ABSTRACT. The blood concentrations of endotoxin in dogs with pyometra (n=45) were compared with those in healthy dogs (n=17). The blood endotoxin concentrations in the healthy dogs (n=17), in those with good prognosis (n=41) and those with poor prognosis (n=4) were 3.4 ± 2.8 pg/ml, 9.5 ± 11.3 pg/ml and 74.2 ± 18.3 pg/ml, respectively. The concentrations in the dogs with good prognosis and poor prognosis were significantly (p<0.01) higher than those in the healthy dogs. The dogs with poor prognosis had significantly (p<0.01) higher endotoxin concentrations than those with good prognosis. Blood endotoxin concentrations were measured in 9 dogs after surgery, and were found to be decreased. These results suggest the possible involvement of endotoxin in the pathophysiological changes due to pyometra in dogs, and also that the blood endotoxin concentration could be used as a marker to determine prognosis. -KEY WORDS : canine, endotoxin, pyometra.J. Vet. Med. Sci. 60(11): 1265-1267, 1998 surgery; the other developed peritonitis). All animals were treated with fluid therapy and antibiotic drugs. The concentration of endotoxin in blood was measured by a chromogenic substrate method [3,4]. Briefly, plateletrich plasma was pretreated with perchloric acid. The pretreated plasma sample was allowed to react for 30 min at 37°C using a Toxicolor Test (Seikagaku Kogyo, Tokyo). This was followed by diazo-coupling for colorimetric measurement of the optical density at 545 nm (Spectrophotometer 150-20, Hitachi, Tokyo). The syringes and test tubes used for blood sampling and tests were all completely free of endotoxin.The data were expressed as the mean ± standard deviation. Statistical analysis between groups was performed by the Mann-Whitney test. P<0.05 was considered significant.As shown in Fig. 1, the blood endotoxin concentrations in the healthy dogs (n=17), in those with good prognosis (n=41) and those with poor prognosis (n=4) were 3.4 ± 2.8 pg/ml, 9.5 ± 11.3 pg/ml and 74.2 ± 18.3 pg/ml, respectively. The concentrations in the dogs with good prognosis and poor prognosis were significantly (p<0.01) higher than those in the healthy dogs. The dogs with poor prognosis had significantly (p<0.01) higher endotoxin concentrations than those with good prognosis.The dog with the highest value (94.5 pg/ml) was already in shock when brought to our department and died shortly after sampling of blood. A dog with 81 pg/ml had severe renal failure and died 2 days after surgery; another dog with 51.5 pg/ml had renal failure and died 10 days after surgery. A dog with 70

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. Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCD) has been used to confirm changes in cerebral hemodynamics. In this study, we investigated whether the parameters for the basilar artery measured by TCD were correlated with the intracranial and cerebral perfusion pressures in extreme intracranial hypertension. An intracranial hypertension model was produced in seven dogs by inflating a balloon inserted into the epidural space. The resistance index was compared with the corresponding intracranial pressure and cerebral perfusion pressure values during intracranial hypertension. A significant correlation was recognized between the resistance index and cerebral perfusion pressure. Therefore, measurement of the basilar artery by TCD in the dog with intracranial hypertension is useful in estimating the intracranial circulation in cases where the measurement of intracranial pressure is not available or not indicated.-KEY WORDS: canine, intracranial hypertension, transcranial Doppler ultrasonography.

We have attempted to identify whether it is possible to utilize transcranial Doppler ultrasonography to evaluate the brain damage that occurs after resuscitation from 3 min (control group) and 12 min (damage group) of cardiac arrest in dogs. In this study we used transcranial Doppler ultrasonography to follow the basilar arterial flow and middle cerebral arterial flow for 180 min following the induction of cardiac arrests. Two abnormal waveform patterns (the "to-and-fro" and "diastolic no-flow" patterns) were found in all dogs in the damage group whereas abnormal waveforms were not detected in the control group. Pathological diagnosis revealed that, compared with the control group, the damage group recognized ischemic alteration at the level of the hippocampus and caudate nucleus. In conclusion, this study shows that the basilar arterial flow of observed with transcranial Doppler ultrasonography may be use for the prediction of outcome and the diagnosis of brain damage in the dog.

ABSTRACT. To identify the incidence of Babesia gibsoni (B. gibsoni) in Aomori Prefecture, northeastern Japan, dogs with acute B. gibsoni infection were investigated at the Animal Teaching Hospital, Kitasato University, between April 2002 and March 2003. Eighteen dogs with acute B. gibsoni infection were recognized; they were all male dogs of the fighting dog breed Tosa. Their platelet counts were below normal and their packed cell volumes (PCVs) were at various levels. We collected blood samples from 141 Tosa dogs from Aomori Prefecture and used polymerase chain reaction assay to investigate the incidence of subclinical B. gibsoni infection. We also looked into the serological abnormalities associated with thrombocytopenia or anemia in subclinical infection. Forty-one of 87 dogs (47.1%) with histories of dog fighting, and one dog of 54 without a history of dog fighting were positive for B. gibsoni; that is, 42 of 141 dogs (29.8%) showed a positive result. The mean platelet counts of dogs with subclinical infection were significantly lower and levels of anti-platelet IgG were significantly higher than levels for dogs without infection. Anti-erythrocyte membrane IgG levels were significantly higher in dogs with subclinical infections, although mean PCVs were not significantly different. Tosa dogs from Aomori Prefecture, Japan, were highly infected with B. gibsoni subclinically and this pathogen might be successfully transmitted during dog fighting. Dogs with subclinical infections were at risk of chronic thrombocytopenia, which may be due to autoimmune mechanisms. KEY WORDS: anti-erythrocyte membrane IgG, anti-platelet IgG, Babesia gibsoni, Tosa dog.

Abstract.A real-time fluorogenic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay based on SYBR green that allows for sensitive, reproducible, and accurate quantification of Babesia gibsoni (Asian genotype). DNA from peripheral blood of infected dogs was developed. Standard curves were created by plotting the input amount of a standard template, constructed with plasmid DNA containing 182 base pairs (bp) of the p18 gene, against threshold cycle numbers. The curves showed a wide dynamic range (1,000,000-fold input) and high correlation values (Ͼ0.99). The PCR amplification efficacy of the standard template was similar to that of intact genomic DNA obtained from peripheral blood with B. gibsoni infection. The detection limit of the assay was 9 parasites/ l of blood with B gibsoni infection. The intra-assay and interassay coefficients of variation of the threshold cycles ranged from 0.70% to 1.89% and from 1.18% to 1.92%, respectively. This assay system was found to be reproducible and accurate for the quantification of parasite DNA in experimentally infected dogs and far more sensitive than traditional microscopic examination.

ABSTRACT. Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCD) may be useful for determining alterations in cerebral blood flow (CBF) during excessive hemodynamic changes by non-invasive measurement of the CBF velocity. The purpose of this study was to measure the correlation between CBF and the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and basilar artery (BA) flow velocities, as measured by TCD during excessive hemodynamic changes produced by hypertension and hypotension in adult dogs. The peak, diastolic, and mean flow velocities were measured by TCD. Arterial hypertension was induced by administration of dopamine at 5 and 15 µg/kg/min, and hypotension was induced by hemorrhage. During the hemodynamic changes, the BA velocity correlated more closely with the alteration in the CBF than the MCA velocity. In terms of percentages of the values during anesthesia, there was good correlation between CBF and the MCA and BA velocities. In conclusion, our findings indicate that MCA and BA velocity measurements, as a percentage of the values during anesthesia, both give an equally accurate indication of alterations in CBF during excessive hemodynamic changes.-KEY WORDS: canine, cerebral blood flow, cerebral blood flow velocity, transcranial Doppler ultrasonography.

Ferritin and ferritin-binding proteins in canine serum were characterized. A certain percentage of ferritin in canine serum, but no tissue ferritin, was precipitated by centrifugation at 16,000 x g for 30 min. The precipitated ferritin was found to contain two subunits corresponding to the H and L subunits of canine liver ferritin by immunoblotting, the H subunit being predominant. More ferritin was precipitated from canine sera which had been incubated with anti-rat liver ferritin antibody than from untreated sera, and the H chain also predominated. To evaluate the possibility that the autoantibody was responsible for the precipitation of canine serum ferritin, the ferritin-binding activities of canine antibodies were examined using liver ferritin-coated microtiter plates and alkaline phosphatase-labeled antibodies specific for canine IgM, IgA, and IgG heavy chains. The results showed that IgM and IgA, but not IgG, had considerable ferritin-binding activities. Given these results, we suggest that there is H-chain-rich isoferritin in canine serum, and that ferritin exists as an immune complex.