núm. 16 (2008)

This work has arisen out of the questioning that is derived from daily life, my experience as a student and as a person, and general interest in a perceived lack of knowledge and understanding of the legal norms, conventions and ethical practices associated with veterinary practice and the protection of animals, as held by students, professors and professionals in this area. The global tendency is directed towards greater consciousness and sensitivity with regards to scientific and technological progress; from here do we observe society’s preoccupation with its role in the face of these motors, affected also by a crisis afflicting our value system and general guidance surrounding collective behavior, encompassing rights, including the right to life. It is why we require normative ethics, not to force action but to provide a reference unto which we can analyze and plan our actions as professionals facing our social reality, and our relationship with others. Including Animal Rights as part of ethics and bio-ethics within the field of social formation of the professional confirms an interest in opening up areas of reflection and discussion regarding human personal and professional behavior, framed by our responsibilities and duties towards continued technological and biotechnological development and the social and political responsibility which we hold true. In proceeding in a manner that befits this responsibility, we will help to ensure that in the future, mistakes committed in the past are not repeated, and that we continue to advance and progress living in a world in which man and animal can live in harmony in what is a finite planet. In the past it was assumed that Animal Law was associated purely with the affinity, affection and sentiment held by humans towards other species, today the issue is formulated and characterised by a judicial, philosophical, political and also moral character that constitutes an area that causes much controversy within these fields.

Tannins are polyphenolic compounds found in many angiosperms, especially in legumes from the temperate and tropical regions. They are used by plants as a defense mechanism against being grazed by herbivores, against pathogens, and for nitrogen conservation. One of its main features is the capacity to form complex and reversible compounds with protein. There are two main groups of tannins: hydrolysable and condensed. Condensed tannins may have, either, toxic and antinutritional or beneficial effects depending on plant concentration. Reports showed that moderate amounts of condensed tannins have beneficial impacts on protein metabolism in ruminant’s nutrition, as they reduce protein ruminal degradation and increase amino acids absorption in the small intestine. Based on this information it has been suggested the use of tannins in ruminant’s diets, despite the contradictory results presented by various researchers about pros and cons when used in animal nutrition. Tannins increase body gain weight and wool production, improves reproductive efficiency in ewes, and reduces the impact of gastrointestinal parasitism and the incidence of bloat. On the other hand, some of the negative effects reported include reduction of the voluntary feed intake explained as a reduced palatability due to the astringency in saliva, affecting digestion and consequently, growth. The effects of condensed tannins over the digestive process are related with its capacity to bind with different molecules depending on its chemical structure and of the structure of molecules like cellulose, digestive enzymes, proteins, sugars and the membrane of bacteria and fungi.

The present work compiles useful information about the acid base status of venous blood samples from 38 adult dogs at rest, located at 2.600 mosl. The available information at present comes from investigations done in other countries, or according to animal activity, or others at high altitude conditions. The present values were compared with reference range for healthy dogs and canine athletes from colombian and foreign investigations. It was possible to establish that electrolyte concentrations as sodium (1428 mmol/L) and chloride (11913 mmol/L) were different from reported ones at Bogotá; although sodium, chloride, potassium and ionized calcium concentrations did not change compared with different studies. Aniongap and blood pH values did not change according to values of reference, whereas the concentration of bicarbonate was near the upper range. This fact is related to increase of relation HCO3-:CO2d. Calculated plasma osmolality was nearby to lowest limit with a trend to hypoosmolality.

The present study was carried out in order to evaluate the immunomodulator effect of E.coli lipopolisacharide and inactivated cells of Propionibacterium granulosum applied in mares in the last stage of gestation. Serum IgG and IgM concentration was evaluated in colts after calostrum consume. Morbility, mortality and weighs at day old and post weaning were evaluated. Positive effect of the product was observed under the condition of this study.

A case of idiopathic renal hematuria was described in a 7.5-year-old Napolitan Mastil canine that was taken to the veterinary due its hematuria with several months of evolution. The blood and urine tests and the imagenealogy aids (X-rays and ecography), were not useful to indicate a diagnosis. Hence, an exploratory celiotomy was recommended and after chateterizing the ureters from the inside of the bladder it was established that the bleeding came from the right kidney which was extirpated along with its ureter. There were carried out exams of histopatology of the extirpated kidney, being nefrosis and a widespread degenerative process to bark level and renal marrow. The hematuria was not solved during the postoperatory process, possibly because it had bilateral origin, the patient died of another non related cause, and it was not possible to evaluate the left kidney.

The objective of this investigation was to compare the influence of the supplements in the maturation medium of oocytes and the later fertilization. The proven supplements were the bovine fetal serum (BFS), the cow serum in estrous (CSE), the newborn precalostral serum (NPS) and the mare serum in estrous (MSE). The oocytes were obtained from ovariums of public supply cows. The ovariums were carried in saline solution with a temperature of 37 °C. Once the ovariums arrived to laboratory they were washed in hypochlorite and sodium chloride 9% during five minutes and after that, aspirated. The oocytes were deposited in the different maturation mediums in which n=108 oocytes were deposited by each treatment. Once the oocytes were matured they were deposited in fecundation mediums by 18 hours. After that time, oocytes were passed to the means of maturation of embryos which consisted of PBS+SFB 10%. To the sixth day the obtained embryos were observed to the microscope and carried out to the respective count. This study was analyzed by stadistic method of CHI squared. There were significant differences among the serums with regard to the maturation and fertilization of oocytes.

Leptospirosis is a disease that affects both animals and humans; produces economic losses, and the human produce inespecific signs of bleeding to kidney damage. This study investigated the presence of antibodies of serovars L. gryppotiphosa, L. icterohaemorragiae L. pomona, L. bratislava, L. canicola and L. hardjo, in wild animals captured through type Sherman and Tomahawk traps over 8 months, covering an area of 107,800 m2, using the methodology of lineal fixed transects and the use of food as bait attractive to these species. The 23 individuals caught of 7 different spe-cies were sampled for obtaining serum and carry out laboratory testing using the technique of Microaglutination Test (MAT). Of the 23 individuals captured, we found evidence of the presence of Leptospira in 16 of them. In terms of punctual prevalence, this is equivalent to 69,56% (16/23). All serovars showed positive for the majority of the target population: to serovar L. hardjo 2 were positive, to L. pomona 4, to L. Icterohaemorragiae 12, to L. bratislava 3, to L. canicola 5, and to L. grippotyphosa 1, finding a prevalence for serological serovar L. icterohaemorragiae. (44,44%).

The purpose of this paper is to made a retrospective analysis of skin neoplasm in dogs, which was found at La Salle University during a period of five years. This study was made with data’s given by the histopathology and diagnostic area of La Salle University located at Bogotá, Colombia. The register record has the following five characteristics: diagnostic, sex, age, breed, malice and tumor localization. The cases were grouped based in type of neoplasm to determined their characteristics and behavior of this pathologies. During this period accumulated 192 cases in total. The average age of the patients was 6,5 years, it was found that Boxer was the most injury breed with a 19,1% (32 dogs), following the Labrador with 13% (26 dogs) and Poodle with 15% (22 dogs); the males also was the most injury with 58% (108 dogs). The tumors that had the major incidence were the Mast cell tumor (26,2% in 2003 and 20% in 2002) and the Histiocytoma (12,3% in 2003 and 10% in 2002) the other neoplasm that appears in this study was the Lipoma, Trichoepithelioma, Squamous cell carcinoma and Papilloma.