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Abstract

Objective—To test the hypothesis that inflammatory responses to endotoxemia differ between healthy horses and horses with equine metabolic syndrome (EMS).

Animals—6 healthy horses and 6 horses with EMS.

Procedures—Each horse randomly received an IV infusion of lipopolysaccharide (20 ng/kg [in 60 mL of sterile saline {0.9% NaCl} solution]) or saline solution, followed by the other treatment after a 7-day washout period. Baseline data were obtained 30 minutes before each infusion. After infusion, a physical examination was performed hourly for 9 hours and at 15 and 21 hours; a whole blood sample was collected at 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, and 240 minutes for assessment of inflammatory cytokine gene expression. Liver biopsy was performed between 240 and 360 minutes after infusion.

Results—Following lipopolysaccharide infusion in healthy horses and horses with EMS, mean rectal temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate increased, compared with baseline findings, as did whole blood gene expression of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor-α. The magnitude of blood cytokine responses did not differ between groups, but increased expression of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor-α persisted for longer periods in EMS-affected horses. Lipopolysaccharide infusion increased liver tissue gene expressions of IL-6 in healthy horses and IL-8 in both healthy and EMS-affected horses, but these gene expressions did not differ between groups.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results supported the hypothesis that EMS affects horses’ inflammatory responses to endotoxin by prolonging cytokine expression in circulating leukocytes. These findings are relevant to the association between obesity and laminitis in horses with EMS.

Full access
in American Journal of Veterinary Research
in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association

Abstract

Objective—To determine the effects of leuprolide acetate, a long-acting gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog, in ferrets with adrenocortical diseases.

Design—Case series.

Animals—20 ferrets with adrenocortical disease diagnosed on the basis of clinical signs and plasma sex hormone concentrations.

Procedure—Ferrets were treated with leuprolide (100 µg, IM, once), and plasma hormone concentrations were measured before and 3 to 6 weeks after treatment.

Results—Leuprolide treatment resulted in significant reductions in plasma estradiol, 17 α-hydroxyprogesterone, androstenedione, and dehydroepiandrosterone concentrations and eliminated or reduced clinical signs associated with adrenocortical disease. Decreases in vulvar swelling, pruritus, and undesirable sexual behaviors and aggression were evident 14 days after treatment; hair regrowth was evident by 4 weeks after treatment. The response to treatment was transitory, and clinical signs recurred in all ferrets. Mean ± SEM time to recurrence was 3.7 ± 0.4 months (range, 1.5 to 8 months).

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results suggest that leuprolide can be safely used to temporarily eliminate clinical signs and reduce sex hormone concentrations in ferrets with adrenocortical diseases. However, the safety of long-term leuprolide use in ferrets has not been investigated, and the long-term effects of leuprolide in ferrets with nodular adrenal gland hyperplasia or adrenal gland tumors are unknown. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2001;218:1272–1274)

Full access
in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association

Abstract

OBJECTIVE

To describe a novel scoring system of feline pigmented iris lesions prior to utilization of diode laser ablation of progressive pigmented iris lesions and to retrospectively evaluate short- and long-term patient outcomes following transcorneal diode laser ablation.

ANIMALS

317 client-owned cats (356 eyes) were included.

CLINICAL PRESENTATION

Records of cats undergoing diode laser ablation from January 2000 to December 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. A novel clinical grading system to describe severity of feline iris hyperpigmentation was developed. Recorded parameters included signalment, operated-upon eye, presurgical iris pigmentation score, intraocular pressure, visual status, postoperative complications, repeat laser surgery, patient status at last follow-up, time to death, and presumptive or known cause of death.

RESULTS

Complications included corneal ulceration (25/356 [7%]), glaucoma (18/356 [5%]), uveitis (4/356 [1.1%]), and corneal edema (3/356 [0.8%]). Enucleation was performed in 12 eyes due to blindness and secondary glaucoma. Repeat laser due to continued progression of pigment was performed in 18.5% of eyes. Two study patients were euthanized due to presumptive metastatic disease. Of the 250 cats for whom confirmation was available via phone call or medical records, 240 (96%) were alive at 1 year.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Diode laser ablation appears safe overall and may be effective in decreasing progression of feline iris pigmentation. Complication risks appear minimal.

Restricted access
in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association

Abstract

Objective—To develop a method for percutaneous collection of fetal fluid from cattle in the late stages of gestation and determine whether bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) can be isolated from such fluids.

Design—Case series.

Animals—169 pregnant beef cattle.

Procedure—Animals were restrained in a squeeze chute, and hair was clipped from a region of the right flank. Pregnancy was confirmed, and fetal fluids were identified by means of abdominal ultrasonography. Fetal fluid was collected with a spinal needle. Virus isolation was performed on fetal fluids, WBC lysates from 160 live calves, and tissues from 12 calves that died or were aborted. Blood samples collected from adult cattle were assayed with an immunoperoxidase monolayer assay.

Results—Fourteen animals aborted or delivered premature calves within 3 weeks after fetal fluid collection; however, it could not be determined whether this was a complication of the procedure or attributable to other factors. Results of BVDV isolation from fetal fluid samples were negative for 168 animals. However, a noncytopathic BVDV was isolated from fetal fluid obtained from a 2-year-old heifer; results of the immunoperoxidase assay of serum from this heifer were also positive, and a noncytopathic BVDV was isolated from tissue specimens from a stillborn calf produced by this heifer.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results suggest that fetal fluids can be collected percutaneously from cattle in the late stages of gestation and that virus isolation performed on fetal fluids can be used to identify fetuses infected with BVDV in utero. However, safety of the procedure could not be evaluated. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2002;220:1348–1352).

Full access
in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association

Abstract

Objective—To determine whether lipid particle coalescence develops in veterinary parenteral nutrition (PN) admixture preparations that are kept at room temperature (23°C) for > 48 hours and whether that coalescence is prevented by admixture filtration, refrigeration, or agitation.

Sample Population—15 bags of veterinary PN solutions.

Procedures—Bags of a PN admixture preparation containing a lipid emulsion were suspended and maintained under different experimental conditions (3 bags/group) for 96 hours while admixtures were dispensed to simulate IV fluid administration (rate, 16 mL/h). Bags were kept static at 4°C (refrigeration); kept at 23°C (room temperature) and continuously agitated; kept at room temperature and agitated for 5 minutes every 4 hours; kept static at room temperature and filtered during delivery; or kept static at room temperature (control conditions). Admixture samples were collected at 0, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours and examined via transmission electron microscopy to determine lipid particle diameters. At 96 hours, 2 samples were collected at a location distal to the filter from each bag in that group for bacterial culture.

Results—Distribution of lipid particle size in the control preparations and experimentally treated preparations did not differ significantly. A visible oil layer developed in continuously agitated preparations by 72 hours. Bacterial cultures of filtered samples yielded no growth.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Data indicated that the veterinary PN admixtures kept static at 23°C are suitable for use for at least 48 hours. Manipulations of PN admixtures appear unnecessary to prolong lipid particle stability, and continuous agitation may hasten lipid breakdown.

Full access
in American Journal of Veterinary Research

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To characterize and compare injuries found in dogs involved in spontaneously occurring dogfights with those of dogs used in illegal organized dogfighting.

DESIGN Retrospective case-control study.

ANIMALS 36 medium-sized dogs evaluated following spontaneous fights with a dog of the same sex and similar weight (medium dog–medium dog [MDMD] fights), 160 small dogs examined following spontaneous fights with a larger dog (big dog–little dog [BDLD] fights), and 62 dogs evaluated after being seized in connection with dogfighting law enforcement raids.

PROCEDURES Demographic characteristics and injuries were recorded from medical records. Prevalence of soft tissue injuries in predetermined body surface zones, as well as dental or skeletal injuries, was determined for dogs grouped by involvement in BDLD, MDMD, and organized dogfights. The extent of injuries in each location was scored and compared among groups by 1-factor ANOVA. Patterns of injuries commonly incurred by each group were determined by use of prevalence data.

RESULTS Mean extent of injury scores differed significantly among groups for all body surface zones except the eye and periorbital region. Mean scores for dental injuries and rib fractures also differed significantly among groups. Organized fighting dogs more commonly had multiple injuries, particularly of the thoracic limbs, dorsal and lateral aspects of the head and muzzle or oral mucosa, dorsal and lateral aspects of the neck, and ventral neck and thoracic region.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE To the authors' knowledge, this was the first study to compare injuries incurred during spontaneous and organized dogfighting. Establishing evidence-based patterns of injury will help clinicians identify dogs injured by organized dogfighting and aid in the prosecution of this crime.

Full access
in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association