Penetrating Keratoplasty in Dogs using Acellular Porcine Corneal Stroma (BioCorneaVet™): A prospective pilot study of five cases.

OBJECTIVE: This prospective pilot study was conducted to evaluate the outcome of a commercially available corneal stroma substitute, Acellular Porcine Corneal Stroma (APCS), in dogs undergoing penetrating keratoplasty (PK) to restore corneal integrity after having deep ulcers. METHOD: Five dogs (1 eye in each dog) underwent a PK using APCS (BioCorneaVet™) as a graft. The surgical procedure and peri- and postoperative treatment were standardized. All cases required a minimum 6 months follow-up. Ease of keratoprosthetic tissue handling, graft survival, anterior chamber stability, corneal opacity, neovascularization and re-epithelialization were noted. Presence of secondary uveitis was investigated. RESULTS: BioCorneaVet™ was easy to handle and, at all-time points, provided adequate tectonic support. Graft survival was achieved in all 5 cases. A minimum follow-up period of 10 months was available for the five eyes (22 months maximum). Degree and area of corneal graft opacity progressively improved resulting in minimal to moderate loss of transparency in all cases but one, where it was severe. Neovascularization degree was most severe 0.5-1 month after surgery and fully resolved 4-6 months post-surgery. Re-epithelialization was complete in the majority of grafts in 1 month. Secondary uveitis was not detected at any time in 4 of 5 dogs. CONCLUSION: BioCorneaVet™ seems to be an effective graft for PK in the dog. In this case series, APCS was convenient to handle during surgery and provided excellent tectonic support. The material showed good tissue biocompatibility and resulted in the majority of cases in minimal to moderate graft opacity, that ameliorates with time.

Training tom cats for semen collection using an artificial vagina: a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: Owing to the lack of literature on training cats to use an artificial vagina (AV), we performed a retrospective study on the success of training tom cats for semen collection using an AV. METHODS: Records from training 20 cats (2009 until 2019) for semen collection using AVs were analyzed. Sexual preferences, behavior towards humans, queens and other tom cats, as well as libido, number of training sessions and rate of success were observed. Data are presented as percentages and the results are described subjectively. RESULTS: In 85% of tom cats, collection using an AV was performed successfully. Training was unsuccessful when libido was low or absent. Behavior towards humans did not interfere with the success rate, while libido did. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Most tom cats can be successfully trained to have semen collected using an AV; the number of training sessions required depends on the male's libido and the technician's experience.

Bacterial cellulose and bacterial cellulose/polycaprolactone composite as tissue substitutes in rabbits' cornea / Celulose bacteriana e composto de celulose bacteriana/policaprolactone para substituto tissular na córnea de coelho

In order to test the performance of bacterial cellulose/polycaprolactone composite (BC/PCL) and pure bacterial cellulose (BC) as tissue substitutes in rabbits' cornea, a superficial ulcer containing 5mm in diameter and 0.2mm deep was made in the right cornea of 36 rabbits, then a interlayer pocket was created from the basis of this ulcer. Twelve rabbits received BC/PCL membrane and 12 were treated with BC membranes, both membranes with 8mm in diameter. The remaining rabbits received no membrane constituting the control group. The animals were clinically followed up for 45 days. Three animals of each group were euthanized at three, seven, 21, and 45 days after implantation for histological examination of the cornea along with the implant. Clinical observation revealed signs of moderate inflammatory process, decreasing from day 20th in the implanted groups. Histology showed absence of epithelium on the membranes, fibroplasia close to the implants, lymph inflammatory infiltrate with giant cells, collagen disorganization, with a predominance of immature collagen fibers in both groups with implants. Although inflammatory response is acceptable, the membranes used does not satisfactorily played the role of tissue substitute for the cornea during the study period.(AU)

Com objetivo de testar o desempenho do compósito celulose bacteriana/policaprolactona (CB/PCL) e da celulose bacteriana pura (CB) como substitutos teciduais em córnea de coelhos, foi realizada uma úlcera superficial de 5 mm de diâmetro e 0,2 mm de profundidade na córnea direita de 36 coelhos, criando-se um bolso interlamelar a partir da base dessa úlcera. Doze animais receberam a membrana do compósito CB/PCL e 12 foram tratados com membranas de CB, ambas com 8 mm de diâmetro, os coelhos restantes não receberam nenhuma membrana, constituindo o grupo controle. Os animais foram acompanhados clinicamente até 45 dias. Três animais de cada grupo sofreram eutanásia aos três, sete, 21 e 45 dias após o implante das membranas para análise histológica da córnea juntamente com o implante. À observação clínica, houve sinais de processo inflamatório moderado, diminuindo a partir do 20º dia nos grupos implantados. A histologia demonstrou ausência de epitélio sobre as membranas, fibroplasia próxima aos implantes, infiltrado inflamatório linfo-histiocitário com células gigantes, desorganização do colágeno, com predominância de fibras imaturas de colágeno em ambos os grupos com implantes. Embora a resposta inflamatória seja aceitável, as membranas utilizadas não desempenharam satisfatoriamente o papel de substituto tecidual para a córnea, no período estudado.(AU)

Influence of methionine derivatives on effluent flow of methionine from continuous culture of ruminal bacteria.

Two separate studies were conducted using a continuous culture fermenter system to determine effects of supplementing D,L-methionine and various methionine derivatives on degradation of methionine by ruminal bacteria. A basal diet containing 20% alfalfa hay, 20% corn silage and 60% grain mix (DM basis) was provided at a rate of 75 g DM/d per fermenter and served as an unsupplemented control in both experiments. In Exp. 1, methionine sources included D,L-methionine, D,L-methionine hydantoic acid, D,L-methionine hydantoin, N-acetyl-D,L-methionine, methylthio-isobutyric acid, methylthio-propionic acid and D,L-methionine sulfoxide. These sources were added directly to fermenters twice daily and supplied an equivalent of 98 mg/d D,L-methionine (.13% of diet DM) and 21 mg/d S. Effluent methionine flow from fermenters was higher (P less than .05) with diets supplemented with D,L-methionine hydantoic acid (245 mg/d), D,L-methionine hydantoin (245 mg/d) and N-acetyl-D,L-methionine (270 mg/d) than with control (211 mg/d) or D,L-methionine (211 mg/d) treatments, indicating a lower ruminal bacterial degradation of these methionine derivatives. There were no major effects on bacterial fermentation due to methionine supplementation or source. In Exp. 2, methionine sources included D,L-methionine, methionine hydroxy analog and N-hydroxymethyl-D,L-methionine; these were mixed with the basal diet to provide an equivalent of 250 mg/d D,L-methionine (.33% of diet DM). Sodium sulfate was added to the control diet to attain equal S (54 mg/d) levels across treatments. Flow of methionine was not affected (P greater than .05) by methionine supplementation, indicating extensive degradation of all three methionine sources by ruminal bacteria.

Temperature of the artificial vagina and its effect on seminal quality and behavioral characteristics of stallions.

Stallion semen was collected, using artificial vaginas at 44 to 46, 48 to 50, and 52 to 54 C, to study the effects of temperature on seminal quality and sexual behavior. The temperature of the artificial vagina had no significant effect on motility, gel volume, gel-free seminal volume, total seminal volume, pH, number of mounts per ejaculate, total time to ejaculation, or seminal temperature. Spermatozoa were collected, then exposed to water-bath temperatures of 38, 45, 49, or 53 C for 1 minute. Mean motility was similar after exposure to temperatures of 38 or 45 C, but exposure to temperatures of 49 or 53 C resulted in a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in spermatozoal motility with each increase in temperature. Thus, it was concluded that spermatozoa exposed to temperatures greater than 45 C may be irreversibly damaged.