We investigated changes in hemostatic function after infusion of 6% dextran 70 (high molecular weight dextran) at 2 rates. Six healthy dogs underwent 3 regimens: 20 ml of dextran/kg of body weight administered in 1 hour (trial A), 20 ml of dextran/kg administered in 30 minutes (trial B), and 0.9% sodium chloride solution as a control administered over 1 hour to achieve hemodilution equivalent to that for 20 ml of dextran/kg (trial C). Before and at 2, 4, 8, and 24 hours after the start of trials A and B, we measured PCV, total solids (TS) concentration, amount of von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF-Ag), factor VIII coagulant activity (VIII:C), prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), platelet retention in a glass bead column, and buccal mucosa bleeding time (BMBT). Values were not obtained at 8 and 24 hours for trial C. Saline-induced changes in hemostasis were significant (P < 0.05) from baseline throughout the sample collection period. Significant differences (P < 0.05) between trial A and control were observed for vWF:Ag, VIII:C, BMBT, APTT, TS, and PCV values at 2 hours, and for VIII:C at 4 hours. Significant differences (P < 0.05) between trial B and control were observed for APTT, TS, and PCV values at 2 hours, and for vwf-ag, VIII:C, BMBT, APTT, TS, and PCV values at 4 hours. During trials A and B, mean values of analytes infrequently deviated from reference intervals, and clinical signs of bleeding were not observed in any dog. Data for the dextran infusions paralleled each other and had a tendency to normalize, infrequently reaching baseline by 24 hours. Differences in overall hemostatic function were not detected between dextran infusions. Dextran 70 +/- a dosage of 20 ml/kg induces minimal hemostatic abnormalities when infused over 30 or 60 minutes to clinically normal dogs, but may precipitate bleeding in dogs with marginal hemostatic function.

Hematologic and rheologic changes were examined in 49 Thoroughbreds before and after competitive racing. Mean postrace values for RBC count, hemoglobin concentration, and PCV increased by 58 to 61%, whereas blood viscosity increased 2 to 3 times. Postrace echinocyte numbers were 162% greater than prerace values. Smaller, but statistically significant, changes were found for mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, red cell distribution width, plasma total protein concentration, total WBC count, neutrophil count, and lymphocyte count. Variables measured did not predict whether a horse was a bleeder not treated with furosemide, a bleeder treated with furosemide, or a nonbleeder.

We determined the position, dimensions, and structure of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra of 62 female sheep by use of ultrasonography. A 5.0-MHz convex transducer was placed over the right flank to examine the kidneys, and a 5.0 MHz-linear transducer was used to examine the bladder and urethra transrectally. All examinations were performed on sheep in standing position. The left kidney was 7.1 to 8.9 cm long, 3.4 to 5.5 cm wide, and 3.3 to 4.7 cm deep. Diameter of the parenchyma and renal sinus of the left kidney ranged between 1.1 and 1.9 cm and 1.1 and 2.0 cm, respectively. Circumference of the medullary pyramids varied between 2.1 and 3.3 cm. Similar ultrasonographic measurements were obtained for the right kidney. The diameter of the bladder varied between 0.3 and 6.9 cm in 96.8% of the sheep. The diameter of the bladder could not be determined in 32% of the sheep because it was > 10 cm, and, therefore, was beyond the penetration depth of the scanner. The only part of the urethra that could be ultrasonographically visualized was the internal urethral orifice. It had diameter between 0.1 and 0.2 cm. The ureters could not be ultrasonographically visualized in any of the sheep examined. The urinary tract of 8 sheep was examined 10 times within 2 weeks to examine whether measurements were reproducible. The interassay variation coefficient determined ranged from 3.1 to 31.8%, although for most variables, it ranged between 5 and 11%. Measurements for the length and width of the kidneys had the smallest interassay variation coefficient, whereas values obtained for diameter of the bladder and urethra, as well as thickness of the bladder, had the largest. It was concluded that the ultrasonographic findings described in this study can be used as references for diagnosis of morphologic changes in the kidneys, bladder, and urethra of sheep.

The effect of the somatostatin analogue, octreotide, on gastric fluid pH was investigated in 4 ponies. Gastric fluid pH was determined after SC administration of octreotide or physiologic saline solution (control). A baseline sample of fluid was obtained, the agent was given, and 8 additional samples were collected hourly. Administration of octreotide at all dosages tested (0.1, 0.5, 1.0, and 5.0 microg/kg of body weight) increased gastric pH to > 5.0. Baseline values were consistently < 2.7. Administration of octreotide at these same dosages induced gastric pH values > 4.0 for 2.4 +/- 1.2, 4.8 +/- 0.8, 5.7 +/- 1.3, and 5.4 +/- 2.6 (mean +/- SD) continuous hours, respectively. Treatment at all dosages increased the pH of gastric fluid, compared with control values. The duration of the increase in pH was significantly (P < 0.05) different than that of the control treatment, even for the lowest dosage, 0.1 microg/kg.

Protein concentration was determined, using the Bradford technique, in tears from cats with normal corneas and from cats with corneal sequestrum. Tears from the former group contained 5.81 +/- 2.29 mg of protein/ml; those from cornmeal sequestrum-affected cats contained 6.21 +/- 2.21 mg/ml. Difference between the 2 values was not significant. Molecular weight determination was made, using 4 to 20% sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. Molecular mass of proteins ranged from 263 to 14 kDa. There was no detectable difference in the band patterns for the 2 groups.

A murine hybridoma monoclonal antibody (MAB), IBF9, was generated by fusing myeloma cells (P3X63Ag8.653) with spleen cells from a BALB/c mouse immunized with the canine melanoma cell line CML-10c7. Initial screening of hybridoma antibodies was performed by use of an indirect immunoperomidase assay on formalin-fixed CML-10c7 cells. The isotype of MAB IBF9 was IgG1 as determined by radial gel immunodiffusion. The antibody was tested for reactivity against a panel of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded normal and neoplastic canine tissues, using immunoperoxidase staining. Immunostaining was observed in melanomas (24 of 38), a few carcinomas, basal cell tumors, and cutaneous lymphosarcomas. Immunostaining was not observed in fibrosarcomas, hemangiosarcomas, hemangiopericytomas, or histiocytomas. Staining of normal adult canine tissues was limited to a few epithehal tissues and a small percentage of lymphocytes. Fetal tissues were not reactive with MAB IBF9. There were statistically significant differences in frequency of reactivity among melanomas with regard to oral vs non-oral, malignant vs benign, and mitotic indices greater than or equal to 1 vs mitotic indices < 1. Differences were not significant when tumors were compared for degree of pigmentation or histologic type. On the basis of these findings, we suggest that MAB IBF9 may be of assistance in diagnosis of nonpigmented melanomas and in assessing the malignant potential of melanomas.

Dairy goats were given IM injections of 12 micrograms of cloprostenol sodium on day 6 of the estrous cycle (prostaglandin F [PGF] 6, n = 22) or day 12 of the estrous cycle (PGF 12, n = 26). Mean +/- SE hours from injection to onset of behavioral estrus and proportion of goats responding were 46 +/- 4.2 (range, 12 to 88 hours) and 95% and 48 +/- 2.9 (range, 34 to 68 hours) and 100% for groups PGF 6 and PGF 12, respectively. There was no significant difference between the groups in mean time to onset of estrus, but variances about the means were different. Of the does in groups PGF 6 and PGF 12, 67 and 85%, respectively, had signs of onset of estrus between 36 and 60 hours after administration of PGF. Mean (+/- SE) hours from injection to time of peak concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH) were 62 +/- 3.1 and 64 +/- 2.1 for groups PGF 6 and PGF 12, respectively. Of the does in groups PGF 6 and PGF 12, 86 and 100%, respectively, had LH peaks. Of the does in groups PGF 6 and PGF 12, 68 and 77%, respectively, had peak concentrations of LH between 48 and 72 hours after administration of PGF. All does in groups PGF 6 and PGF 12 had concentrations of progesterone > 1.0 ng/ml on the day of administration of PGF. Concentrations decreased to < 1.0 ng/ml by 48 hours after injection in all does except 1 in group PGF 6. Prostaglandin was equally effective for induction of estrus on day 6 or day 12 of the estrous cycle in dairy goats, but resulted in a more predictable time to estrus when injection was done on day 12.

Immunogenicity of the lipid A component of Haemophilus somnus lipooligosaccharide in cattle and mice was examined after purification, detoxification, and covalent conjugation to a protein carrier. After 2 inoculations, a substantial antibody response was induced in most cattle to lipid A and the protein carrier. To determine whether antibodies to lipid A would be protective, 5 X 10(7) colony-forming units of H somnus strain 649 were administered IV to endotoxin-responsive (C3H/HEN) mice. In one study, 8 of 13 C3H/HEN mice aborted when inoculated. In contrast, abortion did not result when mice were inoculated with the same dose of an isolate of H somnus normally found in the prepuce or with the rough mutant Escherichia coli J5. In addition, endotoxin-nonresponsive (C3H/HeJ) mice were significantly (P = 0.03) more resistant to abortion by strain 649 than were C3H/HeN mice, but inoculated C3H/HeN mice were only slightly more resistant to H somnus abortion, compared with control mice. Although a large antibody response to lipid A was detected, there was no significant difference in the immunized group between mice that aborted and mice that delivered normally. Thus, lipooligosaccharide and other properties of virulent H somnus strains may contribute to abortion in mice.

Although low plasma taurine concentrations have been associated with congestive cardiomyopathy in cats, the cause of taurine depletion in cats consuming adequate quantities of taurine is unknown. Taurine depletion and cardiovascular disease (cardiomyopathy and thromboembolism) developed unexpectedly in 3 of 6 healthy adult cats during a potassium-depletion study. Plasma taurine concentration decreased significantly (P < 0.05) and rapidly over an 8-week period (from 98 to 36 nmol/ml) in 6 cats that consumed a potassium-deficient diet (0.20% potassium, dry matter basis) that was acidified with 0.8% ammonium chloride, despite containing dietary taurine concentrations (0.12% dry matter basis) in excess of amounts currently recommended. Taurine concentrations were significantly lower in cats fed the acidified diet than in 6 cats fed a potassium-deficient diet that was not acidified (36 nmol/ml vs 75 nmol/ml) after 8 weeks. In addition, plasma taurine concentrations did not decrease over a 6-month period in 8 cats that were fed a potassium-replete diet with acidifier. Plasma taurine concentrations were lowest in 3 cats that died of cardiovascular disease in the group receiving potassium-deficient, acidified diets. These data indicated an association between taurine and potassium balance in cats and suggested that development of taurine depletion and cardiovascular disease may be linked to concurrent potassium depletion.

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid was analyzed in healthy horses, using different lavage fluid volumes and lung sites. The only significant difference in the cellular composition of BAL fluid between the right and left lungs was the mast cell numbers, which were significantly higher in the left lung. Total cell count ranged from 34 to 330 cells/microliter for the right lung and 43 to 330 cells/microliter for the left lung. Percentage of neutrophils ranged from 1 to 7% in the right lung and 1 to 5% in the left lung. The small-volume (50 ml) lavage had a greater percentage of neutrophils and a lesser percentage of mast cells in the large-volume (350 ml) lavage. Statistical difference in the composition of BAL fluid recovered was not detected between the 3 sequential 100-ml lavages and a single 300-ml lavage, except that macrophages were significantly higher in the 3 sequential 100-ml lavages. Values for BAL fluid analysis in healthy horses have varied considerably and this variation is from a failure to adhere to any standard technique for volume of fluid infused.