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- Author or Editor: H. Erb x
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Summary
Serum bile acid concentrations were measured after food had been withheld for 12 hours (fasting serum bile acid [ fsba] concentration) and 2 hours after a meal (postprandial serum bile acid [ psba] concentration) using a direct enzymatic procedure in 108 cats clinically suspected of having hepatobiliary disease. In all cats, liver tissue was examined histologically to confirm the diagnosis. Twenty-six cats did not have histologic evidence of hepatobiliary disease and served as controls. The remaining 82 cats had hepatobiliary disease including hepatic lipidosis (n = 20), portosystemic vascular anomaly (n = 24), hepatic necrosis (n = 13), hepatic neoplasia (n =8), or cholestatic hepatic disease (n = 17). Sensitivity and specificity of measuring fsba and psba concentrations were calculated for each test alone and when results were interpreted in combination (ie, in series and in parallel), and were compared with sensitivity and specificity of routinely used serum biochemical tests, including measuring serum activities of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and γ- glutamyltransferase, and measuring serum concentrations of cholesterol, bun, and total bilirubin.
When tests were considered individually, determination of fsba and psba concentrations had higher specificity than did the other tests (using a cutoff of 15 μmol/L for fsba concentration and of 20 μmol/L for psba concentration). Determination of psba concentration had the highest sensitivity of all single tests in cats with hepatic lipidosis, portosystemic vascular anomaly, or cholestasis; determination of alanine aminotransferase activity or psba concentration had the highest sensitivity for cats with hepatic neoplasia; and determination of aspartate aminotransferase activity had the highest sensitivity for cats with hepatic necrosis. For all cats with hepatobiliary disease, determination of psba concentration had the highest sensitivity of any single test.
Combination testing using results of measuring total serum bile acid concentrations in conjunction with results of measuring serum enzyme activity or total bilirubin concentration gave the best overall test performance. Results indicate that both the fsba and psba concentration should be determined, but that if paired samples cannot be collected, the psba concentration should be preferentially measured. In a small number of cats (6/108), the fsba concentration exceeded the psba concentration.
Abstract
Objective—To evaluate the effect of carprofen on hemostatic variables in clinically normal dogs.
Animals—12 clinically normal Labrador Retrievers.
Procedure—10 dogs (6 females, 4 males) received carprofen (2.2 mg/kg of body weight, PO, q 12 h) for 5 days. Two dogs (untreated control group; 1 female, 1 male) did not receive carprofen. Hemostatic variables (platelet count, activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, fibrinogen, platelet aggregation, and bleeding time) were assessed for all dogs prior to treatment, on day 5 of treatment, and 2 and 7 days after discontinuation of the drug (days 7 and 12). Serum biochemical variables and Hct were assessed prior to treatment and on days 5 and 12.
Results—In dogs receiving carprofen, platelet aggregation was significantly decreased, and onset of aggregation was significantly delayed on days 5, 7, and 12, compared with pretreatment values. Activated partial thromboplastin time was significantly increased on days 5, 7, and 12 over pretreatment values in treated dogs, but values remained within reference ranges. Significant differences were not detected in buccal mucosal bleeding time, other serum biochemical and hemostatic variables, or Hct, compared with pretreatment values and the internal control group.
Conclusion and Clinical Relevance—Administration of carprofen for 5 days causes minor but not clinically important alterations in hemostatic and serum biochemical variables in clinically normal Labrador Retrievers. Carprofen is commonly used to treat osteoarthritis and chronic pain in dogs, but prior to this study, its effect on platelet aggregation and hemostatic variables was unknown. (Am J Vet Res 2001;62:1642–1646)
Summary
Two young Akitas were examined because of manifestation of a juvenile-onset form of polyarthritis. A search of medical records at the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine found 6 more similarly affected Akitas. The clinical manifestations were marked by cyclic febrile illness and signs of profound joint-related pain. Two dogs had concurrent aseptic meningitis. The syndrome resembles juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in human beings, although it shares features with systemic lupus erythematosus. Pedigree analysis of affected Akitas supported a heritable component to the syndrome. Treatment with immunosuppressive drugs was effective in 2 dogs that achieved complete remission, and in 2 dogs that achieved only partial remission. Classification of this syndrome is difficult and may represent an “overlap” syndrome commonly described in human beings.
Abstract
Objective
To evaluate coagulation variables in 2 groups of dogs after tromethamine administration.
Animals
13 Beagles.
Procedures
Both groups of dogs received a 30-minute IV infusion of 10 ml of 0.3M tromethamine/kg of body weight. In unsedated dogs (group 1, n = 8), prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, normalized ionized calcium concentration, platelet numbers, and platelet function were measured prior to treatment, at the end of the infusion, and 1 hour after the infusion. In xylazine-sedated dogs (group 2, n = 5), buccal mucosal bleeding time and plasma percentage of von Willebrand factor antigen were measured before and 1 hour after infusion, and fibrin degradation products concentration was measured 1 hour after infusion. Platelet function was assessed by determining platelet aggregation and by measuring ATP release from the aggregating platelets over 6 minutes, using a whole blood aggregometer, with 20, 10, and 5 μM ADP and 5 and 10 μg of collagen/ml as platelet activation agonists.
Results
There was no significant change in any of the variables measured in either group of dogs, compared with baseline values.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance
When administered to healthy dogs, tromethamine does not change the coagulation indices measured. (Am J Vet Res 1997;58:777–780)
Abstract
Objective
To evaluate buffering capacity and side effects of equivalent doses of tromethamine (THAM) and sodium bicarbonate (BIC).
Animals
18 purebred dogs.
Procedure
Acidosis was induced by having dogs breathe a hypoxic gas mixture (FIO2 = 0.10) until arterial base balance ≤ −7.5 mEq/L was reached. Dogs then received a 30-minute infusion of 5% BIC (n = 6) or 0.3M THAM (n = 8), and Fio2 increased to 0.30. Drug doses were calculated to correct base balance to zero.
Results
During hypoxia, for BIC- and THAM-treated groups, median (interquartile range [Q1, Q3]) pHa and arterial base balance decreased to 7.16 (7.07, 7.38) and 7.19 (7.11, 7.31), −14 (−16, 9) and −12 (−16, −11) mEq/L, respectively, and mixed venous lactate concentration increased to 7 (2, 15) and 6 (3, 13) mmol/L, respectively. Immediately after each infusion, acid-base and cardiopulmonary variables returned toward baseline. For respective BIC- and THAM-treated groups, pHa increased to 7.37 (7.26, 7.44) and 7.40 (7.33, 7.49) and base balance increased to 0 (−4, 7) and 0 (−4, 2) mEq/L. Lactate concentration decreased only slightly to 5 (2, 6) and 5 (2, 9) mmol/L, but continued to decrease throughout the study. The only significant (P ≤ 0.05) difference between groups was hypernatremia after BIC administration that persisted for 60 minutes. The PaCO2 in BIC-treated dogs increased immediately after infusion, compared with values during hypoxia. Standardized ionized calcium values initially decreased in both groups, but returned to baseline by 60 minutes.
Conclusion
The buffering capacity of THAM is equal to that of BIC, although THAM does not cause the transient hypernatremia or hypercapnia observed after BIC administration. Hypocalcemia may be transient after administration of either solution. Thus, THAM is an acceptable alternative to BIC for treatment of metabolic acidosis in selected anesthetized dogs. (Am J Vet Res 1997;58:771–776)
Abstract
Objective
To quantify the effect of season of parturition, parity, and various diseases on time to conception.
Design
Event-time analysis (survival analysis).
Sample Population
44,450 cows delivering calves between September 1985 and September 1986, from 6,227 Ayrshire dairy herds in 80 Finnish communities.
Procedure
Primiparous and multiparous cows were analyzed in separate Cox proportional hazards models for postpartum days 56 to 120. Occurrence of 43 diseases or disorders was recorded; codes were condensed into 25 variables offered to each model. Season of parturition was categorized into spring, summer, and fall-winter; for multiparous cows, 3 categorical variables represented parity. Models controlled for 60-day milk and milk fat production, herd milk production, and community. For all observations, parturition-to-conception interval was plotted against calendar day of parturition.
Results
For multiparous cows, parturition in the spring or summer and being of parity 2 or 3-4 (vs older) increased the chance of conceiving; 10 diseases or disorders decreased this probability. Similarly, in the model for primiparae, parturition in spring or summer increased the probability of conception, and 6 disorders decreased it. Disorders that were detrimental in both models were anestrus, ovulatory dysfunction, other infertility, late metritis, and clinical ketosis.
Conclusions
The effect of season on the parturition- to-conception interval was marked at this latitude. Parturition during late April, causing confluence of postpartum day 55 with the summer solstice, was associated with the shortest parturition-to-conception intervals. Ketosis was found to be an important factor in lengthening the parturition-to-conception interval, highlighting the effect of negative energy balance on postpartum restoration of reproductive function. (Am J Vet Res 1996; 57:640–645)
Abstract
Objective
To quantify the effect of early-lactation milk and milk fat production on time to conception.
Design
Event-time analysis (survival analysis).
Sample Population
44,450 cows delivering calves between September 1985 and September 1986, from 6,227 Ayrshire dairy herds in 80 Finnish communities.
Procedure
Primiparous and multiparous cows were analyzed in separate Cox proportional hazards models. 60-day milk and milk fat production were categorized and regressed against days from parturition to conception for the period 56 to 120 postpartum days, controlling for season of parturition, parity, herd production, occurrence of 43 diseases, and community.
Results
Multiparous cows producing above the 80th percentile for 60-day milk, but with milk fat production below the 75th percentile, were significantly more likely to conceive, compared with cows with lower production and compared with cows with similar milk production but with milk fat between the 75th and 97th percentiles. They were slightly more likely to conceive than cows with highest milk fat production, although not significantly so. Primiparous cows producing above the 80th percentile for 60-day milk with milk fat below the 75th percentile also had the highest conception probability. The highest producing primiparae had significantly lower conception probability than all others.
Conclusions
Controlling for disease occurrence, calving season, parity, herd production level, and community, there appeared to be an inverted U-shaped relation between 60-day production and conception probability.
Clinical Relevance
Primiparous cows that are high producers may not be receiving the same careful management that high-producing multiparous cows receive. (Am J Vet Res 1996; 57:634–639)
Summary
The ability of ectopic parathyroid tissue to support calcium homeostasis was evaluated by measuring serum concentrations of calcium, phosphorus, albumin, magnesium, and parathyroid hormone before and for 12 weeks after bilateral thyroparathyroidectomy in 14 cats. During the immediate postoperative period, significant decrease was observed in serum calcium, magnesium, and parathyroid hormone (pth) concentrations. Serum pth concentration remained subnormal and did not significantly increase during the 12-week observation period. Despite persistent hypoparathyroidism, serum calcium and magnesium concentrations gradually increased. Ectopic parathyroid tissue is not capable of maintaining normal serum calcium concentration immediately after thyroparathyroidectomy. Serum calcium concentration gradually normalizes after thyroparathyroidectomy, apparently by means of a pth-independent mechanism.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine effects of oral administration of Yunnan Baiyao on platelet activation, coagulation, and fibrinolysis in healthy horses.
ANIMALS 12 healthy adult horses.
PROCEDURES In a randomized blinded crossover study that included a 4-week washout period between treatments, horses were orally administered a paste containing Yunnan Baiyao (15 mg/kg) or placebo at 12-hour intervals for 3 days. Blood samples were collected before start of treatment (time 0) and at 24 and 72 hours for a CBC, measurement of fibrinogen concentration, coagulation screening tests, and a panel of assays to assess platelet activation (including ADP- and collagen-induced aggregation and closure times, flow-cytometric variables of platelet-leukocyte aggregates, platelet membrane P-selectin and phosphatidylserine expression, and microparticle release), von Willebrand factor (vWF) concentration, and cofactor activity. In addition, thrombelastography was used to evaluate fibrin formation in tissue factor–activated whole blood and plasma and to assess tissue plasminogen activator–induced plasma fibrinolysis. For each treatment, values obtained before and 72 hours after start of administration were compared by use of Wilcoxon signed rank tests.
RESULTS Yunnan Baiyao treatment had no significant effect on any hemostatic variable, compared with results for the placebo treatment.
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Administration of Yunnan Baiyao at a dosage typically used in clinical practice had no effect on in vitro measures of platelet or vWF function and no enhancement of fibrin-clot formation or stability. Any hemostatic actions of Yunnan Baiyao may require higher dosages or result from cell-surface interactions at sites of vascular and tissue injury not examined in this study.
Objective
To compare initial clinical appearances, healing mechanisms, risk factors, and outcomes of horses with fungal keratitis.
Design
Retrospective analysis.
Animals
52 horses (53 eyes) with fungal keratitis.
Procedure
Medical records and clinical photographs of eyes were reviewed. Keratomycoses were categorized on the basis of clinical appearance at initial examination and pattern of healing.
Results
Five distinct forms of mycotic keratitis were recognized. Of 53 affected eyes, 34 (64%) retained sight and had varying degrees of corneal scarring after treatment, 6 (11%) had a cosmetic appearance but were blind, and 13 (25%) were enucleated. Bacterial-like ulcers were the most frequent type and the most difficult for predicting outcome. Eyes affected by superficial fungal keratitis were likely to be chronically infected and to require debridement and extended treatment but usually healed with minimal scarring. Keratomycosis with a surrounding furrow resulted in a grave prognosis. Aspergillus organisms were isolated from 9 of 10 such eyes. Cake-frosting material was a positive prognostic sign. Fungal corneal stromal abscesses tended to be caused by yeast.
Clinical Implications
This information will aid practitioners in recognizing various forms of fungal keratitis and guide them when making therapeutic decisions and prognoses for affected horses. (J AM Med Assoc 1998;213:105-112)
