Injury due to burning is known to impact on coagulation and haemostasis by disturbing the coagulation cascade and is also associated with impaired fibrinolysis. Also, venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism and hypercoagulability are common during thermal injury. Using a Wistar albino rat model, we investigated in this study whether burn injury affects the ultrastructure of the fibrin networks. A typical fibrin network will contain mostly major, thick fibres with minor, thin fibres distributed amongst them. We found that the clot architecture changes after burn injury, showing more prominent minor, thin fibres in a netted appearance. Also, the clot showed areas of matted fibrin. We suggest that the thrombotic events associated with burn injury are due to the thickened and netlike areas formed when thrombin activates the coagulation cascade. This is due to impaired fibrinolysis activities, causing the resulting fibrin clots not to be successfully disseminated. Small fragments of these netted, clumped areas may therefore break loose and lead to thrombotic events after burn injuries. The current study therefore provided morphological evidence for thrombotic events associated with burn injury.

Several studies on ticks infesting small mammals, including elephant shrews, have been conducted in South Africa; however, these studies have included only a single four-toed elephant shrew and no hedgehogs. This study thus aimed to identify and quantify the ixodid ticks infesting four-toed elephant shrews and Southern African hedgehogs. Four-toed elephant shrews (Petrodromus tetradactylus) were trapped in dense shrub undergrowth in a nature reserve in north-eastern KwaZulu-Natal. They were separately housed, first in cages and later in glass terraria fitted with wire-mesh bases to allow detached ticks to fall through for collection. Southern African hedgehogs (Atelerix frontalis) were hand caught on a farm in the eastern region of the Northern Cape Province and all visible ticks were collected by means of tweezers while the animals were anaesthetised. The ticks from each animal were preserved separately in 70% ethanol for later identification and counting. The immature stages of five ixodid tick species were collected from the elephant shrews, of which Rhipicephalus muehlensi was the most common. It has not been recorded previously on any species of elephant shrew. Three ixodid tick species were collected from the hedgehogs. Large numbers of adult Haemaphysalis colesbergensis, which has not been encountered previously on hedgehogs, were collected from these animals. Four-toed elephant shrews are good hosts of the larvae and nymphs of R. muehlensi, and Southern African hedgehogs are good hosts of adult H. colesbergensis.

Ticks infesting cattle represent a serious problem for improvement of cattle productivity in South Sudan. There has been limited information on ticks and tick-borne diseases in southern Sudan. This study was initiated to update the current distribution of ticks infesting cattle in the Central Equatoria region of South Sudan. The surveys for the present study were conducted at various cattle camps in Juba, Mangalla and Terekeka between December 2004 and June 2005. A total of 2322 ticks were collected from the bodies of 88 randomly selected cattle. Ticks were preserved in 70% ethanol for later identification. Seven ixodid tick species were found to infest cattle in Juba whilst six species were recorded in Mangalla and only four species in Terekeka. Amblyomma variegatum was the most common and widely distributed species found on cattle across all the study locations. Amblyomma lepidum was not found during this study. Based on these findings, it would be advisable to preempt the situation and institute containment procedures before possible East Coast fever outbreaks occur.

Objective—To examine behavioral and physiologic effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mastitis in lactating dairy cows. Animals—20 Holstein cows. Procedures—Cows were assigned to 5 blocks (4 cows/block) on the basis of parity and number of days in lactation. Intramammary infusion and IV treatments were assigned in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Cows within each block were assigned to receive intramammary infusion with 25 μg of LPS or sterile PBS solution 3 hours after milking, and treatment with flunixin meglumine or sterile PBS solution was administered IV 4 hours after intramammary infusion. Video monitoring was continuously performed during the study. Results—LPS-infused cows spent less time during the first 12 hours after infusion lying, eating, and chewing cud, compared with results for PBS solution-infused cows. Behavioral responses were correlated with physiologic responses for the first 12 hours after intramammary infusion. Flunixin meglumine administration after intramammary infusion mitigated some behavioral and clinical systemic responses. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Intramammary infusion of LPS caused changes in both behavioral and physiologic variables in lactating dairy cows. Time spent lying, eating, and chewing cud were negatively correlated with physiologic responses in cows. Evaluation of behavior patterns may provide an ancillary measure, along with evaluation of physiologic variables, for monitoring well-being, clinical responses, and recovery from acute clinical mastitis.

Objective--To develop a standardized meal challenge test by assessing associations between food-withheld preprandial (ie, fasting) and postprandial triglyceride concentrations, determining the most appropriate sampling time to detect the peak concentration (highest postprandial concentration), and estimating reference intervals for fasting and postprandial concentrations in healthy dogs. Animals--12 lean healthy mixed-breed dogs. Procedures--Dogs were fed a dry commercially available diet (fat, 31% metabolizable energy) for 3 weeks. After food was withheld for 23 to 24 hours, plasma triglyceride concentrations were measured 1 and 0.083 hours before and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, and 12 hours after feeding of a standardized challenge meal (median amount eaten, 63 kcal/kg [127 kcal/kg0.75]). Correlation and agreement between concentrations at peak and other time points were assessed by use of correlation coefficients and Bland-Altman limits of agreement. Reference intervals were calculated by use of a robust method. Results--Fasting and peak triglyceride concentrations were not closely associated. The highest concentration among samples obtained 2, 5, and 6 hours after meal consumption had closest agreement with peak concentration. In 5 of 12 dogs, concentrations 12 hours after eating were still significantly above baseline concentration (mean of each dog's fasting concentrations). Conclusions and Clinical Relevance--Fasting triglyceride concentration could not be used to accurately predict peak concentration. When estimating peak concentration, multiple samples should be collected 2, 5, and 6 hours after consumption of a standardized meal. Food may need to be withheld for > 12 hours when assessing fasting concentrations in healthy dogs.

Objective—To characterize and compare the urine protein content in cats without urinary tract disease and cats with idiopathic cystitis (IdC), bacterial urinary tract infection (UTI), or urolithiasis. Animals—Control cats (n = 18) and cats with IdC (18), UTI (12), and urolithiasis (12) from which urine samples were obtained and 2 cats with obstructive IdC and 4 additional control cats from which postmortem urinary bladder biopsy specimens were obtained. Procedures—Protein contents in urine samples obtained via cystocentesis or catheterization were measured via the Bradford method. Urine proteins were separated by means of 1-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Evaluation of fibronectin content was performed via western blotting and immunohistochemical analysis. Urinary bladder biopsy specimens were examined histologically and analyzed immunohistochemically for fibronectin. Results—Urine fibronectin content was significantly greater in cats with IdC, compared with control cat findings. Urine fibronectin contents did not differ significantly among controls and cats with UTI or urolithiasis. Histologic examination of bladder biopsy specimens obtained from 2 cats with obstructive IdC revealed destruction of the urothelial lining of the urinary bladder and severe fibrosis; immunohistochemical analysis revealed few fluorescence signals for fibronectin, unlike findings in control bladder biopsy specimens. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results indicated that urine fibronectin content in cats with IdC was greater than that in controls, cats with UTI, or cats with urolithiasis. In cats with IdC, increased permeability of damaged urothelium may result in detachment and leakage of fibronectin into urine. Urine fibronectin might serve as a biomarker for diagnosis of IdC in cats.

Objective: To evaluate effects of racemic ketamine and S-ketamine in gazelles. Animals: 21 male gazelles (10 Rheem gazelles [Gazella subgutturosa marica] and 11 Subgutturosa gazelles [Gazella subgutturosa subgutturosa]), 6 to 67 months old and weighing (mean±SD) 19 ± 3 kg. Procedures: In a randomized, blinded crossover study, a combination of medetomidine (80 μg/kg) with racemic ketamine (5 mg/kg) or S-ketamine (3 mg/kg) was administered IM. Heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, rectal temperature, and oxygen saturation (determined by means of pulse oximetry) were measured. An evaluator timed and scored induction of, maintenance of, and recovery from anesthesia. Medetomidine was reversed with atipamezole. The alternate combination was used after a 4-day interval. Comparisons between groups were performed with Wilcoxon signed rank and paired t tests. Results: Anesthesia induction was poor in 2 gazelles receiving S-ketamine, but other phases of anesthesia were uneventful. A dominant male required an additional dose of S-ketamine (0.75 mg/kg, IM). After administration of atipamezole, gazelles were uncoordinated for a significantly shorter period with S-ketamine than with racemic ketamine. Recovery quality was poor in 3 gazelles with racemic ketamine. No significant differences between treatments were found for any other variables. Time from drug administration to antagonism was similar between racemic ketamine (44.5 to 53.0 minutes) and S-ketamine (44.0 to 50.0 minutes). Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Administration of S-ketamine at a dose 60% that of racemic ketamine resulted in poorer induction of anesthesia, an analogous degree of sedation, and better recovery from anesthesia in gazelles with unremarkable alterations in physiologic variables, compared with racemic ketamine.

Objective—To determine the pharmacokinetic parameters of xylazine, ketamine, and butorphanol (XKB) administered IM and sodium salicylate (SAL) administered PO to calves and to compare drug effects on biomarkers of pain and distress following sham and actual castration and dehorning. Animals—40 Holstein bull calves from 3 farms. Procedures—Calves weighing 108 to 235 kg (n = 10 calves/group) received one of the following treatments prior to sham (period 1) and actual (period 2) castration and dehorning: saline (0.9% NaCl) solution IM (placebo); SAL administered PO through drinking water at concentrations from 2.5 to 5 mg/mL from 24 hours prior to period 1 to 48 hours after period 2; butorphanol (0.025 mg/kg), xylazine (0.05 mg/kg), and ketamine (0.1 mg/kg) coadministered IM immediately prior to both periods; and a combination of SAL and XKB (SAL+XKB). Plasma drug concentrations, average daily gain (ADG), chute exit velocity, serum cortisol concentrations, and electrodermal activity were evaluated. Results—ADG (days 0 to 13) was significantly greater in the SAL and SAL+XKB groups than in the other 2 groups. Calves receiving XKB had reduced chute exit velocity in both periods. Serum cortisol concentrations increased in all groups from period 1 to period 2. However, XKB attenuated the cortisol response for the first hour after castration and dehorning and oral SAL administration reduced the response from 1 to 6 hours. Administration of XKB decreased electrodermal activity scores in both periods. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—SAL administered PO through drinking water decreased cortisol concentrations and reduced the decrease in ADG associated with castration and dehorning in calves.

Little is known about the sources and kinetics of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli colonization in pigs during the pre-and post-weaning period. In this study, farrowing pens, sows, and piglets were tested for the presence of E. coli O149 by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) after bacterial culture pre-enrichment on 2 farms, one with a history of post-weaning diarrhea (problem farm — PF) and the other without such a history (non-problem farm — NPF). Unlike those on the PF, the sows from the NPF did not carry E. coli O149 before parturition, although they were colonized to frequencies similar to animals on the PF soon afterwards. Most piglets from the NPF were colonized within a week after birth, whereas only a small proportion of those on the PF were colonized during that period. No difference was observed in the frequency of piglet colonization at the 2 farms either at weaning or during the following week. Post-weaning diarrhea (PWD), which is caused by enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), is a multifactorial disease. The presence of ETEC alone is not always sufficient for the disease to develop. Many other factors are considered to be associated with the occurrence of PWD, including feed type (1,2), feeding regimen (1,3,4), the presence of other infectious agents (3,5), weaning age, and weight (6). Weaning, which is considered to be a major physiological and psychological stress factor, is critical for the disease to occur (7). Although piglets are already colonized with ETEC before weaning (4,8), on many farms, clinical disease occurs only after weaning (1). Both sows (9,10) and the environment (6) could be possible sources of infection for piglets, but results from previous studies have not resolved this issue because of the low sensitivity of ETEC detection methods. This study provides preliminary data based on a sensitive detection method for E. coli O149 in pigs and their environment. The results demonstrate the potential of real-time PCR for future studies on this topic.

We investigated vascular access ports for feline blood donation. Eight cats were anesthetized for conventional blood collection by jugular venipuncture at the beginning and end of the study. In-between conventional collections, vascular access ports were used for collection with or without sedation every 6 to 8 wk for 6 mo. Ports remained functional except for one catheter breakage, but intermittent occlusions occurred. Systolic blood pressure was lower during conventional collection. Behavioral abnormalities occurred during 3 port collections. Packed red cells prepared from collected blood were stored at 4°C for 25 d and assessed for quality pre- and post-storage. With both collection methods, pH and glucose level declined, and potassium level, lactate dehydrogenase activity and osmotic fragility increased. There were no differences between methods in pre-storage albumin and HCO3− levels, and pre and post-storage hematocrit, lactate dehydrogenase activity, and glucose and potassium levels. Pre-storage pH and pCO2 were higher with conventional collection, and pre- and post-storage osmotic fragility were greater with port collection. One port became infected, but all cultures of packed red cells were negative. Tissue inflammation was evident at port removal. In a second study of conventional collection in 6 cats, use of acepromazine in premedication did not exacerbate hypotension. The use of vascular access ports for feline blood donation is feasible, is associated with less hypotension, and may simplify donation, but red cell quality may decrease, and effects on donors must be considered.