ABSTRACT
Two groups of adult Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) of mixed ages and sex were used to study the effect of bilateral Harderian gland adenectomy on development of nasal dermatitis. One group of gerbils underwent bilateral Harderian gland adenectomies, while the other group underwent sham surgeries, leaving the Harderian gland intact. All animals in both groups were fitted with Elizabethian collars to prevent self-grooming, allowing a buildup of nasolacrimal or Harderian gland secretions near the medial canthus of the eye and at the external nares. Twenty-six of 27 animals with intact Harderian glands developed nasal and facial lesions within 20 days. None of the 27 Harderian gland adenectomized animals developed nasal or facial lesions. Apparently, accumulation of Harderian gland secretions is involved in the pathogenesis of nasal dermatitis in the Mongolian gerbil.
Subject(s)
Dermatitis/veterinary , Gerbillinae , Harderian Gland/metabolism , Lacrimal Apparatus/metabolism , Nose Diseases/veterinary , Rodent Diseases/etiology , Animals , Dermatitis/etiology , Dermatitis/pathology , Female , Grooming , Harderian Gland/surgery , Male , Nose Diseases/etiology , Nose Diseases/pathology , Rodent Diseases/pathologyABSTRACT
In Experiment 1, blood samples were collected on days 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, and 25 postpartum from the jugular veins of 10 suckled beef cows to determine 13, 14-dihydro-15-keto prostaglandin F2alpha (PGFM) concentrations during the early postpartum period. PGFM concentrations on days 1 and 4 were 207.8+/-33.9 and 283.6+/-45.6 pg/ml and then declined linearly (r=-0.71; P<0.05) to 44.1+/-5.7 and 44.0+/-5.3 pg/ml on days 22 and 25 postpartum. Two groups of postpartum (25.3+/-0.5 and 37.7+/-1.1 days) suckled beef cows (10 cows/group) were used in the second experiment. Five cows of each group received intrauterine infusions of indomethacin for 5.5 days while the other five cows of each group served as controls. All cows had calves removed at the time of the last indomethacin infusion and were subcutaneously administered oxytocin six hours later. During the infusion period, PGFM concentrations decreased (P<0.01) across time for both groups of indomethacin-treated cows. Concentrations of PGFM increased (P<0.05) after oxytocin treatment for both groups of control and indomethacin-treated cows, but concentrations were higher for the control cows than for the indomethacin-treated cows.
