The use of non-immune plasma powder in the prophylaxis of neonatal Escherichia coli diarrhoea in calves.

The protective use of plasma powder from cattle and swine against experimentally induced neonatal E. coli diarrhoea in colostrum-deprived calves was examined. Diarrhoea was induced with a strain expressing F5+ fimbriae and a strain expressing F17+ fimbriae. In all groups supplemented with bovine plasma powder, diarrhoea and fever were less severe than in the control groups. For the groups infected with the F5+ E. coli strain, a reduction in excretion of the challenge strain by 2-4 orders of magnitude and by 1-2 orders of magnitude was seen when supplemented with bovine plasma powder at a dose of 25 g/l milk and 10 g/l milk, respectively. The bovine plasma powder showed also beneficial effects in the F17+ infected groups. No mortality, no septicaemia and no severe clinical signs were observed. Concerning the excretion of the E. coli F17+ strain in the faeces, no significant difference with the control group was found. Swine plasma powder showed little beneficial effect on E. coli diarrhoea in calves in this study.

Protection of just weaned pigs against infection with F18+ Escherichia coli by non-immune plasma powder.

The anti-colonization effect of porcine plasma powder against experimentally induced postweaning diarrhoea and oedema disease in just weaned piglets was examined. Piglets were infected with an Escherichia coli strain expressing F18ac fimbriae and producing SLTIIv- and LT-toxins. Reduced fecal excretion of the challenge strain and protection against clinical symptoms was obtained by daily supplementation of the feed with either 90 or 45 g of plasma powder. However, the piglets receiving 90 g of plasma powder a day showed diarrhoea and reduced weight gain compared to the piglets receiving 45 g of plasma powder a day. The diarrhoea was attributed to biogenic amines released from excessive protein in the diet.

Use of right ventricular pressure increase rate to evaluate cardiac contractility in horses.

OBJECTIVE: To establish reference values for right ventricular maximal rate of increase in pressure (dP/dt(max)) in horses and determine the usefulness of this variable to evaluate cardiac contractility. ANIMALS: 15 crossbred horses, 3 to 20 years old. PROCEDURE: Cardiac catheterization was performed, using a high-fidelity catheter tip micromanometer, to determine right ventricular dP/dt(max). The following mathematic corrections were made: for preload, (dP/dt(max))/instantaneous total pressure, (dP/dt(max))/instantaneous developed pressure, and (dP/dt(max))/end diastolic pressure; for afterload, (dP/dtCPIP)/common peak isovolumic pressure. Wedge pressure was measured simultaneously, using a Swan-Ganz catheter. A negative inotropic drug, detomidine hydrochloride, was administered to 6 horses to examine the effect of the negative inotropic drug on right ventricular dP/dt(max) and derived variables. RESULTS: The mean right ventricular dP/dt(max) was 477 (+/- 84.1) mm Hg/s in 15 horses. A 40% decrease in dP/dt(max) was found for 30 minutes after detomidine administration. Variables that correct for preload and afterload were influenced similarly. Detomidine administration also caused a 24% increase in mean wedge pressure, probably indicating reduced left-sided cardiac contractility. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Right ventricular dP/dt(max) may be a useful clinical variable for determining acute changes in cardiac contractility in horses.

Intracardiac overdrive pacing as a treatment of atrial flutter in a horse.

A five-year-old warmblood mare with atrial fibrillation was treated with quinidine sulphate. The atrial rhythm changed to atrial flutter and, because there were toxic effects, the treatment was discontinued. Seven months after the occurrence of the atrial flutter, treatment with a rapid atrial pacing technique restored a normal sinus rhythm. One year after the pacing therapy the horse was still in sinus rhythm and had been brought back into training.

Efficacy of the combination sodium ceftiofur-flumethasone in the treatment of experimental Pasteurella haemolytica bronchopneumonia in calves.

Severe acute bronchopneumonia was induced in 18 conventional Friesian-Holstein calves by inoculating them intratracheally with Pasteurella haemolytica type A1. Six of the calves received no treatment and served as controls. Six of the calves were treated with sodium ceftiofur and six were treated with sodium ceftiofur and flumethasone. The mortality rate in the group of calves treated with sodium ceftiofur and flumethasone was significantly lower and their clinical and haematological parameters returned to normal significantly faster than in the control calves and the calves treated with sodium ceftiofur alone.

Effect of inhaled nitric oxide on the hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstrictor response in anaesthetised calves.

The effect of inhaling nitric oxide in the hypoxic pulmonary vascular response was measured in five calves anaesthetised with a combination of guaiacol, ketamine and xylazine. Alveolar hypoxia was induced by means of the inhalation of a gas mixture with an inspiratory oxygen fraction of 14-18 per cent. This alveolar hypoxia resulted in a pronounced pulmonary hypertension (mean pulmonary artery pressure in hypoxic animals: 30.2 mmHg). Inhalation of 20 and 40 ppm of nitric oxide significantly attenuated the hypoxia induced pulmonary hypertension. The effect ceased once nitric oxide administration was stopped. A concentration of 40 ppm of nitric oxide fully abolished the hypoxia induced pulmonary hypertension (mean pulmonary artery pressure during inhalation of 40 ppm nitric oxide: 22.8 mmHg). Inhalation of nitric oxide had no effect on systemic arterial blood pressure nor on systemic vascular resistance. It was concluded that inhalation of 20 or 40 ppm of nitric oxide prevented a selective pulmonary vasoconstriction during alveolar hypoxia in calves, which may be helpful in the treatment of acute respiratory disorders in calves.

Effect of the inhalation of nitric oxide on 5-hydroxytryptamine-induced pulmonary hypertension in calves.

In healthy anaesthetized Friesian-Holstein calves, pulmonary hypertension was induced by means of a continuous intravenous administration of serotonin (0.025 mg/kg body/weight/min). Afterwards, the anaesthetized calves inhaled 40 and 80 ppm of nitric oxide using an open system. The influences of the administration of serotonin and the inhalation of nitric oxide on the haemodynamic and blood gas parameters were investigated. The inhalation of 40 and 80 ppm of nitric oxide during serotonin-induced pulmonary hypertension in calves resulted in a significant fall of the mean pulmonary artery pressure. The inhalation of nitric oxide also induced an amelioration of intrapulmonary oxygen transport. The intravenous administration of serotonin in calves resulted in severe systemic hypotension. Hence, the influence of the inhalation of nitric oxide on the systemic arterial pressure could not be evaluated.

Evaluation of the nebulisation of sodium ceftiofur in the treatment of experimental Pasteurella haemolytica bronchopneumonia in calves.

Severe acute bronchopneumonia was induced in 24 conventional Friesian Holstein calves by inoculating them intratracheally with Pasteurella haemolytica type A1. Twelve of the calves were treated intramuscularly with sodium ceftiofur and 12 were treated with an aerosol of sodium ceftiofur. The mortality rate in the group of calves treated with the aerosol was significantly lower, and their clinical and haematological parameters returned to normal significantly faster than in the calves treated intramuscularly.

Larval cyathostomiasis as a cause of death in two regularly dewormed horses.

Two horses were presented with complaints of chronic weight loss and subcutaneous oedema, one of them presenting diarrhoea. Both animals were grazed with other unaffected horses, all of them being regularly dewormed. Blood chemistry revealed hypoalbuminaemia and a low albumin-globulin ratio. Faecal egg counts were negative and no cyathostome larvae could be found in the faeces. Neither of these horses could be saved, despite intensive treatment. Postmortem examination revealed severe typhlitis and colitis due to numerous inhibited cyathostome larvae.

A Case of Bovine Linear Keratosis.

Résumé- Cet article décrit un cas de nevus épidermique linéaire unilatéral chez un veau de six mois. Histologiquement, les lésions consistaient en une alternance de zones d'hiper et de parakératose avec une inflammation dermique distincte. Le diagnostic de nevus linéaire inflammatoire a été posé sur la base des lésions macro et microscopiques. [Deprez, P., De Coole, H., Sustronk, B., Muille, E., Ducatelle, R. A case of bovine linear keratosis (A propos d'un cas de kératose linéaire chez un bovin). Resumen- En este artículo se describe un caso de nevos epidérmicos lineares unilaterales en un bo vino de seis meses de edad. Las lesiones histológicas consistian zonas donde se alternaba hiper i paraqueratosis, mientras que la dermis presentaba una marcada inflamación. Se diagnosticó un nevo epidérmico verrucoso linear e inflamatorio a partir de las lesiones clinicas e histopatológicas [A case of bovine linear keratosis (Un caso de queratosis linear bovina). Abstract- This report describes a case of unilateral linear epidermal nevi in a 6-month-old bovine. Histologicalli, the lesions consisted of alternating areas of hiper- and parakeratosis with a distinct dermal inflammation. A diagnosis of inflammatori linear verrucous epidermal nevus was made based on the clinical and histopathological lesions.

Evaluation of the effect of 3 probiotics on experimental Escherichia coli enterotoxaemia in weaned piglets.

In this report the efficacy of 3 different probiotics (Bacillus cereus "toyoi", Lactobacillus spp. and Streptococcus faecium) was investigated. They were supplemented in the food of recently weaned piglets that were orally infected with E. coli O141 K85ab. Supplementation could not prevent mortality and clinical symptoms nor reduce the faecal excretion of hemolytic E. coli. The possible explanations for the unsatisfying results are various.

Efficacy of tilmicosin in treatment of pulmonary infections in calves.

The efficacy of tilmicosin in the treatment of respiratory infections in calves was evaluated. According to a randomised block design, 58 calves with naturally occurring respiratory infections were treated with one of the following products: a single subcutaneous injection of tilmicosin (10 mg/kg liveweight) or daily intramuscular injections of 5 mg lincomycin and 10 mg spectinomycin/kg liveweight, for a minimum of three days. Both treatment groups initially showed similar clinical signs and their initial responses to the treatments were good. However, the tilmicosin treated calves improved more rapidly. Significantly greater improvements (P less than or equal to 0.05) were observed in their demeanour and appetite during the first 10 days after treatment began, and in their respiratory condition between five and 10 days after treatment began.

Horner's syndrome in the horse: a clinical, experimental and morphological study.

A clinical case of Horner's syndrome is described in a Standardbred horse, and the various symptoms of cranial sympathetic denervation are studied in two ponies after experimental transection of the left cervical sympathetic trunk and vagosympathetic trunk, respectively. The most prominent symptoms of equine Horner's syndrome were ptosis, local sweating and increased cutaneous temperature in the denervated area. Enophthalmos, miosis and increased lacrimation were also observed but these symptoms were mild, variable and difficult to ascertain. Prolapse of the third eyelid was not noticed. Concomitant laryngeal hemiplegia was present in the clinical case and was provoked experimentally in one pony by transection of the left vagosympathetic trunk. The aetiology of each of these symptoms is discussed by comparing the results of pharmacological tests and histological findings in the three horses with the data from the literature.

Biochemical profiles in cows with abomasal displacement estimated by blood and liver parameters.

The metabolic status of normal lactating cows and of cows suffering from abomasal dilatation was evaluated by examination of blood parameters and by determination of the fat and glycogen content in liver biopsies. The method for examination of the liver biopsies is described. In clinically normal lactating cows the liver contains less than 20 mg triglycerides (TG) and more than 20 mg glycogen per gram of wet tissue. Cows suffering from abomasal displacement all showed hyperglycemia and in most of them a fatty to very fatty liver was found. The degree of hyperglycemia depends on the amount of liver glycogen and is independent of the liver TG content. The degree of ketonemia also depends on the liver glycogen content.