3^rd International Veterinary Congress August 18-20, 2016 London, UK

Sarah Gardner has completed her PhD at Bradford University in 2001 and spent two years doing Postdoctoral Research at St James University Hospital in Leeds. Since then she has worked as a Primary Teacher, then as a Technician and Animal Science Lecturer at Writtle College, UK. She has published seven papers in reputable journals and presented at numerous conferences in the UK and abroad.

Lack of dental treatment leads to periodontal diseases which are one of the most common health problems in companion dogs today; although there are many products on the market claiming to prevent dental diseases such as dental diets, dental chews and mouthwash, information states that brushing dogs teeth with canine toothpaste provides the best protection. However, there is a lack of research supporting this statement. In this study Beaphar enzymatic canine toothpaste was used to investigate its efficiency on the oral microbiota of dogs. The number of colony forming units/ml were measured on nutrient agar before brushing (BB), after brushing (AB) and two hours after brushing (2H). The thirteen dogs used in this research were selected randomly based on age, breed, gender and background of treatment. Additionally, the dog owners completed a questionnaire to gain extra information about the dogs. Each individual dog displayed a unique profile of colony forming units/ml made up of a range of bacterial species. However some exhibited a very different bacterial profile at 2H. The majority of dogs displayed more bacteria before brushing than the two swabs after. There was no significant difference in colony number when the dogs were grouped according to size (two-way ANOVA, p<0.05) or compared with each individual (Friedman test, p<0.05). Gram staining, catalase and oxidase tests identified common colonies as presumptive Bacteroides and Fusobacterium. Further research is needed to gain a greater understanding of how toothpaste affects the canine oral microflora in addition for further identification of the bacteria present.

Tanay Bilal has completed her PhD from Istanbul University. She is a Lecturer and Chief in the Department of Animal Nutrition & Nutritional Diseases. She has published more than 59 papers in various journals.

Sanguinaria canadensis L (bloodroot), an herbalceous perennial that contains benzophenanthridine alkaloids, including sanguinarine and dihydrosanguinarine, has attracted interest for their antioxidant, antimicrobial and antiinflammatory properties. Mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS) is derived from the cell wall of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It was reported that MOS had effects on digestive system in animals such as protection of microfloral balance, activation of immune system and binding of mycotoxins. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of the supplementation of Sanguinaria canadensis and/or MOS on body weight and serum total antioxidant activity in broilers under heat stress. A total of 72 one-day-old Ross 308 broilers were randomly assigned to 8 pens in two environmentally controlled rooms (4 pens per room). The dietary treatments were: Basal diet (control), basal diet plus 1 g/kg of the Sanguinaria canadensis, basal diet plus 1 g/kg of MOS, basal diet plus 1 g/kg of the Sanguinaria canadensis and 1 g/kg of MOS. At 15 days of age, the chickens in one of the two rooms were exposed to heat stress (34±2 oC) for 6 hours, while the chickens in another room were continuously kept in normal thermal environment, serving as control treatment (22±2 oC). Chicks were provided with ad libitum access to feed and water during the experimental period (42 days). The live weights of chicks were recorded at 21 and 42 day of the experiment. The blood samples were collected on day 42. During the study, body weights were significantly different and these differences were depended on diet and heat (p<0.001). Groups exposed to heat stress had lower body weights, however, the supplementation of Sanguinaria canadensis and MOS improved this situation positively. During the study, it was also determined that there was an interaction between diet and heat (respectively, p<0.024 and p<0.001). With regard to serum antioxidant analysis, differences between groups were significant for CUPRAC analysis results (p<0.01) and unsignificant for ABTS analysis results. However, it was determined that heat exposure had significant effect in both method (respectively, p<0.001 and p<0.05).

Yoon-Joo Shin is currently a PhD student from Seoul National University. She has researched some problematic behaviors of companion dogs and she is especially interested in separation anxiety and behaviors related to low sociability.

Separation anxiety (SA) is a serious behavioral problem in dogs. Salivary cortisol was studied to determine whether the owner’s odor or voice can reduce stress in dogs becoming anxious separated from owners. Twenty eight dogs with SA were divided into three groups: Group 1 (control), Group 2 (with owner’s clothes during separation period, SP) and Group 3 (a recording of the owner’s voice was played during SP). The dog’s saliva was collected after the owner and their dog were in the experimental room for 5 min (PRE). Then, the dog was separated from owner for 20 min while saliva was collected four times at intervals of 5 min (SP1-4). Finally, the owner was allowed back into the room to calm the dog for 5 min, after which saliva was collected (POST). Salivary cortisol concentration was obtained by ELISA and the results were statistically analyzed. The ratios of SP1 concentration to PRE or POST concentrations were significantly higher in group 1 compared to those in group 2 or 3. The differences in concentrations between SP1 and PRE, or POST among groups, there were significant differences. The owner’s odor or voice may be helpful in managing stress in dogs with SA.

Chunhe Guo has completed his PhD and Postdoctoral studies from Sun Yat-sen University, China. He focuses on the pathogenesis and control of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus and has published more than 8 papers (total impact factor: 17.63) in reputed journals as the first author.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) continues to cause substantial economic losses to the pig industry worldwide. Although vaccines are commercially available for the control of PRRSV infection, no vaccination regimen has been proved sustained success in terms of generating a protective immune response. Therefore, the development of novel antivirals is urgently needed. Here, we demonstrate heparan sulfate (HS) exhibits robust antiviral activity against PRRSV infection by suppressing virus RNA and protein synthesis in both Marc-145cells and porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs), the major target cell type of PRRSV infection in pigs in vivo. The inhibitory effect of HS occurred during viral attachment and the early period of viral entry into Marc-145 cells. HS also attenuated virus-induced apoptosis during the late phase of PRRSV infection and suppressed virus release in Marc-145 cells. Furthermore, in PAMs, HS was capable of inducing IL-6 expression, which might contribute to the inhibition of PRRSV infection. Collectively, our findings provide a new direction for the development of potential therapeutic drugs against PRRSV infection.

Aysen Altiner has completed her PhD from Istanbul University. She is a lecturer in the Department of Biochemistry. She has published more than 40 papers in various journals.

Background: Anti-obesity foods and food ingredients are effective in reducing the accumulation of fat in the body and can prevent diseases associated with lifestyle. One of them is Spirulina platensis (Spirulina), a blue green algae/cyanobacterium.

Aim of the study: To investigate whether Spirulina has the improver effects on serum lipoprotein (a), apolipoprotein A1 and apolipoprotein B levels in rats fed hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) and/or cholesterol.

Methods: 64 male-mature rats were separated into 8 equal groups. Control group was fed a standard semi-purified diet. Supplementations of other groups fed same semi-purified diet were as follows: Trial 1, 43% HVO; Trial 2, 10% cholesterol; Trial 3, 43% HVO + 10% cholesterol; Trial 4, 3% Spirulina; Trial 5, 43% HVO + 3% Spirulina; Trial 6, 10% cholesterol + 3% Spirulina and Trial 7, 43% HVO + 10% cholesterol + 3% Spirulina. Bloods were taken from all rats on Days 30 and 60.

Results: Serum lipoprotein (a) was significantly lower in Trials 3 and 4 than in Control and Trial 6 on Day 60. Serum apolipoprotein A1 was higher in Trial 6 than in Trials 1, 2 and 3 on Day 30, although it was higher in Trials 3 and 4 than in Trial 1 on Day 60. Serum apolipoprotein B was higher in Control and Trials 3, 4, 6 and 7 than in Trials 1, 2 and 5 on Day 30, although it was higher in Control and Trials 3, 5 and 7 than in Trial 6 on Day 60.

Conclusion: All levels were within normal ranges. Spirulina added to feed significantly decreased serum lipoprotein (a) levels compared to the control group, whereas Spirulina + HVO or cholesterol did not show a significant lowering effect upon serum lipoprotein (a) levels. Moreover, the improver effect of Spirulina upon serum apolipoprotein A1 and B levels was not observed. The rate of Spirulina used in this study may not be sufficient. The study should be repeated by increasing the rate of Spirulina.

Kang Runmin has completed her PhD from Sichuan University and working in Sichuan Animal Science Academy. She is currently a Research Assistant. She mainly study on host susceptibility of various swine breeds to infection of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus through viral challenge study and transcriptomic analysis of lungs of various swine breeds infected with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus through viral challenge study. She has published more than 3 papers in reputed journals.

Previous reports showed that infection of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) stimulated a variable host response and pig susceptibility to PRRSV was largely dependent on its genetic composition. In the present study, host susceptibility of Tibetan pig to PRRSV was compared with other two pig breeds, ZangMei black and Large White by challenge of them with highly pathogenic PRRSV (HP-PRRSV). In the first challenge test, each eight piglets of the three breeds were inoculated with HP-PRRSV and clinical symptoms, viremia and animal mortality were examined up to 28 days post inoculation (DPI). In the secondary pathological study, each twelve piglets of the three breeds were challenged and three pigs of each breed were sacrificed on 4, 7 and 14 DPI for examination of gross damage and lung microscopic lesions. The results showed that no typical clinical signs such as cough, diarrhea and high fever were observed in challenged Tibetan pigs, which however all occurred in Large White accompanied with 40% mortality (3/8). In addition, a significant low and short viremia was detected specifically in Tibetan pigs. Based on histopathological analysis of lung sections, a mild to moderate interstitial pneumonia in Tibetan pigs and a much severe pneumonia in Large White were identified on 7-14 DPI. In summary, the study demonstrated that three genetically different pig breeds exhibited a differential host susceptibility to HP-PRRSV and Tibetan pig was much less susceptible to the virus in the three tested pig breeds.

Uwagie Ero Edwin Aihanuwa has completed his PhD from University of Nigeria. He is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Veterinary Surgery at the University of Benin, Nigeria. He has published papers in reputed journals. He is currently involved in Research on the cellular mechanism involved in bone regeneration and repair.

New bone-forming activity of injectable native bovine BMP extracted from cadaveric bones obtained from the abattoir was tested after SDS gel electrophoresis to identify the molecular weights of the extract in the goat thigh muscle pouch model. The bio assayed proteins was further used to study the effects of bovine BMP in an absorbable collagen sponge (ACS)/hydroxyapatite implant on bone healing in a large animal tibia fracture model. Open tibial fractures were created in 20 adult goats with loss of 1.5 cm segment of the bone. A group (10 goats) were treated with an implant of the study device (0.2 mg of extracted bovine BMP/ACS/Hydroxyapatite) while the other group (10 goats) were treated with an implant of buffer/ACS/Hydroxyapatite). The devices were implanted as a mould in the segmental defects. The animals were monitored for callus formation which was measured on radiographs and mean callus indexes determined. Histomorphologic evaluation was also performed. Radiographs indicated increased callus at 3 weeks in the extracted bovine BMP/ACS/Hydroxyapatite treated tibia. At 6 weeks, the extracted bovine BMP/ACS/Hydroxyapatite treated tibia had superior radiographic healing scores compared to the control group. The extracted bovine BMP/ACS/Hydroxyapatite treated tibiae produced significantly larger volume of callus (p<0.02) compared to the buffer/ACS/Hydroxyapatite treated tibia. Total callus and new bone volume was significantly increased (p<0.02) in the extracted bovine BMP/ACS/Hydroxyapatite treated tibia compared with buffer/ACS/Hydroxyapatite groups. Extracted bovine BMP/ACS/Hydroxyapatite altered the timing of onset of periosteal/endosteal callus formation compared to controls.