No abstract

Use of acute-phase proteins (APPs) for assessment of health and disease in animals has increased greatly within the last decade. The objective was to determine the normal concentration of APPs in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of healthy cattle by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Fifty crossbred animals (350±70kg of BW and 18±1.2 months of age), 25 heifers and 25 steers were used. CSF samples were collected from atlanto-occipital (AO) site and blood samples were obtained from the jugular vein. CSF and serum protein electrophoresis were performed by means of sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Thirty-seven proteins with molecular weights ranging from 7 and 37kDa were identified in CSF of all animals. These eight were nominally identified with immunoglobulin A and G, celuloplasmin, transferrin, albumin, α1-antitripsin, acidic glycoprotein, and haptoglobin. All protein fractions in CSF did not differ between heifers and steers. In sera, 34 proteins with molecular weights between 7 and 244kDa were identified in heifers and steers. Similar proteins were nominally identified in the sera, but only the CSF presented α1-antitripsin. The serum values of acidic glycoprotein and immunoglobulin G were significantly higher in steers compared with heifers. In conclusion, measurement of CSF acute phase protein concentrations can be useful in diagnosing and monitoring the progression of bovine neurological diseases, perhaps even to guide therapeutic procedures. The CSF electrophoretic profile of healthy cattle does not change depending on gender.

Pulmonary disorders are common in horses, and treatment efficiency depends on an adequate diagnosis. Amyloid A is the most sensitive indicator of pathology in horses. The objective of this study was to establish the concentration of amyloid A of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in healthy horses. Health condition of horses was considered normal based on physical examination, complete blood count, biochemical parameters, and BALF cytology. Blood and BALF were collected from thirty adult female horses. Amyloid A concentrations in serum and BALF were measured using commercial ELISA tests. Amyloid A was detected in serum (mean ± SD = 3.71±2.51) and BALF (mean ± SD = 0.000745±0.000785) of all horses. In conclusion, SAA can also be measured in bronchoalveolar fluid, affording early detection of respiratory infections or inflammatory conditions.

The aim of the study was to determine the concentration pattern of intra-articular acute phase proteins (APPs) and immunoglobulins in healthy crossbred cattle. Synovial fluid (SF) samples were collected from the radiocarpal joint of 25 heifers and 25 steers. Concentrations of APPs were measured by SDS-PAGE. The results were submitted to analysis of variance using the SAS statistical program, and means were compared by the Student-Newman-Keuls test (P<0.05). Thirty-seven proteins with molecular weights ranging from 7 to 37kDa were identified in SF of all animals. Eight were nominally identified with immunoglobulin A (IgA) and G (IgG), ceruloplasmin (Cp), transferrin (Tf), albumin (Ab), α1-antitripsin (AAT), α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), and haptoglobin (Hp). The α1-antitripsin was only identified in the Sf of the heifers. The SF values of Cp, Hp, AGP and IgA were significantly higher in heifers than in steers. In sera, 34 proteins with molecular weights between 7 and 244kDa were identified in heifers and steers. Similar proteins were nominally identified in the sera, however the α1-antitrypsin was identified only in SF. The serum values Tf, AGP and IgG were significantly higher in heifers compared with steers. In conclusion, the physiological acute-phase proteins concentrations in synovial fluid of healthy ruminants can be useful in the interpretation of samples from animals with joint diseases. The SF electrophoretic profile of healthy ruminants differs depending on gender. Similar proteins were nominally identified in the sera, but only the SF of α1-antitrypsin.

RESUMO.-[Resistência à ruptura do estômago equino.]A cólica é um dos problemas mais comuns na clínica de equinos sendo responsável por grande número de mortes. A ruptura gástrica tem sido amplamente descrita na literatura e acomete número expressivo de animais. A dilatação gástrica, que antecede a ruptura, pode advir do consumo excessivo de capim recém-cortado, ingestão rápida de água, infestação por Gastherophilus, ocorrência de íleo paralítico e obstruções intestinais distais. A ruptura gástrica tem sido amplamente descrita na literatura e acomete um número expressivo de animais. Este estudo objetivou determinar a resistência à ruptura do estômago equino mediante a insuflação de ar atmosférico (mmHg) e do preenchimento com água (L). Foram utilizados 40 estômagos de equinos adultos jovens (20 machos castrados e 20 fêmeas) sem raça definida. Medidas relativas ao comprimento total do órgão (cm), peso do órgão (g), curvatura maior (cm), curvatura menor (cm) e altura (cm) foram aferidas e não diferiram entre machos e fêmeas (p>0,05). No entanto, os estômagos dos machos apresentaram medidas superiores as das fêmeas e por assim serem, comportaram um maior volume de água (p<0,05). No teste de resistência mediante insuflação de ar atmosférico não houve diferença entre machos e fêmeas (93mmHg). Os rompimentos ocorreram ao longo da curvatura maior (99%) nas faces visceral (80%) e diafragmática (20%) e abrangeram todas as camadas da parede gástrica. Apesar de ser um órgão relativamente pequeno, o estômago dos equinos apresenta considerável resistência à ruptura, seja por líquido ou por ar atmosférico. Equine colic is an important and common cause of disease and death in horses. Gastric rupture has been extensively described in the literature, and is known to affect expressive numbers of horses. Gastric dilatation, which precedes rupture, may be observed when the animal consumes large amounts of recently harvested grass or drinks water too fast, though diagnosis criteria also include infestation with Gastherophilus and the presence of ileus and distal intestinal obstructions. The objective of the present study was to determine the resistance to rupture of the equine stomach to air (mm Hg) and water (L) injection. Forty stomachs of young horses (20 geldings and 20 mares) with no defined breed were analyzed. Total organ length (cm), weight (g), greater curved length (cm), lesser curved length (cm) and height (cm) were measured, with no statistical difference between males and females (p > .05). However, stomachs of horses were larger than those of mares and therefore presented higher volumetric capacity (p<0.05). No difference between males and females was observed in the pressure assay (93mmg Hg). Rupture occurred along the greater curvature (99%) and on the visceral (80%) and diaphragmatic (20%) surfaces, across all layers of the gastric wall. Although the equine stomach is relatively small, the organ is considerably resistant to rupture, whether by injection of air or liquid. Horses and mares exhibit similar resistance va...