American journal of veterinary research最新文献

Objective: To determine the association between ionized calcium (iCa) and/or total magnesium (tMg) and the development of sepsis and to investigate whether iCa or tMg is associated with mortality in puppies with canine parvoviral enteritis (CPE).

Methods: 64 client-owned puppies with CPE were enrolled in this prospective cohort study. Serum iCa and tMg were measured daily from admission until death or discharge. Fifteen healthy client-owned puppies were used as controls.

Results: Mean iCa concentrations of the CPE group on admission were significantly lower compared to the control group (1.35 mmol/L vs 1.52 mmol/L). Ionized calcium concentrations of nonsurvivors were significantly higher compared to survivors on day 2 but not on any other days. Puppies that were hypercalcemic on day 2 were also significantly more likely to die than normocalcemic puppies (OR, 10.7; 95% CI, 1.7 to 71). Ionized calcium was not associated with the development of sepsis on any day. In contrast, mean admission tMg concentrations of the CPE group were significantly higher compared to the control group (0.72 mmol/L vs 0.63 mmol/L). However, tMg concentrations were not significantly different between survivors and nonsurvivors nor were they associated with the development of sepsis on any day.

Conclusions: On admission, puppies with CPE had lower iCa and higher tMg compared to healthy puppies, and higher iCa a day after initiation of treatment was associated with increased odds of mortality.

Clinical relevance: The results of this study provide insight into calcium homeostasis in critically ill young dogs with CPE.

Objective: Histologically evaluate damage to rabbit femur after the creation of bicortical 1.5-mm-diameter holes using a standard surgical drill bit, an acrylic drill bit, and a Kirschner wire (K-wire).

Methods: 10 femora (5 pairs) from skeletally mature female intact New Zealand white rabbits were used. The bone diaphyses were divided into 4 locations, systematically undergoing each test (surgical drill bit, acrylic drill bit, K-wire, and intact control). Four pairs were drilled using a mechanical testing machine, and 1 pair was drilled by hand. Cross-sections of the bone were stained en bloc with basic fuchsin for undecalcified histological evaluation. Damaged bone was reported as a percentage of a standardized area and categorized by location (cis- or transcortex), drill contact (entrance or exit of the cortex), and total damage (both cortices).

Results: The drilling method (hand vs mechanical testing machine) had no effect on histologic damage, so results were analyzed by combining all data. The K-wire demonstrated the greatest area of cracks/damage compared to both standard surgical and acrylic drill bits, whereas no difference in damage was noted between the 2 drill bits for all variables.

Conclusions: The K-wire and drill bits caused microdamage; K-wire drilling created more microdamage than drill bits.

Clinical relevance: The rabbit bone cortex is thin and brittle relative to dogs and cats, leading to failure during and after fracture fixation. The clinical failure of rabbit bone is at least partially caused by drill bits or K-wires causing microcracks.

Objective: To evaluate the potential contribution of glycyrrhizin (GLZ) to mitigate the testicular toxicity linked to cisplatin (CIS) intoxication.

Methods: 40 mature male Wistar albino rats (Rattus norvegicus albinus) were randomly divided into 4 equal groups (n = 10) for 60 days: the control group, CIS-treated group (single dose of 7 mg/kg, IP), GLZ-treated group (25 mg/kg, PO), and GLZ plus CIS-treated group. Blood and testis samples were examined using biochemical, histological, and immunohistochemical techniques. Semen samples were also obtained, and any abnormalities were reported.

Results: Serum follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and testosterone levels were all markedly reduced by CIS. Oxidative stress and a significant reduction in levels of the antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase were linked to CIS. Immunohistochemically, CIS showed diffuse, significantly positive immunolocalizations against the anti-caspase 3 antibody, indicating widespread apoptosis within the testicular parenchyma. Histopathologically, CIS showed diffuse coagulative necrosis of spermatogenic cells, necrotic Sertoli cells, intertubular edema, and Leydig cell hyperplasia. Moreover, CIS revealed a noteworthy increase in sperm abnormalities. Pre-coadministration and posttreatment with GLZ mitigated the majority of these detrimental consequences, and serum levels of antioxidant enzymes, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and testosterone were significantly elevated.

Conclusions: Glycyrrhizin has been proven to be a strong antioxidant as well as antiapoptotic and cytoprotective against CIS testicular damage.

Clinical relevance: The described model is a tool to evaluate the testicular protective impact of GLZ.

This review, which is part of the "Currents in One Health" series, describes and evaluates the current research on the utilization of trained medical scent detection, aka "sniffer" dogs for the detection of diseases, with particular emphasis on neoplasia, both within human and veterinary patients. A recent study by the authors that used sniffer dogs to detect differences in saliva from dogs diagnosed with various neoplastic processes compared with healthy control dogs is described. The concept of One Health is explored by the description of previous studies that have utilized sniffer dogs in the detection of human neoplasia (focusing on lung, prostate, and breast cancer) and veterinary neoplasia and demonstrating that further research in this arena can benefit multiple species. Future avenues of research and utilization of these findings are outlined. The companion Currents in One Health by Ungar et al, JAVMA, January 2024, addresses the use of sniffer dogs to detect human COVID-19 infections.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the expression of acute phase proteins and plasma cytokines in cats with various tumor types and varying metastatic statuses.

Animals: 5 clinically healthy cats and 22 cats with neoplastic disease that underwent CT imaging before treatment were enrolled. Patients were grouped based on their tumor types and metastatic status.

Methods: Blood samples were collected from all cats for general blood analyses before they underwent CT imaging. The remaining plasma sample was frozen for subsequent alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), serum amyloid A (SAA), and feline cytokine panel measurements. These results were compared with those of healthy cats as well as between metastatic status and tumor types.

Results: Only 4 cats (18%) exhibited elevated SAA levels, whereas 16 (73%) showed elevated AGP levels. AGP was significantly increased in cats with tumors (P = .016), while SAA was not. Only IL-8 showed a significant difference (P = .002) between cats with primary tumors and those with radiologically suspected tumor metastasis.

Clinical relevance: While AGP is a more prominent biomarker than SAA in cats with tumors, a significant elevation of AGP and SAA levels in association with metastasis and specific tumor types could not be identified. Alternatively, further investigation is warranted to evaluate the potential significance of IL-8 in tumor progression and metastasis.

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the applicability and repeatability of cold stimulation in dogs.

Animals: 10 healthy Beagle dogs were used in a blinded cross-over experiment.

Methods: Measurements were performed in triplicate at 4 skin locations. The probe was manually placed, and temperature decreased (32 to 10 °C) at different cooling rates (0.5, 1, and 5 °C second-1) and latency was measured (11 °C for 60 seconds). Stimulations were discontinued when avoidance reactions were detected. Thermal threshold or time-to-reaction were recorded. Experiments were performed 3 times per animal in weeks 1 (Exp1), 2 (Exp2), and 5 (Exp3). Feasibility of cold stimulation was scored (0-5). Data were analyzed with mixed logistic regression.

Results: No significant differences in number of avoidance reactions between cooling-rates were detected. Significantly more reactions (P < .001) were observed during Exp1 compared to Exp2 and Exp3. Thermal thresholds were 13 ± 2.6 °C, 17.7 ± 4 °C and 16.3 ± 4.6 °C for 5, 0.5 and 1 °C second-1, respectively. Latency to the reaction was determinable in 37% of measurements. The mean time-to-reaction was 13 ± 11 seconds. In 85% of measurements, a feasibility score of 0 (best feasibility) was assigned.

Clinical relevance: The method is easily applicable and well tolerated, but habituation could not be excluded. Overall, the aversiveness of cold stimulation in healthy dogs is limited and it is not possible to recommend a specific protocol. In future studies, it needs to be determined if the aversiveness of cold stimulation is increased in diseased dogs.

Objective: To investigate the presence of dermatophytes on the haircoat of wild eastern cottontail rabbits (ECR) (Sylvilagus floridanus) with and without skin lesions.

Animals: 2-week-old or older ECR admitted to a Wildlife Medical Clinic (WMC) in central Illinois, Midwest United States, from September 2021 to August 2022.

Methods: ECR were surveyed over a 1-year period to assess the prevalence and seasonality of dermatophytosis. A Wood's lamp exam was performed over the haircoat. Hairs were sampled with a sterile toothbrush and plated on Sabouraud dextrose agar. The plates were photographed twice weekly for 3 weeks, and colonies were identified as contaminants or dermatophytes.

Results: 523 ECR were admitted to WMC, 141 ECR met the age inclusion criteria, and 121 samples were plated. ECR presented as a litter were sampled together. None of the sampled ECR presented skin lesions other than acute traumatic wounds. No fluorescence was observed on any ECR during the Wood's lamp examination. Based on culture colony morphology, 115/121 of the samples were identified as contaminants and no growth was observed in 6/121 of plates. Dermatophytes' colonies were not identified on any of the culture plates.

Clinical relevance: Dermatophytes are zoonotic fungi and can potentially be carried by wild animals. The fungal infection poses a health concern to humans and domestic pets through direct interaction. Our current results suggest that dermatophytosis may not be prevalent in asymptomatic wild rabbits in the studied areas of the Midwestern United States.

Necrotizing meningoencephalitis (NME) is a fatal neuroinflammatory disease that previously carried a uniformly grave prognosis. Our recent identification of a novel early form of NME in Pugs suggests that disease onset and progression are likely more insidious than previously recognized and provides new hope that early therapeutic intervention may halt disease progression and ultimately prevent or cure NME. This novel perspective also sheds new light on the clinical similarities to multiple sclerosis (MS) in humans and provides a rationale for cross-species translation. The history of recent scientific discoveries in NME and new parallels between MS and NME will be reviewed.