Serum metabolomic profiles in dogs with chronic enteropathy

Background Metabolic profiles differ between healthy humans and those with inflammatory bowel disease. Few studies have examined metabolic profiles in dogs with chronic enteropathy (CE). Hypothesis Serum metabolic profiles of dogs with CE are significantly different from those of healthy dogs. Animals Fifty-five dogs with CE and 204 healthy controls. Methods A cross-sectional study. The serum concentrations of 99 metabolites measured using a canine-specific proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy platform were studied. A 2-sample unpaired t-test was used to compare the 2 study samples. The threshold for significance was set at P < .05 with a Bonferroni correction for each metabolite group. Results Nineteen metabolites and 18 indices of lipoprotein composition were significantly different between the CE and healthy dogs. Four metabolites were significantly higher in dogs with CE, including phenylalanine (mean and SD) (healthy: 0.0417 mmol/L; [SD] 0.0100; CE: 0.0480 mmol/L; SD: 0.0125; P value:Peer reviewe

Seasonal variation in serum metabolites of northern European dogs

Background Metabolic profiling identifies seasonal variance of serum metabolites in humans. Despite the presence of seasonal disease patterns, no studies have assessed whether serum metabolites vary seasonally in dogs. Hypothesis There is seasonal variation in the serum metabolite profiles of healthy dogs. Animals Eighteen healthy, client-owned dogs. Methods A prospective cohort study. Serum metabolomic profiles were assessed monthly in 18 healthy dogs over a 12-month period. Metabolic profiling was conducted using a canine-specific proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy platform, and the effects of seasonality were studied for 98 metabolites using a cosinor model. Seasonal component was calculated, which describes the seasonal variation of each metabolite. Results We found no evidence of seasonal variation in 93 of 98 metabolites. Six metabolites had statistically significant seasonal variance, including cholesterol (mean 249 mg/dL [6.47 mmol/L] with a seasonal component amplitude of 9 mg/dL [0.23 mmol/L]; 95% confidence interval [CI] 6-13 mg/dL [0.14-0.33 mmol/L], P < .008), with a peak concentration of 264 mg/dL (6.83 mmol/L) in June and trough concentration of 236 mg/dL (6.12 mmol/L) in December. In contrast, there was a significantly lower concentration of lactate (mean 20 mg/dL [2.27 mmol/L] with a seasonal component amplitude of 4 mg/dL [0.42 mmol/L]; 95% CI 2-6 mg/dL [0.22-0.62 mmol/L], P < .001) during the summer months compared to the winter months, with a peak concentration of 26 mg/dL (2.9 mmol/L) in February and trough concentration of 14 mg/dL (1.57 mmol/L) in July. Conclusions and Clinical Importance We found no clear evidence that seasonal reference ranges need to be established for serum metabolites of dogs.Peer reviewe

The transition into veterinary practice: Opinions of recent graduates and final year students

Background The transition from veterinary student to member of the veterinary profession is known to be challenging. This study aimed to determine and compare the opinions of final year veterinary students and recent graduates on graduate attributes that ease this transition. Methods The study was carried out across 3 veterinary schools in the United Kingdom. Paper based or electronic surveys were used. Final year students in the 3 schools were surveyed either electronically (school A) or on paper (schools B and C). Student cohort sizes were 112, 227 and 102 respectively. Recent graduates were contacted either at a reunion event (school A) or electronically from database records (school B and school C). Cohort sizes of contacted graduates were 80, 175 and 91 respectively. Respondents were asked to rate 42 individual attributes on a 5 point Likert scale. Focus groups with final year students and recent graduates and telephone interviews with recent graduates were carried out. Data were analysed by two researchers through a combination of manual coding and thematic analysis. Data were grouped into broad themes then sorted into narrower themes. Data were then searched for counter examples. Results Response rates for final year students were 34% (school A), 36% (school B) and 40% (school C). Response rates for recent graduates were 56% (school A), 20% (school B) and 11% (school C). There was a high level of agreement between the cohorts with respect to communication skills, problem solving and decision making skills, recognition of own limitations and the ability to cope with pressure all rated unanimously important or very important. Business acumen, knowledge of veterinary practice management and research skills were the 3 attributes ranked at the bottom of the list. Nine attributes were identified with a significantly different (p &#60; 0.05) ranking between the cohorts. Final year students ranked veterinary clinical knowledge, knowledge of veterinary public health and zoonotic issues, veterinary legislation and veterinary practice management, commitment to continuing professional development and ability to evaluate information higher than recent graduates. Recent graduates ranked the attributes of integrity, friendliness and compassion higher than final year students. Conclusions Recent graduates and final year students rate highly the attributes which help foster the client/veterinarian relationship. Recent graduates reflect that a focus on knowledge based attributes is less important once in practice when compared to final year. The study confirms the importance to recent graduates and final year students of attributes considered as non-technical in the transition to working in the veterinary profession

Reviewing Solutions of Scale for Canine Rabies Elimination in India

Canine rabies elimination can be achieved through mass vaccination of the dog population, as advocated by the WHO, OIE and FAO under the 'United Against Rabies' initiative. Many countries in which canine rabies is endemic are exploring methods to access dogs for vaccination, campaign structures and approaches to resource mobilization. Reviewing aspects that fostered success in rabies elimination campaigns elsewhere, as well as examples of largescale resource mobilization, such as that seen in the global initiative to eliminate poliomyelitis, may help to guide the planning of sustainable, scalable methods for mass dog vaccination. Elimination of rabies from the majority of Latin America took over 30 years, with years of operational trial and error before a particular approach gained the broad support of decision makers, governments and funders to enable widespread implementation. The endeavour to eliminate polio now enters its final stages; however, there are many transferrable lessons to adopt from the past 32 years of global scale-up. Additionally, there is a need to support operational research, which explores the practicalities of mass dog vaccination roll-out and what are likely to be feasible solutions at scale. This article reviews the processes that supported the scale-up of these interventions, discusses pragmatic considerations of campaign duration and work-force size and finally provides an examples hypothetical resource requirements for implementing mass dog vaccination at scale in Indian cities, with a view to supporting the planning of pilot campaigns from which expanded efforts can grow

The Role of Bile in the Regulation of Exocrine Pancreatic Secretion

As early as 1926 Mellanby (1) was able to show that introduction of bile into the duodenum of anesthetized cats produces a copious flow of pancreatic juice. In conscious dogs, Ivy & Lueth (2) reported, bile is only a weak stimulant of pancreatic secretion. Diversion of bile from the duodenum, however, did not influence pancreatic volume secretion stimulated by a meal (3,4). Moreover, Thomas & Crider (5) observed that bile not only failed to stimulate the secretion of pancreatic juice but also abolished the pancreatic response to intraduodenally administered peptone or soap

Hypovitaminosis D is associated with negative outcome in dogs with protein losing enteropathy: a retrospective study of 43 cases

Abstract Background Hypovitaminosis D has previously been shown to be prevalent amongst dogs with protein losing enteropathy (PLE). The hypothesis of this study was that Low 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH) D) serum concentrations could be a risk factor for negative outcome in dogs with PLE. Forty-three dogs diagnosed with PLE (2005–2014) and which serum Vitamin D serum concentrations were collected and archived at −80 Degrees C were analyzed. Post-diagnostic communication with referring veterinarians was made to determine outcome of PLE dogss: Dogs which died due to PLE within 4 months after diagnosis (negative outcome group, n = 22) and dogs alive or which died due to another disease at the end point of the study (1 year after diagnosis, good outcome group, n = 21). Serum samples taken at the time of diagnosis were analysed for ionized calcium (iCa) concentrations and serum 25(OH) D concentration. Results Clinical (CCECAI) scores, age at PLE diagnosis, and iCa concentrations were not significantly different between dog groups. A significantly greater (p < 0.001) number of PLE dogs treated with hydrolyzed or elimination diet alone showed good outcome as compared to the PLE negative outcome group. Median serum 25(OH) D concentration was significantly (p = 0.017) lower in dogs with negative outcome versus PLE dogs with good outcome. Using logistic regression analysis, 25(OH) D serum concentration was shown to be a statistically significant factor for outcome determination. Cox regression analysis yielded a hazard ratio of 0.974 (95% CI 0.949, 0.999) per each one nmol/l increase in serum 25(OH) D concentration. Conclusions Low serum 25(OH) D concentration in PLE dogs was significantly associated with poor outcome. Further studies are required to investigate the clinical efficacy of Vitamin D (cholecalciferol) as a potential therapeutic agent for dogs with PLE

Habitat selection by terrestrial birds on Pemba Island (Tanzania), with particular reference to six endemic taxa

An important proportion of the world's biodiversity is found on oceanic islands. Island endemics frequently have small popula- tions and are known to be sensitive to habitat and community changes, making them prone to extinction. In this paper, we assess the habitat distribution of the terrestrial birds of Pemba, an oceanic island that has been classi®ed has an ``Endemic Bird Area''. Most of Pemba has been profoundly altered by human activities and only small patches of natural vegetation remain. However, we found that the six endemic birds (four species and two sub-species) have colonised several of the man-made habitats, including clove plantations and farmland, and remain widespread. Species richness was not reduced in these heavily managed areas when compared to the remnants of tropical forest. Nonetheless, the main strongholds of some endemic species are in habitats which have sub- stantially declined in recent years, and which are likely to be further reduced in area in the medium and long term. For these endemics, particularly the Pemba scops owl (Otus pembaensis), the conversion of areas that were formerly clove plantations to open farmland should be considered a serious threat