Mammary tumours are the most common tumour type in female dogs. The formation of the mammary tumours is multifactorial but the high incidence of tumour disease in certain canine breeds suggests a strong genetic component. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are the most important genes significantly associated with mammary tumours. The aim of this study was to determine the association between the variations of these two genes and canine mammary tumours. 5'-untranslated region, intron 8 and exon 9 of BRCA1 and exons 12, 24, 27 of BRCA2 were sequenced in order to detect the genetic variations. In addition to six previously identified polymorphisms, six novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected. Five of the coding SNPs were synonymous and three of them were non-synonymous. The comparison of the sequences from 25 mammary tumour bearing and 10 tumour free dogs suggested that the two SNPs in intron 8 and exon 9 of BRCA1 and two SNPs in exon 24 and exon 27 of BRCA2, which are firstly identified in this study, might be associated with mammary tumour development in dogs. Especially one SNP in exon 9 of BRCA1 and one SNP in exon 24 of BRCA2 were found to be significantly associated with canine mammary tumours.

Endometrial adenocarcinoma is described in two young intact female Persian cats presented with haemorrhagic vaginal discharge. The discharge had been present for 3 and 15 days in each case, respectively. On the basis of signalment, history, clinical, laboratory and diagnostic imaging findings a tentative diagnosis of pyometra was made in each cat and ovariohysterectomy was subsequently performed. Histological examination revealed endometrial adenocarcinoma in both cats together with ovarian luteal cysts and pyometra in one case. Immunohistochemistry revealed a diffuse and strongly positive reaction for oestrogen receptors in the nuclei of glandular epithelium in well-differentiated areas of the neoplastic tissue. Poorly differentiated areas of solid growth pattern had weak and focal expression of oestrogen receptors. Furthermore, the neoplastic cells within these areas displayed moderate to strong diffuse nuclear staining with Ki-67 antibody suggestive of a high proliferative capacity. The owners reported that the cats were clinically healthy 23 and 21 months after the surgery. These cases highlight the importance of histological examination of surgically resected tissue even when clinical signs and laboratory findings suggest pyometra.

Canine pyometra is a dioestrus period disease in which systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is a common outcome due to the response of the body to the bacterial infection. The purpose of this study was i) to differentiate canine pyometra and cystic endometrial hyperplasia (CEH)/mucometra by measuring serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and prostaglandin F2α metabolite (PGFM) concentrations in blood and ii) to compare serum concentrations of CRP and PGFM in bitches with a pathological uterus (pyometra or CEH/mucometra) to concentrations in bitches with a healthy uterus. Mean CRP concentrations were found significantly higher (p < 0.001) in dogs with pyometra compared to those with CEH/mucometra or healthy uterus. However, no statistical difference could be detected between the groups for mean PGFM concentrations. Mean white blood cell count (WBC), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total protein concentrations were found significantly higher (p < 0.001) in dogs with pyometra. Escherichia coli was the most frequently isolated microorganism from dogs with pyometra (64.3%). Edwardsiella spp. was detected in a single case of pyometra for the first time. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that serum CRP concentrations were increased in dogs with pyometra and thus we conclude that serum CRP concentration but not PGFM might be useful as a marker to differentiate a case of CEH/mucometra from pyometra in female dogs. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report in which Edwardsiella spp. has been isolated in the canine uterus.

Two 1-year old primiparous cats were referred to the Small

A four-year-old Saanen goat, weighing 52 kg, was referred to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology clinic with black discoloration of the left mammary gland. The goat's general condition was not good upon initial examination. The goat was anorexic, lethargic, and febrile (rectal temperature of 40°C) with a palpably cold left mammary gland on which there was an accumulation of pus. Somatic cell count (SCC) was measured as 820,000/ml in the milk sample collected from the infected gland, and Staphylococcus aureus was isolated. Gangrenous mastitis was diagnosed on the left mammary gland of the goat based on the clinical findings. To treat the condition, a unilateral mastectomy was performed successfully. The goat was fully recovered a week after surgery. This case aimed to establish a surgical approach of unilateral mastectomy as a treatment option for goats with gangrenous mastitis while allowing the other mammary gland to continue lactation. Thus, it can be concluded that unilateral mastectomy is a viable alternative treatment of goats with gangrenous mastitis. ª 2015 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

The aim of the study was to measure the area of coloured pixels captured in power Doppler examination of corpus luteum (CL) by a computer-assisted image analysis software and to evaluate the efficiency of the semiquantitative assessment of CL in early pregnancy diagnosis in sheep. Assessment of luteal vascularity was carried out on 30 Kivircik ewes with power Doppler ultrasonography daily from Day 12 to Day 19 post breeding. The mean area of coloured pixels of CL with pregnancy was found significantly higher than the area of coloured pixels of CL undergoing luteolysis (0.38 ± 0.012 mm 2 and 0.31 ± 0.017 mm 2 , respectively, P < 0.001). Assessment of day-based examination showed a significant difference between the area of coloured pixels of CL with continuing pregnancy and luteolysis on Day 17 (P < 0.05), which was followed by Days 18 and 19 (P < 0.001). It is concluded that pregnancy diagnosis can be done accurately by semiquantitative assessment of luteal vascularization as early as 17 days post breeding in ewes. According to the authors' knowledge, this is the first report on the efficacy of semiquantitative assessment of ovine CL in early pregnancy diagnosis. Area of coloured pixels, ultrasound examination, corpus luteum, ovine

Sheep is a very important source of wool, meat and milk all over the world. Oxidative stress during in vitro culture leads to defects in development of gametes and embryos. Several antioxidants such as cysteamine, L-ascorbic acid, beta mercaptoethanol, cysteine, glutathione, proteins, vitamins are used to supplement culture media to counter the oxidative stress. This study was aimed to detect the effect of cysteamine supplementation to the maturation medium and oviductal cell supplementation to culture medium on the subsequent development rates of sheep embryos with the control group. Oocytes were obtained from slaughtered sheep ovaries. Selected oocytes were incubated with or without 100 µM cysteamine in TCM-199 medium under 38.5-38.8ºC 5% CO 2 for 23 h. During IVF fresh semen was collected from ram by electroejaculation, they were washed in H-SOF medium and were fertilized in B-SOF medium with oocytes incubated for 18 hours under 38.5-38.8ºC 5% CO 2 , 5% O 2 and 90% N 2 . The oocytes were obtained from maturation medium with/without cysteamine (C+,-) and were cultured in SOF or CR1aa media with/without oviductal cells (Ov+,-) and were grouped as; Group Ia: SOF+(C+ Ov-), Group Ib: SOF+(C+Ov+), Group Ic: SOF+(C-Ov-) Group Id: SOF+(C-Ov+); Group IIa: CR1aa+(C+ Ov-), Group IIb: CR1aa+(C+ Ov+), Group IIc: CR1aa+(C-Ov-), Group IId: CR1aa+(C-Ov+). Embryos were incubated under 38.5-38.8ºC 5% CO 2 , 5% O 2 , 90% N 2 in culture medium for 7 days. Embryo developments were observed and recorded daily. GLM procedure found in SPSS packet program was used for statistical analysis in this study. In conclusion, the addition of cysteamine or oviductal cells in vitro culture media found to have any effect in terms of the capacity of reaching to blastocyst stage in SOF or CR1aa media and no statistical difference is detected between groups. Keywords: Cysteamine, Embryo, Oviductal cell, Medium, Sheep Kültür Medyumlarında Sisteamin ve Ovidukt Hücrelerinin Koyun Embriyo Gelişimi Üzerine Etkisi ÖzetKoyun yün, et ve süt kaynağı olarak dünya çapında önemli bir çiftlik hayvanıdır. İn vitro kültür esnasında oksidatif stres embriyo ve gametlerin gelişiminde defektlere neden olur. Sisteamin, L-askorbik asit, beta merkaptoetanol, sistein, glutatyon, proteinler, vitaminler gibi birçok antioksidanlar oksidatif stresi engellemek için kültür medyumunda kullanılır. Bu çalışmada maturasyon medyumuna sisteamin ve kültür medyumuna ovidukt hücreleri eklenen oositlerin kontrol grubu oluşturularak kültürleri sonucundaki gelişim aşamalarının değerlendirilmesi hedeflendi. Oositler mezbahada kesilen koyunların ovaryumlarından elde edildi. Seçilen oositler 100 µM sisteamin ilaveli ve ilavesiz TCM-199 medyumunda 38.5-38.8ºC'de %5 CO 2 altında 23 saat boyunca inkübe edildi. IVF aşamasında koçlardan elektroejakülasyon yöntemiyle elde edilen taze sperma H-SOF medyumunda yıkandıktan sonra fertilizasyon amacıyla B-SOF medyumunda bulunan oositler ile 18 saat 38.5-38.8ºC'de %5 CO 2 , %5 O 2 ve %90 N 2 'de inkübe edildi. Sisteaminli/ sisteaminsiz (S +, -) ...

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