Canine leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease that can cause interstitial nephritis. As a consequence of the renal damage, proteinuria may occur. To determine the urine protein pattern in the disease we performed sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) on the urine from 10 dogs with leptospirosis and 20 healthy dogs. Western blotting analysis of the urine samples with antibodies against canine IgG and IgA was also performed to identify these immunoglobulins in the urine. Urine electrophoresis showed three new bands in the dogs suffering from leptospirosis. Only two of the dogs with leptospirosis showed detectable concentrations of IgG and IgA in urine, while a third animal showed IgG alone. The study showed a 36.7% increase in the excretion of low molecular weight proteins in dogs with leptospirosis but almost no change in the high molecular weight protein pattern. These results, together with the low number of animal with detectable concentrations of IgG and IgA in the urine, support the view that canine leptospirosis is characterized by interstitial nephritis.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Chondrosarcoma of the sinuses: an infrequent tumor].

The case of 69 year old male patient who developed sinusal mesenchymal chondrosarcoma is presented. At the time of diagnosis the tumor had spread into the intracranial cavity, which explains why no surgical treatment was carried out. A combined palliative treatment of chemotherapy and radiotherapy was used which did not improve the course of the tumor. The rare location of this form of tumor is discussed. Also commented on are the therapeutic--both surgical and other modalities (chemotherapy and radiotherapy)--difficulties encountered with this condition, given the little experience accumulated with it and its habitual resistance to the therapeutical regimens employed.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Laparoscopic treatment of gastroesophageal reflux by the modified Toupet technique. Preliminary results apropos of 55 cases].

Between October 1992 and July 1994, 55 patients with gastrooesophagal reflux disease underwent laparoscopic 270 degrees posterior fundoplication. The technique used was exactly the same as for the conventional approach. There were no deaths but there were 2 peroperative complications requiring conversions to laparotomy: one oesophagal perforation and one pleural perforation. The mean operative time was 150 min, ranging from 90 to 240 min. The mean hospital stay was 2.5 days, ranging from 1 to 14 days. One patient had to be operated on the 15th postoperative day because of a dysphagia secondary to an oesophagal motility disorder. One other patient underwent a laparoscopic treatment of a bowel obstruction on 30th postoperative day. None patient had dysphagia for more than 1 month after laparoscopy. The mean postoperative follow-up was 10 months with a good clinical result in 90% of the patients at 6 months. Four of our 15 first patients complained of recurrence of reflux symptoms. These preliminary results indicate that laparoscopic Toupet procedure can be performed safely and with similar results as for the open approach if the surgeon is well trained.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Response to barium selenate supplementation in sheep kept at pasture in the Mediterranean area.

This work evaluated the efficacy of barium selenate supplements in the prevention of disorders related to Se deficiency in sheep maintained at pasture in the Mediterranean area. Ewes on five farms were divided into two equal groups of 1,750 animals: a) the treated group and b) the control group. The animals of the treated group were injected subcutaneously, in the first third of gestation, with a barium selenate compound at a dose of 1 mg Se/kg. The ewes in the control group did not receive any supplement of Se and/or vitamin E. The two groups were managed under the same feeding and husbandry practices throughout the experiment. After lambing, blood glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) and serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities were measured in the lambs born to both group. Blood GSHPx activity was higher in the treated animals, with statistically significant differences due to the response to injection of barium selenate. Mean global serum activities of AST and CK tended to be higher in the control group, as a consequence of the protection given to the treated group by the supplement, but the differences were not statistically significant. This was possibly due to the absence of clinical cases of nutritional myodystrophy (NMD) in the animals of the control group. Therefore it can be stated that barium selenate supplementation can prevent Se deficiency in sheep herds maintained at pasture in this area.

Animal Feed↗