Public-health instruction necessary to supplement the veterinary professional curriculum: the DVM/MPH coordinated-degree program at Auburn University.

To meet long-term needs, many veterinary colleges and schools are participating in dual-degree DVM/MPH programs. Auburn University's College of Veterinary Medicine and the School of Public Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have developed a coordinated-degree curriculum in which the DVM and the MPH are not necessarily awarded simultaneously. Other opportunities at Auburn include Public Health Careers Day, trips to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, several elective courses related to veterinary epidemiology, and online access to the Emerging and Exotic Diseases of Animals course available from the Veterinary Information Network. We have been able to increase our students' exposure to the role of the veterinarian in public health and to develop a program to augment their training in public practice.

Veterinary accreditation and some new imperatives for national preparedness.

IN the first of a 5-part series of articles examining the role of the veterinary profession in national preparedness, the authors examine the skills, knowledge, and aptitudes expected of accredited veterinarians and discuss additional skills and knowledge likely to be expected in the future.

Use of a modified-live vaccine to prevent persistent testicular infection with bovine viral diarrhea virus.

A commercial vaccine containing modified-live bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV; types 1 and 2) was administered to one group of 22 peripubertal bulls 28 days before intranasal inoculation with a type 1 strain of BVDV. A second group of 23 peripubertal bulls did not receive the modified-live BVDV vaccine before intranasal inoculation. Ten of 23 unvaccinated bulls--but none of the vaccinated bulls--developed a persistent testicular infection as determined by immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction. Results of this study indicate that administration of a modified-live vaccine containing BVDV can prevent persistent testicular infection if peripubertal bulls are vaccinated before viral exposure.

Effect of administering oxytocin or cloprostenol in the periovulatory period on pregnancy outcome and luteal function in mares.

Mares (n = 37) were treated from 4h after breeding through 2 days post-ovulation with oxytocin or cloprostenol. Oxytocin (20 units i.m.) was administered every 6 h and cloprostenol (250 mcg i.m.) daily. Luteal function was impaired for several days following treatment, however, lower progesterone levels among cloprostenol treated mares in this study did not result in decreased pregnancies. Pregnancy outcome at 15 days post-ovulation was not different between the oxytocin (13/18) and cloprostenol (13/19) treatment groups, respectively (P = 0.80). The results of this study indicate cloprostenol can be used to treat post-breeding mares through the second day following ovulation without decreasing pregnancy outcome.

Luteal function in mares following administration of oxytocin, cloprostenol or saline on day 0, 1 or 2 post-ovulation.

Mares (n = 30) were treated in the post-ovulatory period with saline, oxytocin, or cloprostenol (Clo). Dose, administration frequency and treatment day (Day 0, 1 or 2 post-ovulation) were evaluated. Interovulatory interval of control cycles was 22.7 (+/-0.36) days with a range of 20.6 (+/-1.44) to 23.8 (+/-1.39) days among all treatment groups. Mares treated with two micro-doses of cloprostenol on Day 2 post-ovulation had the shortest interovulatory interval. This group also had the lowest mean circulating progesterone concentrations on Days 3-7 and 13, and was the slowest group to reach concentrations of 5 ng/ml. Repeated administration of cloprostenol over 24 h in the early post-ovulatory period may more effectively impair luteal function than single doses. This could negatively affect pregnancy outcome but may be effective for lysing the early post-ovulatory luteal structure when mares are not bred.

Pregnancy outcome in mares following insemination deep in the uterine horn with low numbers of sperm selected by glass wool/Sephadex filtration, Percoll separation or absolute number.

Mares were inseminated deep in the uterine horn with 25 million sperm selected by glass wool/Sephadex (GWS) filtration, Percoll separation (PS) or absolute number (AN). Deep-horn insemination using a low-volume, smooth tipped, flexible pipette/catheter delivery system allowed more efficient use of stallion sperm and reduced post-breeding uterine reaction in mares. Mares were pregnant in 15/30, 13/30 and 10/30 cycles for GWS, PS and AN selection methods, respectively. Sperm selection method did not effect pregnancy outcome (P=0.422). However, sperm selected for deep-horn insemination by filtration through a glass wool/Sephadex column tended to improve fertility over simply using an absolute number of sperm (P=0.105).

Serologic responses to eastern and western equine encephalomyelitis vaccination in previously vaccinated horses.

A prospective study was performed to determine the serologic response of previously vaccinated horses to revaccination against eastern and western equine encephalomyelitis (EEE and WEE). Horses responded variably to each antigen, and some horses had low or undetectable antibodies 6 months after vaccination. Some horses did not develop increasing titers to EEE or WEE despite recent vaccination. Geometric mean titers peaked 2 weeks after revaccination and were significantly increased from before revaccination. Except for one horse, EEE:WEE titer ratios ranged from 0.25 to 2.0. Regular vaccination against EEE and WEE did not interfere with testing for Saint Louis encephalitis.

Pluronic F127 gel formulations of deslorelin and GnRH reduce drug degradation and sustain drug release and effect in cattle.

The objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of intramuscular sustained release Pluronic F127 (PF127) gel formulations of deslorelin, a potent GnRH agonist, and GnRH to their solution formulations in inducing the release of luteinizing hormone and formation of luteal tissue in cattle. Injectable gel formulations of deslorelin and GnRH were prepared using Pluronic F127 (25%, w/w), a block copolymer. PF127 gels sustained the in vitro release of deslorelin as well as GnRH at similar rates and reduced drug degradation in muscle tissue when compared to the solution formulations. Deslorelin, as well as GnRH, elicited desirable elevations in plasma LH and progesterone concentrations in vivo. When compared to the solution formulations, the gel formulations of both drugs induced a broader peak of LH. Also, the peak LH levels were lower and the peak times were delayed with the gel formulations compared to the solution formulations. While the solution dosage form of deslorelin and GnRH elicited similar responses, the PF127 gel formulation of deslorelin induced peak LH levels at an earlier time (3 h for deslorelin versus 5.25 h for GnRH). The results indicate that, deslorelin exerts a pharmacological effect in cattle. The LH response to deslorelin as well as GnRH can be altered by controlling the input or the release rate of the drug. PF127 gel formulations can sustain peptide release and reduce peptide degradation.

Analysis of synovial fluid from clinically normal alpacas and llamas.

OBJECTIVE: To establish reference range values for synovial fluid from clinically normal New World camelids. ANIMALS: 15 llamas and 15 alpacas. PROCEDURE: Llamas and alpacas were anesthetized with an IM injection of a xylazine hydrochloride, butorphanol tartrate, and ketamine hydrochloride combination. Synovial fluid (1 to 2 ml) was obtained by aseptic arthrocentesis from the radiocarpal and tarsocrural joints. Synovial fluid evaluation included determination of total nucleated cell count (NCC), absolute number and percentage of polymorphonuclear (PMN) and mononuclear leukocytes, total protein, and specific gravity. RESULTS: Synovial fluid evaluation revealed a total NCC of 100 to 1,400 cells/microl (mean +/- SD, 394.8+/-356.2 cells/microl; 95% confidence interval [CI], 295.2 to 494.6 cells/microl). Mononuclear leukocytes were the predominant cell type with lymphocytes, composing 50 to 90% (mean, 75.6+/-172%; 95% CI, 70.8 to 80.4%) of the mononuclear leukocytes. Approximately 0 to 12% (mean, 1.3+/-2.9%; 95% CI, 0.49 to 2.11%) of the cells were PMN leukocytes. Total protein concentrations ranged from 2.0 to 3.8 g/dl (mean, 2.54+/-0.29 g/dl; 95% CI, 2.46 to 2.62 g/dl); the specific gravity ranged between 1.010 and 1.026 (mean, 1.017+/-0.003; 95% CI, 1.016 to 1.018). CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In llamas and alpacas, significant differences do not exist between species or between limbs (left vs right) or joints (radiocarpal vs tarsocrural) for synovial fluid values. Total NCC and absolute number and percentage of PMN and mononuclear leukocyte are similar to those of other ruminants and horses. However, synovial fluid total protein concentrations in New World camelids are high, compared with other domestic species.

Effects of testicular biopsy in clinically normal bulls.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether testicular needle biopsy is detrimental to testicular function in clinically normal bulls. DESIGN: Prospective study. ANIMALS: 6 mixed-breed mature bulls. PROCEDURE: A randomly selected testicle from each bull was biopsied with a 14-gauge needle biopsy instrument. Bulls were then evaluated over a 90-day period for changes in scrotal temperature and thermal patterns, ultrasonographic appearance, and quality of spermatozoa. At the end of the 90-day study, bulls were castrated, and testicles were examined grossly and histologically. RESULTS: Changes were detected in scrotal temperatures and thermal patterns and in the breeding soundness examination results during the first 2 weeks of the study. However, there were no long-term changes in semen quality over the course of the experiment. Hyperechoic areas were detected on ultrasonographic examination and corresponded to the areas of penetration by the biopsy instrument. Microscopic lesions that were indicative of testicular dysfunction were not found. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results indicate that testicular biopsy is a safe procedure in bulls. Testicular biopsy could possibly be used to further examine bulls that have less than satisfactory results for breeding soundness examinations.