Renal amyloidosis in cattle with inflammatory diseases.

BACKGROUND: The association of inflammatory diseases such as traumatic reticuloperitonitis (TRP), mastitis, metritis, and pododermatitis with renal amyloidosis in cattle is poorly described. HYPOTHESIS: Serum amyloid A (SAA) levels are elevated during inflammatory diseases, and renal amyloidosis is formed as a complication. ANIMALS: This study was conducted with 82 crossbred cattle with mastitis (n = 18 cows), metritis (n = 11 cows), TRP (n = 30 cows), and pododermatitis (n = 23 : 15 cows and 8 beef cattle). Ten clinically healthy cows served as controls. METHODS: Hematological, urinary, and blood parameters, including SAA, were measured by an automated procedure provided with trade kits. Determination of amyloidal structures was made by histopathological examination of renal biopsy specimens. RESULTS: At the end of this trial, amyloidosis was detected in 5 cows displaying typical nephrotic syndrome, with hypoproteinemia and proteinuria in combination with polyuria and weight loss. Furthermore, it was observed that cows with renal amyloidosis had significantly higher (P < .01) total leukocyte counts, serum and urine enzyme activities, and urea and creatinine concentrations, with lower serum total protein concentrations, when compared with animals without renal amyloidosis. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: The incidence of AA amyloidosis in cattle in this study suggests that cattle with mastitis, metritis, and pododermatitis have a high prevalence of systemic amyloidosis in response to inflammation.

The effect of dexamethasone on gastric mucosal changes following sialoadenectomy in rat.

In this study, dexamethasone-induced gastric lesions were studied in rats that had undergone sialoadenectomy. The ultrastructural changes developed during the study were detected by electron microscopically, while blood serum and stomach epidermal growth factor (EGF) concentrations were measured by RIA. The result of the study showed that gastric lesions were correlated with gastric mucus secretion and both serum and mucosa EGF levels. After the administration of dexamethasone, it was found that sialoadenectomy significantly (p<0.01) raised the incidence of stomach lesions (p<0.01), and a significant increase in mucus secretion was also found. Additionally, the serum and gastric mucosal EGF levels fell after sialoadenectomy when compared to normal rats. The most important gastric mucosal changes were observed in rats treated with dexamethasone and those both sialoadenectomised and treated with dexamethasone.

Clinical efficacy of carprofen as an adjunct to the antibacterial treatment of bovine respiratory disease.

A clinical trial was undertaken to investigate the efficacy of a single dose of carprofen (CPF) in the treatment of bovine respiratory disease in cattle. Tilmicosin was used as a basal treatment in all animals. Six hours after dosing, body temperature and respiratory rates in animals treated with CPF-tilmicosin had decreased and were significantly lower than in the animals treated with tilmicosin alone (P < 0.05). Over the period of clinical observation, CPF-tilmicosin treatment produced a clinical resolution of the pneumonia similar to treatment with tilmicosin alone. However, it is significant from an animal welfare perspective that over the period of the study after treatment, CPF-tilmicosin therapy produced significantly greater symptomatic improvement than tilmicosin.