Obesity is a serious problem in numerous dog breeds, but knowledge of its hereditary background is scarce. On the contrary, numerous DNA polymorphisms associated with human obesity have been identified, with the strongest effect being demonstrated for FTO gene. We used targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) to search for polymorphisms in the region harboring FTO and IRX3 in 32 Labrador dogs. Moreover, we investigated the selected regions of FTO and IRX3, orthologous to the human regions associated with obesity, in 165 Labradors. For all dogs, the following information was available: age, sex, gonadal status, body weight, and body conformation score (BCS). The use of tNGS revealed 12,217 polymorphisms, but none of these obtained significance when lean and obese dogs were compared. Study of two SNPs in the 5’-flanking region of FTO in 165 dogs – creating two upstream reading frames (uORFs) – also showed no association with body weight and BCS but suggested the need for improvement in FTO annotation. No polymorphism was found in the 5’UTR of IRX3. Additionally, no differences of CpG islands methylation status between lean and obese dogs were found. Our study suggests that FTO and IRX3 are not useful markers of obesity in Labrador dogs.

Hypospadias, the abnormal position of the urethral orifice, is considered a rare congenital malformation of the reproductive organs in male dogs. We present 5 new cases of hypospadias - 2 of the penile type in German Shepherd Dogs and 3 perineal types in a Bavarian Mountain Hound, a French Bulldog, and an American Staffordshire Terrier. Other abnormalities (rudimentary or underdeveloped penis, incompletely formed preputial sheath, and bilateral cryptorchidism) were also observed. Molecular analysis of all cases revealed the presence of Y-linked genes (SRY and ZFY). Cytogenetic and histological analysis could be performed for only 2 cases: a normal male sex chromosome complement (78,XY) and spermatogenetically inactive testicles were observed. A retrospective search for hypospadias in 19,950 medical records of male dogs from a single veterinary clinic in Poland (2006-2017) was also performed. Altogether, 10 reports of penile hypospadias were found (0.05%). The majority of the reports concerned German Shepherd Dogs (8 cases among 1,511 male dogs of this breed), and thus, the estimated incidence of hypospadias in this breed was 0.5%. Moreover, we performed a review of 26 cases of canine hypospadias reported in the years 2004-2017. Our study and the review of the literature suggest that hypospadias is not rare in dogs and that some breeds (such as German Shepherd Dog and Boston Terrier) may be prone to this disorder.

Thermal stimuli acting on the skin can cause burn wounds. Clinical and experimental studies suggest a beneficial effect of the necrectomy of post burn necrosis in the hyperacute phase and in the acute phase (during the initial period of burn disease). Heat stroke causes hypovolemic shock and influences the energetic status of the liver, which is the main organ responsible for energy production and energy storage. Determination of the activity of indicator enzymes in serum makes it possible to assess the clinical condition of animals. A total of 25 White Large Landrace pigs of both sexes weighing 50 kg (± 2 kg) were used for the study. Burns were made with a software-controlled heating plate on a precisely defined contact surface of 1% of body surface. This resulted in a burn rate of 30% (± 2%) of the body surface with a lesion range between grades III and IIb. Animals from each experimental group were subjected to an infraclavicular necrectomy. Blood was collected and analyzed for AlAT, AspAT, LDH, and CK activities. In all groups, a statistically significant (p <0.05) increase in AlAT, AspAT, LDH, and CK activities was observed already 12 hours after the burn, and there was a very high correlation between the activities of parenchymal enzymes AlAT and AspAT. The study has shown an association between the moment of performing burn wound necrectomy and the activity of AlAT, AspAT, LDH, and CK.

Introduction: The aim of the study was to assess the usefulness of duplex Doppler to objectify swine renal arterial flow in physiological conditions. The pig kidney was selected for its morphological similarities to the human and for the results therefore offering data to wider research. Material and Methods: Six White Large x Landrace sows, of 48.5–53 kg b.w. were used. Vascular flow parameters were acquired with a convex probe USG device with a duplex Doppler function using pulsed waves (frequency range of 5–7.5 MHz). Segmental kidney arterial flow was measured. Results: The RI values were within the 0.57 (min) to 0.6 (max) range, ̄xRI was 0.58 (±0.014), and the SD2 value was 0.0002. The PI index values ranged from 1.21 (min) to 1.3 (max), and ̄xRI was 1.24 (±0.035). The value of SD2 was 0.00123. In the S/D index, the results fell between 2.2 (min) and 2.49 (max), with ̄xS/D of 2.29 (±0.117). The value of variance SD2 was 0.0139. A double analysis of correlation between indices showed this to be almost certain and highly positive as confirmed by high correlation coefficients: r RI & PI 0.857, rhoRI & PI 0.739, rRI & S/D 0.930, rhoRI & S/D 0.941, rPI & S/D 0.913, and rhoPI & S/D 0.754. The segmental kidney arterial flow spectrum evinced falls in PSV and PSV/LDV ratio, also noticed in the filling of the spectral window, comparing the renal to an interlobar artery. Conclusion: Swine were selected because of renal anatomical and haemodynamic similarity to humans. The most relevant values and indices approximated those in humans. The study anaesthetic protocol had a minor influence on the average RI, PI, and S/D indices.

The aim of the study was the evaluation of changes in the percentage profile of CD4+, CD8+, and CD25+ T lymphocytes, and their predictive value with respect to the course of experimental skin burns and early necrectomy in pigs. Thirty Large White Landrace pigs of both genders, weighing 50 kg (±2 kg), were used. Burns to their skin were performed with the use of a computer-controlled heating plate, applied to the animal's body and heated to 2000ºC, using 2.5 kg pressure for 10 s. It produced a burn of 30% (±2%) of body surface with a range of damage between II bº and IIIº. In animals of each experimental group fascial necrectomy was performed, according to the testing module. Blood from experimental and non-treated control animals was collected from the external jugular vein before the beginning of the experiment (hour 0) and at 12,24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120, 132, 144, 156, 168, and 180 h of the experiment. An immune response profile was evaluated using flow cytometry analysis of the level and expression dynamics of CD4+, CD8+, and CD25+ particles on the surface of T lymphocytes. The study demonstrated that experimentally-induced burns in pigs caused cell-mediated immune response reflected in the changes in the percentage of CD4+, CD8+, and CD25+ T lymphocytes, and that early necrectomy in burnt pigs acted in a protective manner for the organism, based on the immunological index values. The study also proved that the dynamics of cellmediated immunological response intensification determined on the basis of the percentage of CD4+, CD8+, and CD25+ T lymphocytes is conditioned by the size of the burnt surface and the time of necrectomy procedure.