The association between acquired urinary sphincter mechanism incompetence in bitches and early spaying: a case-control study.

A case-control study was conducted between December 2005 and August 2006 in London (1) to estimate the strength of association between early ovariohysterectomy (spaying) and urinary incontinence (sphincter mechanism incompetence), (2) to identify other risk factors for incontinence, and (3) to assess any implications of incontinence on the owner-pet relationship. Cases were defined as bitches that developed incontinence after spaying and were treated, and the controls comprised continent spayed bitches. Questionnaires from 202 cases were compared to 168 controls, and analysed using multivariable logistic regression. No significant association between early spaying and incontinence was detected although there was a tendency that early spayed bitches were less likely to be incontinent. Docked bitches were 3.8 times more likely to be incontinent than undocked bitches; bitches weighing over 10 kg were 3.7 times more likely to be incontinent than smaller dogs; and older bitches were more likely to be incontinent (OR=3.1-23.8) than younger animals. Some owners were found to have a negative attitude towards incontinence.

The effect of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog, buserelin, on pregnancy rates in horse and pony mares.

We conducted a series of trials over a four-year period on a total of 2,346 mares, to determine the effect of a single dose of the GnRH analog buserelin (20 to 40 microg i.m. or s.c.) on pregnancy rates when given between 8 and 12 days after service. Although there were some statistically significant improvements in pregnancy rates in individual trials, meta-analysis of the data overall showed significant improvements at all times examined, i.e. 13 to 16, 19 to 23, 28 to 31 and 38 to 42 days after service. These results indicate that treatment of mares with 20 to 40 microg buserelin between Days 8 and 12 significantly increases pregnancy rates by approximately 10 percentage points.

Study of inactivation of Lactobacillus plantarum in orange-carrot juice by means of pulsed electric fields: comparison of inactivation kinetics models.

The inactivation kinetics of Lactobacillus plantarum was studied in orange-carrot juice using high intensity pulsed electric fields. The results indicated that under the treatment conditions applied, 28.6, 32.0, and 35.8 kV/cm and treatment times ranging from 10.2 to 46.3 micros, the inactivation of L. plantarum obtained was up to 2.5 decimal reductions. Experimental and literature data were fitted to Bigelow, Hülsheger et al. and Peleg models and to Weibull frequency distribution function. Weibull was the one that best interpreted the data with accuracy factor values closer to 1.

A meta-analysis of studies of the effect of GnRH 11-14 days after insemination on pregnancy rates in cattle.

A number of studies have used GnRH between 11 and 14 days after insemination to improve pregnancy rates in cows, however published results have not been consistent. We wished to investigate whether a consolidated estimate of the response could be quantified. Therefore we conducted a meta-analysis of the available data, 19 studies from 14 published papers, on the effect of GnRH analogs on pregnancy rate when given between Days 11 and 14 after first insemination. Odds ratios (the relative probability of pregnancy between treated and control cows) were compared for each study and found to vary significantly among studies, ranging from 0 to 22%. We showed by logistic regression analysis that response to GnRH treatment varied with cow type (beef or dairy), age (cow or heifer), estrus synchronization (synchronized or natural), pregnancy diagnosis (method and time) and effect of individual study. When all these variables were included only 6 of 14 publications could be analyzed, representing 2,541 instead of 10,945 cows. In this limited subgroup of data, a significant improvement in pregnancy rate was detected among treated cattle (odds ratio = 1.33; P<0.01).

The effect of subclinical experimental Cowdria ruminantium infection on the health and reproductive performance of breeding ewes.

This study documented the effect on the productivity of Dorper-Merino cross ewes when they became infected with Cowdria ruminantium as would occur in an endemically stable state. A flock of 152 breeding ewes was randomly divided into two matched groups. One group was infected on multiple occasions with C. ruminantium; the other group remained uninfected. The ewes were bred and monitored for one breeding/lambing/weaning cycle. Hematological, reproductive, and health parameters were recorded at regular intervals. Statistically significant differences in hematological values between the two groups were infrequent and transient. No significant differences in weights, mortality rates or reproductive parameters were detected between the two groups. Subclinical C. ruminantium infection did not negatively affect health and reproductive performance of breeding ewes; endemic stability would be a suitable alternative method of controlling heartwater.

The effect of subclinical experimental Cowdria ruminantium infection in ewes on the growth and milk consumption of pre-weaning lambs.

An alternative control option for heartwater (Cowdria ruminantium infection) is the establishment and maintenance of endemic stability which would lessen the existing dependence on acaricides. In an endemically stable state, animals become infected by vaccination or natural challenge at an early age, following which the immunity so created is boosted by continuing tick challenge. In this study, growth rates, health and hematological parameters were monitored at regular intervals for lambs born to two matched groups of ewes until weaning at 4 mo of age. One group of ewes was infected multiple times with Cowdria ruminantium; the other group remained uninfected. The overall mean leucocyte count of lambs born to infected ewes was significantly lower than that of lambs born to uninfected ewes (P=0.04). However, there were few other significant differences in the other hematological data between the two groups. The mean birth weight of single lambs born to uninfected ewes (4.6 kg) was significantly higher than the mean birth weight of single lambs born to infected ewes (4.4 kg) (P=0.02). Trends in milk consumption and growth rates were similar for the two groups, with few significant differences detected. Likewise, there were no significant differences in the incidences of health problems or pre-weaning mortalities between the two groups of lambs. The results of this study indicate that there is no detectable effect on productivity of pre-weaning lambs when their dams are carriers of C. ruminantium--a situation likely to occur in an endemically stable state. Hence, maintenance of endemic stability would be a suitable control option for heartwater.