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The present study was designed to evaluate the quality of traditional and commercial yoghurt brands and to acknowledge their health benefits for human consumption in district Rawalpindi. Nine types of samples collected from different resources were divided into three categories. A, B and C were from cow, buffalo, and mixed (cow and buffalo) samples respectively. D, E, and F were from local vendors while G, H, and I were from different commercial yogurt brands. These samples were evaluated thrice on weekly basis using standard protocols for sensory, physio-chemical, and microbiological attributes. It was concluded from the current study that the overall acceptability of commercial brand yoghurt was higher as compared to traditional ones. Physiochemical analysis of commercial yoghurt samples was consistent and showed a slight variation as compare to traditional yoghurt. Microbiological analysis revealed that total bacterial count of commercial yoghurt was lower as compared to traditional ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypoderma spp. larvae are the cause of internal myiasis in different animals which is characterized by subcutaneous warbles. These are mostly differentiated at species level based on the morphology of third stage larvae. Therefore, the present study was conducted to amplify the most variable part of the cox1 gene of two Hypoderma spp. (i.e., Hypoderma bovis and H. lineatum) retrieved in Pakistan by PCR. This part encodes the region spanning from external loop 4 (E4) to carboxylic terminal. The nucleotide and amino acidic identity within the cox1 gene of the two Hypoderma spp. were 89.5% and 93.4%, respectively. Particularly, the amino acid sequences of the two Hypoderma spp. herein analyzed were identical to that available in GenBank™ (H. bovis, GU984818 and H. lineatum, GU584123). The mean nucleotide composition was A=32.7%, C=16.6%, G=11.5% and T= 39.2%. The overall transition/transversion (Ts/Tv) ratio (R) was 1.008. In addition, the molecular analysis of PCR products was also performed. Nucleotide sequence changes and inter-specific variations will help in genetic differentiation of the examined species providing information for rapid molecular identification of Hypoderma spp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effectiveness of hyperosmotic sodium bicarbonate (HSB) in ameliorating strong ion difference (SID) and correcting acidemia in experimentally induced buffalo neonatal diarrheic calves. For that purpose, 18 buffalo calves of 14-17 days of age were reared. Salmonella broth was introduced orally to the calves for induction of diarrhea. Calves were then randomly assigned to one of the three treatment regimens i.e., group A was treated with normal saline solution (NSS; 0.9% NaCl) @ 60 mL/Kg BW, IV once, group B was administered with hypertonic saline solution (HSS; 7.5% NaCl) @ 5 mL/Kg BW, IV once, while group C administered with HSB (8.4% NaHCO3) @ 5 mL/Kg BW, IV once. All groups were additionally treated with ciprofloxacin @ 7 mg/Kg BW, IV bid and flunixin meglumine @ 2 mg/Kg BW, IV tid for five consecutive days. Efficacy of HSB was assessed through clinical parameters, hematological parameters, blood Dand L-lactates, acid-base variables, and serum electrolytes. All parameters were observed at different time points. Group C showed higher survival than other groups. HSB infusion to neonatal calves of group C significantly (P<0.05) reduced blood D-lactate level and ameliorated SID variables than other groups A and B. It is concluded that administration of HSB is highly effective in alkalinizing diarrheic calves with strong ion acidosis thus efficiently reversing metabolic acid-base balance in Salmonella-induced neonatal diarrhea in buffalo calves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to identify ticks that infest dogs in the Rawalpindi region of Punjab, Pakistan. A total of 525 dogs were examined between June and September 2010. Of these, 60 (11.42%) were infested with ticks. The morphological features of the ticks were identified by using a stereomicroscope to confirm their identity using morphological keys. Two species were observed, namely: Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum. The prevalence rate of these species was 98.33% and 1.66%, respectively. Of the 508 specimens collected, 265 male, 224 female ticks and 19 nymphs were identified. No larvae were collected from the infested dogs during the study period. There was no significant difference observed during the study months.

This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of rapid IV administration of hypertonic saline solution (HSS), ketoprofen and their combination thereof in amelioration of endotoxic shock through reduction in cytokine level and improved cardiac performance. For this purpose, 18 adult, healthy, mongrel dogs of either sex were used. Endotoxic shock was induced in all dogs through administration of Escherichia coli endotoxin @ 1 mg/kg BW, IV. Sixty minutes after infusion, all dogs were divided randomly into three groups equally viz. groups A, B and C. Animals of group A were treated with IV administration of ketoprofen alone @ 2 mg/kg BW. Group B received HSS @ 4 ml/kg BW, IV, and dogs of group C were treated with a combination of HSS and ketoprofen @ 4 ml/kg and 2 mg/kg BW, IV, respectively. Dogs were monitored for next 36 hours after institution of treatment. Efficacy was evaluated through interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-6, prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α), mean arterial pressure (MAP), hematological parameters, blood gases and serum electrolytes. Endotoxin had profound effects on inflammatory mediators and pulmonary function causing hypoxemia accompanied by a significant decrease in MAP, PaO2 and relative plasma volume (rPV). Treatment protocol of group C induced a significant decrease in IL-1α, IL-6 and PGF2α and rapid increase in MAP, rPV and PaO2 when compared with isolated ketoprofen or HSS infusion. It was concluded from the results that ketoprofen as an adjunct to hypertonic resuscitation improved survival of dogs from endotoxic shock through amelioration of cytokine concentrations, improved cardiac performance and systemic oxygenation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]