Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Black Bear Population Health Monitoring In The Southeast, Kathleen Elizabeth Riese

Masters Theses

Recent growth of the American black bear (Ursus americanus) population in the southeast raises concerns about the potential spread of density-dependent diseases among bears, particularly sarcoptic mange. However, research on the health of bears in this area is limited. We analyzed samples from 169 bears in the region. We performed Knotts tests, skin scrapes, fecal floats; Canine adenovirus (CAV), canine parvovirus (CPV), canine distemper virus (CDV), and Toxoplasma gondii serology, Trypanosoma, Rickettsia rickettsii, and apicomplexan PCR, and identified ecto- and endoparasites found grossly or histologically. We found that 69% (63 of 91) had microfilaria; genetic analysis identified …

Predicting Immunization Status At Arrival In Tennessee Stocker Calves, Claire E. Hunkler

Masters Theses

Bovine respiratory disease is a multifaceted disease with agent, host, and environmental factors. Stocker calves are at high risk of contracting the disease through many stressors like weaning, transportation, commingling, etc. The purpose of this project was to test if externally observed physical characteristics of calves on arrival at a stocker facility can be used to predict calfhood vaccination status determined based on antibody titer levels. Knowledge of highly correlated characteristics could allow stocker operators to reduce the occurrence of BRD through targeted management strategies, thus lowering morbidity, mortality, and treatment costs. Ear notches, blood, and visual characteristics were collected …

Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy And Its Applications And Usage In The Equine Industry, Delaney R. Rostad

Masters Theses

Therapeutic modalities in the equine industry are constantly progressing due to evolving needs of horse owners who desire to make their horse perform at their best. Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy is a lesser understood modality when it comes to its use in horse. Despite its widespread use, there is little research pertaining to how or if PEMF therapy affects performance of the equine athlete and influences various equine medical conditions; however, PEMF therapy use in humans improves delayed onset muscle soreness, and increases stride rate and length which could possibly be applied to the equine athlete. The objective of …

Comparison Of The Humoral Immune Response Following Both Bacterial Challenge And Rnai Of Major Factors On Proliferation Of Bartonella Quintana In The Human Louse, Jake Zina

Masters Theses

Human body lice, Pediculus humanus humanus, and head lice, Pediculus humanus capitis, have been hematophagous ectoparasites of humans for thousands of years. Despite being ecotypes, only body lice are known to transmit bacterial diseases to humans, and it appears that lower humoral and cellular immune responses allow body lice to possess a higher vector competence. We previously observed that the transcription level of the defensin 1 gene was up-regulated only in head lice following oral challenge of Bartonella quintana, a causative agent of trench fever, and also that body lice excreted more viable B. quintana in their …

Impact Of Fatty Acid On Markers Of Exocrine Pancreatic Stimulation, Yunyi Zhang

Masters Theses

Chronic pancreatitis in dogs is typically managed with a low-fat diet. Human research suggests consuming medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) may lower pancreatic enzyme release compared to consuming long chain fatty acids (LCFA). Twelve healthy adult colony dogs were fed a meal of cod and rice with either 3% metabolizable energy (ME) fat (control), high MCT (25% ME MCT oil, 25% ME butter), high saturated LCFA (50% ME butter), or high unsaturated LCFA (50% ME canola oil) in a 4-period by 4-treatment crossover design. Serum concentrations of canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity, gastrin, amylase, cholecystokinin (CCK), cholesterol, triglycerides and serum activities of DGGR …

Characterization Of The Fecal Microbiome In Dogs Receiving Medical Management For Congenital Portosystemic Shunts, Nathan Squire

Masters Theses

Background: The GI microbiome has not been characterized in dogs being medically managed for congenital portosystemic shunts [CPSS].

Objectives: To characterize the fecal microbiome in a population of dogs being medically managed for CPSS.

Animals: 27 client-owned dogs.

Methods: Prospective cohort study enrollment of fecal samples was performed with follow-up data collected retrospectively. The overall fecal dysbiosis index [DI] and individual bacterial abundances were determined using real-time qPCR. Medical management, clinical findings, clinicopathologic, and outcome variables were collected, and logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate associations between these variables and overall DI and bacterial abundances. Numerical variables were evaluated …

Investigation Of Semiquantitative Marrow Iron Scoring And Reticulocyte Hemoglobin Content (Chr) In Healthy And Ill Canines With And Without Clinical Evidence Of Blood Loss., Grace A. Pawsat

Masters Theses

Background: Insufficient iron for erythropoiesis can occur in multiple conditions, including absolute iron deficiency, which is often caused by chronic external hemorrhage in dogs. Distinguishing this from other causes of iron-restricted erythropoiesis allows appropriate intervention. Decreased marrow iron assessed by Prussian blue staining is considered the gold standard to diagnose absolute iron deficiency but scoring systems are not validated in dogs. The performance of standardized semiquantitative marrow scoring of iron deposits in dogs has not been previously reported or correlated to iron biomarkers in blood.[1-4]

Objectives: Objectives included evaluation of the effects of different staining sequences, evaluation the technical performance …

Therapeutic Intervention Or Rider Influence On The Electromyographic Activity And Kinematics Of Horses, Karen L. Shaw

Masters Theses

Core strengthening and postural stability are desired outcomes of certain therapeutic exercises performed in horses. This study aimed to quantify changes in muscle activation at a walk and trot in horses traveling over eight consecutive ground poles evenly spaced (at 30 inches for walk and 48 inches for trot) in parallel fashion in a straight line, and with hindquarter and abdominal elastic resistance bands applied at 25% stretch. Surface electromyography (sEMG) data were collected for the longissimus dorsi and rectus abdominus muscles in six horses. A 2x2 repeated measures ANOVA was performed for each muscle to test for significant differences …

Comparison Of Three Rapid Commercial Canine Parvovirus Antigen Detection Tests With Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (Qpcr), Niloofar Khajeh-Kazerooni

Masters Theses

ABSTRACT

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of three commercial ELISA rapid tests in comparison with qPCR for the diagnosis of canine parvovirus infection using fecal samples.

Background: Canine parvovirus-2 (CPV-2) infection is an acute, life-threatening, and highly contagious viral disease. The infected dogs shed virus in their stool and a variety of diagnostic methods have been developed for the diagnosis of the infection using fecal samples. Rapid ELISA tests are commonly used in veterinary practices. However, the accuracy of the results of rapid tests has been questioned in many reports and a low sensitivity has been reported for …

Microtransplantation Of Rat Brain Neurolemma Into Xenopus Laevis Oocytes To Study The Effect Of Environmental Toxicants On Endogenous Voltage-Sensitive Ion Channels, Edwin Murenzi

Masters Theses

Microtransplantation of mammalian neurolemma into Xenopus laevis oocytes has been used to study ion channels in terms of their structure and function in the central nervous system. Use of microtransplanted neurolemma is advantageous in that tissue can be obtained from various sources, ion channels and receptors are present in their native configuration and they can be used to evaluate numerous channelpathies caused by environmental toxicants. Here we show that Xenopus oocytes injected with fragments of rat brain neurolemma successfully express functional native ion channels that are assembled in their own plasma membrane. Using a high throughput two electrode voltage clamp …

Effects Of 17Β Estradiol In The Metabolism And Morphology Of Bluegill Sunfish (Lepomis Macrochirus), Neeta Parajulee Karki

Masters Theses

Fish natural habitats are increasingly contaminated with various estrogenic compounds, including 17β estradiol (E2). This compound causes adverse effects on the reproductive system of male fish; however, the effects of E2 on other aspects of fish metabolism, morphology and histopathological changes in internal organs are not well known. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of E2 exposure on the basal and stressed metabolic rate, morphological changes in body shapes, and histological changes in the liver tissues of sunfish species. Fish were held individually in ten gallon tanks under two treatments of 40 and 80 ng/L and …

Follicular Dynamics In Insulin Resistant Mares, Julio Cesar Prado

Masters Theses

Obesity and insulin resistance have been linked to prolonged interovulatory period, aberrations in the estrous cycle, and continuous reproductive activity during the non-breeding season. EMS has been determined to influence the intrafollicular environment of mare ovaries. In humans, insulin resistance has been linked to polycystic ovaries as part of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). A study was conducted to determine 1) the impact of insulin resistance on follicle growth and size at ovulation, and 2) whether predicted ovulatory follicles respond to hCG administration in Insulin-resistant (IR) mares. Mares were selected for the study based on insulin sensitivity and separated into an …

Epidemiology Of Toxoplasma Gondii And A Survey Of Other Parasites In The West Indian Manatee (Trichechus Manatus), Heidi Lynn Wyrosdick

Masters Theses

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite of felids reported to cause morbidity and mortality in the two subspecies of the West Indian Manatee (Trichechus manatus): the Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus) in Puerto Rico and the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris). Sera or plasma (n=343) were collected from live-capture T. m. latirostris through the US Geological Survey (USGS) manatee health assessment program and serosanguinous fluid (n=10) were collected from necropsies conducted by the Marine Mammal Pathobiology Laboratory (MMPL). Additionally, serum or serosanguinous fluid samples (n=5) were collected from rehabilitated or necropsied T. m. manatus …

Identification Of Feline Tritrichomonas Foetus Surface Epitopes: Putative Targets For Development Of A Novel Diagnostic Test For Feline Trichomonosis, Emily Nissa Gould

Masters Theses

BACKGROUND: Tritrichomonas foetus (T. foetus) is a flagellated protozoa that infects the distal ileum and proximal colon of domestic cats and also induces reproductive failure in cattle. Although feline trichomonosis is recognized to have a global prevalence of up to 30%, it still poses a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge to veterinarians; thus, there is a need for both improved diagnostics and therapeutics. Despite differing organ tropism between genotypes, evidence exists for conserved virulence factors between feline and bovine T. foetus. Two epitopes (1.15 and 1.17) of the bovine T. foetus glycosylated surface antigen 1.15-1.17 have been found …

The Human Intruder Test: An Anxiety Assessment In Rhesus Macaques (Macaca Mulatta), Emily J. Peterson

Masters Theses

The human intruder test (HIT) is a noninvasive tool widely used for assessing anxiety in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). This thesis explores the HIT procedure and applies it to a population of monkeys with a self-injurious behavioral pathology. Individual variation on this test can be used to assess anxiety and temperament. The first experiment of this thesis applied two different procedures of the HIT to 17 monkeys at UMass. Monkeys displayed little response to the intruder, and no significant differences were detected for the two procedures. To determine whether these responses were unique to the UMass monkeys, their …

Differentiation Of Equine Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Into Cells Of Neural Lineage And Their Application Into A Novel Model For Acute Peripheral Nerve Injury In The Horse, Claudia Cruz

Masters Theses

Studies have shown that mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are able to differentiate into extra-mesodermal lineages, including neurons. Positive outcomes were obtained after transplantation of neurally-induced MSCs in rats, rabbits and guinea pigs after nerve injury, but the effect of these cells is unknown in horses. Our objective was to test the ability of equine mesenchymal stromal cells to differentiate into cells of neuronal lineage, and to assess differences, if any, in morphology and protein expression. Additionally, we wanted to investigate if horse age and cell passage number contributed to the ability to achieve neural differentiation.

The first part of this …

Effect Of A Core Conditioning Program On Lumbar Paraspinal Area, Asymmetry And Pain Score In Military Working Dogs With Lumbosacral Pain, Andrea Leigh Henderson

Masters Theses

Introduction: Lumbosacral pain and stenosis are common causes of retirement from duty for Military Working Dogs (MWDs). Working dogs that receive surgical management for this condition often have a poor prognosis for return to duty after recovery. Humans with chronic low back pain demonstrate paraspinal muscle asymmetry, pain and dysfunction that often improve in response to an exercise program. This study investigated whether dogs with mild lumbosacral pain have decreased lumbar paraspinal muscle area, symmetry, and density, as well as increased pain and dysfunction compared to control dogs. Additionally, response of pain and dysfunction to an exercise program was assessed. …

Biological Variation Of Thromboelastography Variables In Ten Healthy Female Horses, Jennifer Lee Scruggs

Masters Theses

Biological variability (BV) has important applications in laboratory medicine. It can be a source of variation in measured analyte values and provide guidance on reference interval use. BV has three components: between-individual variation (CVg), caused by differences in mean values of a particular analyte among members of a group, within-individual variation (CVi), caused by fluctuations around an individual’s inherent homeostatic set point, and analytical variation (CVa). Thromboelastography (TEG), a type of viscoelastic coagulation analysis, is becoming increasingly common in veterinary referral centers. Despite increased popularity, the optimal method of results interpretation is not clear. While population-based reference intervals (PRI) are …

Staphylococcus Pseudintermedius: Population Genetics And Antimicrobial Resistance, Ricardo Videla

Masters Theses

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is a Gram-positive coagulase-negative coccus. It is a normal inhabitant of the skin of dogs. However, clinical disease can be observed in animals that are immunossuppressed or if the skin barrier is altered. This bacterium is recognized as the main cause of canine pyoderma and has also been associated with other conditions such as infection of the urinary tract, the ears, and surgical wounds.

Methicillin resistance and resistance to other antimicrobials regularly used by veterinarians is common among S. pseudintermedius which can complicate treatment. The first report of mecA, gene responsible for methicillin resistance, in S. pseudintermedius …

The Toxicity Of Acetaminophen, Caffeine And Carbendazim In Earthworms (Eisenia Fetida), Matthew M. Bulman

Masters Theses

There has been a need for the assessment of ground water contamination risk on terrestrial organisms. One terrestrial organism, Eisenia fetida, was chosen as a test species and exposed to three common pharmaceutical and/or pesticide related contaminants: acetaminophen (CAS#103-90-2), caffeine (CAS#58-08-2) and carbendazim (CAS#10605-21-7), respectively. Levels of contamination varied from grams per liter to micrograms per liter (ppb) using distilled water as the solvent. Eisenia fetida was examined through a 28 day range/index toxicity test. A Benchmark Dose (BMD) dichotomous probit analysis, using a 95% confidence interval, was calculated for all three contaminants. All three contaminants were found to have …

Effects Of Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (Ppid), Season, And Pasture Diet On Blood Adrenocorticotropic Hormone And Metabolite Concentrations In Horses., Sarah Beth Elliott

Masters Theses

Studies described in this thesis were performed to investigate associations among season, diet, pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) and blood concentrations of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), insulin, glucose, and leptin in horses. In the first study, higher ACTH concentrations were detected in horses affected with PPID. A seasonal increase in plasma ACTH concentration was detected in the late summer and early fall, but PPID did not affect the timing or duration of this increase. Pasture grazing raised glucose and insulin concentrations with a peak in September, at the same time that horses had higher ACTH concentrations, and this convergence of risk …

Estimating The Early Postmortem Interval In Domestic Canines, Keith William Proctor

Masters Theses

The estimation of time of death (TOD) can be used to aid law enforcement officers in solving criminal cases involving a death. By determining the period from the TOD until the time the body is discovered, forensic investigators can potentially link or rule out a suspect. A great amount of research has been conducted for the purpose of establishing a reliable and accurate means of estimating TOD in humans. In contrast, most animal studies have centered on techniques that might be applied to human forensic cases or to aid wildlife officers in prosecuting criminals who violate conservation laws. However, little …

Effects Of Methylxanthines On Newborn Rat Respiration, Craig Gatto

Masters Theses

Methylxanthines (MX), such as theophylline, are commonly used in the treatment of recurrent apnea due to their stimulant effects on the respiratory center. Structure-activity studies have demonstrated that substitution of alkyl groups on the 3-position of the xanthine nucleus results in increased bronchodilator potency, while substitution on the 1-position is important for adenosine antagonism and CNS stimulation. Three different alkylxanthines were studied to determine the structural requirements for respiratory stimulation. Respiratory rates and volumes were determined in 4- to 7-day-old rats using a volume displacement body plethysmograph. Measurements were made before and at 5 minute intervals after subcutaneous (s.c.) injection …

An Otopathological Assessment Of Dogs Exposed To Excessive Dietary Fluoride And/Or Suspected Water Borne Toxins, Barbara Ann Hannah

Masters Theses

In 1970, a once very productive Allegan, Michigan dog kennel began experiencing a rash o£ unexplained perinatal deaths and reproductive anomalies in Shetland pups. Anomalies including cleft palate and lip, kinked tails, twisted feet and convulsions immediately before death plagued the neonates. The adult dogs were reported to have tooth mottling, exostoses and auditory and vestibular problems.

Because the dogs had been on high fluoride diets and because the kennel well water was suspected of harboring toxins, a group of 20 Shetland dogs was used to try to find if there was any correlation between the reproductive problems and the …

The Effects Of Xanthine And Adenosine Analogs On Rat Pup Diaphragmatic Contractility, Liam C. Farrell

Masters Theses

Methylxanthines are commonly used in the treatment of respiratory disorders such as asthma, apnea of prematurity and Cheyne-Stokes respiration. Recently, certain methylxanthines have been found to potentiate the contraction of the diaphragm and increase contraction strength of the fatigued diaphragm. The mechanism of action of the methylxanthines is unknown. Three theories have been proposed but each has its supportive and negative points. One theory is that methylxanthines inhibit cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) which facilitates contraction by increasing cyclic AMP levels in the cell. Another theory is that methylxanthines antagonize adenosine, thus blocking the adenosine-induced inhibition of contraction. The third theory …

Observations On Relationships Between Limb Measurements And Mode Of Locomotion In Malaysian Turtles, Duayne Nyckel

Masters Theses

Twelve Genera (spanning three Families) of Malaysian Turtles were studied to determine whether bone lengths could be correlated to mode of locomotion. Ulna, humerus, tibia, femur, coracoid (among others) were measured and results were presented graphically. Five of the genera were observed singly in a large aquarium. Data were recorded on the amount of time each spent in different locomotor modes. Both limb length data and aquarium observations suggest that turtles can be grouped into three main locomotor habits (i.e. terrestrial walking, bottomwalking, and swimming). The terrestrial group includes the genera, Geochelone, Kinixys, and Gopherus. Bottomwalkers include …

The Effects Of Insulin On Hepatic Glucocorticoid Receptor Content In The Diabetic Rat, Jeffrey John Yourick

Masters Theses

The streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat liver was analyzed for glucocorticoid receptor (GCR) content by a saturation and Scatchard analysis. A preliminary study was performed on the stabilization of the cytoplasmic GCR in a frozen cytosol preparation. The addition of 10% glycerol (V/V), 10 mM sodium molybdate, and 0.2 mg/ml trypsin inhibitor resulted in an approximate 20% sparing of GCR content upon freezing.

The hepatic GCR content of diabetic rats was significantly decreased from a control level of 0.1667 ± 0.0142 pmol/mg protein to 0.1094 ± 0.007 pmol/mg protein. Insulin replacement therapy to the diabetic rat dramatically increased the hepatic GCR content. …

The Effects Of Prostaglandin E2 On The Healing Processes Of Rat Perforated Tympanic Membranes, Diane Sue Saylor

Masters Theses

Prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) was topically administered to perforated rat tympanic membranes in an attempt to facilitate regrowth of the membranes. Every 24 hours for the first four postperforation days, two groups of tympanic membranes were processed and examined histologically for differences between PGE₂ treated and control animals.

At 24 hours postperforation granulocyte infiltration at the perforation site was greater in the test animals. By 48 hours blood clots were larger in PGE₂ treated animals. Finally, the epithelium was thinner in test animals than in control animals at 96 hours.

Slight tendencies for the test animals …

Temporal Pattern Of Gluconeogenesis In Diabetic And Non-Diabetic Chinese Hamsters, John P. Ofenstein

Masters Theses

Gluconeogenesis is a normal physiological response of an individual to low blood glucose levels by which proteins are utilized in order to synthesize new glucose. Gluconeogenic rates in diabetic and normal Chinese hamsters were measured, on four different occasions over a 24 hour period, by injecting a radio-labelled precursor (¹⁴C-lactate) into the animals. Then blood was tested for incorporation of the label into glucose. In the fed state, gluconeogenesis shows a circadian change in nondiabetic hamsters as well as in diabetic hamsters, with the diabetic hamsters showing a significantly greater gluconeogenic rate than the non-diabetic hamsters for every …

Glucocorticoid Receptors In Liver Cytosol Of Adrenalectomized Diabetic And Nondiabetic Chinese Hamsters, Richard E. Gibson

Masters Theses

The binding characteristics of glucocorticoid receptors in the liver cytosol of Chinese hamsters of the BE, BD (diabetic), and AV (nondiabetic) lines were studied and compared using a charcoal adsorption technique and ³H-dexamethasone. High affinity receptors(K_d ≃ 3 x 10^-9 M) were found with concentrations of 180 fmoles/mg protein in the nondiabetic and 260 fmoles/mg protein in the diabetic hamsters. Behavior of the receptor-steroid complex in 5 to 20% sucrose gradients of low and high salt concentrations (0.0 and 0.3 M KCl) and the competitive binding of other steroids were consistent with findings for rat liver glucocorticoid …