Recognition and assessment of pain in animals

Pain is a complex physiological phenomenon, it is hard to define in a satisfactory manner in human beings, and it is extremely difficult to recognize and interpret in animals. According to the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), pain is defined as an unpleasant sensory or emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage. Pain is an important aspect of life and its prevention and decrease are important as a goal to achieve the well-being of animals. The task of scientists is to recognize the language of pain interpretation which animals use to seek help. For an objective evaluation of pain, it is essential to possess a good knowledge of physiology, etiology and clinical diagnosis. We are obliged to do this also because of the ethic principles to defend the well-being of animals and to eliminate any factor which can cause feelings of pain or suffering. The recognition of pain and its manifestation is especially important in cases of animal abuse, when it could be the only symptom. Animals can be quiet and instinctively hide the presence of pain, which makes the symptoms more subtle, but does not make their injuries any less painful. It is also important to have knowledge of manifestations of pain that appear during different surgical procedures performed by the veterinarinarian in spite of the applied dose of analgetic. Pain significantly contributes to the suffering of animals and in such cases it is important to collect relevant documents, in the form of video recordings or in photodocumentation form, because it is important information in the processing of cases of animal abuse. Veterinary experts have the responsibility to recognize, evaluate, and prevent pain and to relieve animals from the pain, which should be the fourth vital sign, following temperature, pulse and breathing, and participate in the evaluation of the condition of the animal during an examination. Due to all the above mentioned, it is essential to secure efficacious prevention and control of pain, which is reflected in the recognition of pain, making a diagnosis, developing a plan of therapy, and adapting the therapy over a longer time period, especially in cases of chronic pain

Forensic aspects of animal abusing

Animal abuse is important social issue, which includes a wide range of behaviors of humans that are harmful to animals, starting from unintentional neglect to intentional cruelty. Types of animal abuse are different and they can include physical, sexual, emotional abuse or neglect. Training dogs for fights and dog fighting are considered to be neglection of animals. Forensic veterinarians are called for testifining more often now for presenting the evidence that can lead to making a case regarding animal abuse. This study will include an explanation of forensic vet's role and different types of animal abuse

Importance of entomology in veterinary forensics

Entomological evidence is legal evidence in the form of insects or related artropodes, and a field of their study in the aim of medicocriminal applications and veterinary-medical forensic cases is forensic entomology. The most obvious and widely present fauna on the animal and human corpse in early stages of the decomposition process are insect larvae that use the corps as an important food source. The insects found on the corpse represent a significant source of information for determining the time of death, which is an evaluation of the post-morted interval. Additionally, by comparing fauna around the body with fauna found on the body one can obtain information if the corpse was moved after death. Often, insects found on the body point out that infestation by larvae started before death. That implicates animal abuse and defines its duration. Based on these elements, a forensic doctor can deduce which level of abuse is in question. Entomology is an expanding field and the more cases are being shown and the more researchers are being taught how to use insects as a way of proving responsibility, the more it will develop. It is becoming more common for entomological evidence to be case-breaking in the determination of post mortem intervals, in both early and late decomposition phase

The frequency of chromosomal aberrations in sheep from the area contaminated by depleted uranium during NATO air strikes in 1999

This paper presents the results of cytogenetic studies in sheep from the region of Bujanovac that was contaminated by depleted uranium during the NATO air strikes in 1999. The study was conducted on sheep blood lymphocytes, in order to determine the frequency of chromosomal aberrations and to assess the presence of genetic risk as a result of the possible impact of depleted uranium. Blood samples for lymphocyte cultures were taken at random from the 20 animals of the households in the village of Borovac, near Bujanovac. The animals were chosen because they were pastured, fed, and watered in the NATO bombing area. With the purpose of comparing the results two control groups were cytogenetically analyzed, each consisted of 20 sheep from Zemun and Ovča, two northern localities that were not contaminated with depleted uranium. The established structural chromosomal changes were of breaks and gap types, and their frequencies in sheep of all surveyed localities were within the range of basic level values that are commonly found in the sheep lymphocyte cultures analyses. Significant differences are apparent between the values defined in the sheep from Bujanovac compared to those obtained in the sheep from the northern locality (Zemun), probably as a result of breeding of animals in the farm conditions and their being less exposed to the impact of environmental agents. There were neither elevated values of polyploid and aneuploid cells nor significant differences between the sites. According to earlier known data, depleted uranium was below the detection limit of the method applied both in the soil and feed given to cytogenetically analyzed animals. Based on the low-level changes that are in the range of the basic level changes, commonly observed in sheep lymphocytes control cultures, it cannot be said with certainty that it was depleted uranium that caused the changes, or that it is wide-spread in the region of Bujanovac. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 1518/2002, br. 20061-TR i br. 173034

Role of veterinarians in recognition and prevention of animal abuse

Since the Criminal law of the Republic of Serbia in 2005 as well as the Law on veterinary medicine, there has been an increasing number of cases that deal with raising criminal charges due to animal killing or torturing. There is also a significant number of forensic cases that are aimed at discovering criminal acts. Animal abuse is a social issue, which includes a range of behaviors of humans that are harmful to animals, starting from unintentional neglect to intentional cruelty. Types of animal abuse are different and they can include physical, sexual, emotional abuse, or neglect. Abuse and neglect of animals have a variety of forms and manifestations, but the end result is always the same - animal suffering. The connection between animal abuse, domestic violence, and child abuse indicates that there is a significant role of veterinarians in social contexts and in terms of stopping this vicious cycle by preventing, discovering and turning in suspects involved in these crimes. The help that veterinarians provide to public prosecutors is of great importance. This study shows the role of veterinarians in cases of possible animal abuse, as well as their role in processing that type of cases

Antioxidative defense

Free radicals occur constantly during metabolism and take part in numerous physiological processes, such as: intra-cellular and inter-cellular signalization, gene expression, removal of damaged or senescent cells, and control of the tone of blood vessels. However, there is an increased quantity of free radicals in situations of so-called oxidative stress, when they cause serious damage to cellular membranes (peroxidation of their lipids, damage of membrane proteins, and similar), to interior cellular protein molecules, as well as DNA molecules and carbohydrates. This is precisely why the organism has developed numerous mechanisms for removing free radicals and/or preventing their production. Some of these are enzyme-related and include superoxide-dismutase, catalase, glutathione-peroxidase, and others. Other, non-enzyme mechanisms, imply antioxidative activities of vitamins E and C, provitamin A, coenzyme Q, reduced glutation, and others. Since free radicals can leave the cell that has produced them and become dispersed throughout the body, in addition to antioxidative defense that functions within cellular structures, antioxidant extra-cellular defense has also been developed. This is comprised by: transferrin, lactoferrin, haptoglobin, hemopexin, ceruloplasmin, albumins, extra-cellular isoform SOD, extracellular glutathione-peroxidase, glucose, bilirubin, urates, and many other molecules

Physiology of free radicals

Free radicals imply that every atom, molecule, ion, group of atoms, or molecules with one or several non-paired electrons in outer orbital. Among these are: nitrogenoxide (NO•), superoxide-anion-radical (O2•-), hydroxyl radical (OH•), peroxyl radical (ROO•), alcoxyl radical (RO•) and hydroperoxyl radical (HO2•). However, reactive oxygen species also include components without non-paired electrons in outer orbital (so-called reactive non-radical agents), such as: singlet oxygen (1O2), peroxynitrite (ONOO-), hydrogen-peroxide (H2O2), hypochloric acid (eg. HOCl) and ozone (O3). High concentrations of free radicals lead to the development of oxidative stress which is a precondition for numerous pathological effects. However, low and moderate concentrations of these matter, which occur quite normally during cell metabolic activity, play multiple significant roles in many reactions. Some of these are: regulation of signal pathways within the cell and between cells, the role of chemoattractors and leukocyte activators, the role in phagocytosis, participation in maintaining, changes in the position and shape of the cell, assisting the cell during adaption and recovery from damage (e.g.caused by physical effort), the role in normal cell growth, programmed cell death (apoptosis) and cell ageing, in the synthesis of essential biological compounds and energy production, as well as the contribution to the regulation of the vascular tone, actually, tissue vascularization

Uloga veterinara u prepoznavanju i prevenciji slučajeva zlostavljanja životinja

Since the Criminal law of the Republic of Serbia in 2005 as well as the Law on veterinary medicine, there has been an increasing number of cases that deal with raising criminal charges due to animal killing or torturing. There is also a significant number of forensic cases that are aimed at discovering criminal acts. Animal abuse is a social issue, which includes a range of behaviors of humans that are harmful to animals, starting from unintentional neglect to intentional cruelty. Types of animal abuse are different and they can include physical, sexual, emotional abuse, or neglect. Abuse and neglect of animals have a variety of forms and manifestations, but the end result is always the same - animal suffering. The connection between animal abuse, domestic violence, and child abuse indicates that there is a significant role of veterinarians in social contexts and in terms of stopping this vicious cycle by preventing, discovering and turning in suspects involved in these crimes. The help that veterinarians provide to public prosecutors is of great importance. This study shows the role of veterinarians in cases of possible animal abuse, as well as their role in processing that type of cases.Od donošenja Krivičnog zakona Republike Srbije 2005. godine, kao i Zakona o veterinarstvu, sve je veći broj slučajeva u našoj praksi koji se odnose na utvrđivanje dokaza za pokretanje krivičnog postupka zbog ubijanja životinja ili postupaka sa obeležjima različitih vidova zlostavljanja (mučenja) životinja. Nije mali broj slučajeva ni predmeta upućenih u cilju veštačenja radi utvrđivanja odgovornosti za isto krivično delo. Zlostavljanje životinja je društvena pojava, koja podrazumeva širok spektar štetnog ponašanja čoveka prema životinjama, počev od nehotičnog zanemarivanja do namerne surovosti. Vidovi zlostavljanja su različiti i na osnovu Zakona o dobrobiti životinja obuhvataju fizičko i psihičko zlostavljanje. Zlostavljanje i zanemarivanje životinja imaju veliki broj formi i širok spektar manifestacija, ali je krajnji rezultat uvek isti, a to je patnja životinja. Veza između zlostavljanja životinja, nasilja u porodici i zlostavljanja dece nalaže širenje polja aktivnosti veterinara u prekidanju ovog ciklusa na podnošenje prijava slučajeva zlostavljanja životinja odgovarajućim službama, učešće u prevenciji, otkrivanju i pružanju pomoći javnim tužiocima u pokretanju krivičnog postupka protiv lica odgovornih za čin zlostavljanja i ubijanja životinja. U ovom radu posebno je ukazano na funkciju veterinara u slučajevima sumnje na različite vidove zlostavljanja životinja, kao i na značaj njihove uloge u procesuiranju takvi predmeta

Oxidative stress

The unceasing need for oxygen is in contradiction to the fact that it is in fact toxic to mammals. Namely, its monovalent reduction can have as a consequence the production of short-living, chemically very active free radicals and certain non-radical agents (nitrogen-oxide, superoxide-anion-radicals, hydroxyl radicals, peroxyl radicals, singlet oxygen, peroxynitrite, hydrogen peroxide, hypochlorous acid, and others). There is no doubt that they have numerous positive roles, but when their production is stepped up to such an extent that the organism cannot eliminate them with its antioxidants (superoxide-dismutase, glutathione-peroxidase, catalase, transferrin, ceruloplasmin, reduced glutathion, and others), a series of disorders is developed that are jointly called „oxidative stress.“ The reactive oxygen species which characterize oxidative stress are capable of attacking all main classes of biological macromolecules, actually proteins, DNA and RNA molecules, and in particular lipids. The free radicals influence lipid peroxidation in cellular membranes, oxidative damage to DNA and RNA molecules, the development of genetic mutations, fragmentation, and the altered function of various protein molecules. All of this results in the following consequences: disrupted permeability of cellular membranes, disrupted cellular signalization and ion homeostasis, reduced or loss of function of damaged proteins, and similar. That is why the free radicals that are released during oxidative stress are considered pathogenic agents of numerous diseases and ageing. The type of damage that will occur, and when it will take place, depends on the nature of the free radicals, their site of action and their source. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 173034, br. 175061 i br. 31085

Lipidni status trkačkih konja nakon fizičkog opterećenja različitog intenziteta i trajanja

The aim of this research was to determine the effects of physical activity on the lipid status in racehorses in a gallop race and a forty-kilometre endurance ride. Two groups of healthy 3-5-year-old full-blooded racehorses were assessed. The first one ran a 2 400-m gallop race, which is considered a short-lasting, intense physical activity; lipid status was assessed prior to, and 48 and 72 h after the race. The second group ran a forty-kilometre endurance ride, which is a long-lasting moderate physical activity; the lipid status was assessed immediately before, soon after and 48, 72, 96, 120 and 144 h after finishing the race. In intense physical activity the parameters of lipid status (total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, free cholesterol and triglycerides) remained stable at all times assessed in comparison with basal concentrations (p>0.05). Following the long-lasting moderate physical activity a slight, although statistically insignificant (p>0.05), increase in the concentrations of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, free cholesterol and LDL cholesterol was noticed immediately after the endurance ride in comparison to the values before the ride. By contrast, the concentration of LDL cholesterol increased immediately after the gallop race, which was followed by its significant decrease (p lt 0.05) 96, 120 and 144 h after the ride in comparison to the values both before and immediately after the ride. Unlike in the gallop race, immediately after the 40-km endurance ride there was a plummet in triglyceride concentration (p lt 0.01), but was followed by its statistically significant increase (p lt 0.05 and p lt 0.01) at all sampling times in comparison to the value on finishing the ride. In horses which ran the gallop race there was a high positive correlation between the concentrations of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides before, 72 and 96 h after the race (r = 0.9278, p lt 0.001). In those which ran the endurance ride a high positive correlation between the concentrations of total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol was noticed on finishing the ride (r=0.7395 p lt 0.01), as well as at all sampling times which followed. In addition, there was a positive correlation between the concentrations of HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol 72 h (r=0.6843, p lt 0.01) after the ride. Aerobic exercise decreases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, partly because it is accompanied by the moderate increase in serum concentration of HDL cholesterol, decrease in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, which all result in the improvement in lipid profile in horses which completed the endurance ride.Cilj ovog rada je bio utvrđivanje efekata fizičkog opterećenja različitog intenziteta tokom galopske trke i endjurans trke, na lipidni status trkačkih konja. U ispitivanju su učestvovali zdravi punokrvni trkački konji, starosti 3-5 godina, podeljeni u dve grupe. Prva grupa trkačkih konja podvrgnuta je kratkotrajnom fizičkom opterećenju visokog intenziteta tokom galopske trke na 2400 m, i lipidni status je određivan pre učešća u trci, 48 h i 72 h posle istrčane trke. Druga grupa trkačkih konja podvrgnuta je prolongiranom fizičkom opterećenju niskog intenziteta tokom endjurans trke na 40km, a lipidni status je određivan pre učešća u trci, neposredno posle istrčane trke, 48 h, 72 h, 96 h, 120 h i 144 h posle istrčane trke. Kod fizičkog vežbanja visokog intenziteta parametri lipidnog statusa (ukupni holesterol, HDL-holesterol, LDL-holesterol, slobodni holesterol i trigliceridi) ostaju stabilni u svim ispitivanim vremenskim intervalima u odnosu na bazalne koncentracije (p>0,05). Nakon dugotrajnog fizičkog vežbanja niskog intenziteta uočen je blagi porast koncentracije ukupnog holesterola, HDL-holesterola, slobodnog holesterola i LDL-holesterola odmah nakon endjurans trke na 40km u odnosu na vrednosti pre trke, mada dobijeni rezultati nisu pokazali statističku značajnost (p>0,05). Nasuprot njima, koncentracija LDL-holesterola se povećala neposredno nakon trke, a potom se statistički značajano smanjivala u uzorcima uzetim 96 h, 120 h i 144 h nakon trke u odnosu na vrednost pre trke i neposredno nakon trke (p lt 0,05). Za razliku od galopske trke, neposredno nakon endjurans trke na 40 km došlo je do naglog statistički značajnog pada koncentracije triglicerida (p lt 0,01), a potom je u svim narednim ispitivanim vremenskim intervalima dokazan njihov statistički značajan porast (p lt 0,05 i p lt 0,01) u odnosu na vrednosti triglicerida neposredno nakon trke. Kod galopske trke ustanovljena je međusobna visoka pozitivna korelacija između koncentracije ukupnog holesterola, koncentracije HDL-holesterola i koncentracije triglicerida pre, 72 h i 96 h posle trke (r = 0,9278, p lt 0,001). Kod endjurans trke ustanovljena je medjusobna visoka pozitivna korelacija između koncentracije ukupnog holesterola i HDL-holesterola neposredno nakon trke (r = 0,7395, p lt 0,01), kao i u svim ispitivanim vremenskim intervalima posle endjurans trke. Dokazana je i pozitivna korelacija između koncentracije HDL- holesterola i LDL-holesterola 72 h (r = 0,6843, p lt 0,01) nakon trke. Aerobnim vežbanjem se smanjenje rizik od razvoja kardiovaskularnih bolesti, delimično usled pratećeg umerenog povećanja serumske koncentracije HDL-holesterola uz redukciju ukupnog holesterola, LDL-holesterola i triglicerida, što sve zajedno rezultira poboljšanjem lipidnog profila krvi konja koji su trčali endjurans trku