C. Van Den Hende

The influence of the administration of sow's milk on the post-weaning excretion of hemolytic E. coli in the pig.

The postweaning excretion rate of hemolyticE. coli was determined in piglets from herds affected with edema disease and on control farms. No distinct difference in rate of excretion was observed. A split litter trial was set up to evaluate the importance of sows milk in the postweaning rise of fecal hemolyticE. coli. 525 ml of sows milk a day, mixed with the feed, completely inhibited that postweaning rise, even after oral challenge with a pathogenic strain.

The influence of clenbuterol on prostaglandin F2α-induced dyspnoea in calves

Pulmonary function tests were performed in six healthy calves. Prostaglandin F2α causes severe narrowing of both upper and lower airways (total lung resistance increased, dynamic compliance decreased). Clenbuterol administered intravenously fifteen minutes prior to prostaglandin F2α aerosol, and in increasing doses (0, 0.4, 0.8, 1.2 μg/kg), on days 1, 2, 4 and 6 of the experiment, effectively but not entirely suppressed these responses.These data indicate that β-adrenergic receptors are present in the bovine airways and that the use of clenbuterol (0.8 μg/kg) may be effective in treating clinical respiratory disease such as bronchopneumonia in calves.

The effect of clenbuterol on lung function parameters in calves suffering from bronchopneumonia

Pulmonary function testing was performed in calves affected with bronchopneumonia. In these calves respiratory rate, viscous work per litre air and per minute, intrapleural pressure difference, mean inspiratory and expiratory flow rate and ventilation per minute were significantly increased. Total resistance of the lung was just not significantly increased. Dynamic compliance and tidal volume were significantly reduced.The main effect of clenbuterol was a significant increase in dynamic compliance. The reduction in the total resistance of the lung was just not significant. These results indicate that clenbuterol can antagonise, at least partly, the alterations caused by bronchopneumonia.

Influence of halothane anaesthesia, after xylazine premedication, on serum calcium concentration in the horse

In 20 horses breathing spontaneously, xylazine premedication followed by 1.5 h of halothane anaesthesia caused a significant decrease of the total serum calcium concentration. The ionized and complexed calcium fraction showed a non-significant increase. A significant decrease in total serum calcium also occurred in another group of ten horses during halothane anaesthesia with automatic artificial ventilation. The ionized and complexed calcium fraction remained at a constant level in these animals. A possible explanation for, and several consequences of, this calcium decrease are discussed. Determination of the serum calcium concentration might be indicated in some horses during halothane anaesthesia.