Validation of the Medonic CA620/530 Vet 20-ml microcapillary sampler system for hematology testing of feline blood

The aim of the current study was to compare feline hematologic variables in blood collected in microcapillary tubes (20 ml) and conventional blood tubes with the Medonic CA620/530 Vet in-house hematologic analyzer. A comparison of results obtained in 60 cats presented at the clinics of the veterinary school showed that the correlations between the 2 methods were 0.97 for white blood cell, 0.95 for red blood cell, and 0.93 for platelet counts; 0.92 for hemoglobin concentration; and 0.99 for mean corpuscular volume. No clinically relevant differences between the 2 blood sampling techniques were observed for any variable, which suggests that both techniques are interchangeable in cats. Moreover, microcapillary tubes would allow easier repeated sampling in the same cat and would likely be useful in other small species

Developmental toxic effects of ethylbenzene or toluene alone and in combination with butyl acetate in rats after inhalation exposure

First, the developmental toxic potential of n-butyl acetate (BA) was examined in Sprague-Dawley rats following whole body inhalation exposure, 6 h day-1, from day 6 to 20 of gestation, at concentrations of 0, 500, 1000, 2000 and 3000 ppm. Maternal toxicity was evidenced by significant decreases in body weight gain at 2000 and 3000 ppm, and by reduced food consumption at 1000 ppm and higher concentrations. The effects on prenatal development were limited to a significant decrease in fetal weight at 3000 ppm. Thus, inhaled BA was not a selective developmental toxicant. In the second part of this study, the developmental toxic effects of simultaneous exposures to ethylbenzene (EB) and BA, or to toluene (TOL) and BA were evaluated. Pregnant rats were administered EB (0, 250 or 1000 ppm) and BA (0, 500 or 1500 ppm), or TOL (0, 500 or 1500 ppm) and BA (0, 500, 1500 ppm), separately and in combinations, using a 2 × 2 factorial design. The maternal weight gain was reduced after exposure to 1000 ppm EB, to 1500 ppm BA, or to 1500 ppm TOL, either alone or in binary combinations. A significant reduction of fetal weight was associated with exposure to 1000 ppm EB alone, to either mixtures of EB with BA, or to 1500 ppm TOL alone or combined with BA at either concentration. No embryolethal or teratogenic effects were observed whatever the exposure. There was no evidence of interaction between EB and BA or between TOL and BA in causing maternal or developmental effects. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Developmental toxicity of combined ethylbenzene and methylethylketone administered by inhalation to rats

Pregnant Sprague–Dawley rats were exposed to ethylbenzene (EB; 0, 250, or 1000 ppm) and methylethylketone (MEK; 0, 1000, or 3000 ppm), alone and in combination, by inhalation, for 6 h/day, during days 6–20 of gestation. Maternal toxicity, evidenced by decreased in body weight gain and food consumption, tended to be greater after simultaneous exposures to the high concentrations of 1000 ppm EB and 3000 ppm MEK, when compared to the treatments with individual compounds. No significant increase in embryo/fetal lethality or incidence of malformations and variations was observed in any of the treatment groups. Fetal body weight was significantly reduced after individual treatment with 1000 ppm EB or 3000 ppm MEK, and in the combined groups. There was no evidence of interaction between EB and MEK in causing developmental toxicity

Development of a pig jejunal explant culture for studying the gastrointestinal toxicity of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol: histopathological analysis

The digestive tract is a target for the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON), a major cereals grain contaminant of public health concern in Europe and North America. Pig, the most sensitive species to DON toxicity, can be regarded as the most relevant animal model for studying the intestinal effects of DON. A pig jejunal explants culture was developed to assess short-term effects of DON. In a first step, jejunal explants from 9-13 week-old and from 4-5 week-old pigs were cultured in vitro for up to 8 hours. Explants from younger animals were better preserved after 8 hours, as assessed by morphological scores and by villi lengths. In a second step, dose-related alterations of the jejunal tissue were observed, including shortened and coalescent villi, lysis of enterocytes, oedema. After 4h of DON exposure of explants from 4-5 week-old pigs, a no-effect concentration level of 1 µM was estimated (corresponding to diet contaminated with 0.3 mg DON/kg) based on morphological scores, and of 0.2 µM based on villi lengths. In conclusion, our data indicate that pig intestinal explants represent a relevant and sensitive model to investigate the effects of food contaminants

Immunohistochimie des lymphomes gastrointestinaux du chat

Chez le chat, les lymphomes sont les tumeurs les plus fréquentes du tractus digestif. La seule étude morphologique par l’examen cytologique et/ou histopathologique ne permet pas dans tous les cas de différencier un lymphome d’une lésion hyperplasique ou réactionnelle et elle n’autorise pas non plus le typage des tumeurs qui nécessite l’identification précise de la sous-population cellulaire à l’origine de la prolifération néoplasique. Actuellement, au moyen d’un nombre limité d’anticorps utilisables sur des prélèvements fixés par le formol et inclus en paraffine, c’est-à-dire dans les conditions de la pratique clinique courante, le recours à des techniques immunohistochimiques permet d’accroitre de manière sensible les informations obtenues par l’examen histologique pratiquées sur des biopsies, aussi bien pour le typage des tumeurs que pour le diagnostic différentiel des lésions non tumorales. Les principes, modalités, indications et limites de ce type de méthodes appliquées à la gastroentérologie du chat sont présentés dans cette synthèse

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of a therapeutic dose of unfractionated heparin (200 U/kg) administered subcutaneously or intravenously to healthy dogs

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of 200 U/kg of sodium unfractionated heparin (UFH) on coagulation times in dogs after IV and SC administration and to compare these effects with plasma heparin concentrations assessed by its anti Xa activity. Methods: 200 U/kg of UFH were administered Intravenously (IV) and Subcutaneously (SC) to five healthy adult Beagle dogs with a wash out period of at least 3 days. Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT), Prothrombin Time (PT) and plasma anti-factor Xa (aXa) activity were determined in serial blood samples. Results: After IV injection, PT remained unchanged except for a slight increase in one dog; APTT was not measurable (> 60 s) for 45 to 90 min, then decreased regularly and returned to baseline values between 150 and 240 min. High plasma heparin concentrations were observed (C max = 4.64±1.4 aXa U/mL) and decreased according to a slightly concave-convex pattern on a semi-logarithmic curve but returned to baseline slightly more slowly (t240 to t300 min). After SC administration, APTT was moderately prolonged (mean±SD prolongation: 1.55±0.28 x APTT t0, range [1.35-2.01]) between 1 and 4 hours after administration. Plasma anti-factor Xa activity reached a maximum of 0.56±0.20 aXa U/mL, range: [0.42 - 0.9] after 132±26.8 min and this lasted for 102±26.8 min. Heparin concentrations were grossly correlated to APTT; prolongation of APTT of 120 to 160% corresponded to plasma heparin concentrations range of 0.3-0.7 aXa U/mL, considered as the therapeutic range in human medicine. Conclusions: As in human, pharmacokinetic of UFH in dogs is non linear. Administration of 200 U/kg of UFH SC in healthy dogs results in sustained plasma heparin concentrations in accordance with human recommendations for thrombosis treatment or prevention, without excessively increased bleeding risks. In these conditions, APTT can be used as a surrogate to assess plasma heparin concentrations. This has to be confirmed in diseased animals

Development of a pig jejunal explant culture for studying the gastrointestinal toxicity of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol: Histopathological analysis. Toxicol

Abstract The digestive tract is a target for the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON), a major cereals grain contaminant of public health concern in Europe and North America. Pig, the most sensitive species to DON toxicity, can be regarded as the most relevant animal model for studying the intestinal effects of DON. A pig jejunal explants culture was developed to assess short-term effects of DON. In a first step, jejunal explants from 9-13 week-old and from 4-5 week-old pigs were cultured in vitro for up to 8 hours. Explants from younger animals were better preserved after 8 hours, as assessed by morphological scores and by villi lengths. Dose-related alteration of the jejunal tissue were observed, including shortened and coalescent villi, lysis of enterocytes, oedema. A no-effect concentration level of 1 μM was estimated (corresponding to diet contaminated with 0.3 mg DON/kg) based on morphological scores, and of 0.2 μM based on villi lengths. In conclusion, our data indicate that pig intestinal explants represent a relevant and sensitive model to investigate the effects of food contaminants

Les variations de l'hémogramme chez le chiot (Etude bibliographique et étude rétrospective menée sur 105 hémogrammes d'animaux présentés à la consultation de l'Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse)

L'hémogramme a un rôle diagnostic important. Cependant, les données chez le jeune animal et en particulier chez le chiot de moins de 6 mois sont peu nombreuses, parcellaires et à l'origine de difficultés d'interprétation pour le clinicien. Dans une première partie a été dressé un bilan des connaissances présentes dans la littérature sur les données hématologiques du chiot âgé de 0 à 6 mois. Dans une seconde partie une étude rétrospective de 105 hémogrammes de chiots de moins de 6 mois présentés à la consultation à l'ENVT de septembre 2003 à septembre 2005 a été réalisée. Les résultats de notre travail soulignent l'intérêt de la connaissance des valeurs de l'érythrogramme chez le jeune. En effet, les valeurs de numération globulaire, hémoglobinémie et hématocrite apparaissent inférieures aux valeurs usuelles de l'adulte chez le chiot âgé de 0 à 6 mois.TOULOUSE-EN Vétérinaire (315552301) / SudocTOULOUSE3-BU Santé-Centrale (315552105) / SudocSudocFranceF

Intérêt du marqueur de prolifération Ki-67 pour le pronostic des tumeurs mammaires de la chienne (étude bibliographique et proposition d'un protocole d'étude)

TOULOUSE3-BU Santé-Centrale (315552105) / SudocTOULOUSE-EN Vétérinaire (315552301) / SudocSudocFranceF

Evaluation de l'expression des cytokératines 8 et 14 dans les tissus épithéliaux normaux de l'espèce canine

TOULOUSE3-BU Santé-Centrale (315552105) / SudocTOULOUSE-EN Vétérinaire (315552301) / SudocSudocFranceF