bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aetiology of separation‐related behaviour in domestic dogs
Authors: Bradshaw J. W. S. , McPherson J. A. , Casey R. A. , Larter I. S.
Published: October 2010

A longitudinal study of seven litters of labrador retrievers and five litters of border collies from eight weeks to 18 months of age indicated that the majority showed some degree of potentially undesirable behaviour when separated from their owners. Its incidence was particularly high in the labrador retrievers, of which 13 of 23 showed separation‐related behaviour for more than a month. Socially diverse environments experienced between six and 12 months of age were associated with a subsequent absence of separationrelated behaviour. In a questionnaire survey of dog owners, separation‐related behaviour was reported in 27 of 94 dogs, and a further 20 had shown the behaviour in the past. Male dogs were more likely to express separation‐related behaviour currently, and females were more likely never to have displayed it. The prevalence of the behaviour was unaffected by whether the dog was pedigree or mixed breed, or whether it had been obtained from a breeder or from a rescue organisation. Combining the results of the two studies, the owners of only six of 75 dogs showing separation‐related behaviour had sought assistance, and only two of the owners had sought help from veterinary surgeons.
Static space requirements of male meat turkeys
Authors: Ellerbrock S. , Knierim U.
Published: October 2010

The area covered by standing male meat turkeys between 11 and 21 weeks of age was measured by planimetry on photographs taken from directly above the birds. There was a strong relationship (r=0.86) between their liveweight and the area covered, and a formula was derived for the calculation of the area covered by turkeys weighing between 7.6 and 21.8 kg. A comparison with the formula developed on theoretical grounds in 1995 by the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAwc) showed that for heavy turkeys the FAwc formula is not valid, because it yields values which are about 50 per cent too low.
Colour‐coded duplex sonography of the testes of dogs
Authors: Gumbsch P. , Holzmann A. , Gabler C.
Published: October 2010

Colour.coded duplex sonography was used to examine the testes of 42 dogs whose testes were normal on clinical examination. With colour Doppler, the blood flow in the supratesticular region could be displayed clearly in 70 per cent of the cases, independent of the dog's age, bodyweight, pulse rate and the volume of its testes. The marginal artery could be displayed clearly in 56 per cent of the cases, and the clarity was correlated with bodyweight (P<0.001), testicular volume (P<0.001), and pulse rate (P<0.001). The intratesticular blood flow could not be discerned in 42 per cent of the cases. With pulsed Doppler, the mean resistive index (RI) in the supratesticular region was 0.57, and the mean pulsatility index (Pi) was 1.00. In the marginal artery, the mean RI was 0.49, and mean PI was 0.78. In the intratesticular arteries, the mean RI was 0.47, and the mean PI was 0.75. At all three sites both indices were independent of age, bodyweight, pulse rate and testicular volume.
Observational study of temperature, moisture, pH and bacteria in straw bedding, and faecal consistency, cleanliness and mastitis in cows in four dairy herds
Authors: Ward W. R. , Hughes J. W. , Faull W. B. , Cripps P. J. , Sutherland J. P. , Sutherst J. E.
Published: October 2010

A study of four dairy farms showed that much of the straw stored for bedding was too wet (over 15 per cent moisture content). Most of the beds, including their top surfaces, were damp (above 75 per cent relative humidity). The temperature of the surface of most of the straw beds was related to the air temperature, many being below 15°C, but below the surface the temperatures of most beds reached between 15°C and 45°C within about a week of their being renewed. Bacterial counts also reached a plateau within one to two weeks. The pH of the top layers of straw was usually between 8.5 and 9.5. Adding lime daily to the top layer of the straw failed to raise the pH to levels at which Escherichia coli and Streptococcus uberis do not survive. Most of the counts of E coil and faecal streptococci in the top layers of straw were above 106 colony‐forming units/g. Counts of E coli and S uberis were much higher in the beds of early lactation cows than in those of dry cows. Many of the early lactation cows were heavily and persistently contaminated with faeces. Dry cows were much cleaner. Groups of cows with firmer faeces were also cleaner. The farm with the lowest incidence of mastitis had the cleanest cows and the most satisfactory beds.
Effect of insulin, transferrin and selenium and epidermal growth factor on development of buffalo oocytes to the blastocyst stage in vitro in serum‐free, semidefined media
Authors: Raghu H. M. , Reddy S. M. , Nandi S.
Published: October 2010

The in vitro development of buffalo oocytes up to the blastocyst stage was studied in serum‐free, semidefined media containing bovine serum albumin, follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH), insulin, transferrin and selenium (ITS) and epidermal growth factor (EGF). In experiment 1, oocytes aspirated from abattoir‐derived ovaries were cultured in eight serum‐free, semidefined culture media containing different combinations of these four factors. In experiment 2, the maturation of buffalo oocytes and the development of the embryos were compared in a complex co‐culture system and in the serum‐free, semidefined media. Supplementation with FSH and EGF significantly (P0·05) increased the maturation rates of buffalo oocytes, and the yield of blastocysts was higher (P0·05) in media containing EGF and ITS. The yield of blastocysts was lower in the serum‐free semidefined media (P0·05) than in the complex co‐culture system.
Frequencies of prion protein (PrP) genotypes and distribution of ages in 15 scrapieaffected flocks in Great Britain
Authors: Tongue S. C. , Wilesmith J. W. , Cook C. J.
Published: October 2010

The frequencies of prion protein (PrP) genotypes were investigated in 15 scrapie‐affected flocks in Great Britain. The flocks were heterogeneous in the frequencies of different genotypes and alleles, and in their age distributions. The median flock frequency of animals with VRQ‐containing genotypes was 21 per cent (range 2 to 82 per cent, mean 25 per cent). The VRQ‐containing and other non‐ARR genotypes made up 11 to 82 per cent of a flock (median 46 per cent, mean 48 per cent). In comparison with data from the general population the scrapie‐affected population had a lower frequency of the ARR/ARR genotype, and so of the ARR allele, and had a higher frequency of VRQ/non‐ARR heterozygote genotypes, and thus of the VRQ allele.
Prevalence of benzimidazole resistance on horse farms in Germany
Authors: Wirtherle N. , Schnieder T. , von Samson‐Himmelstjerna G.
Published: October 2010

Faecal egg counts (FECS) were made on samples from 1383 horses on 64 farms in northern Germany between August 2000 and November 2001. There were significant differences between the mean FECS in the two years; in 2000, 59.6 per cent of 369 samples were positive and in 2001,32.6 per cent of 1014 samples were positive for strongyle eggs. The results of a FEC reduction test indicated that resistance to fenbendazole was present on all 10 farms where it had been used, including in 33 of 60 horses tested. In contrast, treatment with ivermectin resulted in the complete elimination of nematode eggs in all the 77 horses tested. The mean LD50 values of the egg hatch test for thiabendazole indicated resistance on all 20 farms investigated and in 94 of 134 samples (70 per cent).
Development of the skeleton and feathers of dusky parrots (Pionus fuscus) in relation to their behaviour
Authors: Harcourt‐Brown N.
Published: October 2010

A clutch of fve dusky parrots (Pionus fuscus) was observed from hatching to fully grown. They were examined radiographically from 16 to 45 days of age, a few days before the cessation of bone growth, and the development of their feathers and their behaviour were also studied. It was observed that when growing birds were removed from the nest and placed singly on a flat surface they would stand up and walk about until restrained; normally these birds would move very little and lie in an intertwined huddle that supported their relatively weak growing skeletons. At 50 days old they would climb to the nest entrance, retreating if scared. From day 51 the parrots flapped their wings vigorously inside the nest box, and they emerged at 53 days old when nearly all their large feathers had finished growing. These findings may help to explain the high rate of juvenile osteodystrophy in hand‐reared parrots; premature exercise could lead to pathological deformity of the long bones, especially the major weight‐bearing bone, the tibiotarsus.
Risk of foot‐and‐mouth disease associated with proximity in space and time to infected premises and the implications for control policy during the 2001 epidemic in Cumbria
Authors: Taylor N. M. , Honhold N. , Paterson A. D. , Mansley L. M.
Published: October 2010

An analysis was made that calculated the risk of disease for premises in the most heavily affected parts of the county of Cumbria during the foot‐and‐mouth disease epidemic in the UK in 2001. In over half the cases the occurrence of the disease was not directly attributable to a recently infected premises being located within 1.5 km. Premises more than 1.5 km from recently infected premises faced sufficiently high infection risks that culling within a 1.5 km radius of the infected premises alone could not have prevented the progress of the epidemic. A comparison of the final outcome in two areas of the county, south Penrith and north Cumbria, indicated that focusing on controlling the potential spread of the disease over short distances by culling premises contiguous to infected premises, while the disease continued to spread over longer distances, may have resulted in excessive numbers of premises being culled. Even though the contiguous cull in south Penrith appeared to have resulted in a smaller proportion of premises becoming infected, the overall proportion of premises culled was considerably greater than in north Cumbria, where, because of staff and resource limitations, a smaller proportion of premises contiguous to infected premises was culled.
Relationships between the histological grade of cutaneous mast cell tumours in dogs, their survival and the efficacy of surgical resection
Authors: Murphy S. , Sparkes A. H. , Brearley M. J. , Smith K. C. , Blunden A. S.
Published: October 2010

The histological grade of 340 cutaneous mast cell tumours derived from 280 dogs was determined by an established histological grading system; 87 of the tumours (26 per cent) were well differentiated, 199 (59 per cent) were intermediately differentiated and 54 (16 per cent) were poorly differentiated. The one‐year survival rates for the dogs with tumours of these three grades were significantly different (P=0‐0001), being 100 per cent, 92 per cent and 46 per cent, respectively. The median survival time for the dogs with poorly differentiated tumours was 278 days, significantly shorter than that for the dogs with either intermediately or well‐differentiated tumours, which were both over 1300 days. Regrowth of the tumours was identified in 10 (19 per cent) of the dogs with poorly differentiated tumours, 12 (6 per cent) of the dogs with intermediately differentiated tumours and one of the dogs with well‐differentiated tumours; only three of the tumours which regrew had initially had complete margins. The results suggest that wide surgical margins are not a prerequisite for a successful long‐term outcome in dogs with well‐differentiated cutaneous mast cell tumours.
Survey of the seroprevalence of brucellosis in ruminants in Kosovo
Authors: Jackson R. , Pite L. , Ward D. , Kennard R. , Stack J. , Domi X. , Dedushaj L.
Published: October 2010

A cross‐sectional survey of the seroprevalence of brucellosis in sheep, goats and cattle in Kosovo was made in January 2001. A total of 12,000 serum samples, from 7941 cattle, 3548 sheep and 511 goats, were screened using the Rose Bengal test. Doubtful and positive results were further tested with competitive and indirect ELISAs. The overall serological prevalences derived from the samples positive to all three tests, were 6.26 per cent (95 per cent confidence intervals [CI] 5.5 to 7.1 per cent) for sheep, 7.24 per cent (5.3 to 9.8 per cent) for goats and 0–58 per cent (0.43 to 0.77 per cent) for cattle. The survey covered 26 of the 29 municipalities and showed that brucellosis was widely but unevenly distributed throughout the province. Seropositive animals were found in 25 per cent (19 to 32 per cent) of 162 villages surveyed. The risk of cattle being infected on holdings where both cattle and sheep were kept was greater, with a risk ratio of 4.6 (2.2 to 9.6), than on holdings where only cattle were kept. Brucella melitensis probably predominates as the cause of brucellosis in ruminants in the province of Kosovo.
Physiological insights intoShechita
Authors: Rosen S. D.
Published: October 2010

The Government recently announced that it intends to reject a recommendation by the Farm Animal Welfare Council that all animals should be stunned before slaughter (seeVR, April 10, p 446). In this Viewpoint article, Dr Stuart Rosen discusses physiological aspects ofShechita, the Jewish method of religious animal slaughter. He outlines the religious context and describes the act ofShechita. He discusses the scientific literature on the behavioural responses toShechitaas well as neurophysiological studies relevant to the assessment of pain, and concludes thatShechitais a painless and humane method of animal slaughter.
Prevalence of enteropathicEscherichia coliin dogs with acute and chronic diarrhoea
Authors: Sancak A. A. , Rutgers H. C. , Hart C. A. , Batt R. M.
Published: October 2010

Samples of faeces from 57 dogs with acute diarrhoea, 82 dogs with chronic diarrhoea, 34 clinically healthy household dogs and 88 kennelled control dogs were analysed by hybridisation, using DNA probes to detect enteropathogenicEscherichia coli(EPEc) and enterotoxigenicE coli(ETEC), verocytotoxin‐producingE coli(VTEC), enterohaemorrhagicE coli(EHEC), enteroinvasive E coil (EIEc) and enteroaggregativeE coli(EAggEC). Samples of duodenal juice from 60 of the 82 dogs with chronic diarrhoea were also examined. Significantly more of the dogs with diarrhoea were excreting EPEC (acute 35.1 per cent, chronic 31.7 per cent) and VTEC (acute 24.6 per cent, chronic 28 per cent) than the kennelled dogs (EPEC 17.1 per cent, VTEC 0 per cent) or the household control dogs (EPEC 6 per cent, VTEC 5.9 per cent). EnteropathicE coliwas also detected in the duodenal juice of 23 of 60 (38.3 per cent) of the dogs with chronic diarrhoea. The EPEC attaching and effacing A (eaeA) gene and the verocytotoxin 1 (Vri) gene coding for vTEC were often found together. There was good agreement between in vitro studies and hybridisation for the detection ofeaeAand VTri. Isolates from the dogs with diarrhoea adhered significantly more to Hep‐2 cells, and vr ‐positive strains from the dogs with diarrhoea consistently killed more than 50 per cent of Vero cells.
Radiographic contrast study of the upper gastrointestinal tract of eight dogs using carboxymethylcellulose mixed with a low concentration of barium sulphate
Authors: Chang J. H. , Lee K‐C. , Choi H‐J. , Yoon J‐H. , Choi M‐C.
Published: October 2010

To evaluate the efficacy of a mixture of barium and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) suspension in upper gastrointestinal contrast studies, and to determine its optimal concentration and method for use, eight healthy beagle dogs underwent conventional upper gastrointestinal contrast imaging and a modified procedure using a mixture of barium sulphate and CMC. Four different procedures were carried out on the dogs at weekly intervals. In the first, the dogs were administered 10 ml/kg of 60 per cent barium suspension for conventional study of the upper gastrointestinal tract. The second, third and fourth procedures involved modified methods in which the dogs were given 10 ml/kg of a mixture of 25 per cent barium and 0.5 per cent CMC prepared to a low, moderate or high viscosity, respectively. All four procedures were evaluated by four criteria: the quality of the images obtained, the translucency and distensibility of the bowel, and the transit time. The method of imaging which used a moderately viscious CMC formulation provided excellent image quality, high translucency, a rapid transit time and suitable bowel distension to enable more precise diagnosis of disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.
Evidence for the presence of hepatitis E virus in pigs in the United Kingdom
Authors: Banks M. , Heath G. S. , Grierson S. S. , King D. P. , Gresham A. , Girones R. , Widen F. , Harrison T. J.
Published: October 2010

Samples of serum, tissue and faeces from two pig herds in England were examined for hepatitis E virus by reverse‐transcriptase PCR (RT‐PcR), and a virus strain from each herd was partially sequenced. Eleven of 42 faecal samples and 16 of 21 tissue samples from two pigs were positive for the virus by RT‐PCR. Analysis of two unique but closely related nucleotide sequences obtained from the two herds showed that the viruses clustered in genotype III (6) with a human strain of the virus from an autochthonously acquired case of acute hepatitis in the uK. An ELISA based on recombinant open reading frame 2 (ORF‐2) was used to detect antibodies to hepatitis E virus in 256 pig sera from the uK; 85‐5 per cent of the samples were positive, compared with 58 per cent of similar samples from Swedish pigs and 23‐5 per cent of samples from Dutch pigs.
Breeding German sheep for resistance to scrapie
Authors: Drögemüller C. , De Vries F. , Hamann H. , Leeb T , Distl O.
Published: October 2010

Susceptibility to clinical scrapie is associated with polymorphisms in the prion protein (PrP) gene. The ARR allele reduces susceptibility to clinical disease caused by all known strains of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) agents. For the economically important German breeds of sheep the PrP allele frequencies are well known, but this paper presents representative genotyping results for 1526 sheep from two smaller milk sheep breeds and 2446 sheep from 14 mostly indigenous land sheep breeds. The ARR allele was detected in each breed but the breed‐specific ARR frequencies varied between 1 and 63 per cent. In small populations with a very low ARR frequency the ARR allele could be lost by genetic drift. A simulation study was therefore made to examine the effects of different breeding schemes in populations of different sizes on attempts to select for the ARR allele in an endangered population. In breeds in which no homozygous rams are available the breeding strategy would depend on the number of heterozygous rams, and the genotyping and selection of suitable breeding ewes would reduce the time required to achieve a highly resistant population. In general, in all the breeds a selection programme to achieve 99 per cent ARR homozygous genotypes would be feasible in six to nine generations, depending on the initial allele frequencies. In small populations the inbreeding rate may increase if no specific mating plans are developed by the breeding organisations.
Case‐control investigation of the factors affecting the risk of horses falling during steeplechase racing in the UK
Authors: Pinchbeck G. L. , Clegg P. D. , Produdman C. J. , French K. L. , French N. P.
Published: October 2010

A concurrent case‐control study of 12 UK racecourses was made between March 1, 2000, and August 31, 2001, to identify and quantify the factors associated with the risk of horses falling in steeplechase races. Cases were defined as a jumping effort at a steeplechase fence that resulted in a fall and controls were defined as a successful jumping effort over any steeplechase fence at any of the 12 racecourses within 14 days before or after the case fall. Information on the horse, the jockey and the race were collected and all the fences on all the courses were surveyed. Conditional logistic regression was used to examine the relationships between the predictor variables and the risk of falling. There was one fall per 254 jumping efforts. The risk of a horse falling decreased the more times it had raced on a particular racecourse. The number of fences, the distance from the previous fence and the nature of the previous fence also affected the risk of falling. If the previous fence was a water jump the risk of falling increased; fences that were sited on flat or slight uphill gradients (up to approximately 1 in 25) were associated with a lower risk of horses falling than downhill fences, and higher takeoff boards were associated with a higher risk of falling.
Variable patterns of distribution of PrPCWD in the obex and cranial lympoid tissues of Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) with subclinical chronic wasting disease
Authors: Spraker T.R. , Balachandran A. , Zhuang D. , O'Rourke K.I.
Published: October 2010

Sections of medulla oblongata, taken at the level of the obex, palatine tonsil and medial retropharyngeal lymph node from 10,269 captive Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni), were examined by immunohistochemical staining with monoclonal antibody for the prion protein associated with the transmissible spongiform encephalopathy of cervids, chronic wasting disease (PrpCWD) The protein was detected in 226 of them. On the basis of the anatomical location of the deposits in the brainstem of 183 elk, four distinct patterns of distribution of PrPCWD within the parasympathetic region of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve and the adjacent nuclei were observed. Mild gross lesions of chronic wasting disease (serous atrophy of fat) were observed in only three elk, all with spongiform degeneration; the other elk were considered to be in the preclinical stage of the disease. in contrast with the relatively predictable distribution of prion protein (PrP) in the brain and cranial nodes of sheep and mule deer, the distribution of PrpCWD in the brain and nodes of the elk was more variable and unrelated to their PrP genotype. One hundred and fifty‐five of the 226 positive elk had deposits of PrpCWD in the brainstem and lymphoid tissues, 43 had deposits only in the lymphoid tissue and 28 had deposits only in the brainstem.
Effects of vaccination against viral haemorrhagic disease and myxomatosis on long‐term mortality rates of European wild rabbits
Authors: Calvete C. , Estrada R. , Lucientes J. , Osacar J. J. , Villafuerte R.
Published: October 2010

The effects of vaccination against myxomatosis and viral haemorrhagic disease (VHD) on long‐term mortality rates in European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were studied from 1993 to 1996 by radiotracking a free‐living population of wild rabbits. During the three months after immunisation, unvaccinated young rabbits weighing between 180 and 600 g were 13.6 times more likely to die than vaccinated young rabbits. In adult rabbits, vaccination did not significantly decrease mortality, mainly owing to the high proportion of rabbits which had previously been exposed to the antigens of both diseases. Compared with adult rabbits with natural antibodies to VHD, rabbits without these antibodies were 5.2 times more likely to die of VHD during annual outbreaks.
Septic tenosynovitis of the tarsal sheath of an Arab gelding and suspected sepsis of the lateral digital flexor tendon subsequent to bacterial peritonitis
Authors: Archer D. C. , Clegg P. D. , Edwards G. B.
Published: October 2010

A 21‐year‐old Arab gelding with clinical signs of acute peritonitis had a perforating ulcer on the mesenteric border of the jejunum which resulted in localised contamination of the abdomen with ingesta. The affected segment of jejunum was resected and the abdomen was lavaged extensively. Postoperatively, the gelding was treated with broad‐spectrum antibiotics, non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs and intravenous fluids, but after four days it became acutely non‐weight bearing on its right hindlimb, and a tendonitis of the lateral digital flexor tendon within the tarsal sheath was identified ultrasonographically. The septic tendonitis was treated with broad‐spectrum antibiotics but progressed proximodistally within the tendon until it involved both the tarsal sheath and the associated tarsocrural joint, necessitating the euthanasia of the gelding.
Relationships between the plasma concentrations of insulin‐like growth factor‐I in dairy cows and their fertility and milk yield
Authors: Taylor V. J. , Cheng Z. , Pushpakumara P. G. A. , Wathes D. C. , Beever D. E.
Published: October 2010

The relationships between insulin‐like growth factor‐I (IGF‐I) and the fertility and milk yield of Holstein‐Friesian dairy cows were investigated. The concentration of IGF‐I in blood was measured weekly from one week before to 12 weeks after calving in 177 multiparous cows and at four times during this period in 142 primiparous cows; the concentration of IGF‐I in milk was measured in 50 of the multiparous cows. The plasma concentrations of IGF‐I were higher in the primiparous than in the multiparous animals. In the primiparous cows, high concentrations of IGF‐I before calving were associated with longer calving to conception intervals. Conversely, in the multiparous cows low concentrations of IGF‐1 before and after calving were associated with a failure to conceive, despite repeated services. Multiparous cows with IGF‐I concentrations of greater than 25 ng/ml in the week after calving were 11 times more likely to conceive to first service than those with lower concentrations. Concentrations of IGF‐I greater than 50 ng/ml at first service increased the likelihood of conception five‐fold. Cows with higher peak milk yields had lower plasma concentrations of IGF‐I and took longer to return to ovarian cyclicity. The negative relationship between milk yield and return to cyclicity was stronger in the multiparous cows (P<0.002) than in the primiparous cows (P<0.04). The concentrations of IGF‐I in milk followed a different pattern and were not associated with the changes in plasma IGF‐I or fertility.
Possible interaction between myxomatosis and calicivirosis related to rabbit haemorrhagic disease affecting the European rabbit
Authors: Marchandeau S. , Letty J. , Bertagnoli S. , Peralta B. , Boucraut‐Baralon C. , Reitz F.
Published: October 2010

Serological data on myxoma virus, rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) virus and RHD‐like viruses in juvenile rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) trapped in 1995, 1996 and 1997 in two areas of France were analysed. For each disease, the effects of bodyweight, year, month and seropositivity for the other disease were modelled by using logistic regressions. In one area, a model including RHD seropositivity was selected to explain the myxoma virus seropositivity. Models including myxoma virus seropositivity were selected to explain the RHD seropositivity in both areas, and the odds of a rabbit being seropositive to both viruses were 5.1 and 8.4 times higher than the odds of a rabbit being seronegative to myxoma virus and seropositive to RHD. The year and bodyweight had significant effects for myxomatosis in one area and for RHD in both areas.
Mortality due to fox predation in free‐range poultry flocks in Britain
Authors: Moberly R. L. , White P. C. L. , Harris S.
Published: October 2010

Information derived from questionnaires sent to producers of free‐range eggs, chickens, turkeys and geese was used to assess the extent of fox predation in terms of the density of the fox population and farm management factors. The mean reported bird mortality was less than 2 per cent for all the producers, but there were marked differences between them. Egg producers reported losing many more birds to foxes than other types of producer (up to 1000 birds in a laying cycle). On average, egg and goose producers lost the highest proportions of their total flocks (0.5 per cent). The extent of predation was not associated either with large‐scale estimations of the density of the fox population or with variations in the farms' habitat. Chicken predation was not linked to differences in types of housing or fencing. However, there was a positive association between losses due to other causes and chicken predation. The results suggest that changes in farm management would be the most cost‐effective means of reducing fox predation, rather than greater fox control.
Prevalence and demographic characteristics of exertional rhabdomyolysis in horses in Australia
Authors: Cole F. L. , Mellor D. J. , Hodgson D. R. , Reid S. W. J.
Published: October 2010

The proportion of the horses, of both sexes and of different ages, breeds and levels of activity, owned by a stratified random sample of Australian owners, which had suffered one or more episodes of exertional rhabdomyolysis during the previous 12 months was determined. The proportion in the general population was 1.9 per cent, and horses which exercised were significantly more likely to have experienced the condition than horses which did not. There were significant differences between the sexes and between certain breeds and activity groups in the proportions of horses affected.
Magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis and surgical management of sacral osteochondrosis in a mastiff dog
Authors: Glyde M. , Doyle R. , McAllister H. , Campoy L. , Callanan J. J.
Published: October 2010

The clinical, radiographic, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), surgical and pathological findings related to an osteochondral lesion of the sacrum in a mastiff dog are described. The dog showed chronic signs of pain in its pelvic limbs. Radiography revealed a triangular mineralised opacity at the craniodorsal aspect of the sacrum consistent with sacral osteochondrosis. A T2‐weighted spin‐echo MRI revealed dorsal and lateral compression of the cauda equina. The osteochondral fragment was removed via a dorsal laminectomy, and the clinical signs resolved. Histological abnormalities in the fragment were consistent with a diagnosis of osteochondrosis.
Association between Key‐Gaskell syndrome and infection by Clostridium botulinum type C/D
Authors: Nunn F. , Poxton I. R. , Cave T. A. , Knottenbelt C.
Published: October 2010

There is growing evidence that equine dysautonomia is a toxicoinfection with Clostridium botulinum type C. The possibility that feline dysautonomia has the same aetiology was investigated by attempting to detect botulinum type C neurotoxin in the food, faeces and the contents of the ileum of affected cats, and by serology. The toxin was detected directly in four of eight affected cats and after enrichment in seven of them, and in their dried food. No toxin was detected in healthy control cats or in their tinned food. Recent exposure to the organism was assessed by the detection of immunoglobulin A (IgA) in the faeces of healthy control cats and affected cats. The levels of IgA antibodies to the toxin and to surface antigens of C botulinum type C in the faeces of the affected cats 14 weeks after the outbreak were significantly higher than in the faeces of the control cats.
Digestive pathology of sea turtles stranded in the Canary Islands between 1993 and 2001
Authors: Orós J. , Déniz S. , Calabuig P.
Published: October 2010

Digestive lesions were observed in 84 of 136 sea turtles (128 Caretta caretta, four Chelonia mydas and four Dermochelys coriacea) stranded in the Canary Islands between January 1993 and December 2001. In the oral cavity ulcerative and necropurulent stomatitis were the most frequently observed lesions, and in the oesophagus ulcerative and fibrinous oesophagitis, and traumatic oesophageal perforation were most frequently observed; all these lesions were mainly associated with the ingestion of fishing hooks. Different histological types of gastritis were observed in 35 of the turtles; necropurulent and fibrinous gastritis were associated with bacterial infections caused mainly by Proteus species, Vibrio alginolyticus, and Staphylococcus species, and larval nematodes of the genus Anisakis were responsible for a form of parasitic gastritis observed in 16 of the turtles. Different histological types of enteritis, including catarrhal, fibrinous, necropurulent and necrotising enteritis, affected 36 turtles; a wide range of Gram‐negative and Grampositive bacteria, including Bacillus species, Escherichia coli, Pasteurella species, Proteus species, Staphylococcus species, Streptococcus species and V alginolyticus, were isolated from these lesions. All the cases of necrotising enteritis were associated with intestinal intussusception caused by the ingestion of monofilament fishing lines. Necrotising and/or multifocal granulomatous hepatitis were the lesions most commonly observed in the liver; they affected 29 of the turtles and were associated with Aeromonas hydrophila, Citrobacter species, E coli, Proteus species, Staphylococcus species and V alginolyticus infections. According to the stranding reports and the gross and histological lesions observed, 33 of the turtles had digestive lesions associated with the ingestion of hooks and monofilament lines, and two had lesions associated with the ingestion of crude oil.
Potential role of multiple rectal biopsies in the diagnosis of equine grass sickness
Authors: Wales A. D. , Whitwell K. E.
Published: October 2010

Two samples were taken postmortem from the rectum of each of 14 horses with grass sickness and 10 control horses, and four sections stained with haematoxylin and eosin were examined. By using as a criterion of grass sickness the presence of three chromatolytic neurons, 10 of the 14 cases were positive and none of the control horses was positive, giving a sensitivity of 71 per cent and a specificity of 100 per cent. No other histological features appeared to be of diagnostic value, and staining for Nissl substance in neurons with cresyl fast violet and methyl green‐pyronin did not improve the sensitivity of the test.
Efficacy of tulathromycin in the treatment of respiratory disease in pigs caused by Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae
Authors: Hart F. J. , Kilgore R. W. , Meinert T. R. , Nutsch R. G. , Sunderland S. J. , Lechtenberg K. F.
Published: October 2010

The efficacy of a single dose of tulathromycin, a novel triamilide antimicrobial of the macrolide class, given at 2·5 mg/kg or 5 mg/kg bodyweight, or three daily doses of ceftiofur, given at 3 mg/kg bodyweight, was evaluated in pigs with respiratory disease induced experimentally with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae. On day 0, 100 pigs with clinical signs of respiratory disease were randomly assigned to groups of 25 pigs, which were treated with either saline, one of the doses of tulathromycin, or ceftiofur. The pigs’ rectal temperatures and clinical scores for respiratory signs and general attitude were recorded daily until day 10. Animals withdrawn from the study for welfare reasons were recorded. On day 10, the animals remaining in the study were weighed, euthanased and examined postmortem. Three of the animals treated with saline and one of those treated with 2·5 mg/kg tulathromycin were withdrawn from the study, but none of those treated with 5 mg/kg tulathromycin or ceftiofur were withdrawn. The least squares mean bodyweight gains of the pigs treated with the antimicrobial agents were significantly (P<0·05) higher than that of the saline‐treated group, and the least squares mean percentages of the total lung involvement and incidence of respiratory disease associated with A pleuropneumoniae were significantly (P<0·05) lower, but there were no significant differences between the three groups of pigs treated with the antimicrobial agents.
Prospective study of bacterial overgrowth syndrome in eight dogs
Authors: Pin D. , Carlotti D‐N. , Jasmin P. , DeBoer D. J. , Prélaud P.
Published: October 2010

Eight dogs with cutaneous lesions, clinical signs and cytological findings compatible with bacterial overgrowth syndrome were compared with four healthy dogs. The affected dogs were treated for 28 days with 30 mg/kg/day cephalexin. The results showed that the syndrome was a superficial cutaneous disorder characterised by marked pruritus, greasy seborrhoea, offensive odour, erythema, lichenification, hyperpigmentation, excoriations and alopecia involving principally the ventral aspect of the body, but no papules, pustules, epidermal collarettes or crusts; it was caused by overgrowths of Staphylococcus intermedius all over the body surface. Histopathological findings included a superficial, perivascular, hyperplastic and spongiotic dermatitis with a mixed inflammatory infiltrate, but no lesions suggestive of a true pyoderma. In the affected dogs, anti‐staphylococcal immunoglobulin G levels were high, but anti‐staphylococcal immunoglobulin E levels were low, suggesting that staphylococcal hypersensitivity is not the underlying pathogenic process. The antibiotic treatment improved the condition of all the dogs, but five of the eight had an underlying allergic skin disease.
Seroprevalence of antibodies to Encephalitozoon cuniculi in domestic rabbits in the United Kingdom
Authors: Keeble E. J. , Shaw D. J.
Published: October 2010

Serum samples from 97 clinically healthy domestic rabbits were tested for antibodies to Encephalitozoon cuniculi by an indirect ELISA technique. Fifty (52 per cent) of them were seropositive. The samples were taken as part of a routine health screen or before general anaesthesia at 22 veterinary practices in England, Scotland and Wales, and the veterinary surgeons were asked to complete a questionnaire to provide information concerning the animal’s husbandry, diet, vaccination, health status and any preventive medicine routines. None of these factors was found to be associated with the serological status of the rabbits.
Lethal outbreak of disease associated with feline calicivirus infection in cats
Authors: Coyne K. P. , Jones B. R. D. , Kipar A. , Chantrey J. , Porter C. J. , Barber P. J. , Dawson S. , Gaskell R. M. , Radford A. D.
Published: October 2010

Recently, in the USA, virulent mutants of feline calicivirus (FCV) have been identified as the cause of a severe and acute virulent systemic disease, characterised by jaundice, oedema and high mortality in groups of cats. This severe manifestation of FCV disease has so far only been reported in the USA. However, in 2003, an outbreak of disease affected a household of four adult cats and an adult cat from a neighbouring household in the UK. Three of the adult cats in the household and the neighbouring cat developed clinical signs including pyrexia (39·5 to 40·5°C), lameness, voice loss, inappetence and jaundice. One cat was euthanased in extremis, two died and one recovered. A postmortem examination of one of the cats revealed focal cellulitis around the right hock and right elbow joints. The principal finding of histopathological examinations of selected organs from two of the cats was disseminated hepatocellular necrosis with mild inflammatory infiltration. Immunohistology identified FCV antigen in parenchymal and Kupffer cells in the liver of both animals and in alveolar macrophages of one of them. In addition, calicivirus‐like particles were observed by electron microscopy within the hepatocytes of one cat. FCV was isolated from two of the dead cats and from the two surviving cats. Sequence analysis showed that they were all infected with the same strain of virus, but that it was different from strains of FCV associated with the virulent systemic disease in cats in the USA. The outbreak was successfully controlled by quarantine in the owner’s house.
Investigation of risk factors for clinical mastitis in British dairy herds with bulk milk somatic cell counts less than 150,000 cells/ml
Authors: O’Reilly K. M. , Green M. J. , Peeler E. J. , Fitzpatrick J. L. , Green L. E.
Published: October 2010

A sample of dairy farms in Great Britain with a monthly bulk milk somatic cell count of less than 150,000 cells/ml was enrolled into a 12‐month prospective study. At the end of the study, a questionnaire on milking practice and other farm management practices was sent to the 482 farmers who had collected data on the occurrence of mastitis throughout the 12 months. The response rate was 93 per cent. The reported mean incidence of clinical mastitis was 36·9 cases per 100 cow‐years. Factors associated with an increase in the incidence of clinical mastitis were cleaning out the straw yard less frequently than every six weeks, more than 5 per cent of cows leaking milk outside the parlour, checking the foremilk, wearing gloves during milking, an average annual milk yield of more than 7000 litres per cow, dipping or spraying teats before milking and keeping milk with a high somatic cell count out of the bulk tank. Factors associated with a decrease in the incidence of clinical mastitis were using a cloth to dry the teats after washing them as part of premilking preparation, using calving boxes for less than 40 per cent of calvings, and using both cubicles and straw yards to house dry cows, as opposed to other housing.
Pathological changes in the bone marrow of dogs with leishmaniosis
Authors: Manzillo V. Foglia , Restucci B. , Pagano A. , Gradoni L. , Oliva G.
Published: October 2010

Bone marrow aspiration smears from 15 dogs naturally infected with leishmania were evaluated. Three of the dogs showed no clinical signs, six had up to three clinical signs and six had more than three. The most common pathological features of the bone marrow were megakaryocytic dysplasia in 10 of the dogs, erythrophagocytosis in eight, erythroid dysplasia in two and emperipolesis in two. The megakaryocytic and erythroid dysplasia were probably related to an increased number of marrow macrophages producing high levels of tumour necrosis factor α and interferon γ. Six of the dogs with clinical signs showed bone marrow dysplastic features and erythrophagocytosis, suggesting that leishmaniosis could be the unique cause of both conditions.
Double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial of the pain‐relieving effects of the implantation of gold beads into dogs with hip dysplasia
Authors: Jaeger G. T. , Larsen S. , Søli N. , Moe L.
Published: October 2010

Seventy‐eight dogs with pain due to hip dysplasia were studied in a controlled, double‐blind clinical trial to evaluate gold bead implantation as a pain‐relieving treatment. The dogs were randomly assigned to two groups, 36 in the gold implantation group and 42 in the placebo group. Both groups were treated equally regarding anaesthesia, hair clipping and penetration of the skin with the same type of needle. The gold implantation group had small pieces of 24 carat gold inserted through needles at five different acupuncture points and the placebo group had the skin penetrated at five non‐acupuncture points so as to avoid any possible effect of stimulating the acupuncture points. A certified veterinary acupuncturist marked the points, and two surgeons performed the implantations according to a randomisation code made in advance. After 14 days, three months and six months, the owners assessed the overall effect of the treatments by answering a questionnaire, and the same veterinarian examined each dog and evaluated its degree of lameness by examining videotaped footage of it walking and trotting. The treatment was blinded for both the owners and the veterinarian. There were significantly greater improvements in mobility and greater reductions in the signs of pain in the dogs treated with gold implantation than in the placebo group. The veterinarian’s and the owners’ assessments corresponded well.
Inclusion body disease in snakes: a review and description of three cases in boa constrictors in Belgium
Authors: Vancraeynest D. , Pasmans F. , Martel A. , Chiers K. , Meulemans G. , Mast J. , Zwart P. , Ducatelle R.
Published: October 2010

Inclusion body disease, a fatal disorder in Boidae, is reviewed, and three cases in boa constrictors, the first reported cases in Belgium, are described. The snakes showed nervous signs, and numerous eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusions, which are considered to be characteristic of the disease, were found in the liver and pancreas. The disease is suspected to be caused by a retrovirus, but transmission electron microscopic examinations of several tissues from one of the snakes did not reveal particles with a typical retroviral morphology.
Histiocytic sarcoma of the spleen in flat‐coated retrievers with regenerative anaemia and hypoproteinaemia
Authors: Dobson J. , Villiers E. , Roulois A. , Gould S. , Mellor P. , Hoather T. , Watson P.
Published: October 2010

Three flat‐coated retrievers with a regenerative anaemia were examined. They were hypoproteinaemic suggesting that the anaemia might be due to blood loss, but it was not possible to identify a site of haemorrhage. All three had splenomegaly with splenic abnormalities apparent on ultrasonography. Ultimately all three animals were shown to have a histiocytic sarcoma involving the spleen and other tissues. A fourth flat‐coated retriever with anaemia, hypoproteinaemia and an abdominal mass was also diagnosed with a histiocytic sarcoma of the spleen following splenectomy. It is postulated that the dogs’ anaemia was due to erythrophagocytosis, either directly by neoplastic cells or by reactive macrophages.
Brain and spinal cord haemorrhages associated with Angiostrongylus vasorum infection in four dogs
Authors: Wessmann A. , Lu D. , Lamb C. R. , Smyth B. , Mantis P. , Chandler K. , Boag A. , Cherubini G. B. , Cappello R.
Published: October 2010

Multifocal haemorrhages associated with Angiostrongylus vasorum infection were observed in the central nervous system of four dogs with neurological signs including depression, seizures, spinal pain and paresis. In magnetic resonance images the majority of the lesions were isointense or slightly hyperintense in T1‐weighted images, hyperintense in T2‐weighted images and hypointense in T2*‐weighted (gradient echo) images, compatible with haemorrhages more than seven days old. Lesions were found in the brain of three of the dogs and in the spinal cord of two. The cerebrospinal fluid contained high concentrations of protein and evidence of erythrophagia. All the dogs had coagulopathy and pulmonary haemorrhage of varying severity. A vasorum larvae were detected in the faeces of each of the dogs. Neural A vasorum was confirmed at postmortem examination in two dogs.
Canine adenovirus type 2 infection in four puppies with neurological signs
Authors: Benetka V. , Weissenböck H. , Kudielka I. , Pallan C. , Rothmüller G. , Möstl K.
Published: October 2010

Four nine‐ to 11‐week‐old puppies developed respiratory and neurological signs due to an infection with canine adenovirus type 2 (CAV‐2); three of these were euthanased. They had moderate, diffuse pneumonia but there were no histological abnormalities in the central nervous system. Adenovirus‐specific nucleic acid was detected by PCR in samples of lung and brain and the amplified product was 99·8 per cent homologous with the CAV‐2 reference strain Toronto A26/61. The positive PCR result was confirmed by in situ hybridisation in samples of lung, liver and spleen, but not in brain, and CAV was isolated in cell culture from lung material; PCR s for canine distemper virus and canine herpesvirus‐specific nucleic acids were negative, but large amounts of Bordetella bronchiseptica were isolated from lung material.
Patterns and significance of bite wounds in Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra) in southern and south‐west England
Authors: Simpson V. R.
Published: October 2010

Postmortem examinations were carried out on 379 otters found dead in southern and south‐west England between 1988 and 2003. Most (81 per cent) were road casualties, but many had open bite wounds and in some cases these had proved fatal. Mortality was strongly seasonal and was positively correlated with night length. Although numbers decreased in the summer months, the prevalence of bite wounds in adults was highest in late summer. The number of otters examined annually and the prevalence of bite wounds increased markedly during the study period, and in 2003 more than half the otters of both sexes had recent bite wounds. The majority of the bites were considered to have been caused by other otters, but some were thought to have been inflicted by American mink (Mustela vison). Bites to cubs were mostly caused by domestic dogs. The overall mortality due to bite wounds was approximately 10 per cent.