bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ultrasonographic findings in five cows before and after treatment of reticular abscesses
Authors: Braun U. , Iselin U. , Lischer C. , Fluri E.
Published: October 2010

Five cows with reticular abscesses were examined clinically, haematologically, radiographicaHly and ultrasonographically. They all had clinical signs typical of traumatic reticuloperitonitis, including chronic indigestion, pyrexia, an absence of or reduced ruminal motility, weight loss and a positive reaction to foreign body tests. A haematological examination revealed anaemia, increased concentrations of plasma protein and fibrinogen and a decreased clotting time in the glutaraldehyde test. On the basis of the radiographic examination, a tentative diagnosis of reticular abscess was made in four of the cows, because the reticulum was displaced from the peritoneum or because there was an extensive gas‐fluid interface in the reticular region. By ultrasonography, a large reticular abscess with a well developed capsule was visible in each of the cows. The abscess was located between the reticulum and ventral peritoneum in two of them, between the reticulum and right thoracic wall in two and between the reticulum and spleen in the other cow. A foreign body penetrating the abscess could be visualised ultrasonographically in one cow. In two cows, the abscesses were drained through an ultrasound‐guided transcutaneous incision. In the other three cows, the abscess was incised and drained from within the reticulum during a rumenotomy. Ultrasonographic examination revealed that the abscess had been completely evacuated in four cows, but only by about two‐thirds in the remaining cow. All the cows were clinically healthy when they were discharged.
Cluster analysis of the genetic heterogeneity and disease distributions in purebred dog populations
Authors: Ubbink G. J. , van de Broek J. , Hazewinkel H. A. W. , Rothuizen J.
Published: October 2010

Purebred dog populations have been subject to strong selection which has resulted in extreme differences between breeds and decreased heterogeneity within breeds. As a result, breed‐specific inherited diseases have accumulated in many populations. The aim of this study was to analyse genetic heterogeneity in relation to the distribution of elbow dysplasia in labrador retrievers, portosystemic shunts in Irish wolfbounds, and hepatic copper toxicosis, in Bedlington terriers. Decreased heterogeneity was demonstrated in the multiple genetic interrelations in the three populations. In pedigrees containing seven generations of ancestors, the average number of common ancestors in all pair‐wise combinations of dogs was five to six (range 0 to 18). These complex interrelationships were resolved by a cluster analysis on matrices of relatedness. This analysis gave clusters of highly related animals, the average relatedness of these clusters, and the average relatedness of the entire population, as expressions of its genetic variability. The mean relatedness was 0.032 for Irish wolihounds and Bedlington terriers, and 0‐002 for labrador retrievers. The labrador retriever cohort was resolved into 31 clusters, and all cases of elbow dysplasia were concentrated in five highly related clusters with an overall incidence of 17 per cent. The Bedlington terrier cohort consisted of 12 clusters which all contained cases of copper toxicosis, with an overall incidence of 46 per cent. The Irish wolfhounds were divided into 14 clusters with a disease incidence of 4 per cent. Dogs with portosystemic shunts were found in four averagely related clusters. A genetic distribution became obvious only when relatedness due to common ancestors of the cases was used as a criterion, and the cases were then concentrated in five highly related clusters.
Comparison of danofloxacin with baquiloprim/sulphadimidine for the treatment of experimentally induced Escherichia coli diarrhoea in calves
Authors: White D. G. , Johnson C. K. , Cracknell V.
Published: October 2010

Thirty‐eight, one‐ to two‐week‐old calves with experimentally induced Escherichia coli diarrhoea were randomly assigned to three treatment groups. Two groups of 15 calves were treated intramuscularly once daily for three days with either danofloxacin mesylate at 1.25 mg/kg bodyweight, or with baquiloprim/sulphadimidine as a positive control (10 mg of combined active ingredient/kg); eight calves were treated with 0.9 per cent sodium chloride solution as a negative control (1 ml/20 kg). Faecal consistency, demeanour, hydration status, appetite and bodyweight were monitored before, during, and for four days after treatment by an investigator unaware of the animals' treatment. Before treatment, the clinical, biochemical, and faecal indices were similar among the groups. By 24 hours after treatment began, the proportion of observations of faeces recorded as of normal consistency was highest in the danofloxacin‐treated group (26 of 60), compared with 16 of 60 in the baquiloprim/sulphadimidine treated groups and four of 32 in the control group. The proportion of calves with a normal demeanour was highest in the danofloxacintreated group at all the evaluations and these calves gained significantly (P<0.05) more weight (1.6 [0.27] kg) than the calves treated with baquiloprim/sulphadimidine (0.67 [0.36] kg). The calves in the danofloxacin‐treated group maintained relatively normal blood pH values, whereas the calves in the control group became progressively acidotic. By the end of treatment, the mean bicarbonate concentration was significantly (P<0.05) higher in the danofloxacin‐treated calves than in the control group. The pH of the calves in the baquiloprim/sulphadimidine‐treated group changed little during treatment, but by three days after the last treatment their mean pH had dropped to the level of the calves in the control group. The mean bicarbonate concentration of the baquiloprim/sulphadimidine‐treated calves, like that of the danofloxacintreated calves, was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that of the calves in the control group.
Experimental infection of four horses withEhrlichia phagocytophila
Authors: Pusterla N. , Lutz H. , Braun U.
Published: October 2010

Four clinically healthy horses which were negative for antibodies toEhrlichia phagocytophila, the agent of bovine ehrlichiosis, were infected experimentally withE phagocytophila‐containing bovine leucocytes, administered intravenously. The horses were examined daily for four weeks, and blood samples were collected daily for cytological, haematological and biochemical examination and for a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). An indirect immunofluorescence test was used to determine when the horses seroconverted and the duration of positive titres. There were no abnormal clinical, haematological or biochemical findings in any of the four horses and all the PCRS yielded negative results. However, all the horses seroconverted with reciprocal titres of up to 1280, and the positive titres persisted for up to five months.
Persistence of the efficacy of a moxidectin gel on the establishment of cyathostominae in horses
Authors: Vercruysse J. , Eysker M. , Demeulenaere D. , Smets K. , Dorny P.
Published: October 2010

A controlled trial was carried out to evaluate the persistence of the effect against small strongyles of a 2 per cent moxidectin gel administered orally to foals at a dose rate of 0.4 mg/kg bodyweight. Five of nine helminth‐free foals were treated on day 0, and the remaining four foals were used as controls. On days 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28 all nine foals were infected experimentally with 200,000 small strongyle larvae. Three treated and two control foals were necropsied on day 42 and the rest on day 43. Fourteen species of small or medium sized small strongyles were found in the control foals, 10 of them in all four. The mean rate of establishment of the infection was 27 per cent in the control foals and 7 per cent in the treated foals. The numbers of mucosal inhibited early L3 and late L3 were about equal in each group, but there were more than 10 times as many mucosal L4 in the control foals. No lumenal stages were recovered from the treated foals, whereas almost 50 per cent of the total burdens of the control foals consisted of these stages. The establishment of the infection was prevented by moxidectin treatment for at least two and possibly three weeks.
Case control study of risk factors for toxic mastitis in 26 dairy herds
Authors: Tadich N. A. , Carey A. , Porter R , Ridley J. , Green M. J.
Published: October 2010

A retrospective case control study of farm level risk factors for toxic mastitis was carried out in November and December 1996. Twenty‐six farms from mid‐Somerset were visited: 13 case farms (had had a cow with toxic mastitis in the previous year) and 13 geographically matched controls (no case of toxic mastitis). The farmers were interviewed and the buildings were examined. Information was collected on the type and quality of housing, usual milking routines, milk quality and mastitis prevalence in the previous year. All the data were collected on to pretested recording sheets and loaded into a database. Simple and complex analysis was done. The following variable were significantly (P<0.05) associated with an increased risk of toxic mastitis in the simple analysis: housing cows in October rather than November; a low number of calving boxes per cow; a high proportion of cows with intermediate body condition and low herd bulk milk somatic cell counts (HBMSCC). In the final model low HBMSCC and a high proportion of cows with intermediate body condition remained significant. The authors conclude that, despite the small size sample, the results of this study are consistent, plausible and support the information from previous experimental and observational studies about the role of somatic cell counts in toxic mastitis.
Pathological investigations on guillemots (Uria aalge) stranded on the Belgian coast during the winter of 1993–94
Authors: Jauniaux T. , Brosens L. , Meire P. , Offringa H. , Coignoul F.
Published: October 2010

Pathological investigations were carried out on 67 guillemots (Uria aalge) washed up on the Belgian coast between November 1993 and March 1994. Emaciation and acute haemorrhagic gastroenteropathy were observed in more than 70 per cent of the birds. There was no statistical relationship between the level of oil contamination and the severity of the lesions. Differences in bodyweight were accounted for by age, sex, emaciation, and acute haemorrhagic gastroenteropathy. The birds had a severe weight deficit but the concentrations of pollutants were below acutely toxic levels.
Early manifestations of granulocytic ehrlichiosis in dogs inoculated experimentally with a Swedish Ehrlichia species isolate
Authors: Egenvall A. , Bjöersdorff A. , Lilliehöök L. , Olsson Engvall E. , Karlstam E. , Artursson K. , Hedhammar Å. , Gunnarsson A.
Published: October 2010

Seven beagles were inoculated experimentally with a Swedish canineEhrlichiaspecies isolate to study its pathogenicity. With respect to the 16S rRNA gene sequence, the isolate was identical to the human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE) agent and closely related to bothEhrlichia equiandE phagocytophila. After an incubation period of four to 11 days, the most prominent clinical signs were high fever for two to five days and depression. AU the dogs developed profound thrombocytopenia, moderate leukopenia and a strong serological antibody response. Ehrlichial inclusions were detected in blood neutrophils from four to 14 days after inoculation for four to eight days. Ehrlichial DNA could be detected by polymerase chain reaction during the parasitaemic stage and a few days before and after microscopic inclusions were visible. Postmortem, the dogs showed reactive splenic hyperplasia and non‐specific mononuclear reactive hepatitis.
Xanthine urolithiasis in a dachshund
Authors: Flegel T. , Freistadt R. , Haider W.
Published: October 2010

Calculi were located in the kidneys, the ureters and the bladder of a two‐year‐old male dachshund. The yellow‐greenish calculi developed as a result of impaired transformation of xanthine to uric acid resulting in an increased concentration of xanthine in the urine. The cause of the impaired catabolism of xanthine was probably a disorder of the xanthine oxidase enzyme, which catalyses the transformation of xanthine to uric acid.
Description of 14 cases of bovine hypokalaemia syndrome
Authors: Sattler N. , Fecteau G. , Girard C. , Couture Y.
Published: October 2010

The records of 14 cases of bovine hypokalaemia observed between 1983 and 1996 were reviewed. The most common history included a protracted, often infectious, disease. All age groups were represented. Although previously reported as a risk factor, isoflupredone acetate had not been administered to five of the cases. The following clinical signs were recorded in 10 cases: abnormal position of the head and neck, severe weakness, rumen hypomotility or atony, abnormal faeces, anorexia and tachycardia. Cardiac dysrhythmia was observed in six cases. Acid‐base imbalance (alkalosis in 10 cases), hyperglycaemia and increased activities of aspartate aminotransferase and creatine kinase were associated with hypokalaemia ranging from 1.35 to 2.49 mmol/litre. Treatments included symptomatic treatment, supportive care and potassium chloride given intravenously and orally at an average total daily dose of 42 g/100 kg bodyweight (26 g by mouth and 16 g intravenously) for an average of five days. Eleven cases recovered after an average of three days.
Suspected congenital myasthenia gravis in Brahman calves
Authors: Thompson P. N.
Published: October 2010

Four, three‐ to four‐week‐old Brahman calves, with a common sire and a common maternal grandsire, developed progressive muscular weakness which was exacerbated by exercise and improved with rest. Although the calves remained alert and continued sucking, their neuromuscular condition deteriorated and they had to be euthanased within four to six weeks. The one calf in which an attempt was made to diagnose the condition responded quickly, but transiently, to the intravenous administration of edrophonium chloride and for a longer period to oral pyridostigmine bromide. Repeated stimulation of a peripheral nerve resulted in a decrease in the amplitude of the evoked muscle action potential. A definitive diagnosis could not be made but the condition showed many similarities to congenital myasthenia gravis, which has not previously been described in cattle.
Cattle plague in Shangri‐La: observations on a severe outbreak of rinderpest in northern Pakistan 1994–1995
Authors: Rossiter P. B. , Hussain M. , Raja R. H. , Moghul W. , Khan Z. , Broadbent D.
Published: October 2010

Between April 1994 and November 1995 the most severe epidemic of rinderpest reported in the world for over a decade affected domestic livestock in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. As many as 40,000 cattle and yaks died, more by some estimates, and mortality rates may have exceeded 80 per cent in these species in several villages. This report describes some of the clinicopathological and epidemiological features peculiar to the outbreak, including laboratory‐confirmed rinderpest in a goat, and the difficulties encountered before the disease was eradicated. It also describes the human costs and emphasises the need to accelerate the global eradication of this most eradicable disease.
An outbreak of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia in Ngamiland district of north‐western Botswana
Authors: Amanfu W. , Masupu K. V. , Adom E. K. , Raborokgwe M. V. , Bashiruddin J. B.
Published: October 2010

An outbreak of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) was detected in Botswana in 1995 after more than half a century of freedom from the disease. Lung tissues, pleural fluids, nasal swabs and serum samples were examined in laboratories in Botswana, South Africa and Namibia and the findings were confirmed in Italy. The disease was confirmed as CBPP from the gross and histopathological changes in the lungs of affected animals and by the culture of the agent of CBPP, Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides, small colony variant (MmmSC). These findings were supported by the demonstration of specific complement‐fixing antibodies and the production of polymerase chain reaction products of MmmSC.
Paralysis in hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) associated with demyelination
Authors: Palmer A. C. , Blakemore W. F. , Franklin R. J. M. , Frost L. M. , Gough R. E. , Lewis J. C. M. , Macdougall D. F. , O'Leary M. T. , Stocker L. R.
Published: October 2010

Paraplegia affected 14 hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) in a wildlife rescue hospital over a period of six months. Postmortem examination revealed demyelination in the brain and spinal cord and an inflammatory response in the meninges, choroid plexus and CNS. The peripheral nervous system was not affected. In the spleen, lungs and liver there was an accumulation of megakaryocytes and other evidence of extramedullary haemopoiesis, but there was no haematological evidence of anaemia. The pattern of disease incidence and the nature of the changes in the CNS suggest they were of viral origin, but no causal agent was isolated and the possibility of a neurotoxin cause cannot be ruled out.
Persistence ofEhrlichia phagocytophilainfection in lambs in relation to clinical parameters and antibody responses
Authors: Stuen S. , Olsson Engvall E. , Artursson K.
Published: October 2010

Five lambs were infected experimentally withEhrlichia phagocytophilaand examined regularly during the next six months. The lambs all had recurrences of parasitaemia at various times but had a fever on only 21 per cent of these occasions. A reduced number of leucocytes was observed in all the lambs for at least eight weeks. All the lambs were still infected four months after inoculation withE phagocytophila. After six months, blood from four of the five lambs was infective when inoculated into susceptible lambs.
Surgical removal of an undifferentiated abdominal sarcoma from a koi carp (Cyprinus carpio)
Authors: Lewbart G. A. , Spodnick G. , Barlow N. , Love N. E. , Geoly F. , Bakal R. S.
Published: October 2010

An undifferentiated abdominal sarcoma was removed surgically from a koi carp. The diagnostic procedures, including radiography and computed tomography, and the procedures for general anaesthesia and the surgical approach for a celiotomy in a fish are described. The gross and microscopic appearance of the tumour is described and lustrated.
Fatal combined infection with Haemoproteus noctuae and Leucocytozoon ziemanni in juvenile snowy owls (Nyctea scandiaca)
Authors: Evans M. , Otter A.
Published: October 2010

Two juvenile snowy owls (Nyctea scandiaca) died after short episodes of lethargy and anorexia. Postmortem examination of the first was inconclusive but clinical and laboratory examinations on the second owlet revealed a high level of erythrocyte parasitaemia by Haemoproteus noctuae. After a period of intensive nursing and chemotherapy during which it improved clinically and the red cell parasitism decreased, the bird's condition relapsed and it died. Postmortem examination revealed H noctuae infection in addition to heavy red blood cell parasitism by Leucocytozoon ziemanni. Although neither H noctuae nor L ziemanni are generally considered to be pathogenic, their combined presence in the young owl apparently resulted in its death.
Delayed onset malignant hyperthermia in two pigs
Authors: Brodbelt D. C. , Taylor P. M.
Published: October 2010

Malignant hyperthermia developed in two Landrace x Large White pigs, 75 and 105 minutes after the induction of anaesthesia with halothane. Rapid treatment and discontinuation of halothane anaesthesia were unable to reverse the condition in the first case but were successful in the second. The delayed onset of malignant hyperthermia after delivery of halothane is unusual and for successful treatment careful monitoring and rapid and aggressive therapy are needed.
Inhibition of antigen‐induced cutaneous responses of ponies with insect hypersensitivity by the histamine‐1 receptor antagonist chlorpheniramine
Authors: Foster A. P. , McKelvie J. , Cunningham F. M.
Published: October 2010

A whole‐body extract of Culicoides impunctatus induced a biphasic increase in oedema formation in ponies with insect hypersensitivity, with maxima after one and eight hours. The Culicoides antigen did not induce similar responses in ponies with no previous history of the disease. In insect‐hypersensitive ponies the local administration of chlorpheniramine (12 μg) completely inhibited oedema formation in response to histamine (0.04 μg) and to Culicoides antigen (0.5 μg) at one hour, and the response to Culicoides antigen at eight hours was inhibited by 63 per cent. Chlorpheniramine also partially inhibited the accumulation of eosinophils and neutrophils induced by Culicoides antigen after two hours.
A review of the road transport of slaughter sheep
Authors: Knowles T. G.
Published: October 2010

The transport of farm animals has been the subject of much research in recent years. This paper reviews the past and recent scientific literature pertinent to the road transport of slaughter sheep. The state of knowledge is summarised and recommendations for best practice based upon this are given. Areas which require further work are also identified.
Epidemiology of enteric disease in grower.finisher pigs: a postai survey of pig producers in England
Authors: Pearce G. P.
Published: October 2010

A questionnaire was sent to 238 members of local pig discussion groups in the West Midlands region of England to identify farm level fators associated with the occurrence of diarrhoea in grower.finisher pigs. The questions related to the occurrence, diagnosis and aetiology of scour problems on the farm, the prevalence of common porcine diseases on the farm, the classes of pigs, staff employment, source of replacement stock and biosecurity measures, the husbandry techniques such as piglet management, use of medication, movement and mixing of pigs, dung removal and pen preparation between batches of pigs, and the physical resources such as floor type, pen divisions, watering, feeding and dung disposal systems. Replies from 105 producers keeping grower.finisher pigs were included in the analysis, 50.5 per cent of which had had a scour problem at some time in the previous three years. The causes of scour had been identified as colitis (34.3 per cent), swine dysentery (10.5 per cent) or porcine enteropathy (3.8 per cent). There was a significant association between the following fadors and the occurrence of diarrhoea in grower.finisher pigs: the use of water medication for weaners (odds ratio=11.8; P=0.002), the tail.docking of piglets (odds ratio=8.6; P=0.003), the use of a wet feeding system for finishers (odds ratio=5.9; P=0.009), finishers housed on partially slatted floors (odds ratio=3.6; P=0.044), and the use of an isolation procedure for incoming breeding stock involving exposure to dung (odds ratio=3.5; P=0.046). The use of disinfectant in the preparation of pens between batches of pigs appeared to be protective (odds ratio=0.3; P=0.046).
Cytological and bacteriological findings in guttural pouch lavages of clinically normal horses
Authors: Chiesa O. A. , Vidal D. , Domingo M. , Cuenca R.
Published: October 2010

Percutaneous washes of the guttural pouches were obtained from two groups of 15 clinically normal horses, one lightly exercised and the other heavily exercised. Microbiological and cytological studies showed a wide variation in the differential cell counts. The cytological pattern of the normal lavages (<5 per cent neutrophils) was charaderised by a large proportion of ciliated columnar epithelial cells, a few non‐ciliated cuboidal epithelial cells, and less than 1 per cent monocytes, lymphocytes, and eosinophils. Abnormal lavages (with more than 5 per cent neutrophils) had higher levels of bacterial growth than normal lavages. There were significant differences between the bacterial growth and total cell count, and also between the neutrophil contents of the lavages from the two groups of horses.
Spinal cord injury in small animals 1. Mechanisms of spontaneous recovery
Authors: Jeffery N. D. , Blakemore W. F.
Published: October 2010

Spinal cord injury causes obvious clinical deficits early in the course of lesion evolution, but it is commonly observed that recovery can occur spontaneously during a period of days, weeks or even months afterwards. Spinal cord dysfunction arises after injury because of a combination of reversible alterations in the concentration of intra‐ and extracellular ionic constituents and irreversible tissue destruction. Recovery can therefore occur through re‐establishment of the normal microenvironment of the spinal cord, which occurs soon after injury induction, and also by formation of new patterns of central nervous system circuitry. Alterations in circuitry, termed ‘plasticity’, can occur during the immediate period after injury but apparently continue for many weeks or months. There are differences in the extent and nature of recovery between complete and incomplete experimental spinal cord injuries that illustrate the roles played by reorganisation of intra‐ and suprasegmental circuitry. Information that is available on mechanisms of spontaneous recovery may aid development of novel therapies for clinical spinal cord injury.
Comparisons of different combinations of analogues of PGF2αand dopamine agonists for the termination of pregnancy in dogs
Authors: Onclin K. , Verstegen J. P.
Published: October 2010

Groups of five pregnant bitches were treated to terminate the pregnancy with four combinations of drugs, starting 28 days after the estimated surge of luteinising hormone (LH), 22 to 28 days after the first mating. The treatments were: cabergoline administered orally for 10 days at a dose of 5 μg/kg and a single subcutaneous injection of 2.5 μg/kg cloprostenol at the start of the treatment; the same dose of cabergoline plus two doses of 1 μg/kg cloprostenol administered on days 28 and 32 after the LH surge; bromocryptine administered orally at a dose of 30 μg/kg three times a day for 10 days plus a single dose of 2.5 μg/kg cloprostenol; the same dose of bromocryptine plus two doses of 1 μg/kg cloprostenol; and a group of five pregnant bitches was left untreated. The pregnancies were terminated in all but one of the treated bitches, in each case by resorption of the fetuses. There were few side effects in the bitches treated with two doses of 1 μg/kg cloprostenol, and were present but acceptable in those treated with one dose of 2.5 μg/kg. Plasma progesterone concentrations decreased to less than 1 ng/ml within 72 hours of the start of treatment and remained low except in the bitch in which pregnancy was not terminated. In the five untreated bitches, plasma progesterone remained high and they whelped normally. In the treated groups, the intervals between successive displays of oestrus were reduced by approximately 70 days in comparison with previous cycles or with the control group, but the fertility of the dogs was not affected adversely.
A study of the aetiology of pseudopregnancy in the bitch and the effect of cabergoline therapy
Authors: Harvey M. J. A , Dale M. J. , Lindley S. , Waterston M. M.
Published: October 2010

Thirty‐two permanently pseudopregnant bitches were treated with the anti‐prolactin drug cabergoline. They had all been ovariohysterectomised up to five months after their last season, in some cases over two years previously, when most were reported as showing no signs of the condition. The clinical signs were mainly behavioural, the majority being aggressive, and a small number were lactating. The efficiency of the cabergoline therapy was classified by the owners as ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ in 50 per cent of the cases, and fair in 36 per cent. The rate of success was markedly better than in similar cases treated with reproductive steroids. In all but one of the bitches, the plasma prolactin concentrations were basal.
Transfer of suiphamethazine from contaminated dairy feed to cows' milk
Authors: McEvoy D. G. , Mayne C. S. , Higgins H. C. , Kennedy D. G.
Published: October 2010

Four groups of four healthy mid‐lactation Friesian cows were fed a compound feedingstuff containing either 2, 10 or 250 mg sulphamethazine/kg, corresponding to 0, 2, 10 and 250 per cent of the therapeutic inclusion rate in rations for pigs, at a flat rate of 3 kg twice daily for 21 days, followed by a seven‐day withdrawal period. The cows were machine‐milked twice daily and pooled milk samples from each cow were analysed by a commercially available microbiological assay with a sensitivity of 100 μg/litre and by a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) procedure with a limit of detection of 10 μg/litre. No sulphamethazine was detected by HPLC in the milk samples taken from any of the cows fed the concentrate containing 2 or 10 mg/kg. The milk samples from all four cows fed the highest concentration of sulphamethazine contained from 21 to 120 μg/litre while they were being fed the contaminated concentrate. The cow with the highest concentrations of sulphamethazine was the only one which repeatedly tested positive by the microbiological assay. The concentration of sulphamethazine declined rapidly during the withdrawal period and the drug was not detectable by either method in samples taken from two days after the contaminated feed was withdrawn.
Spontaneous vaginal rupture in pregnant ewes
Authors: Mosdøl G.
Published: October 2010

Seventeen cases of spontaneous, partial or total vaginal rupture, in pregnant ewes, involving the dislocation and hemiation of the intestines and uterus, were studied. Four of them also had a uterine torsion, and three of these recovered after treatment In the remaining 13 cases the condition of the uterus was unknown. The lesion always consisted of a dorsolateral tear in the vagina with a partial or total perforation of the wall close to the uterine cervix. The affected animals were all in normal body condition. Their average age was just under five years, and most were carrying twins. Most cases occurred approximately one week before expected lambing. None of the cases was observed to have a vaginal prolapse before the vaginal rupture. Histological examination of one case revealed scar formation in the vaginal wall close to the rupture, which appeared to be due to an earlier inflammatory process or injury. The circulatory disturbance in the reproductive organs caused by the uterine torsion potentially weakens the vaginal wall. This weakness, in combination with excessive tenesmus resulting from increased tension in the uterine ligaments, and in some cases possibly with a lower vaginal resistance due to previous scarring, may be of aetiological significance in spontaneous vaginal rupture.
Comparison of the effects of injections of nortestosterone phenyipropionate at single and multiple sites in cattle on the detection of its residues in plasma, urine and bile
Authors: McEvoy J. D. G. , McVeigh C. E. , McCaughey W. J. , Kennedy D. G.
Published: October 2010

The synthetic androgen 17β‐19‐nortestosterone (β‐NT) has been used illegally as a growth promoter in cattle production in the European Union. The elimination of β‐NT and its metabolites in plasma and urine was studied in cattle which had received intramuscular injections of its phenylpropionate ester (NTP) at either single or multiple sites at a dose rate of 1 mg/kg bodyweight. In both groups, the plasma concentrations of β‐NT, measured by enzyme immunoassay, were consistently greater than the assay's limit of quantification (0.24 ng/ml) during days 1 to 7 of the study. The mean (sd) maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) was significantly greater in the multiply injected animals (4.4 [0.48] v 2.7 [0.15] ng/ml), but other prasma pharmacokinetic parameters, AUC, CL, T1 /2 β, Tmax and MRT, were not significantly different in the two groups. The equivalent urinary concentrations exceeeded the limit of quantification of the assay (4.5 ng/ml) for up to 24 days after injection. In a second study, the biliary concentrations of β‐NT and its 17α‐epimer (α‐NT) were measured by gas chromatography‐high resolution mass spectrometry after cattle were injected intramuscularly at either single or multiple sites with NTPP. Only α‐NT was detected in bile for up to 62 days after injection at concentrations above the limit of quantification of the assay (0.7 ng/ml). It is concluded that in some animals, intramuscular injections of NTPP at several sites may decrease the period after injection during which free β‐NT and its metabolites are detectable in plasma and urine. After the injection of NTPP, α‐NT was detected in bile for longer than it was detected in plasma or urine.
Prevalence of haematozoa in birds of prey in Catalonia, north‐east Spain
Authors: Muñoz E. , Ferrer D. , Molina R. , Adlard R. D.
Published: October 2010

Blood samples from birds of prey, 95 Strigiformes and 190 Falconiformes, were examined for the presence of haematozoan parasites. The birds had been admitted to a raptor recovery centre in Catalonia, north‐east Spain. Parasites were counted in positive smears. A second blood sample was obtained from 99 birds at least seven days after their arrival at the centre. Haematozoa were detected in all seven species of Strigiformes and in nine of 19 species of Falconiformes. The overall prevalences in the two groups were significantly different, 30.5 per cent and 46.3 per cent in the noctumal and diumal raptors, respectively. Eleven species of haematozoan parasites were identified. The genus most commonly detected in members of the noctumal Strigiformes wasLeucocytozoon, followed byHaemoproteus,PlasmodiumandTrypanosoma. In the diumal Falconiformes onlyLeucocytozoonandHaemoproteuswere detected. The highest infection rates were found inAccipiter nisus(sparrow hawks),Accipiter gentilis(goshawks) andAthene noctua(little owls). Relapses were detected in 9 per cent of the birds sampled twice. The highest intensity of infection (6.2 per cent) was observed in aButeo buteo(buzzard) infected withHaemoproteus.
Effect of carprofen on lameness in broiler chickens
Authors: McGeown D. , Danbury T. C , Waterman‐Pearson A. E. , Kestin S. C.
Published: October 2010

Lameness is prevalent among broiler chickens and there is concern that it is chronically painful. The administration of an analgesic has been frequently used to identify pain in lame farm animals. Therefore, in this study the ability of lame and normal broiler chickens to traverse an obstacle course was tested after treatment with the analgesic, carprofen, a placebo saline injection or a control handling procedure. Sound birds traversed the course in approximately 11 seconds, irrespective of treatment. Lame birds took approximately 34 seconds to traverse the course, unless they received carprofen, which reduced their completion time to 18 seconds. Thus, carprofen substantially increased the speed of lame birds, providing evidence that birds with moderate lameness suffer pain when they walk.
Pathological changes in the myocardium of hypocalcaemic parturient cows
Authors: Yamagishi N. , Ogawa K. , Naito Y.
Published: October 2010

Three parturient cows in lateral recumbency which were moaning and had tachycardia, arrhythmia and dyspnoea were thoroughly examined. They were hypocalcaemic (0.70‐1.27 mmol/litre) and were euthanased within four days, because they failed to respond to calcium treatment. By light microscopy the most characteristic pathological changes in the heart were necrotic changes scattered throughout the myocardium. Electron microscopy revealed abnormalities in the myocytes which were characterised by focal myofibrillar lysis, irregular splitting, streaming and spreading of the Z band and myofibrillar disarray.
Level and duration of serum antibodies in cattle infected experimentally and naturally with bovine virus diarrhoea virus
Authors: Fredriksen B. , Sandvik T. , Løken T. , Ødegaard S. A.
Published: October 2010

Neutralising serum antibodies against bovine virus diarrhoea virus (BVDV) were monitored for three years in 35 cattle that were infected with the virus as calves; 24 of the calves were inoculated intramuscularly or intranasally, and 11 contracted the infection naturally. All the experimentally infected calves seroconverted within 14 to 28 days after inoculation, and all the animals still had high serum levels of antibodies to BvDv three years after infection. Determinations of antibody levels in milk and blood samples excluded the possibility that the calves had been reinfected with BvDv during the study.
Feline infectious peritonitis presenting as a tumour in the abdominal cavity
Authors: Kipar A. , Koehler K. , Bellmann S. , Reinacher M.
Published: October 2010

This paper describes six cases of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) in which an abdominal tumour had been suspected clinically. Pathological changes were mainly restricted to the massive enlargement of a mesenteric lymph node due to necrogranulomatous lymphadenitis. FIP was diagnosed on the basis of the immunohistological demonstration of coronavirus antigen in intact macrophages within the necrogranulomatous lesions. In the affected lymph node lymphoid tissue was either almost completely effaced or restricted to follicles composed mainly of variable numbers of blasts. From one to many plasma cells positive for coronavirus‐specific antibodies were present in the marginal sinuses or capsules. In addition, necrogranulomas were present in the gut‐associated lymphoid tissue of the caecum of one cat, and adjacent to the affected lymph node of another.
Ultrasonographic findings in three cows with chronic ragwort (Senecio alpinus) poisoning
Authors: Braun U. , Linggi T. , Pospischil A.
Published: October 2010

Three cows with ragwort (Senecio alpinus) poisoning were examined clinically, haematologically and ultrasonographically, and biopsy specimens of the liver were examined histologically. At the end of the study, the cows were euthanased and examined postmortem. The major clinical signs included severely disturbed general demeanour and behaviour, and severe diarrhoea. One cow was photosensitive. The activities of liver enzymes and the concentration of bilirubin were high in all of the cows. In two of the cows, ultrasonographic examination revealed a heavy accumulation of abdominal fluid, which was diagnosed as non‐inflammatory ascites. In all the cows, the liver parenchyma was heterogeneous, and cows 1 and 2 had multiple echogenic foci 5 to 10 mm in diameter. In cow 3, the facies diaphragmatica of the liver appeared irregular in outline owing to the presence of nodules which were approximately 5 cm in diameter. The liver was also greatly enlarged and extended almost to the linea alba ventrally and beyond the reticulum cranially. All the cows had portal hypertension and the portal vein was dilated, resulting in oedema of the walls of the gall bladder, the small intestines and the omentum. The diameter of the caudal vena cava was reduced as a result of the impaired hepatic circulation. Histological examination of liver biopsy specimens revealed severe hepatic fibrosis in all the cows.
Antibody response to glycoprotein E after bovine herpesvirus type 1 infection in passively immunised, glycoprotein E‐negative calves
Authors: Lemaire M. , Schynts F. , Meyer G. , Thiry E.
Published: October 2010

This study was conducted to determine whether young calves with maternal antibodies against bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BHV‐1) but without antibodies against glycoprotein E (gE) can produce an active antibody response to gE after a BHV‐1 infection. Five calves received at birth colostrum from gE‐seronegative cows which had been vaccinated two or three times with an inactivated BHV‐1, gE‐deleted marker vaccine. After inoculation with a wild‐type virulent strain of BHV‐1, all the passively immunised gE‐negative calves shed virus in large amounts in their nasal secretions. All the calves seroconverted to gE within two to four weeks after inoculation and then had high levels of gE antibodies for at least four months. The development of an active cell‐mediated immune response was also detected by in vitro BHV‐1‐specific interferon‐gamma assays. All the calves were latently infected, because one of them re‐excreted the virus spontaneously and the other four did so after being treated with dexamethasone. The results showed that under the conditions of this work the gE‐negative marker could also distinguish between passively immunised and latently infected calves.
Acid‐fast bacterial infection and its control in guppies (Lebistes reticulatus) reared on an ornamental fish farm in Venezuela
Authors: Conroy G. , Conroy D. A.
Published: October 2010

There was a spontaneous outbreak of mycobacteriosis in fancy veiltail guppies, Lebistes reticulatus, raised on an ornamental fish farm in Venezuela. The clinical signs included listlessness, emaciation, spinal curvature, sunken eyes and loss of colour. Numerous acid‐fast bacteria, identified as Mycobacterium species, were detected in smears from the kidneys, liver, mesentery and spleen of the fish, from fresh faecal material, and from the unborn embryos of infected gravid females. The bacteria were eradicated by the addition of kanamycin sulphate to the water at a concentration of 50 ppm, the dose being repeated on four occasions with 48 hours between each dose. Fifteen days after the treatment, none of the clinical signs described were detected in any of the treated fish. The offspring bom to treated females were healthy and normal, and did not harbour acid‐fast bacteria.
Effects of temperature on the survival ofTritrichomonas foetusin transport, Diamond's and InPouch TF media
Authors: Bryan L. A. , Campbell J. R. , Gajadhar A. A.
Published: October 2010

The abilities of two isolates ofTrtrichomonas foetusto survive and replicate in transport and Diamond's medium or in the InPouch TF system (Bio‐Med Diagnostics) when exposed to different temperatures for different periods were determined in a series of experiments. Tubes containing thioglycollate transport medium or pouches were inoculated with 4000 to 5000 organisms and kept for up to seven days at 37°C, 22°C, 4°C, or ‐20°C. When the holding time had elapsed, the numbers of motileT foetuswere counted. Samples in transport medium were transferred to Diamond's medium, and both the pouches and tubes containing Diamond's medium were incubated at 37°C. The cultures were examined and counted four or five times during the 10 to 14 day culture period. The sensitivity of the test under the different conditions, expressed as the number of positive cultures/the total number of samples × 100, varied from zero to 100 per cent depending upon the combination of variables considered. In each medium, with both isolates ofT foetus, all samples kept for up to four days at 22°C or 37°C were positive. All cultures of samples kept more than five days at 4°C were negative. No positive cultures were detected when samples were kept more than three hours at ‐20°C. The day on which the cultures reached mean peak concentration varied with the temperature at which the samples had been kept before they were cultured.
Analysis of scintigraphical lung images before and after treatment of horses suffering from chronic pulmonary disease
Authors: Votion D. , Ghafir Y. , Vandenput S. , Duvivier D. H. , Art T. , Lekeux P.
Published: October 2010

Scintigraphical analysis of the ratio of inhalation (i) to perfusion (Q) was designed to determine whether chronic pulmonary disease in horses induced mismatches in i/Q and to assess whether medical treatment would restore an I/Q distribution pattern identical to that of control horses. In addition, the results of the I/Q analysis were correlated with the alveolar‐arterial PO2difference (AaDO2). The I/Q matching found in a group of control horses was compared with the I/Q analysis of a group of diseased horses before and after their clinical signs had been treated. The analysis indicated that there was mismatching between I and Q before they were treated. The treatment improved the diseased horses, pulmonary function but there was still heterogeneity in the I/Q distribution after they had been treated. The i/Q analysis parameters were well correlated with the ratio of ventilation (VA) and pulmonary blood flow (Q), evaluated by the determination of AaDO2.
Comparison of two combinations of sedatives before anaesthetising pigs with halothane and nitrous oxide
Authors: Brodbelt D. C. , Taylor P. M.
Published: October 2010

Two groups of 21 three‐month‐old Landrace × Large White pigs were sedated with either azaperone (2 mg/kg), butorphanol (0.2 mg/kg) and ketamine (5 mg/kg) (group A), or detomidine (100 pg/kg), butorphanol (0.2 mg/kg) and ketamine (5 mg/kg) (group D) administered intramuscularly, before being anaesthetised with halothane, oxygen and nitrous oxide for a bilateral stifle arthrotomy. The pigs' heart rate, respiratory rate, mean arterial blood pressure, electrocardiogram, arterial oxygen saturation, arterial blood gases, and oesophageal and rectal temperature were measured while they were anaesthetised and five minutes after they were disconnected, and their recovery times and any complications were recorded. Both groups were well sedated. Their heart rate was unchanged during the period of anaesthesia but increased when they recovered. The respiratory rate, mean arterial blood pressure and rectal temperature were lower in group A than in group D (P<0.05). Mild respiratory acidosis developed during anaesthesia in both groups. Both groups recovered equally rapidly and complications were generally minor, though two pigs in group D appeared to develop malignant hyperthermia.
Demographic characteristics of the equine population of northern Britain
Authors: Mellor D. J. , Love S. , Gettinby G. , Reid S. W. J.
Published: October 2010

The size, composition and distribution of the equine population of Scotland and the five northernmost counties in England were estimated through a series of mailed questionnaire surveys of sentinel veterinary practices and horse owners. An estimated 96,622 equine animals were kept by an estimated 26,114 owners. The mean (sd) age of the population was 11.0 (7.5) years (range one month to 37 years). Thoroughbred or thoroughbred‐cross animals were the most numerous, constituting 30 per cent (95 per cent confidence interval 27 to 33 per cent) of the total population. The ratio of males.females was 1:1.
Aujeszky's disease in captive bears
Authors: Banks M. , Monsalve Torraca L. S. , Greenwood A. G. , Taylor D. C.
Published: October 2010

Five of eight bears died during an outbreak of Aujeszky's disease in a travelling circus in the north of Spain. The bears had been fed on a diet which indcluded raw pigs' heads. One of three Himalayan bears and a Kodiak bear died acutely with signs of the disease. One of four polar bears died acutely without signs, another died with signs of Aujeszky's disease while it was being treated, and a third died with enteritis and disseminated intestinal coagulation some time later wihout showing signs of the disease. A fourth polar bear recovered from the same gastrointestinal problem without showing signs of the disease. Although one of the two surviving Himalayan bears showed some signs referrable to Aujeszky's disease, the results of tests for neutralising antibodies were negative. Two of the polar bears, the Himalayan bear and the Kodiak bear were examined postnortem and three of them were examined histologically. No lesions referable to Aujeszky's disease were found. The tissues from one female polar bear were examined and shown to be positive for Aujeszky's disease virus by virus isolation, polymerase chain reaction, electron micoscopy and fluorescent antibody tests. The DNA of the isolate was shown to be similar to that of the strains of the virus drculating in pigs in northern Spain some years earlier.
Attaching and effacing lesions in the large intestine of an eight‐month‐old heifer associated withEscherichia coli026 infection in a group of animals with dysentery
Authors: Pearson G. R. , Bazeley K. J. , Jones J. R. , Gunning R. F. , Green M. J. , Cookson A. , Woodward M. J.
Published: October 2010

Escherichia coliO26:K60, with genetic attributes consistent with a potentially human enterohaemorrhagicE coliwas isolated from the faeces of an eight‐month‐old heifer with dysentery. Attaching and effacing lesions were identified in the colon of a similarly affected heifer examined postmortem, and shown to be associated withE coil026 by specific immunolabelling.