Suwanakiet Sawangkoon

Glucose metabolism in vivo in crossbred Holstein cattle feeding on different types of roughage during late pregnancy and early lactation

An experiment was carried out to study the glucose kinetics of crossbred Holstein cattle feeding on either hay or 5% urea treated rice straw during late pregnancy (21 days prepartum) and early lactation (30 days postpartum). In all 16 pregnant heifers (23-25 months of age) were selected for the experiments, including eight animals of two breed types, Holstein Friesian x Red Sindhi (50:50 = 50% HF) and Holstein Friesian x Red Sindhi (87.5:12.5 = 87.5% HF). They were divided into four groups of four animals each. Animals from the same breed type in each group were fed with either rice straw treated with 5% urea or pangola hay (Digitaria decumbens) as the source of roughage throughout the experiments. The glucose turnover rate in both types of crossbred Holstein cattle was determined using a continuous infusion of [U-14C] and 3-[3H]glucose during late pregnancy and early lactation. Total glucose entry and utilization rates increased significantly during lactation for all groups. Recycling of [C]glucose was, approximately 20% in both crossbred cattle fed either hay or urea treated rice straw and was unaffected by the stage of late pregnancy or early lactation. Comparing 50 and 87.5% HF animals, arterial plasma glucose concentrations were slightly higher during pregnant periods but significantly higher in lactating periods in 50% HF animals. The ratio of specific radioactivity of arterial blood bicarbonate relative to that of arterial blood [14C]glucose in the lactating period, significantly decreased in 50% HF animals fed either urea treated rice straw or hay. An increase in udder blood flow during early lactation was significantly higher in 87.5% HF animals than in 50% HF animals. The uptake, arteriovenous differences and extraction ratio for glucose across the udder, significantly increased in the lactating period for all crossbred animals. Glucose uptake by the udder of 87.5% HF animals accounted for 65% of the total glucose turnover rate compared to a value of 46% in the lactating 50% HF animals. It can be concluded that both crossbred cattle fed either urea treated rice straw or hay exhibit the same body glucose turnover rate. The 87.5% HF animal has the genetic potential for a high milk yield and has high body and udder glucose metabolisms compared with 50% HF animals.

ALTERATIONS IN POTASSIUM HOMEOSTASIS DURING HEAT STRESS IN SWAMP BUFFALOES(BUBALUS BUBALIS)

Abstract 1. 1. Alterations in potassium homeostasis were studied in swamp buffaloes which were exposed to the sun for 5 h in acute heat exposure and exposed to the sun for 8 h each day for 10 days. 2. 2. Plasma volume, blood volume and blood pH increased significantly while packed cell volume (PCV) decreased at 5 h of acute heat exposure to the sun. 3. 3. Plasma glucose concentrations significantly increased along with an increased plasma insulin level after either acute heat exposure or short-term heat exposure at day 5 and day 10. 4. 4. The activity of red blood cell Na + , K + -ATPase increased significantly at 5 h of heat exposure while, at day 5 and day 10 of heat exposure, showing a tendency to increase but not significantly. 5. 5. Na-K pump numbers of red blood cells from the maximal ouabain binding capacity slightly increased at 5 h of heat exposure but significantly decreased at day 5 and remained at a low level in day 10 of the non-shaded period. 6. 6. The concentration of plasma potassium decreased during heat exposure while the concentration of potassium in red blood cells significantly increased. The concentration of chloride ions in red blood cells significantly decreased, along with a decrease of sodium in the red blood cells during heat exposure. 7. 7. It can be concluded that an acute heat exposure to the sun would affect primarily the internal balance of potassium homeostasis in buffalo, involving the distribution of potassium between extracellular and intracellular compartments, while prolonged heat exposure would affect both internal and external balance which involves primarily the potassium renal excretion.

Acute effects of intravenous dronedarone on electrocardiograms, hemodynamics and cardiac functions in anesthetized dogs

Dronedarone is a class III antiarrhythmic that has been used for management of atrial fibrillation in humans, but limited information was found in dogs. The objective of this study was to determine the acute effects of escalating concentrations of dronedarone on electrocardiograms (ECG), hemodynamics and cardiac mechanics in healthy dogs. A total of 7 beagle dogs were anesthetized with isoflurane and instrumented to obtain lead II ECG, pressures at ascending aorta, right atrium, pulmonary artery and left ventricle, and left ventricular pressure-volume relationship. Five dogs were given vehicle and followed by escalating doses of dronedarone (0.5, 1.0 and 2.5 mg/kg, 15 min for each dose), and two dogs were used as a vehicle-treated control. All parameters were measured at 15 min after the end of each dose. The results showed that all parameters in vehicle-treated dogs were unaltered. Dronedarone at 2.5 mg/kg significantly lengthened PQ interval (P<0.01), reduced cardiac output (P<0.01) and increased systemic vascular resistance (P<0.01). Dronedarone produced negative inotropy assessed by significantly lowered end-systolic pressure-volume relationship, preload recruitable stroke work, contractility index and dP/dtmax. It also impaired diastolic function by significantly increased end-diastolic pressure-volume relationship, tau and dP/dtmin. These results suggested that acute effects of dronedarone produced negative dromotropy, inotropy and lusitropy in anesthetized dogs. Care should be taken when given dronedarone to dogs, especially when the patients have impaired cardiac function.

Short-term effects of oral dronedarone administration on cardiac function, blood pressure and electrocardiogram in conscious telemetry dogs

Dronedarone is a multichannel blocking antiarrhythmic drug that has been used for management of atrial fibrillation in humans, but the data in veterinary medicine are inadequate. The objective of this study was to determine the short-term effects of oral dronedarone on cardiac inotropy and lusitropy, blood pressure and electrocardiogram (ECG) in healthy dogs. A total of 6 beagle dogs were instrumented with telemetry units and sono-micrometry crystals to obtain left ventricular pressure-volume relationship, mean blood pressure (MBP) and ECG. Dogs were given orally dronedarone (20 mg/kg, twice per day) for 7 days. All parameters were obtained hourly at 4–8 hr after the first dose and at 12-, 96- (day 4) and 168-hr (day 7) after dosing. The results showed that dronedarone had no effect on inotropy and lusitropy, while it significantly lengthened PQ interval (P<0.001) and lowered MBP (P<0.05). Dronedarone also tended to reduce cardiac output (P=0.237) and heart rate (P=0.057). These results suggested that short-term effects of oral dronedarone administration at a dose of 20 mg/kg, twice per day, produced negative dromotropy with minimal effect on cardiac function in conscious dogs.

Sildenafil improves heart rate variability in dogs with asymptomatic myxomatous mitral valve degeneration

Myxomatous mitral valve degeneration (MMVD) causes an imbalance of sympathovagal activity resulted in poor cardiac outcomes. Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors have been revealed cardioprotective effect in patients with heart diseases. This study aimed to 1) compare the heart rate variability (HRV) between asymptomatic MMVD and healthy dogs and 2) assess long-term effects of sildenafil and enalapril on time- and frequency-domains analyzes. Thirty-four dogs with MMVD stage B1 or B2 and thirteen healthy dogs were recruited into the study. MMVD dogs were divided into 3 subgroups: control (n=13), sildenafil (n=12) and enalapril (n=9). HRV was analyzed from 1-hr Holter recording at baseline (D0) in all dogs and at 30, 90 and 180 days after treatment. The results showed that MMVD dogs had significant higher heart rate (HR), systemic blood pressures, the ratio of low to high frequency (LF/HF) and had significant decreased standard deviation of all normal to normal RR intervals (SDNN) and the percentage of the number of normal-to-normal sinus RR intervals with differences >50 msec computed over the entire recording (pNN50) when compared with healthy dogs (P<0.05). Neither time nor frequency domain parameters were different among subgroups of MMVD dogs at D0. After treatment with sildenafil for 90 days, both time- and frequency-domain parameters were significantly increased when compared with control and enalapril groups. This study demonstrated that sildenafil improves HRV in asymptomatic MMVD dogs suggesting that sildenafil should be used in the MMVD dogs to restore the sympathovagal balance.

Dronedarone attenuates the duration of atrial fibrillation in a dog model of sustained atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a supraventricular arrhythmia that leads to a decrease in cardiac output and impairs cardiac function and quality of life. Dronedarone has an atrial-selective property and has been used for management of AF in humans, but limited information is available in dogs. This study was designed to evaluate efficacy of dronedarone in attenuating the duration of AF in dog model of sustained AF. Six beagle dogs were anesthetized with isoflurane and instrumented to measure atrial action potential duration (aAPD) and atrial effective refractory period (AERP). Then AF was induced by rapid right atrial pacing (20 V, 40 Hz) simultaneously with infusion of phenylephrine (2 µg/kg/min, intravenously) for 20 min. The duration of sustained AF was recorded, and the animals were allowed to recover. Dronedarone was given at a dose of 20 mg/kg, BID, orally for 7 days. On the last day, the dogs were anesthetized again to record aAPD and AERP, and AF was induced with the same procedure as described above. The results showed that after dronedarone administration the aAPD was lengthened significantly from 76.4 ± 4.2 ms to 91.2 ± 3.9 ms (P<0.05) and AERP was prolonged significantly from 97.5 ± 2.8 ms to 120 ± 4.8 ms (P<0.05). The duration of sustained AF was also significantly attenuated after receipt of dronedarone (P<0.05). It can be suggested that oral dronedarone attenuates the duration of sustained AF in a dog model of AF by extending the AERP more than the aAPD, causing post-repolarization refractoriness. Hence, dronedarone may be useful for management of AF in dogs.

Increased myocardial energy reservation by creatine supplementation and estrogen replacement in exercise-trained ovariectomized hamsters

Background: Menopause in elder women may induce various dysfunctions in the cardiovascular system. Previous studies show that creatine (Cr) supplementation, estrogen (E₂) replacement, or exercise training are effective for cardiac performance. Objective: To examine the combined effect of Cr and/or E₂ with exercise training on myocardial energy reservation, using ovariectomized female hamsters. Materials and methods: Female Golden Syrian hamsters were used for this study. A hundred ovariectomized hamsters were divided into no-exercise and exercise-trained groups, in which each group was separated into control (n=10), Cr depletion (Cr-; n=10), Cr supplementation (Cr+; n=10), E₂ replacement (E₂; n=10) and Cr supplementation combined with E₂ replacement (Cr+E₂; n=10). In the exercise-trained group, wheel-running exercise (10 min. a day, 5 days a week) was imposed for 9 weeks, and the exercise metabolic rate (EMR) was measured. After the animals were sacrificed, the right ventricles were cut and weighed, which were rapidly frozen in liquid nitrogen for storage at -70°C. The contents of Cr, phosphocreatine (PCr), total Cr (TCr) and creatine kinase (CK) activities were measured, using the spectrophotometric method. Creatine transporter protein (CrT) was measured by Western blotting. Results: Cr+ or E₂ combined with exercise training yielded greater accumulation of all myocardial metabolic phosphate contents, CK activity and CrT protein than Cr+ or E₂ alone. All parameters regulating myocardial Cr metabolism improved greatly in Cr+ plus E₂ combined with exercise training. Conclusion: Creatine supplementation and estrogen replacement, when combined with exercise training, become more effective for myocardial energy reservation via in estrogen-deficient hamsters.