Diagnostic cut-off values for the urinary corticoid:creatinine ratio for the diagnosis of canine Cushing's syndrome using an automated chemiluminescent assay.

Background: Cushing's syndrome is one of the most common endocrinopathies in dogs. The preferred screening test for spontaneous Cushing's syndrome is the low-dose dexamethasone suppression test (LDDST). The diagnostic value of urinary cortisol:creatinine ratios (UCCR) is questionable.

Establishment of the European College of Veterinary Clinical Pathology (ECVCP) and the current status of veterinary clinical pathology in Europe.

After 5 years of development, the European College of Veterinary Clinical Pathology (ECVCP) was formally recognized and approved on July 4, 2007 by the European Board of Veterinary Specialisation (EBVS), the European regulatory body that oversees specialization in veterinary medicine and which has approved 23 colleges. The objectives, committees, basis for membership, constitution, bylaws, information brochure and certifying examination of the ECVCP have remained unchanged during this time except as directed by EBVS. The ECVCP declared full functionality based on the following criteria: 1) a critical mass of 65 members: 15 original diplomates approved by the EBVS to establish the ECVCP, 37 de facto diplomates, 7 diplomates certified by examination, and 5 elected honorary members; 2) the development and certification of training programs, laboratories, and qualified supervisors for residents; currently there are 18 resident training programs in Europe; 3) administration of 3 annual board-certifying examinations thus far, with an overall pass rate of 70%; 4) European consensus criteria for assessing the continuing education of specialists every 5 years; 5) organization of 8 annual scientific congresses and a joint journal (with the American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology) for communication of scientific research and information; the College also maintains a website, a joint listserv, and a newsletter; 6) collaboration in training and continuing education with relevant colleges in medicine and pathology; 7) development and strict adherence to a constitution and bylaws compliant with the EBVS; and 8) demonstration of compelling rationale, supporting data, and the support of members and other colleges for independence as a specialty college.

Distribution and morphology of skeletal muscle lesions after experimental restraint stress in normal and stress-susceptible pigs.

Six normal and 22 stress-susceptible (SS) pigs were subjected to experimental restraint stress to test the hypothesis that SS pigs are more affected by stress-induced skeletal muscle lesions than normal pigs. The stress was provoked by a 12 min intravenous infusion of the myorelaxant succinylcholine at a dose which induced leg paralysis. At necropsy 2-3 days after the stress, 24 muscles were examined macro- and microscopically.

Serum auto antibodies and clinical/pathological features in German shepherd dogs with a lupuslike syndrome.

This study presents 8 dogs of German Shepherd breed (6 males, 2 females, 2-5 years of age at onset of the disease) with a lupus like syndrome characterized by febrile polyarthritis, wasting, nephropathy, cutaneous lesions and high positive titres of ANA (antinuclear antibodies) of speckled type. The serum autoantibodies were further characterized by double immunodiffusion against ENA (extractable nuclear antigen), ELISA for Histone antibodies (Histon fraction H-24A and H-3S), indirect IF on rat-liver sections, non treated and RNase/DNase digested sections for DNP/RNP antibodies, and smears of a hemoflagellate C. luciliae for antibodies vs doubbel strained DNA, (dsDNA).

Serum creatine kinase activity as a selection criterion for stress susceptibility after standardised stress in pigs.

Estimation of serum creatine kinase isoenzyme activity was used as a selection criterion for stress sensitivity in pigs 8-12 weeks of age, classified for stress susceptibility as positive to halothane anaesthesia. Standardized stress was provoked by administration of adrenocorticotropic hormone or synstigmine. The experiments were performed under experimental conditions in permanently catheterized animals and in a field trial.

A comparative study of different methods for measurement of rheumatoid factor in dog serum.

An enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique was developed and compared with two routinely used methods, latex agglutination and Rose-Waaler hemagglutination, for the measurement of Rheumatoid Factor (RF) in dog serum. The frequency of positive samples for IgM-RF was rather low, about 8-12% of the 460 dogs with different rheumatic disorders being classified as positive by these methods. It was further concluded that the latex agglutination test used in this study (Synbiotics CRF Kit) should be performed only on heat inactivated serum (56 degrees C for 30 minutes) thereby significantly reducing the frequency of weak, probably false, positive agglutination reactions.

Chemiluminescence and chemotaxis assay of porcine polymorphonuclear cells. A methodological study.

A Boyden-Chamber technique for leukocyte migration was adapted to a polymorphonuclear (PMN) cell concentration of 5 x 10(6) cells/ml an optimal amount of cells for the leading front technique. Casein (0.1%) is so far the most effective chemotactic substance for porcine granulocytes.

Chemiluminescence and chemotaxis assay of canine granulocytes: a methodological study.

Chemiluminescence (CL) of isolated granulocytes and of whole blood from dogs was evaluated. Chemiluminescence of whole blood samples created an undesired quenching effect by the red blood cells which makes the assay difficult to apply in pathological cases with low formation of oxygen metabolites. This problem was avoided when chemiluminescence was determined, using isolated granulocytes.

Phagocytosis induced by yeast cells in canine granulocytes: a methodological study.

A phagocytic function assay of canine granulocytes was established. This method allows the proportion of active granulocytes to be estimated as well as the number of adhered and ingested yeast cells. The influence of different factors on phagocytosis was studied.

Cardiac manifestation and blood catecholamine levels during succinylcholine-induced stress of malignant hyperthermia sensitive pigs.

Fifteen crossbred pigs of Swedish Landrace and Yorkshire, about 6 months of age and susceptible to develop malignant hyperthermia (MH) when exposed to halothane, were subjected to stress provoked by the myorelaxant succinylcholine. The results were compared with those of 12 normal pigs. During the stress the halothane-sensitive (HS) pigs showed much higher levels of plasma noradrenaline and adrenaline and more severe ventricular arrhythmias than the controls.

Catecholamine-induced free radicals in myocardial cell necrosis on experimental stress in pigs.

Normal pigs, crossbreeds of Swedish Landrace and Yorkshire, about 6 months old, were subjected to experimental stress, induced by the myorelaxant succinylcholine, for 12 min. Besides one group of control pigs, one group of pigs were pretreated with alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) combined with selenium (Tokosel Vet) injected i.m.

Sepsis in sheep reduces pulmonary microvascular sieving capacity.

The changes in pulmonary microvascular permeability in sheep, after infusion of live Escherichia coli, were studied using estimations of the osmotic reflection coefficients (sigma) for total protein, albumin, immunoglobins (Ig) G and M and based on these estimations equivalent pore dimensions were calculated. A chronic lung lymph fistula was prepared in seven sheep. After a base-line period, left atrial pressure (Pla) was increased.

The pulmonary microvascular response to infusion of live Escherichia coli in sheep with acutely or chronically prepared lung lymph fistula.

The effects of infusion of live Escherichia coli bacteria in awake sheep with a chronic lung lymph fistula (n = 15) were compared to anesthetized animals (n = 7) receiving the same septic insult after surgical trauma including bilateral thoracotomies for lung lymph cannulation (acute group). During preseptic baseline conditions, pulmonary arterial pressure (Ppa) and central venous pressure (Pcv) were increased and leukocytes decreased in the newly operated animals compared to the sheep with a chronic lung lymph fistula. After i.

Effect of phenoxybenzamine on myocardial cell necroses and blood levels of catecholamines in pigs subjected to stress.

The degree of myocardial cell necroses after stress was investigated in 6 pigs, weighing 70 to 90 kg. The stress was induced by a myorelaxant, succinylcholine, for about 12 min. The alpha-adrenoceptor blocking agent phenoxybenzamine (PBZ) was given orally 3 times a day in a total dose of 50 to 60 mg per day for 6 to 7 days before the stress.

DNA binding proteins in canine sera. A method for removal of nonspecific DNA binding in the Farr assay.

A panel of canine sera, the majority of which were collected from clinically healthy dogs, were investigated for antibodies against double stranded (dsDNA) by the Farr radioimmunoassay technique. Non-specific DNA binding agents interfering with the Farr assay were detected in all sera. Heat inactivation at 60 degrees C or treatment with dextran sulphate was shown to eliminate this kind of unspecific DNA binding while not affecting true antibodies to dsDNA.

Studies of serum-transferrin and some hematologic parameters in vitamin E and selenium deficient pigs.

Sows of Swedish Landrace x Yorkshire breed were fed a diet extremely deficient in vitamin E, selenium (VESD) during the last six weeks of pregnancy and compared to sows of the same breed and age fed a normal commercial diet. The transferrin concentration in serum and different hematological parameters were estimated at regular intervals in the sows before and after partus and in their piglets at birth and during the first four weeks of life. The transferrin concentration in the serum of piglets from sows fed the VESD diet did not differ from the corresponding values in normal pigs whereas the VESD piglets showed significantly lower hemoglobin values at birth and higher MCV values during the first three weeks of life than the normal piglets.

Binding of immunoglobulins to protein A and immunoglobulin levels in mammalian sera.

The use of protein A from S. aureus (SpA) as an anti-IgG reagent in immunological techniques has extended in recent years, together with knowledge about its interaction with immunoglobulins of different species. Current data with respect to the binding of protein A to immunoglobulins and to the levels of immunoglobulins in the sera of some mammalian species are reviewed.

Creatine kinase isoenzymes in serum of pigs having myocardial and skeletal muscle necrosis.

Serum creatine kinase (CK) and lactic dehydrogenase (LD) isoenzyme activities were measured in blood serum of pigs having myocardial damage and skeletal muscular lesions. Myocardial and muscular damage was induced by restraint stress provoked by intravenous infusion of a pharmacological restraint (succinylcholine-chloride) during 12 minutes. Pigs of Swedish Landrace and Swedish Landrace X Yorkshire breed, stress-susceptible (halothane-sensitive) and nonreacting pigs were studied.

Effect of stress on myocardial cells and blood levels of catecholamines in normal and amygdalectomized pigs.

The effects of restraint stress on heart activity, blood catecholamines and the development of myocardial necrosis were studied in five unoperated and five unsuccessfully amygdalectomized (sham-operated) pigs and compared with six bilaterally amygdalectomized pigs. In the sham-operated and the nonoperated animals, restraint stress often provoked intense tachycardia, as well as considerable elevations of blood catecholamines, particularly noradrenaline, associated with more or less widespread foci of myocardial necrosis. In contrast, the same restraint produced only minor heart rate increase in the six completely amygdalectomized animals; their blood noradrenaline levels were significantly lower and no myocardial necrosis could be detected, either macro- or microscopically.