Nutrition and metabolism of the geriatric dog.

Sixteen 10-12-year-old and eight 1-year-old dogs were studied over a two year period to determine comparative differences in physiological response to 4 diets varying in protein content and percentages of energy contributed by protein. The ability of old dogs to utilize nutrients as supplied by these foods was not significantly different from that of young adult dogs. Except for indices of mitogenic stimulation and serum urea nitrogen (SUN) other physiological parameters studied were not affected by the diet fed.

Effect of antioxidants on the proliferative response of canine lymphocytes in serum from dogs with vitamin E deficiency.

The in vitro effect of vitamin E and 3 other antioxidants--ethoxyquin, 2-mercaptoethanol, and ascorbic acid--on proliferation of canine lymphocytes was examined. Lymphocytes from 2 groups of dogs given a vitamin E-deficient diet or whelped from a bitch fed such a diet were cultured with pooled samples of serum from dogs fed a vitamin E-deficient diet or whelped from a bitch fed such a diet, or normal canine serum, and stimulated with phytohemagglutinin. Added vitamin E enhanced the responsiveness in serum from the dogs with vitamin E deficiency, but not in normal canine serum.

A method to test large numbers of bovine semen samples for viral contamination and results of a study using this method.

A procedure to test large numbers of semen samples for viral contamination is described. The procedure has the advantages of being simple to perform, sensitive and a relatively inexpensive method to test pooled semen samples, but it has the disadvantage of requiring serologically negative calves and sheep, isolation facilities to prevent environmental contamination during the testing procedure and relatively long times to obtain results. Using this in vivo procedure called the "Cornell Semen Test", it was found that of 40,000 ejaculates tested during a four year period none contained Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis Virus, Bovine Herpes Mammalitis Virus, Bovine Leukemia Virus nor Bluetongue Virus at infectious levels.

Nutrition and the aging animal.

The surge in current thinking and research on aging, replete with causes and/or effects, has greatly stimulated serious biologists concerned with giving counsel for the feeding and management of animals to reevaluate present practices. This is particularly true for the feeding of dogs. If we are indeed concerned with the feeding of the geriatric dog, we must begin to emphasize changes in nutritional practices that go back to the period preceding birth.