to prevent rejection while sparing other immune functions

This study investigated the sedative, cardiopulmonary, and gastrointestinal effects produced by buprenorphine and xylazine given in combination to horses. Six healthy adult horses underwent 4 randomized treatments, with an interval of 1 wk between treatments. A control group was given a saline solution intravenously (IV) and the experimental groups received buprenorphine [10 μg/kg bodyweight (BW)] in combination with 1 of 3 different doses of xylazine: 0.25 mg/kg BW (BX25), 0.50 mg/kg BW (BX50), or 0.75 mg/kg BW (BX75), all of them by IV. Cardiopulmonary parameters were evaluated for 120 min after the drugs were administered and intestinal motility was observed for 12 h after treatment. Sedation was found to be dose-dependent in all groups receiving buprenorphine and xylazine and it was observed that the heart rate decreased in the first 5 min and increased at the end of the sedation period. Arterial blood gas tension analyses showed minimal alterations during the experiment. Gastrointestinal hypomotility was observed for up to 8 h. The combination of buprenorphine and 0.50 mg/kg BW of xylazine (BX50) provided a 30-minute period of sedation without intense ataxia and maintained cardiopulmonary parameters within acceptable limits for the species.

A study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of fosfomycin in controlling streptococcosis in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of fosfomycin against multiple S. iniae isolates showed a sensitivity range of 12.5- 25 'g/mL. The fosfomycin dose levels tested were 40, 60, and 80 mg of active ingredient per kilogram fish per day. Administration of medicated feed started one day after infection by immersion exposure to S. iniae and continued for eight days. Survival rates of fosfomycin treated groups were 90, 100 and 96.6% with an average survival of 95. 53 %. On contrary, survival rates of infected non treated groups were 3.3%. All survivors and negative control groups showed no clinical signs, no gross pathology together with negative S. iniae re-isolation.

The objective of this study is to elicit the destructive effect of lead on the tissues of liver and kidney of mice and if vitamin C is capable of repairing the damage caused by lead. In this study, 40 male mice were used and divided into three groups as: Control group which consists of 16 mice; 8 of them were injected intraperitoneally with (0.9 % N.S.) for 15 days daily then they were sacrificed and the remainder 8 mice were injected intraperitoneally with (0.9 % N.S.) for additional 15 days daily then they were sacrificed, First treated group (T1 group) which consists of 8 mice only; they were injected intraperitoneally with (80 mg/kg) lead acetates then with (400 mg/kg) vitamin C after one hour of lead acetates injection for 15 days daily then they were sacrificed, Second treated group(T2 group) which consists of 16 mice; they were injected intraperitoneally with (80 mg/kg) lead acetates for 15 days daily then 8 of them were sacrificed and called as (T2a) and the remainder 8 mice were injected with (400 mg/kg) vitamin C for additional 15 days daily and called as (T2b). Histologically, the kidneys of the lead acetates treated group indicated undefined epithelial cell lining and also the presence of giant-like cells. When vitamin C offered, it decreased the damage that caused by lead where the kidneys indicated the presence of cuboidal epithelial cells with disrupted epithelial cell lining, and increased intracellular space in the lumen. The livers of the lead acetates treated group indicated the presence of abnormal hepatocytes with distorted shape and undefined epithelial cell lining enlarged nucleus with vacuolations. The incidence of changes and severity were less in the vitamin C treated group. The effect of vitamin C was similar if it is offered after one hour of lead injection or for additional 15 days after lead injection. Hence acute exposure to lead causes morphological changes in the liver and kidney of mice. Hence acute exposure of lead may be toxic and is associated with various pathological conditions such as hepatic and renal dysfunction and cancers.

The study examined the effect of vitamin C on apoptotic testicular germ cells in experimentally induced cryporchidism in the male rabbits .Oral administration of vitamin C (10 mg. kg body weight)for 8 weeks to rabbits showed significant elevation in testis parameters in treated cryptorchid groups (TC), also significantly elevated the number of germ cells compared to un treated cryptorchid groups (CC).However, vitamin C caused significant depression in apoptotic germ cells and apoptotic tubules in treated cryptorchid groups (TC) compared to un treated cryptorchid groups (CC). vitamin C alleviated the deleterious effect of oxidative stress in cryporchidism

In this study we examined the effect of various sensitizing doses of infective Toxocara canis eggs and the trapping of larvae in different tissues of the murine host. The level of trapping increased with sensitization egg doses. Different doses of Toxocara canis eggs were given to ten groups each with five mice and then necropsied after different periods. Experimental toxocariasis in mice sacrificed at (1,2 and 3) weeks post infection showed no lesions in mice given 50, 75 and 100 Toxocara canis eggs respectively. Other groups given higher doses of T.canis eggs between (125-500 eggs) showed lesions in liver, lungs, eyes and muscles of sacrificed mice after 4 weeks of infection.

L-Arginine has hypoglycemic and antioxidant effect in Alloxan diabetic animals and reduce effect of diabetes complication on spermatogenesis. antioxidant have essential effect on spermatogenesis, L-Arginine has antioxidant and hypoglycemic effect. Enhanced oxidative stress and changes in antioxidant capacity are considered to play an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic diabetes mellitus. Sixteen mature male rats aged 10 weeks ,were randomly divided into four equal groups as follows 1st diabetic group (DG) that received 150 mg/kg (IP) Alloxan single dose ;2nd group diabetic group treated with (L-Arginine-Hcl)(DAG) received 150mg/kg (IP) Alloxan as single dose plus L-Arginine-Hcl 200mg/kg(IP)-per day, 3ed group treated with(L-Arginine-Hcl)(AG) received 200mg/kg-(IP) perday ,and 4th were control group(CG) non treated .In 60 day the blood samples collected from heart to make serological parameters (glucose level) and testes removed to observe their Histopathological. Serum Glucose concentration showed a significant increase (p