Effects of levomepromazine and different desflurane concentrations upon electrocardiographic variables in dogs

Objectives To investigate the effects of levomepromazine and different desflurane concentrations upon electrocardiographic variables.Animals Twenty adult mongrel dogs of both sexes weighing 6-28 kg.Methods Dogs were divided into two groups of 10 animals. Group I received 1 mg kg(-1) lV of levomepromazine and 15 minutes later anesthesia was induced with propofol (3 mg kg(-1) IV). Desflurane end-tidal concentration was set at 1.6 MAC. After 30 minutes at this concentration, measurements were taken and the end-tidal concentration was reduced to 1.4 MAC. Thereafter, it was reduced to 1.2 and then 1.0 MAC at 1.5-minute intervals. The same procedure was followed for group 2, except that levomepromazine was replaced with 0.2 mL kg(-1) of 0.9% saline solution and more propofol was needed for induction (7 mg kg(-1)). The animals' body temperature was maintained between 38.3 and 39 degreesC using a heating pad. The electrocardiographic tracing was obtained from lead II throughout the experimental period. The measurements were taken immediately before the administration of levomepromazine or placebo (T-1), 15 minutes after pre-medication (T-2) and 30 minutes after the establishment of 1.6 MAC (T-3)The other measurements were made at the concentrations of 1.4, 1.2, and 1.0 MAC, respectively (T4-6). The numerical data were submitted to analysis of variance plus F-test (p < 0.05).Results the dogs that received levomepromazine had a decrease in heart rate. However, in both groups it increased with desflurane administration. Levomepromazine, in association with desflurane, did not induce significant electrocardiographic changes, and all mean values (except P-wave duration) were within the reference range for this species.Conclusions and clinical relevance This study documented that levomepromazine, in association with desflurane, does not induce significant changes in electrocardiographic variables, suggesting that this drug combination has minimal effect on myocardial conduction.

Intraoperative topical administration of mitomycin C, in different concentrations, on the cicatrization of mioplasties of the dorsal rectus of rabbits

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effects of diclofenac and dexamethasone on horse experimental endotoxemia

Quinze eqüinos machos, da raça Mangalarga, com idades entre dois e três anos, foram utilizados para se avaliar os possíveis efeitos clínicos benéficos da administração de dexametasona ou diclofenaco sódico durante a endotoxemia experimental em eqüinos. Os animais foram divididos em três grupos de cinco animais cada: controle (C), diclofenaco sódico (SD) e dexametasona (DM). Todos os grupos receberam 0,1µg/kg de lipopolissarídeo de Escherichia coli 055:B5, durante 15 minutos, por via intravenosa mais: grupo SD - 2,2mg/kg de SD, por via oral, 60 minutos antes da infusão da endotoxina; grupo DM - 1,1mg/kg, por via intravenosa, 30 minutos antes da endotoxina; grupo C - 20ml de NaCl 0,9%, por via intravenosa, 30 minutos antes da endotoxina. O SD não preveniu a leucopenia, neutropenia e linfopenia ocorridas três horas após a indução da endotoxemia, porém a DM atenuou essas alterações. As taxas de proteínas plasmática e peritoneal, a concentração de glicose e de fósforo inorgânico e a contagem de células nucleadas totais peritoneais mantiveram-se inalteradas. O diclofenaco foi eficaz na prevenção da febre e alterações nos borborigmos intestinais enquanto que a dexametasona bloqueou as alterações no número de células inflamatórias em relação ao grupo controle.

Serum protein concentrations in calves with experimentally induced pneumonic pasteurellosis

Foram examinados 10 bezerros da raça Holandesa com duas a quatro semanas de idade, distribuídos aleatoriamente em dois grupos, controle e infectado. Os bezerros do grupo-controle foram inoculados por via intrabronquial com 5ml de solução salina fosfato-tamponada Dulbecco (DPBSS). Os do grupo infectado receberam um inóculo contendo 5x10(9) unidades formadoras de colônia-UFC de Mannheimia (Pasteurella) haemolytica, suspensas em 5ml de DPBSS. As amostras de sangue foram colhidas 15 minutos antes e uma, duas, quatro e seis horas após a inoculação. O proteinograma sérico foi obtido por eletroforese em gel de acrilamida. As concentrações séricas das proteínas de pesos moleculares 125.000 D (ceruloplasmina), 60.000 D (a1-antitripsina), 45.000 D (haptoglobina) e 40.000 D (glicoproteína ácida) foram significativamente maiores em bezerros infectados do que nos do grupo-controle. Os resultados indicam que as concentrações das proteínas de fase aguda se elevaram mais rapidamente que o previamente imaginado. O proteinograma sérico pode ser útil no monitoramento da evolução da pneumonia de bezerros causada por M. haemolytica.

Serum protein concentrations, including acute phase proteins, in calves with hepatogenous photosensitization

Foram examinados 100 bezerros da raça Nelore com 6 a 12 meses de idade, distribuídos em: grupo controle (G1; 50 bezerros sadios) e grupo fotossensibilização (G2; n= 50). As amostras de sangue foram coletadas 12 a 24 horas após o início da dermatite (M1) e 15 a 30 dias após (M2), época da cura das lesões cutâneas. O proteinograma sérico foi obtido por eletroforese em gel de acrilamida. em todos os bezerros foram identificadas 18 proteínas com pesos moleculares (PM) entre 16.000 a 189.000 dáltons (Da). em M1 e M2, as concentrações séricas das proteínas de PM 115.000Da (ceruloplasmina), 61.000Da (1-antitripsina), 45.000Da (haptoglobina) e 40.000Da (glicoproteína ácida) foram significativamente maiores em bezerros com fotossensibilização hepatógena em comparação com aquelas dos animais do grupo-controle. A determinação dos teores séricos de proteínas de fase aguda pode ser útil no monitoramento da progressão da fotossensibilização hepatógena em bovinos, inclusive orientando possíveis alterações em procedimentos terapêuticos.

Effects of intravenous administration of caffeine on physiologic variables in exercising horses

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effects of nitrous oxide on IOP and pupillary diameter in dogs anesthetized with varying concentrations of desflurane

Objective The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of nitrous oxide on TOP and pupillary diameter (PD) of dogs anesthetized with varying desflurane concentrations.Animals studied Twenty adult Mongrel dogs were used.Methods They were anesthetized with propofol (10 mg/kg, IV) and maintained with varying concentrations of desflurane (1.6, 1.4, and 1.2 MAC diluted in 100% oxygen (G1) or in 70% nitrous oxide and 30% oxygen (G2) (30 mL/kg/min). TOP was measured by applanation tonometry and horizontal PD was taken with a caliper adjacent to the cornea. Mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), and end-tidal CO, (etCO(2)) were also measured. All parameters were measured at TO, T30, T45, and T60 time points. One-way repeated measures ANOVA and the t-test were used to assess statistical differences (P < 0.05).Results T30, T45, and T60 TOP measures were Within normal limits for both groups and TOP did not differ between groups at any time. There was a significant decrease in PD in G I between TO and T30, T45 and T60, and also between T30 and T60. PD did not differ between groups. All vital parameters were within normal limits throughout anesthesia.Conclusions Administration of nitrous oxide with desflurane results in maintenance of normal TOP and prevents a decrease in horizontal PD during anesthesia. Therefore, this may be a suitable protocol in dogs undergoing intraocular surgeries that require mydriasis and maintenance of normal TOP.

Serum protein concentrations, including acute phase proteins, in calves experimentally infected with Salmonella Dublin

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Old beagle dogs have lower faecal concentrations of some fermentation products and lower peripheral lymphocyte counts than young adult beagles

The effects of age on microbiota composition, gut fermentation end-product formation and peripheral lymphocyte numbers were compared between old and young adult Beagle dogs fed four kibble diets differing in yeast cell wall contents. The experiment had a double 4 x 4 Latin square design, one with four mature dogs (4 years old) and the other with four old dogs (10 years old), with four replicates (diets) per dog. In each period a 15d adaptation period preceded a 5d total collection of faeces for the digestibility trial. on day 21, fresh faecal samples were collected for the determination of bacterial enumeration, pH, biogenic amine and short-chain fatty acid. Flow cytometry was used for immunophenotypic evaluation. Dogs were fed four kibble diets with similar composition with 0, 0.15, 0.30 and 0.45% of yeast cell wall (as-fed), respectively. Data were evaluated using general linear models of Statistical Analysis Systems statistical software (P<0.05). No evidence of a difference in faecal bacteria counts between ages was found (total aerobes, total anaerobes, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Clostridium and Escherichia coli: P. 0.15). Faecal concentrations of butyrate, histamine, agmatine and spermine were lower (P <= 0.05) and faecal pH was higher (P=0.03) in older dogs than in mature adult dogs, suggesting an alteration in bacterial metabolic activity, or in the rate of intestinal absorption of these compounds. Concentrations of T-lymphocytes, T-cytotoxic lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes were also lower (P <= 0.01) in older dogs than in mature adult dogs. The study confirmed alterations in peripheral lymphocytes and revealed a reduced concentration of some fermentation end products in the colon of old dogs.

Responsiveness of the interrenal tissue of Jundia (Rhamdia quelen) to an in vivo ACTH test following acute exposure to sublethal concentrations of agrichemicals

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Annual pattern of plasma melatonin and progesterone concentrations in hair and wool ewe lambs kept under natural photoperiod at lower latitudes in the southern hemisphere

To study the annual pattern of plasma melatonin and progesterone concentrations in hair [Santa Ines (SI)] and wool [Romney Marsh (RM) and Suffolk (SU)] ewe lambs kept under natural photoperiods at 21 degrees 59'S, 12 ewe lambs (four/breed) were used. For melatonin, blood samples were collected monthly throughout the year at the onset (17:00, 19:00 and 21:00 hr) and end (04:00, 06:00 and 08:00 hr) of the night, and for progesterone the samples were collected in the morning, two to three times a week throughout the year. Plasma melatonin concentrations at different times of the day changed according to the season. In diurnal periods (17:00 and 8:00 hr) no seasonal differences were observed but they became evident in the nocturnal intervals (21:00 and 4:00 hr) and transitional night-day (6:00 hr) times. The patterns of melatonin secretion were higher in winter and autumn than in spring and summer. The patterns of plasma progesterone secretion were affected by interaction between breed and season. There was no seasonal variation in plasma progesterone concentrations for SI females. The progesterone pattern for RM and SU females varied with season. The plasma levels were higher in autumn and winter than in spring and summer. At 21 degrees 59'S hair and wool ewe lambs showed the same annual pattern of plasma melatonin concentration while the annual progesterone profiles were quite different. For SI females this pattern was constant along all seasons and for RM and SU females this pattern was higher during autumn and winter than spring and summer.

Steroidogenesis in cumulus cells of bovine cumulus-oocyte-complexes matured in vitro with BSA and different concentrations of steroids

The present in vitro experiments were designed to evaluate the ability of bovine cumulus-oocyte-complexes (COCs)to produce steroids and also to evaluate the modulatory effects of added estradiol, progesterone and testosterone on the steroidogenic activity of COCs. Considerable estradiol accumulation was observed in the control maturation medium for in vitro maturation of bovine COCs during the 24h of maturation (P < 0.05). When testosterone was added to the medium at various concentrations, a slight estradiol accumulation occurred, which, however, was lower (P < 0.05) than that observed in the control medium. Slight estradiol accumulation was observed in maturation medium containing progesterone at concentrations of 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 mug/ml, but these increases were less (P < 0.05) than those observed in the control medium. However, in the presence of 1.0 mug/ml progesterone, estradiol accumulation was equal to that of the control medium (P > 0.05). Progesterone accumulation (P < 0.05) was observed in the control medium for in vitro maturation of bovine COCs. When estradiol was added to the maturation medium, progesterone accumulation was observed, but was significant (P < 0.05) only when the medium was supplemented with the lesser concentrations of estradiol utilized in the experiment (1.0 mug/ml). The results demonstrated that (1) cumulus cells of bovine COCs are able to secrete estradiol and progesterone in culture systems for in vitro maturation, and this steroidogenesis is modulated by the steroids progesterone, testosterone and estradiol, and (2) the addition of estradiol to the in vitro maturation medium of bovine oocytes should be reviewed, since cumulus cells of COCs have been demonstrated to secrete estradiol in the maturation medium. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Leucogram and serum acute phase protein concentrations in queens submitted to conventional or videolaparoscopic ovariectomy

Trinta gatas, saudáveis, foram submetidas à ovariectomia pela técnica convencional e por videolaparoscopia. Amostras de sangue foram obtidas com o objetivo de verificar a intensidade da resposta inflamatória por meio da análise das concentrações de proteinas de fase aguda e contagem de leucócitos antes e até 144 horas após procedimento cirúrgico. As proteínas que apresentaram aumento significativo 24 horas após a cirurgia foram: ceruloplasmina, hemopexina, haptoglobina e α1-glicoproteína ácida, 69,8%, 103,5%, 117,3% e 199,0%, respectivamente, para ovariectomia convencional, e 22,3%, 46,1%, 79,8% e 74,6%, respectivamente, para ovariectomia por videolaparoscopia. A resposta inflamatória foi mais evidente nas gatas submetidas à ovariectomia convencional. Os resultados mostram aumento e diminuição na concentração de proteínas de fase aguda e na contagem de leucócitos, podendo ser utilizados na avaliação da resposta inflamatória induzida por procedimentos cirúrgicos.