Urine and Milk of Dairy Animals as an Indicator of Hydrofluorosis

The South-Western region of Punjab is endemic for hydrofluorosis and the livestock consuming fluoride rich water exhibit dental mottling and skeletal fluorosis. The present study was conducted in fluoritic areas of Mansa district of Punjab with an aim to find out the concentration of fluoride in urine and milk of dairy animals in relation to varying levels of fluoride concentration in drinking water of fluorotic areas and non fluoritic areas. For this, eight urine samples and six milk samples were collected from livestock consuming water having fluoride concentration upto 8 ppm. Urinary and milk F level was significantly high in dairy animals from the fluorotic area, ranging from 10 to 30 mg/l and 0.4 to 0.8mg/l respectively as compared to animals from non fluorotic area that varied from 3-4 mg/l F in urine and 0.04 to 0.08mg/l F in milk.

A note on treatment of hyperthermia in crossbred cattle

Objective: To evaluate effect of iodized oil in crossbred cattle suffering from hyperthermia (heat intolerance syndrome) in Punjab, India. Methods: The present study was conducted in 85 clinical cases of summer hyperthermia in exotic and crossbred cows with rectal temperature of ≥40.56 °C. Haematological examinations of the affected cows (55) showed relatively low haemoglobin, normal differential and total leucocytic count. All the affected cows (85) were treated with three doses of iodized oil (750 mg elemental iodine per dose, 5mL) given at 24 h interval by subcutaneous route in brisket region.Results:coming to normal (38.33 to 38.88 °C) within 5 d of start of treatment. The appetite and milk production was restored by 10th day post treatment.Conclusions: The findings of this study substantiate that subcutaneous administration of Seventy seven (90.58%) cases showed remarkable clinical improvement with temperature three doses of iodized oil given at 24 h interval is effective in decreasing rectal temperature of hyperthermic cattle.

Retrospective study of clinical and hematological aspects associated with dogs naturally infected by Hepatozoon canis in Ludhiana, Punjab, India

To evaluate clinical and hematological aspects of dogs naturally infected withHepatozoon canis (H. canis) presented at the Small Animal Clinics of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana. Methods: Blood films of 34 naturally infected dogs were examined for haematological alterations and parasitaemia. Signalment and clinical signs were recorded from the animals. Clinical histories were filled out during the consultation. Results: Of the 34 positive dogs by Giemsa stained peripheral blood films, 88.23% presented parasitaemia by H. canis only, while 11.77% had the combination ofH. canis, Babesia sp. and Ehrlichia sp. Young male dogs less than one-year-old, of non-descript breed, were the most commonly affected. And 26.47% were presented with anorexia/inappetence as the only clinical symptom. Other clinical symptoms were mild to moderate fever, pale mucosae and lethargy; a few were also showing the signs of vomiting and diarrhoea. Haematological alterations showed mainly normochromic-normocytic anaemia, leukocytosis and neutrophilia. Conclusions: The findings of this study substantiate that H. canis caused clinical and haematological alterations of the varied intensity in dogs, even with low parasitaemia, should be taken into consideration.