Splenopancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with multiorgan metastasis in a northern water snake (Nerodia sipedon)

A 16-yr-old northern water snake (Nerodia sipedon) presented with a large, firm midcoelomic swelling. A complete blood count, survey radiographs, coelomic ultrasound, and fine needle aspirate of the mass were performed. Survey radiographs revealed a soft tissue opacity mass. Ultrasonographic examination confirmed the presence of the mass but could not aid in its visceral localization. After 2 weeks, the snake presented again because of continued anorexia and poor quality of life. Euthanasia was performed. Gross necropsy revealed a multilobulated mass attached to and effacing the splenopancreas. Histologically, the mass was composed of cuboidal to columnar neoplastic epithelial cells forming tubules surrounded by variable amounts of fibrovascular stroma. Histological examination and immunohistochemical staining of other tissues revealed local invasion in the subserosa and tunica muscularis of the stomach, metastasis within the liver, in the mesovarium, and an intravascular metastasis within the ventricle of the heart surrounded by a thrombus

Live Imaging of Mitosomes and Hydrogenosomes by HaloTag Technology

Hydrogenosomes and mitosomes represent remarkable mitochondrial adaptations in the anaerobic parasitic protists such as Trichomonas vaginalis and Giardia intestinalis, respectively. In order to provide a tool to study these organelles in the live cells, the HaloTag was fused to G. intestinalis IscU and T. vaginalis frataxin and expressed in the mitosomes and hydrogenosomes, respectively. The incubation of the parasites with the fluorescent Halo-ligand resulted in highly specific organellar labeling, allowing live imaging of the organelles. With the array of available ligands the HaloTag technology offers a new tool to study the dynamics of mitochondria-related compartments as well as other cellular components in these intriguing unicellular eukaryotes

Anesthetic Effects of Alfaxalone-Ketamine, Alfaxalone-Ketamine-Dexmedetomidine, and Alfaxalone-Butorphanol-Midazolam Administered Intramuscularly in Five‑striped Palm Squirrels (Funambulus pennantii).

Injectable anesthesia protocols for five-striped palm squirrels (Funambulus pennantii) are poorly described in the literature.In this study, male intact squirrels received intramuscular injections of either alfaxalone (6 mg/kg) and ketamine (40 mg/kg; AK group, n = 8); alfaxalone (6 mg/kg), ketamine (20 mg/kg), and dexmedetomidine (0.1 mg/kg; AKD group, n = 8); or alfaxalone (8 mg/kg), butorphanol (1 mg/kg), and midazolam (1 mg/kg; ABM group, n = 8). Atipamezole (0.15 mg/kg IM) and flumazenil (0.1 mg/kg IM) were administered 40 min after anesthesia induction (defined as loss of the righting reflex) with AKD and ABM, respectively. Heart rate, respiratory rate, rectal temperature, and reflexes were recorded every 5 min during anesthesia. Anesthetic induction was rapid in all groups (AK: median, 49 s; range, 33 to 60 s; AKD, 60 s; 54 to 70 s; and ABM, 15 s; 5 to 58 s). The anesthetic duration (from induction to full recovery) for the AK group was 62 ± 3 min (mean ± 1 SD). Therewas no statistically significant difference between the ABM and AKD groups regarding recovery time after partial antagonist administration and was 51 ± 5 and 48 ± 5 min, respectively. All AK animals showed twitching and abnormal vocalization during recovery. The righting reflex was absent in all squirrels for 20 min in the AK treatment group and throughout the 40-min anesthetic period in the AKD and ABM groups. The frontlimb withdrawal response was absent in all squirrels for the 40-min anesthetic period in the AKD and ABM groups, with variable responses for the AK treatment. All tested protocols in this study provided safe and effective immobilization in five-striped palm squirrels, but oxygen and thermal support wereindicated. Anesthetic depth must be determined before surgical procedures are performed in palm squirrels anesthetized by using these regimens

Anesthetic effects of dexmedetomidine-ketamine-midazolam administered intramuscularly in five-striped palm squirrels (Funambulus pennantii)

Abstract OBJECTIVE To evaluate efficacy and safety of anesthesia with dexmedetomidine-ketamine-midazolam (DKM) in five-striped palm squirrels (Funambulus pennantii). ANIMALS 8 male squirrels. PROCEDURES Squirrels were anesthetized with DKM (dexmedetomidine, 0.1 mg/kg; ketamine hydrochloride, 30 mg/kg; and midazolam, 0.75 mg/kg) administered IM. Atipamezole (0.15 mg/kg) and flumazenil (0.1 mg/kg) were administered IM 40 minutes after induction of anesthesia. Vital signs and responses were recorded every 5 minutes during anesthesia. RESULTS Anesthetic induction and recovery from anesthesia were rapid and without complications in all squirrels. Median anesthetic induction time was 67.5 seconds (interquartile [25th to 75th percentile] range, 5.5 seconds), and mean ± SD recovery time after drug reversal was 147 ± 79 seconds. Heart rate, respiratory rate, and rectal temperature significantly decreased during the anesthetic period. All squirrels became hypothermic by 40 minutes after induction. The righting reflex was absent during the 40-minute anesthetic period in all squirrels, with variable responses for the palpebral reflex, jaw tone, forelimb withdrawal reflex, and hind limb withdrawal reflex. Only 2 of 8 squirrels had loss of the limb withdrawal reflex in both the forelimbs and hind limbs from anesthetic induction to 25 minutes after induction. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE DKM appeared to provide safe and effective anesthesia in five-striped palm squirrels, but oxygen and thermal support were indicated. At the doses administered, deep surgical anesthesia was not consistently achieved, and anesthetic depth of individual squirrels must be determined before surgical procedures are performed in palm squirrels anesthetized with this drug combination. </jats:sec