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Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) infections may lead to the development of subclinical signs or chronic systemic syndromes, collectively known as “porcine circovirus-associated disease” (PCVAD) in swine. Interferon gamma (IFN-γ) is known to enhance PCV2 replication in vitro, and immune mediators may act as pivotal factors in triggering PCV2 infection progression toward PCVAD. We determined the effects of IFN-γ on PCV2 replication in PK-15 cells. PCV2 was cultured in the presence or absence of exogenous swine IFN-γ (swIFNγ). Growth curve analysis in PK-15 cells revealed that PCV2 could replicate to a significantly higher titer in swIFNγ medium. To investigate the host cell response upon PVC2 infection, differential expression of proteins in PCV2-infected PK-15 cells with or without swIFNγ stimulation was analyzed by proteomics (LC-MS/MS) analysis. A large proportion of the differentially expressed proteins in swIFNγ-treated PCV2-infected cells were found to be involved in apoptosis, cellular stress responses, cell survival/proliferation pathways, and inflammatory responses. We further confirmed the expression of these differentially expressed proteins at the mRNA levels by qRT-PCR. PCV2 infection in PK-15 cells in the presence of IFN-γ resulted in upregulation of cellular proteins in responses to stress, cell survival, and cell proliferation (Hsp90, MAP3K7, RAS-GTPase, c-myc, and 14-3-3 epsilon) as well as in an increase in the levels of proteins (CASP9 and TRAF5) related to the apoptosis pathways. Thus, PCV2 exploits several cellular biological processes through IFN activation for enhancing viral replication. This is the first evidence of IFN-γ promoting PCV2 replication in vitro via a mechanism similar to that used by several human viruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The aims of this study were to evaluate the repeatability of neuromuscular transmission (NMT) monitoring by electromyography and to compare train-of-four (TOF) responses of thoracic limbs to those of pelvic limbs in dogs after atracurium administration. Seven healthy dogs were enrolled in the study. The dogs were anesthetized with midazolam, morphine, propofol and isoflurane three times with a washout period of seven days. Two treatments of atracurium and electromyography-based neuromuscular monitoring were performed under each anesthesia. The dogs were randomly assigned to undergo either left or right side and either thoracic or pelvic limb for the first treatment and then allocated to the other for the second treatment. Ulnar and peroneal nerves were stimulated with a TOF pattern every 15 seconds. Onset time, time to recovery of the first (TOFcount1) , second (TOFcount2) , third (TOFcount3) and fourth (TOFcount4) twitches, and time to a TOF ratio of 0.9 (TOFR0. 9) were recorded. Atracurium (0.2 mg/kg) was administered intravenously at time zero. Means and standard deviations of time to TOFR0. 9 were used for coefficient of variation (CV) calculation. Statistical analyses revealed that the onset time was not different between the limbs. The times to TOFcount1-4 and TOFR0.9 were significantly shorter at the pelvic limbs (all P < 0.05). The CV of NMT monitoring at the thoracic and pelvic limbs were 14. 87 and 11. 03% , respectively. In conclusion, the NMT monitoring by electromyography at both limbs in dogs was repeatable with low CV. Nevertheless, the pelvic limb monitoring was prone to underestimate the residual neuromuscular blockade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A prospective, randomized, single-blinded study was conducted to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of disease modifying osteoarthritis agents (DMOAAs) and carprofen by using force plate gait analysis and orthopaedic assessment score (OAS) in osteoarthritic dogs. Forty dogs with hip and/or stifle osteoarthritis (OA) were assigned randomly into four treatment groups: PCSO-524, treated with a marine-based fatty-acid compound; GC-ASU, treated with a combination of glucosamine-chondroitin sulphate and avocado/soybean unsaponifiables; CPF, treated with carprofen; and CPF-PCSO, treated with a combination of carprofen and PCSO-524. Each group received the therapeutic agent orally for four weeks. Peak vertical force (PVF), OAS, haematology and blood chemistry values were evaluated before treatment, and on the second and fourth weeks post-treatment. No significant effect was found in the PVF, OAS and blood values among the four treatment groups. Analyses within groups revealed significant increase in PVF among the PCSO-524, CPF and CPF-PCSO groups (p < 0.05). OAS showed significant decrease in the PCSO-524, CPF and CPFPCSO groups (p < 0.05). Average BUN in the CPF group increased significantly (p < 0.05). PVF negatively correlated with OAS with r = -0.39 (p = 0.014), r = -0.49 (p = 0.001) and r = -0.48 (p = 0.002) before treatment and on the second and fourth weeks post-treatment, respectively. Even though increased PVFs were demonstrated within the PCSO-524, CPF and CPF-PCSO groups, the greatest improvement was demonstrated in the CPF-PCSO group. The preliminary results imply the clinical benefits of PCSO-524 in combination with carprofen in the treatment of OA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the electroencephalography (EEG) patterns between healthy and epileptic dogs, to analyze the diagnostic value of scalp EEG for canine epilepsy under sedation with dexmedetomidine and to provide canine standard protocol. EEG of 29 epileptic dogs and 17 control dogs was recorded. Normal patterns, interictal epileptiform, and non-epileptiform abnormalities were interpreted using visual analysis by board-certified epileptologists. Results revealed that 34% of the dogs with epilepsy did not show discernible abnormalities on their EEG recordings. Approximately 38% of the epileptic dogs presented interictal epileptiform discharges, 28% had only non-epileptiform discharges, and 24% had both abnormalities. Sixteen of the control dogs had normal EEG pattern while one of them had non-epileptiform pattern. To identify the interictal epileptiform discharges, EEG had 37.93% sensitivity and 100% specificity for the epilepsy group compared with the normal dogs. The interictal scalp EEG, as a result, had high specificity for supporting the diagnosis of epilepsy in dogs. Moreover, administration of 5-8 mcg/kg of dexmedetomidine via the intravenous (IV) route was recommended for canine EEG study because it provided non-rapid eye movement (REM) sleep EEG, together with awake period in each tracing which was valuable for EEG interpretation. EEG, as a result, is one of the considerably useful tools to evaluate cerebral functions and epileptiform discharges. Therefore, our study suggested that EEG should be a routine diagnostic tool for ruling in canine epilepsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual evoked potential (VEP) is a useful technique for evaluation of optic nerve pathway and diagnosis of human Alzheimer's disease. Canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD) is an age-related neurobehavioural syndrome which is commonly underdiagnosed in dogs. In the present study, VEPs were recorded from 28 Pomeranian dogs including 9 normal dogs aged between 1-8 years, 9 normal dogs aged over 8 years, and 10 dogs with signs of CCD. Brain atrophy in 8 CCD dogs was confirmed by CT scan. The other two dogs with signs of CCD had tumor which was confirmed by CT scan and cerebrospinal fluid. The VEP components of dogs over and under 8 years old were not statistically different (p>0.05). P2 and P3 of the dogs with CCD were longer than those of the normal dogs (p<0.05). The VEPs in dogs with CCD and tumor had different patterns. In conclusion, VEP is a promising tool for the diagnosis of CCD in aging dogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diagnosis of hypercoagulation is essential for the identification of individuals at high risk for thrombosis and for early treatment of thrombotic disorder. The objective of the study was to evaluate some parameters for assessing the prothrombotic state in dogs with chronic renal failure (CRF). Some natural anticoagulants, protein C (PC), protein S (PS), and antithrombin III (AT III), as well as fibrinogen concentration and clinical chemistries, were concentrated. The study groups consisted of 42 dogs with CRF and 34 age- and sex-matched clinically healthy control dogs. The level of AT III in the CRF group was significantly lower ( P < 0.05), but the fibrinogen concentration was significantly higher ( P < 0.05) than in the control group. Additionally, the cholesterol level in the CRF group was significantly higher than in the control group ( P < 0.05) and was positively correlated to creatinine ( R = 0.5, P < 0.05). Elevated levels of PC and PS were exhibited in eight dogs with subcutaneous edema. The increased levels of PC and PS may counterbalance the reduction of AT III and may be related to the magnitude of hypoalbuminemia and proteinuria. These seem to be preventive mechanisms against thromboembolic phenomena. Simple correlations among parameters were determined for the CRF group. The fibrinogen concentration was correlated inversely with the AT III level ( R = −0.63, P < 0.05). A negative correlation between AT III and azotemic parameters (creatinine: R = −0.68, P < 0.05; blood urea nitrogen (BUN): R = −0.65, P < 0.05) was observed also. In contrast, the fibrinogen concentration was positively correlated to creatinine ( R = 0.66, P < 0.05) and BUN ( R = 0.67, P < 0.05). The study concluded that there was a significant reduction in AT III and hyperfibrinogenemia, which were predictable parameters for thrombotic tendency in the dogs with CRF. Hypercholesterolemia was the other risk factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is the major swine pathogen associated with Porcine circovirus associated disease (PCVAD) including post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS). Currently, there are 4 subtypes of PCV2 (PCV2a, b, c and d) and some epidemiological evidences demonstrated that virulence of PCV2 may relate to its subtypes. Recently, PMWS was observed more frequently in swine farms in Thailand; however, the information regarding to PCV2 subtype involved was limited. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the association between occurrence of PMWS and PCV2 subtypes as well as genetically characterize PCV2 in Thailand. PCV2 DNA was isolated from faecal swabs and whole blood of piglets from PMWS-affected and -negative farms. The full length ORF2 sequences were compared using multiple alignment. The results showed that PCV2 DNA was detected more frequently in PMWS-affected farms. The nucleotide identities of the ORF2 from 9 PCV2 isolates representing each PMWS-affected farm and one from the negative farm ranged from 92.4 to 99.5% suggesting that there is some genetic variation of PCV2 in Thai swine. The 10 PCV2 isolates were classified into 2 clusters, in which the 7 isolates from PMWS-positive farms were in PCV2b cluster 1 A/B. The remaining isolates were separated in the new subtype called PCV2e. The results suggest the presence of new PCV2 subtypes in addition to PCV2a and PCV2b in Asian swine population. However, correlation between subtypes and virulence of PCV2 infection is not conclusive due to limited number of the PCV2 sequences from PMWS negative farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hair growth and replacement have been studied extensively in humans, sheep and laboratory rodents, but in dogs and other mammalian species few studies have been published. The objectives of this study were: (1) to determine the time required for the hair to re-grow in dogs after clipping for a surgical procedure; (2) to define whether the season of the year influenced the period of time required for re-growth and; (3) to determine if season might influence the telogen: anagen ratio. Eleven Labrador retrievers were recruited during spring, 10 during summer, six during autumn and 10 during winter. Hairs re-grew to their preclipped length in 14.6 weeks, 14.5 weeks, 13.6 weeks and 15.4 weeks when shaved in the spring, summer, autumn and winter, respectively. The differences in these values were not significant suggesting that season has no effect on the rate of hair re-growth in Labrador retrievers housed indoors ( P = 0.12). The mean values for the telogen: anagen ratio in each season were: 5.2 (spring), 6.1 (summer), 9.5 (autumn), and 5.3 (winter). The differences in these values also were not significant ( P = 0.89). The percentage of hairs in telogen was over 80% in all four seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Pet foods are one of the fastest-growing products owing to demands by pet owners. In general, soybean meal, meat, meat by-products, meat, and bone meal and fishmeal have usually served as protein sources in canine diets, but they are not sustainable and fluctuate in chemical composition. Recently, several companies around the world have invested in producing edible insects as an alternative protein source for humans, livestock, aquatic animals, and dogs; however, regulation is unique for each country, which has limited the growth of insect industries. Based on several study reports, dogs have been shown to consume diets containing insects without adverse effects on health or nutrient digestibility. House cricket (Acheta domesticus: AD) and mulberry silkworm (Bombyx mori: BM) pupae are other potential insects able to be good protein sources that could replace poultry meal and fishmeal. Healthy adult mixed-breed dogs were divided into five groups fed diets with 10% AD, 20% AD, 7% BM, or 14% BM for 29 days. During the experiments, dogs were evaluated in terms of blood parameters and nutrient digestibility. The study shown AD and BM, at levels of up to 20% and 14%, respectively, can be a substitute for poultry meal in canine diets without any adverse effects on health and nutrient digestibility. There has been increasing interest in using insects as sustainable protein sources for humans and animals. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the possibility of substituting poultry meal with house cricket (Acheta domesticus: AD) or mulberry silkworm (Bombyx mori: BM) pupae. Fifty healthy adult mixed-breed dogs were selected and divided into five experimental groups, which were fed, in amounts based on daily energy requirement, with a control diet, a diet with 10% AD, with 20% AD, with 7% BM, or with 14% BM. Days 0–22 and 23–28 of the experiment served as the adaptation and collection phases, respectively. Haematology and blood chemistry were collected at days 0, 14, and 28, and body weight, body condition score, feed intake, faecal output, faecal score, faecal moisture, and apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter and nutrients were measured during the collection phase. The results from this study suggested that AD and BM can replace poultry meal without any adverse consequences on all measured parameters (p > 0.05). Therefore, AD at 20% or BM at 14% can be used in canine diet formulations. However, long-term feeding trials should be conducted and should focus on clinical signs relating to hypersensitivity disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Picornaviruses are non-enveloped, single-stranded RNA viruses that cause highly contagious diseases, such as polio and hand, foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) in human, and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in animals. Reverse genetics and minigenome of picornaviruses mainly depend on in vitro transcription and RNA transfection; however, this approach is inefficient due to the rapid degradation of RNA template. Although DNA-based reverse genetics systems driven by mammalian RNA polymerase I and/or II promoters display the advantage of rescuing the engineered FMDV, the enzymatic functions are restricted in the nuclear compartment. To overcome these limitations, we successfully established a novel DNA-based vector, namely pKLS3, an FMDV minigenome containing the minimum cis-acting elements of FMDV essential for intracytoplasmic transcription and translation of a foreign gene. A combination of pKLS3 minigenome and the helper plasmids yielded the efficient production of uncapped-green florescent protein (GFP) mRNA visualized in the transfected cells. We have demonstrated the application of the pKLS3 for cell-based antiviral drug screening. Not only is the DNA-based FMDV minigenome system useful for the FMDV research and development but it could be implemented for generating other picornavirus minigenomes. Additionally, the prospective applications of this viral minigenome system as a vector for DNA and mRNA vaccines are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Veterinary Dermatology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)