Ultrasonographic evaluation of the thickness of the small intestinal wall in dogs with inflammatory bowel disease.

OBJECTIVES: To establish whether the intestinal wall thickness, as measured ultrasonographically, is significantly increased in dogs with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The results would provide the information necessary to decide whether measurement of ultrasonographic wall thickness can predict IBD in dogs. METHODS: The intestinal wall thickness of 75 dogs with idiopathic IBD, as measured by ultrasonography, was compared with recently published normal values. IBD was either confirmed histologically (n = 54) or suspected (n = 21). In all cases there was a positive response to immunosuppressive treatment. RESULTS: A positive association between intestinal wall thickness in dogs and either the histological diagnosis or the response to treatment was not found. Ultrasonographic intestinal wall measurements do not appear to be able to establish a diagnosis of intestinal inflammation and may result in a false negative diagnosis in cases of IBD. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The same 'grey zone' of between 4 and 6 mm used in humans can be used in the canine duodenum to distinguish the normal range, reserving the term 'abnormal' for an intestinal measurement greater than 6 mm in the duodenum and greater than 4.7 mm in the jejunum.

Possible natural circaseptan rhythm in the beach beetle Chaerodes trachyscelides white.

Activity rhythms in groups of captive beach beetles (Chaerodes trachyscelides White) have been recorded in an actograph over a period of 29 days. Under constant illumination and when no sand was provided for the beetles to burrow in abnormal behaviour occurred. With sand and in constant darkness a strictly nocturnal activity period with apparently circaseptan components superimposed was observed. The beetles in their natural habitat are confined to the debris zone where they feed on washed up seaweed and this debris zone moves up and down depending on the heights of the tides. Circaseptan elements in the beetles' activity may act as adaptations to the weekly alternations between spring- and neap-tides.