Asymmetric dimethyl arginine in captive owl monkeys (Aotus sp).

Only four of 40 animals had measurable asymmetric dimethyl arginine (ADMA) levels. The young primate had the lowest value (53.4 ng/ml) when compared with the two adults (218.8 ± 9.3 ng/ml) and the elderly one (320.5 ng/ml). The ADMA levels in this study may relate to the echocardiographic abnormalities found, and possible hypertensive individuals.

Adiponectin levels in captive Owl Monkeys (Aotus sp.).

The mean serum value of adiponectin in captive Aotus sp. is 541.99 ng/mL ± 73.05. There is no influence of sex or age, but there is a moderate positive correlation between body weight and adiponectin levels in males.

Serum proteins and electrophoretic profile in horses undergoing crotalid venom hyperimmunization.

Indisputably, the use of antivenoms for the treatment of snakebite envenoming is beneficial for the victims. However, there are few studies addressing the effect of long-term hyperimmunization in inoculated horses. It is known that the injection of snake venoms and adjuvants leads to local and systemic reactions in horses, but little is known about the response of inflammatory proteins. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum proteins and the electrophoretic profile of horses undergoing crotalid venom hyperimmunization. Twenty horses were divided into two groups: an inoculated group, comprising ten horses that were already being used for production of a Crotalus sp. antivenom, and a control group, comprising ten animals that had never been used for hyperimmunization. All animals were clinically healthy and without laboratory abnormalities. Total protein and albumin concentrations were measured in serum. Serum globulins were obtained by calculation. Plasma fibrinogen estimates were determined by the heat precipitation method. Serum proteinograms were obtained using agarose gel electrophoresis. The results revealed a significant increase in the concentrations of total serum proteins, globulins, and ß-globulins in the inoculated group, exceeding the reference values. There were slight increases in the α-1- and α-2-globulin subfractions in serum-producing horses, with no statistical significance. We also observed that horses used to produce hyperimmune plasma developed hypoalbuminemia, although the decrease in albumin production was not statistically significant. Our findings suggest that the continuous use of horses to produce crotalid antivenom may lead to a chronic inflammatory stimulus, with changes in plasma levels of inflammatory proteins.

Evaluation of acquired passive immunity in mule foals up to 60 days of age.

Ten mule foals were used to investigate serum IgG concentration. Blood was collected from mares and foals on the day following parturition (D1), at 48 and 72 hr after birth (D2 and D3), and on D7, D14, D21, D28, D35, D42, and D60. Serum IgG concentration was determined by zinc sulfate turbidity test and was above 400 mg/dl at all time points, except for one foal on D2. Mean values were above 800 mg/dl from D1 to D7 and at D60. The difference between mares and foals at each collection time was significant, except at D1. For all other days, foal IgG values were lower than the mare IgG values. Mean IgG concentrations were lower from D14 to D42 compared with D1 and D60. The results show that the critical period for the mule foal is at D28, which can be a vulnerable window for infections. The variation pattern in IgG values is similar to that in data published for horse and donkey foals. There are no published studies to date on the subject, and the present contribution enables further understanding of the newborn mule foal.

Association between exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage and inflammatory airway disease in polo ponies.

The respiratory system is essential for health and high athletic performance in horses. Respiratory diseases have been recognized as having a major impact on training equine animals and are commonly cited as the second most common cause of wasted training time. Inflammatory airway disease (IAD) is an important cause of poor performance in young racehorses. Exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) is considered a major issue for the equine industry because of its high prevalence and association with reduced athletic performance. In Brazil, polo is a growing equestrian sport, but studies on it are still scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of EIPH, the association between EIPH and IAD, and EIPH influence on the tracheal cytological profile of polo ponies. Thirty-seven horses regularly used for polo were included in this study. Endoscopic examination was performed every 30 to 90 min after practice, and tracheal lavage was performed after 18 to 24 hr. Sixteen animals (43.2%) presented a score of 0 for mucus in endoscopy; twelve animals (32.4%) presented a score for 1 and nine animals (24.3%) presented score 2 of mucus. IAD was characterized by tracheal cytology in 12 animals (32.4%). The occurrence of EIPH in this study was 29.7% (11/37). No significant difference was found in the cell types in tracheal cytology when EIPH-positive and EIPH-negative horses were compared. Polo ponies are affected by IAD and EIPH in relevant proportions, but there was no association between EIPH and tracheal cytological profile.

Diagnostic Value of Tracheal Wash Cytology for Monitoring Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage in Thoroughbred Racehorses.

Lower airway cytology has been proposed as a complementary diagnostic method to confirm the presence and quantifying the severity of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH). Bronchoalveolar lavage is usually preferred over tracheal wash (TW), yet the need for sedation imposes as a limitation for active sport horses in addition to be a highly invasive technique. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic value of TW with Total Hemosiderin Score (THS) for monitoring EIPH in active Thoroughbred racehorses. A sampling of 47 randomly selected Thoroughbreds were endoscopically examined for EIPH grading 30 to 60 minutes after competing in an official race and then classified as Group 1 (EIPH-negative), Group 2 (EIPH-positive) or Group 3 (furosemide users). Tracheal wash fluids (TWFs) were collected from 24 to 30 hours later and smears were stained for differential cell count and hemosiderophage grading and counting to calculate THS. Differential cell counts were compared by the median test. Comparisons between mean THS values by EIPH grade and by group were compared by the Mann-Whitney test and ANOVA, respectively. Test performance criteria were determined with a contingency table. It was not possible to establish a THS cut-off point but statistical results showed that, at THS stand view, all groups had similar results despite their EIPH grades. Most animals showed no signs of neutrophilic inflammation, but haemosiderophages were found even on a first-time runner from Group 1. Thus, TW can detect evidence of lung bleeding even on horses with no history of EIPH. The implementation of TW analysis to diagnose EIPH in racehorses is promising, as TW is both low-cost and a less invasive tool.

Pathology in Practice.

In collaboration with the American College of Veterinary Pathologists.