The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of co-administration of zincsulfate with Carbimazole (CBZ) and, Levothyroxine (L-T4) on thyroid gland function inadult male rabbits. Fifty adult male rabbits, were divided randomly into five equal groups (6rabbits/group) as follows: The first group (control group): Rabbits were given oral doses ofdistilled water daily by gavage; second group (Hypothyroidism): Rabbits were given oraldoses of carbimazole (5 mg/kg. bw) daily by gavage; the third group; Rabbits were givenoral doses of carbimazole (5 mg/kg. bw) + zinc sulfate (20 mg/kg.bw); fourth group(Hyperthyroidism): Rabbits were given oral doses of L-T4 (100µg/kg.bw) daily by gavage;Fifth group: Rabbits were given oral doses of L-T4(100µg/kg.bw) + Zinc sulfate(20mg/kg.bw) daily by gavage. The treatment continued for 30 days. The results revealedthe following: A significant elevation in serum TSH level and a significant reduction inserum T4, T3 and, FT3 levels in CBZ treated rabbits group compared with the control group,while a significant reduction in serum TSH level and a significant elevation in serum levelsof T4, FT4 and FT3 in animals group treated with the L-T4 compared with the control groupHistopathological changes of hypothyroidism were observed in CBZ treated groupcharacterized by small thyroid follicles, increase the height of thyrocytes hyperplasia, andvacuolation of colloid. L-T4 and L-T4-Zinc treated groups showed large follicles distendedwith homogenous acidophilic colloid. No significant changes in thyroid architecture wereobserved in CBZ-Zinc treated group compared with the control group.

No abstract is available.

No abstract available.

OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of epitendinous suture (ES) caliber on the tensile strength of flexor tendon repairs in cadaveric specimens from dogs. SAMPLE 60 cadaveric superficial digital flexor tendons (SDFTs) from 30 skeletally mature dogs. PROCEDURES Specimens were randomly assigned to 5 suture caliber groups (n = 12 SDFTs/group). After sharp transection, SDFTs were repaired by placement of a simple continuous circumferential ES created with size-0, 2–0, 3–0, 4–0, or 5–0 polypropylene suture. Constructs were preloaded to 2 N and load tested to failure. Loads at yield, peak, and failure and mode of failure were compared among groups by statistical methods. RESULTS Yield, peak, and failure loads for SDFT repair constructs were positively correlated with ES caliber and did not differ between the size-0 and 2–0 groups on pairwise comparisons. Yield load was significantly greater for size-0, 2–0, and 3–0 groups than for the 4–0 and 5–0 groups. Peak and failure loads were significantly greater for the size-0 and 2–0 groups than for the remaining groups. Most size-0 (12/12), 2–0 (12/12), and 3–0 (10/12) group constructs failed because of ES pull-through; several constructs in the 4–0 group (5/12) and most in the 5–0 group (11/12) failed because of ES breakage. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results suggested size-0 and 2–0 sutures should be considered when placing an ES for flexor tendon repairs in dogs. However, in vivo studies are needed determine the effects of increasing ES caliber on clinical outcomes for dogs undergoing these procedures.

This study evaluated changes in electrocardiographic (ECG) parameters according to the stage of myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) in dogs, as well as the utility of ECG parameters as prognostic indicators for congestive heart failure (CHF). Medical records of dogs with MMVD were retrospectively searched. Dogs with MMVD (N = 101) were classified into stages B [B1 (n = 52) and B2 (n = 23)] and C (n = 26) according to the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine guidelines. Baseline variables were collected; these included signalment, radiographic, echocardiographic, and ECG parameters. Corrected QT intervals (QTc) were calculated using the logarithmic (QTc1) and Fridericia (QTc2) formulas. The P wave duration, QTc1, and QTc2 were significantly longer in stage C than in stage B. The P wave duration cutoff of 43.5 ms had a diagnostic accuracy of 65% for differentiating CHF, with a sensitivity of 63% and a specificity of 90%. A cutoff value of 307.8 ms for QTc1 yielded a sensitivity of 62%, a specificity of 76%, and a diagnostic accuracy of 78%, and a cutoff value of 239.2 ms for QTc2 yielded a sensitivity of 62%, a specificity of 83%, and a diagnostic accuracy of 77% for diagnosing CHF. Therefore, prolonged P wave and QTc in dogs with MMVD may facilitate the prediction of CHF. Electrocardiography could provide clinicians with a readily available and cost-effective screening tool for predicting CHF, if the usefulness of ECG parameters can be verified.

OBJECTIVE To compare efficacy and duration of desensitization of oral structures with a lidocaine-bupivacaine mixture administered via a lateral percutaneous or modified infraorbital approach. ANIMALS 6 healthy adult hound-type female dogs. PROCEDURESIn this crossover study, dogs were randomized for side (left or right) and maxillary nerve approach (lateral percutaneous or infraorbital), with a 2-week washout period. Dogs were anesthetized, and a 2-mL mixture of 2% lidocaine and 0.5% bupivacaine (50:50 [vol/vol]) was administered with a 22-gauge, 4.5-cm-long catheter inserted through the infraorbital canal (infraorbital approach) or with a shielded stimulating needle to the maxillary nerve (percutaneous approach). Reflex-evoked motor potentials were measured for the maxillary canine tooth, fourth premolar tooth, second molar tooth, and hard palate mucosa ipsilateral to the injected mixture and for the contralateral maxillary canine tooth (control) at three 10-minute intervals before injection (baseline) and at predetermined times after injection for up to 6.7 hours. For each oral structure, the proportion of dogs with desensitization (efficacy) and time to onset and duration of desensitization were compared between approaches. RESULTS The proportion of dogs with successful nerve blockade did not significantly differ between infraorbital and percutaneous approaches and among the 4 oral structures. Time to onset of desensitization did not differ between approaches, but duration was significantly longer with the infraorbital approach. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE A modified infraorbital approach with the lidocaine-bupivacaine mixture had similar effects to a lateral percutaneous approach but provided a longer duration of desensitization. Neither approach was universally successful at desensitizing all oral structures.

OBJECTIVE To determine the in vitro effects of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dobutamine on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated production of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in blood from healthy dogs. SAMPLES Blood samples from 9 healthy dogs. PROCEDURES Blood samples were incubated with LPS from Escherichia coli O127:B8 or PBSS (control) for 1 hour. Afterward, the samples were incubated with 10μM epinephrine, norepinephrine, or dobutamine or with saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (control) for 23 hours. Leukocyte viability was assessed by use of trypan-blue exclusion in blood from 2 dogs to ensure cell viability was not altered by the catecholamines. Tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-6, and IL-10 concentrations were measured in the supernatant in duplicate with a canine-specific multiplex bead-based assay. Blood samples from 2 dogs were used to create dose-response curves to evaluate whether the observed cytokine modulation was dependent on catecholamine concentration. RESULTS Incubation of blood with epinephrine and norepinephrine significantly increased LPS-stimulated production of IL-10, compared with the control. Epinephrine and norepinephrine significantly decreased LPS-stimulated production of TNF-α, compared with the control. Epinephrine and norepinephrine did not significantly alter LPS-stimulated production of IL-6. Dobutamine did not alter catecholamine production. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Epinephrine and norepinephrine, but not dobutamine, had immunomodulatory effects on LPS-stimulated TNF-α and IL-10 production in blood from healthy dogs in this in vitro model of sepsis. Data suggested that dobutamine may have immune system-sparing effects in dogs with sepsis.

Decreased neutrophil function following administration of chemotherapy has been reported in dogs with lymphoma. The first objective of our study was to determine if neutrophil oxidative burst and phagocytic activity are affected by chemotherapy 7 to 10 days following initiation of treatment in dogs with lymphoma and non-lymphoma malignancies. The second objective was to determine if there is a correlation between neutrophil numbers and neutrophil function before or after initiation of chemotherapy. Flow cytometric assessment of neutrophil oxidative burst and phagocytosis following stimulation with Escherichia coli was performed in 9 dogs diagnosed with lymphoma and 17 non-lymphoma tumor-bearing dogs pre- and post-chemotherapy, as well as 14 tumor-free control dogs. Spearman rank correlation was performed to determine if blood neutrophil numbers and neutrophil function were significantly correlated. Lymphoma patients showed significantly reduced percentage neutrophil oxidative burst post-chemotherapy compared to healthy controls as well as compared to pre-chemotherapy values (P = 0.0022 and P = 0.0020, respectively). Lymphoma patients also exhibited significantly reduced neutrophil phagocytosis activity post-chemotherapy compared to controls and pre-chemotherapy values (P = 0.0016 and P = 0.014, respectively). Dogs with non-lymphoma malignancies also showed a significant decrease in both percentage oxidative burst and phagocytosis post-chemotherapy compared to pre-chemotherapy values (P = 0.00040 and P = 0.029, respectively). Neutrophil numbers and function were not significantly correlated. The results of the study suggest that chemotherapeutic treatment decreases neutrophil oxidative burst and phagocytic activity 7 to 10 days post-treatment in dogs with various malignancies. Furthermore, neutrophil numbers cannot be used to predict neutrophil function.

Urinary liver-type fatty acid-binding protein (uL-FABP) is a clinically useful biomarker for monitoring chronic kidney disease (CKD) in humans. However, long-term monitoring of uL-FABP in CKD cats has not been reported. The objective of this preliminary study was to investigate whether the urinary excretion of L-FABP could predict the deterioration of renal function in 2 CKD model cats. Urinary liver-type fatty acid-binding protein (uL-FABP) increased before standard renal biomarkers, including serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and symmetric dimethylarginine, in 1 cat with deteriorating renal function, but remained low and relatively stable in another cat with stable renal function. Our results suggest that uL-FABP is a potential clinical biomarker for predicting the progression of CKD in cats, as it is in humans.

C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute phase protein, which is used to evaluate and monitor the response of the innate immune system to a variety of inflammatory processes in the dog. The purpose of this study was to analytically validate a point-of-care assay (IDEXX Catalyst CRP Test) and an immunoturbidimetric assay (Gentian Canine CRP Immunoassay) for the measurement of serum CRP concentrations in dogs. These 2 assays (Catalyst, Gentian) were compared to a previously validated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Tridelta Development EIA Canine CRP Assay). Linearity, precision, reproducibility, and accuracy were assessed using leftover serum samples. Agreement between assays was assessed using leftover serum samples and serum from clinically healthy dogs. Observed to expected ratios (O/E) for dilutional parallelism were 83.9 to 163.1% and 108.3 to 160.6% for the Catalyst and the Gentian assays, respectively. Coefficients of variation for intra-assay variability ranged from 6.4 to 9.5% for the Catalyst assay and 1.5 to 2.6% for the Gentian assay. Coefficients of variation for inter-assay variability ranged from 3.8 to 18.2% for the Catalyst assay and 4.5 to 5.8% for the Gentian assay. The mean O/E for recovery were 97.9% and 98.5% for the Catalyst and Gentian assays, respectively. Correlations between assays were as follows: Catalyst and Tridelta (R 2 = 0.76), Gentian and Tridelta (R 2 = 0.79), and Catalyst and Gentian (R (2) = 0.98). The Catalyst and Gentian assays are both acceptable for measuring CRP in dog serum, but their results are not directly comparable with the Tridelta assay.