Analytical and Quality Control Validation of a Novel Symmetric Dimethylarginine Assay in Dogs and Cats.

Background: An immunoturbidometric assay for symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) measurement on automated chemistry analyzers has recently become available.

Objective: To perform analytical validation of the EUROLyser SDMA assay in dogs and cats.

Methods: Method validation experiments were performed using stored canine and feline serum.

Two Point-of-Care Cardiac Troponin I Immunoassays Have Acceptable Analytical Performance for the Detection of Measurands of Cardiac Troponin I Cardiac Muscle Homogenates From Southern-Central Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis minor) and Southern White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum).

Background: Skeletal and possible cardiac muscle damage has been reported in chemically immobilized and transported African rhinoceros during conservation-related activities. The extent of cardiac muscle injury in these rhinoceros is unknown due to a lack of validated cardiac troponin I (cTnI) assays. However, recently, five human cTnI assays were deemed suitable for analytical validation in African rhinoceros based on cTnI sequencing results.

Genetic characterization of diagnostic epitopes of cardiac troponin I in African rhinoceros.

African rhinoceros undergo chemical immobilization and prolonged transport during translocations for conservation purposes and, hence, experience several pathophysiologic changes, including skeletal muscle injury. Potential concurrent myocardial injury has not been investigated due to a lack of validated immunoassays. We aimed to use inferred cardiac troponin I (cTnI) amino acid sequences of southern white () and southern-central black () rhinoceros to assess the potential usefulness of several commercial cTnI immunoassays for detecting cTnI in African rhinoceros.

Dehorning Does Not Alter the Stress Response in Southern White Rhinoceroses (Ceratotherium simum simum) during Transport: A Preliminary Investigation.

Translocation and dehorning are common and important practices for rhinoceros management and conservation. It is not known if dehorning causes a stress response or negatively affects rhinoceroses during transport. Twenty-three subadult wild Southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) bulls were immobilized and translocated >280 km for population management reasons.

Regenerative response in dogs naturally and experimentally infected with Babesia rossi.

Background: The regenerative response following Babesia rossi infection in dogs is mild, despite severe hemolytic anemia.

Objective: We aimed to compare the admission absolute reticulocyte count (ARC) and reticulocyte indices in 103 dogs naturally infected with B. rossi with 10 dogs suffering from immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) and 14 healthy control dogs.

Markers of inflammation in free-living African elephants (Loxodonta africana): Reference intervals and diagnostic performance of acute phase reactants.

Introduction: Acute phase reactants (APRs) have not been investigated in free-living African elephants (Loxodonta africana), and there is little information about negative APRs albumin and serum iron in elephants.

Objectives: We aimed to generate reference intervals (RIs) for APRs for free-living African elephants, and to determine the diagnostic performance of APRs in apparently healthy elephants and elephants with inflammatory lesions.

Methods: Stored serum samples from 49 apparently healthy and 16 injured free-living elephants were used.

Acute phase reactants in nondomesticated mammals-A veterinary clinical pathology perspective.

Applications for acute phase reactants (APRs) in nondomesticated mammals include identifying inflammatory disease, monitoring the course of specific disease processes and recovery during rehabilitation, detecting preclinical or subclinical disease, being used as bioindicators for monitoring population and ecosystem health, and as markers of stress and animal welfare. Serum amyloid A, haptoglobin, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, albumin, and iron are most commonly measured. The procedure for evaluating an APR in a nondomesticated mammalian species should follow a stepwise approach beginning with an assessment of analytical performance, followed by an evaluation of overlap performance, clinical performance, and impact on patient outcomes and management.

Quality Assurance for Veterinary In-Clinic Laboratories.

Quality assurance and the implementation of a quality management system are as important for veterinary in-clinic laboratories as for reference laboratories. Elements of a quality management system include the formulation of a quality plan, establishment of quality goals, a health and safety policy, trained personnel, appropriate and well-maintained facilities and equipment, standard operating procedures, and participation in external quality assurance programs. Quality assurance principles should be applied to preanaltyic, analytic, and postanalytic phases of the in-clinic laboratory cycle to ensure that results are accurate and reliable and are released in a timely manner.

Experimental infection with African Horse Sickness Virus in horses induces only mild temporal hematologic changes and acute phase reactant response.

Objective: African Horse Sickness (AHS) is a vector-borne disease endemic to sub-Saharan Africa caused by African Horse Sickness Virus (AHVS). Infections in naïve horses have high morbidity and mortality rates. AHS pathogenesis is not well understood; neither the hematologic changes nor acute phase response occurring during infection has been fully evaluated.

Comparison of three hematocrit measurement methods in the southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum).

Background: Hematocrit (HCT) determination is an integral part of health and disease assessments in captive and wild white rhinoceroses. Several affordable automated hematology analyzers have been developed for in-clinic and field use and have the advantage of being able to measure a large number of additional measurands. However, the accuracy of these analyzers for rhinoceros HCT measurements has not yet been investigated.

Reference Intervals for Selected Hematology and Clinical Chemistry Measurands in Temminck's Pangolin ().

Pangolins are the world's most trafficked non-human mammals. A significant number of Temminck's pangolins () are presented for veterinary care and rehabilitation in southern Africa. Little is known about the physiology and normal health of this species, making diagnosis and medical management difficult.

Oxidative burst and phagocytic activity of phagocytes in canine parvoviral enteritis.

Canine parvoviral enteritis (CPE) is a severe disease characterized by systemic inflammation and immunosuppression. The function of circulating phagocytes (neutrophils and monocytes) in affected dogs has not been fully investigated. We characterized the functional capacity of canine phagocytes in CPE by determining their oxidative burst and phagocytic activities using flow cytometry.

CHALLENGES TO ANIMAL WELFARE DURING TRANSPORTATION OF WILD MAMMALS: A REVIEW (1990-2020).

Wild mammal transport is an important component of conservation translocation as well as the economic wildlife trade. This article reviews the physiological responses to transport that have been measured in wild mammalian species, factors associated with these responses, and interventions that have been applied to mitigate these responses. By organizing the literature review along the "five domains model" of animal welfare, namely, the physical-functional domains (nutrition, environment, health, behavior) and the mental domain (mental state), it can be demonstrated that wild mammal transport is associated with challenges to ensuring positive animal welfare in all five domains.

Reference Intervals for Hematology and Clinical Chemistry for the African Elephant ().

The African elephant () is listed as vulnerable, with wild populations threatened by habitat loss and poaching. Clinical pathology is used to detect and monitor disease and injury, however existing reference interval (RI) studies for this species have been performed with outdated analytical methods, small sample sizes or using only managed animals. The aim of this study was to generate hematology and clinical chemistry RIs, using samples from the free-ranging elephant population in the Kruger National Park, South Africa.

Effects of storage time and temperature on thromboelastographic analysis in dogs and horses.

Background: The accessibility of thromboelastography (TEG) to general practitioners is limited by short sample storage times (30 minutes) and storage temperatures (20-23°C).

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the stability of canine and equine citrated blood samples when stored for extended periods of time, both at room temperature (RT) (20-23°C) and refrigerator temperature (FT) (2-7.5°C).

Clinical and hematologic features of experimental theileriosis in roan calves (Hippotragus equinus).

Theileria sp. (sable) infection commonly causes significant calf mortality in endangered roan antelopes (Hippotragus equinus). Schizont-induced leukocyte transformation and systemic immune dysregulation with associated cytopenias characterizes theileriosis in livestock.

A Comparison of Hematological, Immunological, and Stress Responses to Capture and Transport in Wild White Rhinoceros Bulls () Supplemented With Azaperone or Midazolam.

Capture and transport are essential procedures for the management and conservation of southern white rhinoceroses (), but are associated with stress-induced morbidity and mortality. To improve conservation efforts, it is crucial to understand the pathophysiology of rhinoceros stress responses and investigate drug combinations that could reduce these responses. In this study we measured rhinoceros stress responses to capture and transport by quantifying hematological and immunological changes together with adrenal hormone concentrations.

Comparison of canine urine specific gravity measurements between various refractometers in a clinical setting.

Background: Veterinary facilities might use multiple refractometers and individuals to measure urine specific gravity (USG). Previous comparison studies show conflicting results. Furthermore, the clinical significance of measurement differences and interobserver variabilities has not been assessed.

Midazolam Alters Acid-Base Status Less than Azaperone during the Capture and Transport of Southern White Rhinoceroses ().

Acidemia represents a major life-threatening factor during rhinoceros capture. The acid-base status during rhinoceros transport is unknown. The purpose of this study was to describe changes in acid-base status during rhinoceros capture and transport and compare these changes between rhinoceroses sedated with azaperone or midazolam.