The effects of cyclosporine versus standard care in dogs with naturally occurring glomerulonephritis

Glomerulonephritis (GN) is a leading cause of chronic renal failure in dogs. However, little is known about the efficacy of available treatment options for GN in this species. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of cyclosporine (Cy) administration on the outcome of naturally occurring GN in dogs. Thirteen dogs from 4 institutions were included in the study. Randomization of dogs into placebo-versus Cy-treated groups was stratified according to initial morphological diagnosis and contributing institution. Seven and 6 dogs were assigned to be given placebo or Cy, respectively. The initial Cy dose of 10 mg/kg every 24 hours was adjusted to maintain 24-hour trough, whole blood Cy concentrations between 250 and 400 ng/mL. There were no statistically significant differences between placebo- and Cy-treated groups with respect to serum total protein, albumin, urea nitrogen and creatinine, and plasma protein concentrations; platelet count; urine protein-creatinine ratio; endogenous creatinine clearance; 24-hour urine protein concentrations; or 24-hour urine protein-endogenous creatinine clearance ratio. However, PCV was significantly lower in the Cy-treated group. Decreased appetite, diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss, involuntary shaking, and thrombocytopenia were noted in both treatment groups; however, clinical signs in Cy-treated dogs subjectively were more severe. One Cy-treated dog developed gingival hyperplasia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Ultrasonography of the umbilical structures in clinically normal calves

The umbilical stalk, vein, and arteries, urachal region, and urinary bladder of 9 healthy Holstein calves were scanned ultrasonographically at weekly intervals from 1 day to 3 weeks of age. Four additional calves of representative ages, 1 day, 1 week, 2 weeks, and 3 weeks were euthanatized after ultrasonographic evaluation of the umbilical structures. Umbilical structures from these 4 calves were dissected, photographed, and examined histologically to ensure normalcy. These gross specimens were correlated with the ultrasonographic images and compared with serial ultrasonograms of 9 calves. The ultrasonographic scanning technique and the appearance of normal umbilical stalk, arteries, and vein, and urachus in calves were different from those described for foals. The umbilical vein of calves was scanned from the umbilical stalk to the liver along the right abdominal wall. Two veins, which merged within the body wall, were identified within the stalk. Umbilical arteries were not found within the umbilical stalk; they ended abruptly near the apex of the urinary bladder. A urachal remnant was not identified in any of the calves. A range of normal values for measurement of the umbilical stalk, umbilical arteries, and umbilical vein at 3 sites was determined. The described ultrasonographic appearance and measurements of the normal Holstein calf umbilicus may be used as a reference for evaluation of calves with internal umbilical abnormalities.

Comparison of excretory urography and ultrasonography for detection of experimentally induced pyelonephritis in dogs

Pyelonephritis was experimentally induced in 10 clinically normal dogs by nephropyelocentesis and introduction of Proteus mirabilis into the randomly chosen right or left renal pelvis. Dogs were examined by nephrosonography and excretory urography before and 2 weeks after infection. The major nephrosonographic findings of pyelonephritis were renal pelvic dilatation, usually with proximal ureteral dilatation, and a hyperechoic mucosal margin line within the renal pelvis, proximal portion of the ureter, or both. In addition, at least one or more of the following were observed: generalized hyperechoic renal cortex, focal hyperechoic areas within the medulla, and focal hyperechoic or hypoechoic cortical lesions. Interpretation of excretory urograms resulted in 3 false-negative and 1 false-positive conclusions, compared with the histologic findings. Interpretation of nephrosonograms resulted in 2 false-negative and no false-positive conclusions. Of the kidneys with histologic evidence of pyelonephritis, 73% were detected by excretory urography, whereas 82% were detected by nephrosonography. Nephrosonography appeared to be useful for detection of mild to moderate cases of acute pyelonephritis that may be be interpreted as such by excretory urography.

Life span is shortened in BHE/cdb rats fed a diet containing 9% menhaden oil and 1% corn oil

The effects of feeding 2 or 10% fat on glucose tolerance, blood lipids, life span and tissue pathology of male BHE/cdb rats were studied. Six groups of 30 rats were fed from weaning diets containing 1% corn oil plus either 1 or 9% corn oil (CO diets). Animals that became ill and died were necropsied and their tissues were examined histologically. Glucose tolerance and blood lipids were determined at 300 and 600 d of age. At 300, 500, 600 and 700 d of age subsets of rats were killed and heart, aorta, lungs, liver, pancreas and kidneys collected for histological examination. The experiment was terminated at 700 d. Feeding the high level MO or BT diet delayed the development of glucose intolerance and lipemia. Longevity was shorter in the rats fed the high MO diet. There were few differences among the groups of rats fed the 2% fat diets with respect to glucose tolerance and lipemia. Glomerulosclerosis was observed in all rats but was more severe and appeared earlier in rats fed the high MO diet than in those fed the high CO or BT diets. In rats with severe renal lesions, mineralized foci were observed in soft tissue, notably the aorta and heart. The results of this study indicate that the source and amount of the dietary fat can influence age-related tissue changes and longevity.

Effects of castration on chronic bacterial prostatitis in dogs

An Escherichia coli bacterial prostatitis was experimentally induced in dogs to determine the effect of castration on chronic bacterial prostatitis. Two weeks after instillation of bacteria directly into the prostate gland, 17 of 22 adult mixed-breed male dogs had positive urine or prostatic fluid cultures or both. Seven of the 17 dogs were randomly chosen to be castrated, and 10 of the 17 served as sham-operated controls. At weekly intervals, urine was obtained from 17 dogs for aerobic microbiologic culturing. At each week, dogs with no bacterial growth in the cultured urine had prostatic fluid collected for aerobic microbiologic culture. Dogs with negative urine, prostatic fluid, and prostatic tissue needle biopsy culture results at week 7 were euthanatized. For remaining dogs, weekly cultures were continued until the dogs were euthanatized at week 12. None of the 7 castrated dogs and 6 of the 10 dogs subject to sham operation had prostatic infection at the time of necropsy. The castrated dogs had a mean infection duration of 4.2 weeks, which was statistically shorter than the 9.5-week mean duration of infection in the sham-operated controls. Cultures of prostatic tissue obtained immediately after euthanasia correlated 100% with urine and prostatic fluid cultures taken before euthanasia. All of the 6 dogs with positive prostatic cultures at termination had moderate to marked lymphoplasmacytic chronic prostatitis. The 11 dogs that were not infected at the end of the study had normal to moderate lymphoplasmacytic chronic prostatitis on histologic examination.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Induction of chronic bacterial prostatitis in the dog

Three methods of creating chronic bacterial prostatitis in dogs were evaluated. Injection of Escherichia coli into the prostatic or caudal vesicle artery after the prostate was pierced with a 22-gauge needle caused prostatic infection in 4 of 5 dogs. The infection persisted up to 28 days. Direct injection of E. coli into the prostate gland resulted in infection in 5 of 6 dogs which persisted up to 42 days. Injection of E. coli into the prostatic urethra after occlusion of the bladder neck caused infection in 2 of 8 dogs not subjected to piercing of the prostate gland and in 5 of 7 dogs subjected to prostate gland trauma. Infection persisted up to 28 days. Although all 3 methods resulted in persistent, chronic bacterial prostatitis, direct injection of bacteria into the prostate gland was technically the easiest to perform and resulted in the lowest incidence of concomitant infections of the rest of the urinary tract. Positive urine cultures for E. coli were found in all dogs at some time after infection. Positive urine and bladder tissue cultures were also found at necropsy in some dogs.

Complications of bladder distension during retrograde urethrography

A severe, ulcerative cystitis that resulted in macroscopic hematuria occurred in 8 of 20 healthy dogs undergoing a series of diagnostic tests. Four of the remaining 12 dogs had mild bladder lesions consisting of submucosal edema and hemorrhage. Nine of the 20 dogs developed urinary tract infection after the procedures. These complications seemed associated with the radiographic technique of retrograde urethrography performed when the urinary bladder was distended. To test this hypothesis, retrograde urethrography was performed on 5 additional dogs. With the bladder undistended, no complications occurred. However, distention of these same dogs' bladders for 1 minute or less with sterile lactated Ringer's solution administered through a Foley catheter in the penile urethra resulted in a macroscopic hematuria in all 5 dogs which persisted for 24 hours. A microscopic hematuria continued for 5 days. One dog developed a bacterial urinary tract infection. A severe fibrinopurulent cystitis was present at necropsy of 2 dogs 2 days after distention. The morphologic changes in the bladder gradually diminished over 7 days, but mild submucosal edema and hemorrhage were still present when 2 dogs were necropsied, 7 days after distention. These studies indicated that retrograde urethrography in dogs may be complicated by hemorrhagic cystitis and urinary tract infection if performed with urinary bladder distention.

Evaluation of diagnostic techniques for canine prostatic diseases

Ejaculation, prostatic massage, prostatic aspiration biopsy, and prostatic punch biopsy were performed in adult male dogs. The dogs had no abnormalities, as determined by physical examination, CBC, urinalysis, and urine culture. In 7 of 18 dogs, results of bacterial culture of an ejaculate were negative. Bacteria of several species, but primarily gram-positive cocci, were isolated from ejaculates from the remaining 11 dogs. The concentration of bacteria varied from 550/ml to greater than 100,000/ml (1 dog). More than one genus of bacteria was isolated from 8 of the 11 dogs with positive culture results. These organisms were attributed to urethral or preputial contamination during collection. The large numbers of organisms isolated from a few dogs indicated the results of culture of ejaculates must be interpreted cautiously when trying to determine whether prostatic infection is present. Low numbers of neutrophils and occasional squamous cells were found in 66% and 50% of semen samples, respectively, but their presence did not correlate with positive culture results. Massaging the prostate was not associated with recovery of cells or bacteria from proximal urethral washes. An adequate specimen of prostatic tissue for microscopic examination was obtained in 8 of 17 dogs by aspiration and in 8 of 12 dogs by punch biopsy. Bacteria were not isolated from 15 of the 16 samples. Small, focal lesions in the prostate were not detected by aspiration or biopsy. Hematuria of less than 4 days' duration and mild periprostatic hemorrhage were the only complications of aspiration or punch biopsy.

Type C botulism in American Foxhounds

Diffuse lower motor neuron dysfunction developed in a group of American Foxhounds while they were hunting. Of 19 dogs, 10 became weak and 9 became quadriplegic. Three of the quadriplegic dogs died before treatment could be instituted. The remaining quadriplegic dogs recovered after being given supportive treatment, with (4 dogs) or without (2 dogs) trivalent (types A, B, E) botulinal antitoxin. The 10 dogs that were weak recovered without treatment. A markedly decreased amplitude of evoked potentials and increased chronaxy were found by electromyographic examination of 2 of the quadriplegic dogs. A toxic substance that was neutralized by type C botulinal antitoxin in mouse inoculation tests was in the serum and feces of the most severly affected dog presented alive and in a fecal extract of another affected dog. In the one dog necropsied, neither gross nor histologic lesions were found in the central or peripheral nervous systems or in the skeletal musculature. The history, clinical signs, electromyographic findings, toxin neutralization tests in mice, and absence of histologic abnormalities in the neuromuscular system provided evidence for the diagnosis of C botulism.