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Laminitis is a crippling disease of horses resulting from faiure of the digital laminae, which suspend the distal pedal bone and hence the axial skeleton within the hoof capsule. This disease affects about 2% of all horses in US and there is no effective therapeutic agent. Failure of the laminae results from detachment of the epidermal and demal layers of the tissue which allows the distal phalanx to rotate and sink within the hoof capsule. These layers are joined at a basement membrane which is anchored to epithelial cells of the epidermal tissue by integrins. My studies focus on laminitis associated changes in this junctionl complex. The experimental model for my research is healthy horses administered a pro-laminitis gastric bolus of corn starch/wood flour gruel (CHO). Here, I have shown that: (i) In the laminae of healthy horses laminar basal epithelial cells are packed with the metalloproteinase ADAMTS-4 and its proteoglycan substrates versican and aggrecan. Suprabasal epithelial cells are also packed with aggrecan but not versican, making versican a specific basal epithelial cell differentiation antigen; (ii) A pro-laminitis bolus of starch gruel elevates ADAMTS-4 gene and protein expression in the laminae leading to the elevated cleavage of versican; (iii) in the laminae of horses with acute laminitis versican is depleted from the basal epithelial cells by elevated ADAMTS-4 cleavage and suppressed versican gene expression, which is significantly and positively correlated with a decline in β-catenin and integrin β4 gene expression, and (iv) decline in β-catenin gene and protein expression in laminitic laminae results from depressed canonical Wnt signaling, manifest as a reduced expression of positive regulators (Wnt 4, FzD4, LRP6, PP1, Akt2 and β-catenin) and the up-regulation of negative regulators (Axin1, CKIαand GSK3β). Taken together, the studies show that suppressed canonical Wnt signaling in laminitic horses results in loss of β-catenin and integrin β4, which respectively are required components of adherens junctions and hemidesmosomes, leading to the detachment of the laminar basal epithelial cells from each other and from the basement membrane and thus, destabilizing the epidermal:dermal junction.

This investigation was performed in the Altiplano Altoandino sub-humid region in the Ulla Ulla district, Pelechuco township, Franz Tomayo province, department of La Paz, Bolivia. The objective of this study was to quantify and compare the presence of Brucellosis in male and female alpacas (Lama pacos) at ages 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 years. Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein of 500 alpacas from the Hichucollo, Huacuchani, Ucha Ucha, and Ulla Ulla communities. The serum from each sample was separated and a serological diagnosis was performed by rapid agglutination with Rose Bengal chemical stain. In the Ulla Ulla district, 11.0% of alpacas were suspected of being infected. Of that 11.0%, 9.6% represented female alpacas while the remaining 1.4% represented male alpacas. By community, the overall results were 0.6%, 0.2%, 7.4%, and 2.8% for Hichucollo, Huacuchani, Ucha Ucha, and Ulla Ulla respectively. With regards to gender in each community, 1.4%, 1.6%, 13.3%, and 11.1% of female alpacas and 2.7%, 0.0%, 1.2%, and 1.9 % of male alpacas were suspected of being infected in Hichucollo, Huacuchani, Ucha Ucha, and Ulla Ulla, respectively. According to age, 0.8%, 2.6%, 3.8%, 2.0%, 11.8%, and 0.0% were suspected of Brucellosis in alpacas 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 years old, respectively in the Ulla Ulla district. The analysis of variance among the results does not present significant differences (p ≥ 0.05), failing to reject the given hypothesis. The final prevalence point found in the Ulla Ulla district was 11.0%. It was concluded that the prevalence of suspected cases of Brucellosis in alpacas is a consequence of the antigenic characteristics of each biotype. Furthermore, the results affirm that the poor management of livestock and livestock health lead to significant problems with alpaca health. It is therefore necessary to implement control strategies as well as disease monitoring in communities by following a detailed program of diagnostic tests for Brucellosis. Also, non-infected flocks must be protected against infection.

Dermatological conditions affect between 15 to 25% of canines. Canine Atopic Dermatitis (CAD) is one of the most prevalent of these conditions and is a chronic inflammatory disorder with a wide array of causes and triggers and no known cure. Symptoms of this condition can be persistent and often lead to significant discomfort, leading many owners to seek preventative care in an attempt to avoid expensive veterinary care and discomfort in their dogs. Sebaceous Adenitis (SA) is another skin condition, which while less common, is also a disorder of the inflammatory pathways and affects keratin production in the coats of dogs. It has more persistent symptoms and requires rigorous grooming care to prevent its onset, and as a result is the cause for euthanasia in many of the breeds which it affects. Similar to CAD, owners of dogs with SA seek preventative care to avoid flares of the conditions that are often coupled with secondary infections that perpetuate the skin’s poor condition. Due to the overwhelming variety and misleading advertising that currently exists in the dog food market, one key element to preventative treatment that is confusing to many owners is manipulation of the diet. Research has demonstrated that certain dietary components may be important. These include increased protein composition, supplementation of vitamins A, D, and E, essential fatty acid supplements, and the use of probiotics and prebiotics. Increasing the proportion of dietary protein to total energy intake allows for greater consumption of amino acids, which can be utilized to renew epidermal cells, including hair follicles. It is speculated that Vitamin A supplementation may slow down the rate of hyperkeratinization seen in SA as it attenuates epithelial cell turnover. Supplementation with vitamin E has been found to improve pruritus in CAD and acts as an anti-inflammatory in areas which are affected by a loss of sebum, as seen in SA. It may also act to improve antibody responses in hypersensitivity reactions, which are exaggerated immunologic responses to allergens, seen in CAD. It is known that an increase in dietary vitamin D enhances immunomodulatory roles that lead to its ability to reduce lesions in both CAD and SA. Essential fatty acids (FA), of which two are omega-3 and omega-6 FA, are useful supplements for dogs with CAD, as they may affect mediators of inflammation specific to inflammatory skin disorders. Additionally, supplementation with essential FA may replenish a factor lacking in an impaired skin barrier. The breakdown in the epithelial barrier leads to increased cutaneous permeability and decreased membrane fluidity. It is important to balance the more pro-inflammatory effects of omega-6 FA with the anti-inflammatory effects of omega-3 FA. Two balanced sources of these essential fatty acids that often appear in the literature are evening primrose and borage oils, which supply gamma linoleic acid (GLA), a less inflammatory omega-6 FA. Probiotics/prebiotics aid in repairing possible issues observed in the gut-skin axis seen in AD though the strains which provide benefits are not consistent in the literature. In summary, there are promising developments on the treatment of CAD and SA through diet, although extensive research is needed to validate these studies and clarify the results prior to usage by the general public.

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