Veterinary Medicine Commons^™

Evaluating Vaccine Management Strategies For Edwardsiella Ictaluri Infections In Zebrafish (Danio Rerio), Brandy Malbrough

LSU Master's Theses

Aquaculture is a globally important industry that faces significant challenges due to infectious diseases, which can result in substantial financial losses. In 2011, a new strain of Edwardsiella ictaluri emerged as a major pathogen affecting zebrafish in the ornamental fish industry, leading to high mortality rates and posing a severe threat to the sector. Vaccines provide potential benefits for disease prevention in aquaculture, particularly live-attenuated vaccines (LAVs), which induce strong host immune responses. Bacterial attenuation for vaccine development has evolved from serial passage to more targeted genetic modification techniques. However, regulatory constraints limit the availability of licensed LAVs for aquaculture. …

Effect Of Furosemide Administration On Plasma Analytes And Urine Enzyme Excretion In Two Reptilian Species, Kathryn Metcalf

LSU Master's Theses

Renal disease is a common ailment of captive reptiles that is often closely linked to chronic, subclinical states of dehydration. Currently, the diagnosis of renal disease in reptiles is poorly characterized and often relies on invasive diagnostic techniques (e.g., renal biopsy) for definitive diagnosis. A potential outlet for the further characterization of renal dysfunction in reptiles is the induction of dehydration by furosemide therapy. Furosemide is a loop diuretic that is commonly used in mammalian patients for the treatment of congestive heart failure. The utility of furosemide in reptiles is poorly characterized, however, both experimental and clinical utility of this …

Evaluation Of Residual Antibacterial Effects On Canine Skin Surface And Hairs Following Treatment With Five Commercial Mousse Products Against Staphylococcus Pseudintermedius In Vitro, Chi-Yen Wu

LSU Master's Theses

Topical products are essential treatments for canine superficial bacterial folliculitis. However, studies for commercial products typically evaluate antibacterial effects on hairs rather than the skin surface. In addition, the interference from the hair length has not been evaluated in these studies. Therefore, the study objective for this study was to evaluate the residual antibacterial effects of five mousse products, (1) 2% chlorhexidine and 2% miconazole, (2) 0.05% phytosphingosine, (3) 2% salicylic acid and 10% ethyl lactate, (4) 3% chlorhexidine and 0.5% climbazole, and (5) 2% chlorhexidine and 1% ketoconazole on both the skin surface and hairs in both short- and …

Intra-Articular Buprenorphine In Horses, Gabriel Castro-Cuellar Dr

LSU Master's Theses

Opioid drugs have the potential of provide local analgesia in inflamed joints. To date, morphine is the only opioid that has been tested for intra-articular (IA) administration in horses. Having an alternative drug, other than morphine, could widen the therapeutic options, particularly in cases of drug shortages or inaccessibility to specific drugs. The work presented in this dissertation reports the cytotoxic effects of buprenorphine on cultured equine chondrocytes, and the pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and analgesic effects, of IA administered buprenorphine in horses with experimentally induced synovitis.

To evaluate the potential cytotoxic effects on equine cartilage, chondrocytes were obtained from normal equine …

A Novel Endo Gia™ Staple Cartridge For Canine Lung Lobectomies, Alissa St. Blanc

LSU Master's Theses

The canine lungs are well suited for ventilation, gas exchange, and gas transport. In diseased states, changes within bronchi and pulmonary parenchyma alter the blood-gas interface. Diagnostic workups to characterize pulmonary disease may include blood gas analysis, bronchoalveolar lavage, tracheobronchoscopy, radiography and/or computed tomography. Surgical pulmonary diseases include cysts, bullae, and blebs; congenital anomalies; consolidation or abscessation; bronchiectasis; lacerations; lung lobe torsions; and neoplasia. Surgical options may include laceration repair, partial or total lung lobectomy, and pneumonectomy. These options are most commonly utilized in cases that fail medical management. Lung lobectomies were originally performed using suture ligation. Stapling devices have …

Accuracy Of A Sacral Drilling With A Custom 3d Printed Drilling Guide Or Free-Hand Technique In Canine Experimental Sacroiliac Luxation, Daniel Mccarthy

LSU Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to improve the accuracy of drilling during the repair of sacroiliac luxation with a 3D-printed patient-specific drill guide (3D-GDT) compared to free-hand drilling technique (FHDT). A blinded, randomized, prospective study was performed including sixteen canine cadavers (20-25 kg) euthanized for reasons not related to the study. Dorsal, bilateral, sacroiliac luxations (SILs) were created experimentally. A pelvic CT was performed pre- and post-drilling. The FHDT was drilled followed by 3D-GDT for each sacrum. CT and 3D measurements of craniocaudal and dorsoventral angles were compared between FHDT and 3D-GDT, as well as deviations of entry …

Anesthetic Combination Of Alfaxalone, Dexmedetomidine And Hydromorphone For Comparison Of Endoscopy-Guided Intubation And Blind Orotracheal Intubation In Domestic Rabbits (Oryctolagus Cuniculus), Stephanie Reabel

LSU Master's Theses

Domestic rabbits have a high risk of anesthesia-related mortality compared to other companion animals. Factors that may contribute to increased mortality include drug-induced cardiopulmonary effects (Grint & Murison 2008; Navarrete-Calvo et al. 2013), difficulty performing intubation (Aeschbacher 1995; Flecknell 2016; Wenger et al. 2017) or damage to laryngeal and tracheal tissues following orotracheal intubation (Grint et al. 2006; Phaneuf et al. 2006; Engbers et al. 2017).

Alfaxalone is a neuroactive steroid that produces induction of anesthesia and cardiorespiratory depression in a dose-dependent manner when injected intravenously. The ability to induce anesthesia via an intramuscular (IM) route has several advantages in …

Determining The Effects Of Exogenous Human Chorionic Gonadotropin And Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotropin On Plasma Testosterone, Testicular Volume, And Semen Production In Leopard Geckos (Eublepharis Macularius), Alexandra Mason

LSU Master's Theses

Planet earth has now entered into its sixth mass extinction as a result of expanding human populations, posing an unprecedented threat to biologic diversity. Climate change, habitat fragmentation, wildlife trade, pollution, and biological invasions are just a few consequences of human activities that have directly contributed to unprecedented species extinctions. While widespread amphibian declines have gained more recent attention, it has been proposed that reptiles may be in even greater danger of extinction worldwide. Unfortunately, many reptiles are destined to go extinct before many of their basic biologic traits, including reproductive methods, have even been determined.

In order to mitigate …

Characterization Of Memory T-Lymphocyte Subsets In Dogs, Annie Beth Bauman

LSU Master's Theses

A more complete understanding of canine T-cell immunity is necessary for improving diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to canine diseases, developing cell-based canine immunotherapeutics, and evaluating dogs as large mammal models for comparative immunology research. Canine immunological studies are limited by the lack of established phenotypic markers identifying diverse differentiation states in canine T-cells. Differential expression of CD45RA (indicating antigen experience) and CD62L (indicating lymph node homing capability), shows promise as a tool to delineate canine naïve (TN), central memory (TCM), effector memory (TEM), and terminal effector memory (TEMRA) T-cells. The aim of this study was to characterize canine memory T-cell …

The Effects Of In Utero Exposure To Aerosols Generated By Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems In Neonatal And Adult Offspring, Kerin M. Cahill

LSU Master's Theses

Recently, electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) have become increasingly popular alternatives to cigarette smoking and are perceived as “safe” substitutes. The effects that these devices have on healthy adult lungs are still not fully understood, much less the effects on vulnerable populations such as expectant mothers and neonates. In an effort to better understand the potentially detrimental outcomes that gestational usage may have on both mothers and offspring, we conducted mouse studies on in utero exposures to both, third generation (“box mod”) ENDS aerosols and fourth generation (“pod mod”) JUUL aerosols. In exposures using the box mod device, in utero …

Establishment Of Laboratory Methods To Assess The Application Of Blood Transfusions In Reptiles, Anke Cordula Stoehr

LSU Master's Theses

A broad knowledge base on veterinary transfusion medicine has been developed in common mammalian species, but little is known in reptiles. The goals of this thesis were to establish laboratory methods to assess the application of blood transfusions in reptiles. Morphological and physiological differences in reptiles, including their erythrocytes, hamper direct adaption of mammalian laboratory methods.

Quantification of percentage hemolysis is a crucial tool for quality assessment of stored red blood cell products. We evaluated measurement of the required analytes for this calculation (supernatant and total hemoglobin) with different methods in blood from American alligators and found that the use …

In Vitro Analysis Of Equine Platelet Rich Plasma And In Vivo Effect Of Cytokines After Repeated Intra-Articular Injections In Osteoarthritic Joints, Carlos Aguilar Miranda

LSU Master's Theses

INTRODUCTION- The use of biologic therapies like platelet rich plasma (PRP) has a potential benefit for the treatment of osteoarthritis in horses. However, key parts of it are still unknown. The objective is to evaluate the degree of platelet activation achieved when in contact with exogenous activators. As well as the long-term effect in the anabolism and catabolism of cytokines involved in equine osteoarthritis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS-In one in vitro study PRP was collected from 6-horses using a commercially available kit. Platelets were exposed to PBS as negative control or to varying concentrations of CaCl2. Activation was determined via cell …

Infection Potential Of Rickettsia Felis Via Ingestion, Matthew M. Schexnayder

LSU Master's Theses

Rickettsia felis is the etiologic agent of flea-borne spotted fever (FBSF) in humans and a poorly described cause of fever in animals. It is transmitted by its primary arthropod vector and reservoir host, the cat flea Ctenocephalides felis. Known routes of Rickettsia felis transmission between Rickettsia felis-infected cat fleas and vertebrate hosts include cutaneous bites and contamination of cutaneous wounds with infective flea feces. The bulk of FBSF infections occur in young children in Africa, though infections of people at all ages all over the world have been confirmed. As mammals and young children frequently come into contact …

Assessing The Nutritional Value Of Black Soldier Fly Larvae (Hermetia Illucens) Used For Reptile Foods, Kimberly L. Boykin

LSU Master's Theses

Black soldier fly (BSF) larvae have been studied extensively in animal feed production, but there is limited research for non-production species, such as reptiles, despite their popularity as a calcium-rich feeder insect. The goals of this thesis were to determine the nutritive value of BSF larvae for a lizard species and as an ingredient in a diet formulated for snakes.

BSF larvae are deficient in fat soluble vitamins (A, D, and E). Using vitamin A as a test nutrient, several factors were identified that affect the success and consistency of gut loading. Based on the results, the following gut loading …

The Effect Of The Nematode Trapping Fungus Duddingtonia Flagrans Against Gastronintestinal Nematodes Of Exotic Ruminant Hoofstock At Disney's(R) Animal Kingdom Lodge, Kristen Renee Young

LSU Master's Theses

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) can severely affect the performance of ruminant animals and may lead to an animal’s death in a severe, untreated infection. Zoological parks, which have used anthelmintic drugs for treatment of GIN, are now seeing evidence of drug resistant parasites (Garretson et al., 2009). Duddingtonia flagrans, a nematophagous fungus, has shown a reduction in larvae of coprocultures of exotic ruminants through feed administration at Disney's^® Animal Kingdom Lodge (DAKL) and has potential to biologically control forage larvae (Terry, 2013). This study evaluated the effectiveness of Duddingtonia flagrans, administered to exotic ruminant hoofstock at a daily …

Paclitaxel Enhances Oncolytic Potential Of Herpes Simplex Virus Type-1 In Cancer Cells, Misagh Naderi

LSU Master's Theses

Taxanes are spindle poisons that bind to and stabilize microtubules resulting in mitotic arrest. Herpes simplex Typ-1 (HSV-1) virions utilize the microtubular network for intracellular transport during both virus entry and virus egress from infected cells. It has been reported previously that taxanes may synergize with oncolytic herpes simplex viruses in the treatment of experimental prostate and breast tumors in mice. Other reports have indicated that taxanes may inhibit viral replication in infected cells. In this study the previously characterized Oncolytic Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (OSVP), which was constructed in Kousoulas lab was used in conjugation with paclitaxel (taxol) …

Alternative Techniques For Alfaxalone Anesthesia Induction In Dogs And Cats, Angie Lagos

LSU Master's Theses

Alfaxalone is a neuroactive synthetic steroid (Brewster & Bodor, 1990) that produces anesthetic induction with dose- and speed-dependent cardiorespiratory depression in dogs and cats (Chiu et al. 2016; Warne et al., 2015). At clinical doses in unpremedicated dogs (2 mg kg^-1) and cats (5 mg kg^-1), alfaxalone induces a mild decrease in systemic vascular resistance, systemic blood pressure (Muir et al., 2009; Muir et al., 2008), apnea, hypoventilation, and hypoxemia (Muir et al. 2009; Muir et al., 2008). The cardiorespiratory side effects from alfaxalone induction could be prevented by reducing the total dose of alfaxalone necessary …

An Evaluation Of Pathophysiology And Biomechanics Of Selected Lamenesses In The Horse, Cole Barrett Sandow

LSU Master's Theses

INTRODUCTION-Laminitis and synovitis are two common causes of equine lameness. Laminitis is most often associated with hyperinsulinemia and osteoarthritis is most commonly the result of synovitis. The objective is to evaluate biomechanical and pathophysiologic events regarding laminitis and synovitis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS-The first study evaluated biomechanical effects of insulin on lamellar strength. For this experiment, lamellar explants were harvested, incubated in media only (serving as a control) or media with a high concentration of insulin for 8 hours. After incubation, structural integrity was evaluated with a mechanical testing device. Data included load to failure (N), stress to failure (MPa), elongation …

Transmission Potential Of Rickettsia Felis Through Cutaneous Inoculation Of Infectious Flea Feces, Kelsey Porter Legendre

LSU Master's Theses

Rickettsia felis, the causative agent of flea-borne spotted fever, is an emerging pathogen of the transitional group Rickettsiae and an important cause of febrile illness in Africa. Since the organism’s original discovery in the early 1990s, much research has been directed towards elucidating transmission mechanisms within the believed primary host and reservoir, the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis). However, while a growing number of human cases are being reported throughout the world, a definitive transmission mechanism from arthropod host to vertebrate host resulting in clinical disease has not been found. Several possible mechanisms, including bite of infected arthropods …

Evaluation Of Broad Anti-Herpesviral Activity With Α-Hydroxytropolones, Shannon David Dehghanpir

LSU Master's Theses

Herpesviruses are ubiquitous in animals and cause economic losses concomitant with many diseases, including upper respiratory disease, keratitis, abortion, neonatal death, and neurologic disease. The majority of the domestic animal herpesviruses are within the subfamily Alphaherpesvirinae, along with the prototypical human herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1). Suppression of HSV-1 replication has been reported with α-hydroxytropolones (αHTs), which are aromatic ring compounds that have broad bioactivity due to potent chelating activity. It is postulated that αHTs inhibit enzymes within the nucleotidyltransferase superfamily (NTS), similarly structured enzymes that require divalent cations for nucleic acid cleavage activity. One potential herpesviral target includes the …

Quantitation Of Anti-Pythium Insidiosum Antibodies Before And After Immunotherapy In Healthy Dogs, Carmen Beatriz Arsuaga

LSU Master's Theses

Pythium insidiosum is an aquatic oomycete that causes invasive, progressive granulomatous lesions of the skin in dogs, horses, and cats, and of the gastrointestinal tract in dogs. Quantitation of anti-P. insidiosum IgG antibodies can be used in dogs to both confirm a suspected diagnosis and to monitor response to therapy. Recently, an immunotherapeutic product (IP) has been marketed for the treatment of pythiosis in dogs, horses, and people. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of administration of this product on anti-P. insidiosum IgG concentrations in dogs. The IP was administered to seven, healthy hound mixes on …

Development Of Mouse Models For The Study Of Zika Virus Pathogenesis And Antibody Response, Anna Beatriz Kawiecki

LSU Master's Theses

After the emergence of Zika virus (ZIKV) in the Americas in 2015, ZIKV infection was associated for the first time since its discovery with severe symptoms in both adults and congenital cases, including neurological, ocular, and developmental manifestations. Previous ZIKV circulation in Africa and Southeast Asia has been characterized by mild symptoms and small-scale case-counts. It is unclear whether the unprecedented size and severity of the ZIKV outbreak in the Americas are the consequence of a change in the virus, different background flaviviral immunity in the population, or a reporting issue. In addition, ZIKV has been shown to be transmitted …

Pharmacokinetics Of Micronized Progesterone Administration In Female Dogs, Raphael Anthony Malbrue

LSU Master's Theses

Hypoluteoidism in the bitch is described as a reproductive condition in which insufficient levels of endogenous progesterone are present resulting in failure to maintain a functional secretory endometrium. This condition can prevent normal embryo implantation, development, and ultimately end in pregnancy loss. Hypoluteoidism in the bitch is a rising concern in small animal theriogenology and current medical therapies available to veterinarians are limited. The aim of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetics (PK) of intravaginally (Crinone®, Serono Laboratories, Norwell, MA) and orally delivered micronized progesterone (Prometrium®, Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Marietta, GA) in the bitch. We hypothesized that both vaginal …

The Role Of Nadph Oxidase 2 (Nox2) In High-Fat Diet-Induced Adiposopathy And Brain Dysfunction In A Mouse Model, Jennifer Kathleen Pepping

LSU Master's Theses

Obesity can have numerous detrimental consequences, namely metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. The pathogenesis and physiologic consequences of obesity are unknown, but they are often associated with increased inflammation and oxidative stress in both the body and in the brain. One factor that has been implicated in causing inflammation associated with a high fat diet is the enzyme NADPH oxidase, or NOX, specifically the subunit NOX2. Two studies were performed in order to assess the effects of a high fat diet in combination with a universal NOX2 deficiency and a NOX2 deficiency targeted to …

The Effects Of Prostatic Fluid On Functional Characteristics Of Cooled Canine Semen, Reto Fritsche

LSU Master's Theses

The objectives of this study were to investigate concentration dependent effects of canine prostatic fluid (PF) on in vitro seminal parameters of cooled canine semen. Sperm motility parameters, plasma membrane integrity and stability, acrosome integrity and DNA fragmentation were measured after the addition of 0%, 10%, 25%, or 50% PF to extended semen of fertile dogs. Assessments were made at 0 h pre-cooling, at 24, and 48 h of cooled storage (4 °C), and after freezing and thawing followed by incubation (37 °C) at 0, 4 and 24 h. Our hypothesis was that lower dilutions of canine semen with PF …

Correlation Of Ultrasonographic Small Intestinal Wall Layering With Histology In Normal Dogs, Alexandre Benjamin Le Roux

LSU Master's Theses

Five intestinal layers are commonly described ultrasonographically in dogs. However, current high-frequency endosonography allows the identification of 9 layers in people. The aim of this study was to describe ex vivo small intestinal layering in dogs and correlate ultrasonographic layering with histological layers. Our hypothesis was that, similar to findings in humans, discrepancies exist in thickness and visibility of intestinal layers between histology and ultrasound in dogs. Twelve adult dogs were included in the study. They were euthanized for reasons unrelated to gastrointestinal disease, but extensive medical history was unavailable. Duodenum, jejunum and ileum samples were resected immediately after euthanasia. …

Cardiovascular Tolerance And Safety Of Intravenous Lidocaine In The Broiler Chicken (Gallus Gallus Domesticus), Joao Manuel Lemos Brandao

LSU Master's Theses

Lidocaine, an amide local anesthetic agent, is commonly used in mammals, including humans. There is a general assumption that birds are more sensitive to lidocaine than mammals. Relatively low doses of lidocaine have been suggested to cause toxic effects in birds. While this information appears to be anecdotal, it has been perpetuated in the literature. The overall objective of this thesis research was to determine the tolerance and safety of intravenous lidocaine in broiler chickens. To assess the cardiovascular effects of lidocaine, relative changes on heart rate and mean blood pressure were calculated. Clinically significant cardiovascular effects were defined as …

Autologous Adipose Derived Adult Multipotent Stromal Cells Alter The Porcine Systemic Immune And Bone Biomarkers Response To Cancellous Bone Xenografts, Jonathan Francis Bova

LSU Master's Theses

The use of a porcine model in assessing bone grafts in vivo is common when a large animal model is necessary. In this thesis we aimed to improve the porcine model of facial reconstruction through the use of a local anesthesia and novel methods of assessing the immune response to and bone forming ability of adult adipose derived mesenchymal stromal cells (ASC). The goals of the research were: 1) evaluate the effect of a bupivacaine mandibular nerve block on blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) in response to surgical stimulation and the need for systemic analgesics postoperatively, 2) quantify …

Characterization Of Ige-Mediated Cutaneous Immediate And Late-Phase Reactions In Non-Allergic Horses, Michelle Woodward

LSU Master's Theses

ABSTRACT Objectives – To characterize the response of horse skin following intradermal injection of polyclonal rabbit anti-canine IgE (anti-IgE) and rabbit immunoglobulin G (IgG) in an attempt to develop a model of equine allergic skin disease. Study design - In vivo study. Animals – 10 Adult Thoroughbred horses. Methods –Horses were injected intradermally with one of two different concentrations of anti-IgE and rabbit immunoglobulin G (IgG). Wheal measurements and injection site biopsies were obtained before and 20 min, 6 hr, 24 hr, and 48 hr after injection. Tissue sections were stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin, Luna, and Toluidine Blue. Immunohistochemistry …

The Role Of Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 In Innate Immunity Against Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Pneumonia, Mary Katherine Leissinger

LSU Master's Theses

Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 is critical for monocyte recruitment to the lungs in response to bacterial infection. MCP-1 is also essential for protective neutrophil recruitment to the lungs during Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae infection. Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia, specifically strain USA300, carries a high morbidity and mortality rate and is an important pathogen in hospital/ventilator and community acquired pneumonia. In the current study, we investigated the role of MCP-1 in pulmonary innate immunity to S. aureus in C57Bl/6, MCP-1-/- and MCP-1 AB blocked mice. As compared to C57Bl/6, MCP-1-/- mice showed increased concentrations of neutrophils in the airways and lung parenchyma …