Yvonne Espada

Pathological lesions following an experimental intoxication with aflatoxin B1 in broiler chickens

A follow-up of chickens dosed orally over 21 days with 0.2 and 3 micrograms of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) g-1 of bodyweight daily and their subsequent recovery 10 days after withdrawal of contaminated food was conducted. Vacuolation of liver cells during the initial days of the intoxication and cellular depletion in the follicle medulla of the bursa of Fabricius were the lesions which appeared first and persisted during the recovery phase in both groups of intoxicated animals. The intensity of these lesions and their persistence was related to the dose of aflatoxin ingested. A significant reduction in the bodyweight and absolute weights of liver, bursa of Fabricius spleen and thyroid was observed in the higher dose group.

Fumonisin Mycotoxicosis in Broilers: Plasma Proteins and Coagulation Modifications

The effects of fumonisin B1 (FB1) intoxication in chickens were evaluated in three experiments. Two-day-old broiler chicks were fed a diet containing 10 mg pure FB1/kg feed for 6 days; some chicks were necropsied at this time, and others were allowed to recover for 5 wk before necropsy. In two other experiments, 2-day-old chicks were fed a broiler starter ration prepared with Fusarium moniliforme culture material containing FB1; one group received 30 mg/kg for 2 wk, and another received 300 mg FB1/kg for 8 days. Compared with controls, intoxicated chicks exhibited decreased prothrombin time, increased plasma fibrinogen (not included for the group receiving 30 mg/kg of culture material), and increased antithrombin III activity. Simultaneously decreased serum albumin concentration and increased serum globulins could be observed in groups intoxicated with F. moniliforme culture material containing FB1. The group allowed to recover for 5 wk did not exhibit modifications in hemostasis or serum proteins compared with controls. The results indicate that low doses of pure FB1 (10 mg/kg) and FB1 from F. moniliforme culture material (30 mg/kg) may alter hemostasis and serum proteins in young chicks.

Study of haemostatic disorders in experimentally induced leishmaniasis in Beagle dogs

Haemostatic alterations in dogs experimentally infected with Leishmania infantum were studied before and after therapy with meglumine antimonate. Haemostatic function tests including platelet count, collagen-induced platelet aggregation, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, thrombin time, plasma fibrinogen determination, and serum fibrinogen/fibrin degradation products concentration were performed. In the course of infection and before treatment, moderate thrombocytopenia (P<0.00001), decreased collagen induced platelet aggregation (P=0.0003), prolonged thrombin time (P=0.0117) and increased fibrinogen/fibrin degradation products were observed. Statistically significant differences of plasma fibrinogen concentration, prothrombin time, and activated partial thromboplastin time were not encountered. Haemostatic parameters returned to normal values after therapy. The results indicate that Leishmania infection may impair haemostasis suggesting induction of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), and that treating dogs in an early stage of infection may potentially avoid the possibility of developing an uncompensated DIC.

Determination of renal vascular resistance in dogs with diabetes mellitus and hyperadrenocorticism.

In dogs, diabetes mellitus and hyperadrenocorticism are causes of hypertension associated with increases in vascular peripheral resistance. In human patients, the renal resistive index (ri) and pulsatility index (pi) are related to hypertension and diabetes and are used as indicators of disease severity. In this study the renal vascular resistance was measured in 12 dogs with hyperadrenocorticism, three with diabetes mellitus and four with both conditions, and the possible relationships between the two indices, blood pressure and biochemical parameters were investigated. Hypertension, defined as a systolic blood pressure more than 150 mmHg, was recorded in two of the dogs with hyperadrenocorticism and three of the dogs with hyperadrenocorticism and diabetes. The overall mean values for RI, PI and systolic blood pressure were higher in the diseased group of dogs than in 27 healthy dogs, and both indices were correlated with blood glucose concentration.

Ultrasonographic imaging of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta)

Twenty live and five dead juvenile and subadult loggerhead sea turtles were examined ultrasonographically. Ten soft tissue areas of the integument were used as acoustic windows: cervical-dorsal and cervical-ventral, left and right cervicobrachial, left and right axillary, left and right prefemoral and left and right postfemoral windows. Anatomical cross-sections were performed on the dead turtles to provide reference data. The fourth and fifth cervical vertebrae, the spinal cord, and the venous sinuses of the external jugular vein were clearly visible through the cervical-dorsal acoustic window, and the oesophagus and the heart were imaged through the cervical-ventral acoustic window. The stomach was more frequently visible through the left axillary acoustic window. The liver could be imaged through both sides, but the right axillary acoustic window was better for visualising the gall bladder. The large and small intestines and the kidneys were visible through the right and left prefemoral acoustic windows; the kidneys were easily identified by their intense vasculature.

Assessment of renal vascular resistance and blood pressure in dogs and cats with renal disease

This study investigated the possible relationships between renal resistive index (RI) or pulsatility index (PI) and systolic blood pressure and biochemical and haematological parameters in dogs and cats with renal disease. The study included 50 dogs and 20 cats with renal disease. RI and PI were significantly higher in both dogs and cats with renal disease than in 27 healthy dogs and 10 healthy cats. In dogs, a significant negative correlation was found between RI and red blood cell count, and a positive correlation was found between PI and serum creatinine. In cats, a positive correlation was found between RI and serum urea, between PI and serum creatinine, and between PI and serum urea. No relationship could be found between either RI or PI and systolic blood pressure.

Renal Ultrasound in Dogs and Cats

Diagnostic imaging techniques for the urinary system include: radiology (excretory urography, cystography, double-contrast cystography, positive-contrast cystography, and retrograde urethrography), abdominal ultrasonography, Doppler ultrasound, CT, MRI and scintigraphy. Diseases of the urinary tract can be differentiated into those affecting the upper urinary tract (kidneys and ureters) and those affecting the lower urinary tract (bladder and urethra). Some of the diseases affecting the kidneys are produced by a disease of the lower urinary tract. In such cases the ultrasonographic study has to be as comprehensive as possible. Only few renal anomalies may give specific images in the ultrasound exam. Therefore, renal biopsy or fine needle aspiration (FNA) may be necessary to achieve a final diagnosis (Vaden, 2005). Rawlings et al. (2003) indicated that high quality renal biopsy specimens can be obtained using 14-gauge, double spring-activated biopsy needles during laparoscopy. Doppler ultrasonography is the study of the characteristics of blood flow (red blood cells) in both the systolic and diastolic phases of the circulatory cycle. There are some indices, such as the resistive index and the pulsatility index that have been applied to the assessment of renal parenchymal diseases. An increased resistive index may be suggestive of diffuse, infiltrative renal disease.

Abdominal radiographic and ultrasonographic findings in ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) with systemic coronavirus infection.

Ferret systemic coronavirus infection (FSCV) is a systemic disease in ferrets that clinically and pathologically resembles the dry form of FIP. The present study describes abdominal imaging features of 11 ferrets with FSCV. Abdominal survey radiographs were available for eight ferrets and ultrasound examination for all cases. Loss of lumbar musculature, decreased peritoneal detail, presence of mid-abdominal soft-tissue masses and splenomegaly were the most significant radiographic signs in these patients. Ultrasonographic findings including peritonitis, abdominal lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, abdominal soft-tissue masses, nephromegaly and changes in the renal cortex echogenicity were recorded in the majority of cases with FSCV. As an imaging modality, ultrasound is superior to radiology when abdominal contrast is reduced, as it frequently occurs in these cases. However, although imaging techniques provide additional information in the antemortem diagnosis, they can not replace the definitive diagnosis based on histological and immunohistochemical results.

Normal echoanatomy of the red-eared slider terrapin (Trachemys scripta elegans)

Thirty red-eared slider terrapins (Trachemys scripta elegans) were examined by ultrasound to establish the normal ultrasonographic appearance of their coelomic structures. They were not sedated, and owing to their small size they were examined through the inguinal window of the carapace. High resolution transducers (7.5 and 11 MHz) enhanced the ultrasonographic imaging of the bowel, urinary bladder, liver, gall bladder, heart, kidney and gonads, but the pancreas, adrenal glands, thyroid glands and spleen could not be visualised.

Survey of feline blood types in the Barcelona area of Spain

IN 1981, a blood group system was identified in cats consisting of three blood types (A, B and AB), with type A being by far the most common blood group (Auer and Bell 1981). The proportion of type B cats varies among feline breeds in different geographical regions, and cats with type AB are rare. The titres of anti-A isoagglutinins in virtually all type B cats older than three months are high. Approximately one third of type A cats have weak antibodies to type B cells (macroscopic agglutinins and haemolysins) (Giger and others 1989, Giger and Bucheler 1991). These naturally occurring antibodies are responsible for some undesirable transfusion reactions, including antibody-mediated destruction of transfused red cells. In addition, type A or type AB kittens born to type B queens are at risk of neonatal isoerythrolysis due to the antiA antibodies present in the mothers colostrum. The presence of naturally occurring antibodies to blood group antigens in the cat is clinically significant and may result in ineffective transfusion or severe transfusion reactions (Knottenbelt 2002). There are many reports of the prevalence of feline blood types in the UK, the USA, Germany, France, Italy, Finland, Hungary and many other countries. This short communication describes the distribution ofblood types in a population of non-pedigree cats presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain. The study also looked for the presence of isoagglutinins using a crossmatch reaction that is feasible for use in clinical practice. Blood samples in EDTA were collected from 100 nonpedigree cats (54 males and 46 females) between November 1999 and June 2000 and stored at 4°C until blood typing was performed. None of the cats had previously received a tranfusion. The samples were blood typed using commercial cards (Rapid-Vet-H [feline]; DMS Laboratories) and an autoagglutination control with saline was performed in all samples in order to detect false positive reactions. A major crossmatch reaction was performed following the technique described by Norsworthy (1992) to test for alloantibodies in the recipients plasma against donor cells. The donor erythrocyte sources were one healthy type A male cat and one healthy type B male cat. Erythrocytes were separated from the plasma by centrifugation for 10 minutes at 3000 rpm. After three washes and repeat centrifugation, the red blood cells were resuspended in saline to a concentration of 4 per cent red blood cells. One drop of recipient plasma and one drop of donor red blood cell suspension