Percutaneous aspiration-injection-reaspiration (PAIR) for the treatment of abdominal cysts: Initial report in sheep and goat.

Percutaneous aspiration-injection-reaspiration (PAIR), also called sclerotherapy, is a minimally invasive, inexpensive and safe technique for the treatment of abdominal cysts in humans. A study was planned to evaluate the feasibility of this procedure in the management of abdominal cysts in sheep and goat. Adult ewes (n = 5) and one doe (n = 1) found to have abdominal cysts (one cyst/animal) on repeated survey ultrasonography (USG) were included in the study. The animals were restrained in standing position. A hypodermic needle (G-18) securely attached to a 10-mL Dispovan syringe was carefully passed under ultrasound guidance into the abdominal cyst in all these animals. Depending on the size of the cyst, 1.0-5.5 mL fluid was aspirated, and 0.5-2.0 mL of 20% hypertonic saline solution infused. The needle was thereafter kept in situ for 10 min. The maximum possible volume of the cyst content was reaspirated and the needle withdrawn. On day 7, sclerotherapy was repeated in five animals showing no appreciable reduction in cyst size by USG. USG was repeated on days 30 and 90. All the cysts except one responded to PAIR during this period. From this study it can be concluded that sclerotherapy using hypertonic saline (20%) is a minimally invasive, inexpensive, effective and safe interventional ultrasonographic technique for the treatment of abdominal cysts in sheep and goats. However, the procedure needs further evaluation after using different sclerotic agents of varying concentrations and duration of their retention in the cysts in a sufficient number of animals with cysts.

Animal mesenchymal stem cell research in cartilage regenerative medicine - a review.

Healing of articular cartilage is a major clinical challenge as it also lacks a direct vasculature and nerves, and carries a limited number of resident chondrocytes that do not proliferate easily. Damaged articular cartilages are usually replaced by fibrocartilages, which are mechanically and structurally weaker and less resilient. Regenerative medicine involving stem cells is considered to have a definitive potential to overcome the limitations associated with the currently available surgical methods of cartilage repair. Among various stem cell types, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are preferred for clinical applications. These cells can be readily derived from various sources and have the ability to trans-differentiate into various tissue-specific cells, including those of the cartilage by the process of chondrogenesis. Compared to embryonic or induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), no ethical or teratogenic issues are associated with MSCs. These stem cells are being extensively evaluated for the treatment of joint affections and the results appear promising. Unlike human medicine, in veterinary medicine, the literature on stem cell research for cartilage regeneration is limited. This review, therefore, aims to comprehensively discuss the available literature and pinpoint the achievements and limitations associated with the use of MSCs for articular cartilage repair in animal species.

Retraction : Live birth of a Pashmina goat kid after transfer of handmade cloned embryos.

This article released online on March 5, 2019 as advance publication was withdrawn from consideration for publication in Journal of Reproduction and Development at author's request.

Comparative evaluation of different therapeutic protocols for contagious caprine pleuropneumonia in Himalayan Pashmina goats.

Therapeutic management of contagious caprine pleuroneumonia (CCPP) involves mostly the use of oxytetracycline followed by enrofloxacin and rarely tylosin. In many parts of the world including India, the former antibiotics are commonly available than the latter. Therefore, prolonged use of the same leads to the development of antibiotic resistance and decreased efficacy of drug. Besides, inflammatory and allergic pathogenesis of CCPP envisages combination therapy. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of the combination therapy using different antibiotics (oxytetracycyline @ 10: group I, enrofloxacin @ 5 group II, and tylosin: group III, @ 10 mg/kg body weight), along with anti-inflammatory (meloxicam @ 0.5 mg/kg) and anti-allergic (pheneramine maleate @ 1.0 mg/kg) drugs. These drugs were given intramuscularly at the interval of 48 h for four times in three test groups (n = 10) of Pashmina goats, viz. groups I, II, and III, respectively, affected with CCPP. Group IV (n = 10) was kept as healthy control when group V (n = 10) treated with oxytetracycline @ 10 mg/kg alone was used as positive control. Clinical signs, clinical parameters, pro-inflammatory cytokine (tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)), and oxidative stress indices (total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS)) were evaluated at hours 0, 48, 96, and 144 of experimental trial. Tylosin-based combination therapy resulted in a rapid and favorable recovery resulting in restoration of normal body temperature (102.46 ± 0.31 °F), respiration rate (16.30 ± 0.79 per minute), and heart rate (89.50 ± 2.63 per minute) compared to the oxytetracycline (102.95 ± 0.13, 21.30 ± 1.12, 86.00 ± 2.33, respectively) and enrofloxacin (102.97 ± 0.19, 21.00 ± 1.25, 90.00 ± 2.58, respectively) treated groups. By hour 144, all the groups showed restoration of clinical parameters of normal health and diminishing signs of CCPP, viz. fever, dyspnea, coughing, nasal discharge, weakness, and pleurodynia. Significant (P ≤ 0.05) decrease in levels of TNF-α and non-significant (P > 0.05) decrease in levels of TOS and an increase in levels of TAS were noted from hour 0 to 144 in all the test groups. Within the groups, no significant (P > 0.05) change was noted in TNF-α, TOS, and TAS levels; however, TNF-α levels were comparatively lower in group III. Hematological parameters did not differ significantly (P > 0.05). From these findings, it can be inferred that tylosin-based combination therapy is relatively better for early, rapid, and safe recovery besides minimizing inflammatory and oxidative cascade in CCPP affected Pashmina goats compared to oxytetracycline- and enrofloxacin-based therapies.

Live birth of a Pashmina goat kid after transfer of handmade cloned embryos.

The present study aimed to establish a zona free (handmade cloning) embryo production system for Pashmina goat embryos. Abattoir derived oocytes were matured in vitro; after maturation, oocytes were enucleated and fused with somatic cells derived from an adult Pashmina goat tissue. The reconstructs were activated using a calcium ionophore-DMAP procedure. The embryos were distributed into two experimental groups. In Experiment 1, the embryos were cultured in one of the following four culture media (i) G1.G2 media (ii) Modified synthetic oviduct fluid (mSOF) (iii) Research vitro cleave media (RVCL) and (iv) Embryo development media (EDM), and were cultured for 7 days. The cleavage rates in G1.G2, RVCL, and mSOF were higher than those in EDM (86.8, 82.4, 77.3, and 68.8%, respectively). Blastocyst rates were higher in RVCL than those in mSOF, EDM, and G1.G2 (15.0, 10.5, 4.9, and 2.2%, respectively). In experiment 2, the embryos were cultured in five different culture systems: (i) Flat surface (FS), (ii) Well in drop (WID), (iii) Well of well (WOW), (iv) Micro drop, and (v) Hanging drop, for 7 days. The cleavage rates in FS and WID were higher than those in WOW, Micro drop, and Hanging drop (84.3, 81.2, 73.6, 73.5, and 70.3%, respectively). The blastocyst rates were higher in WID than those in WOW, Micro drop, Hanging drop, and FS systems (21.6, 13.7, 11.5, 10.9, and 3.9%, respectively). The embryos produced in experiment 2 were transferred to synchronized recipients. Of the three pregnancies established on day 40, one resulted in the delivery of a healthy Pashmina kid.

Comparison of Two Doses of Ropivacaine Hydrochloride for Lumbosacral Epidural Anaesthesia in Goats Undergoing Laparoscopy Assisted Embryo Transfer.

Goats (n = 12) undergoing laparoscopy assisted embryo transfer were randomly allotted to two groups (I and II) and injected same volume of ropivacaine hydrochloride at 1.0 mg/kg and 0.5 mg/kg body weight, respectively, at the lumbosacral epidural space. The hind quarters of all the animals were lifted up for the first 3.0 minutes following injection. Immediately after induction the animals were restrained in dorsal recumbency in Trendelenburg position in a cradle. Laparoscopy was performed after achieving pneumoperitoneum using filtered room air. Regional analgesia and changes in physiological parameters were recorded. The mean induction time in animals of group I (n = 6) was 12.666 ± 1.994 minutes. In these animals the analgesia extended up to the umbilical region and lasted for 60 minutes. Only two animals in group II were satisfactorily induced in 11.333 ± 2.333 minutes. In animals of group I, the time taken for regaining the full motor power was significantly long (405 ± 46.314 min) when compared to group II goats (95 ± 9.219 min). From this study it was concluded that ropivacaine did not produce adequate analgesia in most of the goats at 0.5 mg/kg. When used at 1.0 mg/kg, it produced satisfactory regional analgesia lasting for one hour but the prolonged motor loss precludes its use. Additional studies using ropivacaine hydrochloride at doses in between the two extremes used here may be undertaken before recommending it for lumbosacral anaesthesia in goats undergoing laparoscopy.

A typical case of hydrallantois accompanied by fetal monstrosity in a local ewe of Kashmir.

A full termed local ewe with the history of continuous straining with labored breathing for last 24 hours was presented. The animal was disinclined to move with tense and round abdomen which developed rapidly during last two weeks. Caesarean section revealed hydrallantois accompanied by multiple fetal congenital abnormalities. The ewe was under observation for four weeks. Metritis developed 12 days post-operation and was treated successfully. The ewe was found active on 25 days post-surgery with gain of extra 3 kg bodyweight.