No abstract

In placebo-controlled cross-over trials in dogs, two 'identical' operations were performed on the forelimbs of each animal with an interval of 28 days, to evaluate how daily doses of 1.5 g paracetamol, 1.5 g acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and 0.5 g ASA might modulate an acute post-operative inflammatory reaction. On the third post-operative day the reductions in swelling compared with placebo averaged 33% with 1.5 g paracetamol (P = 0.02), 24% with 1.5 g ASA (P = 0.03) and 15% with 0.5 g ASA (P = 0.18); while the reductions in pain estimates averaged 47% with 1.5 g paracetamol (P = 0.01), 32% with 1.5 g ASA (P = 0.07) and 28% with 0.5 g ASA (P = 0.21). There were no clinical signs of adverse drug effects, such as vomiting, haematochezia, cyanosis or depression. The results disagree with the traditional view that paracetamol has little or no anti-inflammatory effect, and demonstrate that paracetamol may reduce an acute inflammatory reaction, at least as efficiently as ASA. The potential pro-inflammatory effect of ASA in low doses is discussed. It is concluded that paracetamol appears to be a valuable drug against post-operative or post-traumatic sequelae in the veterinary as well as in the human clinic.

Mo nth ly co unts of large he rb iyores on the ran gclands of south ern Narok Distr icl were cond ucted by the Ken ya Aa ngela nd Ecologíca l Monitoring Unil (KR EMU) fram December 1978 lo Novem ber 1979 Al thal t ime these rangel ands sllpporled)'ea r-long herbivore popu lat ions of 132/ km: re prese nting a biollu ss of 160 kg / ha. Th e Mara Plai ns, part icul arly t he area protecled as the Masai-Mara Na tiona l Reserve, served as a critica l dr y season range. Du ring the pea k of the dry season (Ju l). the resident popu lation oí 100,000 blue wildebeesl (Connochoetes tauri nus) was slIpplemented wit\¡ large m igra lo r}' herds from the Serengcll wh ich increased lotal numbers to > 800,000. Bu rchell's zcbras (Eq uus bu-rchelli) and Tho01 SOlÚ gazelles (Cazella thom son¡) w eTe less migra tory but moved seasona ll y th roug h the Mara. Sia na, and Loita rangt) units.