No abstract

ABSTRACT. Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) isoenzymes were studied in normal dogs using a commercially available polyacrylamide gel disk electrophoresis kit (PAG/disk kit). Serum samples taken from the dogs were incubated with neuraminidase, after which most showed ALP isoenzymes as two characteristic stained bands. To determine the origin of each band, ALP isoenzymes of serum and tissue extracts (liver, intestine and bone) were characterized by heating, wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) and levamisole treatments. The results suggested that the band detected on the anode was liver ALP (LALP) and that the band detected on the cathode represented bone ALP (BALP), and both were corticosteroid-induced ALP (CALP). The percentage of each ALP isoenzyme to total ALP activity was estimated by densitometry. The percentage of BALP was the highest in young dogs (age<1 year, 64.7% ), and this value decreased with age. In contrast, the percentage of LALP in young dogs (22.2%) was much lower than that in middle-aged dogs (ages 1 year to 7 years, 59.3%) and old dogs (ages>7 years, 50.4%). The present results suggested that a commercially available PAG/disk kit is capable of detecting three serum ALP isoenzymes in dogs, and further that it may have clinical applications in the evaluation of ALP isoenzymes in veterinary medicine. KEY WORDS: alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme, Alkphor kit, canine serum, polyacrylamide gel disk electrophoresis.

The anaesthetic and cardiopulmonary effects of combinations of medetomidine (Me), midazolam (Mi) and butorphanol (Bu) were evaluated in dogs. The characterization of anaesthetic effects was assessed using a scoring system. The combinations tested were 20 or 40 micrograms/kg Me and 0.5 mg/kg Mi (20Me-Mi or 40Me-Mi) followed by either an intravenous injection of physiological saline solution (PSS) or Bu (0.1 or 0.3 mg/kg). The mixture of Me and Mi was injected intramuscularly, followed 15 min later by an intravenous injection of Bu or PSS in all six groups. The combined Me-Mi induced deep sedation but not profound anaesthesia. The effect of the subsequent Bu administration was observed in the scores related to its analgesic effect. There were no significant differences between the two doses of Bu, following either 20Me-Mi or 40Me-Mi in the duration of anaesthesia, heart and respiratory rates, rectal temperature, and anaesthetic and analgesic scores except for palpebral reflex, and interdigital web clamping scores. Therefore, we concluded that the addition of 0.1 mg/kg Bu to Me-Mi elicits adequate anaesthesia with adequate analgesic effect, and side-effects such as bradycardia, hypertension, and slight respiratory acidosis in some dogs.

ABSTRACT. Interleukin (IL)-2 can induce large numbers of lymphokine-activated killer cells in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), but IL-2 alone cannot induce proliferation of a large number of canine (c) PBL. We used the solid phase anti-CD3 antibody and soluble recombinant (r) IL-2 in order to establish a large scale culture method for cPBL. The number of lymphocytes seeded (3 × 10 7 ) increased to 1 × 10 9 after incubation for 10 days. The phenotype of cultured cPBL cells (after 2 weeks) showed a CD4 + or CD8 + predominant cell population. The cultured cell solutions were administered with physiological saline intravenously to each dog. After tran sfusion of the cultured cells, the cPBL counts, especially the number of CD4 + , CD8 + and CD4 -CD8 -(DN) cells increased significantly in the recipient dogs. Natural killer (NK) cells, γδT cells and B cells were considered to be present in the DN cell population. The NK cells and γδT cells showed no adverse reaction to the transfusion of the activated cPBL. Therefore, it is necessary to recognize the B cel ls present in the DN cell population by detecting CD21 + cells. In conclusion, the bulk culture system of cPBL with rIL-2 and solid phase anti-CD3 antibody may be useful for the development of novel immunotherapy in dogs. KEY WORDS: anti-CD3-antibody, bulk culture, canine, interleukin-2, lymphocyte.

ABSTRACT. In the present study, the efficacy of a nerve stimulator in performing brachial plexus block (BPB) in dogs was investigated. The nerve blocking effects of bupivacaine and ropivacaine for BPB were also compared. Twelve beagles were allocated to groups based on the following treatments: conventional BPB with 0.5% bupivacaine (0.5% BupiM group) or BPB with 0.5% bupivacaine, 0.5% ropivacaine or 0.75% ropivacaine and a nerve stimulator (the 0.5% BupiS, 0.5% RopiS and 0.75% RopiS groups, respectively). After BPB, nerve blocking effects were assessed based on sensory blockade in several cutaneous areas and knuckling. The ratio of full block (blockade in all cutaneous areas) for 0.5% BupiM was 25%, and that for 0.5% BupiS was significantly higher, 75% (p<0.05). For the 0.5% BupiS, 0.5% RopiS and 0.75% RopiS groups, the average duration of full block was 387, 184 and 275 min, respectively, and the average duration of knuckling was 703, 460 and 421 min, respectively. The duration of full block and knuckling for the two ropivacaine groups was shorter compared with that of the 0.5% BupiS group. In conclusion, when using bupivacaine and ropivacaine for BPB in dogs, it is worth noting that there are differences in onset time and duration and that effective perioperative analgesia can be achieved depending on the intended use.KEY WORDS: brachial plexus block, bupivacaine, canine, nerve stimulator, ropivacaine.