68 research outputs found
The role of diet in managing inflamatory bowel disease affected dogs: a retrospective cohort study on 76 cases
No full textThe term inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) refers to a group of idiopathic, chronic intestinal diseases characterized by a diffuse infiltration of inflammatory cells into the lamina propria of the intestine. The pathogenesis of IBD is unknown. The most common signs described are diarrhoea, vomit, and progressive weight loss. In order to make a definitive diagnosis, though, the presence of inflammatory cells infiltration must be evident on histopathologic analysis. The therapeutic approach has 2 main goals: decrease the inflammatory response and remove possible antigenic sources, such as food components or intestinal microflora. Therefore, the most common therapy is the association of Prednisone with a single protein diet, especially when the inflammatory cells infiltration is severe. Another way to reduce the antigenic stimulation is to control the intestinal microflora, so antibiotics and pre/ probiotics may be used. This retrospective study tested and compared the therapeutic value of Prednisone and specific diets, used as a single therapy or combined together. The results show a significative clinical improvement in dogs fed with hydrolized protein diets rather than novel protein diets. Finally, fish is the more reliable source of protein to use during therapy, because of its low ability to trigger an antigenic reaction
C. Pieramati
No full textEffects of inbreeding of animal and dam on estimates of genetic parameters and predictions of breeding values for five productive and reproductive traits of Piedmontese cattle were studied. Traits were (a) age at first insemination, (b) age at first calving, (c) 120-day weight, (d) yearling weight of males, and (e) yearling weight of females. Data for animals born from 1970 to 1995 were used. Inbreeding coefficients were computed using pedigree records back to 1900. A sire model was used for estimating genetic parameters and predicting breeding values. Two models were used for each trait. Model 1 included fixed effects of herd–year (for traits a, b, d, and e) or herd–year and sex–age of dam (trait c) and covariates for inbreeding coefficient of animal for traits a and b and inbreeding of animal and dam for traits c, d and e. Random effects were associated with sires and dams for traits c, d, and e. Model 2 did not include covariates for inbreeding. Inbreeding increased age at first insemination and calving and decreased 120-day and yearling weights of males and females. Inbreeding was not needed in the model for estimation of variance components or for prediction of breeding values for this population
Changes in blood parameters in healthy horses and horses with upper and lower respiratory tract diseases undergoing treadmill exercise tests
No full textExercise tests are useful tools to evaluate the fitness level of horses in training or with a history of poor performance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences in blood parameters in three groups of horses undergoing treadmill exercise tests, either to detect the cause of exercise intolerance or to evaluate the level of fitness before a competition. Blood samples were taken from 30 horses before, at the end of, and two hours after a standardized treadmill exercise test, to detect differences in hematological parameters between healthy horses (10, group N), horses with upper (10, group U), and lower airway diseases (10, group L). Packed cell volume, erythrocyte number, hemoglobin, glucose, and total and unconjugated bilirubin concentration were statistically different between the groups, because of increased oxygen demands in respiratory diseases and intravascular hemolysis. This could occur during exercise and is worsened by the increased breakdown of erythrocytes secondary to exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage, diagnosed in horses in group L. (C) 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved
Indagine sierologica, batteriologica e parassitologica in cani e gatti del centro Italia.
No full textA serological survey of Rhodococcus equi infection in foals in central Italy: comparison of two antigens using an ELISA test.
No full textThe concordance between endoscopic and histological diagnosis in 114 dogs affected by gastric disease
No full textEndoscopy is a common, minimally invasive diagnostic technique that can be used to observe internal organs, e. g. the stomach, and to obtain mucosal bioptic samples for histo pathological examination. The aim of this study was to analyse the concordance between endoscopic and histological evaluation of gastric diseases in dogs. One hundred twenty-nine medical records of dogs undergoing gastroscopy have been received and stored by the Veterinary Hospital of Perugia University (Perugia, Italy) between 2009-2012. The concordance between endoscopic and histological reports of acute and chronic gastritis or gastric tumours was assessed by Cohen's k coefficient. Considering histological diagnosis as the "gold standard", sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of the endoscopic report have been calculated. Frequencies of gastritis types differed between macroscopic and microscopic analyses. The evaluation of histological and endoscopic agreement was fair (0.35). Endoscopy showed sensitivity of 45%, 88%, and 100% for acute gastritis, chronic gastritis, and gastric tumours, respectively; and specificity of 84%, 71%, and 100%. The positive predictive value and NPV resulted to be 25% and 93% for acute gastritis, 93% and 60 % for chronic gastritis, 100% and 100% for gastric tumours. The results of this study show that gastric endoscopy cannot be performed as a screening exam, and that to optimise diagnosis both endoscopic and histological exam should be conducted
Biofilm production and antibiotic resistance of human and veterinary Staphylococcus strains.
No full textStaphylococcus spp. is widely distributed in medical and veterinary pathology and represents one of the most important causes of infection. Many strains are antibiotic-resistant even for the presence of an eso-polysaccharide matrix. The aim of this work was to individuate, among 396 different Staphylococci of human and animal origin, the slime producing strains and to correlate the presence of biofilm to the resistance to eight antibiotics. A total of 185 coagulase negative staphylococci (CNS) and 211 S. aureus isolated from different sources and identified with Sceptor System, were tested for antibiotic susceptibility (Kirby Bauer method) and for slime production (Polystyrene plates – stained with Alcian blue – Spectrophotometric reading at 450 nm). The strains were classified as weak, strong and no slime-producing on the basis of OD results. The results were submitted to statistical analysis using Student’s t-test and chi-square tests. Evaluating the differences of slime production among medical and veterinary strains, we found different statistical frequencies (P > 0.001). No statistical differences wereobtained between S. aureus and the other CNS. Instead, the statistical analysis on S. epidermidis vs. the other staphylococci has shown no statistical differences among average values using Student’s ttest (P < 0.052) and significant frequency differences using chi square tests (P < 0.02). Finally in the CNS, between S. epidermidis and the other strains, no statistical differences were found. The relation between slime production and the origin of strains was evaluated and no correlation was found. About the correlation between antibiotic-resistance and slime production a resistance increment of about 30% was obtained in strongly slime producing strains. Staphylococcus spp. is often involved in nosocomial infections as complication of post-surgery wounds, catheters and orthopaedic devices. The presence of antibiotic-resistant strains interferes in the therapy successes and seems to be strictly related to biofilm production beyond that genetically acquired. Human and veterinary strains have shown a similar behaviour towards biofilm production and antibiotic-resistance. The results confirm that S. epidermidis is one of the most slime-producer and introduce S. aureus as a new high slime-producer
Influenza di N-acetilcisteina sulla produzione di biofilm e correlazione con l`antibiotico-resistenza in Stafilococchi coagulasi-negativi.
No full textN.D
- …
