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A dog from Paris (France) was referred with a 2-week history of dry cough, intermittent acute onset of dyspnoea, and acute abdominal pain. A generalised bronchoalveolar infiltrate with a patchy distribution was observed at chest x-rays and computed tomography (CT) scans. Negative results were obtained through several faecal examinations for cardiorespiratory nematodes by using the Baermann technique and at two blood analysis with a commercially available test for the detection of A. vasorum antigen (the first one at the first visit and second one at the control visit, one month later). PCR methods for the identification of A. vasorum and C. vulpis were also accomplished. At the control visit, nematode L1s were found during direct microscopic examination of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Thus, a different antigen-based assay for the detection of A. vasorum was performed with a positive result. Moreover, based on morphology, isolated larvae were identified as Filaroides hirthi. The dog was treated with fenbendazole (50 mg/kg peros once daily) for two consecutive weeks. After five months, the dog was referred again for the intermittent acute onset of dyspnoea and was found to be still positive for F. hirthi larvae at BALF examination. A 15-day treatment regimen with fenbendazole in combination with three subcutaneous injections of ivermectin (0.4 mg/kg, once every two weeks), was then performed. No larvae were detected at two BALF microscopical examinations performed one month apart. Results from this case report underline the importance of including F. hirthi infections in the differential diagnosis of dog bronchopneumonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Dopamine is important for enabling organisms to overcome work-related response costs. One way of investigating this function has been with concurrent choice procedures using food reinforcement. In the present study, rats were given a choice between pressing a lever for preferred Bioserve pellets, or approaching and consuming a less-preferred laboratory chow that was concurrently available. In previous work with this task, dopamine antagonists and accumbens dopamine depletions decreased lever pressing but increased chow consumption. Objective: The present study assessed three drugs (two dopamine antagonists and one appetite suppressant) using the lever pressing/chow feeding task. Results: Under baseline conditions, rats pressed the lever at high rates (1,300–1,500 responses) to obtain the preferred food, and little of the laboratory chow was eaten (1–2 g). Selective D1 and D2 antagonists (SKF 83566 and raclopride) reduced fixed ratio 5 lever pressing, but substantially increased chow consumption. In contrast, the serotonergic appetite suppressant fenfluramine reduced both lever pressing and chow consumption. With the dopamine antagonists, lever pressing and chow consumption were inversely correlated across treatments, while these two measures were unrelated in the fenfluramine experiment. Conclusions: Dopamine antagonists and accumbens dopamine depletions do not simply reduce appetite. Rats with accumbens dopamine depletions, or rats treated with low doses of selective or non-selective dopamine antagonists, remain directed toward the acquisition and consumption of food. These results demonstrate that fundamental aspects of food reinforcement are left intact after treatment with low doses of dopamine antagonists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]