A neuron degenerative disease in young rottweiler dogs. A new neurological disorder in rottweiler dogs

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

The effect of the quality of roughage on the course of Trypanosoma vivax infection in West African dwarf goats: II. Metabolic profile, packed cell volume, and pathology of disease.

Effects of trypanosome infection and feed quality on the metabolism of trypanotolerant West African Dwarf goats were measured. Goats were allotted to either a diet of lucerne pellets (Crude protein level = 172 g/kg DM; n = 14) or a diet of chopped grass straw (Crude protein level = 68 g/kg DM; n = 15). Five animals per feed group served as controls, and the other animals were infected with Trypanosoma vivax parasites. Before and after infection, blood samples were taken weekly, and analyzed for packed cell volume and parasitaemia, and for serum metabolites and hormone concentrations. Six weeks after infection, the goats were killed and post mortem analysis was carried out to study the pathology of disease. Infected animals showed reduced feed intake, increased plasma nonesterified fatty acids concentration, and decreased serum insulin concentration. Liver triacylglycerol concentration was increased in all grass straw fed animals, and some infected goats fed the lucerne feed. Infection drastically reduced serum concentration of thyroxine and triiodothyronine. Infection caused an increased weight of the liver and prescapular lymph nodes in animals from both feed treatments, but lymph nodes were more enlarged in infected animals fed lucerne. Pathological findings were typical for T. vivax infection in goats, irrespective of feed type. Packed cell volume was reduced by infection in both feed groups to values below 20 percentage points. Serum γ-globulin concentration was increased more in infected animals, fed lucerne than those fed grass straw. It was concluded, that by maintaining a feed with a higher protein level, the nutritional status of infected West African Dwarf goats was improved. This was reflected in the serum concentrations of some metabolites and hormones. However, in general, no indications of an interaction between infection and feed type with respect to nutritional status were found. Differences in feed quality did not change the nature and severity of pathological variables, measured at autopsy after 6 weeks of infection

Hepatocyte-derived microRNAs as sensitive serum biomarkers of hepatocellular injury in Labrador retrievers

Common parenchymal liver diseases in dogs include reactive hepatopathies and primary hepatitis (acute or chronic). In chronic hepatitis, there is usually a long subclinical phase. Specific clinical signs become overt only when liver damage is severe and in this phase, treatment is usually less effective. Limited data are available regarding the sensitivity of liver enzyme activity or biomarkers for early detection of subclinical hepatitis. Hepatocyte-derived microRNAs (HDmiRs) were recently identified as promising biomarkers for hepatocellular injury in multiple species. Here, the potential of the HDmiRs miR-122 and miR-148a as sensitive diagnostic biomarkers for hepatocellular injury in Labrador retrievers was investigated. Samples from 66 Labrador retrievers with histologically normal livers, high hepatic copper, and with various forms of liver injury were evaluated for serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity and microRNA values. Median values of HDmiR-122 were 34.6 times higher in dogs with liver injury and high ALT than in normal dogs (95% confidence intervals [CI], 13-95; P <0.001). HDmiR-122 values were significantly increased in dogs with liver injury and normal ALT (4.2 times; 95% CI, 2-12; P <0.01) and in dogs with high hepatic copper concentrations and unremarkable histopathology (2.9 times; 95% CI, 1.1-8.0; P <0.05). Logistic regression analyses demonstrated that miR-122 and miR-148a were both predictors of hepatocellular injury. The sensitivity of miR-122 was 84% (95% CI, 73-93%), making it superior to ALT (55%; 95% CI, 41-68%) for the detection of hepatocellular injury in Labrador retrievers (P <0.001). This study demonstrated that serum HDmiR, particularly miR-122, is a highly sensitive marker for the detection of hepatocellular injury in Labrador retrievers and is a promising new biomarker that may be used for early detection of subclinical hepatitis in dogs

Hepatocyte-derived microRNAs as sensitive serum biomarkers of hepatocellular injury in Labrador retrievers

Common parenchymal liver diseases in dogs include reactive hepatopathies and primary hepatitis (acute or chronic). In chronic hepatitis, there is usually a long subclinical phase. Specific clinical signs become overt only when liver damage is severe and in this phase, treatment is usually less effective. Limited data are available regarding the sensitivity of liver enzyme activity or biomarkers for early detection of subclinical hepatitis. Hepatocyte-derived microRNAs (HDmiRs) were recently identified as promising biomarkers for hepatocellular injury in multiple species. Here, the potential of the HDmiRs miR-122 and miR-148a as sensitive diagnostic biomarkers for hepatocellular injury in Labrador retrievers was investigated. Samples from 66 Labrador retrievers with histologically normal livers, high hepatic copper, and with various forms of liver injury were evaluated for serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity and microRNA values. Median values of HDmiR-122 were 34.6 times higher in dogs with liver injury and high ALT than in normal dogs (95% confidence intervals [CI], 13-95; P <0.001). HDmiR-122 values were significantly increased in dogs with liver injury and normal ALT (4.2 times; 95% CI, 2-12; P <0.01) and in dogs with high hepatic copper concentrations and unremarkable histopathology (2.9 times; 95% CI, 1.1-8.0; P <0.05). Logistic regression analyses demonstrated that miR-122 and miR-148a were both predictors of hepatocellular injury. The sensitivity of miR-122 was 84% (95% CI, 73-93%), making it superior to ALT (55%; 95% CI, 41-68%) for the detection of hepatocellular injury in Labrador retrievers (P <0.001). This study demonstrated that serum HDmiR, particularly miR-122, is a highly sensitive marker for the detection of hepatocellular injury in Labrador retrievers and is a promising new biomarker that may be used for early detection of subclinical hepatitis in dogs