Research in veterinary science最新文献

{"title":"A field observational study evaluating antemortem inspection as a predictive tool for postmortem lesion findings at a Portuguese pig abattoir","authors":"Márcia Santos Nunes ,&nbsp;Abbey Olsen ,&nbsp;Rui Pedro Cordeiro ,&nbsp;Madalena Vieira-Pinto","doi":"10.1016/j.rvsc.2025.106043","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rvsc.2025.106043","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Risk-based inspection of pigs at the abattoir depends on accurately identifying high-risk animals before slaughter. Food Chain Information (FCI) provides data on farm management, animal health, and treatments that can support this process; however, its limited completeness and reliability highlight the need for complementary approaches. Antemortem (AM) conditions may serve as practical predictors of postmortem (PM) lesions, supporting the development of risk-based inspection systems. This study investigated the potential of AM inspection in detecting PM lesions in finisher pigs, slaughtered at a commercial abattoir in Portugal. Data were collected from 62 batches (<em>n</em> = 9542 pigs) for a cross-sectional study, and 245 pigs for a case control study. Detection of coughing, skin lesions, and growth retardation was significantly higher when pigs were inspected from inside the pens, compared with unloading or outside the pens observations. At batch-level coughing at AM inspection was associated with a higher number of PM lesions, particularly pneumonia (OR = 1.08) and pleurisy (OR = 1.03). At animal-level, AM conditions showed consistent associations with PM lesions, including coughing with pneumonia (OR = 6.7), and lung lesion (OR = 6.2), lameness with arthritis (OR = 14.9) and growth retardation with several PM lesions. These findings are consistent with those reported in other countries and confirm that specific AM conditions can reliably predict certain PM lesions, contributing to the refinement of risk-based inspection approaches in Portugal.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21083,"journal":{"name":"Research in veterinary science","volume":"201 ","pages":"Article 106043"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145895943","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Establishment of detection method of chicken infectious anemia virus based on CRISPR/Cas12a system","authors":"Chenchen Sheng ,&nbsp;Jingfang Wang ,&nbsp;Mengyuan Tan ,&nbsp;jingwen Zhang ,&nbsp;Mengran Sun ,&nbsp;Jiumeng Sun ,&nbsp;Ying Shao ,&nbsp;Jian Tu ,&nbsp;Liangqiang Zhu ,&nbsp;Xiangjun Song","doi":"10.1016/j.rvsc.2025.106046","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rvsc.2025.106046","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Chicken Infectious Anemia Virus (CIAV) causes chicken infectious anemia, characterized by anemia and immune dysfunction. The rapid dissemination of this virus is generating substantial economic consequences for poultry producers.</div><div>The CRISPR/Cas12a system is widely used for virus detection through crRNA-guided target recognition and the paracrine activity of Cas12a. To enable rapid and highly sensitive detection of Chicken Infectious Anemia Virus (CIAV), a CRISPR-Cas12a-based fluorescence assay was refined. Through optimization of the CRISPR/Cas12a system and integration of enzymatic recombinase amplification (ERA), the assay achieved a detection limit of 1 copy/μL, demonstrating its significant utility for CIAV diagnostics. In addition, a CRISPR/Cas12a lateral flow assay was developed and optimized, achieving a sensitivity of 10^3 copies/μL for the rapid and visual detection of target analytes. This technique exhibits high specificity for CIAV, showing no cross-reactivity with other chicken viruses. Overall, the system enables rapid CIAV detection with cost-effective equipment, making it suitable for virus monitoring.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21083,"journal":{"name":"Research in veterinary science","volume":"201 ","pages":"Article 106046"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145918358","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Remedial effects of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from Arthrospira platensis against Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) toxicity on gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata)","authors":"Amira Bemri ,&nbsp;Fethi Jebali ,&nbsp;Jihene Ammar ,&nbsp;Tahar Gharred ,&nbsp;Jamel Jebali ,&nbsp;Hamadi Guerbej ,&nbsp;Hatem Ben Ouada ,&nbsp;Zied Bouraoui","doi":"10.1016/j.rvsc.2025.106041","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rvsc.2025.106041","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) is an organic compound of phthalate, commonly used in the production of various plastic materials and its detrimental effects on marine ecosystems and human health have a great concern. Bioactive compounds derived from microalgae have numerous biological and pharmacological activities and their remedial role in alleviating the adverse effects of toxicity induced by environmental and other agents has also been reported. Thus, in this work, we carried out studies to ascertain if exopolysaccharides (EPS) extracted from <em>Arthrospira platensis</em> (Cyanobacteria) would ameliorate DBP-induced toxicity in gilthead seabream (<em>Sparus aurata</em>), used as model organism, focusing on growth performance, oxidative stress, neurotoxicity, histopathological changes in liver and intestine, and muscle nutritional quality. Firstly, fish in triplicate were fed separately a supplemented diet with 0 % (control group) and 6 % of EPS (EPS group) for 21 days. Consequently, each group were intraperitoneally exposed to DBP at a concentration of 85 μg /kg body weight. The results showed that DBP impaired growth, induced antioxidant-oxidative stress imbalance and caused genotoxicity and liver and intestine damage. Also, DBP disrupted muscle proximate composition and fatty acid profiles. Interestingly, feeding the DBP-exposed fish with EPS partially restored, histopathological damage in liver and intestine, antioxidant markers, lipid balance, notably improving the ω3/ω6 ratio, likely through EPS's antioxidant and metabolic regulatory effects.</div><div>Overall, this study offered further insights on the antioxidative and chemopreventive properties of exopolysaccharides (EPS) extracted from <em>Arthrospira platensis</em> to modulate fish health and to enhance growth and protect against DBP-induced toxicity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21083,"journal":{"name":"Research in veterinary science","volume":"200 ","pages":"Article 106041"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145841836","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Detection of Brucella spp. in compost-bedding pack barn and its relationship with infections in dairy cows during the transition period","authors":"Marcilene Daniel Damasceno ,&nbsp;Maysa Serpa Gonçalves ,&nbsp;Maria Eduarda de Souza Teixeira Campos ,&nbsp;Amanda Carvalho Rosado Ferreira ,&nbsp;Dircéia Aparecida Costa Custódio ,&nbsp;Eduarda Moraes Magossi Silva ,&nbsp;Vivian Aparecida Malta ,&nbsp;Alice Gonçalves dos Reis ,&nbsp;Bruno Borges Silva ,&nbsp;Ana Clara de Serpa Carvalho ,&nbsp;Júlia Lima Paz ,&nbsp;Pedro Felipe Rodrigues e Oliveira ,&nbsp;Bruno Campos de Carvalho ,&nbsp;Guilherme Nunes Souza ,&nbsp;Carine Rodrigues Pereira ,&nbsp;Elaine Maria Seles Dorneles ,&nbsp;Alessandro de Sá Guimarães","doi":"10.1016/j.rvsc.2025.106047","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rvsc.2025.106047","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Compost-bedded pack barn (CBP) is a used intensive system for dairy cow confinement, however, information about the possible role of the bed in the maintenance and transmission of pathogens among housed animals is still scarce. This study investigates the presence of <em>Brucella</em> spp. in dairy cows in the transition period housed in CBP and the detection of the pathogen in the CBP. The analyzes were conducted using samples of CBP and samples from cows up to 45 days post-partum from 20 different farms in Goiás and Minas Gerais states, Brazil. Animals were tested for the presence of anti-<em>Brucella</em> antibodies. Samples of vaginal swab, endometrial sample and CBP were tested for the presence of <em>Brucella</em> spp. using conventional PCR targeting the <em>bscp31</em> gene, as a screening test, and the real-time PCR targeting the <em>IS711</em> gene, as confirmatory test. A total of 16 [16/20 (80 %)] properties exhibited at least one positive animal in at least one test (serology or molecular tests), and four [4/20 (25 %)] of these properties had at least one positive animal in at least two tests performed. Additionally, three CBP [3/44 (6.88 %)] showed PCR positive result to <em>Brucella</em> spp. The results demonstrated the presence of <em>Brucella</em> spp. in sample collected from dairy cows in transition period housed in CBP and the bed of the system, suggesting the CBP may have a role in brucellosis transmission in the system, by favoring the spread of the agent and transmission to other housed cows.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21083,"journal":{"name":"Research in veterinary science","volume":"201 ","pages":"Article 106047"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145940801","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The availability of outdoor spaces enhances social play in dairy cows","authors":"Alfredo Di Lucrezia ,&nbsp;Daria Lotito ,&nbsp;Valeria Iervolino ,&nbsp;Pietro Lombardi ,&nbsp;Biagio D'Aniello ,&nbsp;Vincenzo Mastellone","doi":"10.1016/j.rvsc.2025.106048","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rvsc.2025.106048","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Social behaviors are widely recognized as valuable indicators of animal welfare. This study examined the behavioral profiles of two groups of cows: one with daytime access to an open outdoor area and one housed exclusively in a free-stall barn. Observations were conducted when both groups were in the same indoor environment, allowing for a direct comparison of their behavioral expressions. Cows with outdoor access engaged significantly more in social play, while no statistically significant differences were observed for other social behaviors such as allogrooming, social rubbing, or submission/avoidance. Since play behavior typically emerges under favorable psychological conditions, these findings suggest that outdoor access during the day contributes to enhanced psychological wellbeing, with positive effects that persist even when cows return to the confined barn setting. In contrast, negative social interactions such as submission/ avoidance were expressed at similar levels across both groups, indicating that access to open space may not be sufficient to mitigate all forms of social stress.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21083,"journal":{"name":"Research in veterinary science","volume":"201 ","pages":"Article 106048"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145940802","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative effects of monensin and alternative feed additives on productive performance and rumen fermentation in Zebu beef cattle: A systematic review and meta-analysis","authors":"Ingrid Guidi Ribeiro ,&nbsp;Ana Clara Nogueira Gonçalves ,&nbsp;Letícia Gobbo Oliveira ,&nbsp;Guilherme Lobato Menezes ,&nbsp;Ângela Maria Quintão Lana ,&nbsp;Rafahel Carvalho Souza ,&nbsp;Alan Figueiredo de Oliveira","doi":"10.1016/j.rvsc.2026.106072","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rvsc.2026.106072","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Zebu cattle predominate in tropical beef systems, but no meta-analysis has compared monensin with alternative additives specifically in Zebu cattle. This meta-analysis aimed to compare the effects of monensin and alternative feed additives on productive performance and rumen fermentation in Zebu beef cattle. Forty-seven studies (408 comparisons) were included. We performed a random-effects meta-analysis to estimate mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals and explored heterogeneity using subgroup analyses and meta-regression. Average daily gain (ADG) was greater in animals receiving natural additives (+5.01%; MD = 0.063; CI: 0.048 to 0.078) or probiotics (+5.03%; MD = 0.083; CI: 0.021 to 0.145) than in those receiving monensin. In contrast, ADG was lower in animals treated with virginiamycin (−3.42%; MD = −0.042; CI: −0.073 to −0.010) or lasalocid (−14.5%; MD = −0.076; CI: −0.081 to −0.072). These increases in ADG with natural additives and probiotics could potentially shorten finishing time under typical feedlot conditions. Dry matter intake (DMI) was higher in animals receiving monensin plus virginiamycin, natural additives, virginiamycin, monensin plus narasin, probiotics, narasin, and monensin plus probiotics compared with monensin alone. Feed efficiency (FE) was higher in animals supplemented with monensin plus virginiamycin (+2.05%; MD = 0.003; CI: 0.0003 to 0.006) but lower in those receiving virginiamycin alone (−9.90%; MD = −0.014; CI: −0.016 to −0.011) compared with monensin. Methane emissions did not differ among treatments, indicating similar effects on enteric methane production. Natural additives and probiotics increased ADG, but the diversity of compounds and inclusion levels limits identifying which specific components drive the response. Overall, monensin remains a consistent additive for improving FE in Zebu cattle, whereas combining it with virginiamycin resulted in even greater FE and may represent a useful strategy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21083,"journal":{"name":"Research in veterinary science","volume":"201 ","pages":"Article 106072"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145979203","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pathological and epidemiological assessment of cranial crassicaudiasis in stranded cetaceans from the Canary Islands (1999–2024)","authors":"Zuleima Suárez-González ,&nbsp;Antonio Fernández ,&nbsp;Jorge F. González ,&nbsp;Noelia Salgado-Jiménez ,&nbsp;Ignacio Molpeceres-Diego ,&nbsp;Paula Alonso-Almorox ,&nbsp;Eva Sierra","doi":"10.1016/j.rvsc.2025.106035","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rvsc.2025.106035","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Crassicauda</em> nematodes in cetaceans infect various organs, including the genitourinary system, subcutaneous tissues, circulatory system, and cranial structures such as the pterygoid sacs. In the cranial region, they may induce osteolytic lesions, potentially leading to neurological impairment, disorientation, and contributing to stranding and death. This study investigated the epidemiology and pathology of cranial crassicaudiasis in cetaceans stranded in the Canary Islands between 1999 and 2024, with emphasis on associated central nervous system (CNS) lesions. The pterygoid sacs of 438 cetaceans were systematically examined, and <em>Crassicauda</em> sp.-induced sacculitis was detected in 49 individuals (11.2 %) of the family Delphinidae. Prevalence was highest in Risso's dolphins (<em>Grampus griseus</em>; 11/18, 61.1 %), and juvenile and subadult animals were more frequently affected (24/49, 49 %), with no sex-related differences. Molecular characterization targeting <em>COX1</em> and <em>ITS2</em> gene regions was performed on nematodes from an Atlantic spotted dolphin (<em>Stenella frontalis</em>) and a Risso's dolphin, confirming <em>C. grampicola</em> in both species. Histopathology in selected cases (26; 5 %) revealed epithelial hyperkeratosis, desquamation, and mild lymphoplasmacytic inflammation in parasitized pterygoid sacs. CNS inflammation was observed in 16/49 cases (32.6 %), including co-infections with <em>Brucella</em> spp., <em>Cetacean Morbillivirus</em> (CeMV), Herpesvirus and <em>Nocardia otitidiscaviarum</em>. No statistically significant association was found between cranial crassicaudiasis and CNS lesions. These findings highlight cranial crassicaudiasis as a relevant pathological condition in stranded cetaceans, suggesting that parasite-associated lesions may contribute to morbidity and mortality, and provide the first molecular confirmation of <em>C. grampicola</em> in <em>S. frontalis</em>, contributing novel sequences to GenBank.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21083,"journal":{"name":"Research in veterinary science","volume":"200 ","pages":"Article 106035"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145820072","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrated analysis of transcriptome and metabolome reveal the complex molecular regulatory network of chicken house PM2.5 induced lung injury","authors":"Bo Wu ,&nbsp;Wendan Zheng ,&nbsp;Yu Bai ,&nbsp;Hongrui Huang ,&nbsp;Tongjie Chai","doi":"10.1016/j.rvsc.2025.106039","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rvsc.2025.106039","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in poultry houses is the main component of air pollution. Long-term exposure to high concentrations of PM2.5 could easily damage the respiratory system of animals. In this study, we first investigated the changes in lung tissue morphology and serum cytokines in SPF chickens after exposure to poultry house PM2.5 and further conduct a combined analysis of its lung transcriptome and metabolome. The results showed that chicken exposed to PM2.5 led to decrease in body weight and cause inflammatory damage such as pulmonary fibrosis in chickens. It also significantly upregulated the expression levels of serum cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, TLR-2, TLR-4, IFN-α, TGF-β and CCL2. Additionally, it affected Arachidonic acid metabolism, Ferroptosis, and mTOR signaling pathways, disrupting metabolic processes and the expression of genes related to pulmonary inflammation. In addition, we validated the results of the multi-omics combined analysis and found that the interaction between the differential metabolite Arachidonic acid and the three differentially expressed genes LTA4H, FTL and PLA2G4A led to pulmonary inflammatory damage and metabolic disorders. The above results indicate that the interaction between pulmonary inflammation-related genes and lung metabolites may play a crucial role in the process of PM2.5-induced lung injury in chickens.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21083,"journal":{"name":"Research in veterinary science","volume":"200 ","pages":"Article 106039"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145834614","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Zoledronate-induced activation of γδ T cells is associated with NK cell activation and reduced parasite burden in the cecum of Eimeria tenella-infected chicks","authors":"Quan Viet Le ,&nbsp;Makoto Matsubayashi ,&nbsp;Toshimitsu Hatabu","doi":"10.1016/j.rvsc.2025.106030","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rvsc.2025.106030","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aimed to elucidate the role of γδ T cells in chicks infected with <em>Eimeria tenella</em>. Zoledronate was administered in vivo to activate γδ T cells. White Leghorn chicks were divided into four groups: zoledronate-treated (ZOL), infected control (CT), uninfected zoledronate-treated (UN/ZOL), and uninfected control (UN). Chicks in the CT and ZOL groups were orally inoculated with sporulated <em>E. tenella</em> oocysts (1 × 10^4 oocysts/chick) at 14 days of age. Fecal samples were collected between 4 and 15 days post-infection (dpi) to assess oocyst shedding. Cecal samples were obtained at 5 dpi for histopathological examination and gene expression analysis. Lesion and parasite burden scores were significantly reduced in the ZOL group compared with the CT group. Expression levels of IL-17 A, IL-21, and IFN-γ were significantly higher in the ZOL group, whereas IL-13 and PGES expression was significantly higher in the CT group. These findings indicate that activation of γδ T cells alleviates cecal tissue damage caused by <em>E. tenella</em> infection. Moreover, they suggest that NK cells activated by IL-21 may play a role in parasite control and contribute to the establishment of the local immune environment, but the effect of parasite control by IL-21-induced NK cell activation requires further research. Future studies should also explore whether γδ T cell activation and IL-21-mediated immunity are associated with mechanisms of parasite control.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21083,"journal":{"name":"Research in veterinary science","volume":"200 ","pages":"Article 106030"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145834675","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Shannon entropy as a stable diffusion tensor parameter for evaluating normal spinal cord regions in dogs","authors":"Yoshimichi Goda ,&nbsp;Yuko Mizutani ,&nbsp;Mizuki Hirayama ,&nbsp;Taketoshi Asanuma ,&nbsp;Hiroyuki Satoh","doi":"10.1016/j.rvsc.2025.106036","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rvsc.2025.106036","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has been used in veterinary medicine for cerebral infarctions and degenerative diseases in recent years. Defining normal values for the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) to detect lesions is challenging because these values depend on anatomical differences in the spinal cord, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine model, magnetic field strength, and measurement protocol. Shannon entropy is the average amount of information and is a measure of the variability or complexity, of distributed numbers. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether Shannon entropy can serve as a useful new indicator for interpreting the structural integrity of the canine spinal cord. We used six beagle dogs with no spinal cord disease, as confirmed by neurological examination and magnetic resonance imaging. We calculated the respective values for the cervical and thoracolumbar spinal cord under the 3 T magnetic field. The ADC and FA values (mean ± standard error) of the cervical spinal cord were 1.11 ± 0.05 × 10⁻³ mm²/s and 0.64 ± 0.02. The thoracolumbar spinal cord had values of 1.16 ± 0.04 × 10⁻³ mm²/s and 0.58 ± 0.02. The ADC and FA values of the spinal cord reflected anatomical differences, and no fixed normal values were observed for the entire spinal cord. Shannon entropy was 5.67 ± 0.45. No significant differences were observed in the values at any intervertebral level. These results suggest that Shannon entropy is more useful than the ADC and FA values. Shannon entropy may be able to differentiate between normal tissue and lesions, independent of various MRI conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21083,"journal":{"name":"Research in veterinary science","volume":"200 ","pages":"Article 106036"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145792139","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}