Residue, distribution and depletion of fluralaner in egg following a single intravenous and transdermal administration in healthy shaver hens: fluralaner residue in egg.

The demand for the use of fluralaner in an extra label manner is increasing due to lack of efficacious treatment to combat mites and bed bugs in the poultry industry in the United States. Fluralaner residue data in eggs is lacking and residues might cause risks to human health. The present study aimed to determine the depletion profiles of fluralaner in eggs and estimate the drug withdrawal interval in whole eggs by adopting the US Food and Drug administration tolerance limit method with single intravenous (0.5 mg/kg) or transdermal administration (average 58.7 mg/kg) in healthy shaver hens. Hens were treated intravenously or trans-dermally with fluralaner. The eggs were collected daily for 28 d for intravenous treated and for 40 d from the transdermal route group. Fluralaner concentrations in yolk and albumen were determined by mass spectrometry. The greater percentage of fluralaner was observed in yolk when compared to the albumen for both administration routes. Noncompartmental analysis was used to calculate the pharmacokinetic parameters in yolk, albumen and whole egg. The longest apparent half-life confirmed in yolk was 3.7 d for intravenous and 14.3 d for the transdermal route. The withdrawal intervals in whole egg for fluralaner following the intravenous and transdermal administration were 7 d and 81 d, respectively, with maximum residue limits (1.3 µg/g) at 13 d and 171 d, respectively, based on the limit of quantification (0.4 µg/g) from the analytical assay reported by EMA and APVMA.

Mydriasis in eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) following topical administration of proparacaine, 10% phenylephrine, and rocuronium bromide.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the mydriatic effect of topical 10% phenylephrine with 10 mg/mL rocuronium bromide and compare this protocol with and without pretreatment with proparacaine. ANIMALS STUDIED: Ten client-owned pet adult eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina). PROCEDURES: All turtles were sedated with 8 mg/kg alfaxalone intramuscularly. One group of four turtles received four 20 µL drops of 10% phenylephrine and four 20 µL drops of rocuronium bromide in the right eye. Another group of four turtles received one standard drop of proparacaine followed by four 20 µL drops of 10% phenylephrine and four 20 µL drops of rocuronium bromide in the right eye. Two control group turtles received four 20 µL drops of saline in the right eye. The left eye was untreated in all turtles. Drops of the same type were separated by 2 min while drops of different types were separated by 5 min. Pupil size was recorded at 0, 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, 240, and 360 min after administration of the final drop. RESULTS: Treatment with 10% phenylephrine and rocuronium bromide resulted in pupil diameter changes from baseline that were statistically significant from zero at 60, 90, and 120 min in the non-proparacaine group and 90 min in the proparacaine group. The time to peak effect was 90 min in the proparacaine group and 75 min in the non-proparacaine group. Saline-treated pupils in the control group decreased in diameter over the study period. Overall, the treated eyes of the proparacaine group and non-proparacaine group were not different from each other, but both dilated more than the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Rocuronium bromide and 10% phenylephrine can produce effective and safe mydriasis in eastern box turtles, but there was wide interindividual variation in effectiveness. Proparacaine did not improve the mydriatic effect.

Major crossmatch compatibility of rabbit blood with rabbit, canine, and feline blood.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the major crossmatch compatibility between rabbit recipients, rabbit donors, and the major canine and feline blood types. DESIGN: Prospective in vitro study in December 2021. SETTING: Academic veterinary teaching hospital. ANIMALS: Whole blood samples were collected from 11 healthy New Zealand White rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) with no previous transfusion history. Three pigtail segments were acquired from dog erythrocyte antigen (DEA)-1-positive, DEA-1-negative, and feline type A blood units. Whole blood was collected from a healthy type B blood donor cat. INTERVENTIONS: Blood from each rabbit recipient underwent a major crossmatch using standard tube crossmatch methodology with itself and the following donor blood types: rabbit, DEA-1-positive, DEA-1-negative, feline type A, and feline type B. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Self-crossmatches and crossmatches between rabbit recipients and conspecific donors were negative for hemolysis and agglutination. Crossmatches between rabbit recipients and canine and feline donors yielded no hemolysis but produced varying degrees of macroscopic and microscopic agglutination. Rabbit recipients had 1.4 (95% confidence interval: 1.1-1.8) times the risk of macroscopic agglutination when major crossmatched with canine blood compared to feline blood. No significant difference in agglutination was found between DEA-1-positive and DEA-1-negative or feline type A and type B donors. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support allogeneic blood transfusions between rabbits being highly compatible and suggest rabbits have naturally occurring alloantibodies against both canine and feline red blood cells. However, feline red blood cells had a lower rate of in vitro incompatibility on major crossmatch, suggesting potentially higher in vivo compatibility if an emergency xenotransfusion is needed. Further prospective research is needed to determine if xenotransfusion is associated with a higher incidence of acute and delayed transfusion reactions in rabbits than allogeneic transfusions.

Pharmacokinetics of intravenously and trans-dermally administered fluralaner in healthy laying shaver hens: fluralaner in chickens.

Ectoparasite infestations negatively affect both backyard and commercial chicken flocks in the United States. Fluralaner is an isoxazoline shown to be efficacious in treating mite and bed bug infestations in poultry. Fluralaner is approved to treat fleas and ticks in dogs and cats in the United States and to treat mite infestations of chickens in Europe and Australia; however, the use of fluralaner in poultry is not yet approved in the United States. This study aimed to investigate the plasma fluralaner pharmacokinetic profile of intravenous and transdermal routes and apparent bioavailability of fluralaner administered trans-dermally in healthy shaver hens. A total of 12 individually housed healthy shaver hens received a single dose of either intravenous technical grade fluralaner at 0.5 mg/kg, or transdermal fluralaner (Bravecto (fluralaner transdermal solution) for dogs, 280 mg/mL, Merck Animal Health) at mean 58.7 mg/kg. Plasma from each hen was collected from the jugular, ulnar, or medial metatarsal vein at multiple intervals. Fluralaner concentrations in plasma were determined using Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography with Mass Spectrometry (UPLC/MS). Noncompartmental analysis revealed that the geometric mean elimination half-life for intravenous and transdermal routes were 80.5 and 179.6 h, respectively. The geometric mean apparent bioavailability of transdermal routes was estimated as 3.4%. Prolonged fluralaner concentration in plasma above minimum inhibitory concentration of bed bugs following the single dose was observed in healthy shaver hens for both routes. It is important to understand the pharmacokinetic profile could be useful in determining the appropriate treatment strategy.

Osteosarcoma of the wing in a sulfur-crested cockatoo.

A 26-year-old female sulfur-crested cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) was evaluated for vocalizing through the night and extending her right wing. Physical examination revealed a large, firm mass extending from the humerus to the distal aspect of the elbow. Computed tomography confirmed a large aggressive mass of the right distal humerus with a large soft tissue component, severe osteolysis, and adjacent periosteal proliferation. Fine-needle aspirates of the mass were most compatible with sarcoma, and osteosarcoma was prioritized. An unstained slide was treated with nitroblue tetrazolium chloride/5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl phosphate toluidine salt-phosphatase (NBT/BCIP) substrate for ALP detection and was strongly positive, confirming a diagnosis of osteosarcoma. A month later, the patient underwent wing amputation and arrested during recovery from anesthesia. Post-mortem examination and histopathology were consistent with osteosarcoma. This case report highlights a rare occurrence of osteosarcoma in a cockatoo as well as its cytologic and histologic features. Additionally, this report provides support for NBT/BCIP application in ALP-expressing tumors, a cytochemical stain that has been minimally investigated in avian species.

Anesthetic efficacy of dexmedetomidine-ketamine in eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) is enhanced with the addition of midazolam and when administered in the forelimb versus the hindlimb.

OBJECTIVE: To compare dexmedetomidine-ketamine (DK; 0.1 and 10 mg/kg, respectively) with midazolam (M; 1.0 mg/kg) or 0.9% sodium chloride (S; 0.2 mL/kg) administered IM in the forelimb (F) or hindlimb (H) in eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina). ANIMALS: 20 clinically healthy, captive adult eastern box turtles. METHODS: In a randomized, blinded, complete crossover study with 1-week washout periods, turtles were administered each of 3 treatments: F-DKS, F-DKM, or H-DKM. Palpebral reflex, muscle tone, and withdrawal responses were serially assessed and used to calculate cumulative sedation scores at each 5-minute time point. The ability to intubate was evaluated. At 60 minutes, atipamezole (1.0 mg/kg) and either flumazenil (F-DKM, H-DKM; 0.05 mg/kg) or 0.9% sodium chloride (F-DKS; 0.5 mL/kg) were administered IM. RESULTS: All treatments resulted in clinically relevant anesthetic effects. F-DKM produced significantly higher sedation scores than H-DKM or F-DKS at all time points between 10 and 60 minutes (P < .05). Sedation score variability was observed with all treatments with significantly higher variability for H-DKM (P < .05). Intubation was successful in 32, 89, and 11% of turtles in F-DKS, F-DKM, and H-DKM, respectively. Median (range) recovery time was 10 (5-22), 16 (7-45), and 12 (4-28) minutes for F-DKS, F-DKM, and H-DKM, respectively. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In eastern box turtles, forelimb dexmedetomidine-ketamine resulted in clinically relevant anesthetic effects that were heightened with the addition of midazolam. Hindlimb administration of midazolam-dexmedetomidine-ketamine resulted in reduced and more variable anesthetic effects compared to forelimb administration, supporting a hepatic first-pass effect.

Pharmacokinetics of fluralaner as a systemic drug to control infestations of the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, in poultry facilities.

BACKGROUND: Bed bug infestations are re-emerging in the poultry industry throughout the USA. Although the impacts of bed bugs on birds' health and welfare are poorly understood, adverse outcomes are expected, including stress, anemia, infections and lower production rates. Worker welfare is also an important consideration in commercial poultry farms. A limited number of insecticides are available for use in the complex spatial environment of commercial farms. Systemic drugs have the potential to overcome the limitations of existing pest management tactics. A recent study showed that fluralaner administered to chickens caused high levels of mortality in bed bugs. METHODS: To further understand the efficacy of this approach, we evaluated the pharmacokinetics of an oral solid formulation of fluralaner in 11 chickens and quantified its plasma concentration in chickens using UPLC/MS. We administered fluralaner to chickens with two doses of Bravecto® (each 0.5 mg/kg body mass) via gavage 1 week apart and evaluated its efficacy on bed bugs that fed on medicated chickens for up to 28 days post-treatment. RESULTS: Bed bugs that fed on fluralaner-treated chickens experienced > 50% mortality within 30 min of the administration of Bravecto and 100% mortality 2 days post-treatment. Mortality slowly declined to 66.6% by day 28. Fluralaner was quantifiable in the hens' plasma for at least 28 days post-treatment. The treatment resulted in maximal plasma concentrations (Cmax) of 106.4 ng/ml around day 9.0 (Tmax), substantially higher than the LC90, the concentration needed to kill 90% of the bed bugs. CONCLUSIONS: Fluralaner appears to be a promising candidate for bed bug control in poultry farms, with a treatment effect lasting at least 28 days.

Pharmacokinetics and Safety of Sulfamethoxazole-Trimethoprim After Oral Administration of Single and Multiple Doses to Rhode Island Red Chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus).

Sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (SMZ-TMP), a commonly prescribed antibiotic for backyard hens, is neither Food and Drug Administration approved nor prohibited in laying hens in the United States. The aim of this study was to determine whether plasma concentrations above targeted minimum inhibitory concentration breakpoint values for Enterobacteriaceae could be achieved with oral dosing. Five Rhode Island red hens (Gallus gallus domesticus) were administered a single dose of 96 mg/kg SMZ-TMP (80 mg/kg SMZ and 16 mg/kg TMP) IV followed by the same dose orally after a washout period. Following oral dosing, mean SMZ concentrations exceeded the target breakpoint for approximately 12 hours; however, TMP only briefly exceeded the target breakpoint. Bioavailability was 60.5% for SMZ and 82.0% for TMP. Ten naïve birds were allocated into control (n = 4) and treatment (n = 6) groups for a 7-day multi-dose study. Treatment birds received an oral suspension dosed at 16 mg/kg TMP and 80 mg/kg SMZ every 48 hours (on days 1, 3, 5, and 7); TMP tablets were additionally dosed at 25 mg/bird on days 1, 3, 5, and 7, and 50 mg/bird on days 2, 4, and 6. Plasma SMZ-TMP concentrations were measured on a multiple time interval by ultraperformance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and pharmacokinetic analyses were performed using a noncompartmental model. No accumulation for either drug was noted following repeated dosing, and no statistical differences in biochemical values, packed cell volumes, or weight were found between pre- and posttreatment in either the treatment or control groups. Sulfamethoxazole (80 mg/kg q48h PO) and TMP (24.1-28.0 mg/kg q24h PO) maintained therapeutic plasma concentrations at or exceeding the minimum inhibitory concentration breakpoint of Enterobacteriaceae for 72 and 24 hours for TMP and SMZ, respectively, without evidence of adverse effects or drug accumulation. Further studies are needed to refine this dosage regimen and evaluate adverse effects in ill birds.

Retrospective evaluation of wobbly hedgehog syndrome in 49 African pygmy hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris): 2000-2020.

OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively evaluate the prevalence and clinical progression of wobbly hedgehog syndrome (WHS) and concurrent incidence of neoplasia in a cohort of African pygmy hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris). ANIMALS: 49 hedgehogs. CLINICAL PRESENTATION AND PROCEDURES: Medical records of hedgehogs from 7 institutions across the US over a 20-year period (2000 to 2020) were retrospectively reviewed. Inclusion criteria were hedgehogs of any sex or age with postmortem CNS histopathology consistent with WHS. Collected data included sex, age at onset and euthanasia, major histopathologic findings, reported neurologic clinical signs, and treatments administered. RESULTS: 24 males and 25 females were included. Fifteen of 49 (31%) individuals had subclinical WHS with no reported antemortem neurologic clinical signs. In neurologically affected (clinical) hedgehogs (n = 34), the mean ± SD age at onset was 3.3 ± 1.5 years with a median (range) time from onset to euthanasia of 51 days (1 to 319 days). In neurologically affected hedgehogs, the most commonly reported clinical signs were ataxia (n = 21) and pelvic limb paresis (16) and the most commonly administered treatment was meloxicam (13). Overall, 31 of 49 (63%) hedgehogs had a concurrent histopathologic diagnosis of neoplasia outside of the CNS. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The prognosis for hedgehogs with WHS is poor. No treatment had a significant effect on survival time, and neoplasia was a common comorbidity in the current cohort. A small but clinically relevant subset of neurologically normal hedgehogs had a histopathologic diagnosis of WHS.

Treatment of Pain in Ferrets.

Ferrets often require pain management as part of comprehensive veterinary care. Recognition and objective quantification of pain, such as the ferret grimace scale, are the first steps of an analgesic plan. As in other species, a multimodal approach to pain management is preferred, which includes combining analgesic drugs of multiple classes and/or techniques to affect different areas of the pain pathway. This article reviews the current published literature on analgesic medications in domestic ferrets, including specific drugs, doses, dosing intervals, and routes of administration.

Effects of Intramuscular Alfaxalone and Midazolam Compared With Midazolam and Butorphanol in Rhode Island Red Hens (Gallus gallus domesticus).

Chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) often undergo veterinary procedures requiring sedation; however, there is little published research evaluating the efficacy of sedation protocols in this species. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of intramuscular alfaxalone and midazolam compared with intramuscular butorphanol and midazolam in chickens. In a complete crossover study, 11 healthy adult hens were randomly administered midazolam 2.5 mg/kg IM combined with either alfaxalone 15 mg/kg IM (AM, n = 11) or butorphanol 3 mg/kg IM (BM, n = 11), with a 35-day washout period between groups. Time to first effects, recumbency, standing, and recovery were recorded. Physiologic parameters and sedation scores were recorded every 5 minutes by 2 blinded investigators. Fifteen minutes after injection, positioning for sham whole body radiographs was attempted. At 30 minutes, flumazenil 0.05 mg/kg IM was administered to all hens. Peak total sedation score was significantly higher for AM compared with BM (P < 0.001). Mean ± SD or median (range) time to initial effects, recumbency, standing, and recovery in AM and BM were 1.9 ± 0.6 and 2.6 ± 0.9 (P = 0.02), 3.5 (1.6-7.6) and 4.8 (2.2-13.0) (P = 0.10), 40.3 (28.0-77.8) and 33.2 (5.2-41.3) (P = 0.15), and 71.2 (45.7-202.3) and 39.9 (35.9-45.9) minutes (P = 0.05), respectively. Radiographic positioning was successful in 6 of 11 (54.5%) and 0 of 11 (0%) birds in the AM and BM groups at 15 minutes, respectively. Heart and respiratory rates remained within acceptable clinical limits for all birds. Intramuscular AM resulted in significantly faster onset of sedative effects, significantly longer duration of recumbency, significantly higher peak sedation, and improved success of radiographic positioning compared with intramuscular BM. Intramuscular AM produces clinically effective sedation in chickens without clinically significant cardiorespiratory effects.

Systemic veterinary drugs for control of the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, in poultry farms.

BACKGROUND: The common bed bug, Cimex lectularius L., is a hematophagous ectoparasite that was a common pest in poultry farms through the 1960s. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and organophosphates eradicated most infestations, but concurrent with their global resurgence as human ectoparasites, infestations of bed bugs have been reappearing in poultry farms. Although the impact of bed bugs on chicken health has not been quantified, frequent biting and blood-feeding are expected to cause stress, infections and even anemia in birds. Bed bug control options are limited due to the sensitive nature of the poultry environment, limited products labeled for bed bug control and resistance of bed bug populations to a broad spectrum of active ingredients. Veterinary drugs are commonly used to control endo- and ectoparasites in animals. In this study, we evaluated the effects of two common veterinary drugs on bed bugs by treating the host with systemic antiparasitic drugs. METHODS: We conducted dose-response studies of ivermectin and fluralaner against several bed bug strains using a membrane feeding system. Also, different doses of these drugs were given to chickens and two delivery methods (topical treatment and ingestion) were used to evaluate the efficacy of ivermectin and fluralaner on bed bug mortality. RESULTS: Using an artificial feeding system, both ivermectin and fluralaner caused high mortality in insecticide-susceptible bed bugs, and fluralaner was found to be effective on pyrethroid- and fipronil-resistant bed bugs. Ivermectin was ineffective in chickens either by the topical treatment or ingestion, whereas bed bugs that fed on chickens which had ingested fluralaner suffered high mortality when feeding on these chickens for up to 28 days post treatment. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that systemic ectoparasitic drugs have great potential for practical use to control bed bug infestations in poultry farms. These findings also demonstrate the efficacy of fluralaner (and potentially other isoxazolines) as a potent new active ingredient for bed bug control.

Clinicopathologic, Gross Necropsy, and Histopathologic Effects of High-Dose, Repeated Meloxicam Administration in Rhode Island Red Chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus).

Meloxicam is a commonly prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug for backyard poultry that has demonstrated pharmacodynamic efficacy at a single high dose of 5 mg/ kg. This study characterized the adverse effects of meloxicam administered in chickens at an approximate dose of 5 mg/kg orally twice daily for 5 days. Twenty-one adult Rhode Island Red hens (Gallus gallus domesticus), judged to be healthy based on an external physical examination, complete blood count (CBC), and plasma biochemistry panel, were recruited for this study. The subject birds were randomly assigned to a treatment (n = 11) or control group (n = 10) and received a 15-mg tablet of meloxicam or a nonmedicated feed pellet, respectively, orally twice daily. Physical examinations and body weight measurements were performed daily, and observation for clinical signs occurred twice daily. Following completion of the 5-day treatment course, an external physical examination, blood collection for a CBC and plasma biochemistry panel, euthanasia, necropsy, and measurement of meloxicam tissue residues were performed. During the treatment course, 1 hen from the treatment group died with peracute clinical signs, 2 hens from the treatment group died suddenly with no clinical signs, and 1 hen from the treatment group became acutely lethargic and was euthanized. Within the meloxicam group, 7 out of 11 hens had gross and histologic evidence of varying levels of renal acute tubular injury and gout. Plasma uric acid concentrations were above the species reference intervals in all affected hens in the treatment group that were still available for testing. The control group had no evidence of renal injury or gout based on postmortem examinations. Based on the results of this study, repeated oral dosing of meloxicam in chickens at 5 mg/kg twice daily is not recommended.

Clinicopathological findings in and prognostic factors for domestic rabbits with liver lobe torsion: 82 cases (2010-2020).

OBJECTIVE: To document clinicopathologic findings in domestic rabbits with liver lobe torsion and identify prognostic factors. ANIMALS: 82 rabbits. PROCEDURE: Medical records of 4 institutions were reviewed to identify rabbits with an antemortem diagnosis of liver lobe torsion that were examined between 2010 and 2020. RESULTS: The prevalence of liver lobe torsion was 0.7% (82/11,402). In all 82 rabbits, the diagnosis was made by means of abdominal ultrasonography. Fifty (60.1%) rabbits underwent liver lobectomy, 23 (28%) received medical treatment alone, and 9 (10.9%) were euthanized or died on presentation. Overall, 32 (39%) rabbits died within 7 days of initial presentation and 50 (61%) survived. Seven-day survival rate did not differ significantly between medical treatment alone and surgical treatment. However, median survival time following medical treatment (530 days) was shorter than that following surgical treatment (1,452 days). Six of 14 rabbits had evidence of systemic inflammatory disease on necropsy. Rabbits with right liver lobe torsion were less likely to survive for 7 days than were those with caudate torsions (P = 0.046; OR, 3.27; 95% CI, 1.04 to 11.3). Rabbits with moderate to severe anemia were less likely to survive for 7 days than were rabbits that were not anemic or had mild anemia (P = 0.006; OR, 4.41; 95% CI, 1.55 to 12.51). Other factors associated with a decreased 7-day survival rate were high heart rate at admission (P = 0.013) and additional days without defecation after admission (P < 0.001). Use of tramadol was associated with an increased survival rate (P = 0.018). CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The prognosis for rabbits with liver lobe torsions was more guarded than previously described. Rabbits that underwent liver lobectomy had a longer median survival time than did rabbits that only received medical treatment.

Intramuscular Alfaxalone-Butorphanol-Midazolam Compared with Ketamine-Butorphanol- Midazolam in New Zealand White Rabbits.

Rabbits are a common companion animal and research subject and frequently require sedation to facilitate procedures. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of intramuscular butorphanol and midazolam combined with either alfaxalone or ketamine in rabbits. In a complete crossover study, healthy New Zealand white rabbits (n = 9; age, 6 mo) randomly received midazolam (1 mg/kg IM) and butorphanol (1 mg/kg IM) combined with either alfaxalone (2 mg/kg IM; ABM) or ketamine (5 mg/kg IM; KBM). Time to first effects, recumbency, and standing (recovery) were recorded. Every 5 min during recumbency, an investigator who was blind to treatment group collected serial physiologic parameters and sedation scores. At 5 min after rabbits became recumbent, manipulations were performed to mimic 2-view radiography and a cephalic intravenous catheter was placed. At 30 min after drug injection, flumazenil (0.05 mg/kg IM) was administered for reversal. Food consumption and fecal output were measured for 3 d after each study day. Time to standing and duration of recumbency differed significantly between groups. The median (range) of the total sedation score for ABM was 10 (8 to 10) and for KBM was 10 (6 to 10). Sham radiographs were successful in all rabbits in both groups. Physiologic parameters were not significantly different between groups over time. At 24 h after drug treatment, KBM-treated rabbits showed reduced food intake and both groups showed reduced fecal output. Total sedation scores decreased significantly over time in KBM rabbits ( P < 0.001) but not in ABM rabbits (P = 1). The duration of recumbency was significantly longer in ABM rabbits than in KBM rabbits. Both protocols produced sufficient sedation for radiograph acquisition without clinically significant adverse effects.

Pharmacokinetics of maropitant citrate in Rhode Island Red chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) following subcutaneous administration.

Maropitant citrate is a synthetic neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist and substance P inhibitor used for control of emesis in dogs in cats. Maropitant citrate is used empirically in birds, despite a lack of pharmacokinetic data in avian species. The objective of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetic profile of a single dose of maropitant citrate 1 and 2 mg/kg subcutaneously (SC) in eight Rhode Island Red hens (Gallus gallus domesticus). A crossover study design was used with 1-week washout between trials. Blood samples were collected over 36 h after drug administration. Plasma concentrations were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and pharmacokinetic parameters were determined via non-compartmental analysis. The mean maximum plasma concentration, time to maximum concentration, and elimination half-life following 1 and 2 mg/kg SC were 915.6 ± 312.8 ng/ml and 1195.2 ± 320.2 ng/ml, 0.49 ± 0.21 h and 1.6 ± 2.6 h, and 8.47 ± 2.24 h and 8.58 ± 2.6 h, respectively. Pharmacokinetic data suggests doses of 1 or 2 mg/kg SC may be administered every 12-24 h to maintain above target plasma concentration similar to dogs (90 ng/ml). These data provide a basis for further investigation of maropitant citrate pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in birds.

Effects of gender on income and family planning for diplomates of the American College of Zoological Medicine.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate income and family planning decisions of American College of Zoological Medicine (ACZM) diplomates. SAMPLE: 98 ACZM diplomates. PROCEDURES: An online survey was sent to 201 ACZM diplomates. Participation was voluntary. RESULTS: 98 (49%) diplomates responded to the survey. The most commonly reported income categories were $90,000 to $94,999, $100,000 to $104,999, and $110,000 to $114,999. Overall, the mean of the salary-category midpoint responses was $105,357 but was $122,917 for those in academia and $94,508 for those working in zoos and aquaria. When incomes of males and females were matched (24 pairs matched for gender and age), no difference in income was observed. There were no significant differences in income between males and females with and without children. Diplomates who did not complete a residency had significantly higher incomes than diplomates who did. Sixteen of 21 (76%) females and 9 of 19 (47%) males reported delaying having children because of their career. Additionally, a higher percentage of females with children (13/20 [65%]) than males with children (3/19 [16%]) felt that having children had had a negative effect on their career. Thirty-five of 41 (85%) females without children and 4 of 9 (44%) males without children thought having children would have negatively affected their careers. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although substantial differences in income between female and male ACZM diplomates were not identified, differences in family planning and perceptions of the impact of having children on their careers did exist.

Egg residue and depletion in Rhode Island Red hens (Gallus gallus domesticus) following multiple oral doses of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.

Sulfamethoxazole-Trimethoprim residues in eggs can cause risks to human health. The most common cause of residues in eggs results from failure to meet an appropriate withdrawal interval. The aim of this study was to determine the quantity and duration of sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim residues in eggs and evaluate the drug elimination parameters in egg components and whole egg to better estimate the withdrawal interval of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim following oral administration for 7 days at a purposed dosage regimen (time average 46 mg kg-1 day-1 for sulfamethoxazole, time average 25 mg kg-1 day-1 for trimethoprim). Residues of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim in albumen and yolk were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. A greater percentage of sulfamethoxazole was distributed into the albumen (91.53-96.74%) and a greater percentage of trimethoprim was distributed into yolk (63.92-77.36%) during treatment. The residues levels in whole egg declined below or reached the limit of quantification until 13 days for SMZ and TMP respectively. The withdrawal interval for SMZ and TMP were 43 days and 17 days respectively using the FDA tolerance method.

Biochemical Effects of Routine Gonadectomy on Blood of Domestic Ferrets (Mustela putorius furo).

We studied domestic ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) to evaluate the physiologic effects of routine surgery. Standard plasma biochemistry panels and 1H-NMR spectroscopy of heparinized whole blood were performed on samples taken 24 h prior to and immediately after surgery from female and male ferrets undergoing routine gonadectomy. Increases in plasma glucose, phosphorus, potassium, and creatine kinase concentrations associated with the duration of surgery were identified on plasma biochemistry panels. Whole-blood NMR spectra allowed us to identify 42 metabolites and one drug residue. Variations between pre- and postoperative metabolite concentrations were most pronounced for female ferrets, which underwent more prolonged surgery than males. Affected metabolites included organic acids and osmolytes (betaine, methylmalonate, D-lactate), fatty acids and lipids (2-hydroxy-3-methylbutyric acid), and amino acid groups (acetylglycine, alloisoleucine, leucine, and isoleucine). These findings indicate that 1H-NMR spectroscopy of whole blood provides insight into metabolic perturbations in domestic ferrets undergoing surgery that are not detected in routine clinical chemistry panels.