Comparison of methods to monitor dogs with hypercortisolism treated with trilostane

Background: The use of adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation test as method to monitor efficacy of trilostane treatment of hypercortisolism (HC) in dogs has been questioned. Objectives: To evaluate and compare 12 methods with which to monitor efficacy of trilostane treatment in dogs with HC. Animals: Forty-five client-owned dogs with HC treated with trilostane q12h. Methods: Prospective cross-sectional observational study. The dogs were categorized as well-controlled, undercontrolled, and unwell through a clinical score obtained from an owner questionnaire. The ability to correctly identify trilostane-treatment control of dogs with HC with the following variables was evaluated: before trilostane serum cortisol (prepill), before-ACTH serum cortisol, post-ACTH serum cortisol, plasma endogenous ACTH concentrations, prepill/eACTH ratio, serum haptoglobin (Hp) concentration, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyl transferase (γGT) and alkaline phosphatase activity, urine specific gravity, and urinary cortisol : creatinine ratio. Results: Ninety-four re-evaluations of 44 dogs were included; 5 re-evaluations of 5 unwell dogs were excluded. Haptoglobin was significantly associated with the clinical score (P <.001) and in the receiver operating characteristic analysis, Hp cutoff of 151 mg/dL correctly identified 90.0% of well-controlled dogs (specificity) and 65.6% of undercontrolled dogs (sensitivity). Alanine aminotransferase (P =.01) and γGT (P =.009) were significantly higher in undercontrolled dogs. Cutoff of ALT and γGT greater than or equal to 86 U/L and 5.8 U/L, respectively, were significantly associated with poor control of HC by trilostane. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Of all the 12 variables, Hp, and to a lesser degree ALT and γGT, could be considered additional tools to the clinical picture to identify well-controlled and undercontrolled trilostane-treated dogs

Preliminary assessment of the mucosal toxicity of tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) and rosemary (rosmarinus officinalis) essential oils on novel porcine uterus models

Antimicrobial resistance, an ever-growing global crisis, is strongly linked to the swine production industry. In previous studies, Melaleuca alternifolia and Rosmarinus officinalis essential oils have been evaluated for toxicity on porcine spermatozoa and for antimicrobial capabilities in artificial insemination doses, with the future perspective of their use as antibiotic alternatives. The aim of the present research was to develop and validate in vitro and ex vivo models of porcine uterine mucosa for the evaluation of mucosal toxicity of essential oils. The in vitro model assessed the toxicity of a wider range of concentrations of both essential oils (from 0.2 to 500 mg/mL) on sections of uterine tissue, while the ex vivo model was achieved by filling the uterine horns. The damage induced by the oils was assessed by Evans Blue (EB) permeability assay and histologically. The expression of ZO-1, a protein involved in the composition of tight junctions, was assessed through immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence analysis. The results showed that low concentrations (0.2\u20130.4 mg/mL) of both essential oils, already identified as non-spermicidal but still antimicrobial, did not alter the structure and permeability of the swine uterine mucosa. Overall, these findings strengthen the hypothesis of a safe use of essential oils in inseminating doses of boar to replace antibiotics

Quantification of hair corticosterone, DHEA and testosterone as a potential tool for welfare assessment in male laboratory mice

Steroids, providing information regarding several biological patterns including stress and sexual behavior, have been investigated in different matrices in laboratory mice. Data regarding hair quantification, indicative of longer timespans when compared to blood and saliva, are lacking. The aim of the work was to analyze the hormonal hair profile of laboratory male mice and to investigate potential relationships with age and housing, as a potential tool for welfare assessment. Fifty-six adult male C57BL/6J and C57BL/6OlaHsd substrain mice were included in the study, housed in pairs or groups. Testosterone (T) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) were quantified by radioimmunoassay, corticosterone (CORT) by ELISA. Mean hormone levels were 6.42 pg/mg for T, 23.16 pg/mg for DHEA and 502.1 pg/mg for CORT. Age influenced all hormones by significantly increasing T and DHEA levels and decreasing CORT; only DHEA, significantly higher in grouped mice, was influenced by housing conditions. The influence of age indicates the need for accurate age-related reference intervals, while the higher levels of DHEA in grouped animals suggests that such housing practice may be beneficial for social interactions. In conclusion, it seems that hair hormones quantification may be a good tool for welfare assessment in laboratory mice and may help in refining husbandry

Effects of Gill Fish® on growth and welfare indices of farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) during early life stages

none8noIn aquaculture, the many chemicals used as therapeutics, prophylactics and growth promoters, can accumulate in fish and spread in the environment through effluent water. Nowadays, the focus of zootechnical productions has shifted towards the search for possible natural alternatives, considered safer for animals and consumers, with lower environmental impact. Herbal products are made of natural compounds, but “natural” is not necessarily synonymous of harmless, thus toxicity needs to be tested for each composition at different doses. Indeed, since herbal products' action is often dose-dependent, negative effects may be prevented by studying the posology according to the species and life stage. In this study, the effects of two different doses (0.05 and 0.1 mL/L) of a natural-based complementary feed, Gill Fish®, were assessed on the early stages of life of farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The product was added daily to tanks containing rainbow trout eggs during the pre-hatching period, from 30 to 36 days post fertilization. Embryos mortality (evaluated three times during the six days of treatment; t0-t2) and zootechnical indices such as biomass, weight, length and number of alevins (all evaluated 3 and 4 weeks after the end of treatment; t3-t4), were analysed to assess both direct and indirect toxicity. Furthermore, whole body cortisol (from embryos and alevins; t0-t4) was measured to highlight potential stressful effects of the treatment. For each parameter, time was a statistically significative factor, while no differences were noticed between the three groups within the same time point. These results demonstrate that Gill Fish® had no harmful nor stressful effects, both immediately and short term; this herb-based product could therefore be a good candidate for future studies with different doses and/or longer administration, to evaluate its possible beneficial effects as an alternative to chemicals in aquaculture.embargoed_20230225Aniballi C.; Elmi A.; Bertocchi M.; Parmeggiani A.; Govoni N.; Scozzoli M.; Ventrella D.; Bacci M.L.Aniballi C.; Elmi A.; Bertocchi M.; Parmeggiani A.; Govoni N.; Scozzoli M.; Ventrella D.; Bacci M.L