Ventricular rhythm disturbances are a common pathology in human and veterinary medicine. In humans, the algorithmic approach is used to differentiate wide QRS complex tachycardia. The most commonly used are the aVR and Brugada algorithms as well as the ventricular tachycardia (VT) score developed by Jastrzębski and coworkers. In veterinary medicine, no such algorithms are available and the only parameter used to describe VT abnormalities is the duration of the QRS complexes. The aim of this analysis was determining whether human medicine algorithms for VT are applicable in veterinary medicine to differentiate wide QRS complex tachycardia in dogs. A retrospective analysis was performed on 11 dogs of both sexes and various breeds and age diagnosed with VT. The diagnosis was based on ambulatory ECG, further established based on the reaction to lidocaine or adenosine or an invasive electrophysiological study. Of the 11 tracings passed through the aVR algorithm, 10 met the VT criteria. The most common criterion was the Vi/Vt ratio (8 out of 11 tracings). Based on the VT score, seven out of eight dogs had a high probability of VT. Retrospective analysis of ECGs by aVR and VT score indicates that the applied algorithms may be useful in differentiating wide QRS complex tachycardia as a quick, easy, and non-invasive alternative to cardiac electrophysiology.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether infrared thermographic images obtained the morning after overnight heat abatement could be used as the basis for diagnostic algorithms to predict subsequent heat stress events in feedlot cattle exposed to high ambient temperatures. ANIMALS 60 crossbred beef heifers (mean ± SD body weight, 385.8 ± 20.3 kg). PROCEDURES Calves were housed in groups of 20 in 3 pens without any shade. During the 6 am and 3 pm hours on each of 10 days during a 14-day period when the daily ambient temperature was forecasted to be > 29.4°C, an investigator walked outside each pen and obtained profile digital thermal images of and assigned panting scores to calves near the periphery of the pen. Relationships between infrared thermographic data and panting scores were evaluated with artificial learning models. RESULTS Afternoon panting score was positively associated with morning but not afternoon thermographic data (body surface temperature). Evaluation of multiple artificial learning models indicated that morning body surface temperature was not an accurate predictor of an afternoon heat stress event, and thermographic data were of little predictive benefit, compared with morning and forecasted weather conditions. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated infrared thermography was an objective method to monitor beef calves for heat stress in research settings. However, thermographic data obtained in the morning did not accurately predict which calves would develop heat stress later in the day. The use of infrared thermography as a diagnostic tool for monitoring heat stress in feedlot cattle requires further investigation.

OBJECTIVE To determine effects of anesthesia on plasma concentrations and pulsatility of ACTH in samples obtained from the cavernous sinus and jugular vein of horses. ANIMALS 6 clinically normal adult horses. PROCEDURES Catheters were placed in a jugular vein and into the cavernous sinus via a superficial facial vein. The following morning (day 1), cavernous sinus blood samples were collected every 5 minutes for 1 hour (collection of first sample = time 0) and jugular venous blood samples were collected at 0, 30, and 60 minutes. On day 2, horses were sedated with xylazine hydrochloride and anesthesia was induced with propofol mixed with ketamine hydrochloride. Horses were positioned in dorsal recumbency. Anesthesia was maintained with isoflurane in oxygen and a continuous rate infusion of butorphanol tartrate. One hour after anesthesia was induced, the blood sample protocol was repeated. Plasma ACTH concentrations were quantified by use of a commercially available sandwich assay. Generalized estimating equations that controlled for horse and an expressly automated deconvolution algorithm were used to determine effects of anesthesia on plasma ACTH concentrations and pulsatility, respectively. RESULTS Anesthesia significantly reduced the plasma ACTH concentration in blood samples collected from the cavernous sinus. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Mean plasma ACTH concentrations in samples collected from the cavernous sinus of anesthetized horses were reduced. Determining the success of partial ablation of the pituitary gland in situ for treatment of pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction may require that effects of anesthesia be included in interpretation of plasma ACTH concentrations in cavernous sinus blood.

Susceptibility results for Pasteurella multocida and Streptococcus suis isolated from swine clinical samples were obtained from January 1998 to October 2010 from the Animal Health Laboratory at the University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, and used to describe variation in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to 4 drugs of importance in the Ontario swine industry: ampicillin, tetracycline, tiamulin, and trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole. Four temporal data-analysis options were used: visualization of trends in 12-month rolling averages, logistic-regression modeling, temporal-scan statistics, and a scan with the “What’s strange about recent events?” (WSARE) algorithm. The AMR trends varied among the antimicrobial drugs for a single pathogen and between pathogens for a single antimicrobial, suggesting that pathogen-specific AMR surveillance may be preferable to indicator data. The 4 methods provided complementary and, at times, redundant results. The most appropriate combination of analysis methods for surveillance using these data included temporal-scan statistics with a visualization method (rolling-average or predicted-probability plots following logistic-regression models). The WSARE algorithm provided interesting results for quality control and has the potential to detect new resistance patterns; however, missing data created problems for displaying the results in a way that would be meaningful to all surveillance stakeholders.

Dermal microfilariae recovered form specimens obtained from umbilical and cervical sites of cattle infected with adult Onchocerca gutturosa alone or with adults of O gutturosa and O lienalis were measured and compared with uterine microfilariae obtained directly from gravid female worms of each species. Uterine microfilariae of O gutturosa were longer than dermal microfilariae obtained from cattle harboring only adults of O gutturosa. Dermal microfilariae were recovered from umbilical and cervical sites in these cattle. Those found at the cervical site had lengths equal to or greater than lengths of microfilariae recovered from the umbilical site. There was a significant (P less than 0.0001) shift in length across populations of microfilariae of O gutturosa from various sites in its bovine host, with a progressive decrease in length between microfilariae recovered from the worm's uterus, microfilariae from the cervical dermis, and microfilariae from the umbilical dermis, respectively. A similar direct comparison was not possible for microfilariae of O lienalis, because none of the cattle was infected with only adult worms of this species. In an indirect comparison, microfilariae of O lienalis were identified at the umbilicus, but their presence in the cervical region could not be determined unequivocally because of confounding of microfilariae length by concurrent infection with O gutturosa. Uterine microfilariae from O lienalis were longer than uterine microfilariae of O gutterosa, although a degree of overlap in the range of measurements existed between species.

OBJECTIVE To measure cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral blood volume (CBV) by means of perfusion CT in clinically normal Holstein calves. ANIMALS 9 Holstein calves. PROCEDURES Each of the 9 calves (mean age, 20.2 days) was anesthetized and received an injection of iodinated contrast medium into the right jugular vein at a rate of 4.0 mL/s. Dynamic CT scanning of the head at a level that included the mandibular condyle was initiated at the time of the contrast medium injection and continued for 100 seconds. A deconvolution method was used as an analytic algorithm. RESULTS Among the 9 calves, the mean ± SD CBF in the cerebral cortex, white matter, and thalamus was 44.3 ± 10.3 mL/100 g/min, 36.1 ± 7.5 mL/100 g/min, and 40.3 ± 7.5 mL/100 g/min, respectively. The CBF in white matter was significantly lower than that in the cerebral cortex or thalamus. The mean CBV in the cerebral cortex, white matter, and thalamus was 6.8 ± 1.0 mL/100 g, 5.2 ± 1.0 mL/100 g, and 5.7 ± 0.7 mL/100 g, respectively. The CBV in the cerebral cortex was significantly higher than that in the white matter or thalamus. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Measurement of CBF and CBV in clinically normal calves by means of perfusion CT was feasible. The data obtained may be useful as baseline values for use in future research or for comparison with findings from calves with CNS diseases. Investigations to determine the lower limit of blood flow at which brain function can still be restored are warranted.

OBJECTIVE To investigate metabolite concentrations of the brains of dogs with intracranial neoplasia or noninfectious meningoencephalitis by use of short echo time, single voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) at 3.0 T. ANIMALS 29 dogs with intracranial lesions (14 with neoplasia [3 oligodendromas, 3 glioblastomas multiformes, 3 astrocytomas, 2 lymphomas, and 3 meningiomas] and 15 is with noninfectious meningoencephalitis) and 10 healthy control dogs. PROCEDURES Short echo time, single voxel 1H-MRS at 3.0 T was performed on neoplastic and noninfectious inflammatory intracranial lesions identified with conventional MRI. Metabolites of interest included N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), total choline, creatine, myoinositol, the glutamine-glutamate complex (Glx), glutathione, taurine, lactate, and lipids. Data were analyzed with postprocessing fitting algorithm software. Metabolite concentrations relative to brain water content were calculated and compared with results for the healthy control dogs, which had been previously evaluated with the same 1H MRS technique. RESULTS NAA, creatine, and Glx concentrations were reduced in the brains of dogs with neoplasia and noninfectious meningoencephalitis, whereas choline concentration was increased. Concentrations of these metabolites differed significantly between dogs with neoplasia and dogs with noninfectious meningoencephalitis. Concentrations of NAA, creatine, and Glx were significantly lower in dogs with neoplasia, whereas the concentration of choline was significantly higher in dogs with neoplasia. Lipids were predominantly found in dogs with high-grade intra-axial neoplasia, meningioma, and necrotizing meningoencephalitis. A high concentration of taurine was found in 10 of 15 dogs with noninfectious meningoencephalitis. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE 1H MRS provided additional metabolic information about intracranial neoplasia and noninfectious meningoencephalitis in dogs.

OBJECTIVE To test a unique electronic ear tag designed to collect movement data to determine whether physical activity of sick steers differed from that of healthy steers. ANIMALS 206 steers. PROCEDURES Physical activity in 2 groups of steers during November and December of 2010 (101 steers; the tag of 1 steer failed, and thus that steer was removed from the study, which resulted in data for 100 steers) and 2011 (105 steers) was monitored with an electronic ear tag device with an on-board triple-axis accelerometer. The accelerometer recorded motion in all 3 axes in the form of counts per minute. A radio-frequency transmitter on the ear tag delivered serial packets of motion data to a local server. An algorithm was developed to analyze the activity data to determine whether this technique could be used to assess health status with high accuracy. RESULTS Steers that became sick had significantly fewer activity counts (approx 25% fewer), compared with the activity counts of steers that remained healthy the entire time. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE In this study, automated detection of health status in growing cattle was feasible through remote monitoring of animal activity. Early identification of sick animals should lead to improved health outcomes, increased marketability, and improved animal well-being and help to minimize the use of antimicrobials that could contribute to resistant bacteria.

Objective—To evaluate the accuracy of digitally scanned rhodanine-stained liver biopsy specimens for determination of hepatic copper concentration and compare results with qualitatively assigned histologic copper scores in dogs. Sample—353 liver biopsy specimens from dogs. Procedures—Specimens (n = 139) with quantified copper concentration ranging from 93 to 6,900 μg/g were allocated to group 1 (< 400 μg/g [37]), group 2 (401 to 1,000 μg/g [27]), group 3 (1,001 to 2,000 μg/g [34]), and group 4 (> 2,001 μg/g [41]); stained with rhodanine; and digitally scanned and analyzed with a proprietary positive pixel algorithm. Measured versus calculated copper concentrations were compared, and limits of agreement determined. Influence of nodular remodeling, fibrosis, or parenchymal loss on copper concentration was determined by digitally analyzing selected regions in 17 specimens. After method validation, 214 additional liver specimens underwent digital scanning for copper concentration determination. All sections (n = 353) were then independently scored by 2 naive evaluators with a qualitative scoring schema. Agreement between assigned scores and between assigned scores and tissue copper concentrations was determined. Results—Linear regression was used to develop a formula for calculating hepatic copper concentration ≥ 400 μg/g from scanned sections. Copper concentrations in unremodeled specimens were significantly higher than in remodeled specimens. Qualitative scores widely overlapped among quantitative copper concentration groups. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Calculated copper concentrations determined by means of digital scanning of rhodanine-stained liver sections were highly correlated with measured values and more accurate than qualitative copper scores, which should improve diagnostic usefulness of hepatic copper concentrations and assessments in sequential biopsy specimens.

Papillomas occur more frequently in cattle than other domestic animals. The causal agent of bovine papillomatosis is a virus that belongs to the family Papillomaviridae. In Tamaulipas, Mexico, the virus is considered a serious problem and has impeded the export of cattle to the United States, resulting in serious economic losses. Owing to the lack of information regarding the subtypes of papillomaviruses that infect cattle in Mexico, the aim of this study was to determine the subtypes in Tamaulipas. Fifty-two warts were analyzed with the use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) involving primers that amplify the E7 gene of bovine papillomavirus (BPV). The PCR products were sequenced to differentiate the BPV-1 and BPV-2 subtypes. The sequencing quality was determined with the use of MEGA 6.0 software. Comparison of the Tamaulipas sequences with those of known BPV types by means of the MUSCLE algorithm showed that 53% of the former were BPV-1 and 47% were BPV-2. The distribution of the 2 subtypes in the cattle was homogeneous. This study demonstrated the presence of BPV-1 and BPV-2 in cattle from Tamaulipas and constitutes the first molecular characterization of papillomas in Mexico.