Systemic autoimmune disease and concurrent nematode infection in a dog.

Systemic lupus erythematosus was diagnosed in a dog with concurrent nematode infection. The clinical signs of disease were unusually severe and included multiple neurologic deficits, polyarthritis, and weight loss. The dog was thrombocytopenic, and serotest results included positive lupus erythematosus test, positive rheumatoid factor test, positive antinuclear antibody test, hypergammaglobulinemia, and high platelet-associated IgG concentration. After treatment of hookworm, whipworm, and heartworm infections concurrently with corticosteroid and empiric treatment, the dog's condition improved. However, 10 days later, cyclophosphamide administration was necessary for continued immunosuppression. The dog was euthanatized because of progressive deterioration and development of canine coronavirus diarrhea. Serotest data generated from the dog's serum obtained at the time of referral suggested that autoantibodies and circulating immune complexes may have included IgE isotypes.

Dexamethasone-induced serum biochemical changes in goats.

Dexamethasone was administered at sequential dosages of 0.1 mg/kg/day for 3 days and 1 mg/kg/day for 3 days to 6 adult female goats. The greatest effects induced were hypokalemia, hypophosphatemia, and hyperglycemia. At low dosages of dexamethasone, transient increases (P less than 0.05) developed in serum sodium and chloride concentrations. An effect on hepatic physiology or iron metabolism was not observed.

Effects of dexamethasone, levamisole, and dexamethasone-levamisole combination on neutrophil function in female goats.

Effects of dexamethasone, levamisole, or combined dexamethasone-levamisole administration on polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) function in healthy, adult female goats were studied. Goats were assigned to treated (n = 6) and control (n = 6) groups. In experiment 1, treated goats were given levamisole (6 mg/kg of body weight, IM). In experiment 2, treated goats were given 0.1 mg of dexamethasone/kg, IV, for 3 consecutive days, 1 mg of dexamethasone/kg, IV, for 6 consecutive days, and 6 mg of levamisole/kg, IM, with a 4th injection of 1 mg of dexamethasone/kg. All injections were administered 12 hours before blood collection. The PMN were evaluated for random migration and chemotaxis under agarose, ingestion of Staphylococcus aureus, cytochrome C reduction, iodination, and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Levamisole alone did not alter the function of caprine PMN. Both doses of dexamethasone caused increased random migration and decreased cytochrome C reduction and iodination. Dexamethasone resulted in no changes in chemotaxis, S aureus ingestion, and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Random migration and cytochrome C reduction returned toward base line in cells from dexamethasone and levamisole-treated goats. Although iodination activity in cells from dexamethasone-treated goats remained significantly (P less than 0.05) lower than those of controls after levamisole administration, a rebound toward base-line activity occurred.

Evaluation of neutrophil function in female goats.

Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) were isolated from the blood of healthy adult female goats on each of 3 consecutive days. The PMN isolated were evaluated, using random migration, chemotaxis, Staphylococcus aureus ingestion, cytochrome C reduction, iodination, and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity assays. Over the 3 days, mean values for each of the assays ranged as follows: area of random migration, 11.3 to 19.9 mm2; chemotactic index, 6.4 to 11; chemotactic difference, 2.8 to 4.2 mm; S aureus ingestion, 18.3% to 26.1% ingested; cytochrome C reduction, 2.7 to 3.2 nmoles of O2- produced/well; iodination, 19.4 to 25.1 nmoles of NaI/10(7) PMN/h; and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity 59% to 90% 51Cr released. Significant (P less than 0.05) day-to-day variations were found for all assays. Parallel increases and decreases for all test results on a per day basis indicated a common denominator influencing cell functional status rather than variability inherent in the assays themselves. Alterations induced in the cells during the cell isolation procedure were considered a probable cause.

Activated coagulation time (ACT) of whole blood in normal dogs.

The activated coagulation time (ACT) test is technically simple, inexpensive, and commercially available and provides a rapid, accurate assessment of canine whole blood clotting time. The medium ACT for 72 normal dogs ranging in age from 6 monhts to 11 years was 75 seconds, with a range of from less than 60 seconds to 125 seconds and a mean of 77.5 seconds. Significant difference in the ACT due to sex or age of the animals tested was not found.

Fibrinogen-related antigen concentrations of blood serum of normal cows, as measured by the tanned erythrocyte hemagglutination-inhibition immunoassay.

Serum fibrinogen-related antigen concentration values were determined in normal cows, using a tanned erythrocyte hemagglutination inhibition immunoassay. The geometric mean value for serum fibrinogen-related antigen was 6.60 mug/ml. The upper and lower 95% prediction limits for the 38 cows tested were 12.76 and 3.42 mug/ml, respectively.

Scanning electron microscopy of Heinz bodies in feline erythrocytes.

Whole blood and partially lysed blood films from 5 cats having 20 to 91% of the erythrocytes containing Heinz bodies were examined, using the light microscope and the scanning electron microscope. Heinz bodies were detected in the intact erythrocytes from 3 of the cats as abruptly elevated and distinctly demarcated protuberances in various shapes, sizes, and locations. The Heinz bodies were located just beneath the cell membrane either centrally or near the cell margin and varied in their projectional magnitude. Brilliant cresyl blue staining of blood of these 3 cats revealed prominent Heinz bodies within, and projecting from, the erythrocytes. In contrast, Heinz bodies were not identified on scanning electron microscopy of intact erythrocytes of the remaining 2 cats even though Heinz bodies were found on their blood films stained with brilliant cresyl blue. Scanning electron microscopy of partially lysed blood smears of all 5 cats revealed Heinz bodies of various sizes in the erythrocyte ghosts. Furthermore, blood smears from the 3 cats having distinct Heinz bodies in intact erythrocytes revealed small dense intracellular granules distributed singly or coalesced in small clumps. Further aggregation of these clumps was assumed to result in the formation of a single large Heinz body. The 3-dimensional nature of Heinz bodies was clearly apparent in lysed blood smears.