The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Hematologic recovery in Ehrlichia-infected dogs: A meta-analysis of doxycycline’s therapeutic impact

2025-10-14T11:04:11+07:00

Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME), caused by Ehrlichia canis, is a globally prevalent tick-borne disease with significant hematologic manifestations, including anemia and thrombocytopenia. Doxycycline is the first-line treatment, but its effects on hematologic recovery remain inconsistently reported. This meta-analysis evaluates the impact of doxycycline on hematologic parameters in E. canis-infected dogs. A systematic search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and EMBASE. Five studies (one randomized controlled trial, four non-randomized trials) involving 116 dogs were included. Data on erythrocytes, leukocytes (neutrophils, eosinophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes), platelets, hemoglobin, and hematocrit were extracted. Heterogeneity was assessed using I² statistics, and random-effects models were applied where significant heterogeneity existed (I² > 50%). Doxycycline significantly improved hemoglobin levels (MD: -1.98, 95% CI [-3.06, -0.9], P = 0.003), platelet counts (MD: -53.39, 95% CI [-74.94, -31.85], P < 0.001), and hematocrit (MD: -6.48, 95% CI [-8.88, -4.08], P < 0.001) compared to healthy controls. Infected treated dogs also showed higher platelet counts (MD: 53.1, 95% CI [24.63, 81.56], P < 0.001) and hematocrit (MD: 4.96, 95% CI [1.47, 8.45], P = 0.005) than untreated infected dogs. No significant differences were observed in leukocyte, neutrophil, monocyte, lymphocyte, or eosinophil counts (P > 0.05). Doxycycline effectively restores key hematologic parameters in CME, particularly platelets, hemoglobin, and hematocrit, reinforcing its role as the primary treatment. These findings support doxycycline’s role in improving key hematologic alterations in CME; however, limited and inconsistent effects on leukocyte subsets and residual gaps versus healthy controls indicate the need for larger trials to consolidate the outcomes about hematologic recovery.

Polysaccharide from Schisandra chinensis alleviates ulcerative colitis by improving intestinal microbiota abundance and inhibiting the TLR4/p65/IκBα pathway in Dextran sodium sulfate-induced mice

2025-12-09T11:28:34+07:00

Schisandra chinensis polysaccharides (SCP) are isolated from Schisandra chinensis with a mean molecular weight of 32.401 kDa. Previous studies have demonstrated that Schisandra chinensis extract effectively prevented colitis and modulated gut microbiota in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced mice. In this study, 3% DSS was used to induce acute ulcerative colitis in mice, and then the SCP with different doses (50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg) and 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) were used to treat mice by oral gavage for one week. Here, we report for the first time that SCP presents outstanding protective effects on colon damage induced by DSS in mice. Firstly, SCP decreased oxidative stress, downregulated the expression of inflammatory factors, and inhibited the TLR4/p65/IκBα pathway in the colon. Then, SCP reversed DSS-induced intestinal barrier damage by improving the tight junction proteins. Moreover, SCP improved the levels of SCFA in the intestine of mice. Furthermore, SCP increased the diversity of gut microbiota and the abundance of beneficial bacteria, especially Lactobacillus and Akkermansia. Our results indicated that the protective effect of SCP on colitis caused by DSS may be due to inhibiting the TLR4/p65/IκBα pathway and the regulation of gut microbiota.

Extraction and optimization of flavonoids from Elaeagnus pungens Thunb and its potential impact on blood plasma cholesterol in a mouse model

2025-12-09T11:41:14+07:00

Elaeagnus pungens Thunb is a significant source of flavonoids with biological function. This study aims to develop orthogonal tests and alkali alcohol extraction methods for extracting flavonoids from leaves of E. pungens. The levels of factors in the orthogonal test were determined by pre-experiment, and the physiological efficacy was verified by the in vivo test. The results indicated that the optimal extraction yield was 4.07% when the solid-to-liquid ratio was 1:40, the concentration of ethanol was 60%, the extraction temperature was 80℃, and the extraction time was five h. The alkali-alcohol extraction results demonstrated that the extraction yield of flavonoids could be significantly enhanced by different concentrations of alkali-alcohol solution. When the concentration of the alcohol solution was 0.01 mol/L of sodium hydroxide, the extraction efficiency could be increased by 3 times compared with that of the alcohol extraction method. Furthermore, in vivo physiological studies have demonstrated that flavonoid extract from E. pungens had a significant role in reducing the total cholesterol in blood plasma. The findings offer a theoretical and experimental foundation for future research and application of flavonoids derived from E. pungens.

Milk yield performance of local cows, handling practices, physicochemical properties, and milk production constraints in Kucha district, Southern Ethiopia

2025-12-09T11:57:35+07:00

The study assessed milk production performance of local cows, milk handling practices, physicochemical
properties, and milk production constraints in Kucha District, Southern Ethiopia. A purposive and random sampling
technique was employed to select 138 respondents for the interview. For physicochemical property assessment, milk
samples were collected from 90 interviewed households. Majorities (76.7%) of the respondents were males, and the
average family size was 6.82±0.25. Mean daily milk yield (DMY) of 1.80±0.07, 1.94±0.06, and 1.52±0.09 liters was
recorded for local cows, respectively, in early, mid, and late lactation stages. All respondents in the area use hand
milking and wash their hands before milking. Milking was mainly the responsibility of Women (68.9%). Most (94.9%)
respondents store milk for one day using clay and plastic jars. The overall average fat, solid not fat (SNF), protein,
lactose, density (g/mL), and pH were recorded as 4.54±0.13, 8.15±0.22, 3.33±0.07, 4.65±0.12, 1.03±0.00, and 5.70±0.11,
respectively. Feed and land shortage, low milk yield of local cows, disease, water shortage, and lack of credit were the
prominent constraints of dairy farming in the area. Awareness on hygienic milk production, handling, and improved
cattle management practices should be created among the smallholder dairy farmers in the study area.

Molecular identification of Cryptosporidium spp. isolated from dairy calves in the Northern region of Algeria

2025-12-09T12:01:54+07:00

Cryptosporidium spp. is the most frequent agent in Algeria that causes neonatal diarrhea in calves, with high symptomatic diarrhea in pre-weaned dairy calves. The study aims to measure the prevalence, distribution, and genotype of Cryptosporidium-infected calves in one of Algeria's high milk production areas (North Central and Northeast). From 35 dairy cattle farms were selected 172 (77 with diarrheic and 95 without diarrheic symptoms) calves aged less than 60 days. Twenty-three farms (65.71%) were detected with cryptosporidiosis using a modified Ziehl-Neelsen stain, whereby 68 calves (39.53%) were obtained positive. The Copro-ELISA test gave an individual prevalence of (37.66%, 22.11%) in calves with diarrhea and asymptomatic calves, respectively. Fifty positive cases confirmed with the previous tests reconfirmed by the target of S18 gene (SSU rRNA), in addition to the sequencing, were obtained from species C. parvum in all the analyzed samples. The subgenotype of C. parvum was obtained by amplifying the target gene of gp60, successfully confirmed by C. parvum type II (IIaA15G2R, IIaA16G2R1, and IIaA17G2R1). Our results confirmed the frequency of cryptosporidiosis in dairy calves from farms in Northern Algeria, with a pathogenic role in the calves, with potential zoonotic risk from food contamination.

Biofilm formation of a strain of bovine Escherichia coli and analysis of its influencing factors

2025-12-09T12:15:46+07:00

This study investigated the biofilm (BF) formation of a bovine-derived Escherichia coli (E. coli) strain (designated
DL1907) and analyzed the factors influencing its formation. The BF-forming capacity, optimal formation time and
temperature, as well as the effects of different culture media, pH levels, NaCl concentrations, and glucose
concentrations, were assessed using the crystal violet method. The results demonstrated that the strain had a strong
BF-forming capacity, achieving the most intact BF structure after 36 h of culture at 37°C. Trypticase Soy Broth (TSB)
medium promoted the strongest BF formation compared to Luria-Bertani (LB) and Müller-Hinton Broth (MH) media.
The optimal BF growth was achieved at a NaCl concentration of 0.5%, while higher concentrations (> 0.5%) significantly
inhibited BF formation. The strain demonstrated a strong capability for BF formation at pH 7, while acidic or alkaline
conditions significantly impaired its BF-forming capacity. The minimum BF inhibitory concentrations (MBIC) of
baicalin, berberine, andrographolide, and emodin against BF were 512 μg/mL, 64 μg/mL, 64 μg/mL, and 128 μg/mL,
respectively. For the antibiotics, the MBIC values of ceftazidime, kanamycin, enrofloxacin, and florfenicol were 256
μg/mL, 128 μg/mL, 64 μg/mL, and 32 μg/mL, respectively. The above experimental results are intended to provide
data support for the clearance of the isolated strain DL1907 BF.

Comparison of simultaneous measurements of tympanic membrane temperature and rectal temperature in cats

2025-12-09T15:35:41+07:00

Rectal temperature (RT) is commonly used in animals to assess core body temperature. However, felines sometimes respond poorly during RT assessment. Therefore, this study compares RT and simultaneous tympanic membrane temperature (TMT) in cats. Eighty-one cats were included in the study. A digital thermometer and a human auricular infrared thermometer were used for RT and TMT measurements. RT measurement was conducted first, followed immediately by TMT measurements of the both ears. The RTs ranged from 35.9°C to 40.5°C, and the TMTs of the right and left ears ranged from 32.2°C to 39.5°C and 34.0°C to 39.5°C, respectively. The TMT of the right ear and RT were significantly correlated (Pearson R2 = 0.694, P <0.001). There was a significant difference between the TMT of the right ear and RT (P < 0.001). The mean difference of the TMT of the right ear was −0.722°C of the RT. The TMTs of both ears were significantly correlated (Pearson R2 = 0.935, P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the TMTs of the right and left ears (P = 0.131). Forty-five owners (55.56%) felt the cats were more tolerant of TMT than RT measurements. The other thirty-five owners (43.21%) felt there was no difference between the methods. Although the mean TMT was lower than RT, there was a significant correlation between TMT and RT. Veterinarians can use the TMT of either ear to predict the RT. Higher tolerance and shorter measured time may facilitate TMT measurement compared with RT measurement in cats.

Effect of feeding a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation-derived postbiotics on growth performance and intestinal health in the crossbred broiler chickens under a low biosecurity production system

2025-12-09T15:39:10+07:00

Open farming systems with low biosecurity conditions are very common in developing countries. In the context that many countries in the world have issued regulations prohibiting the use of antibiotics for disease prevention, finding effective alternatives becomes more important, especially for farms with low biosecurity. This study aimed to explore the effects of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation-derived postbiotics (SCFP) on growth performance and intestinal health of crossbred broiler chickens raised in a low bio-security production system. One hundred ninety-two 1-day-old chickens were assigned to 2 treatments. Dietary treatments were: 1) a standard basal diet and 2) a standard basal diet containing SCFP (1.25 kg/MT of Diamond V XPC™). The broilers were individually weighed every week. Feed intake was measured daily per pen. At 84 days old, the small intestine was collected for intestinal morphology analyses by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Gut integrity was evaluated by measuring the expression of tight junction genes using qRT-PCR. Results showed that supplementation of SCFP did not affect the average daily gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio (P > 0.05). Similarly, supplementation of SCFP did not change the villus height and crypt depth of intestinal tissues (P > 0.05). Besides, SCFP did not affect the expressions of Claudins, Occludin, ZO1, and JAM but down-regulated E-cadherin expression. Overall, supplementation of SCFP did not affect chicken performance as well as the morphology and tight junction gene expression of intestinal tissues of chickens raised in a low bio-security production system.

Climate and non-genetic effects on goat milk quality and casein prediction using machine learning

2025-12-09T16:17:31+07:00

Milk quality is becoming more and more crucial for farmers with the increasing use of component-based pricing systems in the sector. This study aimed to investigate the effects of climate-related and non-genetic factors on goat milk quality on the island of Northern Cyprus and to predict casein content using machine learning techniques. An analysis was performed on 21,695 goat milk samples collected between 2012 and 2018. Somatic cell count (SCC), standard plate count (SPC), and key milk components such as protein, casein, lactose, and fat were evaluated for different seasons, regions, farm sizes, and raw milk types. Five machine learning models were tested to predict casein content. SCC was significantly affected by year, season, farm size, and milk storage method, with higher values observed in larger farm types and non-chilled milk. On the other hand, the temperature-humidity index (THI) had a negative effect on milk composition, particularly reducing protein, casein, and lactose levels. Among the five machine learning models tested to predict casein content, the Random Forest Regressor achieved the highest accuracy rate (R² = 0.988, RMSE = 0.041). Climate-related factors and farm management practices significantly affected goat milk quality. Combining the climate-adapted management strategies with data-driven forecasting tools can help maintain milk quality under variable environmental conditions.

Re-survey of Blastocystis infection in free-living birds from urban Xinxiang city

2025-12-09T11:06:12+07:00

Blastocystis is the most ubiquitous intestinal protozoan parasite found in humans and animals worldwide. Commonly, ST7 and ST6 are the major Blastocystis subtypes reported in birds, and their frequencies fluctuate greatly with various factors. However, little literature is available on the prevalence and subtype characteristics of this parasite in free-living wild birds in the same city. For this purpose, a total of 114 fresh fecal specimens were collected from wild free-living birds in urban districts of Xinxiang city and tested for Blastocystis using PCR of the barcoding region of the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene. The positive isolates were subsequently subtyped by sequence analysis, and Blastocystis was detected in 19 of the fecal specimens, with a prevalence of 16.7% (19/114), and only ST7 was identified. As a zoonotic subtype, the potential transmission threat of Blastocystis to humans could not be ignored. Interestingly, the findings in the current study were significantly different from the lower prevalence and inconsistent subtypes detected in previous studies, suggesting the incidence of Blastocystis ST7 in birds depends on multiple factors, while simultaneously exposing its non-pathogenic host adaptability.

Seroprevalence of small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLVs) and Peste des petits Ruminants virus (PPRV) in nonvaccinated sheep and goats in Sarawak, Malaysia

2025-12-09T15:28:22+07:00

Small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLVs) and Peste des Petits Ruminants virus (PPRV) are economically important viral diseases that threaten small ruminant production globally. While previous studies have reported their serological status in Peninsular Malaysia, there is limited epidemiological information on their occurrence in East Malaysia. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors of SRLVs and PPRV among nonvaccinated sheep and goats from selected smallholder farms in Sarawak. A total of 245 serum samples collected from sheep (n = 117) and goat (n = 128) were screened using commercial ID Screen® PPR competition (PPRC ver. 0821) and MVV/CAEV indirect (VISNAS ver. 0922) ELISA test kits. The results of ELISA assays indicate 7.4% (95% CI: 4.7-11.3) apparent and 6.9% (95% CI: 4.0-11.3) true seroprevalence for SRLVs and 5.7% (95% CI: 3.4-9.4) apparent and 5.1% (95% CI: 2.6-9.1) true seroprevalence for PPRV in the sample. Further exploratory univariable logistic regression analysis revealed that PPRV seropositivity was significantly associated with the farm management system (OR = 4.176, 95% CI: 1.14-15.36, P = 0.031), indicating a higher risk of exposure in the semi-intensive management system. To the best of our knowledge, this study provides the first preliminary serological evidence of SRLVs and PPRV among nonvaccinated smallholder sheep and goat flocks in Sarawak, suggesting the need for surveillance and a full-scale epidemiological study.

Commercial laying hen farms' general characteristics, environmental management, and biosecurity practices in the sub-arid area of Algeria

2025-12-09T15:57:54+07:00

The success of commercial laying hen farms depends on the possibility of managing environmental conditions properly and performing strict biosecurity measures, which would increase productivity, enhance the performance of the flock, and save money, especially in regions characterized by challenging climatic conditions, such as the sub-arid and arid areas. There is, however, very little literature exploring these issues in the Algerian context. The objective of the study was to assess environmental management and biosecurity practices, and the relationship between these and farm size in the Algerian sub-arid area (northeast Algeria). The face-to-face interviews were conducted between January 2024 and April 2025 among 144 laying hen farmers, who were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Most of the farms had a population of 12,000-40,000 hens (68.06%), with the largest population, at 33.33%, being that of ISA Brown. Findings revealed that numerous critical practices such as light intensity control (χ² = 24.984; P < 0.001), hygrometry regulation (χ² = 45.958; P < 0.001), frequency of manure removal (χ² = 23.386; P < 0.001), environmental management systems (χ² = 45.958; P < 0.001), wheel dips (χ² = 61.714; P < 0.001), maintenance of footbath (χ² = 71.324; P < 0.001), shoe changing protocols (χ² = 45.958; P < 0.001), compliance for fallow period (χ² = 26.128; P < 0.001), wild bird and rodent control (χ² = 32.863; P < 0.001), and disposal of carcass (χ² = 82.505; P < 0.001) were poorly applied, especially in small-sized farms (<12,000 hens and 12,000–40,000 hens). In comparison, larger farms (>40,000 hens in size) had comparatively high compliance, likely due to their financial capacity and resource availability. Comprehensively, the results show that environmental management and biosecurity activities in the study area are deficient. Specific measures, such as farmer training and raising awareness levels, are the most urgent methods to encourage the adoption of these necessary practices and protect the health of poultry and farm productivity.