Samanea tubulosa is a plant used for medicinal and feeding purposes. However, ingestion of S. tubulosa pods has been associated with bovine abortion. Thus, the aim of this work was to investigate the effects of diet containing 5% of S. tubulosa pod meal on male and female Wistar rats. Diet was administered to male rats (n = 10) for 60 days before mating. Female rats (n = 10) received the treatment for 30 days, during cohabitation and from gestational day (GD) 0 to GD20. Treated animals were mated with untreated rats. In male rats, plant consumption caused decreased food consumption and 20% fertility index reduction. Litters from treated males presented lower body weight and crown–rump length. Female rats treated with the plant increased water and food intake and body weight. Decreases in fertility, fecundity and gestation indices and increase of placenta weight and mean number of corpora lutea were found. Thus, owing to the possible general and reproductive toxic effects, long-term consumption of S. tubulosa is not recommended for phytotherapic or food purposes.

Caprine arthritis encephalitis (CAE) is a chronic disease caused by a small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV), which causes significant losses in goat breeding. The actual state of animal infection with SRLV is difficult to determine due to a complex pathogenesis of the virus, including factors such as delayed or intermittent seroconversion in serological tests. Several serological techniques are available for disease diagnosis, such as screening or confirmation tests, which are different in sensitivity and specificity. Regarding the choice of the test to be applied, availability of commercial immunoreagents, team training, antigen used, and cost of techniques must be considered. This review presents the serological methods available for use in different stages of CAE control and eradication programs, and management measures to be adopted in conjunction with serological diagnosis of the disease.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a recessive X-linked disorder characterized for mutation in dystrophin gene and manifested by progressive degeneration and necrosis of skeletal and cardiac muscle with replacement leading to generalized muscular weakness and atrophy. The dog Golden Retriever Muscular Dystrophy (GRMD) is the best experimental model for DMD, with genotypic and phenotypic manifestations closely of human disease. Similar to patients with DMD, heart failure is a major cause of death in GRMD animals. The objective of this study was to evaluate the pathological progression of myocardial lesions from GRMD dogs in different ages in order to clarify the pathogenesis of Duchenne´s cardiomyopathy. Fragments of left and right ventricle and interventricular septum, from 18 GRMD dogs between 6 to 51 months were collected, fixed, dehydrated, clarified, and finally embedded in paraffin. Five micrometer thick serial sections were obtained and stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE), Picrosirius red, and Von Kossa. Histological analyses were performed at the light microscopy. Myocardial lesions were observed in all GRMD dogs and the sequence of cardiac lesion classified according to according to the age included: abnormal calcium accumulation, myofibrillar necrosis, proliferation of granulation tissue, endomysial and perimysial fibrosis, and finally myocardial fatty infiltration. Interestingly, several Anitschkow cells, the hallmark of rheumatic carditis, were detected in inflammatory infiltrate present at granulation tissue. Our results demonstrate the sequence of cardiac lesions that determine the cardiomyopathy in Golden Retriever dogs affected by DMD and exhibit, for the first time, the Anitschkow cells in the histological findings of this cardiomyopathy. These results are relevant for to clarify the pathogenesis of cardiomyopathy in dogs and humans affected by DMD.

Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) assay was used for detection of Theileria annulata infection in field samples from both cattle and buffaloes. These samples were collected from three governorates in Upper Egypt that include Assiut, EL-Fayoum and EL-wady EL-Gaded governorates. Reverse Line Blot (RLB) assay was used as a reference test for evaluation of LAMP assay efficacy in the diagnosis of bovine theileriosis. The obtained results revealed that according to the results of LAMP assay the infection rates were 65.24% and 43.24% in cattle and buffaloes, respectively. The evaluation study of LAMP test revealed high sensitivity in cattle (78.10%) if compared with buffaloes (47.37%). Specificity was higher in buffaloes (61.11%) if compared with cattle (57.53%). This study concluded that the LAMP assay was sensitive and specific assay in diagnosis of Theileria annulata infection. So, it is recommended to use LAMP assay, especially during molecular epidemiological surveys, which should be applied on a wide range because it will give a clear picture about the epidemiology of the disease, which helps in its prevention and control.

A 4-year-old Great Dane was admitted with continuous sanguino-purulent vaginal discharge, distended abdomen, and cachexia. The dog was clinically diagnosed with pyometra and successfully cured by ovario-hysterectomy. This is the first case report of pyometra seen in as Great Dane in Bareilly, India.

Aderências intra-abdominais são complicações de cirurgias de equinos que podem resultar em processos obstrutivos e comprometer a sobrevida dos animais. O presente estudo utilizou dez equinos hígidos, machos, sem raça definida (SRD), com quatro a 15 anos de idade e peso vivo situado entre 300 e 400 quilogramas (kg). Os animais foram submetidos à laparotomia esquerda em estação com o objetivo de serem induzidas aderências, testar a utilização intestinal de membrana biológica de pericárdio como prevenção e avaliar as diferentes alterações sistêmicas e do líquido abdominal. Após sedação e analgesia local, foi utilizado o acesso cirúrgico em grade, na flexura pélvica foi criada uma área de abrasão que, no Grupo 1, foi coberta por pericárdio homólogo e no Grupo 2, lavada com solução fisiológica. Após reposicionamento foi realizada a sutura muscular, de subcutâneo e pele. O pós-operatório constou de avaliações clínicas, citologia do líquido abdominal, hematologia e bioquímica sérica nos momentos M0- pré-operatório e M7, M14, M21 e M28 dias de pós-operatório. Nova laparotomia foi realizada aos 30 dias para verificar aderências, aspecto e biópsia intestinal. A técnica cirúrgica possibilitou menor trauma e campo operatório restrito. A evolução clínica foi satisfatória e cicatriz fibrosa foi identificada entre os planos musculares. Aderências não foram observadas. As avaliações laboratoriais demonstraram aumento de bilirrubinas, hematócrito, monócito, ureia sanguíneos e de proteína, densidade e leucócitos segmentados no líquido peritoneal. Conclui-se que a abrasão foi insuficiente para promover aderências fibrosas. O implante, sem comprovada eficácia, é viável e possível, por não resultar em diferenças laboratoriais significativas ou alterações deletérias.

Thirty Brangus bulls were used in a 90-d study to assess the effect of artificial shading on the performance and reproductive characteristics of semi-confined cattle. Animals were kept in four one-ha paddocks in two groups of eight for shade treatment (5 m2/animal of 80% solar block shade cloth) and two groups of seven animals in no-shade treatment. Each treatment had two homogeneous groups, each divided into heavy-bulls (351-450 kg) and light-bulls (300-350 kg). Time spent under shade, time standing, average daily gain, testicular development and sperm quality were investigated. Animals spent 24% of the daylight under the shade and no-shaded bulls spent more time standing (P < 0.05). No difference was found in average daily gain (P > 0.05) and testicular development between shaded and no-shaded animals. However, scrotal perimeter was higher for shaded light animals compared to no-shaded light bulls (P < 0.10). Sperm motility increase during the experimental period for shaded animals (P < 0.05) and sperm abnormalities were higher for the shaded ones (P < 0.05). Although the results did not indicate pronounced benefits on cattle performance, this resource was an important alternative because it appears to provide an improvement in some reproductive parameters and ensure a better thermal comfort to the animals.

The aim of the present study was to determine the presence of antibodies against Chlamydia abortus in specialized dairy farms. A total of 608 blood samples were collected during 2012 from 24 dairy farms located in the Northern regions of the provinces of Alajuela (15) and Heredia (9), and surveys were carried out to determine management practices in these farms. Serum samples were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect antibodies against C. abortus (sensitivity 100.0%, specificity 99.7%). Only one serum yielded positive results (S/P 62 %), two sera weak positive results (S/P 51% and 52%, respectively), while the remaining sera (n=605) were negative in ELISA. Six months later, 22 animals that showed S/P values >22% in ELISA were analyzed again, yielding all negative results. Blood, milk, conjunctival and vulvar swabs from these animals were analyzed by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), and only one vulvar swab tested positive for Chlamydia spp. The analysis of the management practices and results obtained with ELISA and PCR lead us to conclude that C. abortus is not significantly present (<0.5%) in dairy farms in the Northern regions of the provinces of Heredia and Alajuela in Costa Rica.

This study aimed to find out the morpho-functional correlations of supra-branchial gaseous chambers (SC) and gas bladder (GB) in Clarias gariepinus. Gross, and Histological observations were made on ten different ontogenetic stages ranged from 10 mm SL (Standard length) to 100 mm SL, and mature fish 330 mm-333 mm SL. Computed tomography (CT) was performed on five mature fishes at 130 K Volt and 80 Ma, different CT windows were adjusted as follows: Soft tissue (WL: 40, WW: 300), Bone (2000: 400), and Air-chambers (-600:1200). Each SC lodged mid-constricted membranous sac, communicated to gill cavity via single opening. The GB was an oval sac surrounded by incomplete bony capsule, it touched the skin laterally, otic capsule medially and SC anteriorly. The SC membrane was three layered with a gill like mucosa (respiratory mucosa); GB has an inner layer of simple squamous epithelium and an outer layer of dense irregular connective tissue. Collectively, the larval stages were adult like, but differ in proportions; in stages from 10 to 26 mm, SC adventitia was ill defined or absent and SC musculosa was well developed relatively to the total thickness of the membrane. In CT images, there was a clear communication between the otic capsule and GB at the level of anterior-medial fissures of complex vertebra; disc–shaped fat pads appeared as hypodense bilateral areas dorso-medial to GB and caudo-posterior to SC. Results Concluded that GB and SC had an accessory auditory role related to their anatomical structure, position and communications.

The current study indicated that the complicated sequellae of traumatic reticuloperitonitis (TRP) in cattle could be efficiently diagnosed by using of ultrasonography and some other diagnostic tools. The affections in these cases included reticulum and spleen with extension to one or more of the other organs such as rumen and abomasum. This study included two groups of animals; one of them kept as a control one (n.=16) and the other was a diseased group (n.= 12). All animals were subjected to clinical examination, whole blood profiling, blood serum biochemical assay, radiography and ultrasonographic examination. Rumenotomy was carried out in some cases. The reticulum was mostly displaced in cases of complicated TRP by a distance of 3-6 cm. Sometimes, the reticulum was not displaced such as in case of diaphragmatic hernia. The reticular contractions in the complicated traumatic cows were either reduced to 2 or 1/3mins, or completely reduced to 0/3mins. Reticular abscess and peritoneal effusions were imaged in all these diseased cases. Here, Vagus indigestion syndrome and diaphragmatic hernia were successfully diagnosed by using of ultrasonography with the aid of radiography and rumenotomy. Ultrasonography was useful in imaging non metal objects (Ropes and plastic tubes) within the rumen especially in cases of severe ruminal distension.