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The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) has released updated guidelines for the vaccination of dogs and cats. The guidelines recommend core vaccines that all animals should receive, as well as non-core vaccines for animals at higher risk of specific infections. The guidelines emphasize the importance of regular health checks and proper administration of vaccines. They also address various topics in clinical vaccinology, including low vaccination rates, excessive vaccine load, and vaccine hesitancy. The guidelines provide specific recommendations for core and non-core vaccines for dogs and cats, as well as guidelines for shelter animals. The document also discusses the use of serological testing and provides information on vaccine efficacy and dosing. It is important to follow the recommended vaccination schedule and take preventive measures to minimize the risk of disease outbreaks. The document acknowledges the support of a vaccine manufacturer but states that the company did not have influence over the guidelines. [Extracted from the article]

Diverse drugs with presumed cytoprotective effect have been used therapeutically in small animal veterinary practice for various gastro-intestinal conditions such as oesophagitis, gastric ulceration, gastritis or chronic gastro-enteropathies. Their efficacy has been doubted in human medicine, raising similar questions in the veterinary field. The aim of this review was to assess the current evidence on the efficacy and safety of these drugs in dogs and cats. Through a systematic review of the literature, we identified 37 articles on the use of misoprostol, sucralfate and other gastroprotectants in dogs and cats. There was evidence to support use of misoprostol in the prevention of aspirin-induced gastroduodenal mucosal injury in dogs, and for use of sucralfate in the prevention of acid-induced oesophagitis in cats. However, the overall quality of evidence supporting the use of these drugs in small animal patients was poor. In contrast, there was evidence of important adverse effects, especially drug interaction and gastro-intestinal signs. We therefore recommend prescribing these drugs with caution until further well-conducted studies reveal a useful gastroprotectant effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty female and castrated male crossbred meat goats (113 [+ or -] 7 d of age) were fed one of two diets to determine if poultry litter can be used as a suitable protein source in diets for meat goats. Animals were fed either a control, commercial diet (75% commercial diet, 25% alfalfa pellets), or a poultry litter-based diet (40% poultry litter, 35% corn and 25 % alfalfa pellets) with 3 pens/treatment and 10 goats/treatment. Animals that had been exposed to creep feed while nursing were weaned and placed in an indoor facility with 8 X 8 pens and slatted concrete floors and allowed ad libitum access to feed, water and minerals. The goats were allowed a 14-d adjustment period in which they were gradually introduced to the treatment diet such that at the end of the adjustment period, goats were receiving 100% of the treatment diet and no digestive problems were observed. Goats were weighed weekly and feed consumption determined biweekly for the eight-week trial. Total gain for goats on the control diet (20.1 [+ or -] 3.26 kg) was greater (P < 0.05) than for those receiving the poultry litter-based diet (6.2 [+ or -] 1.52 kg). Feed efficiency (gain/feed) for the control group (0.12 [+ or -] 0.04) was not different from animals receiving the poultry litter-based diet (0.07 [+ or -] 04). In summary, goats fed a commercial goat diet gained faster but had a similar feed efficiency when compared to goats fed the poultry litter-based diet. However, it was observed that goats were sorting the poultry litter-based diet, so further studies are needed using a pelleted diet to minimize sorting. Also, it is important to note that near the end of the study, two animals receiving the poultry litter-based diet died of urinary calculi. Key Words: Meat goat, Poultry litter, Feed intake

Ability to select service sires that minimize partial or complete losses of pregnancy could have major economic impacts in sheep production systems. This study tested the null hypothesis that survival of potential progeny did not vary with breed type of service sire or among individual rams. Data included 980 ewes on 10 farms; each ewe was pregnant to 1 of 67 rams of 12 breeds. Number of conceptuses was estimated once during pregnancy by ultrasonography, either transrectal (embryos) or transabdominal (fetuses), and was compared with number of lambs bom to estimate losses. Data were examined first for number of lambs bom and second for documented losses. Individual service sires affected number bom (P < 0.001), which varied from 0.70 to 2.45 lambs per pregnant ewe. The main effects of breed type on lambs bom were not significant, but breed types of both service sires (P < 0.0002) and ewes (P < 0.001) interacted with diagnosed number of conceptuses. Lambs bom varied with ewe age (P < 0.0001) and among farms (P < 0.0001), and statistically, farms interacted with number of diagnosed conceptuses (P < 0.0001); season had no effect. In documented losses, there were both main effects of individual service sire and a service sire × number of diagnosed embryos interaction (P < 0.005). Thus, ewes bred to some rams were more apt to lose single pregnancies, whereas ewes bred to other rams were more apt to lose 1 or more embryos or fetuses from multiple pregnancies. Breed type of service sire affected (.P < 0.05) prenatal death. Complete losses of single conceptuses tended to be greater in ewes bred to black-faced or hair-type rams (service sire breed type × number of diagnosed conceptuses; P < 0.09). Breed type of ewes also varied in incidence of complete losses (P < 0.05); hair-type ewes (46%) lost more (P < 0.02) documented conceptuses from examination to birth than black-faced (27%), white-faced (20%), or dairy-type (25%) ewes. Greater losses of singles than of multiples occurred in black-faced (37% vs. 18%) and hair-type (64% vs. 27%) ewes than in other breeds (ewe breed type × number of conceptuses; P < 0.03) per ewe. Surprisingly, purebred conceptuses were lost less often (24%) than crossbreds (36.4%; P < 0.002). Selection of rams based on records of prenatal losses in ewes they serviced may be a method to decrease embryonic and fetal wastage. However, further study to determine repeatability of differences among service sires from year to year will be required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To report short-term complications and long-term outcomes of thoracoscopic pericardial window for management of pericardial effusion in dogs. Methods Retrospective study of dogs in which thoracoscopic pericardial window was performed using a three-cannula technique. Surgery time, complications, postoperative management, area of resected pericardium, histopathology results and outcome were evaluated. Results Diagnoses included dogs with idiopathic pericardial effusion (n = 10), cardiac mass (n = 4) and mesothelioma (n = 1). One case required conversion to sternotomy. Median thoracoscopic surgery time was 52 · 5 (range, 45-80) minutes. Complications occurred in four (26%) cases. Median time to discharge was one (range, 1-6) day. Of dogs with idiopathic pericardial effusion, one is alive at 150 days, one was lost to follow-up at 180 days while eight were euthanased of which five were for unrelated reasons. All dogs with neoplastic causes died or were euthanased because of their illness. Median survival time for dogs with idiopathic pericardial effusion (635 days; range, 70-1165) was significantly longer than that for dogs with neoplasia (30 days; range, 1-107). Clinical Significance Thoracoscopic pericardial window is of low morbidity with short surgery and hospitalisation times. It provides good long-term control of idiopathic pericardial effusion but short-term palliation of clinical signs in dogs with neoplastic disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: Twenty-one mixed-parity (average 2.4 ± 0.49) crossbred sows and their offspring were used to determine whether sow milk leptin at farrowing was related to neonatal serum leptin and pig growth to weaning. During farrowing, pigs were randomly allotted to suckling (n = 99) or delayed suckling (n = 89) groups, with delayed suckling pigs placed in a group pen apart from the dam before suckling. Both groups had access to heat lamps. Colostrum samples were collected no more than 2 h after farrowing the first pig. Blood samples were collected from all pigs approximately 2 h after farrowing was complete; pigs were then ear notched and returned to their dams. Pig BW was recorded at 1.2 ± 0.04 d of age and again at weaning. Milk and blood serum were collected after centrifugation; leptin concentrations were estimated using RIA. Leptin was detected in colostral milk, as expected, and averaged 46.0 ± 1.1 ng/mL. Pig serum leptin (P < 0.02) was greater in suckling pigs than in delayed suckling pigs, averaging 0.69 + 0.08 and 0.54 ± 0.07 ng/mL, respectively. Although male pigs were heavier (P < 0.01) at birth than female pigs (1,507 + 52 vs. 1,381 ± 43 g), ADG to weaning and weaning weights were similar for both sexes, averaging 229 ± 14 g and 5,829 ± 323 g, respectively, for all pigs; serum leptin concentrations were not affected by sex of the pig. Milk serum leptin was not associated with litter size, parity, pig birth weight, ADG to weaning, or weaning weight. Suckling status did not influence ADG to weaning or weaning weight of pigs; neonatal pig serum leptin was not related to birth weight, weaning weight, or ADG to weaning. These results indicate that leptin is not directly related to early neonatal growth in the pig; however, more indepth studies are needed to determine possible indirect or long-term effects of early leptin exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sixty-three Boer crossbred goats were used in 5 separate experiments (Exp. 1 to 5) to evaluate the effects of a commercial probiotic supplement on growth performance (Exp. 1 to 4), diet digestibility (Exp. 5), carcass traits (Exp. 3), and fecal bacterial populations (Exp. 4). Goats were either fed a commercially pelleted concentrate diet and supplemented with a commercial probiotic (PRO) that had shown anecdotal positive effects on goat growth and performance according to local goat producers, or they remained as controls. The dose of PRO used was within the labeled dose for sheep for all studies. For Exp. 1, goat BW and feed intake were measured and G:F was calculated every 7 d for 56 d. For Exp. 2 to 4, BW and feed intake were measured and G:F was calculated every 14 d. The first day of supplementation was considered d 0. Carcass traits were also collected at slaughter on d 57 for Exp. 3, and fecal samples were collected every 14 d for microbial culture for Exp. 4. For Exp. 5, which was a digestibility trial that lasted for 10 d, animals were placed in metabolic pens for collection of feces and orts. Growth performance of goats was not affected by probiotic supplementation, with the exception of performance in Exp. 2, in which ADG and G:F were improved (P < 0.03) in PRO goats compared with control goats on d 56 only (treatment x day interaction; P < 0.05), averaging 0.21 ± 0.02 kg/d for PRO goats and 0.11 ± 0.02 kg/d for control goats for ADG and 0.17 ± 0.02 for PRO goats and 0.10 ± 0.02 for control goats for G:F. Carcass weights and weights of fabricated cuts (shoulder, loin, leg, rack, shank, and total parts) as well as carcass length, leg circumference, loin eye area, and backfat were not influenced by PRO supplementation. Apparent digestibilities of OM, 1)M, NDF, ADF, CP, and GE (on a DM basis) were similar for the PRO and control treatments. Fecal culture analysis of Escherichia coli arid coliforms, Lacto bacillus, and Bifidobacterium populations were not influenced by the PRO treatment. Overall, although the PRO treatment; affected goat ADG and G:F in Exp. 2, no PRO treatment effects were noted on growth performance for Exp. 1, 3, and 4. Furthermore, the PRO treatment did riot affect diet digestibility, carcass traits, or fecal microbial populations in goats. In conclusion, no consistent benefits were noted from supplementing healthy, growing meat goats with PRO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boer and Boer crossbred meat-type does were used in two experiments to determine whether goat milk serum contains leptin and to investigate possible correlations of milk and serum leptin in does and subsequent growth of their offspring. Blood and milk samples were collected within 2 h of kidding (d 0) from 20 (Exp. 1; spring) or 22 does (Exp. 2; the following fall). Blood milk samples were then collected again on d 0.5, 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, and 56 (Exp. 1) or d 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, and 21 (Exp. 2). Body weights of kids were recorded on d 0, and BW of kids and does were recorded weekly beginning on d 7 (kids) or 21 (does), with BCS also recorded for does beginning on d 28 for Exp. 1 and on d 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, and 21 for Exp. 2. Leptin was detected in colostral milk and was influenced by days postpartum, decreasing (P < 0.001) over time with an average of 4.4 ± 0.3 ng/mL (Exp. 1) and 18.1 ± 1.0 ng/mL (Exp. 2) on d 0 compared with 1.0 ± 0.3 ng/mL on d 56 (Exp. 1) and 2.9 ± 0.2 ng/mL on d 21 (Exp. 2). Day postpartum and milk serum leptin were negatively correlated (P < 0.00 1) for Exp. 1 (r = -0.27) and Exp. 2 (r = -0.46). For Exp. 1 only, blood serum leptin tended (P = 0.09) to be influenced by day, with a weak positive correlation (r = 0.15; P < 0.02). Weak positive correlations (P < 0.01) were found between blood serum leptin and doe BCS (r = 0.42 in Exp. 1, and r = 0.13 in Exp. 2) and doe BW (r = 0.44 in Exp. 1, and r = 0.26 in Exp. 2), with the absence of a stronger relationship likely due in part to the short time period measured and the lack of significant changes in BCS and BW during that time. In conclusion, leptin was present in milk and blood serum of does, and Mood serum leptin was weakly correlated with doe BW and BCS, but it was not related to kid BW. Therefore, further studies are needed to clarify the relationships involving milk and serum leptin in goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides information on a study which compared the effects of exogenous insulin and porcine somatotropin (pST) on follicular development after weaning. Materials and methods; Follicle number and size; Role of steroid hormones on follicular development; Comparison between insulin-like growth factor I and insulin-like growth factor binding proteins; Conclusions.

An adamantinoma of the tibia is presented, for which the CT and MRI characteristics are described. Both imaging modalities were excellent in providing information as to the extent and invasiveness of the tumor, although MRI had the advantage of providing immediate high quality sagittal visualization. Comparison is made briefly between adamantinoma and both fibrous dysplasia and osteofibrous dysplasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The radiologic evaluation of growth plate injuries is vital to the surgical management of children with partial growth plate arrests. Plain film radiographs are of limited value, and in some cases, even high quality tomography does not provide adequate detail. Computed tomography (CT) can however provide a cross-sectional display and may also aid in defining the relative position of bone and cartilage in the affected area. This may prove invaluable to the surgeon in the planning of his operation. The vast majority of cases of partial growth arrest can be adequately examined by conventional means, but CT can provide additional information in cases where plain film examination is inadequate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Goat and sheep producers across the southeastern U.S. have identified control of internal parasites as their primary production issue. The best long-term solution for producers is the development of an effective method for determining genetically resistant animals and selecting for resistance to parasites. Our basic approach is to use a combination of quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping and microarray analysis to identify genes associated with parasite resistance. However, we need greater genome research in goats to effectively compare species and search for the genes related to traits important for productivity, such as parasite resistance genes. The objective of this project was to increase the genomic information related to gene expression in the goat. Total RNA was collected from mixed tissues from goats (n=10) using the RNAeasy extraction kit. A cDNA library was developed as a unidirectional library in the pAGEN vector, with an average insert size of 1.7 kb. We had approximately 92% of the clones that were recombinants. The library was plated and redundancy checked by BLAST after the initial sequencing (500 - 700 clones). Redundancy was normal, so sequencing was continued. Randomly chosen clones were sequenced generating 12,821 sequences from the library. The sequences were assembled and clustered with the Paracel Transcript Assembler. Of the 12,821 sequences, 8,373 were members of 1,921 primary clusters with 4,433 sequences remaining as singletons. A functional annotation was assigned to each consensus and singleton. This cDNA library and EST data will be a useful resource for goat research for comparative analyses with other species, development of a physical map for the goat, microarray development, and identification of potential genes involved in resistance to parasites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]