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Biomedical subjects

H N Erb

Publications and source records attributed to H N Erb.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Functional analysis of ectopic parathyroid activity in cats.

The ability of ectopic parathyroid tissue to support calcium homeostasis was evaluated by measuring serum concentrations of calcium, phosphorus, albumin, magnesium, and parathyroid hormone before and for 12 weeks after bilateral thyroparathyroidectomy in 14 cats. During the immediate postoperative period, significant decrease was observed in serum calcium, magnesium, and parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentrations. Serum PTH concentration remained subnormal and did not significantly increase during the 12-week observation period. Despite persistent hypoparathyroidism, serum calcium and magnesium concentrations gradually increased. Ectopic parathyroid tissue is not capable of maintaining normal serum calcium concentration immediately after thyroparathyroidectomy. Serum calcium concentration gradually normalizes after thyroparathyroidectomy, apparently by means of a PTH-independent mechanism.

Animals↗

Dermatophagoides mites in house dust as an allergen source in atopic dogs.

Thirty dogs with a clinical diagnosis of atopy were skin tested with 58 allergens including an aqueous house dust mite extract and a crude house dust extract. Sixty percent of the dogs had positive skin reactions to both the house dust mite and house dust antigens. In atopic dogs, house dust mites appear to be an important allergen source in house dust extracts but are not the only major source.

Allergens↗

An ecological analysis of risk factors for postpartum disorders of Holstein-Friesian cows from thirty-two New York farms.

Path analysis and multiple logistic-normal regression were used to model the interrelationships between stated herd management practices and herd 30-d postpartum incidence rates of dystocia, retained placenta, and clinical postpartum metritis, cystic ovary, milk fever, ketosis, left displaced abomasum, and mastitis. Management risk factors were obtained from a personal interview questionnaire. Data were from 2141 multiparous Holstein calvings from May 1981 through April 1982 in 32 commercial herds in the vicinity of Cornell University. Farms where the stated policy was to administer low calcium diets to the dry cows experienced more dystocia and retained placenta. More dystocia was experienced on farms where the stated policy was to administer extra vitamin D to dry cows, where dry cows were housed with the milking cows, or where calving occurred in maternity pens rather than stanchions. There was an increased likelihood of milk fever and left displaced abomasum on farms on which the stated policy was to lead feed. Farms where dairy farmers treated cases of retained placenta had more retained placenta than farms on which the treatment was done by the veterinarian. Farms reporting the practice of feeding the cows to increase their weight during the dry period had increased odds of ketosis.

Abomasum↗

Relationship of changes in condition score to cow health in Holsteins.

The relationship of body condition score with disease occurrence was examined in 561 cows in nine herds. Cows were body condition scored on a five-point scale (1 = thin, 5 = obese) every 2 wk from drying off until 150 d in milk. Cows scored between 3- and 3+ were considered to be in average or good condition. Cows scored less than or equal to 2+ were considered to be underconditioned, whereas those scored greater than or equal to 4- were considered to be overconditioned. Relationships of health and condition score were examined using multiple logistic regression for dichotomous outcomes (e.g., diseased or healthy). Cows that developed dystocia or were culled lost more condition during the dry period than those that did not develop dystocia or were not culled. Cows overconditioned at drying off were more likely to develop cystic ovarian disease and reproductive problems. Cows underconditioned or overconditioned at drying off were more prone to foot problems after calving. Cows overconditioned at 30 d postpartum were more likely to have metritis.

Animals↗

Risk factors for clinical mastitis in herds with a low bulk milk somatic cell count. 1. Data and risk factors for all cases.

The incidence rate of clinical mastitis in 125 herds with a low annual bulk milk SCC (less than 150,000 cells/ml) was modeled using a Poisson regression model. The rate of clinical mastitis was significantly associated with some variables that increased the exposure to environmental microorganisms: poor cubicle cleanliness increased the mastitis rate; rubber mats in cubicles were associated with a higher incidence; and drinking water from sources other than public water also increased the rate of mastitis. Other variables may be associated with host resistance: an increasing percentage of cows leaking milk increased the rate of mastitis; postmilking teat disinfection was associated with a higher incidence of clinical mastitis; and a high frequency of cubicle disinfection was also associated with more mastitis. Three other variables were associated with the rate of mastitis: breed (Holstein-Friesian had a lower incidence than the Meuse-Rhine-Yssel breed); use of sugar beet pulp in the ration increased the mastitis rate; and in herds with high milk production a higher incidence of mastitis was observed. These items are discussed in respect to their causal relation to clinical mastitis.

Animals↗

Effects of age, sex, and body size on serum concentrations of thyroid and adrenocortical hormones in dogs.

Thyroxine (T4), 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3), and cortisol frequently are quantified in canine serum or plasma samples to aid in the diagnosis of hypothyroidism, hypoadrenocorticism, and hyperadrenocorticism. Many laboratories have established reliable references values for concentrations of these hormones in blood of clinically normal animals. However, nonpathologic factors that affect thyroidal and adrenocortical secretion may lead to misinterpretation of test results when values for individual animals are compared with reference values. The objective of the study reported here was to identify effects of age, sex, and body size (ie, breed) on serum concentrations of T3, T4, and cortisol in dogs. Blood samples were collected from 1,074 healthy dogs, and serum concentrations of the iodothyronines and cortisol were evaluated for effects of breed/size, sex, and age. Mean (+/- SEM) serum concentration of T4 was greater in small (2.45 +/- 0.06 micrograms/dl)- than in medium (1.94 +/- 0.04 micrograms/dl)- or large (2.03 +/- 0.03 micrograms/dl)-breed dogs, the same in females (2.11 +/- 0.04 micrograms/dl) and males (2.08 +/- 0.04 micrograms/dl), and greater in nursing pups (3.04 +/- 0.05 micrograms/dl) than in weanling pups (1.94 +/- 0.05 micrograms/dl), rapidly growing dogs (1.95 +/- 0.04 micrograms/dl), and young adult (1.90 +/- 0.06 micrograms/dl), middle-aged adult (1.72 +/- 0.05 micrograms/dl), or old adult (1.50 +/- 0.05 micrograms/dl) dogs. Dogs greater than 6 years old had lower mean serum T4 concentration than did dogs of all other ages, except middle-aged adults. Mean serum T3 concentration in medium-sized dogs (1.00 +/- 0.01 ng/ml) was greater than that in small (0.90 +/- 0.01 ng/ml)- and large (0.88 +/- 0.01 ng/ml)-breed dogs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Age Factors↗

Factors associated with the development of equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy.

A case-control study was done to identify factors associated with the development of equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy (EDM). Questionnaires were mailed to the owners of 146 horses admitted to the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine between November 1978 and June 1987 and diagnosed as having EDM by histologic examination. Questionnaires also were sent to owners of 402 clinically normal horses admitted to the college during the same period. Data were compared between the EDM-affected and control groups (56 and 179 questionnaires returned, respectively). Risk factors identified included the use of insecticide applied to foals, exposure of foals to wood preservatives, and foals frequently spending time on dirt lots while outside. Foals spending time outside on green pastures was a protective factor. Foals from dams that had had an EDM-affected foal were at higher risk of developing EDM than were foals from other dams.

Age Factors↗

Horner's syndrome in dogs and cats: 100 cases (1975-1985).

The medical records of 74 dogs and 26 cats with Horner's syndrome (HS) that were admitted to the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine between January 1975 and October 1985 were reviewed. In dogs, but not cats, HS was associated significantly (P less than 0.01) with increasing age. Dogs with hypothyroidism (defined liberally but not rigorously), intracranial neoplasia, or thoracic neoplasia, cats with otitis media/interna (defined liberally), and dogs and cats with brachial plexus root avulsion were at greater risk for developing HS than were animals that were hit by a car. Dogs and cats with otitis externa were at less risk of developing HS than were animals that were hit by a car. The cause of HS could not be determined in 50% of dogs and 42.3% of cats. The results of topical adrenergic drug testing in dogs were inconclusive in localizing lesion site. In dogs and cats, HS appeared to be unassociated with gender, breed, or right vs left side. The important causes of HS in dogs and cats were trauma (hit by car), brachial plexus root avulsion, intracranial and thoracic neoplasia, and otitis media/interna.

Animals↗

Failure of omasal transport attributable to perireticular abscess formation in cattle: 29 cases (1980-1986).

During a 7-year period, failure of omasal transport attributable to a perireticular abscess was diagnosed in 29 cows. Affected cattle were examined because of anorexia, hypogalactia, and bilateral abdominal distention. The cows were all female Holsteins, 15 months to 10 years old. The abscess was identified during exploratory celiotomy and rumenotomy or at necropsy. Traumatic reticuloperitonitis was believed to be the cause. Twenty-seven cattle (93%) were treated surgically. The abscess was drained into the reticulum or omasum in 25 cows (86%). Twenty-four cows (83%) survived to the time of discharge from the hospital, and 20 (69%) survived for at least 1 year and became productive members of the herd. This is a better survival rate than that reported for other causes of vagal indigestion.

Abscess↗

Heritabilities of and genetic correlations among six health problems in Holstein cows.

Information from 7712 lactations of Holstein dairy cows was collected from 33 commercial herds around Ithaca, NY in the 3 yr from 1981 to 1983. The data were divided into subsets corresponding to lactation 1, lactation 2, and lactation 3 or greater. To estimate heritabilities of dystocia, retained placenta, metritis, ovarian cysts, milk fever, and mastitis, a mixed linear model (herd-year fixed and sire random effects) with 0 or 1 as the observed response was used. Variance components were estimated using Henderson's Method 3. The results show moderate heritabilities (.15 to .40) for dystocia, metritis, milk fever, and mastitis and low heritability (less than .12) for retained placenta and cystic ovaries. Genetic correlations between dystocia, retained placenta, metritis, and mastitis were moderate in size and positive, whereas cystic ovaries were correlated negatively with dystocia and retained placenta. A general reproductive health trait (dystocia, retained placenta, metritis, cystic ovaries, and milk fever combined in one trait) also was analyzed. The estimated heritability of this trait was .21, .11, and .00 for first calf heifers, second lactation cows, and older cows, respectively.

Animals↗

Long-term evaluation of a prolonged-release formulation of N-methionyl bovine somatotropin in lactating dairy cows.

Eighty Holstein cows (first, second, or third lactation) were used to evaluate the efficacy of a prolonged-release formulation for sometribove (n-methionyl bovine somatotropin). Cows were fed ad libitum a complete mixed diet and milked twice daily. Cows were allocated randomly by parity to two treatment groups receiving 500 mg sometribove in a prolonged release formulation or excipient at 14-d intervals starting at 60 +/- 3 d postpartum and continuing for 36 wk. Treatment with sometribove increased FCM yield to a similar extent (11.4%, +3.1 kg/d) in primiparous and multiparous animals. Milk content of lactose, fat, ash, and Ca was not affected, but protein and phosphorous were slightly greater (less than 5%) in milk from sometribove-treated cows. Within a 14-d injection interval, animals treated with sometribove displayed a cyclic pattern in milk yield, but a similar pattern was not evident in feed intake.

Animals↗

Epidemiology of metabolic disorders in dairy cattle: association among host characteristics, disease, and production.

Logistic regression was used to investigate the effects of host characteristics, production, and 23 veterinary diagnoses on the odds of contracting seven metabolic disorders among 61,124 Finnish Ayrshire cows that calved during 1983. Cows in higher producing herds were at increased risk of parturient paresis, udder edema, and ketosis. Cows that had higher previous yields were at increased risk of parturient and nonparturient paresis and ketosis. All of the metabolic disorders except udder edema were directly interrelated. Dystocia, prolapsed uterus, other infertility, and abortion were not risk factors for any of the seven metabolic disorders; however, retained placenta, early metritis, traumatic reticuloperitonitis, acute and chronic mastitis, and foot or leg injury each were direct risk factors for at least two metabolic disorders.

Acidosis↗

A hospital-based study of the relationship between retained placenta and mastitis in dairy cows.

We investigated the relation between retained placenta and mastitis in Holstein dairy cows admitted to the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine. Cows with retained placenta were three times more likely to develop mastitis during hospitalization than animals without retained placenta. Since the hospital population was not representative of the general population, the possibility of a bias existed; a large bias was not likely because most distorting variables occurred equally in animals both with and without retained placenta. The literature suggests that the relationship between retained placenta and mastitis may be mediated through activity of the peripheral leukocytes. Further research is necessary to test this hypothesis.

Animals↗

The benefit-cost analysis of disease control programs.

When farmers must make economic decisions, three competing goals must be considered: maximization of profit, avoidance of risk, and personal satisfaction. If a decision has a relatively long time-frame, then the time value of costs and of benefits also must be considered. There are a variety of ways to structure the comparison between disease control programs. If disease is endemic, a partial budget analysis is recommended. If, instead, probabilities must be included in the calculations, then the recommendation is to use pay-off table analysis or to draw a decision tree (the latter especially if there are sequences of decisions).

Animal Diseases↗

Scanning electron microscopy of experimental keratoconjunctivitis sicca in dogs: cornea and bulbar conjunctiva.

Keratoconjunctivitis sicca was produced experimentally in 16 beagles by bilateral surgical removal of the lacrimal and nictitans glands; four dogs were not treated, and 12 received tear-replacement therapy on post-operative days 7 through 28. Keratoconjunctivitis sicca was verified by reduction in Schirmer tear test values by post-operative day 6, and there was no response on day 28 to tear-replacement therapy. Corneas of both normal and tear-deficient dogs had polygonal squamous epithelial cells of light and dark electron density by scanning electron microscopy. Light cells had more microvilli and microplicae than dark cells. Conjunctivae were similar to corneas, except for numerous goblet cells on the surface. Corneal dark-cell density and goblet cell density were not different between groups. Goblet cells most often occurred singly in normal dogs, while they were in clusters in tear-deficient dogs. A hypothesis that petrolatum/mineral oil ointment should provide more effective artificial tear replacement than hydroxymethylcellulose drops for tear-deficient dogs could not be confirmed by objective analysis of corneal dark-cell density or conjunctival goblet cell density.

Animals↗

Effects of prepartum milking on milk production and health performance.

A field study using seven Holstein herds was conducted to determine effects of prepartum milking on milk production, health disorders, and reproductive performance. In each herd, 80 cows (30% first lactation cows) were assigned 1 mo prior to expected calving date to one of two treatments: postpartum or prepartum milking. The group milked prepartum was machine-milked twice daily at regular milking intervals beginning 14 d prior to date of expected calving. The group milked postpartum was milked for the first time after calving. The day prior to calving, 36, 33, and 31% of the cows milked prepartum produced less than 4.5 kg, 4.5 to 9 kg, and greater than 9 kg of milk, respectively. No relationship existed between days milked prepartum and prepartum milk yield. Lactation milk yield and persistency were not affected by prepartum milking. Prepartum milking reduced incidence of milk fever and mastitis during the 1st mo after parturition. Treatment was not a significant source of variation for reproductive performance or body condition; however, culling was higher for cows milked postpartum. Results indicate no adverse effects on cow performance due to prepartum milking nor increase in lactation milk yield.

Animals↗

Epidemiology of metabolic disorders in the periparturient dairy cow.

The descriptive epidemiology and risk factors were reviewed for six clinical disorders: milk fever, downer cow syndrome, hypomagnesemic tetany, udder edema, left displaced abomasum, and ketosis. Data were included also from preliminary analyses of a data set from approximately 61,000 Finnish Ayrshire cows. A web of postulated associations among the metabolic disorders and other risks factors (previous lactation diseases and milk yield, calf factors, certain dry period nutritional factors, dystocia, retained placenta, and metritis) was diagrammed.

Animals↗

Cardiovascular effects of acupuncture stimulation at point Governing Vessel 26 in halothane-anesthetized ponies.

The acupuncture point Governing Vessel (GV-26) is used commonly in the Orient to treat shock in human beings and other species. The cardiovascular effects of stimulation of GV-26 were studied in healthy ponies during 2 episodes of halothane anesthesia. During one anesthetic episode, electrical stimulation (electrostimulation) of GV-26 was performed, and during the other anesthetic episode, heat stimulation (moxibustion) of GV-26 was performed. The order of the stimulations was random. A nonacupuncture point was selected for comparable control stimulation during each experiment. Control and acupuncture stimulations were of equal intensity. There were no significant changes in cardiac output, systemic arterial pressure, or heart rate associated with either electrical or heat acupuncture stimulation.

Acupuncture Therapy↗