Murat Dabak

Treatment of Premature Calves with Clinically Diagnosed Respiratory Distress Syndrome

BACKGROUND Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) has been reported previously in premature calves. However, there have been no published data on the effect of surfactant replacement therapy in the treatment of premature calves with RDS. HYPOTHESIS Surfactant replacement therapy added to the standard treatment for premature calves clinically diagnosed with RDS would increase the viability of the calves. ANIMALS Twenty-seven premature calves with clinically diagnosed RDS. METHODS Twenty calves were instilled intratracheally with bovine lung surfactant extract and provided with standard treatment for RDS (surfactant group). Seven calves were given only standard care for RDS without surfactant therapy and placed in the control group. Standard treatment for newborn calves with RDS includes warming, administration of intranasal oxygen, fluid replacement, administration of antibiotics, and immunoglobulin solution. Arterial blood samples were collected from the calves at 3 observation points, the first just before treatment (hour 0) and at 2 hours (hour 2) and 24 hours (hour 24) after treatment was started to determine if ventilation was adequate, improving, or deteriorating. Blood gases, pH, bicarbonate, and lactate concentrations were measured. RESULTS In the surfactant group, mean partial pressure of oxygen significantly increased at hours 2 and 24. Mean partial pressure of carbon dioxide decreased and mean arterial blood pH increased at hour 24 in the surfactant group compared with the control group (P < .05). Of the 20 calves in the surfactant group, 12 survived and 8 died. All 7 calves in the control group died. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE The results of this study suggest that surfactant replacement therapy may reduce neonatal deaths in premature calves with clinically diagnosed RDS.

Severe Thiamine Deficiency in Sheep with Acute Ruminal Lactic Acidosis

BACKGROUND Thiamine status of ruminants is adversely affected in acidic rumen conditions. However, there have been limited published case study data related to thiamine deficiency of ruminants with acute ruminal lactic acidosis (ARLA). HYPOTHESIS Thiamine deficiency would occur in sheep with ARLA. ANIMALS Thirteen Ak-Karaman (white Karaman) sheep with ARLA, aged 1 year (ARLA group) and 10 healthy Ak-Karaman sheep, aged 1 year (control group) were used. METHODS After clinical examination, rumen fluid samples of all sheep were obtained with a stomach tube and examined immediately. Blood samples were taken from a jugular vein of the sheep. Erythrocytic transketolase enzyme activity and hence thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) effect were determined according to Clausens method. RESULTS History revealed that all sheep in the ARLA group had accidentally consumed excessive amounts of cracked barley. During clinical examination of the ARLA group, disturbed general condition, engorged scleral vessels, moderate to severe dehydration, and ruminal atony were recorded in the sheep. The results of the ruminal fluid analyses of the ARLA group demonstrated characteristics of ARLA. The results of clinical and ruminal fluid examination of control group were normal. The mean TPP effect (%) in the ARLA group (109 +/- 28) was significantly higher than in the control group (22.2 +/- 3.7) (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE The present study revealed that severe thiamine deficiency occurred in sheep with ARLA. This result indicates that thiamine administration to sheep suffering from acute ruminal acidosis caused by overconsumption of readily fermentable carbohydrates could be beneficial in alleviating thiamine deficiency caused by ruminal acidosis.

Increased plasma cardiac troponin I concentration in lambs with myocarditis

BACKGROUND Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is a blood biomarker of myocardial injury. A human cTnI assay may be useful for measuring cTnI concentrations in lambs with naturally occurring myocarditis. OBJECTIVE The aims of this study were to evaluate the utility of a commercially available human chemiluminescent microparticle cTnI immunoassay for measuring plasma cTnI concentrations in lambs with naturally occurring myocarditis from infection with foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV), and to determine cTnI expression in cardiac muscle of affected lambs. METHODS Ten lambs with myocarditis and 10 clinically healthy lambs (control group) were included. Clinical signs, gross and histologic necropsy findings, and immunoreactivity for cTnI in cardiac tissue were evaluated. Plasma cTnI concentration was determined using the commercial human immunoassay system. RESULTS All lambs with myocarditis died within 1 day of clinical signs. Infection with FMDV was confirmed by PCR analysis. Gross cardiac lesions were evident and histologic examination revealed myocarditis. Immunoreactivity for cTnI was absent in cardiac myocytes that were degenerative or necrotic, but was strong in cardiac myocytes from unaffected areas of the myocardium and in all cardiac myocytes of healthy lambs. The geometric mean plasma concentrations of cTnI for lambs in the myocarditis and control groups were 146.78 μg/L (95% confidence interval [CI], 61.90-348.06) and 0.013 μg/L (95% CI, 0.010-0.017), respectively (t-value 19.27; P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS A commercial human cTnI assay may be used to detect plasma cTnI concentrations in sheep, and cTnI may be used as a blood-based biomarker of myocarditis in this species.

Serum iron as an indicator of acute inflammation in cattle

The aim of this study was to assess the value of serum iron concentration in the diagnosis of acute inflammation in cattle. The diagnostic value of this approach was compared with that of various other hematological tests, including commonly used techniques that measure the levels of various other acute-phase proteins. The study population comprised 10 cows with acute traumatic reticuloperitonitis (RPT group) and 10 cows with acute mastitis (mastitis group) admitted to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Firat University (Elaziğ, Turkey). Ten cows from local barns, kept and fed under same conditions as the diseased animals, were used as controls. After the clinical examination, blood samples were collected for biochemical, hematological, and acute-phase protein (haptoglobin, serum amyloid A, α-1 acid glycoprotein, and fibrinogen) analyses. The mean levels of serum iron in the RPT, mastitis, and control groups were 6.00, 7.82, and 26.78 µmol/L, respectively. Serum iron level was significantly reduced in the RPT and mastitis groups. The results of this study indicate that serum iron analysis, preferably in combination with other markers of inflammation, may be a useful diagnostic tool for acute inflammation in cattle. Because serum iron measurement is individually available and easily applicable, it may be used for clinical cases as well as the determination of herd health.

Decreased pituitary hormone levels in a sheep with pituitary abscess

A four-year-old Akkaraman ewe was presented to the Firat University Veterinary Teaching Hospital for circling, dullness, weakness and sternal recumbency. On physical examination, opisthotonus, mydriasis in the right eye and myosis in the left eye, absence of the pupillary reflex, ruminal tympany were detected. Serum pituitary hormone analyses indicated the hypopituitarism characterized by thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) < 0.05 IU/L, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) < 0.13 IU/L, luteinizing hormone (LH) < 0.10 IU/L and prolactin (PRL) < 0.50 ng/ml. On the basis of clinical presentation and hypopituitarism, tentative diagnosis of pituitary abscess was made. The animal was euthanized due to the poor prognosis. Morphological examination revealed coexistence of hypophyseal-carotid rete abscess and hyaline thrombosis in carotid rete, heteropic ossification in carotid rete and tuberal muscles. Microbiologically; Arcanobacterium pyogenes was isolated in blood agar culture from the hypophysis. Decreased serum pituitary hormone levels including TSH, FSH, LH and PRL in conjunction with the clinical findings were a useful diagnostic tool for antemortem diagnosis of pituitary abscess in the sheep.