Surveyor assay to diagnose persistent Müllerian duct syndrome in Miniature Schnauzers

Persistent Müllerian duct syndrome (PMDS) is a pseudohermaphroditism in males characterized by the presence of Müllerian duct derivatives. As PMDS dogs often lack clinical symptoms, a molecular diagnosis is essential to identify the syndrome in these animals. In this study, a new molecular method using DNA mismatch-specific Surveyor nuclease was developed. The Surveyor nuclease assay identified the AMHR2 mutation that produced PMDS in a Miniature Schnauzer as accurately as that obtained by using the conventional method based on restriction digestion. As an alternative to the current molecular diagnostic method, the new method may result in increased accuracy when detecting PMDS.

Litiasis recidivante en cachorro Schnauzer miniatura: reporte de un caso / Recurrent urolithiasis in a miniature Schnauzer puppy: case report

La formación de cálculos urinarios es un problema clínico importante en perros. Existen diferencias en la tendencia de presentar litiasis entre diversas razas. Se presenta un caso de litiasis recidivante en un cachorro, macho,Schnauzer miniatura, que a los dos meses de edad presentó hematuria y disuria por obstrucción de vías urinarias asociada a etiología litiásica. El cachorro expulsó urolitos en dos ocasiones, a los tres y siete meses de edad. El análisis morfológico de estos cálculos mostró que el primero estaba formado por Carbapatita (fosfato de calcio carbonatado cristalizado) correspondiente al tipo morfológico IVa1 y los cálculos del segundo episodio presentaban una combinación del tipo IVa1 + IIa, este último tipo morfológico formado por Weddellita (oxalato de calcio dihidratado). Los análisis de orina mostraron pH 6 a 7,5, con bacterias y cristales de fosfato triple en dos muestras y de oxalato de calcio en una muestra del total de seis analizadas. Se administró antibióticos para controlar infecciones urinarias en ambos episodios litiásicos. El manejo nutricional consistió en alimentación con balanceado especial para perros con litiasis desde los 2 hasta los 7 meses de edad. Luego del segundo episodio litiásico se evitaron los balanceados y se alimentó al cachorro con pollo hervido y verduras. Desde la instauración del nuevo régimen nutricional, hace ya más de un año, no se han observado cristales en las muestras de orina, ni se refieren síntomas urinarios en el cachorro hasta la fecha.

The formation of urinary stones represents an important clinical issue in canines. There are differences in the trend to present urolithiasis among breeds. This is a case of recurrent lithiasis in a Miniature Schnauzermale puppy that presented hematuria and dysuria caused by a urinary tract obstruction associated to lithiasis. The puppy eliminated uroliths at the age of three and seven months old. The morphological analysis of this urinary calculus showed that the first consisted of carbapatite (crystallized carbonated apatite) classified as morphological type IVa1 and the second calculus presented a combination of type IVa1 + IIa. Morphological type IIa is formed by Weddellite (dihydrate calcium oxalate). Urine analysis of six samples showed a pH value from 6 to 7,5 with presence of bacteria and triple phosphate crystals in two samples and calcium oxalate crystals in one sample. Antibiotic therapy was applied to treat urinary infection in both lithiasic episodes. Dietary therapy consisted initially in feeding the puppy with balanced food special for dogs with lithiasis from two to seven months old. After the second lithiasic episode, the puppy was fed with boiled chicken and vegetables avoiding the balanced dog food. Since the implementation of the latter nutritional plan, more than a year ago, nor crystals have been detected in urine samples neither clinical signs of urolithiasis were observed in the puppy up to now.

The determination of dark adaptation time using electroretinography in conscious Miniature Schnauzer dogs

The optimal dark adaptation time of electroretinograms (ERG's) performed on conscious dogs were determined using a commercially available ERG unit with a contact lens electrode and a built-in light source (LED-electrode). The ERG recordings were performed on nine healthy Miniature Schnauzer dogs. The bilateral ERG's at seven different dark adaptation times at an intensity of 2.5 cd.s/m2 was performed. Signal averaging (4 flashes of light stimuli) was adopted to reduce electrophysiologic noise. As the dark adaptation time increased, a significant increase in the mean a-wave amplitudes was observed in comparison to base-line levels up to 10 min (p > 0.05). Thereafter, no significant differences in amplitude occured over the dark adaptation time. Moreover, at this time the mean amplitude was 60.30 +/- 18.47 microV. However, no significant changes were observed for the implicit times of the a-wave. The implicit times and amplitude of the b-wave increased significantly up to 20 min of dark adaptation (p > 0.05). Beyond this time, the mean b-wave amplitudes was 132.92 +/- 17.79 microV. The results of the present study demonstrate that, the optimal dark adaptation time when performing ERG's, should be at least 20 min in conscious Miniature Schnauzer dogs.

Time of initial detection of fetal and extra-fetal structures by ultrasonographic examination in Miniature Schnauzer bitches

Serial ultrasonographic examinations were performeddaily on 9 Miniature Schnauzer bitches from the 15th dayof gestation until parturition to determine the time thegestational structures were first detected. The gestationalage was timed from the day of ovulation (day 0), whichwas estimated to occur when the plasma progesteroneconcentration was >4.0ng/ml. The gestational length in 9Miniature Schnauzer bitches was found to be 63.0+/-1.7(range 61-65) days. The initial detection of the fetal andextra-fetal structures were as follows: gestational sac atday 18.0+/-0.9 (17-19); zonary placenta in the uterine wallat day 24.9+/-1.1 (23-26); yolk sac membrane at day 25.0+/-0.9 (24-26); amnionic membrane at day 27.7+/-1.0 (26-29); embryo initial detection at day 22.6+/-0.5 (22-23);heartbeat at day 23.4+/-0.5 (23-24); fetal movement at day32.5+/-0.8 (32-34); stomach at day 31.2+/-1.6 (29-33);urinary bladder at day 32.6+/-1.8 (31-35); skeleton at day34.9+/-1.6 (34-38) and kidney at day 42.2+/-0.7 (41-43).