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A one-year-old male Terrier dog weighing 22 kg was presented to the Ahmadu Bello University Veterinary Teaching Hospital (ABUVTH), Zaria, Nigeria, with complaints of sloughing of the skin and purulent discharges from an injured (sloughed) shoulder. Clinical examination revealed normal vital parameters, extensive necrotized skin on the dorsum extending from loin to the right shoulder and enlarged superficial lymph nodes. Blood and wound swab samples were evaluated in the clinical haematology and Microbiology Laboratories of the ABUVTH, respectively. The Pathology result showed leucocytosis due to neutrophilia and monocytosis. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from the wound swab. The wound was managed by wet-to-dry bandaging technique using topical antiseptics (Para-chloroaniline solution, chlorhexidine and povidone iodine), improvised non-adhesive protective membrane (polyethylene) applied at the wound-bandage interface, bandages along with adhesive tape and systemic antibiotics. Healing occurred uneventfully within 6 weeks of the intervention. The paper discusses the detail of the management initiated and how it greatly influenced the skin wound healing in dogs. In conclusion, proper initial assessment of wounds and appropriate treatment through rigorous wound assessment and bandaging are critical to success in the wound healing and restoration of tissue integrity. This management intervention could be further investigated in animals in order to improve the quality of cutaneous wounds management.

The use of animals in scientific research dates back to 500 BC, with research from Greece by Alcmaeon and other temporary scientists. Techniques for dissecting living animals were improved by Galen of Pergamum and his experiments were later valuable in the discovery of blood circulation in the16th century . Until the 18th century humans were envisaged as the only alternative to animals in scientific research, and it was advocated that criminals in particular should be the subjects of vivisection. By the 19th century, however, even the use of cadavres came under regulation 1 .Claude Bernard and other leading scientists defended the focus on animal experimentation, which increased its use. A hard blow has been dealt on animal model based research by the reduced funding and support in favor of non-animal model techniques which include synthetic models, cadaver models as well as computer simulations, these styles of instructions

INTRODUCTION: Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal infection endemic to the southwestern United States and typically causes pulmonary illness. Extrapulmonary dissemination affects less 1% and usually involves bones, meninges, and skin. Gastrointestinal involvement is very rare. Here we report a case of disseminated coccidioidomycosis presenting as peritonitis in a young female. CASE PRESENTATION: A 41 year old Hispanic female presented with 3 month history of progressive abdominal distension, intermittent fever and anorexia. Past medical history included poorly controlled Diabetes Mellitus type 2 and renal failure requiring hemodialysis. She had lived in west Texas for most of her life. Physical examination was notable for diffuse abdominal tenderness and ascites. Labs showed WBC count of 23,000 with normal liver function tests. CA 19-9 and CA 125 were mildly elevated. Serum cocci IgM (2.7) and IgG (8.0) were positive along with positive antibodies by complement fixation (1:32) and immunodiffusion. Paracentesis revealed hazy yellow ascitic fluid. The ascitic fluid analysis showed 4670 WBCs with 4483 being neutrophils; albumin of 2.1g/dl and a serum ascitic albumin gradient of 1. Ascitic fluid gram stain, bacterial, fungal and mycobacterial cultures were negative. CT abdomen showed large volume ascites, hepatomegaly and diffuse omental caking and peritoneal thickening. CT scan of the thorax was remarkable for multiple pulmonary nodules bilaterally with mediastinal adenopathy. Laparoscopy was done which showed diffuse nodularity of the peritoneum concerning for peritoneal carcinomatosis. However, peritoneal biopsy showed Coccidioides spherules with necrotizing granulomatous inflammation and absence of malignancy. Patient was started on oral Fluconazole and had complete resolution of her fever and ascites. She was maintained on long term fluconazole therapy. DISCUSSION: Peritoneal seeding of coccidioidomycosis is very uncommon and approximately 36 cases have been reported in the literature so far with presenting complaints ranging from abdominal distension, abdominal pain and hernia to fever [1]. The pathogenesis likely involves primary infection of the lung, followed by hematogenous spread to the peritoneum. Review of Peritoneal coccidioidomycosis cases have shown that complement fixation titers can range from negative to 1:1024 with a median of 1:128. Studies demonstrate that individuals with the disseminated disease usually have titers exceeding 1:16. For the treatment of disseminated cocci, general consensus is to initiate azole therapy particularly Fluconazole. CONCLUSIONS: This case illustrates how peritoneal coccidiomycosis is a rare but important form of disseminated infection. It can often be mistaken for peritoneal carcinomatosis. High index of clinical suspicion, and serologic testing for coccidiomycosis with peritoneal biopsy are critical for accurate diagnosis and initiation of appropriate treatment.

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This study aimed to evaluate the sleep modulating properties of Strychnos spinosa and Strychnos innocua fruits in Swiss albino mice. The depressant effect of the extracts on the central nervous system was studied using a diazepam-induced sleep model in mice. The mice were divided into four groups of six mice each. The test groups received Strychnos spinosa and Strychnos innocua fruits extracts at the doses of 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg body weight intraperitoneally. In contrast, the control group received distilled water at 10 ml/kg. Diazepam (Ranbaxy®, India) was used as a standard drug and administered 30 minutes after the initial treatment. The lethal doses (LD50) of the two extracts were estimated to be >5000 mg/kg. The results obtained from the onset of sleep of rats administered methanol extracts of Strychnos spinosa, and Strychnos innocua fruits showed that the extracts at 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg, respectively, did not significantly (p >0.05) alter the onset of sleep when compared with the control. The onset of sleep in the groups treated with Strychnos spinosa fruit extracts indicated a dose-dependent decrease pattern. The study also revealed a prolonged duration of sleep in all the experimental groups treated with the two extracts compared to the control group. The treated groups of 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg significantly (p <0.05) prolonged the duration of diazepam-induced sleep in a dose-dependent manner when compared to the control group. The group treated with 1000 mg/kg of Strychnos innocua fruit extract was significant (p <0.05) compared to the control group. In conclusion, the high LD50 observed in this study suggests that the two extracts are relatively safe and contain promising bioactive ingredients that cause sleep modulation in mice.

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