Iraqi Journal of Veterinary Sciences

The present study demonstrated for the first time the occurrence of dermatophytosis in naturally infected rats and from
asymptomatic and from breeding boxes of white rats kept in animal housing of college of Veterinary Medicine, University of
Dohuk, Iraq. The prevalence rate of infection was (28%), clinically infected rats characterized by appearance of scaly ovoid
type lesions with crusty edge and patch of hair loss mostly seen on the back, neck and face of the infected rats, itching was
reported in some rats. Only one species of the trichophyton, T. mentogrophytes var mentogrophytes was isolated with growth
rate (85.71%) of samples collected from clinically infected rats, and (28.57%) from asymptomatic and from breeding cages,
the growth was observed within the 21 days at 25ºC on Sabouraud's Dextrose Agar. Lacto phenol cotton blue staining slides of
T. mentogrophytes var mentogrophytes revealed both microconidia and macroconidia. Microconidia found in numerous
numbers often in dense cluster which were hyaline, smooth walled and predominantly spherical to sub spherical in shape,
varying numbers of chlamydoconidia. Spiral hyphae and smooth, thin walled clavate shaped multicelled macroconidia were
also present. The study also dealt with experimental infection in rabbits with T. mentogrophytes var mentogrophytes and
treated by two drugs, natural herbal preparation of acidic pomegranate (Punica granatum) fruit and synthetic nystatine
ointment. The complete recovery of lesions was recorded after 14 days and 21 days of topical application of a pomegranate
and nystatine ointment for 5 successive days respectively

The protective and therapeutic effects of the H1–antihistamine chlorpheniramine against an acute poisoning induced by
organophosphorus insecticide dichlorvos in a 7–14 days old chicks model were evaluated and compared with that of the
standard antidote atropine. Chlorpheniramine or atropine at 20 mg/kg, intramuscularly (i.m.) given immediately after oral
dichlorvos dosing increased the LD50 value of dichlorvos (10.85 mg/kg, orally) in the chicks by 77 and 123 %, respectively.
Chlorpheniramine at 20 mg/kg, i.m. given immediately after dichlorvos (12 mg/kg, orally) significantly delayed the onset of
acute signs, time of death, decreased toxicity score and increased the percentages of survivors (62.5 %) during 2 and 24 h after
dichlorvos dosing. The antidotal effect of chlorpheniramine and atropine groups at a dose of 20 mg/kg, i.m. given immediately
after oral dichlorvos were close to each other in delaying the onset signs of poisoning and time of death. They also
significantly increased the percentages of survivors and decreased of toxicity scores. Chlorpheniramine at 20 mg/kg, i.m.
significantly decreased plasma (34%) and brain (52%) cholinesterase activities in comparison with the control group.
Dichlorvos dosing at 8 mg/kg, orally significantly reduced plasma (83%) and brain (93%) cholinesterase activities in
comparison with the control and chlorpheniramine groups. Chlorpheniramine given after dichlorvos dosing significantly
protected the plasma and brain cholinesterase from further decreased in its activities caused by dichlorvos dosing by 29 and
41%, respectively. In conclusion, the study suggests that chlorpheniramine have a protective and therapeutic effects in case of
dichlorvos poisoning in chicks resembling that of atropine.

This study was performed to compare three methods of esophageal anastomosis. Twenty four healthy adult dogs were
used in this study. The animals were divided into three groups; each one consisted of 8 animals. In group 1; two layers were
used to perform the esophageal anastomosis. The first layer represented simple interrupted suture to close the mucosa with
knot inside the lumen, and the second layer represented horizontal mattress interrupted suture to close the other layers of
esophagus. While in group 2; one layer of cross interrupted mattress suture was used to close all layers of esophageal wall, and
in group 3; one layer of Schmieden's suture was used to close all layers of esophageal wall. The results of clinical, radiological
and histopathological studies after 15 and 30 days of surgical operation revealed that most of the animals showed different
degrees of difficulty concerning the moderate dysphagia and regurgitation. The radiological study showed significant
difference of stenosis. The best results were recorded in the second group where the mean degree of stenosis was 7.69%,
however the mean degree of stenosis was 42.80% in the first group, while the mean degree of stenosis in the third groups was
37.81%, through 30 days. The histopathological study of group 2 showed rapid healing of the site of anastomosis, lack of
granulation tissue and consequently the less degree of stricture and other complications as compared with groups 1 and 3. The
Schmieden's suture was characterized by its standard short time as compared with group 1 and 2, although accompanied by
some complications. In conclusion this study revealed that the cross mattress suture used in the second group characterized by
faster healing and minimal amount of fibrous tissue formation manifested by decrease in moderate degree of stenosis as
compared with the two other suture patterns used in the first and third groups.

A comparative evaluation of three different techniques of laparoscopic ovariectomy was carried out in 33 healthy female in
rabbits, which included resection and removal of ovary after clip application, electrocautery of the ovary, then resection, and
pulling ovary outside abdomen, ligation by silk, then ovary was removed. The ovaries and associated structures were better
visualized by laparoscopy and all three techniques were carried out perfectly. All rabbits after operation were healthy and they
were monitored for one month after operation. However, 3 of them died after operation, two of them died due to bleeding and
the other of them died due to unknown causes. General anesthesia by using ketamine-xylazine i.m., was suitable for this
technique, and the anesthesia provided good analgesia and good muscle relaxation. CO2 was used to establish
pneumoperitoneum. In conclusion, resection and removal of the ovaries after clip application technique was found superior to
the other two techniques.

In randomized block design, 58 indigenous black mountain goats were examined for the effect of different hormonal
treatments in inducing oestrus on selected biochemical characteristics of blood serum that were (aspartate transaminase, AST.
Alanine transaminase ALT, Akaline phosphatase, ALP, total protein, albumin and total cholesterol). The animals were
randomly assigned into four groups according to their treatment. The control group (C) consisted of 10 females whereas the
rest of the groups, each consisted of 12 females. The treatments included a double PGF2α (Dinoprost tromethamine)
intramuscular injection (5 mg) at a time interval of 11 days plus an intramuscular injection of pregnant mare serum (PMSG)
(400I. Uand 600I. U.) two days before second injection for (treatments, TI, T2) respectively. Treatment (T3) was as that of T1
except PMSG was not injected. T4 was treated as T3 plus an intramuscular injection of gonadotropin releasing hormone
(GnRH) (12. 5µg) after 24 hours of second injection of PGF2α was added. The results indicated that oestrus was higher
(P<0.05) in all treatment groups (100%, 91%, 100%, 100%) respectively than that of control group (70%). There was a
significant effect (P<0.05) of hormonal treatment on kidding rate in which the ratio were (116%, 115%, 75% and 83%) for
treatment groups respectively in comparison with 70% for control group, also there was significant effect (P<0.05) of
hormonal treatment on litter size in (T3). There were significant increases in activity of AST, ALT, during late pregnancy and
the first week of parturition, whereas the activity of ALP enzyme was increased during early pregnancy. The concentration of
total protein, total cholesterol and albumin were increased (P<0.05) during late stage of pregnancy and then decreased during
the first week after parturition. It was concluded that administrating of PGF2α to does on this synchronization regimen in the
natural breeding season is desirable.

The study was done on the skin of native buffalo to detect the value of hair density in different regions of the body. This
included cranial back, lateral and medial surfaces of the limbs, abdomen, scrotum and the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the
tail. The skin specimens were fixed in alcoholic Bouins solution and processed routinely. The degree of shrinkage was
calculated at the end of histological processing. The hair density was calculated from the prepared horizontal sections, stained
with hematoxylin and eosin. The hair density ranged between 2.65-4.9 hair follicles/mm² according to the different studied
body regions. Using the correction factor for each region, the actual hair density was calculated to be ranged between 1.58-3.2
hair follicles/ mm² in different studied regions. It was found that the hair density in the dorsal surface of the tail, back, lateral
surfaces of limbs was more than the hair density in the ventral surface of the tail, abdomen, scrotum and medial surfaces of the
limbs. Hair follicles are characterized by variable sizes and their indefinite grouping arrangement, although some doublets or
triplets groups were detected in some regions.

Suckling pups of rats from dams treated with betamethasone 0.3, 0.6, 1.2 mg/kg, i.p. given once daily for 10 consecutive
days (first nursing period) demonstrated in a dose – dependent manner significant decreased (P<0.05) the percentage of
survival of the pups to weaning, body weight, index of development, whereas brain, heart, kindey, lung,liver / body weight
ratio significantly increased (P<0.05) as well as delays in physical maturation (ear opening, fur development, tooth eruption,
eye opening) in the pups. Swimming scores on postnatal day 9, 13, 15, 17, 20 was significantly decreased (P<0.05) in
offspring from mothers treated with betamethasone 1.2 mg/kg, i.p. In conclusion, the results suggest that betamethasone
induced developmental toxic effects in suckling pups exposed to its through the milk.

The aim of the present study was assessment of gross and microscopic pathological changes resulting from sub acute and
sub chronic toxicity of carbon tetrachloride CCl4 (99.5%) in the liver of chicken and its relation with serum alanine
aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels. The approximate lethal dose in three weeks old chickens
was equal to (994 mg/kg i.p.). In the sub acute toxicity experiment the given dose was (497 mg/kg i.p.) twice a week for one
week, the liver of treated animals with CCl4 grossly appeared pale and mottled with white yellowish color patches represent
the necrotic tissue, the histopathological changes was severe hepatitis with infiltration of inflammatory cells specially
heterophiles and diffused coagulative necrosis. In sub chronic toxicity experiment the dose was given (248.5 mg/kg i.p.) twice
a week for eight weeks, in gross appearance the liver was severely congested, the histopathological changes was hypertrophy
of hepatocytes, hyperplasia of lining epithelium of bile ducts and chronic venous congestion, growth depression and significant
decreased in the body weight of the treated animals also noticed at this experiment in compared with control group, a
significant increased in (ALT) and (AST) activities also recorded. The results suggests that pathological changes and response
of the chicken’s liver to the CCl4 toxicity relatively differs from other laboratory animal models like rats and mice when used
approximate dose in the same duration of exposure, so it didn’t appear fibrosis or cirrhosis of the liver of chickens, therefore it
can't use chickens as a model to induce experimental fibrosis or liver cirrhosis when treated with CCl4 according to the dose
and duration of exposure of this study.

Competitive ELISA test was used in this study to identify brucella antibodies in cattle sera in Mosul, and assessing the
results that are given by Rose-Bengal test. Results of testing 126 cattle sera revealed that the seroprevalence was 16.7%
using C-ELISA and 18.3% using RBT. There were differences in seroprevalence according to sex of animals, females
showed higher seroprevalence than males, it was 19.1% and 20.2% in females and 9.4% and 12.5% in males by C-ELISA
and RBT respectively. Also there were differences in seroprevalence according to age of animals and pregnancy status of
females. Kappa value revealed that there was little agreement between C-ELISA and RBT, (Kappa value was 0.229). RBT
was not accurate in giving real seroprevalence, since there were 13 false-negative samples from 21 samples positive with
C-ELISA, and there were 15 false-positive samples from 105 samples negative with C-ELISA. Results of tube
agglutination test and 2-Mercaptoethanol test indicated a decline of titers from those of previous studies, lower titer of
TAT was 1/10 (19.05%) and most of titers were lower than 1/40 (76.2%) in 2-Me test. This study concluded that the
brucella antibodies in cattle sera in Mosul was increased from previous years and most of cases were acute.

The aim of the study was to find the prevalence of brucellosis antibodies in individual cases of ewes and goats (3-8 weeks
after parturition) using indirect ELISA test in raw milk in different areas of Mosul, and using Rose Bengal test in serum
samples of same flocks of sheep and goats. Examination of 211 raw milk samples represented (1906) sheep and examination
of 88 raw milk samples represented 102 goats randomly collected from individual cases. The study included examination of
blood sera of 211 sheep and 88 goats. The prevalence of milk samples in ewes and does positive to antibodies of brucellosis
was 6.6% and 11.3%, respectively. Highest percentage was in Al-hamdania area (20%), and lowest in Googjaly area (3.3%),
but non recorded in Basheka, Bazwaya and shrazad areas. Examination of raw milk of does showed the highest percentage
(22%) was in Al- Namrood area, and lowest (5%) in Hay-Alarabi area. Results of Rose Bengal test in serum samples of ewes
and does were 8.5% and 5.8%, respectively. It is concluded that ELISA test on raw milk in individual cases can be considered
a confirmatory screening test the with the Rose Bengal test in diagnosis of brucellosis in parturated ewes and does.

The prevalence of suppurative arthritis in one hundred sheep from both sexes and different ages were studied. Aspiration of
synovial fluid from knee joint of animals showed signs of lameness with reluctant to move in addition to decrease in the body
weight and loss of appetite. Physical and bacterial examination of the synovial fluid was revealed green color, turbid and
containing pus. Mucin clot showed difference in degree of clotting, and increased number in leukocyte, neutrophile but
decreased in lymophocytes and monocyte. The result showed that Streptococcus dysagalactiae was predominate 61.1% while
Arcanobacterium pyogenes and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the less 5.5%, also the result showed that all the strains were
more sensitive to the Ciprofloxacin. This study is considered to be the first attempt to isolate bacteria from Sheep joints in
Mosul-Iraq.

The aim of this study was to determine the bacteria associated with hydrosalpinx and pyosalpinx. 260 genital tract
specimens collected from Mosul abattoir randomly. Examination of specimens showed that18 genital tracts were affected with
hydrosalpinx and 7 were suffering from pyosalpinx. Specimens were collected for bacterial examination from oviductal fluid
for hydrosalpinx and pyosalpinx and also swabs were taken from oviduct and uterus from same specimen. Samples were taken
from oviduct and uterus for histological examination. The results of this study showed the prevalence of hydrosalpinx was
6.92% and unilateral case was 61.1 % (n=11) while the prevalence of pyosalpinx was 2.69% and in unilateral case was 57.1%
(n=4). The bacteriological examination show no bacterial growth in 13 specimen (72.2%) in hydrosalpinx while bacterial
growth in pyosalpinx 100%. The results of this study revealed no bacteria isolated from hydrosalpinx compared with bacteria
isolated from uterus in same specimens and most frequent bacteria isolated were Actinomyces bovis and Escherichia coli in
percentage (25.0%), (37.5%) respectively , The histological examination show no inflammatory reaction in hydrosalpinx
associated with endometritis while Archanobacterium pyogenes isolated pyosalpinx in high percentage (33.3%), and there
were an inflammatory changes in oviduct tissue in pyosalpinx with inflammatory reaction in uterus which effected with
endometritis. It could be concluded that the hydrosalpinx caused by inflammation of uterus which extend to tube junction with
accumulation of fibrin leading to closure of oviduct due to fluid accumulation while pyosalpinx is a result of inflammation of
uterus and extending to oviduct leading to salpingitis and accumulation of pus and closing of the oviduct.

Composting offers a convenient and environmentally acceptable safe, effective method for the disposal of carcasses as an
alternative method to burning, burial and rendering. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a natural biological products containing an effective microorganisms namily; Lactic acid bacill (Lactobacillus plantarum; L. casei Streptococcus
Lactis.), Photosynthetic bacteria (Rhodopseudomonas palustris; Rhodobacter sphaeroides),Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae;
Candida utilis Toula, Pichia Jadinii, Actinomycetes (Streptomyces albus; S. griseus.), and Fermenting fungi (Aspergillus
oryzae; Mucor hiemalis) in the composting activity of poultry carcasses. The composting stacks constitute multi alternative
layers of wood shaves, hay, poultry carcasses and then wood shaves and so on. The layers have been bypassed with plastic
tubes for oxygen supply. Moreover, a petri dishes of salmonella and E. coli colonies were introduced within poultry carcasses
layer. After 8 days of the experimental period this study follows the physical properties of the composting process according to
its odor intesity, color and pH level as well as the bacterial reisolation from the stored colonies. Results indicate that the
biological products increase the temperature of the composting stack (66-68° C) with a minimal odors as the pH meters
recording 5.4 as compared to the control composting stack (52-64° C and pH 6.8 with offender odors). On the other hand ,the
biological product inhibit the bacterial reisolation offers since the 10the day of the experiment, however, in the normal
composting stack that periods will prolonged till the 17 days of the experiment. Interestingly, the biological product induce
high and rapid digestable rate for the poultry carcasses which shown within 25 days of the experiment, in comparison to the
normal composting stack which induce that effects in 60 days. In conclusion, the addition of effective microorganism to the
composting substances led to efficient and fast composting process in temperature, acidity and the power of biosecurity in
hygienic bioremedication.