Reference blood chemical values were determined for 65 male and 61 female ostriches (Struthio camelus) 1 month to 72 months of age. Plasma values of glucose, total protein, triglycerides, cholesterol, uric acid, urea, bilirubin, creatinine, osmolality, electrolytes, and enzyme activity were determined. In general, differences in various values appeared mainly among age groups and less so between sexes. Older ostriches had lower plasma glucose values and enzyme activity than did younger ostriches. High plasma sodium and chloride concentrations in young ostriches correlated with high plasma osmolalities. Plasma calcium values were lower in laying ostriches. Uric acid concentrations were markedly higher than were urea concentrations in all ostriches.

Hematologic and serum biochemical values were determined in 174 llamas of all age groups and both sexes from ranches in California and Nevada. Compared with hematologic values for horses and cattle, llama erythrocytes were more numerous (10.1 to 17.3 x 10(6)/microliter), but the PCV was lower (25 to 45%) because the smaller elliptical cells pack tighter. The mean corpuscular volume was half that of horses and cattle (22 to 29.5 fl). The mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration was higher (38.9 to 46.2 g/dl), and the mean corpuscular hemoglobin slightly lower (9.6 to 12.6 pg). Most serum biochemical values were similar to those of cattle and horses, with the exception of triiodothyronine (48 to 468 ng/dl) and thyroxin (9.8 to 30 microgram/dl), which are up to 10 times higher than values for other domestic species.

In laboratory experiments, pseudorabies virus was readily recovered from within the body of houseflies (Musca domestica L) that had ingested the virus. Age of the fly and ambient temperature affected the rate of virus inactivation within the houseflies. Virus half-life in 3-day-old flies was 6.36 hours vs 2.81 hours in flies 8 or 13 days old. Half-life in 5-day old flies was 12.92 hours at 10 C, 5.95 hours at 20 C, and 2.69 hours at 30 C. Virus half-life in dead flies was 9.06 hours at 10 C, 4.28 hours at 20 C, and 1.71 hours at 30 C. The data did not provide any evidence of virus replication in either living or dead flies.

Thirty-eight tracheobronchial aspirates (TBA) were collected from twenty 1 to 6-month-old foals, which were free of clinical signs of respiratory tract or other infectious disease. We collected TBA from 9 of the foals 3 times when they were approximately 8, 16, and 24 weeks old. Aspirates were examined cytologically after staining with modified Wright-Giemsa, Gram, toluidine blue, and prussian blue stains. Aerobic bacterial culturing was performed on all aspirates. Of the 20 initial TBA, 4 (20%) were normal cytologically on the basis of previously defined criteria for TBA from clinically normal horses, 6 (30%) had a high percentage of eosinophils (> 5%), 8 (40%) were classified as indicative of subacute inflammation, and 2 (10%) were classified as indicative of acute inflammation. Nine (45%) were positive for mast cells and none were positive for hemosiderin-laden macrophages (hemosiderophages). Of the 9 foals from which samples were collected at 16 and 24 weeks of age, results were similar, except for an increase in the number of TBA classified as indicative of chronic inflammation (33% and 22% respectively) and the number positive for hemosiderophages (33% and 88%, respectively). One TBA was considered nondiagnostic because of pharyngeal contamination. Culturing of 12 of the 37 aspirates (32%) yielded a potential microbial pathogen. Only 2 were positive cultures from the same foal. The following organisms were isolated: beta-hemolytic Streptococci spp (4), Actinobacillus/Pasteurella spp (4), Rhodococcus equi (2), unidentified nonenteric Gram-negative rod (1), and Escherichia coli (1). Thirty-four of the 37 aspirates (92%) yielded light growth of various organisms considered to be nonpathogenic and normal inhabitants of the upper respiratory tract. It was concluded that the presence of inflammatory cells, eosinophils, and mast cells in the tracheobronchial aspirates from clinically normal foals is a common finding. These cytologic findings were consistent in the samples collected from foals at 8, 16, and 24 weeks of age. It was also concluded that bacteria with recognized pathogenicity can be isolated from TBA from clinically normal foals and were most frequently isolated from 1- to 2-month-old foals or those with cytologic evidence of inflammation, even in the absence of clinical signs of respiratory tract disease.