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The experiment evaluated the effects of intravenous administration of polymyxin B on experimental endotoxaemia in sheep.

While there are several studies on insulin resistance in ruminants, information regarding this phenomenon in Ghezel ewes as a fat-tailed breed is rare. In the present study, the intra-venous glucose tolerance test was performed to evaluate insulin resistance in sheep. Five adult Ghezel ewes were selected at 4 weeks before parturition and followed at 2 weeks before, 2 and 4 weeks, and 2, 3, and 4 months after parturition. A blood sample was taken and dextrose 50% was administered at 500 mg/kg, 10 ml/kg/hour. Blood samples were collected from all ewes prior to and 1, 2, 3, and 4 hours after dextrose infusion to analyze glucose and insulin levels. The glucose and insulin levels at Hour Four remained significantly higher than Hour Zero in pre parturition periods. Despite presence of high concentrations of insulin, high levels of glucose were seen in pre parturition periods which represented insulin resistance in these periods. Finally, the highest degree of insulin resistance was observed at pre parturition periods in Ghezel ewes and it may be concluded that protecting the ewes from insulin resistance at pre parturition periods may manage their metabolic healthiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Equine metabolic syndrome is an endocrinopathy that affects different breeds of horses and ponies. This metabolic disorder is a multifactorial syndrome and it is primarily linked to obesity, dyslipidemia and insulin resistance. OBJECTIVES: The present study was performed to evaluate insulin resistance in Darehshori horses with regards to age, sex, season and obesity. METHODS: Twelve adult stallions and 14 non-pregnant Darehshori breed mares were selected between January and November 2015. Fourteen horses were under and others were above 10 years old. Body condition scores of the animals were estimated based on Hennekes' 1 to 9 scoring system, thus, 1 is poor and 9 is extremely fat horse. Body condition score of 12 horses was under 5 and the others above 5. The horses were studied during a period of one year, every 45 days and blood sampling and body condition scoring were performed at each time. Insulin resistance was assessed based on screening test. Serum concentrations of glucose, insulin and leptin were determined. RESUTLS: This study comprehensively used multiple detailed parameters to scan thoroughly the concept of insulin resistance in Darehshori horses on a long term basis. The levels of insulin, glucose and leptin in aged and obese stallions in warmer months were significantly higher than the others and reference range (P<0.05), hence, insulin resistance was detected in these groups of studied animals. CONCLUSIONS: These findings represented insulin resistance phenomenon in a specific breed in Iran. The physiologic characteristics of this breed may be different from other ones and the conditions in Iran such as climate are different from other countries. Hence, it should be considered that Darehshori horses have unique characteristics compared with other breeds. The study may be used as a guideline for evaluating the insulin resistance in Darehshori horses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Soil and plant contamination in copper exposure causes chronic copper poisoning (CCP) in animals following the consumption of plants in these soils. OBJECTIVES: The present study was carried out on 10 clinically affected copper poisoned cases (in each season) from autumn 2015 to the end of summer 2016, in four seasons in Kerman province to evaluate the seasonal effects of CCP in sheep. METHODS: All samples were taken from clinically affected cases of copper poisoning that were then necropsied and the poisoning was confirmed by pathognomic pathological findings and serum copper concentration. Samples from liver, lung, kidney, heart and spleen were collected immediately after death and their copper concentration was measured. RESULTS: The highest levels of copper in lung, heart, spleen and kidney were observed in the summer. Liver had the highest amounts of copper in spring and the levels of copper in wool and serum were detected in winter. The copper levels of liver and kidney were positively correlated in autumn, but the copper levels in these tissues were negatively correlated in both spring and winter. CONCLUSIONS: Severity of the copper toxicity (judged by the liver copper concentration) is season-dependent in sheep and seasonal variations affect this toxicity. Environmental climate and stressors may be the main causes of copper contents of different tissues and the liver is the main organ to reserve copper in poisoned sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of intravenous colistin along with lipopolysaccharide administration in sheep were studied. Twenty clinically healthy Iranian fat-tailed sheep were allocated into four equal groups: negative and positive controls, colistin at 12,000 U/kg and colistin at 24,000 U/kg. Endotoxemia was induced by administration of lipopolysaccharide of Escherichia coli serotype O55:B5 at 0.5 μg/kg, intravenously in all experimental groups, except negative control. Clinical signs and haptoglobin (Hp), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), blood lactate, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine were determined. TNF-α was significantly different between the positive control and the colistin groups, but, there were no significant differences between colistin 12,000 IU/kg and colistin 24,000 IU/Kg groups. Serum concentrations of Hp at different times in colistin groups were significantly lower than positive control group and colistin 12,000 IU/kg had a better effect on the reduction of serum Hp. Colistin 12,000 IU/kg was able to retain levels of blood lactate relative to the colistin 24,000 IU/kg group. Serum concentration of BUN was markedly increased after E. coli-induced endotoxemia in all experimental groups, but they had no consistent pattern in all experimental groups at different times. Based on the results, it was concluded that colistin could be used as an anti-endotoxic drug against the E. coliinduced endotoxemia in sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information regarding the physiologic effects of pregnancy, parturition and lactogenesis on heart electrical activities in sheep can aid in better understanding of the status of the cardiovascular system and performance of these animals. Five adult clinically healthy Ghezel ewes were selected at four weeks before parturition. Electrocardiography and blood sampling were performed in ewes: at four and two weeks before parturition; two and four weeks after parturition; and two, three and four months after parturition. Serum concentrations of sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transaminase and lactate dehydrogenase were assayed in all specimens. The R and T amplitudes increased significantly from four weeks before parturition to two weeks after parturition, and decreased at three months after parturition (P<0.05). RR interval at pre-parturition periods was significantly shorter than at post-parturition (P<0.05). Serum concentrations of all the parameters were significantly lower at pre-parturition periods than at post-parturition. The results of the study suggest that physiological changes in electrocardiographic parameters, serum electrolytes and enzymes values occur during the peri-parturient stage of Ghezel ewes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a research study on the effect of acute phase response after endotoxemia induction by Escherichia coli serotype O55:B5 in the comparative treatment with flunixin meflumine and dexamethasone in fat-tailed sheep in Iran. Subjects include 15 clinically healthy fat-tailed ewes divided into the Dexa, the Flnx and control group then administered with Lipopolysaccharide from E. coli serotype O55:B5. Results showed increase in inflammatory cytokines after induction of endotoxemia.

The current study was conducted to find out the prevalence of cardiac arrhythmias in clinically healthy Iranian fat-tailed sheep in two physiological states, i.e., late pregnancy and early post-partum periods. The electrocardiogram (ECG) was recorded from 32 sheep (early post-partum, n=17 and late pregnant, n=15) without any clinical signs of cardiac diseases. Assessment of ECG revealed that 84.3% of sheep had one or two kinds of cardiac arrhythmias. Two types of cardiac arrhythmias which detected in this study were sinus tachycardia and sinus arrhythmia. The proportion of different cardiac arrhythmias between early post-partum and late pregnant sheep, were significantly (P=0.003) different. Sinus tachycardia was the most frequent arrhythmia recorded in both groups. Since none of the sheep with cardiac arrhythmias exhibited any clinical signs of heart disease at the time of ECG recording, the arrhythmias seen in this study could be regarded as physiological ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]