Ultrasound Morphology of Presumed Normal Anal Sacs in Dogs and Cats.

Ultrasonographic evaluation of canine and feline anal sacs is a practical promising modality to identify anal sac disease. However, limited data are available about normal ultrasound morphology of the anal sacs. This study describes the ultrasound morphology of presumed normal anal sacs in a larger sample of client-owned dogs and cats. A single-institutional prospective cross-sectional descriptive study was performed, and 137 dogs and 131 cats were included. The most common ultrasound features of the evaluated anal sacs in the dorsal plane were oval shape (99.3% of dogs and 98.5% of cats) and bilaterally similar content (94.2% of dogs and 95.4% of cats), mostly hypoechoic with diffusely hyperechoic points or unformed echogenic material (42.6% of dogs and 44% of cats). Gas in the lumen of the anal sac was detected in two dogs and mineralization in one dog. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between body weight and the size of anal sacs in dogs ≤15 kg and cats and a correlation between age and the size of anal sacs in cats. This simple method provides additional clinically significant information in detecting abnormal findings in asymptomatic patients and could contribute to the early detection of anal sac disease.

Grass cover on forest clear-cut areas ameliorates some soil chemical properties.

Clear-cut areas formed after forest decline due to acid deposition, pest attacks, or wind-breaks in temperate mountainous regions are often populated by grass (mainly Calamagrostis villosa). This study focused on the changes of soil chemical characteristics under the grass cover replacing the forest, focusing mainly on aluminium (Al) speciation. Clear-cut area due to strong acid deposition in the Jizera Mountains (Northern Bohemia) was studied. The soils under grass cover exhibit higher pH values and lower exchangeable Al content compared to adjacent surviving forest. Mobile Al species under the grass have larger proportion of non-toxic organic complexes. The content of exchangeable base cations is slightly higher under the grass. The positive effect of grass on soil chemistry was enhanced by liming. The temporary grass cover can therefore improve soil chemical quality for following reforestation. However, the differences are generally limited to surface organic horizons. Similar results were found also on a bark-beetle clear-cut area in the Bohemian Forest (Southern Bohemia) with smaller acid deposition; nevertheless, most differences were not significant there.