Postoperative Complications Associated with External Skeletal Fixators in Dogs

OBJECTIVES:  To quantify and evaluate risks of complications attributable to external skeletal fixator (ESF) usage in dogs. METHODS:  A retrospective review of medical records following ESF placement. RESULTS:  Case records of 97 dogs were reviewed; fixator-associated complications occurred in 79/97 dogs. Region of ESF placement was significantly associated with complication development (p = 0.005), not complication type (p = 0.086). Complications developed most frequently in the tarsus (9/10), manus (8/9) and humerus (8/9). Superficial pin-tract infection and implant failure occurred in 38/97 and 17/97 dogs, respectively. Superficial pin-tract infection occurred frequently in the femur, humerus, radius and ulna and the pes, with implant failure frequent in the tarsus and deep pin-tract infection in the manus and tibia. Transarticular frames were significantly more likely to develop a complication (p = 0.028). Age was significantly associated with complication development (p = 0.029). No associations between breed, sex, weight, fracture type (open or closed), ESF classification and the incidence or type of complications were identified. No associations between, breed, age, sex, weight, fracture type (open or closed), ESF classification and the time to complication development were identified. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE:  Fixator-associated complications are common in dogs, with the majority of complications related to implant infection. Region and placement of transarticular frames should be carefully considered when selecting stabilization method

Identification of mutations in the bovine KIT gene, a candidate for the Spotted locus in cattle

AbstractIn mammals, abnormal migration of melanoblasts from the neural crest during embryonic development may be the reason of the pielbaldism phenotype that is a mixture of pigmented and unpigmented areas in the coat. Several cattle breeds, like for example Holstein, show the piebald spotted coat colour phenotype, that, according to crossbreeding studies, is due to a recessive allele (s), member of the allele series of the Spotted (S) locus. Dominant alleles at this locus act as suppressors of the spotted pattern and produce uniformly pigmented animals while others determine the colour-sided pattern known, for example, in the Hereford breed. The bovine v-kit Hardy-Zuckerman 4 feline sarcoma viral oncogene (KIT) gene was localized in the region of chromosome 6 where the Spotted locus was mapped. KIT plays a major role during the embryonic development in directing the migration of the melanoblasts from the neural crest. Mutations in this gene cause different coat colour patterns in mouse and human. In pigs..

Characterization of the Prion Protein (PRP) Gene in Ten Breeds of Sheep

Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSE\u27s) are neurodegenerative disorders characterized by a long generation time, spongy degeneration in the cerebral gray matter, neuronal loss and proliferation and hypertrophy of glial cells. An abnormal form of the prion protein (PrP) plays a major part in TSE pathogenesis and has been hypothesized to be the only component of the infectious agent. Some animals exposed to scrapie, the TSE affecting sheep and goats, seem to be resistant to development of the disease. Alleles encoding amino acid substitutions at codons 136 (A/V) and 171 (Q/R/H) have been associated with scrapie resistance. Other amino acid substitutions at codons 112 (M/T), 137 (M/T), 141 (L/F), 154 (R/H), and 211 (R/Q) have been reported but not associated with scrapie resistance. It may be possible to reduce the incidence of ovine scrapie by increasing the frequency of resistant genotypes (AA-136, RR-171, or QR-171). Thus, an important consideration is the frequency of these genotypes in different breeds of sheep. In this study, the genetic sequence for codons 104-175 was determined for at least ten animals of ten sheep breeds (n=207). Genotypes at codons 112, 136, 154, and 171 were determined. For codon 136, the frequency of the susceptible allele (V) was less than 0.20 in all breeds. In contrast, the frequency of the susceptible allele (Q) at codon 171 ranged from 0.27 (St. Croix) to 0.96 (Hampshire). In addition, a previously unreported substitution was found at codon 143 (H/R), with frequencies as high as 0.40

Moving from information and collaboration to action: report from the 3rd International Dog Health Workshop, Paris in April 2017

Abstract Background Breed-related health problems in dogs have received increased focus over the last decade. Responsibility for causing and/or solving these problems has been variously directed towards dog breeders and kennel clubs, the veterinary profession, welfare scientists, owners, regulators, insurance companies and the media. In reality, all these stakeholders are likely to share some responsibility and optimal progress on resolving these challenges requires all key stakeholders to work together. The International Partnership for Dogs (IPFD), together with an alternating host organization, holds biennial meetings called the International Dog Health Workshops (IDHW). The Société Centrale Canine (French Kennel Club) hosted the 3rd IDHW, in Paris, in April, 2017. These meetings bring together a wide range of stakeholders in dog health, science and welfare to improve international sharing of information and resources, to provide a forum for ongoing collaboration, and to identify specific needs and actions to improve health, well-being and welfare in dogs. Results The workshop included 140 participants from 23 countries and was structured around six important issues facing those who work to improve dog health. These included individualized breed-specific strategies for health and breeding, extreme conformations, education and communication in relation to antimicrobial resistance, behavior and welfare, genetic testing and population-based evidence. A number of exciting actions were agreed during the meeting. These included setting up working groups to create tools to help breed clubs accelerate the implementation of breed-health strategies, review aspects of extreme conformation and share useful information on behavior. The meeting also heralded the development of an online resource of relevant information describing quality measures for DNA testing. A demand for more and better data and evidence was a recurring message stressed across all themes. Conclusions The meeting confirmed the benefits from inclusion of a diverse range of stakeholders who all play relevant and collaborative parts to improve future canine health. Firm actions were set for progress towards improving breed-related welfare. The next international workshop will be in the UK in 2019 and will be organized by the UK Kennel Club

Ecological Consequences of Anomalies in Atmospheric Moisture and Snowpack

Although increased frequency of extreme‐weather events is one of the most secure predictions associated with contemporary climate change, effects of such events on distribution and abundance of climate‐sensitive species remain poorly understood. Montane ecosystems may be especially sensitive to extreme weather because of complex abiotic and biotic interactions that propagate from climate‐driven reductions in snowpack. Snowpack not only protects subnivean biotas from extreme cold, but also influences forage availability through timing of melt‐off and water availability. We related relative abundances of an alpine mammal, the American pika (Ochotona princeps), to measures of weather and snowpack dynamics over an 8‐yr period that included before and after a year of record‐low snowpack in Washington, USA. We sought to (1) quantify any change in pika abundance associated with the snowpack anomaly and (2) identify aspects of weather and snowpack that influenced abundance of pikas. Pikas showed a 1‐yr lag response to the snowpack anomaly and exhibited marked declines in abundance at elevations below 1,400 m simultaneous with increased abundances at higher elevations. Atmospheric moisture, indexed by vapor pressure deficit (VPD), was especially important, evidenced by strong support for the top‐ranked model that included the interaction of VPD with snowpack duration. Notably, our novel application of VPD from gridded climate data for analyses of animal abundances shows strong potential for improving species distribution models because VPD represents an important aspect of weather that influences the physiology and habitat of biota. Pikas were apparently affected by cold stress without snowpack at mid elevations, whereas changes to forage associated with snowpack and VPD were influential at high and low elevations. Our results reveal context dependency in pika responses to weather and illustrate how snow drought can lead to rapid change in the abundance of subnivean animals

The effect of dietary crude protein as protected soybean mean on mammary metabolism in the lactating dairy cow

Metabolism in the mammary gland was related to changes in milk output in response to changes in dietary protein intake. Three diets of grass silage and concentrate were fed to four lactating dairy cows equipped with intravascular catheters across the mammary gland. Concentrates differed in the inclusion of protected soybean meal and provided 11.3, 15.4, and 20.1% CP, respectively. Blood samples were taken to assess the effect of protein percentage on the nutrient fluxes across the gland and their relationship to milk production. Milk production, milk protein yield, and milk protein concentration were all increased as CP intake increased, although these responses were not linear. Concentrations of urea in milk reflected those in plasma and increased as dietary protein intake increased. Uptake of glucose and BHBA by the mammary gland tended to increase as milk production increased. Arterial supply of essential AA increased as the dietary protein increased. Supply and uptake of nonessential AA were unchanged by dietary treatment, and uptake was insufficient to account for output of nonessential AA residues in milk protein. The supply of essential AA was not limiting for milk protein synthesis, and some alternative mechanism must have existed for the control of milk protein yield

National Program for Genetic Improvement of Feed Efficiency in Beef Cattle

Our goal is to sustainably reduce feed resources required to produce beef via the rapid development and deployment of novel nutritional, genomic and genetic improvement technologies. We will strengthen the international competitiveness of US agriculture and enable increased food production by increasing the animal protein produced without additional feed inputs and with a reduced greenhouse gas footprint

Managing for RADical ecosystem change: applying the Resist-Accept- Direct (RAD) framework

Ecosystem transformation involves the emergence of persistent ecological or social–ecological systems that diverge, dramatically and irreversibly, from prior ecosystem structure and function. Such transformations are occurring at increasing rates across the planet in response to changes in climate, land use, and other factors. Consequently, a dynamic view of ecosystem processes that accommodates rapid, irreversible change will be critical for effectively conserving fish, wildlife, and other natural resources, and maintaining ecosystem services. However, managing ecosystems toward states with novel structure and function is an inherently unpredictable and difficult task. Managers navigating ecosystem transformation can benefit from considering broader objectives, beyond a traditional focus on resisting ecosystem change, by also considering whether accepting inevitable change or directing it along some desirable pathway is more feasible (that is, practical and appropriate) under some circumstances (the RAD framework). By explicitly acknowledging transformation and implementing an iterative RAD approach, natural resource managers can be deliberate and strategic in addressing profound ecosystem change