OBJECTIVE To determine the feasibility of sidestream dark field (SDF) video microscopy for the evaluation of the jejunal microvasculature of healthy dogs. ANIMALS 30 healthy sexually intact female shelter dogs anesthetized for ovariohysterectomy. PROCEDURES Preoperative physical and clinicopathologic assessments were performed to confirm health status. Then healthy dogs were anesthetized, and the abdomen was incised at the ventral midline for ovariohysterectomy and jejunal microvasculature evaluation. An SDF video microscope imaged the microvasculature of 2 sites of a portion of the jejunum, and recorded videos were analyzed with software capable of quantitating parameters of microvascular health. Macrovascular parameters (heart rate, respiratory rate, and hemoglobin oxygen saturation) were also recorded during anesthesia. RESULTS Quantified jejunal microvascular parameters included valid microvascular density (mean ± SD, 251.72 ± 97.10 μm/mm), RBC-filling percentage (66.96 ± 8.00%), RBC column width (7.11 ± 0.72 μm), and perfused boundary region (2.17 ± 0.42 μm). The perfused boundary region and RBC-filling percentage had a significant negative correlation. Strong to weak positive correlations were noted among the perfused boundary regions of small-, medium-, and large-sized microvessels. No significant correlations were identified between microvascular parameters and age, body weight, preoperative clinicopathologic results, or macrovascular parameters. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Interrogation of the jejunal microvasculature of healthy dogs with SDF video microscopy was feasible. Results of this study indicated that SDF video microscopy is worth additional investigation, including interrogation of diseased small intestine in dogs.

In sheep, scrapie is a fatal neurologic disease that is caused by a misfolded protein called a prion (designated PrPSc). The normal cellular prion protein (PrPC) is encoded by an endogenous gene, PRNP, that is present in high concentrations within the CNS. Although a broad range of functions has been described for PrPC, its entire range of functions has yet to be fully elucidated. Accumulation of PrPSc results in neurodegeneration. The PRNP gene has several naturally occurring polymorphisms, and there is a strong correlation between scrapie susceptibility and PRNP genotype. The cornerstone of scrapie eradication programs is the selection of scrapie-resistant genotypes to eliminate classical scrapie. Transmission of classical scrapie in sheep occurs during the prenatal and periparturient periods when lambs are highly susceptible. Initially, the scrapie agent is disseminated throughout the lymphoid system and into the CNS. Shedding of the scrapie agent occurs before the onset of clinical signs. In contrast to classical scrapie, atypical scrapie is believed to be a spontaneous disease that occurs in isolated instances in older animals within a flock. The agent that causes atypical scrapie is not considered to be naturally transmissible. Transmission of the scrapie agent to species other than sheep, including deer, has been experimentally demonstrated as has the transmission of nonscrapie prion agents to sheep. The purpose of this review is to outline the current methods for diagnosing scrapie in sheep and the techniques used for studying the pathogenesis and host range of the scrapie agent. Also discussed is the US scrapie eradication program including recent updates.

OBJECTIVE To characterize the biochemical, functional, and histopathologic changes associated with lomustine-induced liver injury in dogs. ANIMALS I0 healthy purpose-bred sexually intact female hounds. PROCEDURES Dogs were randomly assigned to receive lomustine (approx 75 mg/m2, PO, q 21 d for 5 doses) alone (n = 5) or with prednisone (approx 1.5 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h for 12 weeks; 5). For each dog, a CBC, serum biochemical analysis, liver function testing, urinalysis, and ultrasonographic examination of the liver with acquisition of liver biopsy specimens were performed before and at predetermined times during and after lomustine administration. Results were compared between dogs that did and did not receive prednisone. RESULTS 7 of the I0 dogs developed clinical signs of liver failure. For all dogs, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities, bile acid concentrations, and liver histologic score increased and hepatic reduced glutathione content decreased over time. Peak serum ALT (r = 0.79) and ALP (r = 0.90) activities and bile acid concentration (r = 0.68) were positively correlated with the final histologic score. Prednisone did not appear to have a protective effect on histologic score. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE In dogs, liver enzyme activities, particularly ALT and ALP activities, should be closely monitored during lomustine treatment and acute increases in those activities may warrant discontinuation of lomustine to mitigate liver injury. Nonspecific ultrasonographic findings and abnormal increases in liver function tests were not detected until the onset of clinical liver failure. Glutathione depletion may have a role in lomustine-induced hepatopathy and warrants further investigation.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of tulathromycin for prevention of abortion in pregnant ewes when administered within 24 hours after experimental inoculation with Campylobacter jejuni. ANIMALS 20 pregnant ewes between 72 and 92 days of gestation. PROCEDURES All ewes were inoculated with a field strain of C jejuni (8.5 × 108 to 10.6 × 108 CFUs, IV). Eighteen hours later, ewes received either tulathromycin (1.1 mL/45 kg [2.4 mg/kg], SC; n = 10) or sterile saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (1.1 mL/45 kg, SC; sham; 10). Ewes were euthanized immediately after observation of vaginal bleeding, abortion, or completion of a 21-day observation period. Necropsy was performed on all ewes, and tissue specimens were obtained for bacterial culture and histologic examination. RESULTS 1 sham-treated ewe and 1 tulathromycin-treated ewe developed signs of severe endotoxemia and were euthanized within 24 hours after C jejuni inoculation. Seven sham-treated and 2 tulathromycin-treated ewes developed vaginal bleeding or aborted and were euthanized between 4 and 21 days after C jejuni inoculation. The proportion of tulathromycin-treated ewes that developed vaginal bleeding or aborted during the 21 days after C jejuni inoculation (2/9) was significantly less than that for the sham-treated ewes (7/9). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results suggested that administration of tulathromycin to pregnant ewes following exposure to C jejuni was effective in decreasing the number of C jejuni–induced abortions. Because of concerns regarding the development of macrolide resistance among Campylobacter strains, prophylactic use of tulathromycin in sheep is not recommended.

No abstract available.

The present study aimed to provide a detailed description of the normal development of rabbit stomach and focusing on the histogenesis of gastric glands. In a total, 24 New Zealand White rabbit fetuses were collected at gestational days 21, 25, and 29. The stomachs of the collected fetuses were fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin and prepared by paraffin technique then stained with Harris's Haematoxylin and Eosin, Masson's Trichrome stain, Orcein, Periodic acid-Schiff, Alcian blue, and Bromophenol blue stains. The results revealed that, at 21stgestational day, the different parts of the stomach including, cardia, fundus and pylorus could be easily distinguished. On 25th developmental day, the gastric mucosal folds were more prominent in the cardia than fundus and pylorus. At 29th developmental day, tunica mucosa and tunica submucosa of the fetal stomach were laid in longitudinally oriented folds known as rugae. The gastric gland in this age became well developed containing well-demarcated oxyntic and peptic cells. In conclusion, the rabbit stomach is completely differentiated during the embryonic life and the gastric glands were functionally active.

The current study showed that the right and left kidneys of a Pit Bull dog were normal, the only difference, which appeared in the left kidney, is the bulging of the mid-lateral border with a marked depression in the craniolateral aspect of the left kidney.

This study was conducted to record the potential risk of some pathogens in table eggs in Beni-Suef city, Egypt. A total of 100 table eggs samples (Farm and Baladi eggs) were randomly collected from poultry farms, markets, supermarkets and groceries in Beni-Suef city, 50 farm eggs samples (each of 3 eggs) and 50 baladi eggs samples (each of 5 eggs) were examined for the presence of coliforms, E.coli, Salmonella, coagulase positive Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcal enterotoxins. Isolates were identified by biochemical, serological and molecular (PCR) methods. The obtained results in the present study revealed that (22%) of the examined samples were contaminated with Coliforms. The other identified genera were Citrobacter freundii, Citrobacter diversus, Edwardsiella tarda, Enterobacter spp., Morgonella morganii, Klebsiella oxytoca, Providencea spp., Serratia fonticola and Yersinia intermedia. E.coli (atypical type) was detected in a percentage of 27.27%. True fecal E. coli and Salmonella spp. failed to be detected in any of the whole examined 100 eggs samples. Additionally, Staphylococcus spp. was detected with incidence rate of (13%), out of them, 8 (61.5%) isolates were accounted for coagulase positive Staphylococcus aureus. Enterotoxin profiling revealed that two classical enterotoxin genes (SEA and SED) were detected either singly or in combination. The potential health hazards and the suggested control measures of the isolated strains had been discussed.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the ability of Chitosan to promote induced tibial fracture healing in a rat model. The study was conducted on 14 albino rats divided into two equal groups (seven rats in each group). The first group was considered as a control group. The second group was injected Chitosan solution 0.1 mg/kg into the fracture gap. The progress of healing in each group was evaluated by clinical, radiography, ultrasonography and pathological examinations. The healing process was observed to be superior in the Chitosan group compared to the control one. Chitosan was found to promote healing of injured bone and is suggested to be used in cases of complicated or delayed bone fracture.

This study focusing on the importance of Candida albicans growth conditions on SAP8and SAP10 genes expression, as a member of the Secreted Aspartic Proteases superfamily genesthat play a role in the pathogenicity of C. albicans and the effects of this conditions on thepathogenicity of this bacterium in albino mice.Ten pathogenic isolates of C. albicans weregrown on two different conditions using RPMI1640 medium at 37° C for mimic host conditionand on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) at 25° C as in vitro condition. Sets of primers were usedto detect SAP8 and SAP10 genes expression in each condition. Forty BALB/c albino mice wereassigned to groups and inoculated with 1 X 107 cells/mouse of C. albicans grown in the studyconditions as challenge dose. Kidneys, lungs, and liver were collected to study the pathologicalchanges. Data show overexpression of the SAP8 gene in study isolates grown in RPMI1640comparison to the SAP10 gene. Kidneys, liver, and lungs showed pathological lesions at adifferent range of severity, a significant severe lesion in the kidney in mice injected with C.albicans grown in RPMI 1640 medium, while in contrast the significant severe liver and lunglesions were observed in mice injected with C. albicans grown in SDA medium. This studypoints out that the growth condition of C. albicans plays a role in the pathogenicity of thismicroorganism and SAP8 gene related to the infection process in the host.