[Prepubic urethrostomy in a Wiesenauer minipig with urolithiasis]. / Präpubische Urethrostomie bei einem Wiesenauer Minischwein mit Urolithiasis.

A 10-year-old castrated, male miniature pig was presented with tenesmus vesicae and anuria accompanied by tachypnea. Radiographs confirmed numerous uroliths within the bladder and urethra. The urethra was not amenable to catheterization, therefore, an emergency tube cystostomy was performed. Despite bladder irrigation the uroliths in the urethra were not removable. Consequently, a prepubic urethrostoma procedure was undertaken. The minipig fully recovered and has since been voiding urine via the urethral fistula uneventfully. Measures to prevent urolithiasis, among others, include an adequate water intake, a balanced feed and diet composition as well as maintaining a physiological urine pH.

[Validation of the telemetric BioHarnessTM 3 chest strap for measurement of Heart Rate Variability (HRV) in pigs]. / Validierung des telemetrischen BioHarnessTM 3-Brustgurtes für die Messung der Herzratenvariabilität (HRV) bei Schweinen.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this clinical study was to determine whether the telemetric BioHarness 3.0TMchest strap (Zephyr Technology, Medtronic, Annapolis, USA), designed for use in humans and specialized for heart rate variability (HRV) analysis, could be used to accurately measure Heart Rate Variability (HRV) in pigs. METHODS: The R-wave intervals (RR-intervals) of the BioHarness 3.0TM electrocardiogram (ECG) were compared with those of the widely used telemetric ECG Televet®100 device (Engel Engineering GmbH, Heusenstamm, Germany). Measurements were performed under general anesthesia, to ensure continuous data collection due to the risk of detachment in adhesive electrodes of the Televet®100. The 2 devices were started simultaneously and measurements were taken 6 times in a row for 5 minutes, respectively. The data were collected from 5 male growing pigs. Following artifact correction resp. deletion 5321 RR paired data within a 3 digit range (ms) were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: The Lin Concordance-Correlation-Analysis after Lin (correlation coefficient 0.95), and the Bland-Altman-Analysis (RR distance differences + 0.3 ms) demonstrated a very good measurement compliance. CONCLUSION: This data suggests the BioHarness chest strap may be used for wireless HRV analysis in pigs as was shown in a follow up study in non-anesthetized pigs.

[Adenocarcinoma of the mamma in a Göttingen minipig]. / Adenokarzinom der Milchdrüse bei einem Göttinger Minipig.

In this report, the case of a tumourous enlargement of the mammary gland of a 10-year-old, female, Göttingen minipig is described. Noticeable clinical signs were an inflammatory enlargement of one complex of the mammary gland with a teat lesion and a foul-odour, liquid secretion. Further symptoms included reduced general health, with expression of pain, loss of appetite and dehydration. Mastectomy with histopathological examination of the tissue led to the diagnosis of an adenocarcinoma. The pig recovered without complications and was free of symptoms 6 months later.

[Perioperative intensive-medical investigations regarding compatibility of the ketamine-azaperone-general anesthesia in pigs]. / Perioperative intensivmedizinische Untersuchungen zur Verträglichkeit der Ketamin-Azaperon-AIIgemeinanästhesie beim Schwein.

was observed. Perioperatively oxygen saturation was persistently high and mean arterial pressure was steady, too. An additional Ketamine administration caused a short tachycardia during operation. After restoration of total mobility, respiratory and heart rate stayed within the reference ranges again. All EMG values in between those caused by pain stimuli were significantly below the borderline of a muscle activity in conformity with a clinically visible complete muscle relaxation. Cortisol increased simultaneously with Ketamine and Azaperone before operation, but it remained at this level until the end of the determinations, parallel to the course of Norketamine, close to the maximum before anesthesia. The complex intensive-medical monitoring confirms that under real surgical conditions the counter-regulatory effects of both drugs equalize the respective cardiovascular and respiratory side effects. It is concluded also that the increase of cortisol is likely to be more a side effect of Ketamine/Norketamine than the expression of distress by surgical interventions or by wake-up reactions, and that an intoxication by additional Ketamine dosage or motoric disorders (i.e., catalepsis) can be excluded as undesired side effects of both drugs.

Prediction of motor responses to surgical stimuli during bilateral orchiectomy of pigs using nociceptive flexion reflexes and the bispectral index derived from the electroencephalogram.

Movement responses to noxious stimuli during anaesthesia indicate nociception. Under experimental conditions consistent prediction of such movement responses has been achieved by the use of nociceptive flexion reflexes (NFRs). The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability of NFRs and the electroencephalogram bispectral index (BIS) in predicting motor responses to real surgical stimuli in pigs. The study was undertaken in 30 pigs undergoing bilateral orchiectomy under ketamine/azaperone anaesthesia. During the operation, movement responses to seven distinct surgical steps that provided noxious stimuli of different intensity were evaluated. Any movement response of limbs or the head was considered as a positive response. For each surgical step the values of NFRs and the BIS obtained just prior to the step were tested as predictors of movement responses. The prediction probability for movement responses was 0.58±0.04 for the BIS and 0.76±0.03 for the NFRs. It was concluded that NFRs but not the BIS can predict the effectiveness of ketamine anaesthesia in terms of the suppression of movement responses to surgical stimuli.

[Evaluation of perioperative analgesia by nociceptive flexor reflex in pigs under ketamine-azaperone-general anaesthesia]. / Beurteilung der perioperativen analgesie mit dem nozizeptiven flexorreflex bei Schweinen unter Ketamin- Azaperon-aIIgemeinanästhesie.

The objective of the investigation was to evaluate quantitatively the analgesic efficacy of the Ketamine-Azaperone-general anesthesia during surgical procedures on pigs by nociceptive flexor reflexes (NFR). The study was performed in 30 four to five month old male pigs which were castrated. The NFR was evoked every minute over the N. ulnaris by multiple electrical stimulation consisting of five single stimuli (2 Hz). The reflex response was derived electromyographically (EMG) by surface electrodes placed over the M. deltoideus. The root-mean-square amplitude within the time interval of 80-240 ms after the last stimulus was calculated as measure for the reflex size. The threshold was fixed at 40 microV. Beside electrical NFR recording the surgical tolerance was determined by the traditional interdigital reflex and the defense reaction to defined surgical test stimuli which were incisisions in the scrotal skin, in the tunica vaginalis and in the testis, pulling off the spermatic cord, clamping and cutting off the spermatic cord and final wound disinfection. All surgical pain stimuli were performed simultaneously with the electrical stimuli. After induction of anesthesia the NFR amplitude declined from 3500 microV below the threshold of 40 microV. At 98% of the surgical stimuli without defense reaction were below the reflex threshold. At 93% with defense reactions demonstrated reflex amplitudes above the threshold. When the interdigital reflex was suppressed, 89% of the NFR values fell below the threshold of 40 microV. These findings demonstrate a good correlation of NFR-amplitudes with reactions to traditional controls of analgesia.

[Multiple myeloma in a Yucatan Pig]. / Multiples Myelom bei einem Yucatan Pig.

An 11 years old Yucatan Pig with a Multiple Myeloma in the spinal cord, the sternum and the pelvis is described. The major clinical sign was a paresis of the hind limb. The most significant haematological change was a lymphopenia. The X-ray examination and computed tomography showed typical osteolytic changes in the skeleton. The histological examination of the bone marrow showed many, moderately well-differentiated plasma cells. Based on the collected findings and the exclusion of differential diagnoses, a Multiple Myeloma was diagnosed.

Approaching virus safety in xenotransplantation: a search for unrecognized herpesviruses in pigs.

The identification of porcine viruses so far unrecognized is required to minimize virus-related risks associated with xenotransplantation. We used a pan-herpes consensus polymerase chain reaction assay to search for unrecognized porcine species of the Herpesviridae. The assay targets conserved regions of the herpesvirus DNA polymerase (DPOL) gene, using primers that were modified to diminish the assay's recognition capacity for the highly prevalent porcine lymphotropic herpesviruses 1, 2 and 3 (PLHV-1, -2, -3), without substantially lowering the universal detection capacity of the assay. Analysis of 495 porcine blood and tissue samples from 294 animals, including 35 samples from 20 immunosuppressed pigs, resulted in the amplification of 128 herpesviral DPOL sequences. Sequence analysis attributed 127 of the amplimers to the known porcine herpesviruses (PLHV-1, -2, -3; porcine cytomegalovirus; pseudorabiesvirus). In none of the pig samples analyzed here, evidence was obtained for the presence of additional novel porcine herpesvirus species. Therefore we conclude that pigs bred for the purpose of xenotransplantation pose a negligible risk of transmitting presently unrecognized herpesviruses to organ recipients.

A novel porcine gammaherpesvirus.

A novel porcine gammaherpesvirus was detected in the blood of domestic pigs by PCR. With degenerate-primer PCR and subsequent long-distance PCR approaches a 60-kbp genome stretch was amplified. Sequence analysis revealed the presence of the gammaherpesvirus ORFs 03 to 46 as well as a putative chemokine receptor and a v-bcl-2 gene. The 60-kbp sequence was compared with the corresponding sequence of the porcine lymphotropic herpesvirus 1 (PLHV-1) published recently and the sequence of PLHV-2, which was amplified from porcine tonsil. Considerable sequence differences (amino acid identities: 49-89%) were found between the novel virus and PLHV-1 as well as PLHV-2, which were very closely related to each other (amino acid identities: 85-98%). The novel virus had essentially the same genome organization as PLHV-1 and -2 and was therefore designated PLHV-3. Like PLHV-1 and -2, PLHV-3 was frequently found in the blood and in lymphoid organs of domestic and feral pigs from different geographic locations. In the blood, the PLHVs were detected predominantly in B-cells. Indication for latent as well as productive PLHV-3 infection was found in the porcine B-cell line L23. It can be concluded that the PLHVs are widespread and are likely to cause a persistent B-lymphotropic infection. Since PLHV-1 has been implicated in the development of porcine posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disease, all porcine lymphotropic gammaherpesviruses are of concern when pigs are used as donors in xenotransplantation.

[Prevalence of herd specific factors and limb disorders, and their associations in intensive swine production]. / Prävalenzen von bestandsspezifischen Faktoren und Gliedmassenerkrankungen, und ihre Assoziationen in der intensiven Schweineproduktion.

A longitudinal observational study in 180 pig breeding herds was performed to calculate prevalences of herd specific factors as well as typical limb disorders and to estimate their associations in a 2-step regression analysis. Regarding herd size, genetics, feeding and weight gain herds were distributed almost equal. The population density and the hygiene status were considered proper in most herds. In the farrowing units partially slatted floors of metal or plastic with slats > 9 mm, in the weaning units fully slatted floors of plastic, and in the rearing units fully slatted floors of concrete were most common. Less than 6% of the farms housed their pigs on solid concrete with straw bedding. Herd prevalences of fault floors varied between 18 and 43%. As a herd health problem (morbidity > 25%) claw hematomas and limb abrasions in just 1-week old piglets, overgrown claws and bursa swellings in weaned pigs, and bursa swellings in rearing pigs were wide spread. Leg deformations by osteopathy or arthritis occurred only sporadically. In the risk analysis claw hematomas of piglets were associated with slatted floors, particulary with slats < 10 mm. Abrasions were associated with concrete and rough floor surfaces at all. Overgrown claws and bursa swellings in weaned and in rearing pigs were associated with damaged, slippery or rough floor surfaces. Other associations were not detected. The quality of floor might be more important than the type of housing.