Caseous lymphadenitis (CIA) caused by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis is a worldwide disease of sheep and goats and is characterized by development of pyogranulomas in lymph nodes and lungs. Control of this disease by vaccination remains controversial, although toxoid vaccines are now commercially available in some countries. To determine the efficacy of acquired immunity to control CLA, the effect of primary infection on subsequent challenge exposure was investigated. Adult seronegative ewes were primarily inoculated with a streptomycin-sensitive strain of C pseudotuberculosis on the external part of the left ear and thereafter challenge-exposed by inoculation of the streptomycin-resistant strain 19R in the right ear. This protocol indicated that primary infection with at least 10(7) viable bacteria induced strong protection against subsequent challenge exposure; the ewes with primary infection did not develop lesions as a result of challenge exposure, whereas immune-naive ewes developed numerous pyogranulomas in the right car, in lymph nodes draining the inoculation site, and in the lungs. However, ewes with primary infection remained carriers of the disease as a result of primary inoculation. These results offer experimental support for development of more effective vaccination to control CLA, in sheep and goats, and this model indicates that animals with primary infection can be used as positive controls for protection when testing a candidate vaccine against CLA.

Dogs have been used extensively as an experimental model for studying musculoskeletal disorders. Many of these studies incorporated sequential radiography to quantitate a particular treatment's effect, using the contralateral bone as the control condition. The contralateral bone can be used as a control only if there is bilateral symmetry between right and left limbs. We performed radiography (craniocaudal and lateromedial views) on 10 pairs of humeri, radii, femora, and tibiae from dogs, using an alignment jig, to radiographically determine homotypic geometric variations of long bones. The bones were divided into 5 regions: proximal epiphysis, proximal metaphysis, diaphysis, distal metaphysis, and distal epiphysis. The total bone diameter, medullary diameter, and cortical width (total of medial + lateral cortex or total of cranial + caudal cortex) were measured at specified slices throughout each of these regions. Fourteen of 540 homotypic comparisons revealed significant differences between right and left bones at either a slice or region. Although there were only 14 significant differences between right and left bones at any region or slice, measurements were more precise with lower coefficients of variation in the diaphyseal and epiphyseal regions. Homotypic differences in diaphyseal and epiphyseal regions were < 5.3 and 7.5%, respectively power = 0.8). In metaphyseal regions, however, homotypic differences were larger; these differences could have been as large as 11.5% for total bone diameter, 15.6% for medullary diameter, and 80.0% for cortical width without achieving significant differences between populations (power = 0.8). This study validated the concept of using the contralateral limb as the control condition in orthopedic studies using dogs, particularly when evaluating the geometric properties of long bones radiographically.

Aerosol vaccination is used effectively to immunize poultry against Newcastle disease, but to the authors' knowledge, this vaccination procedure is not well studied in other species. The efficacy of IM and aerosol vaccination of pigs against Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infection was evaluated. Twenty-one pigs from a Mycoplasma-free herd were randomly allotted by litter and body weight into 3 groups. One group was given aerosolized phosphate-buffered saline solution (PBSS) by inhalation. The second group (AERO) was given aerosolized M hyopneumoniae vaccine by inhalation. The third group (IM) was given the same vaccine by IM injection. Vaccination by IM administration was repeated once, and aerosol vaccination was repeated twice at 2-week intervals. Two weeks after the last vaccination, all pigs were intratracheally challenge-exposed with 3 ml of broth culture containing 10(7) color-changing units (CCU) of a low-passage strain of virulent M hyopneumoniae. Pigs were observed daily for coughing. Four weeks after challenge exposure, all pigs were necropsied. Percentage of lung affected by gross pneumonia was measured, bronchioalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cells were counted, and quantitative culture for mycoplasmas was performed on lung sections. Additionally, M hyopneumoniae-specific antibodies were measured in prevaccination, postvaccination, and postchallenge-exposure serum and BALF by use of indirect ELISA. Mean prevalence of persistent coughing in pigs of the AERO group (4.6 d/pig) was not different from that in pigs of the PBSS group (3.7 d/pig). Prevalence of coughing in IM vaccinated pigs (1.0 d/ pig) was lower (P < 0.05) than that in pigs of the PBSS group. Mean gross lung lesion scores and BALF cell counts were not different between the AERO (15% pneumonia, 5,233 cells/microliter) and PBSS (11% pneumonia, 3,022 cells/microliter) groups, but were lower (P < 0.05) in the IM group (1.5% pneumonia, 400 cells/microliter) than in the PBSS group. Mean lung mycoplasmal counts were not significantly (P < 0.05) different among the PBSS (10(5.6) CCU/g), AERO (10(5.3) CCU/g), and IM (10(3.3) CCU/g) groups. Postvaccination M hyopneumoniae-specific IgG or IgA was not detectable in BALF after either vaccination procedure. Postvaccination M hyopneumoniae-specific serum IgG concentration was not different among the 3 groups. Postchallenge exposure M hyopneumoniae-specific IgG and IgA were detectable in BALF of all pigs, but were not different among the 3 treatment groups. Postchallenge exposure-specific serum IgG concentration was not different between the PBSS (mean OD, 0.739) and AERO (mean OD, 0.672) groups, but was higher (P < 0.05) in the IM group (mean OD, 1.185) than in the PBSS group. Aerosol vaccination failed to induce local and systemic antibody responses detectable by ELISA, and failed to protect pigs against mycoplasmal pneumonia. Intramuscular vaccination failed to induce local and systemic antibody responses detectable by ELISA, but substantially reduced the clinical signs and lesions caused by challenge exposure to virulent M hyopneumoniae.

A simple and humane model of inflammation, induced by the intradermal injection of 0.3 mL of sterile 2% carrageenan, was characterized in calves by measuring the volume of skin swelling plus histological analysis of skin biopsies. Carrageenan produced a biphasic increase in skin swelling, with an early edematous response followed by a more chronic cellular infiltrate. The swelling and sensitivity to pressure observed in the early response were suitable for testing the antiedematous and analgesic activity of a new nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), oxindanac. Pretreatment with intravenous oxindanac at doses from 0.5 to 8.0 mg/kg reduced the volume of swelling and this reached statistical significance (p < 0.05) at 2 mg/kg. The ED50 and ED90 values for inhibition of the peak swelling volume (4 h) were estimated to be 1 mg/kg and 2 mg/kg, respectively. These compare with an ED90 of 2.0 mg/kg for inhibition of serum TxB2 production, an index of platelet cyclo-oxygenase activity. The dose of oxindanac required for antiedematous activity correlated, therefore, with maximal inhibition of serum TxB2. The analgesic activity of oxindanac reached no clear maximum response, but statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) from placebo was reached with doses of 2 mg/kg and above. It is concluded that intradermal carrageenan produced a simple, humane and useful model for dose estimation of a new NSAID in calves.

Approximately 45 Holstein cows that were Mycobacterium paratuberculosis-positive on the basis of fecal culture results were maintained at any one time in a 210-cow dairy herd. Farm management participated in the New York State Paratuberculosis Eradication Program. Paratuberculosis-positive cows were grouped separately from paratuberculosis-negative cows, but they were otherwise managed identically. During a 1-year study, 180 paratuberculosis-negative cows and 113 clinically normal paratuberculosis-positive cows were identified. Quarter milk samples (n = 6,100) were aseptically collected for microbiologic culture of mastitis pathogens from paratuberculosis-negative cows, and 3,129 quarter samples were obtained from paratuberculosis-positive cows. Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA) records were used to monitor milk somatic cell count linear scores, mature equivalent milk production, new mastitis infections, and chronic mastitis infections. For second-lactation cows greater than 100 days in milk production, and increasing with age beyond that point, paratuberculosis-positive cows had lower mature equivalent milk production than did negative herdmates. Rates of new and chronic mastitis infections, as measured by DHIA linear scores were significantly (P less than 0.05, P = 0.05, respectively) lower in cows with nonclinical paratuberculosis. Infected cows were cuffed from the herd at a faster rate than were paratuberculosis-negative herdmates. Therefore, paratuberculosis was associated with financial loss attributable to reduced milk production and increased culling of infected cows.

The hemodynamic effects of 2 dosages of ephedrine were studied in 6 dogs anesthetized with isoflurane only (end-tidal concentration equivalent to 1.5 times minimum alveolar concentration). Following instrumentation, baseline (time 0) measurements included heart rate (HR), respiratory rate, mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), cardiac output, and blood gas tensions. Cardiac index (CI), stroke volume (SV), systemic vascular resistance (SVR), arterial oxygen content (CaO2), and oxygen delivery and consumption (DO2 and VO2, respectively) were calculated. Three dogs were given ephedrine IV at a dosage of 0.1 mg/ kg of body weight, and 3 dogs were given ephedrine IV at a dosage of 0.25 mg/kg. Measurements were recorded at 5, 10, 15, 30, and 60 minutes. Each dog then received the alternate dosage of ephedrine, and measurements were again recorded at the same intervals. Effects of ephedrine varied with dosage. Neither dosage was associated with significant changes in pH, PaO2, PaCO2, VO2, or respiratory rate. Ephedrine at a dosage of 0.1 mg/kg caused transient significant increases in MAP, CI, SV, CaO2, and DO2, significant decreases in HR and SVR, and a late, slight decrease in CaO2. Ephedrine at a dosage of 0.25 mg/kg caused a greater and more prolonged increase in MAP, as well as increases in CI, SV, and SVR, and a decrease in HR. The higher dosage of ephedrine also caused a pronounced increase in hemoglobin concentration and CaO2, resulting in a 20 to 35% increase in DO2 throughout the 60-minute experiment.

Using a force plate, ground reaction force (GRF) patterns at take-off and landing between the hooves and the ground were recorded for all limbs of 5 Dutch Warmbloods jumping a 0.8-m vertical fence from the right-leading canter. Distribution of the GRF and force impulses over the 4 limbs at take-off and landing were considerably different from those recorded at the normal canter. At take-off, the propulsory GRF of the hind limbs were 3 to 5 times higher than at the normal canter, depending on the jumping technique of the horse. At landing, the propulsory GRF were mainly increased in the trailing forelimb and in both hind limbs. The vertical GRF amplitudes and force impulses were of similar magnitude to those at the canter, although increases up to 160% were found in the hind limbs of the horse with the worst jumping technique. The trailing forelimb carried the highest loads, up to twice the animal's body weight; GRF amplitudes tended to increase when higher fences were used. However, the jumping technique of the horse may have more influence, because an easily jumping horse could clear a 1.3-m-high fence with similar loads on the limbs.

Streak retinoscopy was performed by 5 ophthalmologists on 256 eyes (191 dogs) to determine their postoperative refractive state after cataract extraction. Aphakic and pseudophakic eyes that had been implanted with 1 of 5 intraocular lenses (IOL) with dioptric powers ranging from +14.5 to +38 diopters (D) were studied. By use of ANOVA, breed and body type of dog and individual performing refraction were found to have no detectable effect on final refractive state. Mean refractive state of aphakic eyes was +14.4 +/- 2.10 D. Mean refractive state for different IOL powers was as follows: +14.5 D IOL = +11.54 +/- 1.18 D (n = 13); +30 D IOL = + 5.15 +/- 1.18 D (n = 105); +34.0 D IOL = +3.5 D (n = 1); +36 D IOL +2.34 +/- 0.73 D 9 (n = 61); and +38 D IOL = +1.41 +/- 0.56 D (n = 28). Residual hyperopia ranged from +0.5 D to +2.5 D with +38 D IOL, and no eyes were myopic (overcorrected) by use of any of the IOL studied. linear regression analysis of refractive state on IOL power for aU dogs predicted that dioptric strength of +41.53 D was necessary to best approximate emmetropia for the population as a whole. Body type of the dog had only slight effect (< 1.0 D) on predicted optimal IOL power. Further linear regression analysis of the 7 breeds studied predicted variations from +39.62 to +43.14 D in IOL powers necessary to approximate emmetropia. Results of the study support the routine use of canine IOL with dioptric strength of approximately +41.5 D in circumstances in which preoperative biometry and keratometry are not practical. The findings further suggest that, for the specific population of dogs studied, most of the dogs could be corrected to near emmetropia by use of a small range of IOL dioptric strengths, irrespective of body type or breed.

After a detailed anatomic study to determine puncture sites, 10 cadaver elbows from 5 dogs were examined arthroscopicalty to study the normal intraarticular anatomy, as viewed from the medial side. Subsequent dissection revealed absence of neurovascular injury and only minor iatrogenic damage to the cartilage. The technique was clinically applied and evaluated in 13 dogs (26 joints). The dogs recovered without complications. The technique proved to be safe and reliable for direct examination of nearly the entire joint. More specifically, it allowed systematic inspection of the medial and lateral humeral condyles, the medial and lateral coronoid processes, the caudal and middle parts of the head of the radius, the olecranon (including the anconeal process), and the medial collateral ligament.

Effects of a change from a diet composed primarily of forage to a diet composed primarily of concentrate on abomasal antral and duodenal motility were assessed in 5 lactating Holstein cows. Antroduodenal motility was measured by use of 8 silver electrodes sutured to ther abomasum and duodenum, and abomasal emptying was assesssed by continuous measurement of intraduodenal pH. Both diets were fed to achieve a daily dry matter intake of 2.7 kg/100 kg of body weight. The abrupt change in diet did not alter antoduodenal myoelectric activity or abomasal emptying. Initiation of phase III of the migrating myoelectric complex in the proximal portion of the duodenum corresponded with a decrease in abomasal antral spiking activity and an increase in intraduodenal pH. Results suggest that a high concentrate diet alone does not adversely affect antroduodenal motility in adult dairy cattle.