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Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is one of the most important viral pathogens of livestock and causes substantial economic losses to the livestock industry worldwide. BVDV is not necessarily species specific and is known to infect domesticated and wild ruminants. In the present study, BVDV infection was identified in two Saanen goats from one farm, and two different viral subtypes were found, BVDV-1a and BVDV-2a. Each isolate was closely related to cattle isolates identified in the Republic of Korea. The two sequences obtained in this study were not consistent with border disease virus (BDV). The incidence of BVDV in this farm apparently occurred in the absence of contact with cattle and may be associated with grazing. This study demonstrates that BVDV infection may be possible to transmit among goats without exposure to cattle. Therefore, this result indicates that Saanen goats may act as natural reservoirs for BVDV. This is the first report of BVDV-1a infection in a Saanen goat.

Valproic acid (VPA), a known histone deacetylase inhibitor, has been used as an anticonvulsant in dogs. VPA also has anti-inflammatory properties, but there are no reports on the immunomodulatory effects of VPA in canine endotoxemia. In the present study, we demonstrate that the use of VPA significantly reduces the production of early-phase pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6) caused by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation both in vitro and in vivo. For the in vitro study, VPA was evaluated for 24h on LPS (100 ng/ml)-treated canine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) which isolated from 5 healthy Beagle dogs. VPA significantly decreased the mRNA expression of TNF-α and IL-6 in a dose-dependent manner (p0.05 for IL-6; p0.01 for TNF-α). Fourteen adult Beagles were studied for in vivo study; nine dogs received a low dose of LPS (10 μg/kg/h) via continuous IV infusion for 12h to induce endotoxemia whereas 5 dogs received normal saline as controls. Four out of 9 endotoxemic dogs were administered VPA (50mg/kg, IV) at 1h and 12h along with the LPS infusion. Three hours after the first administration of VPA, IL-6 mRNA expressions in PBMCs significantly decreased (p=0.033 vs. LPS group). VPA also significantly decreased the circulating TNF-α (p=0.044 vs. LPS group at 3h) and IL-6 protein at 3h (p=0.034 vs. LPS group) and 6h (p=0.026 vs. LPS group) post-treatment. Our study suggests that VPA attenuates the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in a canine endotoxemia model in vitro and in vivo. We speculate that valproic acid may be useful for reducing inflammatory cytokine levels in dogs with sepsis.

Thyroid disease is common in dogs and conventional ultrasonography is a standard diagnostic test for diagnosis and treatment planning. Strain elastography can provide additional information about tissue stiffness noninvasively after applying external or internal compression. However, natural carotid artery pulsations in the canine thyroid gland are too weak to maintain sufficient internal compression force. The objective of the present study was to describe the feasibility of strain elastography for evaluating the canine thyroid gland and the repeatability of dobutamine-induced carotid artery pulsation as an internal compression method. In seven healthy Beagle dogs, strain on each thyroid lobe was induced by external compression using the ultrasound probe and internal compression using carotid artery pulsation after dobutamine infusion. The thyroid appeared homogeneously green and the subcutaneous fat superficial to the thyroid lobe appeared blue. Strain values and strain ratios did not differ among dogs or between the left and right lobes. Interobserver repeatability was excellent for both compression methods. Intraobserver repeatability of the strain ratio measured using the carotid artery pulsation method (intraclass coefficient correlation = 0.933) was higher than that measured using the external compression method (0.760). Mean strain values of thyroid lobes for the external compression method (142.93 ± 6.67) differed from the internal method (147.31 ± 8.24; P < 0.05). Strain ratios between the two methods did not differ. Strain elastography was feasible for estimating thyroid stiffness in dogs. Carotid artery pulsation induced by dobutamine infusion can be used for canine thyroid strain elastography with excellent repeatability.

Standard ultrasonography is often insensitive for distinguishing normal vs. diseased states for canine abdominal organs. Ultrasonographic elastography is a new technique that is becoming increasingly available and may help to improve sensitivity. This study evaluated the feasibility, repeatability, and reproducibility of strain elastography of the liver, spleen, kidneys, and prostate in healthy dogs and described the elasticity of each organ using strain values and strain ratios. The reproducibility of strain elastography was excellent, and intraobserver repeatability was moderate to excellent. The strain value of each organ was not significantly different among dogs (liver = 143.38 ± 7.41, spleen = 141.04 ± 9.03, left renal cortex = 141.26 ± 7.50, right renal cortex = 145.80 ± 7.79, and prostate = 135.46 ± 5.80), except for the renal medulla (left = 51.19 ± 4.54 and right = 51.93 ± 5.09) (P < 0.05). The strain ratios for the liver, spleen, renal cortex, and prostate were similar with no significant difference (liver = 10.20 ± 1.47, spleen = 8.40 ± 1.53, left renal cortex = 9.62 ± 1.56, right renal cortex = 8.29 ± 1.63, and prostate = 8.20 ± 1.21), except for the renal medulla (left = 3.48 ± 0.68 and right = 2.95 ± 0.63) (P < 0.05). Our results indicated that strain elastography was feasible for estimating tissue stiffness in the canine liver, spleen, kidneys, and prostate. This study provides basic information for strain values and strain ratios for the liver, spleen, kidneys, and prostate in clinically normal dogs.

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) suppress the immune system and maintain the homeostasis of the immune system in healthy dogs. In septic patients, the percentage of circulating Tregs is increasing, which may cause the sepsis-induced immunosuppression. This study was performed to investigate the changes of the percentage of Tregs in total lymphocytes of the peripheral blood in the experimental canine endotoxemia model. The animals injected with a high dose lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced severe leukopenia followed by leukocytosis, but the total lymphocytes number was relatively consistent. As a result of flow cytometric analysis, the percentage of Tregs in total lymphocytes of the peripheral blood was 8.45 ± 1.30% (day 0), and it temporarily decreased 2.54 ± 1.16% (day 1) and increased continuously until the end of the experiment (14.34 ± 4.10% on day 3 and 25.70 ± 7.39% on day 7), respectively. This study provides basic information in physiologic and immunologic changes in Tregs in dogs with sepsis model.

Consistent information on the chemical composition and its seasonal variation of goat udder half milk is limited in Korea. The objective of this study was to analyze the seasonal variation of the chemical composition of goat milk to take establish various parameters into consideration on the pricing of the goat milk. Variations in chemical composition, somatic cell count (SCC) and bacterial count of 1,038 udder half milk samples from 650 heads raised in 7 farms of Jeonnam province were determined by season. Fat, protein, lactose, non-fat solids, milk urea nitrogen (MUN), pH, SCC and bacterial counts were also analyzed. The average composition of the milk was: fat 3.80±1.36%, protein 3.23±0.80%, lactose 4.39±0.54%, total solids 12.18±1.80%, non-fat solids 8.38±0.80%, and milk urea nitrogen 28.44±5.00 mg/dL. The average pH was 6.81±0.24. The average of SCC and bacterial counts were 2.54±4.60×10 6 cells/mL and 1.25±3.76×10 5 CFU/mL, respectively. Chemical composition, pH, SCC and bacterial counts of dairy goat milk varied widely during the lactation period and by season. The fat concentration was the lowest in spring (3.39±1.53%) and the highest in autumn and winter (3.98±1.30% and 3.98±1.48%). Protein concentration was the lowest during summer (2.92±0.48%) and the highest in winter (3.81±0.95%). Lactose concentration was the lowest in autumn (4.24±0.41%) and the highest in spring (4.58±0.35%). The lowest total solid value was obtained in the spring season (11.75±1.80%) which was then increased in winter (12.85±1.96%). Non-fat solid concentration was the lowest in summer (8.07±0.64%) and the highest in autumn (8.94±0.82%). MUN concentration was the highest in summer (8.07±0.64%), and the pH concentration was the highest in spring at 6.93±0.27%. Seasonal variation of SCC and bacterial count were the lowest in spring (0.94±1.54×10 6 cells/mL and 0.22±0.61×10 5

Theileria orientalis is the causative agent of benign theileriosis, which is distributed mainly in Asian countries, and causes serious economic losses in the livestock industry. The present study was performed to investigate the epidemiology of T. orientalis infections in cattle in the Republic of Korea (ROK) and to characterize the genetic diversity of T. orientalis based on the major piroplasm surface protein (MPSP) genes. In 2015, between July and August, blood samples were collected from 138 asymptomatic cattle in four different geographical regions (Hoengseong, Jeongeup, Namwon, and Jeju island) in the ROK. In total, 57 blood samples (41.3 %, 57/138) were positive for T. orientalis based on PCR amplification of the MPSP gene. A high prevalence of T. orientalis infection was observed in Jeju island, whereas the infection rate was relatively low in Jeongeup. Phylogenetic analysis showed that isolates identified in this study belonged to four MPSP genotypes, specifically types 1, 2, 3, and 7. The distribution of the four genotypes varied considerably among the four regions; types 1, 2, and 3 were detected in Jeju island, whereas types 1 and 7 were found in Namwon, types 1 and 2 in Jeongeup, and type 2 in Hoengseong. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the identification of type 7 T. orientalis in cattle in the ROK. These results suggest that the MPSP genotypes detected in this study showed genetic diversity related to geographical location. Our findings revealed that the T. orientalis infection rate was relatively high, indicating that T. orientalis infection is closely associated with grazing. Of the four MPSP genotypes, the prevalence of the most pathogenic type 2 was relatively high in the ROK. Therefore, further studies should focus on the development of an effective monitoring and prevention program for T. orientalis.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of opioid exposure on CXC chemokine ligand (CXCL)-8 production in cats using whole blood culture. Morphine, buprenorphine, fentanyl, and saline control were administered intravenously to five cats and whole blood pathogen associated molecular pattern motif-induced CXCL-8 production capacity was evaluated. Morphine potentiated CXCL-8 production. To further characterize this effect of morphine, morphine was incubated with whole blood ex vivo and pathogen associated molecular pattern motif-induced CXCL-8 production capacity was measured. There was a time and concentration dependent effect on CXCL-8 production, suggesting the proinflammatory effect of morphine is at least partially mediated by direct stimulatory effects on leukocytes. Additional investigation is indicated to assess the implications of the immunomodulatory actions of opioids in cats.

A 3-month-old intact male, Labrador retriever was presented with the history of coagulopathy and anemia. The results of initial screening tests of the hemostatic system yielded a tentative diagnosis of hemophilia. Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) was distinctly prolonged (106 seconds) and prothrombin time (PT) was not detected due to markedly prolonged test time. Whole blood trans-fusions (20 me l/kg body weight) were carried out prior to assays of coagulation factor. After trans-fusion, the patient recovered well and hemorrhage ceased. Blood samples were assessed for coagu-lation factor activity. The patient showed markedly low factor IX coagulation activity (5%, reference range: 7∼140%) and was diagnosed with hemophilia B. After recovery, the patient was discharged from the hospital. However, 4 months later the patient was re-hospitalized for recurrence of the initial symptoms. The owner did not want to pursue further treatment and the patient died of respiratory dis-tress two days later.

Opioids alter immune and apoptotic pathways in several species. They are commonly used in companion animals affected with infectious and/or inflammatory disease, but the immunomodulatory and apoptotic effects of these drugs in dogs are relatively unknown. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of morphine, buprenorphine and fentanyl on canine phagocyte function, oxidative burst capacity, leukocyte cytokine production, and lymphocyte apoptosis. Blood from six healthy adult dogs was incubated in the presence or absence of morphine (200 ng/mL), buprenorphine (10 ng/mL) or fentanyl (10 ng/mL) for 3 h (phagocytic function; cytokine production) or 8 h (apoptosis). Neutrophil phagocytosis of opsonized Escherichia coli , respiratory burst capacity after stimulation with opsonized E. coli or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), and Annexin V-FITC staining of apoptotic lymphocytes were evaluated using flow cytometry. Leukocyte production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10 was assessed after incubation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), lipoteichoic acid (LTA) or peptidoglycan. Morphine promoted a more intense respiratory burst. Morphine, buprenorphine and fentanyl all promoted LPS- or LTA-induced TNF-α and IL-10 production. However, the opioids tested did not alter TNF-α:IL-10 ratios. Morphine, buprenorphine and fentanyl all inhibited neutrophil apoptosis, an effect that was not concentration dependent in nature. These data indicate that opioids alter immune and apoptotic pathways in dogs. The possible effects of opioids on immune and cellular responses should be considered when designing studies and interpreting outcomes of studies involving administration of opioids in dogs.

Sepsis is a major cause of death in veterinary medicine, although a better prognosis can result from an early diagnosis. To speed the diagnosis, the biomarkers TNF-α and IL-6 can provide valuable information regarding systemic inflammatory response. The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in cytokine levels in an experimental model of sepsis using ELISA and real-time PCR. Ten adult Beagles were studied; seven received an IV bolus of high dose lipopolysaccharide solution (1mg/kg) to induce sepsis. The remaining three beagles were the control group. Blood samples were collected before and 1, 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h after administering LPS. Serum IL-6 level peaked at 3h (1.89 ± 0.10 ng/ml) and serum TNF-α peaked at 1h (1.11 ± 0.01 ng/ml). The expression of IL-6 mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) increased 62-fold compared to the control group at 1h; TNF-α mRNA increased by 4.5-fold at 1h. The expressions of IL-6 and TNF-α mRNA in PBMCs changed more rapidly than serum IL-6 and TNF-α concentrations. In addition, TNF-α mRNA levels in PBMCs remained elevated longer than serum TNF-α. Our study establishes the basis for future work aimed at a better understanding of the systemic inflammatory response to infection and sepsis in canine patients.

In this study, the pathophysiologic and immunologic parameters from a 24-hr of canine endotoxemia model by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) infusion were evaluated. For that, twelve healthy beagles received a continuous 24-hr IV infusion of low dose LPS (10 µg/kg/h, from Escherichia coli serotype O111:B4) dissolved in saline. Complete blood counts and serum biochemical analysis as well as histopathologic examination were performed to assess pathophysiologic changes such as neutrophil migration and organ injury. To evaluate immunologic parameters, the concentrations of plasma tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10 were determined, and neutrophil activation was also evaluated based on cell surface expression of CD11b using flow cytometry analysis. As results, systemic signs of endotoxemia including fever, vomiting, and hemorrhagic diarrhea were observed within short time after LPS infusion. Severe leukopenia and increased fluorescent intensity of CD11b on neutrophils were observed at 3 hr while percent positive of CD11b was the maximum at 12 hr during the experiment. Plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatinine phosphokinase (CPK) concentrations increased markedly, and organ damage was confirmed on histopathologic examination. Plasma TNF-α peaked at 3 hr and decreased rapidly, while the concentrations of IL-6 and IL-10 increased gradually until 6 hr and decreased thereafter. Using this canine endotoxemia model, we were able to determine the kinetics of pathophysiologic and immunologic parameters over a period of 24 hr. This study will enhance our understanding of their mechanisms underlying canine sepsis.