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Biomedical subjects

J J Dascanio

Publications and source records attributed to J J Dascanio.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Dietary carbohydrates and fat influence radiographic bone mineral content of growing foals.

Hydrolyzable carbohydrate intake in horse diets may become excessive when rapidly growing pastures are supplemented with grain-based concentrates. The substitution of fat and fiber for hydrolyzable carbohydrate in concentrates has been explored in exercising horses but not in young, growing horses. Our objective was to compare bone development in foals that were fed pasture and concentrates rich in sugar and starch (corn, molasses) or fat and fiber (corn oil, beet pulp, soybean hulls, oat straw). Forty foals were examined, 20 each in 1994 and 1995. In each year, 10 mares and their foals were fed a corn and molasses supplement (SS) and 10 others were fed a corn oil and fiber supplement (FF). The concentrates were formulated to be isocaloric and isonitrogenous, and mineral content was balanced to complement the pastures and meet or exceed NRC requirements. Dorsopalmar radiographs were taken of the left third metacarpal monthly from birth to weaning and then every other month until 1 yr of age. Bone density was estimated using imaging software and an aluminum stepwedge. Radiographic examination indicated differences in medial, lateral, and central bone mineral content of the metacarpal III. Bone mineral content increased with age, and a plateau was observed during winter. Bone mineral content was lower in weanlings and yearlings fed the FF supplement than in those fed SS. Subjective clinical leg evaluations indicated differences in physitis, joint effusion, and angular and flexural limb deformities in response to age, and possibly to season. Regression analysis indicated positive relationships between bone mineral content and body weight, age, and body measurements. Nutrient and chemical interactions, such as the binding of calcium by fat and fiber, may alter the availability of elements necessary for bone development.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1995

Effect of phenylbutazone and flunixin meglumine on acute toxic mastitis in dairy cows.

A double-blinded randomized prospective clinical trial was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of flunixin meglumine and phenylbutazone for treatment of acute toxic mastitis in dairy cows. All cows were treated 4 times at 12-hour intervals by intramammary infusion of gentamicin (150 mg). A total of 45 dairy cows with toxic mastitis were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups: group 1 (control), saline solution, IV; group 2, 1 g of flunixin meglumine, IV; or group 3, 4 g of phenylbutazone, IV. Physical examination and udder variables were assessed at initial examination and 24 hours later. Milk production was recorded at regular intervals from 1 week before until 10 weeks after development of mastitis. Rear quarters (34/45) were more commonly affected than front quarters. Thirty-five cows returned to the herd, 9 cows were culled, and 1 cow died. There were no significant differences among treatment groups in the need for further treatment or outcome. Klebsiella spp (18/45) and Escherichia coli (16/45) were the most common pathogens isolated by culture of milk from affected quarters. The overall bacteriologic cure rate on days 7 and 14 was 64 and 75%, respectively. At the time of initial examination, cows of the control group had higher rectal temperature than did cows of the flunixin group. At the examination 24 hours later, the rectal temperature of cows in all treatment groups was lower than the temperature at initial examination; at that time (24 hours), however, there were no significant differences in temperature among the treatment groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1993

Uterine tear without a corresponding placental lesion in a mare.

A 3-cm full-thickness tear near the tip of the previously gravid uterine horn of a 12-year-old Thoroughbred mare was diagnosed at surgery. The mare had delivered a foal with veterinary assistance 2 days prior to surgery. The mare subsequently developed muscle tremors, anorexia, and signs of depression. Physical examination revealed pyrexia, extended capillary refill time, muscle fasciculations, and fewer-than-normal borborygmi. Abnormalities of the uterus or vagina were not detected by palpation per rectum or per vagina. The chorioallantois underlying the area of the tear was intact. We propose that the uterine tear was caused by pressure created by the foal's stifle against the maternal pelvis or by blunt forces caused by the foal's foot, sufficient to tear the uterus, but not the chorioallantois.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

A case-control study of the association between blood selenium and cystic ovaries in lactating dairy cattle.

We carried out a case-control study to investigate the association between the risk of developing cystic ovaries and the concentrations of Se in the blood of dairy cows. Cows were from dairy herds in the vicinity of Ithaca, NY. One hundred and thirty-two cystic ovary cases were identified; a similar number of herdmates who did not have cystic ovaries were selected as controls. Whole blood samples were collected from cystic cows and controls in which Se concentrations were determined. Milk samples also were collected and analyzed for concentrations of progesterone. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the role of Se in the risk of developing cystic ovaries while controlling for other possible risk factors. Mean Se in blood concentration for cows with cystic ovaries (141 ng/ml) was similar to that of control cows without cystic ovaries (136 ng/ml). The concentration of progesterone in milk was significantly higher in controls than in cows with cystic ovaries. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, cows with concentrations of Se in blood greater than 169 ng/ml had twice the risk of developing cystic ovaries compared with cows that had Se levels less than 108 ng/ml.

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Differentiation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia in the horse. A report of two cases.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) was diagnosed in two horses: an 18-year-old Quarter Horse gelding that was examined because of edema of the prepuce and ventral abdomen; and a 20-year-old mixed breed gelding that was referred because of lymphocytosis, ventral edema, and weight loss. The first horse had enlarged peripheral lymph nodes and cool nonpainful pitting edema of the ventral abdomen and prepuce. The second horse had enlarged peripheral lymph nodes, cool nonpainful pitting edema of the ventral thorax and cranial ventral abdomen, and a 3/5 holosystolic heart murmur. The diagnosis of CLL was based on increased blood lymphocyte counts and infiltration of marrow and other tissues by lymphocytes. In horse 1, the lymphocytosis persisted for 2 months between initial examination and death. The results of flow cytometric analysis on blood lymphocytes using anti-lymphocyte antibodies suggested that horse 1 had T-cell CLL, and horse 2 had B-cell CLL. In addition, the second horse had a monoclonal gammopathy (IgG), with light-chain proteinuria.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

In vitro and xenogenous capacitation-like changes of fresh, cooled, and cryopreserved stallion sperm as assessed by a chlortetracycline stain.

Like the human female, the mare experiences reproductive tract pathology that may sometimes be circumvented by the use of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs). One such technology, gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT), may be used in mares that exhibit ovulatory, oviductal, or uterine abnormalities that limit the use of common ARTs, such as embryo transfer. Homologous GIFT has been successfully performed in the horse; however, the logistics, costs, and associated risks of surgically transferring gametes to the oviducts of a recipient mare are considerably high. Use of a less costly species in a heterologous or xenogenous procedure would therefore be beneficial. This study represents the preliminary investigation into the use of sheep as recipients for xenogenous GIFT procedures using equine gametes. We investigated the capacitation response of fresh, cooled, or frozen stallion sperm after 1) in vivo incubation in the reproductive tract of estrous and anestrous ewes as well as 2) in vitro incubation in a modified Krebs/ Ringer extender at 37 degreesC with and without the addition of heparin at 10 IU/mL for up to 8 hours. A chlortetracycline (CTC) fluorescent stain was used to assess the capacitation response of sperm. Findings indicated that oviductal fluid samples recovered from estrous ewes had significantly higher numbers of sperm exhibiting capacitation-like staining patterns when compared to samples recovered from anestrous ewes (P < .05). Fresh semen yielded higher capacitation-like staining patterns after in vivo incubation than did frozen-thawed or cooled samples. A transition from majority CTC unreacted sperm to majority CTC non-acrosome intact sperm was demonstrated for both in vivo and in vitro studies. In vitro incubation of stallion sperm with heparin did not result in an increased capacitation-like staining response over time when compared with nonheparinized samples. Results from this study suggest that xenogenous capacitation of stallion sperm may occur in the estrous ewe.

Anestrus↗