bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevention and control of avian influenza: the need for a paradigm shift in pandemic influenza preparedness
Authors: Martinot A. , Thomas J. , Thiermann A. , Dasgupta N.
Published: October 2010

Avian influenza presents both challenges and opportunities to leaders around the world engaged in pandemic influenza preparedness planning. Most resource‐poor countries will be unable to stockpile antivirals or have access to eventual human vaccines for pandemic flu. Preparedness plans, directed at controlling avian influenza at the source, enable countries simultaneously to promote national and global health, animal welfare and international development. Improving the veterinary infrastructure and capacity of resource‐poor countries is one way to prevent potential pandemic flu deaths in resource‐rich countries. In this article, Amanda Martinot, James Thomas, Alejandro Thiermann and Nabarun Dasgupta argue that national health leaders need to consider more comprehensive strategies that incorporate veterinary surveillance and improvements in veterinary infrastructure for the control of avian influenza epizootics as part of national pandemic preparedness planning. This, they argue, will require a shift in attitude, from thinking in terms of preparation for an inevitable pandemic to pre‐emption of the potential pandemic through prevention measures in the animal population.
Alopecia in pomeranians and miniature poodles in association with high urinary corticoid: creatinine ratios and resistance to glucocorticoid feedback
Authors: Cerundolo R. , Lloyd D. H. , Vaessen M. M. A. R. , Mol J. A. , Kooistra H. S. , Rijnberk A.
Published: October 2010

The adrenocortical function of pomeranians and miniature poodles with alopecia was tested by serial measurements of the urinary corticoid: creatinine ratio (uccr) and by an oral low‐dose dexamethasone suppression test (lddst) and uccr measurements. In most of the dogs there was day‐to‐day variation in the uccr s of the 10 sequential urine samples, often with values above or below the upper limit of the range of healthy control dogs. In 22 alopecic pomeranians the basal uccr s were significantly higher than in 18 non‐alopecic pomeranians, and the values of both groups were significantly higher than those of 88 healthy pet dogs. The uccr s of 12 alopecic miniature poodles were significantly higher than those of healthy dogs. In 12 alopecic pomeranians and eight alopecic miniature poodles the oral lddst revealed increased resistance to dexamethasone. In six non‐alopecic pomeranians the uccr s after the administration of dexamethasone were not significantly different from those in seven healthy dogs at the same time. In an oral high‐dose dexamethasone suppression test, using 0·1 mg dexamethasone/kg bodyweight, the uccr s of seven alopecic pomeranians and five alopecic miniature poodles decreased to low levels.
Will bluetongue come on the wind to the United Kingdom in 2007?
Authors: Gloster J. , Mellor P. S. , Burgin L. , Sanders C. , Carpenter S.
Published: October 2010

In 2006, over 2000 cases of bluetongue were recorded in northern Europe. The disease, which has been more typically associated with Mediterranean areas, is believed to have become established hundreds of kilometres to the north of its traditional area, probably as a consequence of the hottest summer/autumn period since records began. In this special article, John Gloster and colleagues describe the meteorological conditions surrounding the 2006 outbreak, and investigate the possibility of bluetongue virus (btv) spreading on the wind to the uk in 2007. For this to happen there would need to be a source of windborne virus, together with a susceptible population of ruminants in the vicinity of the coast. Evidence from outbreaks in the Mediterranean Basin suggests that long‐distance transport of btv ‐infected vectors has already occurred, at least in that region. The overall likelihood of this occurring in northern Europe depends critically on whether the virus overwinters on the near continent; this will not be known until around May 2007. The 2006 outbreak has highlighted the importance of understanding the impact of climate change on animal disease.
Behaviour and personality of pet rabbits and their interactions with their owners
Authors: Mullan S. M. , Main D. C. J.
Published: October 2010

The behaviour and personality of 102 pet rabbits and their interactions with their owners were assessed in their home environment. Information was obtained by interviews with the owner and by direct observation, and the owners were asked to describe the personality of their rabbit. A 10‐minute assessment of the rabbit's behaviour in its normal environment was then carried out. Owners who were confident in handling their rabbit handled them more frequently and rabbits that were handled more frequently struggled less when they were being handled. Rabbits observed with a companion spent the largest proportion of their time engaged in social behaviour, and rabbits observed out of a hutch spent significantly more time grazing, hopping and playing. Owners used a wide range of adjectives to describe their rabbits' personalities with the most common term being ‘friendly’.
Some factors affecting the accuracy and variability of measurements of the height of ponies
Authors: Lamas L. P. , Giovagnoli G. , Heath M. F. , Jeffcott L. B.
Published: October 2010

Height is the only factor used to differentiate horses and ponies for competitive purposes; any horse without shoes that is less than 148 cm at the highest point of the withers can be classified as a pony. However, variations in height associated with anatomical and other factors can occur. In this study the accuracy of the most commonly used measuring procedure and seven independent factors that might affect apparent height were evaluated in skeletally mature horses that were less than 155 cm in height. The results indicated that there was an improvement of 57 per cent in the accuracy of measurement when a second spirit level was added to the traditional measuring stick. The spread of values recorded for a series of repeated measurements by one person was ±1·06 cm, but the spread increased to ±1·89 cm when three different people made the measurements. Some variation in height occurred when the position of the pony's head was changed, but none occurred after a period of exercise. There was a reduction in height of 0·84 cm when the animals were allowed to adapt to their surroundings, and there was some reduction after they had been tranquillised.
International disease monitoring, January to March 2007
Authors: Sabirovic M. , Raw L. , Rogers A. , Hall S. , Elliott H. , Coulson N.
Published: October 2010

New cases of bluetongue detected in north‐west Europe

Emergency vaccination of pigs in Romania to control classical swine fever

Outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Hungary and the uk

Rift Valley fever confirmed in Kenya and Tanzania

— These are among matters discussed in the international disease monitoring report for January to March 2007, prepared by defra 's Food and Farming Group, International Animal Health
Effect of acepromazine on the signs of capture stress in captive and free‐ranging roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)
Authors: Montané J. , Marco I. , López‐Olvera J. R. , Rossi L. , Manteca X. , Lavín S.
Published: October 2010

The differences between the capture stress responses of captive and free‐ranging roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and their modulation by acepromazine, during a period of three hours' physical restraint after capture in drive‐nets, were examined in 16 free‐ranging and 16 captive roe deer. Eight of the free‐ranging and eight of the captive animals received acepromazine intramuscularly, and the other eight free‐ranging and eight captive deer received the same volume of saline. Heart rate, body temperature and haematological and serum biochemical parameters were analysed. In the groups treated with acepromazine, the heart rate stabilised sooner, and the red blood cell (rbc) count, haemoglobin concentration, packed‐cell volume, the serum activities of creatine kinase (ck), aspartate aminotransferase (ast), alanine aminotransferase (alt) and lactate dehydrogenase (ldh) and the concentrations of creatinine and lactate were significantly lower, and serum glucose started to decrease earlier, than in the untreated groups. Serum potassium levels decreased over time only in the untreated groups. The body temperature stabilised earlier, and the rbc count, haemoglobin concentration, serum ck, ast, alt and ldh activities, and serum creatinine, lactate, cholesterol and glucose concentrations were significantly lower in the free‐ranging roe deer than in the captive deer.
Evaluation of the effects of infrared beak trimming in broiler breeder chicks
Authors: Gentle M. J. , McKeegan D. E. F.
Published: October 2010

Detailed behavioural observations were made of broiler breeder chicks after their beaks had been trimmed by an automated infrared treatment at one day of age or by the traditional hot‐blade method at one day or seven days, or after they had been sham‐trimmed or left untreated. Observations took place immediately after the treatments and at regular intervals until six weeks of age; beak length and bodyweight were also measured regularly. There were no significant effects on the behaviour of the chicks in the first hour after trimming or in the subsequent six weeks. Variability in beak length was low within the treatments and there was significant regrowth, but it was least in the birds that had been hot‐blade trimmed at seven days. Both beak‐trimming methods were associated with small but significant reductions in bodyweight, with the hot‐blade‐treated birds being more affected.
International disease monitoring, October to December 2006
Authors: Sabirovic M. , Raw L. , Rogers A. , Hall S. , Elliott H. , Coulson N.
Published: October 2010

Evaluation of bluetongue in north‐west Europe

Three‐year history of classical swine fever in Central and South America

Poultry and pigeon variants of Newcastle disease in Europe since July 2006

Equine infectious anaemia in the European Union

First case of scrapie in Denmark

— These are among matters discussed in the international disease monitoring report for October to December 2006, prepared by defra 's International Animal Health Division
National intervention study of mastitis control in dairy herds in England and Wales
Authors: Green M. J. , Leach K. A. , Breen J. E. , Green L. E. , Bradley A. J.
Published: October 2010

An intervention study was carried out on 52 dairy farms in England and Wales to determine whether the implementation of a well‐specified mastitis control plan in herds with an incidence of clinical mastitis of more than 35 cases per 100 cows per year would reduce the incidence of clinical mastitis, and also reduce the incidence of increases in the somatic cell counts of individual cows. A clearly defined plan for the diagnosis and control of mastitis was developed by two veterinary specialists from the research literature. The herds were randomly allocated to receive the plan either at the start of the study (intervention herds) or after one year (control herds). Data on mastitis management and the farm environment were collected during farm visits. After one year there was a significant 22 per cent reduction in the proportion of cows affected with clinical mastitis on the intervention farms compared with the control farms. There were also significant reductions of approximately 20 per cent in the incidence of clinical mastitis and in the occurrence of increases in the somatic cell counts of individual cows from below, to above 200,000 cells/ml.
Review of pathophysiology and clinical management of narcolepsy in dogs
Authors: Tonokura M. , Fujita K. , Nishino S.
Published: October 2010

Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder that affects human beings and animals. Up to 17 breeds of dogs are affected sporadically, and familial forms occur in dobermanns, labrador retrievers and dachshunds. These dogs display characteristics strikingly similar to those of human narcolepsy, including cataplexy (a sudden loss of muscle tone in response to emotional stimulation) and a shorter sleep latency. It has recently been shown that the aetiology of both the familial form (receptor null mutation) and the sporadic form (loss of ligand production) of canine narcolepsy is associated with a deficit in hypocretin/orexin neurotransmission. Hypocretin deficiency can be detected by the measurement of hypocretin‐1 in cerebrospinal fluid, and this could be used to diagnose hypocretin ligand deficient cases in clinical practice. Narcolepsy is neither progressive nor life‐threatening, but the clinical signs persist throughout life, and lifelong treatment and care are required. This article reviews the recent progress in narcolepsy research in dogs, and describes the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
Sensitive test for screening for Staphylococcus aureus in bovine mastitis by broth cultivation and PCR
Authors: Yamagishi N. , Jinkawa Y. , Omoe K. , Makino S. , Oboshi K.
Published: October 2010

An assay was developed and evaluated for screening for Staphylococcus aureus in milk samples from cases of bovine mastitis by overnight cultivation in a broth containing 7·5 per cent sodium chloride, followed by pcr to amplify the nuc gene. The assay could detect concentrations of S aureus as low as 1 colony‐forming unit/ml milk. Among 106 milk samples collected from individual quarters of lactating cows in one dairy herd and from a bulk tank, S aureus was detected in nine samples by the pcr assay but in only three samples by conventional microbiological culture.
Gastric dilation and intestinal obstruction in 76 rabbits
Authors: Harcourt‐Brown F. M.
Published: October 2010

Eighty‐four incidents of gastric dilation (bloat) were investigated in 76 pet rabbits, and an intestinal obstruction was confirmed in 64 of them. In 49 the obstruction was due to pellets of compressed hair, in four to locust bean seeds, in five to neoplasia, in two to postspay adhesions, and in one case each to carpet fibre, tapeworm cysts, a strangulated hernia and diverticulosis. In all but four cases, the obstruction was in the small intestine. The condition affected a variety of breeds fed on a variety of diets. Radiography was a useful diagnostic tool because gas and/or fluid in the digestive tract outlined the dilated stomach and intestines. Twenty‐nine of the rabbits died or were euthanased without treatment, and 40 underwent exploratory surgery; of these, 10 died during surgery, three were euthanased because of intestinal neoplasia, eight died postoperatively and 19 recovered. Fifteen rabbits in which radiography indicated that a foreign body had passed out of the small intestine did not undergo surgery; of these, 13 recovered and two died.
Use of free text clinical records in identifying syndromes and analysing health data
Authors: Lam K. , Parkin T. , Riggs C. , Morgan K.
Published: October 2010

The analysis of data in clinical records could be useful to epidemiologists in planning analytical studies and identifying new research initiatives. This paper describes the method used to develop a systematic, replicable technique for compressing many words of text into fewer content categories on the basis of explicit rules of user‐defined coding, and systematically sorting a large volume of records accurately and reliably. The method was used to categorise the reasons for retirement from racing in Hong Kong of 3727 thoroughbred racehorses between the 1992/93 and 2003/04 racing seasons into a user‐defined dictionary. An automated process successfully categorised 95 per cent of the records. The other 5 per cent were assigned manually to one of the dictionary categories. The whole process from initial screening to the categorisation of all the records took approximately 100 man‐hours to complete.
Quantification of the relative efficiency of factory surveillance in the disclosure of tuberculosis lesions in attested Irish cattle
Authors: Frankena K. , White P. W. , O'Keeffe J. , Costello E. , Martin S. W. , van Grevenhof I. , More S. J.
Published: October 2010

In Ireland, factory surveillance of cattle for gross lesions is an important supplementary method for detecting herds infected with bovine tuberculosis (tb), and in recent years between 27 and 46 per cent of all new herd breakdowns in any year have been detected by this method. The aim of this study was to determine the relative efficiency of factories in detecting lesions among attested cattle slaughtered during 2003 and 2004. National databases were available on animal slaughter, programmes of tuberculin testing for bovine tb and laboratory confirmation of suspected lesions. Factories were ranked according to their submission risk (number of animals submitted with lesions/number of attested animals killed) and confirmation risk (number of animals with laboratory‐confirmed lesions/number of animals submitted with lesions), adjusting for the risk profile of the animals slaughtered, including potential confounding factors such as their age and sex, whether they were purchased or homebred, the test history of their herd, the prevalence of bovine tb in the area and the season of slaughter. Approximately 3·7 million cattle were slaughtered in 42 Irish export‐licensed factories during the two years. Complete data were available for 2,374,987 animals from 84,510 attested herds in 2845 District Electoral Divisions. Samples from 7398 animals with suspected tb lesions were submitted for laboratory examination; 4767 (64·4 per cent) were positive, 2011 were negative and 620 were inconclusive. The average unadjusted submission risk for all the factories was 22 per 10,000, ranging from 0 to 58 per 10,000. The unadjusted factory confirmation risk (excluding factories that had sent in fewer than 10 lesions) varied between 34·3 per cent and 86·3 per cent. The unadjusted and adjusted submission and confirmation risks were highly correlated, and animal‐related factors (including their characteristics and origin) therefore did not contribute to the variations in factory‐level submission and confirmation risks.
Use of ultrasonography to detect calcifications in cattle and sheep fed Trisetum flavescens silage
Authors: Franz S. , Gasteiner J. , Schilcher F. , Baumgartner W.
Published: October 2010

Twelve cows (mean age 6·4 years) and eight sheep (mean age 0·8 years) were fed silage containing 70 to 90 per cent vitamin D3 ‐effective Trisetum flavescens for a period of 14 weeks. At the beginning and the end of this period, the animals were examined and their kidneys, abdominal aortas and heart valves were examined by ultrasonography; the animals were then slaughtered and these organs were examined histologically, and the specificity and sensitivity of the ultrasonography were calculated. After the feeding period, all the cows had a decreased body temperature and all but one had raised hair, movement disorders and difficulty in rising and lying down. Ultrasonography of the abdominal aorta had a specificity of 90 per cent and a sensitivity of 75 per cent, and ultrasonography of the heart valves had a specificity of 100 per cent and a sensitivity of 50 per cent. In the sheep, cardiac arrythmia was the only pathological finding at the end of the feeding period, and the ultrasonographic examination of the kidneys had a specificity and sensitivity of 100 per cent.
International disease monitoring, April to June 2007
Authors: Sabirovic M. , Raw L. , Hall S. , Elliott H. , Coulson N.
Published: October 2010

Outbreak of bluetongue in Germany indicates virus is re‐emerging after overwintering

First report of African swine fever in Georgia

Foot‐and‐mouth disease viruses from the Middle East derived from serotype O PanAsia strain

Analysis of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses isolated in Europe and the Near East

Swine vesicular disease reported in Italy and Portugal

— These are among matters discussed in the international disease monitoring report for April to June 2007, prepared by defra 's Food and Farming Group, International Animal Health
Prevalence of ‘Candidatus Helicobacter suis’ in pigs of different ages
Authors: Hellemans A. , Chiers K. , Maes D. , De Bock M. , Decostere A. , Haesebrouck F. , Ducatelle R.
Published: October 2010

Samples from the antrum and fundus of the stomachs of 457 pigs from 22 different herds were screened for the presence of ‘Candidatus Helicobacter suis’ by pcr, and samples from the antrum and/or fundus of 222 of the stomachs were tested for urease activity. The prevalence of the infection was very low before weaning, increased rapidly after weaning and reached 90 per cent in the adult boars and sows. The agreement between the results obtained with the pcr test and the urease test was very good for some age groups and sampling sites, but poor for other age groups and sampling sites.
Plasma concentrations of voriconazole in falcons
Authors: Schmidt V. , Demiraj F. , Di Somma A. , Bailey T. , Ungemach F. R. , Krautwald‐Junghanns M‐E.
Published: October 2010

Doses of 12·5 mg voriconazole/kg bodyweight administered every 12 hours by crop gavage to six falcons for 14 days provided peak plasma concentrations of more than 1 μg/ml, but the trough concentrations were lower and sometimes undetectable. Administering the same doses incorporated into meat that was fed to one falcon for seven days and to three falcons for up to 91 days provided similar plasma concentrations.
Feed contaminated with classical swine fever vaccine virus (lom strain) can induce antibodies to the virus in pigs
Authors: Kim B. , Song J‐Y. , Tark D‐S. , Lim S‐I. , Choi E‐J. , Kim J. , Park C‐K. , Lee B‐Y. , Wee S‐H. , Bae Y‐C. , Lee O‐S. , Kwon J‐H. , Kang W‐C. , Kim T‐Y. , Kim J‐H. , Lee J‐H. , Kang M‐I.
Published: October 2010

In November 2004, antibodies to classical swine fever virus (csfv) were detected in finishing pigs during the annual serological surveillance in Jeju Province, Korea. In addition, csf vaccine viruses (lom strain) had recently been isolated from pigs raised on farms known to have csfv antibody‐positive pigs. In contrast with mainland Korea, Jeju Province had been csf free and its pigs had not been vaccinated against csf for more than five years. An epidemiological investigation team from the National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service investigated the current status of csf prevention on the Korean mainland and in Jeju Province to determine possible routes of introduction of the virus into the province. It was concluded that improperly processed blood meals, manufactured on mainland Korea, had been contaminated with the csf vaccine lom strain, and that the lom strain had been transmitted to pigs fed feed or feedstuffs containing the contaminated meal.
Retrospective analysis of exploratory laparotomies in 192 Andalusian horses and 276 horses of other breeds
Authors: Muñoz E. , Argüelles D. , Areste L. , San Miguel L. , Prades M.
Published: October 2010

The medical records of 468 horses that underwent 490 exploratory laparotomies for the correction of gastrointestinal diseases were reviewed to search for differences between Andalusian horses and other breeds. The seasonal distribution of surgical colics and their outcome and complications were also investigated. Bivariant analysis was used to compare the horses' age, gender and breed with the type of surgery, the bowel affected and the type of colic, and all these variables were compared in relation to euthanasia during surgery, complications, short‐term survival and seasonal distribution. A total of 405 horses survived the surgery and 329 were discharged from the hospital. Horses less than one year old had better short‐term survival than older horses. Andalusian horses suffered more inguinal hernias than the other breeds and were more prone to suffer laminitis as a complication. Colic surgery and inguinal hernias were also more common in the summer.
Major outbreak of suspected botulism in a dairy herd in the Republic of Ireland
Authors: Sharpe A. E. , Brady C. P. , Byrne W. , Moriarty J. , O'Neill P. , McLaughlin J. G.
Published: October 2010

This is the first report of a major outbreak of a paralytic disease in cattle on a farm in the Republic of Ireland. Thirty‐six of 65 dairy cows were euthanased or died. A presumptive diagnosis of botulism was made on the basis of the clinical signs, the duration of the outbreak and the postmortem findings, and by ruling out other differential diagnoses.
E‐cadherin expression in canine cutaneous histiocytomas
Authors: Baines S. J. , McInnes E. F. , McConnell I.
Published: October 2010

Canine cutaneous histiocytoma is a common skin tumour of Langerhans cell origin. Langerhans cells are members of the dendritic cell family of antigen‐presenting cells and are located in the epidermis. They are unique among the dendritic cell lineage in that they express high levels of the adhesion molecule E‐cadherin. The expression of E‐cadherin by the neoplastic Langerhans cells in 37 dogs with cutaneous histiocytoma was studied by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. In all the cases, these cells expressed E‐cadherin, whereas the infiltrating lymphocytes did not.
Trends in phage types and antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis isolated from animals in Great Britain from 1990 to 2005
Authors: Carrique‐Mas J. J. , Papadopoulou C. , Evans S. J. , Wales A. , Teale C. J. , Davies R. H.
Published: October 2010

Surveillance data for Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis incidents and isolations from food animals in Great Britain from 1990 to 2005 were analysed to detect any trends and provide the basis for a comparison between phage types (pt) and antimicrobial sensitivity patterns in human beings and animals. During 2001 to 2005 there was a decrease in incidents involving most species except ducks. Only the numbers of incidents involving pt s 6, 6a, 9b and 14b (in ducks) and pt s 6a and 13a (in mammals) increased significantly during this period, whereas there were 93 per cent fewer incidents involving pt 4 than in 1990 to 2000. After adjustment for pt, the isolates from ducks were more resistant to nalidixic acid, tetracyclines and sulfonamides, and were more likely to be multiresistant than isolates from chickens. Isolates from turkeys tended to be more resistant to sulfonamides than isolates from chickens. pt s 1, 5a, 6, 6a and 35 had the highest level of resistance after adjusting for species. During 2001 to 2005 there was an increase in resistance among pt s 1, 6 and 7, in most cases involving nalidixic acid.
Haematological and biochemical measurements in a population of wild Eurasian badgers (Meles meles)
Authors: Winnacker H. , Walker N. J. , Brash M. G. I. , MacDonald J. A. , Delahay R. J.
Published: October 2010

Blood samples were collected from a high density population of wild badgers in Woodchester Park, Gloucestershire, England, where animals were routinely captured and examined as part of a long‐term ecological study, and a selection of haematological and biochemical variables were measured. The badger cubs had lower red blood cell counts and haemoglobin concentrations than the adults, consistent with physiological anaemia, and lower serum protein concentrations. Growth of muscle and active bone formation in the cubs probably accounted for their higher serum concentrations of creatinine and calcium, and higher activities of alkaline phosphatase. Only triglyceride concentrations varied between the sexes. The serum concentration of urea was higher than observed in other mustelids, consistent with a protein‐rich diet and possibly related to the consumption of earthworms.
Effects of a challenge dose ofSalmonellaTyphimurium orSalmonellaYoruba on the patterns of excretion and antibody responses of pigs
Authors: Österberg J. , Wallgren P.
Published: October 2010

The epidemiology of a feed‐associatedSalmonellaserotype (SalmonellaYoruba) was compared with that of a ‘classical’ serotype (SalmonellaTyphimurium) by inoculating pigs aged 10 weeks with 0·65 × 103, 0·65 × 106or 0·65 × 109colony‐forming units (cfu) of either serotype. The pigs were then monitored for eight weeks with respect to the faecal excretion ofSalmonellaspecies and the presence of serum antibodies. Only minor differences were observed between the two serotypes but the dose inoculated had significant effects. The pigs inoculated with 0·65 × 109cfu shedSalmonellaspecies in faeces constantly for four weeks, and intermittently during the subsequent four weeks; the pigs inoculated with 0·65 × 106cfu shedSalmonellaspecies intermittently for four weeks, but not for longer, and the pigs inoculated with 0·65 × 103cfu generally did not excreteSalmonellaspecies. The pigs inoculated with 0·65 × 109cfuSTyphimurium seroconverted at a high titre within two weeks, the pigs inoculated with 0·65 × 106cfu seroconverted later and with lower titres of antibodies, and the pigs inoculated with 0·65 × 103cfu did not seroconvert. A similar pattern was observed withSYoruba, but the responses were slower and at lower titres.
Immunophysiological responses of horses to a 12‐hour rest during 24 hours of road transport
Authors: Stull C. L. , Morrow J. , Aldridge B. A. , Stott J. L. , McGlone J. J.
Published: October 2010

Thirty‐eight mature horses were assigned to one of two equal groups to evaluate two treatments consisting of either 24 hours of continuous road transport (24T) or two 12‐hour periods of transport separated by off‐loading, resting and feeding the horses for 12 hours (12/12T). A subset of six horses from each group served as controls for the other group. The horses were loaded into a commercial straight‐deck trailer and travelled loose in one of two standard‐sized compartments. After the journeys the horses were put back into their paddocks for a 24‐hour recovery period. Venous blood samples were collected before loading, after unloading and after the 24‐hour recovery period. Transport significantly increased the horses' cortisol concentrations, neutrophil counts and neutrophil:lymphocyte (nl) ratios, and decreased the numbers of all the lymphocyte subpopulation cell types. Collectively, no significant differences were observed between the two treatments in the horses' cortisol concentrations, total leucocyte counts, neutrophil and lymphocyte counts,nlratios, and thecd8a+ andcd21+ lymphocyte subpopulations, but there were differences in the numbers ofcd3+,cd4+, andcd8b+ subpopulations. The inclusion of a 12‐hour rest‐stop interrupted the transport‐related decline in the lymphocyte subpopulations and allowed them to recover towards their resting levels.
Analysis of cerebrospinal fluid in healthy rabbits and rabbits with clinically suspected encephalitozoonosis
Authors: Jass A. , Matiasek K. , Henke J. , Küchenhoff H. , Hartmann K. , Fischer A.
Published: October 2010

Samples of uncontaminated cerebrospinal fluid (csf) were collected from the cisterna magna of 20 healthy laboratory rabbits and 21 pet rabbits with vestibular disease and/or paresis due to clinically suspected encephalitozoonosis. In the healthy rabbits'csfthe leucocyte count was ≤4 leucocytes/μl (median 1·5 μl) and the concentration of protein ranged from 0·13 to 0·31 g/l (median 0·24 g/l). In the diseased rabbits, the number of leucocytes ranged from 1 to 87/μl (median 15/μl; P<0·001), and the concentration of protein ranged from 0·31 to 1·54 g/l (median 0·79 g/l; P<0·001); a cytological evaluation showed that they had greater numbers of lymphocytes and monocytes. It was concluded that encephalitozoonosis in rabbits is characterised by lymphomonocytic pleocytosis incsf.
Effects of different intervention strategies on the incidence of papillomatous digital dermatitis in dairy cows
Authors: Holzhauer M. , Döpfer D. , de Boer J. , van Schaik G.
Published: October 2010

The effects of four different intervention strategies on the incidence of severe lesions of digital dermatitis in an experimental dairy herd were compared with the effects of a control strategy consisting of walking the cows twice through a footbath containing 4 per cent formaldehyde on one day a week for 24 weeks. The four alternative strategies were the same treatment every other week; standing for 30 minutes in a footbath containing a 2 per cent multicompound solution on days 0, 7, 28 and 90 after having had their hooves cleaned indirectly with a medium pressure spray of water; walking twice through the multicompound solution on one day a week for 24 weeks; and, walking twice through a footbath containing 3 per cent sodium carbonate on one day a week for 24 weeks. The cows' hooves were inspected every three weeks by one trained claw trimmer who graded the lesions of digital dermatitis. None of the alternative strategies significantly reduced either the number or severity of the lesions in comparison with the control strategy. In the groups treated by the third and fourth strategies there were outbreaks of digital dermatitis in which more than 30 per cent of the cows suffered the most severe type of lesion, and there was a continuously high rate of new infections in the group treated by the fourth strategy.
Evaluation of a disposable device for the measurement of haemoglobina1c in dogs
Authors: Catchpole B. , Mountford S. , Barabas S. , Scaramuzzi R. J.
Published: October 2010

A disposable device designed for measuring glycated haemoglobin (hba1c) in human blood was evaluated for use in dogs.edtablood samples were collected from 50 normoglycaemic dogs, 10 dogs suffering from anaemia and 112 diabetic dogs.hba1c was measured in all the dogs except for five of the diabetic animals, in which the concentrations were above the range of the device, that is, more than 13 per cent, and two of the anaemic dogs, in which they were below its limit of detection, that is less than 3 per cent. The diabetic dogs had higherhba1c values (range 4·9 to >13 per cent, median 9·3 per cent) than the normoglycaemic dogs (range 3·7 to 5·6 per cent, median 4·7 per cent). In the anaemic dogs the values were significantly lower (range <3·0 per cent to 5·2 per cent, median 3·5 per cent) than in the normoglycaemic dogs. There was a good correlation (R2=0·48) between the measurements obtained with the device and the measurements obtained with a system already validated for use in dogs.
Comparison of the efficacy of cloxacillin alone and cloxacillin combined with an internal teat sealant for dry‐cow therapy
Authors: Newton H. T. , Green M. J. , Benchaoui H. , Cracknell V. , Rowan T. , Bradley A. J.
Published: October 2010

All the quarters in the cows with high somatic cell counts in 10 herds were treated at drying off with either 600 mg cloxacillin or 600 mg cloxacillin and 4 g of an internal teat sealant containing 65 per cent bismuth subnitrate. The quarters were sampled daily for bacteriological tests for the three days before drying off and twice after calving to establish whether they were infected. Clinical mastitis cases were monitored from drying off until 100 days after calving. The odds of a quarter being bacteriologically negative after calving or developing clinical mastitis in the first 100 days after calving were investigated by multilevel logistic regression. The quarters treated with the internal sealant and cloxacillin were significantly more likely to be bacteriologically negative in the immediate period after calving and were significantly less likely to suffer clinical mastitis during the first 100 days after calving than the quarters treated with cloxacillin alone. There was more variation between cows than between herds in the underlying risk of an infection after calving, but there was more variation between herds than between cows in the underlying risk of clinical mastitis during the 100 days after calving.
Assessment of the stresses imposed on adult ostriches (Struthio camelus) during handling, loading, transportation and unloading
Authors: Minka N. S. , Ayo J. O.
Published: October 2010

The stresses imposed during the handling, loading and unloading of 250 adult ostriches (Struthio camelus) transported by road were evaluated, weighted, scored and later compared with some objective physiological indices of stress measured after the journey. During handling, the numbers of slips and falls, incidents of aggressive behaviour, the calculated behavioural points, the number of injuries recorded per ostrich and the time spent were significantly (P<0·01) greater than the values recorded during loading and unloading. During handling and loading, 45 per cent of the ostriches had a good score (1·1 to 2 points), 15·5 per cent had a fair score (2·1 to 3 points) and 39·4 per cent had a poor or bad score (more than 3 points). The behavioural scores were significantly and positively correlated with the heterophil:lymphocyte ratio, the rectal temperature and the number of injuries sustained by the ostriches. The results showed that the poorer the behavioural score, the higher the level of stress suffered by the ostriches during handling and loading.
Sedative and cardiorespiratory effects of acepromazine or atropine given before dexmedetomidine in dogs
Authors: Alvaides R. K. , Teixeira Neto F. J. , Aguiar A. J. A. , Campagnol D. , Steagall P. V. M.
Published: October 2010

To test the hypothesis that acepromazine could potentiate the sedative actions and attenuate the pressor response induced by dexmedetomidine, the effects of acepromazine or atropine were compared in six healthy adult dogs treated with this α2‐agonist. In a randomised block design, the dogs received intravenous doses of either physiological saline, 0·05 mg/kg acepromazine or 0·04 mg/kg atropine, 15 minutes before an intravenous dose of 5 μg/kg dexmedetomidine. The dogs' heart rate was reduced by 50 to 63 per cent from baseline and their mean arterial blood pressure was increased transiently from baseline for 20 minutes after the dexmedetomidine. Atropine prevented the α2‐agonist‐induced bradycardia and increased the severity and duration of the hypertension, but acepromazine did not substantially modify the cardiovascular effects of the α2‐agonist, except for a slight reduction in the magnitude and duration of its pressor effects. The dexmedetomidine induced moderate to intense sedation in all the treatments, but the dogs' sedation scores did not differ among treatments. The combination of acepromazine with dexmedetomidine had no obvious advantages in comparison with dexmedetomidine alone, but the administration of atropine before dexmedetomidine is contraindicated because of a severe hypertensive response.
Immunoglobulin G responses in 21 dogs with skin diseases to antigens from different isolates ofStaphylococcus intermedius
Authors: Neuber A. E. , Thoday K. L. , Hill P. B.
Published: October 2010

The aim of this study was to characterise the immunoglobulin G (IgG) response in 21 dogs with or without pyoderma to antigens from six isolates ofStaphylococcus intermedius. The staphylococcal proteins were separated by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, transferred electrophoretically on to a membrane and subjected to immunoblotting with the dogs' serum. Gels containing separated proteins from the six isolates revealed 29 to 33 distinct bands with molecular weights ranging from 20 to 230 kDa. All the dogs' sera contained IgG that recognised 12 to 24 bands (mean 17), regardless of whether the dogs had pyoderma. The recognised proteins had molecular weights ranging from 20 to 198 kDa but the majority had molecular weights below 75 kDa. The most intense band in all six isolates had a molecular weight of 28 to 29 kDa. The antibody responses to the six isolates were essentially similar except that there were significantly more bands in the response to isolate 2 than to isolate 6, and occasional differences in the intensity of individual bands. All 21 dogs mounted an IgG response to multiple antigens inS intermedius, which differed only marginally between the six isolates. This lack of variation provides evidence that the host's response to different isolates ofS intermediusis not a major factor in canine pyoderma.
Sedative and cardiorespiratory effects of three doses of romifidine in comparison with medetomidine in five cats
Authors: Belda E. , Laredo F. G. , Escobar M. , Soler M. , Lucas X. , Agut A.
Published: October 2010

This study was designed to compare the effects of three doses of romifidine (200, 400 and 600 μg/kg) with medetomidine (80 μg/kg) administered intramuscularly to five cats. The quality of sedation and the cardiovascular and respiratory effects of each treatment were evaluated, and the onset and duration of the sedation, and the cats' recovery times, were measured. Cardiorespiratory variables were also analysed. The dose of 200 μg/kg romifidine was clinically superior to the other doses of romifidine, providing moderate sedation, with minor cardiorespiratory and other adverse effects. However none of the doses of romifidine induced as deep and reliable sedation as the dose of medetomidine.
Fractures of the cervical vertebral odontoid in four horses and one pony
Authors: Vos N. J. , Pollock P. J. , Harty M. , Brennan T. , de Blaauw S. , McAllister H.
Published: October 2010

Four horses and one pony, ranging in age from one to 11 years, were diagnosed with two different types of odontoid peg fractures. Their clinical signs included reluctance to move the neck and head, dullness, and abnormalities of gait. Radiography was essential for the diagnosis, and the method of treatment varied depending on the severity of the neurological signs, the intended use of the horse, and financial constraints. Optimal treatment requires a technique that allows decompression, anatomical alignment, and stabilisation of the odontoid fracture. If the clinical (neurological) signs are not too severe and the animal shows signs of feeling peripheral pain, conservative treatment can be applied, as is common practice in human surgery. All except the pony made a full recovery.
Effect of subcutaneously administered diclazuril on the output of Eimeria species oocysts by experimentally infected rabbits
Authors: Pan B. L. , Zhang Y. F. , Suo X. , Xue Y.
Published: October 2010

The effect of subcutaneously injected diclazuril on the output of Eimeria species oocysts was studied in experimentally infected rabbits. Diclazuril was administered either prophylactically at 0·5, 1 or 2 mg/kg bodyweight two days before each rabbit was inoculated with 20,000 oocysts of a mixed‐species field isolate of Eimeria or therapeutically at 1, 2 or 4 mg/kg bodyweight five days after they were inoculated. The prophylactic treatments significantly reduced (P<0·05) the output of oocysts in faeces and the numbers in the rabbits' livers at all doses. The therapeutic treatment at 4 mg/kg also caused a significant reduction (P<0·05) in oocyst shedding, but the lower doses resulted in only a moderate reduction. The shedding of the pathogenic species Eimeria stiedae, Eimeria magna, Eimeria irresidua, Eimeria flavescens, Eimeria piriformis and Eimeria intestinalis was significantly reduced (P<0·05) in all the treated groups. The burden of oocysts in the livers of the therapeutic groups (4000 to 9000) were significantly lower (P<0·05) than in the inoculated but untreated control group (23,000), but higher than in the prophylactic groups (around 1000).
Description of the outbreak of bluetongue in Corsica in 2003, and lessons for surveillance
Authors: Gerbier G. , Biteau‐Coroller F. , Grillet C. , Parodi J. , Zientara S. , Baldet T. , Guis H. , Roger F.
Published: October 2010

Since 1999, several serotypes of bluetongue virus (btv) have been isolated in the western part of the Mediterranean basin, and since 2000, Corsica has been exposed to three different serotypes: btv serotype 2 in 2000, btv serotype 4 (btv‐4) in 2003 and btv serotype 16 in 2004. In 2000 there were no surveillance systems for bluetongue, but in 2003, active surveillance of the circulation of btv and its vector Culicoides species, aided by a raised level of awareness in farmers and veterinarians, made it possible to study the introduction of btv‐4. The monitoring and analysis of the seroconversions of sentinel herds of goats, clinical signs and meteorological variables showed that the serotype had been present in the island since May that year, but clinical signs were first observed only in October. Moreover, the weather conditions and wind patterns were suitable for the transport of Culicoides species from Sardinia in May. These observations suggest that btv had been transported on air currents from a southern infected area, and that it could have spread without causing clinical signs of disease for a few months.
Equine parascarosis under the tropical weather conditions of Ethiopia: a coprological and postmortem study
Authors: Getachew A. M. , Innocent G. T. , Trawford A. F. , Feseha G. , Reid S. J. W. , Love S.
Published: October 2010

A cross‐sectional coprological survey in the regions of Ada, Akaki, Bereh and Boset, and a retrospective postmortem investigation were conducted to study the epidemiology ofParascaris equorumin donkeys and horses in Ethiopia. Faecal samples from 803 working donkeys and 402 horses were collected, and the numbers of worms recovered from 112 donkeys examined postmortem between 1995 and 2004 were analysed. There was a high prevalence of infection and faecal egg output ofP equorumin both donkeys and horses, and the severity of the infection in donkeys was increased irrespective of their age. The prevalence of the infection in the donkeys was 51·1 per cent and in the horses 16·2 per cent, and the prevalence in the donkeys examined postmortem was 55 per cent. There was no significant difference between different age groups of donkeys in either the prevalence or the intensity of the infection. The prevalence of the infection was significantly higher in the Ada and Akaki regions than in the Bereh and Boset regions.
Unilateral and bilateral laparoscopic ovariectomy of mares by electrocautery
Authors: Smith L. J. , Mair T. S.
Published: October 2010

Twelve horses underwent standing laparoscopic ovariectomy using electrocoagulation and fine dissection as the only means of achieving haemostasis of the severed ovarian pedicle. Four mares had bilateral ovariectomy performed as a treatment for aggressive behaviour thought to be associated with the oestrous cycle. Eight mares had unilateral ovariectomy performed for removal of a granulosa thecal cell tumour (gct). Electrocoagulation provided an effective means of haemostasis in both normal and pathological ovaries. Only one case (removal of agct) had mild haemorrhage following electrocoagulation, necessitating the need for the application of endoscopic clips to achieve haemostasis. Six of the horses developed minor wound complications (none of them requiring any additional treatment). Long‐term follow‐up information showed complete resolution of abnormal behaviour in all eight horses withgcts, but in one of the four horses with normal ovaries the aggressive behaviour had not been completely resolved.
Concurrent immune‐mediated haemolytic anaemia and severe thrombocytopenia in 21 dogs
Authors: Goggs R. , Boag A. K. , Chan D. L.
Published: October 2010

The medical records of 21 dogs with concurrent immune‐mediated haemolytic anaemia (imha) and severe thrombocytopenia (defined as an automated platelet count of less than 50 × 109/l, confirmed by the examination of a blood smear) were reviewed. Their mean (sd) age was 5·8 (2·5) years. When compared with the 24,759 dogs in the hospital population for the same period Airedale terriers and dobermanns appeared to be over‐represented with odds ratios of 22·5 (95 per cent confidence interval [ci] 5·2 to 97·9) and 7·6 (95 per centci1·8 to 32·7) respectively. The median duration of the dogs' clinical signs was seven days, with a range from one to 17 days. Eleven of the dogs had a history of a tendency to bleed, and 15 had evidence of bleeding when examined. Twenty of the 21 dogs had been treated with glucocorticoids, nine with vincristine, and seven with azathioprine. Their median stay in hospital was four days, with a range from one to 17 days. The median period for which they survived after admission to hospital was five days, with a range from one to 558 days, and 16 of the 21 dogs had died or been euthanased within 30 days of their admission.