Lactose tolerance was studied in suckling piglets 7-8 days of age with diarrhea. The contents of lactose, lactic acid and water in diarrhea stools were significantly higher than those in normal feces (P<0.001), and thus pH was significantly lower in diarrheal stools (P<0.001). Afler oral administration of 2g/kg lactose increase of blood plasma glucose concentration was significantly smaller in piglets with diarrhea than in normal piglets (P<0.001). However, when lactose was given with β-galactosidase supplement or glucose alone (0.5-4.0g/kg) was administered, there was no significant difference in the concentration of plasma glucose between the piglets with diarrhea and those without.

View full abstract

Twenty-six Holstein cows were divided into five feeding groups given the adequate, the surplus starch, the surplus rumen undegradable intake protein, the surplus rumen degradable intake protein or the surplus rumen soluble intake protein feed, and they were examined for the blood concentrations of ammonia and lactic acid afrer feeding. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein before and 2 or 4hr after feeding. The blood concentration of ammonia changed in relation to feeding of starch and rumen degradable intake protein, while the concentration of lactic acid as corelated with feeding of starch, indicating that the rumen condition might be estimated from the concentrations of blood ammonia and lactic acid.

View full abstract

During a period of September 1995 to April 1996, 82 abnormal deliveries and 47 cases congenital malformation of calves with kyphoscreliosis, arthrogryposis, hydranencephaly and cerebellar hypoplasia, occurred in Fukuoka Prefecture. Most sera and body fluids from the dams and affected calves had neutralizing antibody to Aino virus, high titered antibody was detected from precolostral sera from affected calves and the fetal fluids. Sera collected in 1995 from 100 sentinel calves of 50 farms were examined for antibody to Aino virus, revealing that seroconversion occurred first in one case in September, 25 cases in October and 3 cases in November. These findings suggested that Aino virus infection might play an etiological role in the abnormal deliveries and that the in utero infection occurred around 120 to 150 days of gestation.

View full abstract

β-galactosidase (0.3g/day) was orally administered to 44 suckling piglets for 3 days starting within 1.5hr after the onset of diarrhea. All the piglets were recovered from diarrhea within 3 clays, showing signmcant decrease of water, lactose and lactic acid and elevation of pH in feces. The recovery rate of non-treated control piglets was 40.4%(21/52).

View full abstract

A pellet containing Chlormadinone acetate (CMA; 20mg) was subcutaneously implanted in queens during a year for estrous control, and the concentration of sex steroid hormones in circulation was measured by radioimmnnoassay before and after the removal of CMA pellet. No estrous signs were seen in 29 (96.7%) of 30 treated queens. During the CMA implantation, estradiol-17β remained at a lower level in all cases, sometimes showing a little higher levels, suggesting the development of small follicles. Progesterone remained at lower levels of less than 1ng/ml. The estrus returned at 113 to 172 days (141.8 days on average) after the removal of CMA pellet and 4 queens had some kittens after normal gestation period.

View full abstract

A flexible external fixation was performed following surgical reduction of coxofemoral luxation in two canine and one feline cases. Two pins were inserted at the corpus of ilium and the great trochanter, respectively, and they were connected by a flexible band. At 2 weeks postoperation, the pins were removed, and no recurrence was seen in any cases.

View full abstract

Dogs with prostatic hyperplasia were treated with either oral administration or subcutaneous implantation of chlormadinone acetate (CMA). In 4 orally treated (1-2mg/kg/day for 9 to 35 days) cases blood CMA levels increased to 94 to 280ng/ml immediately after starting the treatment, decreasing shortly after stopping administration. In 5 cases given CMA implantation (10mg) blood levels were maintained below 10ng/ml for a year or longer. In all treated cases the prostate decreased in size and most clinical signs disappeared. The blood cortisol and progesterone levels decreased immediately after starting the treatment, while no remarkable changes were observed on testosterone and estradiol levels.

View full abstract

Possible persistent infection of Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus was investigated by detecting the virus genome using nested PCR from the blood or spleen of 6 to 7-month-old swine. In Kanazawa city, blood mononuclear cells were collected from 50 cases in September 1993 to February 1994, and 4 of 10 in September, 2 of 11 in October, 2 of 9 in November, 3 of 10 in December, were positive for the virus genome. In February 1994, the virus genome was amplified in splenic mononuclear cell samples of 3 of 10 cases, which were negative for virus genome in blood mononuclear cell samples. On the other hand, in Kagawa Precfecture where 160 cases were examined from July 1995 to March 1996, the virus genome was detectable from the blood samples in 5 of 20, 2 of 20 and one of 20 in September, October, and November, respectively. The virus genome was detected in January, February and March in spleen mononuclear cells from 4 cases, which were negative in the blood samples. These results suggested that JE virus persistently infected the mononuclear cells of blood and spleen of swine during the winter period.

View full abstract