Effect of Long-Acting Selenium Preparation on Health and Productivity of Sheep

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of long-acting selenium (Se) preparation in sheep. The experimental material comprised Skudda ewes and their lambs. The animals were divided into two equal groups: C-control, and E-experimental. Between days 70 and 80 of pregnancy, group E ewes were injected with Se preparation (Barium Selenate Injection, BVP Animal Care, Ireland) at f 1 mL/50 kg body weight. Hematological, biochemical and immunological blood parameters as well as Se levels were analyzed in ewes. The growth rate of lambs, the dimensions of the musculus longissimus dorsi (MLD) cross-section, and fat thickness over the loin-eye area were also determined. It was found that barium selenate stimulated the mechanisms of humoral and cellular immunity. The injection was an effective form of Se supply, which was confirmed by its increased concentration in the blood serum of lactating ewes. The offspring of the experimental ewes were characterized by a faster growth rate, and they achieved significantly higher body weight (p ≤ 0.05) at 100 days of age. The lambs also had significantly higher parameters of MLD (p ≤ 0.05) at similar carcass fat content.

Temporal trends in intake category data for animal shelter and rescue organizations in Colorado from 2008 to 2018

OBJECTIVE To investigate trends in animal shelter and rescue organization intake for dogs and cats in Colorado from 2008 to 2018. SAMPLE 482 animal shelters and rescue organizations that reported annual intake data to the State of Colorado Department of Agriculture for 1,086,630 dogs and 702,333 cats. PROCEDURES Total intake, intake for each of 5 Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act categories (stray, owner surrender, intrastate transfer, interstate transfer, or other), and community-based intake (total intake after exclusion of transfers) of dogs and cats were assessed in total and for each organization type (shelter or rescue organization). The number taken in per year, number taken in/1,000 capita (human residents)/y, and number in each intake category as a percentage of total intake for the same species per year were analyzed with linear regression models. RESULTS Trend lines indicated that total dog intake increased over the study period, but there was no change when these data were adjusted for the human population. Cat intake decreased over time according to both of these measures. Total community-based intake decreased, whereas total intake by interstate transfer from other organizations increased for both species during the study period. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Increased transfer of dogs and cats across state lines into regions with low community-based shelter intake suggested that regional and national animal disease trends could potentially impact disease profiles for recipient areas. Findings supported efforts toward collecting animal shelter and rescue organization intake and outcome data across larger systems.

Marketing mix strategy determinants and social media in veterinary-based business: experience from Serbia

The paper is dedicated to testing the entrepreneurial idea of founding a service micro company in the field of veterinary medicine - Animal Care. The starting point is the theoretical aspect of marketing mix services observed through the prism of a specific company in the field of agribusiness. For the needs of the research, secondary sources were used and a survey was conducted which gave the results of the influence of the elements of marketing mix services on marketing communication towards the users of the company Animal Care. It was determined that the effects of promotion, especially in the field of digital marketing, directly affect the increase in sales of products and services, and thus the satisfaction of consumers & users in veterinary services. The results of the research provided answers to research questions and helped the entrepreneur to understand that selected elements of the marketing mix help in the promotion of products and services of Animal Care companies. Respondents showed interest in using the services of the Animal Care company with the help of the Animal Care android application and website as a selected distribution channel, but also for the promotion of new services and offers of the company

Ultrastructural characteristics of the rats laryngeal mucosa and cartilage on the 7 and 14 days of the experimental opioid effect

Background and objective. Our main task was to study the ultrastructural organization of the laryngeal mucosa and cartilage on the seventh and fourteenth day of opioid exposure. Methods. The material for the study were mature, outbred male rats in the number of 32 animals, weighing 80g, aged 4.5 months. Animals were injected intramuscularly with Nalbuphine once a day at the same time (10-11 hours in the morning) for 14 days. The initial dose of Nalbuphine was 8 mg / kg during the first week, 15 mg / kg during the second week of the experimental study. Thus, we created the conditions for chronic opioid exposure. Animals were divided into 3 experimental groups: 1 – control group; 2 - animals that received the drug for 7 days; 3 - animals that received the drug for 14 days). All animals were kept in a vivarium. Animal care, labeling and all other manipulations were carried out taking into account the issues of bioethical norms. Before collecting necropsy material, the animal was removed from the experiment with diethyl ether. The the larynx mucosa and rats cartilage were used as the material for ultrastructural examination. Ultrastructural capsule was prepared according to conventional methods. Results. As a result of experimental opioid exposure at the end of 7 days we found alternative changes in the epithelial cells of different parts of the larynx, dyscirculatory changes in blood vessels of lamina propria and submucosa, as well as the destruction of chondrocytes of hyaline and elastic cartilages. The hemocapillaries of lamina propria and submucosa, especially in the ventricles of the larynx and in the subchondral region, were dilated, overflowing with erythrocytes. In the laryngeal mucosa and submucosal base of the laryngeal ventricles, in addition to the overflow of hemocapillaries with erythrocytes, a moderate accumulation of perivascular transudate was noted. At the end of the 14th day of the experimental opioid effect, a pronounced hemocapillaries injury was found, which was accompanied by an increase in the permeability of the vascular wall. In addition to blood plasma, erythrocytes were visualized in the enlarged lumens of hemocapillaries. The development of degenerative changes of endothelial cells, which were accompanied by inhomogeneous dilation of the tubules of the smooth and granular endoplasmic reticulum, was noted. The main substance of the connective tissue of the mucous membrane and submucosal base, especially around the vessels was impregnated with transudate.

“Havens of mercy”: health, medical research, and the governance of the movement of dogs in twentieth-century America

This article argues that the movement of dogs from pounds to medical laboratories played a critically important role in debates over the use of animals in science and medicine in the United States in the twentieth century, not least by drawing the scientific community into every greater engagement with bureaucratic political governance. If we are to understand the unique characteristics of the American federal legislation that emerges in the 1960s, we need to understand the long and protracted debate over the use of pound animals at the local municipal and state level between antivivisectionists, humane activists, and scientific and medical researchers. We argue that the Laboratory Animal Care Act of 1966 reflects the slow evolution of a strategy that proved most successful in local conflicts, and which would characterize a “new humanitarianism”: not the regulation of experimental practices but of the care and transportation of the animals being provided to the laboratory. Our analysis is consistent with, and draws upon, scholarship which has established the productive power of public agencies and civil society on the periphery of the American state.

Protocol for CUBIC Clearing and Whole Mount Imaging of Mouse Lung Lobes v1

This protocol is for Clear, Unobstructed Brain/Body Imaging Cocktails and Computational analysis (CUBIC) of mouse lung tissue for whole lobe imaging using Zeiss Lightsheet Imaging. All experimental procedures were performed in the American Association for Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC)-certified laboratory animal facility at the University of California San Diego, following protocols approved by the institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC). The procedures should incorporate all local requirements for standards of animal experimentation.

Increasing Animal Cognition Research in Zoos

Animal cognition covers various mental processes including perception, learning, decision-making and memory, and animal behavior is often used as a proxy for measuring cognition. Animal cognition/behavior research has multiple benefits; it provides fundamental knowledge on animal biology and evolution but can also have applied conservation and welfare applications. Zoos provide an excellent yet relatively untapped resource for animal cognition research, because they house a wide variety of species - many of which are under threat - and allow close observation and relatively high experimental control compared to the wild. Multi-zoo collaboration leads to increased sample size and species representation, which in turn leads to more robust science. However, there are salient challenges associated with zoo-based cognitive research, which are subject-based (e.g., small sample sizes at single zoos, untrained/unhabituated subjects, site effects) and human-based (e.g., time restrictions, safety concerns, and perceptions of animals interacting with unnatural technology or apparatus). We aim to increase the understanding and subsequent uptake of animal cognition research in zoos, by transparently outlining the main benefits and challenges. Importantly, we use our own research (1) a study on novelty responses in hornbills, and (2) a multi-zoo collaboration called the ManyBirds project to demonstrate how challenges may be overcome. These potential options include using drop and go apparatuses that require no training, close human contact or animal separation. This article is aimed at zoo animal care and research staff, as well as external researchers interested in zoo-based studies.

Subcutaneous nerve stimulation in canine model of persistent atrial fibrillation v1

This animal protocol was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of the Indiana University School of Medicine and the Methodist Research Institute, Indianapolis, IN, and conformed to the Guide for Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. The surgical procedure is performed under anesthesia and should incorporate all local requirements for standards of animal experimentation, including methods of anesthesia, surgical environment, and post-operative monitoring and care.