Effect of distance and daily periods on heat-stressed pigs and pre-slaughter losses in a semiarid region.

Effective planning animal transport is essential to safeguard animal welfare and reduce production losses. Environmental conditions, specifically extreme temperatures in combination with ranges of relative humidity are highlighted as one of the main risk factors for production losses during transport (e.g., fatalities). The majority of research evaluating both welfare and production impacts of pig transport have been primarily undertaken in Europe and North America, which cover a relatively limited range of distinct climates (e.g., temperate, sub-arctic, etc.). As a result, research on pig transport in semi-arid conditions is lacking. In this study, we evaluated the effects of both distance (short, 30 km; and long, 170 km) and transport daily periods (morning, (05:00-11:00); afternoon (12:00-17:00); and night, (23:00-04:00)) on the preslaughter losses and heat stress of pigs in commercial transport in a semiarid region. Across 19 journeys of standard slaughter-weight pig loads (124.0 ± 2.8 kg), 684 focal animals (36 per journey) were evaluated. For each journey, the load's thermal profile (THIadj and enthalpy) and physiological responses of individual pigs were recorded. On arrival at designated slaughterhouses, the percentage pig of non-ambulatory non-injured (NANI), non-ambulatory injured (NAI), death on arrival (DOA), and total losses were recorded. Short journeys in the afternoon were shown to be more detrimental to the thermal comfort of pigs, with higher rectal temperatures recorded. The highest percentage of total losses and DOA occurred in afternoon journeys, irrespective of distance, followed by the morning, with the lowest losses observed in pigs transported at night. Additionally, total losses and DOA were further exacerbated by journey distance, with higher rates observed in short journeys. Higher percentage averages of NANI and NAI were observed in shorter journeys, but daily periods effects were only observed for NANI. These results further demonstrate the welfare and production loss risks associated with journey distance and time of day (representing varying environmental conditions) during road transport of pigs, whilst providing novel data in semiarid conditions. Careful and effective planning for pig transportation is essential to minimize heat stress and production losses. Consideration of the thermal environment on the day of travel, as well as providing flexibility to adjust travel times (e.g., early morning or evening), should help to mitigate risks of heat stress and production losses during pig transport.

In situ cultured preantral follicles is a useful model to evaluate the effect of anticancer drugs on caprine folliculogenesis.

Despite the increase in the incidence of cancer, the number of women who survive cancer treatment is growing. However, one of the principal results of chemotherapy is premature ovarian failure (POF). The aim of this study was to use the in situ culture preantral follicles as an in vitro model to evaluate the toxicity of two anticancer drugs, doxorubicin (DXR) and paclitaxel (PTX), on the integrity and development of ovarian follicles. Fragments of the ovarian cortex of goats were cultured in vitro for 1 or 7 days in α-MEM(+) supplemented with different concentrations of DXR (0.003, 0.03, or 0.3 µg/mL) and PTX (0.001, 0.01, or 0.1 µg/mL). Analyses were performed before and after culture to evaluate tissue integrity by classical histology, apoptosis by TUNEL assay, DNA laddering kit and the detection of activated caspase 3, and DNA damage by the immune detection of phosphorylated histone H2A.x (H2AXph139). Both DXR and PTX reduced the number of morphologically normal primordial and developing follicles. Positive staining for TUNEL and active caspase 3 was detected in all the samples (P < 0.05). Therefore, we propose the in situ culture of caprine preantral follicles as a useful experimental model for assessing the toxic effects of the chemotherapeutic agents on ovarian folliculogenesis. Microsc. Res. Tech. 79:773-781, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Uterine leucocyte infiltration after artificial insemination in bitches.

In the present study, polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) were enumerated to evaluate acute uterine inflammation after artificial insemination in the bitch. It was concluded that the canine seminal plasma possessed an immunomodulating action. However, the most commonly used extender for freezing canine semen (Tris glucose with egg yolk and glycerol) was a potential inducer of uterine inflammation.

Omentalização prostática em cães / Prostatic omentalisation in dogs

A próstata é a única glândula sexual nos cães e, embora seja encontrada em todos os mamíferos, sua importância clínica é maior no homem e nesta espécie animal devido à quantidade de afecções que os acometem. Diversas técnicas cirúrgicas têm sido utilizadas para o tratamento de cistos e abscessos prostáticos em cães, e há alguns anos foi relatado o primeiro uso da técnica de omentalização prostática para o tratamento de cistos e abscessos, com sucesso efetivo, e até o momento, não há informações de seu emprego no Brasil. Sendo assim, este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a recuperação e período pós-operatório de animais submetidos a esta técnica, durante período de 2002 a 2004. Foram estudados 17 machos, sendo 11 com cistos prostáticos, 4 com abscesso e 2 com cisto paraprostático. Quinze se recuperaram sem complicações, enquanto um apresentou incontinência urinária por dois dias após a cirurgia. Um animal veio a óbito em decorrência de septicemia preexistente. A baixa incidência de complicações e o curto período de hospitalização fazem da omentalização a cirurgia de escolha para o tratamento de abscessos e cistos prostáticos em cães.

The prostate is the only acessory sex gland in the male dog and, although the prostate is found in all mammals, it has a great importance in men and dogs due to the frequency of disorders. Several techniques have been employed for the treatment of prostatic cysts and abscesses and, a few years ago, it was successfully described the use of prostatic omentalisation for this purpose; until now, there are no data about this surgery in Brazil. So, the aim of this study was to evaluate the animal recovery, as well as the post operative period of dogs that underwent prostatic omentalisation, from 2002 to 2004. It was evaluated 11 dogs with prostatic cysts, 4 dogs with prostatic abscesses and 2 with paraprostatic cysts. Fifteen dogs had an uneventful recovery while one dog had a minor incontinence for two days. One dog died due to a previous long term sepsis. The low incidence of post operative complications and brief hospitalization period make omentalisation the surgery of choice for the treatment of prostatic cysts and abscess.