Bilginer Tuna

Follow-up examinations after medical treatment of pyometra in cats with the progesterone-antagonist aglepristone

The aim of this study was to determine the therapeutic success of the medical treatment of pyometra with the antigestagen aglepristone and to document the recurrence rate in relation to the time interval after treatment with antigestagens in cats. Ten cats, 2–13 years of age and nulliparous were used in the study. The cats were treated with aglepristone at a dose of 10 mg/kg body weight subcutaneously on days 1, 2, 7 and 14 (if not cured). In addition, trimethoprim/sulphadoxine was also administered at a dose of 15 mg/kg body weight subcutaneously once a day for 7 days. Nine out of the 10 cats responded well to treatment. No recurrence was observed in a follow-up period of 2 years. No side effects were observed. The data suggest that aglepristone treatment is a promising approach for the medical treatment of pyometra in cats.

Using cell banks as a tool in conservation programmes of native domestic breeds: the production of the first cloned Anatolian Grey cattle

The aim of this study was to clone native Anatolian Grey cattle by using different donor cell types, such as fibroblast, cartilage and granulosa cells cryopreserved in a gene bank and oocytes aspirated from ovaries of Holstein cows as the recipient cytoplasm source. One male calf from fibroblast, three female calves from granulosa cells and one female calf from cartilage cells were born healthy and at normal birthweights. No calves were lost after birth. The results demonstrated that the cloned calves had the same microsatellite alleles at 11 loci as their nuclear donors. However, the mtDNAs of the five Anatolian Grey cloned calves had different haplotypes from their donor cells and mtDNA heteroplasmy could not be detected in any of the clones. The birth of healthy clones suggests that the haplotype difference between the cell and oocyte donor did not affect the pre- or post-implantation development of the bovine nuclear transfer derived embryos in our study. The results showed that well established nuclear transfer protocols could be useful in conserving endangered species. In conclusion, somatic cell banking can be suggested as a tool in conservation programmes of animal genetic resources.

Severe abdominal dog bite wounds in a pregnant cat

Bite wounds are one of the most common reasons for admission of cats to veterinary clinics. Appropriate wound management seems to be more important in the successful outcome of bite wound injuries than antibiotic therapy alone. This report describes a heavily pregnant cat that suffered severe abdominal bite wounds necessitating treatment with extensive surgery. A necrotic herniated kidney, abdominal wall hernias, internal peritoneal ruptures and fracture of the thirteenth rib, gravid cornu rupture, an extrauterine dead foetus and its free kidney were all observed at laparotomy. At surgery the extrauterine dead foetus was removed, and two live foetuses were retrieved by en bloc ovariohysterectomy. A right nephrectomy and partial costectomy were also performed. Two weeks postoperatively, the cat had fully recovered without a problem. Bite wounds encountered in cats, though severe and invasive, can be tolerated and extensive surgical management can result in successful outcomes even under suboptimal conditions.