Clinical signs of respiratory tract disease were observed in chickens that were inoculated intratracheally with 1 x 10(6) oocysts of Cryptosporidium baileyi at 2 or 14 days of age (10 chickens/group), but not in chickens inoculated at 28 or 42 days of age (10 chickens/group). Orally inoculated chickens in all age groups (10 chickens/group) did not develop clinical signs of disease. Orally and intratracheally inoculated chickens in all age groups were infected, as determined by the finding of cryptosporidia in tissue sections of the trachea, bursa of Fabricius, and cloaca, and by the recovery of oocysts from their feces. Chickens inoculated at 2 and 14 days of age excreted oocysts for a longer period and had greater numbers of cryptosporidia in their tissues, compared with chickens inoculated at 28 and 42 days of age.

Cardiovascular effects and pulmonary gas exchange were compared during conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV) and interrupted high-frequency, positive-pressure ventilation (IHFPPV) in 6 anesthetized ponies in dorsal recumbency. When the peak airway pressure (Paw) was held constant at control values attained during CMV (18 to 20 cm of H2O), and the ventilator frequency of IHFPPV was varied over the range, 2.5 to 12.5 Hz, significant (P less than 0.05) changes from control values were observed only in the ratio of dead-space volume to tidal volume (VD/VT) and in the respiratory minute volume (VE). The mean +/- SEM) carbon dioxide excretion (VCO2) was 2.12 +/- 0.1 ml/kg/min during IHFPPV. Dead-space ventilation ranged from 40 to 73.7% of total ventilation and increased directly with increasing frequency. The VE also increased, from 89 ml/kg/min at a ventilatory frequency of 2.5 Hz to 145 ml/kg/min at a frequency of 12.5 Hz. Maintaining the frequency of IHFPPV constant at 12.5 Hz and increasing the Paw over the range of 5 to 30 cm of H2O caused significant (P less than 0.05) changes in arterial partial pressure of O2 (PaO2), VCO2, pulmonary shunt fraction (QS/QT), VE, arterial-alveolar differences in oxygen tension (AaDO2), VD/VT, and cardiac output, compared with CMV. The PaO2 and the VCO2 increased linearly with increasing Paw. With increasing Paw, VD/VT decreased directly with increasing Paw from 98 to 69.3%. Gas exchange at a Paw of 15 cm of H2O during IHFPPV was equivalent to conditions at Paw of 20 cm of H2O during CMV. At a higher Paw during IHFPPV, improvements over control values were observed in gas exchange.

The effect of glucocorticoids on early follicular growth in sows undergoing normal estrous cycles was evaluated by administration of dexamethasone during the middle of the luteal phase. Plasma specimens were obtained for measurement of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), progesterone, and estradiol-17 beta concentrations. Fifteen sows were used. Control sows (n = 5) were given physiologic saline solution twice daily from day 9 to day 14 of the estrous cycle. Sows of the second group (n = 5) were given dexamethasone (30 microgram/kg of body weight, IM) similarly, and those of the third group (n = 5) were given dexamethasone plus gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH+ 50 microgram at 6-hour intervals, IV). Plasma specimens, obtained twice daily from day 8 through day 26, indicated that progesterone production and luteal regression were not inhibited by any of the 3 treatment regimens. Although preovulatory plasma estradiol concentration increased in control sows, such was not observed in the sows treated with dexamethasone or dexamethasone plus GnRH (P less than 0.01). Ovulation, with formation of corpora lutea, occurred in gilts given saline solution. Dexamethasone administration resulted in persistence of 19 to 41 follicles/ovary (2 to 4 mm in diameter), and dexamethasone-plus-GnRH treatment resulted in 6 to 18 follicles/ovary (5 to 6 mm in diameter). Plasma was obtained at 15-minute intervals for 12 hours to compare the effect of treatmenton hormone concentrations on day 12 of the estrous cycle with the values on day 8. Glucocorticoid administration had no significant effect on mean concentration, final concentration excluding those hormone concentrations that constituted part of a pulse (referred to as base line), number of pulses, pulse amplitude, and area under the pulse for either gonadotropin. Addition of GnRH to dexamethasone treatment significantly (P less than 0.01) increased all plasma LH values, but only base-line concentration of FSH. For estradiol, pulse amplitude and mean pulse area were increased (P less than 0.05), and although the frequency of pulses was not significantly altered, base-line concentration in glucocorticoid-treated sows was significantly reduced, compared with that of control sows. In sows treated with GnRH plus dexamethasone, the pulse frequency of estradiol was significantly (P less than 0.01) increased, but pulse area and amplitude were similar to those of sows given saline solution. Dexamethasone treatment was associated with an increase in mean and base-line concentrations of progesterone. The results suggest that high midcycle glucocorticoid concentrations (1) do not inhibit luteal function or regression, (2) have little influence on LH and FSH secretion during the middle of the luteal phase, (3) alter the pattern of estradiol secretion, (4) are associated with the persistence of small ovarian follicles, and (5) result in the development of fewer but larger follicular structures when GnRH is administered concurrently.

A significant (P less than 0.0001) positive correlation was demonstrated between left ventricular internal chamber dimension in diastole or systole and body weight, body surface area, cycle length, and the square root of cycle length. On the basis of adjusted coefficients of determination, multiple regression analysis, using body weight or body surface area and cycle length or the square root of cycle length, was superior to separate simple regression with these variables in accounting for variations in left ventricular internal chamber dimensions. Shortening fraction had a significant (P less than 0.0001) negative correlation and left ventricular free wall measurements had a significant (P less than 0.0001) positive correlation to body weight and body surface area. For these echocardiographic variables, correlation to the square root of cycle length was insignificant (P greater than 0.05), and a multiple regression model was not helpful in developing confidence intervals. Septal wall measurements were not correlated with body weight, body surface area, cycle length, or the square root of cycle length.

Large increases in systemic and pulmonary arterial pressures of exercising healthy ponies have been observed. Because exercise causes a considerable increase in PCV of ponies, we examined the effect of splenectomy on exercise-induced changes in systemic and pulmonary pressures. These pressures (taken with catheter-tip micromanometers) and indicator dilution cardiac output were determined on 9 healthy ponies that had undergone splenectomy 4 to 9 weeks before the study. Data obtained at rest and during submaximal (10.5 to 11.0 mph) and maximal (14 to 15 mph) exercise from these ponies were compared with similar data from clinically normal ponies. Following splenectomy, PCV increased by only 4 vol% during maximal exercise, but cardiac output of splenectomized ponies reached values similar to those of clinically normal ponies. Despite this similarity in cardiac output, the systemic and pulmonary arterial pressures of exercising splenectomized ponies increased to significantly lower levels than those in clinically normal ponies (P less than 0.01); total pulmonary vascular resistance and total peripheral resistance decreased to values significantly less than those in clinically normal ponies (P less than 0.01). Thus, it appears that increases in blood viscosity induced by increases in PCV may contribute substantially to the pulmonary and systemic hypertension of exercise in clinically normal ponies.

First-litter commerical cross-bred gilts were treated with levamisole (1.5, 2.5, or 3.5 mg/kg of body weight) weekly during the last 4 weeks of gestation, because similar treatment of dairy heifers had improved postpartum maternal health and neonatal survival. In the gilts, differences in reproductive performance were not found on the basis of pig survival at birth, pig survival at weaning, birth weight, or weaning weight. Also differences between treated and control gilts were not found in response of circulating lymphocytes to mitogen stimulation (phytohemagglutinin A, concanavalin A, and pokeweed mitogen). In all gilts, the lymphocyte response to mitogen stimulation was decreased during the first week after farrowing.

Microvascular permeability characteristics were evaluated in digits of 7 adult horses. After capillaries were isolated and an extracorpeal perfusion circuit for the digit was established, a lymphatic vessel draining the distal portion of the phalangeal region was cannulated at the level of the coronary band. Venous pressure was increased in a stepwise manner, and lymph flow, lymph protein concentration (Cl), and plasma protein concentration (Cp) were determined after measured variables were allowed to reach steady state. Lymph-to-plasma protein concentration ratios (Cl/Cp) and lymph and plasma oncotic pressures were determined from samples collected during steady state. The osmotic reflection coefficient was determined after Cl/Cp became constant, regardless of increasing lymph flow, and was expressed as 1 - Cl/Cp. The osmotic reflection coefficient for the digit was 0.67. Seemingly, the microvasculature bed of the digit was relatively permeable and could maintain only 67% of the endogenous macromolecules within the vasculature.

Loads on the suspensory ligament, deep digital flexor tendon, superficial digital flexor tendon, and long digital extensor tendon of the equine hind limb were determined in ponies by use of implanted strain gauges consisting of silicone rubber tubes filled with mercury. Recordings were made simultaneously with force plate measurements and high-speed film recordings while the ponies were walking. The relationship between strain gauge signals and tendon loads was obtained from tension-strain tests performed after death of the ponies. The suspensory ligament and the 2 digital flexor tendons were loaded during the stance phase, and the extensor tendon was loaded mainly during the swing phase. The loading pattern of the suspensory ligament, with peak loads of 4.6 N/kg of body weight, correlated well with the vertical component of the ground reaction force. Maximal loading of the deep digital flexor tendon was observed during the second half of the stance phase, with peak values of 6.7 N/kg. The superficial digital flexor tendon was loaded maximally at the beginning of the stance phase, with a peak load of 4.1 N/kg, and the long digital extensor tendon was loaded maximally during the swing phase, with a peak load of 0.3 N/kg. Recordings made from this procedure for calibration of the strain gauge signals to tendon load and tendon strain, in combination with the force plate measurements, enabled verification of the results by torque analysis of the lower portion of the hind limb, using the vector of the ground reaction force, limb conformation, and limb geometric configuration. Torque analysis of the lower extremity indicated that the determined tendon loads were in agreement with the recorded ground reaction forces.

In healthy adult goats, closure of the esophageal groove was induced by thirst, IV administered vasopressin, and intracarotid administration of hypertonic NaCl solutions. The efficiency of stimulation was tested directly by visual inspection of the course taken by orally administered solutions through a ruminal or abomasal fistula, palpation of the lips of the esophageal groove through a ruminal fistula, and indirectly by following the glucose dynamics in the blood after oral administration of glucose solution. Esophageal groove closure was observed during drinking after a 48-hour period of water deprivation. Intracarotid administration of 1.5 ml of a saturated solution or 10.5 ml of a 1.5% solution of NaCl also stimulated groove closure; however, groove closure stimulated by administration of vasopressin is the most satisfactory procedure for passing compounds of therapeutic importance directly from the cardiac orifice to the abomasum.

The minimum anesthetic dose (MAD) and the cardiopulmonary dose-response for halothane were determined in male chickens. The MAD for halothane was 0.85 +/- 0.09% (mean +/- SD), with a range of 0.75% to 0.98%. There was a significant (P less than 0.002) positive correlation between increasing concentrations of halothane and PaCO2, and significant negative correlations of halothane concentration with respiratory rate (P less than 0.04), arterial blood pH (P less than 0.008), and mean arterial blood pressure P less than 0.008). A significant correlation was not found between halothane concentration and heart rate or arterial blood bicarbonate concentration. It was concluded that the MAD for halothane in chickens is similar to values for minimum alveolar concentrations of halothane in mammalian species, and that there is substanial dose-dependent depression of cardiopulmonary function in chickens.