bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Measurements of footpad dermatitis in broiler chickens at processing plants
Authors: Pagazaurtundua A. , Warriss P. D.
Published: October 2010

A four‐point photographic scale was developed to score the severity of lesions of footpad dermatitis (FPD) in broiler chickens. There was a linear relationship between the square root of the relative area of the lesions and their scores, and good agreement between different assessors using the scale. The scale was used to assess samples of 100 birds from each of 190 flocks slaughtered at two UK processing plants in 2002 and 2003; 12 of the flocks (6·3 per cent) had no lesions, but the others had lesions of different prevalences and severity. The maximum proportion of affected birds in a flock was 92 per cent. In the 178 affected flocks, 84·0 per cent of the birds had no lesions and 16·0 per cent had some evidence of FPD. The overall unweighted prevalence of birds with FPD in all 190 flocks sampled was 18·1 per cent; 10·2 per cent had only small lesions, on average equivalent in area to 2·1 per cent of the total area of the foot, 6·2 per cent had lesions on average equivalent to 6·6 per cent of the area of the foot, and 1·7 per cent had lesions on average equivalent to 21·5 per cent of the area of the foot. There were differences between the two plants in the overall prevalence and severity of FPD, but this may have been due to the fact that the plants were sampled at different times of the year.
Pathological findings in a captive colony of maras (Dolichotis patagonum)
Authors: Rosas‐Rosas A. G. , Juan‐Sallés C. , Garner M. M.
Published: October 2010

This paper describes the causes of death of 54 maras (Dolichotis patagonum) in a captive colony in Mexico over a period of seven years. There were 35 adults, 11 juveniles, five neonates, two fetuses and one stillbirth – 27 males, 21 females and six whose sex was not determined. Trauma was the cause of 25 deaths, and there were eight cases of fatal bacterial infection. Besnoitiosis was the only parasitic disease found frequently (13 cases), and was associated with fatal interstitial pneumonia in three juveniles. Right‐sided hypertrophic cardiomyopathy attributed to high altitude was observed in 26 maras, and in three cases death was attributed to acute cardiac dysfunction. Two maras died of disseminated histoplasmosis and two of hyperthermia. Additional causes of death included one case each of uterine torsion, intestinal intussusception, aspiration pneumonia and hydranencephaly. Gastric erosions with luminal haemorrhage were found in 27 of the maras and splenic lymphoid depletion in 20, changes that were attributed to stress.
Concentrations of C‐reactive protein in effusions in dogs
Authors: Parra M. D. , Papasouliotis K. , Cerón J. J.
Published: October 2010

The concentration of C‐reactive protein (CRP) was measured in effusions from 50 dogs to assess the potential for measuring this protein to differentiate body cavity fluids. The effusions were classified as either transudates, modified transudates or exudates according to their total protein concentration, total nucleated cell count, cytological findings and aetiology, and the concentration of CRP was determined by a time‐resolved immunofluorometric assay. There were significant differences between the concentrations of CRP in the three types of effusion; the highest concentrations were observed in the exudates (4·47 to 54·59 µg/ml), the lowest were in the transudates (0·0094 to 7·87 µg/ml), and the modified transudates contained intermediate concentrations of CRP (0·045 to 10·78 µg/ml). A cut‐off value of 4 µg/ml had a sensitivity of 100 per cent and a specificity of 94·4 per cent for differentiating transudates from exudates, and a cut‐off value of 11 µg/ml had a sensitivity of 88·2 per cent and a specificity of 100 per cent for distinguishing modified transudates from exudates. However, a cut‐off value of 1 µg/ml had a lower sensitivity (80 per cent) and an unacceptably low specificity (66·7 per cent) for differentiating transudates from modified transudates.
Hypospadias in rams
Authors: Smith K. C. , Brown P. , Parkinson T. J.
Published: October 2010

In an abattoir survey conducted in south‐west England, 15 of 6521 rams aged three to 12 months had hypospadias; in 27 others the scrotum was completely or partly divided, but they had no other abnormalities of the urinary or genital systems. The lesions observed in 11 of the rams in the abattoir survey, and in four young rams and one mature ram found during visits to farms, are described in detail. Five of them had periscrotal openings of the urethra and in the other 11 the openings were in a perineal position, close to the anus. In all of them the penis was underdeveloped, the prepuce had failed to fuse and the galea faced in a caudal direction. They all had completely or partially divided scrotums, and signs of urine scalding of the scrotum were visible.
Results of allergen‐specific immunotherapy in 117 dogs with atopic dermatitis
Authors: Schnabl B. , Bettenay S. V. , Dow K. , Mueller R. S.
Published: October 2010

The success of the treatment of 117 dogs with atopic dermatitis with allergen‐specific immunotherapy for up to 48 months was assessed. An excellent response (remission with exclusive immunotherapy) was recorded in 18 of the dogs, a good response (more than 50 per cent reduction in medication and improvement of clinical signs) was recorded in 57, a moderate response was recorded in 24 and a poor response in 18. The mould antigens in the allergen extract were stored in a separate vial before administration and the success rate of the immunotherapy including mould antigens was much higher than in an earlier study in which mould and pollen antigens had been stored in one vial. The success rate was not affected significantly by the age of the dogs when the disease developed, or by their age or the period for which they had shown clinical signs when the treatment began; it was also unaffected by whether pollens, moulds or dust mites were used as antigens, or by whether the offending allergens had been identified by intradermal testing or by serum testing for allergen‐specific immunoglobulin E.
Clinical application of parenteral nutrition in the treatment of five ponies and one donkey with hyperlipaemia
Authors: Durham A. E.
Published: October 2010

Five ponies and one donkey with hyperlipaemia that occurred secondarily to a variety of primary clinical conditions were treated with lipid‐free partial parenteral nutrition comprising equal volumes of 50 per cent glucose and 15 per cent amino acids. The infusion supplied energy and protein at rates of 2·6 kJ/kg per hour and 34·3 mg/kg per hour, respectively. In all six cases there was a prompt and sustained decrease in serum concentrations of triglyceride. In four of the six cases a good response to treatment of the primary condition was also seen and the subjects were discharged successfully. In the remaining two cases, poor clinical response of the primary condition resulted in euthanasia, although hyperlipaemia was nevertheless resolved. The main complication of parenteral nutrition was hyperglycaemia.
Factors in the housing environment of finisher pigs associated with the development of gastric ulcers
Authors: Amory J. R. , Mackenzie A. M. , Pearce G. P.
Published: October 2010

The prevalence and severity of gastric ulcers were investigated in a sample of 50 slaughter pigs from each of 16 commercial farms in the UK. The mean prevalence of ulcers was 19·1 per cent and the mean (se) severity score on the 16 farms was 2·2 (0·15) on a scale from 0 (normal) to 6 (severe). Multivariate regression analysis showed that the type of lying surface provided for the pigs during the finishing phase was the most important factor associated with the occurrence of gastric ulcers in the farms studied. Finisher pigs housed on slatted floors had a significantly higher mean ulcer severity score (P<0·001) than pigs housed on solid concrete floors, which had a significantly higher score (P<0·01) than pigs housed on straw bedding. Feeding a pelleted finisher ration was also associated with significant increase in ulcer severity (P<0·01) compared with feeding an unpelleted ration, but was of less importance than the type of floor. The detrimental influence of feeding pellets was ameliorated by the provision of straw bedding.
Geographical and age‐stratified distributions of foot‐and‐mouth disease virus‐seropositive and probang‐positive cattle herds in the Adamawa province of Cameroon
Authors: de C. Bronsvoort B. M. , Anderson J. , Corteyn A. , Hamblin P. , Kitching R. P. , Nfon C. , Tanya V. N. , Morgan K. L.
Published: October 2010

Six of the seven known serotypes of foot‐and‐mouth disease (fmd) virus occur in Africa. This paper describes the results of a population‐based cross‐sectional study of the seroprevalence of fmd and the persistence of the virus in cattle herds and associated sheep flocks in the Adamawa province of Cameroon. Antibody titres measured by the virus neutralising test indicated that serotypes O, A and sat2 viruses had been circulating in the province. The estimates of apparent seroprevalence in cattle herds, based on five juvenile animals (eight to 24 months old) per herd, were 74·8 per cent for serotype sat2, 30·8 per cent for serotype A and 11·2 per cent for serotype O, indicating recent exposure; the estimates based on animals more than 24 months of age were 91·1 per cent for sat2, 83·6 per cent for A and 34·2 per cent for serotype O. Epithelial and oropharyngeal samples were collected from cattle and small ruminants, cultured and typed by elisa; serotypes A and sat2 were isolated from both types of sample. The herd‐level estimate of apparent prevalence of probang‐positive herds was 19·5 per cent and the animal‐level estimate of apparent prevalence was 3·4 per cent. The geographical distribution of the seropositive herds based on juveniles suggested that recent sat2 exposure was widespread and particularly high in the more northern and western parts of the province, whereas recent exposure to serotype A was patchy and more concentrated in the south and east. This distribution corresponded very closely with the distribution of herds from which virus was recovered by probang, indicating recent exposure or infection. No serotype O viruses were recovered from cattle, and the distribution of seropositive herds suggested very localised recent exposure. The apparent prevalence of probang‐positive animals declined with the age of the animal and the period since the last recorded outbreak in the herd.
Cytokine gene signatures in neural tissue of horses with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis or equine herpes type 1 myeloencephalopathy
Authors: Pusterla N. , Wilson W. D. , Conrad P. A. , Barr B. C. , Ferraro G. L. , Daft B. M. , Leutenegger C. M.
Published: October 2010

This study was designed to determine the relative levels of gene transcription of selected pathogens and cytokines in the brain and spinal cord of 12 horses with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (epm), 11 with equine herpesvirus type 1 (ehv‐1) myeloencephalopathy, and 12 healthy control horses by applying a real time pcr to the formalin‐fixed and paraffin‐embedded tissues. Total rna was extracted from each tissue, transcribed to complementary dna (cdna) and assayed for Sarcocystis neurona, Neospora hughesi, ehv‐1, equine gapdh (housekeeping gene), tumour necrosis factor (tnf)‐α, interferon (ifn)‐γ, interleukin (il)‐1β, il‐2, il‐4, il‐6, il‐8, il‐10 and il‐12 p40. S neurona cdna was detected in the neural tissue from all 12 horses with epm, and two of them also had amplifiable cdna of N hughesi. The relative levels of transcription of protozoal cdna ranged from 1 to 461 times baseline (mean 123). All the horses with ehv‐1 myeloencephalopathy had positive viral signals by pcr with relative levels of transcription ranging from 1 to 1618 times baseline (mean 275). All the control horses tested negative for S neurona, N hughesi and ehv‐1 cdna. The cytokine profiles of each disease indicated a balance between pro‐ and anti‐inflammatory markers. In the horses with epm the pro‐inflammatory Th1 cytokines (il‐8, tnf ‐α and ifn ‐γ) were commonly expressed but the anti‐inflammatory Th2 cytokines (il‐4, il‐6 and il‐10) were absent or rare. In the horses with ehv‐1 the proinflammatory cytokine il‐8 was commonly expressed, but il‐10 and ifn ‐γ were not, and tnf ‐α was rare. Tissue from the control horses expressed only the gene gapdh.
Effects of long‐term feeding of a diet supplemented with clinoptilolite to dairy cows on the incidence of ketosis, milk yield and liver function
Authors: Katsoulos P. D. , Panousis N. , Roubies N. , Christaki E. , Arsenos G. , Karatzias H.
Published: October 2010

Fifty‐two clinically healthy Holstein cows were randomly assigned to one of three groups according to their age and parity. The first group (A) consisted of 17 cows that were fed a concentrate ration supplemented with 1·25 per cent clinoptilolite, the second group (B) consisted of 17 cows fed a ration supplemented with 2·5 per cent clinoptilolite, and the third group (C) consisted of 18 cows, which were fed the basal ration containing no clinoptilolite. The rations were fed from four weeks before the cows' expected parturition dates until the beginning of the next dry period. Blood samples were collected from each animal at the start of the experiment, on the day of calving and then monthly, and analysed for serum glucose, ketone bodies, liver enzymes, blood urea nitrogen (bun) and total proteins. The milk yield of each cow was recorded monthly. The cows in group B had significantly fewer cases of clinical ketosis during the first month after calving and a higher total milk yield. Feeding the cows with clinoptilolite for a long period had no apparent adverse effects on their liver function, and did not significantly affect the concentrations of glucose, ketone bodies, bun and total proteins in their serum.
Clinical and anti‐inflammatory effects of treating endotoxin‐challenged pigs with meloxicam
Authors: Friton G. M. , Schmidt H. , Schrödl W.
Published: October 2010

The clinical and anti‐inflammatory effects of a single treatment of 0·4 mg meloxicam/kg bodyweight on pigs that had been challenged with Escherichia coli endotoxin were investigated. Significantly lower total clinical scores were recorded in pigs treated with meloxicam than in pigs treated with a placebo. Significantly higher mean serum concentrations of thromboxane B2 were also recorded in pigs treated with a placebo for up to 24 hours after the challenge. The serum concentrations of acute phase proteins and specific antibody titres to E coli lipopolysaccharide were unaffected by the meloxicam. The meloxicam treatment was well tolerated.
Proline‐glutamic acid‐proline‐lysine peptide set as a specific antigen for the serological diagnosis of strangles
Authors: Hobo S. , Niwa H. , Anzai T.
Published: October 2010

The reactivity of synthesised peptide sets for the M‐like proteins s em and s zps e with sera from horses infected with Streptococcus equi or Streptococcus zooepidemicus, or control horses, was investigated by an elisa. Seventeen horses were infected experimentally with S equi or S zooepidemicus, convalescent sera were obtained from 25 horses and control sera were obtained from 1945 horses. The serum antibody responses of individual horses to the peptide sets were highly variable. Some of the peptide sets for s em reacted strongly with the sera from the horses infected experimentally with S equi, but also reacted with sera from some of the horses infected experimentally with S zooepidemicus. However, the proline‐glutamic acid‐proline‐lysine (pepk) repeats peptide set, synthesised from the pepk repeats areas of s zps e, reacted most strongly with the sera from the horses infected experimentally with S equi and the horses convalescing from strangles, and reacted only minimally with the sera from the horses infected experimentally with S zooepidemicus and the control horses.
Slaughter of poultry during the epidemic of avian influenza in the Netherlands in 2003
Authors: Gerritzen M. A. , Lambooij E. , Stegeman J. A. , Spruijt B. M.
Published: October 2010

During an outbreak of avian influenza in the Netherlands in spring 2003, the disease was controlled by destroying all the poultry on the infected farms and on all the farms within a radius of 3 km. In total, 30 million birds were killed on 1242 farms and in more than 8000 hobby flocks, by using mobile containers filled with carbon dioxide, mobile electrocution lines and by gassing whole poultry houses with carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide. Observations of these methods were used to compare their effectiveness and capacity, and their effects on the welfare of the birds. Gassing whole poultry houses had a much greater capacity than mobile equipment, and catching live birds to bring them to a mobile killing device caused extra stress and could cause pain due to injuries inflicted when catching and handling them. Gassing whole poultry houses with carbon monoxide requires strict safety regulations and, therefore, gassing with carbon dioxide was considered preferable. However, this method is not suited to all types of housing, and in these circumstances mobile killing devices were a useful alternative.
Current attitudes of cattle practitioners to pain and the use of analgesics in cattle
Authors: Huxley J. N. , Whay H. R.
Published: October 2010

A questionnaire to examine the attitudes and perceptions of cattle practitioners to pain in cattle was sent to 2398 practitioners working in the uk, and 641 responses were received. From the range of procedures and conditions outlined in the questionnaire, claw amputation was scored as the most painful procedure undergone by adult cattle (assuming no analgesic drugs were administered), and neck calluses were scored as the least painful condition experienced by adult cattle. The pain associated with dystocia was considered the least painful experience for calves, and fracture of a distal limb and surgery for an umbilical hernia equally the most painful. There were significant differences between the pain scores assigned by men and women and by respondents who had graduated in different decades; female respondents and more recent graduates tended to give a higher pain score for most conditions. There were also significant differences between the pain scores assigned by respondents who routinely used analgesics and those who did not, the latter being more likely to assign significantly lower pain scores.
Effects of two doses of buprenorphine four or six hours apart on nociceptive thresholds, pain and sedation in dogs after castration
Authors: Slingsby L. S. , Taylor P. M. , Waterman‐Pearson A. E.
Published: October 2010

Twenty‐eight dogs were randomly allocated into two groups. They were premedicated with either 10 or 20 μg/kg buprenorphine and 0·05 mg/kg acepromazine administered intramuscularly, and then anaesthetised with intravenous thiopentone to effect and maintained with isoflurane in 100 per cent oxygen. The dogs underwent routine castration, and a second dose of 10 μg/kg buprenorphine was administered four hours after the first or 20 μg/kg six hours after the first dose. Levels of pain and sedation were scored on a visual analogue scale and in terms of the dogs' requirement for rescue analgesia, and mechanical nociceptive thresholds were measured at the hock and wound at premedication and one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, 10 and 21 to 22 hours later. Pain scores were low in both groups, with a trend for lower scores in the high dose group; administration of the second dose of buprenorphine further decreased the pain scores. Buprenorphine produced good preoperative sedation and the level of sedation decreased over time after surgery. Administration of the second high dose of buprenorphine did not increase the level of sedation. Both doses of buprenorphine prevented hyperalgesia at the wound and hock postoperatively. Three dogs given the low dose and one dog given the high dose required rescue analgesia with carprofen.
Survey of pigs' kidneys with lesions consistent with PMWS and PDNS and ochratoxicosis. Part 1: concentrations and prevalence of ochratoxin A
Authors: Gresham A. , Done S. , Livesey C. , MacDonald S. , Chan D. , Sayers R. , Clark C. , Kemp P.
Published: October 2010

One thousand condemned pigs' kidneys were collected in February 2002 from two pig abattoirs in England to assess the possible contribution of ochratoxicosis to postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (pmws) and porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome (pdns); 250 of the kidneys with macroscopic lesions consistent with nephrosis/nephritis (pale or white cortical lesions) were selected, and the concentration of ochratoxin A was measured in samples of renal cortex by high‐performance liquid chromatography (hplc). Low concentrations were detected in 230 (92 per cent) of the kidneys tested, and in 41 (16·4 per cent) of them the concentration was below the limit of quantification of 0·2 μg/kg. In 187 (74·8 per cent) of the kidneys, the concentration was more than 0·2 μg/kg, and the highest concentration detected was 2·3 μg/kg. The mean (sd) concentration was 0·31 (0·33) μg/kg. The identification of ochratoxin A was confirmed by mass spectrometry. The concentrations of ochratoxin A did not exceed the threshold assessed by the Food Standards Agency to be safe for human food.
Lead poisoning in cattle and its implications for food safety
Authors: Sharpe R. T. , Livesey C. T.
Published: October 2010

The lead poisoning incidents in cattle investigated by the Veterinary Laboratories Agency between 1990 and 2003 are reviewed. Lead poisoning was most commonly encountered in young calves, but cattle of all ages were affected. The lead was derived mainly from lead paint, lead accumulator batteries and lead in soil from old mine workings. Paint was responsible for the majority of cases of poisoning in young calves; yearling animals were most at risk from discarded batteries, and adult cows were most commonly poisoned by geochemical sources of lead. There was a marked seasonal incidence, with most cases occurring after turnout in the spring and early summer.
Characteristics of magnetic resonance images of granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis in 11 dogs
Authors: Cherubini G. B. , Platt S. R. , Anderson T. J. , Rusbridge C. , Lorenzo V. , Mantis P. , Cappello R.
Published: October 2010

The characteristics of magnetic resonance imaging (mri) of the brains and spinal cords of 11 dogs with histologically confirmed granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis (gme) were determined. The lesions were in the brain of eight of the dogs, in the brain and spinal cord of two, and in the spinal cord alone in one dog. A single lesion was present in four of the dogs and multiple lesions were found in six. In one dog with intracranial signs, no visible lesions could be detected on mri. No meningeal enhancement was detected in T1‐weighted images post‐contrast, or in fluid attenuation inversion recovery (flair) images, but there were histological lesions in the meninges in nine of the dogs. The T2‐weighted images and flair sequences were characterised in all cases by hyperintensity, whereas the signal intensity of the lesions on T1‐weighted images was variable. After the administration of paramagnetic contrast, some of the lesions showed no enhancement, but others showed marked patterns of enhancement. The lesions in 10 of the dogs were easily identifiable by mri and the images had several unifying characteristics, but they could not be considered disease‐specific.
Survey for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in Irish pigs fed meat and bone meal
Authors: Jahns H. , Callanan J. J. , Sammin D. J. , McElroy M. C. , Bassett H. F.
Published: October 2010

Samples of brain and lymphoid tissues from 1107 meat and bone meal‐fed, culled adult pigs from 24 Irish farms were examined for evidence of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (tse) by histopathological, immunohistochemical and Western blotting techniques. No evidence of deposits of abnormal prion protein suggesting the presence of tse was found. Neuropil vacuolation was apparent in the rostral colliculus in 64 per cent of the brains examined and neuronal vacuolation was present in the dorsal vagal nucleus in 15·4 per cent of the brains. However, similar lesions have been described in pigs used as controls in a bovine spongiform encephalopathy challenge experiment. Age‐related changes were also observed, including spheroids in the funicular nucleus of 24·5 per cent of the pigs, deposits of lipofuscin in the trigeminal neurons of 13·75 per cent, and mineral deposits in the walls of vessels in the dorsal vagal nucleus of 0·6 per cent. Low‐grade non‐suppurative inflammatory changes of uncertain origin were observed in 4 per cent of the animals.
Wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) as potential carriers of verocytotoxin‐producing Escherichia coli
Authors: Scaife H. R. , Cowan D. , Finney J. , Kinghorn‐Perry S. F. , Crook B.
Published: October 2010

In summer 2001, visitors to a wildlife park in Norfolk, uk, became infected with verocytotoxin‐producing Escherichia coli (vtec) o157, which was associated with wild rabbit faeces. The rabbits lived in an adjacent field together with E coli o157 ‐positive cattle. A pilot study was therefore performed to investigate the factors affecting the association between E coli o157 ‐positive cattle and wild rabbits. Samples of faeces were taken from 16 herds of cattle that lived close to populations of wild rabbits. Analysis by culture and pcr showed that seven of the herds were positive for E coli o157. Faeces were collected from individual rabbits at six of these farms during late winter, when there were few rabbits, and during high summer, when there were many. None of the 32 samples collected on two farms in late winter was positive for E coli o157, but eight of 97 samples collected in summer were positive on four of the six farms. pcr analysis for vtec, including non‐o157, showed that 20 of the 97 samples were positive.
Factors associated with preweaning mortality on commercial pig farms in England and Wales
Authors: O'Reilly K. M. , Harris M. J. , Mendl M. , Held S. , Moinard C. , Statham P. , Marchant‐Forde J. , Green L. E.
Published: October 2010

Data from 67 pig farms with a variety of farrowing systems were used to identify factors associated with preweaning mortality in British pig herds. The median mortality reported by the farmers was 10·7 per cent (interquartile range 8·5 to 14 per cent). There was a significantly higher mortality when the pigs were weaned when they were older. A multivariable Poisson model was developed into which the types of farrowing system on each farm and the age at weaning were forced. Factors associated with a lower preweaning mortality rate were insulating the farrowing building, providing extra heat at farrowing, giving the piglets iron injections, dipping their navels, using fan ventilation and using artificial lighting systems. Factors associated with a higher mortality rate were a later weaning age, the use of infra‐red lamps rather than other forms of supplementary heat, and the use of a creep without any bedding.
Introduction of bovine tuberculosis to north‐east England by bought‐in cattle
Authors: Gopal R. , Goodchild A. , Hewinson G. , de la Rua Domenech R. , Clifton‐Hadley R.
Published: October 2010

The source of bovine tuberculosis was investigated in 31 herds in north‐east England that experienced confirmed breakdowns between January 2002 and June 2004; nine of the herds had been restocked after the uk outbreak of foot‐and‐mouth disease in 2001. In all but one of the breakdowns the most likely source of infection was identified as one or more purchased animals. In 17 of the breakdowns, reactor animals were traced to herds from which the same combination of spoligotype and variable number tandem repeats was isolated, and in five breakdowns a different spoligotype was isolated. The most likely sources were located in Wales and the west and north of England, and included a Cheshire herd that was the most likely source of nine of the breakdowns. Three breakdowns were traced to Irish imports. Reactors in five of the breakdowns included homebred as well as purchased animals, providing evidence for the likely spread of the disease within the herds. The lack of geographical clustering of molecular types pointed to the overwhelming source of infection being cattle that had been bought‐in.
Study of the effects of once daily doses of trilostane on cortisol concentrations and responsiveness to adrenocorticotrophic hormone in hyperadrenocorticoid dogs
Authors: Bell R. , Neiger R. , McGrotty Y. , Ramsey I. K.
Published: October 2010

The effects of trilostane, a 3β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase inhibitor on basal cortisol concentrations and the results of acth stimulation tests in dogs with pituitary‐dependent hyperadrenocorticism were investigated. In eight of nine dogs trilostane suppressed the concentration of cortisol below the lower limit of the reference range (<50 nmol/l) for a mean (sd) of 3·5 (2·3) hours during the day, but for no longer than 13 hours. In another 10 dogs, there was a clear difference between the post acth cortisol concentrations observed four and 24 hours after the administration of trilostane. Furthermore, in the six dogs whose clinical signs were poorly controlled the post‐acth concentrations observed four and 24 hours after the administration of trilostane were always higher than the equivalent cortisol concentrations in the four dogs whose clinical signs were controlled. A short duration of drug action may be responsible for the failure of some dogs to respond adequately to once daily trilostane administration.
Susceptibility of fungi isolated from the respiratory tract of falcons to amphotericin B, itraconazole and voriconazole
Authors: Silvanose C. D. , Bailey T. A. , Di Somma A.
Published: October 2010

The minimum inhibitory concentrations (mic s) of fungi isolated from the air sacs of falcons before (group 1), and during antifungal treatment with amphotericin B nebulisation and oral itraconazole or voriconazole (group 2), or with itraconazole alone (group 3) or voriconazole alone (group 4) were determined. Before treatment, 95 per cent of the isolates, including Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus terreus, were susceptible to voriconazole at mic s up to 0·38 μg/ml, and all the isolates were susceptible at mic s up to 1μg/ml. Before treatment, 21 per cent of the isolates, including A fumigatus (27·6 per cent), A flavus (16·6 per cent), A niger (100 per cent) and A terreus (23 per cent), were resistant (mic ≥1 μg/ml) to itraconazole; 51 per cent of the isolates, including A fumigatus (31 per cent), A flavus (78 per cent), A niger (14 per cent) and A terreus (77 per cent), had mic s of over 1 μg/ml to amphotericin B, and after treatment their mic s increased significantly. In contrast, there were no significant differences between the mic s of voriconazole and itraconazole for the different Aspergillus species before and during treatment with these antifungal agents.
Orthovoltage radiation and weekly low dose of doxorubicin for the treatment of incompletely excised soft‐tissue sarcomas in 39 dogs
Authors: Simon D. , Ruslander D. M. , Rassnick K. M. , Wood C. A. , Frimberger A. E. , Cotter S. M. , King N. W. , Moore A. S.
Published: October 2010

The efficacy and toxicity of orthovoltage radiation therapy and concurrent low doses of doxorubicin for the treatment of incompletely excised soft‐tissue sarcomas in 39 dogs was investigated retrospectively. The 39 dogs had 40 soft‐tissue sarcomas and received 51 Gy orthovoltage radiation in 17 daily 3 Gy fractions; they also received 10 mg/m2 doxorubicin once a week administered intravenously one hour before the dose of radiation. The median follow‐up time was 910 days. The tumours recurred locally in seven of the dogs, in five of them within the radiation field; the median time to their recurrence was 213 days (range 63 to 555 days). Six of the dogs developed a distant metastasis after a median time of 276 days (range eight to 826 days). The one‐year and two‐ to four‐year tumour control rates were 84 per cent and 81 per cent, respectively, and the one‐, two‐ and three‐ to four‐year survival rates were 85 per cent, 79 per cent and 72 per cent, respectively. Tumours with a mitotic rate of more than 9 per 10 high‐power fields were significantly more likely to recur, and the dogs with such tumours survived for significantly shorter periods.
Retrospective study of noroviruses in samples of diarrhoea from cattle, using the Veterinary Laboratories Agency's Farmfile database
Authors: Milnes A. S. , Binns S. H. , Oliver S. L. , Bridger J. C.
Published: October 2010

A collaborative study was undertaken by the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (vla) and the Royal Veterinary College (rvc) to determine the prevalence of bovine noroviruses in cattle with diarrhoea. Samples of bovine diarrhoea were provided by the vla from routine diagnostic submissions and a reverse transcription‐pcr was used by the rvc to detect the viruses. Epidemiological information about the samples was provided retrospectively by the Farmfile database. Noroviruses were detected in 44 (11 per cent) of the 398 samples tested, and Farmfile data were used to investigate the differences between the positive and negative animals.
Long‐term treatment with carprofen of 805 dogs with osteoarthritis
Authors: Mansa S. , Palmér E. , Grøndahl C. , Lønaas L. , Nyman G.
Published: October 2010

The pain‐relieving effect of carprofen and tolerance to the drug were investigated in 805 dogs that were lame as a result of osteoarthritis. The dogs were of different breeds, ages and bodyweights and of both sexes, and were selected from 51 veterinary clinics. Each dog was treated orally by its owner with 4 mg/kg carprofen for 84 consecutive days. Twenty‐four dogs were removed from the study because of side effects, and 55 left the study for reasons unrelated to the treatment. The condition of the dogs and the benefit of the treatment were evaluated by the veterinary surgeons and the owners after 14 days, and at the end of the period of treatment, when 194 of the dogs (26·7 per cent) were no longer lame, and 357 (49·2 per cent) had improved. The period for which the dogs had been lame before entering the study significantly (P<0·01) affected the results and the rate of improvement. Too much exercise during the 84 days of treatment caused some dogs to relapse.
Attitudes of veterinary nurses to the assessment of pain and the use of pain scales
Authors: Coleman D.L. , Slingsby L. S.
Published: October 2010

In April 2004, a questionnaire was distributed to veterinary nurses across the uk to assess their attitudes towards the assessment and management of pain in practice. During the six‐week collection period, a total of 541 questionnaires were returned, of which 24 (4·25 per cent) were discounted due to completion errors. Overall, the pain scores for procedures involving dogs were higher than those for cats; the veterinary nurses' pain scores were higher for all procedures than those of veterinary surgeons in a previous study. Both veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons were primarily involved with monitoring pain postoperatively, and 96 per cent of veterinary nurses felt that their knowledge of pain management could be enhanced; 8·1 per cent of the practices used a formal pain scoring system, with the simple descriptive scale most commonly used; 80·3 per cent of the veterinary nurses agreed that a pain scale was a useful clinical tool.
Real‐time quantitative rt‐pcr and pcr assays for a novel European field isolate of equine infectious anaemia virus based on sequence determination of the gag gene
Authors: Quinlivan M. , Cook R. F. , Cullinane A.
Published: October 2010

In 2006, an outbreak of equine infectious anaemia (eia) occurred in Ireland. The initial source of the outbreak is believed to have been contaminated plasma imported from Italy. This paper presents the nucleotide sequence of the gag gene of the virus identified in Ireland (eiav i re), the first for a European strain of eiav. Comparison of the gag gene with North American and Asian strains of the virus showed that the gag gene is less well conserved than previously believed, and that eiav strains can have similar phenotypes despite considerable variations in genotype. On the basis of the deduced sequence of the eiav i re gag gene, highly sensitive, specific and quantitative rt‐pcr and pcr assays were developed, and used to quantify the eiav nucleic acid in postmortem tissues, plasma and secretions of infected horses. This is the first report of the detection and quantification of eiav in nasal, buccal and genital swabs by rt‐pcr.
Exposure of veterinary personnel to ionising radiation during bone scanning of horses by nuclear scintigraphy with 99m technetium methylene diphosphonate
Authors: Gatherer M. E. , Faulkner J. , Voûte L. C.
Published: October 2010

The aim of this study was to compare the radiation doses received by the personnel drawing up and injecting the radiopharmaceutical and operating the nuclear scintigraphy equipment, and those restraining nine horses while they were being scanned during scintigraphic investigations of lameness. Sensitive electronic dosimeters were worn by the personnel and the doses they received during the administration of the radiopharmaceutical and during the period of image acquisition were recorded at intervals. On average, 90 per cent of the total doses were received during the period of image acquisition. There was no significant difference between the total dose received by the person who drew up and injected the radiopharmaceutical, and the person restraining the horse during its administration. However, the person holding the horse received approximately twice the dose received by the person operating the equipment during the period of image acquisition.
Outbreak of parasitic peritonitis in reindeer in Finland
Authors: Laaksonen S. , Kuusela J. , Nikander S. , Nylund M. , Oksanen A.
Published: October 2010

In 2003, there was an outbreak of peritonitis in reindeer in the southern and middle part of the Finnish reindeer herding area caused by the filarioid nematode Setaria species. In the province of Oulu, the proportion of reindeer viscera condemned owing to parasitic lesions increased from 4·9 per cent in 2001 to 40·1 in 2003. In 2004, the focus of the outbreak moved approximately 100 km north. A total of 260 adult and pre‐adult Setaria species nematodes were collected for morphological and molecular studies. The parasite was indistinguishable in terms of morphology and molecular biology from Setaria tundra. Samples of parasites were also collected from wild cervids. In elk, only a few cases of pre‐adult encapsulated S tundra nematodes were detected on the surface of the liver but there was no peritonitis. Two roe deer had S tundra nematodes in their abdomen but no peritonitis. Of 34 wild forest reindeer, 21 had changes associated with S tundra. At meat inspection of the affected reindeer carcases, the changes observed included ascites, green fibrinous deposits, adhesions, and live and dead S tundra nematodes. There were histological lesions of granulomatous peritonitis with lymphoplasmacytic and eosinophilic infiltration. No specific bacterial growth was found. The parasitic infection had no significant effects on the pH or the organoleptic quality of the meat. There was a significant positive correlation between the worm count and the degree of peritonitis (P<0·001) and a negative correlation between the degree of peritonitis and the thickness of the back fat layer (P=0·015).
Metabolic bone disease in wild collared doves (Streptopelia decaocto)
Authors: Cousquer G. O. , Dankoski E. J. , Patterson‐Kane J. C.
Published: October 2010

The records of 666 casualty collared doves examined at a wildlife hospital in south‐west England over a period of five years were reviewed. Signs of metabolic bone disease were recorded in 51·2 per cent of the juvenile birds but in only 9·6 per cent of the adults. The incidence of the condition was highest between December and February and decreased almost to zero between June and August. Histological lesions in 11 of the juvenile doves were consistent with vitamin D deficiency, possibly as a result of inadequate exposure to uvb light during the short winter days.
Applications of ultrasonography in the reproductive management of Dux magnus gentis venteris saginati
Authors: King A. M. , Cromarty L. , Paterson C. , Boyd J. S.
Published: October 2010

Dux magnus gentis venteris saginati is considered to be a Scottish delicacy; however, depleting wild stocks have resulted in attempts to farm them. Selective breeding has been successful in modifying behaviour, increasing body length, reducing hair coat and improving fank (litter) size. However, there are still significant problems associated with the terrain in which they are farmed. This article describes the use of ultrasonography in the reproductive management of this species and the introduction of new genetic material in an attempt to address these problems, with the aim of improving welfare and productivity.
Death of a horse infected experimentally with Anaplasma phagocytophilum
Authors: Franzén P. , Berg A‐L. , Aspan A. , Gunnarsson A. , Pringle J. D.
Published: October 2010

A 19‐year‐old horse that was one of a group of six horses infected experimentally with Anaplasma phagocytophilum for a study of the pathogenesis of equine granulocytic ehrlichiosis died suddenly two days after first showing clinical signs of disease. The clinical signs and laboratory findings observed before its death were similar to all those of the other infected horses, and to previous reports of this disease. A postmortem examination revealed widespread haemorrhaging in its internal organs, and vasculitis and thrombosis in the kidneys. These changes are consistent with disseminated intravascular coagulation, which has previously been reported in human beings infected with the presumably identical agent of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis.
Relationships between tail biting in pigs and disease lesions and condemnations at slaughter
Authors: Kritas S. K. , Morrison R. B.
Published: October 2010

Two matched case‐control studies were performed at an abattoir with a capacity of 780 pigs per hour, each study using the approximately 7000 pigs slaughtered on one day. In the first study, the severity of tail biting and pneumonia were recorded in pigs with bitten or intact tails. In the second study, the tail score, sex, and the presence of pleuritis, externally visible abscesses and trimming were recorded in pigs with bitten or intact tails. In study 1, there was no significant association between the tail score and the percentage of lung tissue affected by lesions typical of enzootic pneumonia, but there was a significant association between the severity of tail biting and the prevalence of lungs with abscesses and/or pleuritic lesions (P<0·0001). In study 2, there were significant associations between the severity of tail biting, and the prevalence of external carcase abscesses and carcase trimming; the carcases of castrated males had evidence of tail biting more frequently than the carcases of females (P<0·05).
Effects of premedication with fentanyl and midazolam on mask induction of anaesthesia of dogs with sevoflurane
Authors: Mutoh T.
Published: October 2010

Fourteen beagles were used to determine the effects of fentanyl and midazolam as a premedicant for mask induction of anaesthesia with sevoflurane. The drugs were administered to each dog in a randomised cross‐over design with a seven‐day washout period between experiments. After a 15‐minute equilibration period, a treatment consisting of fentanyl (10 μg/kg bodyweight) and midazolam (0·2 mg/kg) was given either intravenously or intramuscularly. Anaesthesia was then induced by the use of a facemask with sevoflurane in 100 per cent oxygen at a flow rate of 4 l/minute. Vaporiser settings were increased by 0·8 per cent at 15‐second intervals until the value corresponding to 4·8 per cent sevoflurane was achieved. The time to the onset and cessation of involuntary movements, loss of the palpebral reflex, negative response to tail‐clamp stimulation, and endotracheal intubation and cardiopulmonary variables were measured. Both the treatments with tentanyl and midazolam resulted in a shorter and smoother induction of anaesthesia than treatment with saline, and the cardiopulmonary changes were smaller and milder.
Recombinant antigen‐based dipstick elisa for the diagnosis of leptospirosis in dogs
Authors: Dey S. , Madhan Mohan C. , Ramadass P. , Nachimuthu K.
Published: October 2010

A recombinant LipL32 antigen‐based dipstick elisa was developed as a screening test for the detection of leptospiral antibodies in serum samples from dogs. The antibodies were detected by a change in the colour of the substrate solution when the recombinant antigen‐coated dipsticks were dipped into it. The relative sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the test, compared with the standard microscopic agglutination test, were 95·9 per cent, 93·8 per cent and 94·8 per cent, respectively.
Poverty impacts of foot‐and‐mouth disease and the poverty reduction implications of its control
Authors: Perry B. D. , Rich K. M.
Published: October 2010

Foot‐and‐mouth disease (fmd) remains one of the most important livestock diseases of the world, given its highly infectious nature, its broad economic impacts on animal wellbeing and productivity, and its implications for successful access to domestic and export markets for livestock and products. The impacts of the disease vary markedly between developed and developing countries, and also within many developing countries. These differences in impact shape some markedly heterogeneous incentives for fmd control and eradication, which become of particular importance when setting priorities for poverty reduction in developing countries. Some consider that the benefits from fmd control accrue only to the better off in such societies and, as such, may not be a priority for investments targeted at poverty reduction. But is that view justified? Others see the control of fmd as a major development opportunity in a globalised environment. In this paper, Brian Perry and Karl Rich summarise the differential impacts of fmd and its control, and link these findings with the growing understanding of how the control of this globally important disease may contribute to the processes of pro‐poor growth in certain countries of the developing world.
Use of matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 and white blood cell counts in monitoring the treatment and predicting the survival of horses with septic arthritis
Authors: Kidd J. A. , Barr A. R. S. , Tarlton J. F.
Published: October 2010

Thirty‐nine samples of synovial fluid were collected from the joints of 32 horses with suspected septic arthritis and 39 samples were collected from horses euthanased for non‐orthopaedic conditions. The white blood cell counts (wbcc) were determined and the pro and active forms of matrix metalloproteinases (mmp s) 2 and 9 were measured by gelatin zymography and image analysis in each sample. The initial measurements of the ratio of prommp9 :prommp2 and wbcc were good prognostic indicators of the survival of the horses. There was no significant relationship between the interval between the injury and the horse being referred for treatment and either the wbcc or the levels of mmp2 and mmp9 initially, and no evidence that this interval significantly affected the chances of the horses surviving.