bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cleft palate associated with an unbalanced karyotype in piglets sired by a heterozygous carrier boar with a balanced constitutional reciprocal translocation
Authors: Ducos A. , Pinton A. , Berland H. M. , Séguéla A. , Brun‐Baronnat C. , Bonnet N. , Darré R. , Milan D.
Published: October 2010

The progeny of a commercial (Landrace x Duroc) x Large White boar contained a number of piglets with cleft palates. Chromosomal analyses of five affected piglets showed that they all had an identical unbalanced karyotype with partial monosomy of chromosome 16 and partial trisomy of chromosome 3, whereas the normal piglets in the litters had balanced karyotypes. The chromosomal imbalance was the direct result of a constitutional balanced reciprocal translocation carried by their heterozygote sire, described, according to the standard nomenclature, as t(3;16)(q23;q22).
Remission of the clinical signs of atopic dermatitis in dogs after cessation of treatment with cyclosporin A or methyiprednisolone
Authors: Steffan J. , Horn J. , Gruet P. , Strehlau G. , Fondati A. , Ferrer L. , Noli C.
Published: October 2010

Seventy‐eight dogs with atopic dermatitis were treated for four months with either cyclosporin A or methylprednisolone. During the two months after the treatment ceased, 87 per cent of the dogs treated with methylprednisolone relapsed after a mean period of 27.9 days, whereas only 62 per cent of the dogs treated with cyclosporin A relapsed after a mean period of 40.7 days (P<0.001). The clinical condition of the dogs was evaluated either when they relapsed, or two months after the treatment ceased if they had not relapsed. Both the skin lesions and pruritus increased significantly more markedly in the dogs treated with methylprednisolone than in those treated with cyclosporin A. At the end of the study the skin lesions were markedly less severe than before the therapy; in the dogs in both groups that did not relapse, the lesion score was improved by 77 per cent two months after the treatment had stopped, and in the dogs that did relapse the lesion scores had improved by 45 per cent and 35 per cent in the dogs treated with cyclosporin A and methylprednisolone, respectively. Pruritus remained well controlled in the dogs that did not relapse, but increased to baseline levels or close to baseline in the dogs that relapsed.
Differences between breeds of dog in a measure of heart rate variability
Authors: Doxey S. , Boswood A.
Published: October 2010

The vasovagal tonus index (VVTI), a time‐domain indicator of heart rate variability, was measured in 92 dogs of six breeds (German shepherd dogs, labrador retrievers, cocker spaniels, boxers, bulldogs and cavalier King Charles spaniels). There was a significant difference in VvTi between the six breeds (P=0.003). Brachycephalic dogs had a higher vvTI than other types of dog (P<0.005), and when comparing individual breeds brachycephalic breeds tended to have a higher vvri than non‐brachycephalic breeds, although the difference was not always significant. The VVTI was negatively correlated with heart rate (P<0.01) and dogs suffering from congestive heart failure had a lower VVTI than other dogs, whether compared within or between breeds (P<0.001).
Ultrasound‐guided biopsy as a diagnostic aid in three horses with a cranial mediastinal lymphosarcoma
Authors: De Clercq D. , Van Loon G. , Lefère L. , Deprez P.
Published: October 2010

An ultrasound examination of the thorax of three horses which were performing poorly or had mild signs of colic showed that they had a cranial mediastinal mass and a pleural effusion. A cytological examination of the pleural fluid showed that it did not contain neoplastic cells. A histological examination of an ultrasound‐guided core biopsy of the cranial mediastinal mass showed that in each of the three horses it was a lymphosarcoma.
Dyschezia in dogs with discrete erosive anal disease and histological lesions suggestive of mucocutaneous lupus erythematosus
Authors: Schrauwen E. , Junius G. , Swinnen C. , Maenhout T.
Published: October 2010

Eight dogs suffered chronic defecation problems characterised by severe dyschezia, manifested by signs of fear and vocalisation on defecation. One or more depigmented, discrete erosions, easily bleeding on palpation, were found in the perineal region. Histopathological changes included interface dermatitis, apoptotic keratinocytes, focal hydropic degeneration of basal epidermal cells, focal thickening of the basement membrane zone and dermal lichenoid infiltrations with mononuclear and plasma cells. A diagnosis of cutaneous or discoid lupus erythematosus was made on the basis of these clinical, physical and specific histopathological changes. The dogs were treated systemically with immunomodulating drugs and good results were obtained.
Clinical and pathological characterisation of primary pulmonary hypertension in a dog
Authors: Glaus T. M. , Soldati G. , Ehrensperger F. , Maurer R.
Published: October 2010

Primary pulmonary hypertension was diagnosed in an eight‐year‐old labrador retriever on the basis of echocardiographic findings of severe right ventricular eccentric hypertrophy, abnormally high systolic and diastolic pulmonary arterial pressures calculated by applying the modified Bernoulli equation to the tricuspid and pulmonary insufficiency peak velocities, and the absence of any underlying disease known to cause secondary pulmonary hypertension. The clinical abnormalities developed gradually, from exercise intolerance starting early in life to terminal right‐sided congestive heart failure. Consistent histopathological findings were severe intimal and medial thickening of small arteries and arterioles that led to vascular obliteration.
Effects of different glucocorticoid treatments on serum acute phase proteins in dogs
Authors: Martínez‐Subiela S. , Cerón J. J. , Ginel P. J.
Published: October 2010

The serum concentrations of haptoglobin, caeruloplasmin, C‐reactive protein and serum amyloid A were measured in three groups of seven healthy dogs. Group 1 received a single dose of 1.1 mg/kg methylprednisolone acetate, administered subcutaneously; group 2 received 1 mg/kg per day of prednisone administered orally for three weeks; and group 3 received 2.2 mg/kg per day of prednisone administered orally for seven days. Before the administration of the glucocorticoids the serum concentrations of all the acute phase proteins were within the authors' laboratory reference ranges. After the administration of the drugs there were significant increases in the concentration of haptoglobin in all three groups, the increases being larger in groups 2 and 3. In contrast, the concentrations of C‐reactive protein, caeruloplasmin and serum amyloid A were not affected.
Scoring system for evaluating the stress to cattle of commercial loading and unloadind
Authors: María G. A. , Villarroel M. , Chacón G. , Gebresenbet G.
Published: October 2010

The loading and unloading of cattle for road transport is stressful but the stress is difficult to evaluate in terms of the welfare of the cattle. Over one year, 40 normal commercial journeys in northern Spain were analysed in terms of time limits and behavioural events in order to design an objective method for assessing the stresses imposed on the animals, and a scoring method was developed for assessing the welfare of the animals during loading and unloading. Several definitions of time intervals were assessed to calculate a time score per animal, and easily observable behavioural events were scored and combined with the time score to obtain a total loading/unloading score. More than half of the loadings and unloadings involved turns, slips and vocalisations. Mounts and bouts of fighting were infrequent and balks and falls were significantly more frequent during loading than unloading. The plasma concentrations of cortisol, glucose and lactate, the activity of creatine kinase and the pH of the meat 24 hours after the animals were slaughtered were also measured. The results indicated that loading was more stressful than unloading and that higher scores implied significantly higher levels of stress.
Studies on the carriage and transmission of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus by individual houseflies (Musca domestica)
Authors: Otake S. , Dee S. A. , Moon R. D. , Rossow K. D. , Trincado C. , Pijoan C.
Published: October 2010

The objectives of the study were to determine the site of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) in individual houseflies, to assess whether an individual housefly could transmit PRRSV to a susceptible pig, and to compare the ability of PCR, virus isolation and a pig bioassay to detect PRRSV in houseflies. In the first experiment 26 houseflies were fed on a pig infected experimentally with PRRsv; 13 were processed as a whole fly homogenate, while an exterior surface wash and a gut homogenate were collected from the other 13. Infectious PRRSV was recovered from nine of the whole fly homogenates, 12 of the gut homogenates and one of the exterior surface washes. In the second experiment, two of 10 individual houseflies, which had fed on an infected pig, transmitted PRRSV to a susceptible pig in a controlled manual transmission protocol. In the third experiment, single flies or pools of 30 flies were immersed in different concentrations of a PRRSV inoculum, then tested by PcR, virus isolation and bioassay. The virus was detected at a concentration of 101TCID5O/ml by PCR, 102TCID5O/ml by the bioassay and 103TCID50/ml by virus isolation.
Estimation of the liveweight of working mules in Morocco from their body measurements
Authors: Kay G. , Pearson R. A. , Ouassat M.
Published: October 2010

During March 2001, 117 working mules, randomly chosen from four markets in Morocco, were weighed and a series of body measurements recorded; their age and body condition score were also recorded. Linear regression techniques were used to derive a ‘best fit’ equation for predicting liveweight from the other variables. For the working mules weighing between 131 and 391 kg the best prediction equation using two variables was: liveweight (kg) = −33+2−8 × heart girth (cm)+1−36 × length (cm). Other prediction equations available for estimating the liveweight of equidae were tested on the data, but in all cases they significantly overestimated the weights of the Moroccan mules.
Efficacy of milbemycin oxime against fourthstage larvae and adults ofAncylostoma tubaeformein experimentally infected cats
Authors: Humbert‐Droz E. , Buscher G. , Cavalleri D. , Junquera P.
Published: October 2010

The efficacy of milbemycin oxime against fourth‐stage (L4) larvae and adults ofAncylostoma tubaeformewas investigated in a trial involving 24 young domestic shorthair cats. The animals were inoculated with approximately 300 infective stage three (L3) larvae and divided into three groups. After 12 days, eight cats (group 1) were treated with medicated tablets containing 4 mg milbemycin and 10 mg praziquantel to test the efficacy against L4 larvae; eight cats in group 2 were treated with the same tablets after 33 days to test the efficacy against adult worms; and eight cats in group 3 were treated with a placebo tablet. Faecal egg counts were determined periodically in each cat and after 40 or 41 days the number of worms in each animal was determined postmortem. The egg count reduction was determined by comparing the geometric mean numbers of eggs per gram of faeces in the placebo and medicated groups, and the worm reduction by comparing the geometric mean numbers of worms. The egg count reduction was more than 99 per cent in both treated groups, while the number of worms in groups 1 and 2 were reduced by 94.7 per cent and 99.2 per cent, respedively.
Evaluation of the role of mallard ducks as vectors of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus
Authors: Trincado C. , Dee S. , Pijoan C. , Rossow K. , Halvorson D.
Published: October 2010

To assess the transmission of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) from pigs to mallard ducks, 10 adult (one‐year‐old) female mallard ducks were housed with pigs infected experimentally with PRRSV, and allowed to be in close contact with them for 21 days. To evaluate the transmission of PRRSV from mallard ducks to pigs, two adult ducks were inoculated orally with PRRSV (total dose 106.0TCID50) and allowed to drink PRRsv‐infected water; 24 hours later, two four‐week‐old PRRSv‐naive sentinel pigs were housed in pens below the cages housing the ducks for 14 days. In both experiments, cloacal and faecal samples were collected three times a week from the ducks and tested by PcR, virus isolation and a pig bioassay. Blood samples from the pigs were tested by ELISA, PCR and virus isolation. Sera from the ducks were tested by serum neutralisation. The ducks were examined postmortem and selected tissues were tested by PcR, virus isolation, histopathology and pig bioassay. In both experiments all the cloacal swabs, faecal samples, tissues and sera from the ducks were negative by all the tests. The sera from the pigs in the first experiment were PCR positive at three, seven, 14 and 21 days after infection and ELISA positive at 14 and 21 days. Sera from the pigs in the second experiment were negative by all the tests. The virus was isolated from the oral inoculum and the drinking water provided for the ducks in the second experiment. Under the conditions of this study, it was not possible to demonstrate the transmission of PRRSV either from the pigs to the ducks or from the ducks to the pigs.
Retrospective analysis of 50 cases of guttural pouch tmpany in foals
Authors: Blazyczek I. , Hamann H. , Deegen E. , Distl O. , Ohnesorge B.
Published: October 2010

Between 1994 and 2001, guttural pouch tympany was diagnosed in 51 foals; there were approximately three times as many fillies as colts, of Arabian, different German warmblood breeds and Western horse breeds. There were significantly more Arabian and paint horse foals than expected in comparison with the breed distribution of the foals hospitalised at the Clinic for Horses. The foals' breed and sex did not influence the age of onset, the type and severity of the clinical signs or the recurrence rate. A surgical laser technique was used on 50 of the foals; in 35 cases only one surgical treatment was necessary, in seven cases a second operation was required during the foal's initial period of hospitalisation, and in eight cases a second operation was performed during a second period of hospitalisation. Long‐term follow‐up information was obtained for 44 of the 50 treated horses; 24 of them were under two years of age and 20 were over two years of age. In six horses, no follow‐up information was available. Four horses were euthanased for reasons unrelated to the condition or its treatment. The horses over two years of age were in training or were being used for competitions in dressage or jumping or for breeding purposes, and in only one of them was an adventitious respiratory noise reported. All the horses up to two years of age were reported to be healthy.
Retrospectoive Study the risk factors and prevalence of colic in horses after orthopaedic surgery
Authors: Senior J. M. , Pinchbeck G. L. , Dugdale A. H. A. , Clegg P. D.
Published: October 2010

The records of 496 orthopaedic operations on 428 horses were reviewed to estimate the prevalence of, and identify the risk factors for, the development of colic in horses after surgery. Colic was defined as any recognised sign of abdominal pain that could not be attributed to a concurrent disease. Fourteen of the horses developed colic; eight of them were undiagnosed, three were classified as impactions, one as tympanic colic of the colon, one as incarceration of the small intestine in the epiploic foramen, and one as left dorsal displacement of the colon in the nephrosplenic space. Morphine was associated with a four‐fold increased risk of colic compared with the use of no opioid or butorphanol, and out‐of‐hours surgery was also associated with an increased risk.
Clinical and pathological features of dilated cardiomyopathy in Holstein‐Friesian cattle
Authors: Nart P. , Thompson H. , Barrett D.C. , Armstrong S.C. , McPhaden A.R.
Published: October 2010

Dilated cardiomyopathy is a primary disease of the heart muscle that has been reported in Holstein‐Friesian cattle worldwide in the past 20 years. Nine cases of the condition were compared in terms of their clinical and pathological characteristics with nine unaffected animals matched for age, sex and breed. Their clinical signs included right‐sided heart failure with severe subcutaneous oedema, ascites and/or hydrothorax and distended jugular veins. There were no characteristic biochemical or haematological changes. Postmortem, the affected hearts were enlarged with all the chambers dilated and walls of variable thickness. In most cases the kidneys were pale with a pitted surface. Histologically there was marked perimysial and endomysial fibrosis, extensive loss of cardiomyocytes by coagulative or colliquative necrosis, increased variation in the cross‐sectional area of the myocardial fibres, and multifocal disarray and vacuolation of myocytes. Scanning electron microscopy showed that in all cases there was a mild myocardial inflammatory infiltrate, either diffuse or multifocal, which was identified by immunohistochemical labelling as T cells.
Normal echoanatomy of the red‐eared slider terrapin (Trachemys scripta elegans)
Authors: Martorell J. , Espada Y. , Ruiz de Gopegui R.
Published: October 2010

Thirty red‐eared slider terrapins (Trachemys scripta elegans) were examined by ultrasound to establish the normal ultrasonographic appearance of their coelomic structures. They were not sedated, and owing to their small size they were examined through the inguinal window of the carapace. High resolution transducers (7.5 and 11 MHz) enhanced the ultrasonographic imaging of the bowel, urinary bladder, liver, gall bladder, heart, kidney and gonads, but the pancreas, adrenal glands, thyroid glands and spleen could not be visualised.
Prevalence of porcine circovirus type 2 in aborted fetuses and stillborn piglets
Authors: Kim J. , Jung K. , Chae C.
Published: October 2010

A retrospective study of natural cases of abortion, recorded between October 2000 and September 2002, was made to determine the prevalence of abortions associated with porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV‐2). The virus was detected by PCR, immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridisation. A total of 46 (13.1 per cent) of 350 aborted fetuses and stillborn piglets were positive for PCV‐2 by PCR, and the virus was detected in fetuses at all stages of gestation. Viral antigen was detected in macrophages from the aborted fetuses and stillborn piglets by immunohistochemistry, and viral DNA was detected by in situ hybridisation.
Associations between the prion protein genotype and performance traits of meat breeds of sheep
Authors: de Vries F. , Hamann N. , Drögemüller C. , Distl O. , Borchers N. , Reinecke S. , Lüpping W.
Published: October 2010

The prion protein (PrP) genotypes of four German meat breeds of sheep were examined in relation to their scores for muscle mass, conformation, wool quality, daily liveweight gain and ultrasonic measurements of the depth of back muscle and back fat. The dataset included 912 genotyped German texel sheep among 10,383 recorded sheep, 474 genotyped Suffolk sheep among 4079 recorded sheep, 271 genotyped German white‐headed mutton sheep among 3393 recorded sheep, and 99 genotyped German black‐headed mutton sheep among 1642 recorded sheep. The model included the fixed effects of PrP genotype, herd, year and season, test day, sex, rearing method, the regression coefficient of average age, and the random additive genetic effect of the animal. In all four breeds there were no statistically significant associations between these performance traits and the occurrence of ARR alleles and the ARR/ARR genotype except for the depth of back muscle and the daily liveweight gain of German black‐headed mutton sheep; however, in this breed, the interpretation could be affected by the small number of animals involved. All the genotyped sheep had significantly better performance traits than the non‐genotyped sheep.
Accidental poisoning of 17 dogs with lasalocid
Authors: Segev G. , Baneth G. , Levitin B. , Aroch I. , Shlosberg I.
Published: October 2010

Over a period of 10 days, 17 dogs became weak and developed neurological deficits of different degrees of severity. About 12 hours before these clinical signs appeared they had all eaten a particular brand of commercial dog food from a recently opened bag. They were all quadriparetic and hyporeflexic, and some of them also showed additional systemic or neurological signs, including dyspnoea, a high body temperature, tongue laxity, hyperaesthesia and anisochoria. Serum biochemical abnormalities included high activities of creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase and aspartate aminotransferase. Analysis of the suspect food revealed high concentrations of the ionophore lasalocid. Fifteen of the dogs were given supportive treatment at home and two were hospitalised. Five of the dogs died, but the others improved gradually and had fully recovered by one to four days after the appearance of the clinical signs.
Surveillance programme for Campylobacter species in Swedish brooilers, July 2001 to June 2002
Authors: Hansson I. , Gunnarsson A. , Olsson Engvall E. , Vågsholm I , Lindblad J.
Published: October 2010

A total of 20,599 samples from 4133 slaughter groups representing about 71 million broilers slaughtered between July 1, 2001 and June 30, 2002 were tested for Campylobacter species. From each slaughter group, 40 cloacal samples and 10 samples of neck skin were taken from the carcases on the slaughter line and the samples were pooled, to a pool. Campylobacter species were detected in cloacal samples from 17 per cent of the slaughter groups and in neck skin samples from 22 per cent of the groups, and the monthly prevalence figures ranged from 6 to 32 per cent. In most of the infected groups all four pooled cloacal samples were positive, but 18 per cent of the infected groups had only one or two positive samples. More than 90 per cent of the Campylobacter ‐positive slaughter groups were delivered by half the producers, and one in four of the producers delivered no Campylobacter ‐positive slaughter groups.
Comparison of different control strategies for foot‐and‐mouth disease: a study of the epidemics in Canada in 1951/52, Hampshire in 1967 and Northumberland in 1966
Authors: Sellers R. F.
Published: October 2010

The measures used to control the epidemics of foot‐and‐mouth disease in Canada in 1951/52 (29 outbreaks) were compared with those used in the epidemic in Hampshire in 1967 (29 outbreaks). In both epidemics the disease spread more from premises where the disease was reported late and the imposition of quarantine or restrictions on infected premises was delayed. In Hampshire, area restrictions were imposed, susceptible livestock on infected premises and on premises in direct contact were slaughtered, and contacts were traced. In Canada, the initial diagnosis was vesicular stomatitis, no area restrictions were imposed, no tracing was carried out and the animals on infected premises were allowed to recover. However, apart from the disease’s spread through infected meat and by unknown or airborne routes, it did not spread from infected premises once quarantine was imposed, partly owing to the low population density of livestock in the area. The effects of the slaughter of infected premises and direct contacts in the Fareham area of Hampshire in 1967 and in the Chathill area of Northumberland in 1966 were compared with what might have happened if, in addition, culling on contiguous premises or culling on premises within 3 km or emergency vaccination had been put into effect. The slaughter of cattle, sheep, goats and pigs on premises within 3 km two days after confirmation of the first outbreak would have resulted in fewer outbreaks and a shorter period to complete slaughter, but more animals would have been slaughtered. In the Chathill area, the slaughter of sheep, goats and pigs only on premises within 3 km two days after confirmation of the first outbreak would not have resulted in fewer outbreaks and more animals would have been slaughtered. Fewer premises and animals would have been slaughtered by a contiguous cull than by a 3 km cull but more than by the slaughter of infected premises and direct contacts. Emergency vaccination within 3 km, providing protection at four days (but not to animals already infected before the development of immunity), would have resulted in the fewest animals being slaughtered and could have reduced the number of outbreaks in the Fareham area by one and in the Chathill area by two or three. All the procedures would have had a greater effect the sooner they were introduced. However, with many foci of infection, priorities for action would have had to have been established. Earlier tracing of the last outbreak in the Fareham area could have shortened the Hampshire epidemic. Surveillance of a farm identified as at risk through animal movements and by the use of an airborne‐prediction model could have eliminated the source of further outbreaks in the Chathill area.
International disease monitoring, October to December 2005
Authors: Sabirovic M. , Raw L. , Hall S. , Lock F. , Coulson N.
Published: October 2010

Bluetongue in Spain

Classical swine fever in Germany and South Africa

Foot‐and‐mouth disease in Russia, Turkey, Israel, Brazil and Botswana

Newcastle disease in Denmark, France, Greece, Japan, Romania, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden and Turkey

Highly pathogenic avian influenza in China, Croatia, Romania, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine and Vietnam

Low pathogenic avian influenza H5N2 in Japan, Canada and Zimbabwe

Peste des petits ruminants in Turkey

Rinderpest‐free situation in the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan

Swine vesicular disease in Italy

Vesicular stomatitis in the USA

– These are among matters discussed in the international disease monitoring report for October to December 2005, prepared by DEFRA ’s International Animal Health Division
Development and Bayesian evaluation of an ELISA to detect specific antibodies to Sarcoptes scabiei var suis in the meat juice of pigs
Authors: Vercruysse J. , Geurden T. , Peelaers I.
Published: October 2010

Samples of ear scrapings, serum and diaphragmatic muscle were collected from 271 fattening pigs at the slaughterhouse. The scrapings were examined for the presence of mites, and tests for specific antibodies to Sarcoptes scabiei var suis in the serum and meat juice were made with an experimental ELISA. The cut‐off value for the meat‐juice ELISA was estimated at an optical density of 0·5 by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, on the basis of the cut‐off value for the serum ELISA of 0·4. The results of the three tests were used in a Bayesian model to estimate the characteristics of each test. The specificity of the tests of the ear scrapings was considered to be 1 and their sensitivity was estimated by Bayesian analysis to be 0·86, with a 95 per cent confidence interval (CI) of 0·73 to 0·99. The sensitivity of the meat juice ELISA (0·71, 95 per cent CI 0·6 to 0·8) and its specificity (0·77, 95 per cent CI 0·66 to 0·89) were comparable with the sensitivity (0·73, 95 per cent CI 0·6 to 0·8) and specificity (0·81, 95 per cent CI 0·69 to 0·95) of the serum ELISA.
Study of how frequently surgeons’ gloves are perforated during operations
Authors: Burrow R. , Pinchbeck G.
Published: October 2010

Surgical gloves were collected after 231 first opinion and referral surgical procedures performed at the University of Liverpool Small Animal Hospital. They were tested for defects by the water load test and the site of any defects was recorded; 10·2 per cent of the gloves had defects, and at least one glove became defective during 51 (22·1 per cent) of the surgical procedures. Significantly more defects occurred during orthopaedic procedures and the likelihood of a defect occurring increased with the duration of the surgical procedure. The majority (78 per cent) of the defects occurred in the gloves worn on the non‐dominant hand and 64 per cent of them were in the index finger. The surgeon or assistant was aware of a glove being punctured in only 3·8 per cent of cases.
Clinical findings and treatment of 94 cattle presumptively diagnosed with listeriosis
Authors: Schweizer G. , Ehrensperger F. , Torgerson P. R. , Braun U.
Published: October 2010

The clinical findings and treatment of 94 cattle with listeriosis are described. The general behaviour and condition of the animals were mostly moderately to severely disturbed. A common abnormality in posture was an exaggerated forward or sideward stance, and 11 of the animals were recumbent. More than half of the animals were ataxic and 22 circled. The most frequent cranial neurological signs observed were facial nerve paralysis, salivation, strabismus, reduced or absent pupillary light reflex, reduced or absent tongue movement and head tilt. The haematological and biochemical findings did not contribute to the diagnosis of listeriosis, but they were useful indicators of dehydration and the acid‐base status of the animal. Forty‐four of 57 of the animals had high leucocyte counts in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), mostly mononuclear cells. Eighty‐seven of the animals were treated with various antibiotics (penicillin G, oxytetracycline, amoxicillin, and amoxicillin and gentamicin combined), but there was no significant difference in the success rate of the different treatments. Only two of the nine recumbent animals that were treated survived. Univariable analysis suggested that animals that were recumbent, excited, with an absent or weak menace reflex, nystagmus, high numbers of leucocytes in the CSF, high serum concentrations of urea and calcium and high serum activities of aspartate aminotransferase and creatine kinase, and an acid‐base deficit, had a smaller chance of surviving. When a logistic regression model was constructed, only recumbency, excitement and a weak or absent menace reflex remained significant factors affecting the likelihood of survival.
Multisite integumentary squamous cell carcinoma in an African grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus erithacus)
Authors: Klaphake E. , Beazley‐Keane S. L. , Jones M. , Shoieb A.
Published: October 2010

A 22‐year‐old male African grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus erithacus) had had episodes of chronic feather picking and self‐mutilation for 10 years; it had a 5 cm diameter right axillary wound and a 2 cm left dorsal patagial wound. Initial treatment with azithromycin and wound management was unsuccessful. Biopsies of both masses indicated squamous cell carcinoma. The left patagial tumour was removed completely by electrocautery. Cisplatin was administered weekly into multiple sites on the right axillary tumour and it initially appeared to regress; however, the bird’s condition deteriorated after a month of treatment, and it was euthanased. The tumour was confirmed postmortem to be squamous cell carcinoma, which had invaded local tissues. The aetiology of the carcinoma may have been secondary to chronic focal trauma.
Prevalence of thermophilic Campylobacter species in cats and dogs in two animal shelters in Ireland
Authors: Acke E. , Whyte P. , Jones B. R. , McGill K. , Collins J. D. , Fanning S.
Published: October 2010

Rectal swabs or faecal samples for the isolation of Campylobacter species were taken from 120 dogs and cats in an animal shelter in which only one kitten showed signs of gastrointestinal disease, and rectal swabs were taken from 46 dogs, 22 of which showed signs of gastrointestinal disease, in another shelter. At the first shelter, the swabs from 24 of 47 dogs (51.1 per cent) and 36 of 48 cats (75 per cent) yielded a Campylobacter species. The rate of isolation was significantly higher from dogs and cats less than six months old, and significantly higher from cats than from dogs (P≤0·05). At the second shelter Campylobacter species were isolated from 40 of 46 dogs (87 per cent), but there was no significant difference between the age groups. Campylobacter species were isolated from 19 (86·4 per cent) of the 22 dogs with signs of gastrointestinal disease and from 21 (87·5 per cent) of the 24 unaffected dogs. Several culture methods were applied to the samples collected from both shelters, and the combination significantly increased the recovery of Campylobacter species.
Characteristics, prevalence and aetiology of lesions of the oral mucosa in adult sheep
Authors: Watson P. J. , Scholes S. F. E. , Smith R. P.
Published: October 2010

A total of 214 sheep with lesions of the oral mucosa were recorded at the Veterinary Laboratories Agency regional laboratories between March 15, 2002 and February 28, 2003. Using denominator data from the scrapie abattoir survey a prevalence of 0·95 per cent (95 per cent CI 0·82 to 1·10 per cent) was recorded, and using the fallen stock survey a prevalence of 1·15 per cent (95 per cent CI 0·64 to 1·91 per cent) was recorded. The lesions varied widely and included dental pad lesions in 20 per cent of cases. In total, 248 sites were affected, the commonest being the lower gum below the incisors, which was affected in 100 sheep. Most of the lesions were 1 cm or less in diameter. Ninety per cent of the 251 lesions examined histologically were erosions, ulcers, healed ulcers, focal epithelial necrosis or haemorrhages, and the changes observed indicated that trauma was the most likely primary cause.
Epidemiology of bovine brucellosis in Northern Ireland between 1990 and 2000
Authors: Abernethy D. A. , Pfeiffer D. U. , Watt R. , Denny G. O. , McCullough S. , McDowell S. W. J.
Published: October 2010

Between 1990 and 2000, 317 herds of cattle in Northern Ireland were identified as being seropositive to Brucella abortus, and 68 per cent of them were attributed to transmission from neighbouring herds or to local spread. Of particular significance were three primary outbreaks in 1997, which resulted in significant secondary and tertiary spread. Three spatial clusters were identified, corresponding to two of the primary outbreaks, and the herd density and within‐herd spread were highest in the largest cluster. Abortions in an infected herd and the disease‐risk status of the disclosure test were positively associated with an increased within‐herd prevalence.
Diagnostic and prognostic value of endothelin‐1 plasma concentrations in dogs with heart and respiratory disorders
Authors: Tessier‐Vetzel D. , Tissier R. , Chetboul V. , Carlos C. , Nicolle A. , Benbaron D. , Dandrieux J. , Thoulon F. , Carayon A. , Pouchelon J.‐L.
Published: October 2010

The endothelin‐1 (ET‐1) plasma concentration was measured in dogs with spontaneous cardiac or respiratory diseases. Plasma samples were obtained from 76 healthy control dogs and 73 dogs, of which 58 were suffering from heart disease and 15 were suffering from respiratory disease. Dogs were evaluated using echocardiography, thoracic radiography, biochemical evaluation and a radioimmunoassay for ET‐1. ET‐1 plasma concentrations were significantly higher in dogs with spontaneous cardiac or respiratory diseases (mean [se] 5·3 [0·3] and 5·3 [0·6] pg/ml, respectively) than in healthy dogs (1·9 [0·1] pg/ml) (P<0·0001). ET‐1 plasma concentrations increased with the class of heart failure (International Small Animal Cardiac Health Council classification) (P<0·0001) and with the severity of pulmonary disorders. ET‐1 plasma concentrations were positively correlated with the extent of systolic pulmonary hypertension measured by Doppler echocardiography (P<0·05; r=0·75) and with the clinical outcome of dogs with respiratory disease. Evaluation of the ET‐1 plasma concentration allowed differentiation between heart and respiratory disorders in dogs exhibiting clinical signs at exercise, but not in patients exhibiting clinical signs at rest.
Comparison of an antifungal agent with a mixture of antifungal, antibiotic and corticosteroid agents for the treatment of Malassezia species otitis in dogs
Authors: Bensignor E. , Grandemange E.
Published: October 2010

Twenty dogs with otitis externa in both ears and numerous Malassezia species yeasts on cytological examination were treated in one ear with a combination product containing clotrimazole, marbofloxacin and dexamethasone, and in the other ear with a topical antifungal containing miconazole. The effects of the treatments were analysed on the basis of the scores for pruritus, erythema and amount of cerumen, and the number of yeasts on cytological smears. There were reductions in the counts of Malassezia species after both treatments, but the combination product gave significantly greater reductions in erythema, cerumen and pruritus.
Serological responses of adult dogs to revaccination against distemper, parvovirus and rabies
Authors: Ottiger H‐P. , Neimeier‐Förster M. , Bruckner L. , Stärk K. D. C. , Duchow K.
Published: October 2010

Serum antibody titres to canine distemper virus (cdv), canine parvovirus (cpv) and rabies were measured in dogs that had not been revaccinated annually and compared with the titres in a control group of regularly vaccinated animals; 83 per cent (171 of 207) of the dogs vaccinated against cdv one or more years earlier had serum neutralising antibody titres equal to or greater than 16; 64 per cent (136 of 213) of the dogs vaccinated against cpv one or more years earlier had haemagglutination inhibiting titres equal to or greater than 80; and 59 per cent (46 of 78) of the dogs vaccinated against rabies two or more years earlier had serum neutralising antibody titres equal to or greater than 0·5 iu/ml. Three weeks after a single booster vaccination the dogs' antibody titres against cdv had increased above the threshold level in 94 per cent of the dogs, against cpv in 68 per cent, and against rabies in 100 per cent.
Outbreak of avian influenza H7N3 on a turkey farm in the Netherlands
Authors: Velkers F. C , Bouma A. , Matthijs M. G. R. , Koch G. , Westendorp S. T. , Stegeman J. A.
Published: October 2010

This case report describes the course of an outbreak of avian influenza on a Dutch turkey farm. When clinical signs were observed their cause remained unclear. However, serum samples taken for the monitoring campaign launched during the epidemic of highly pathogenic avian influenza in 2003, showed that all the remaining turkeys were seropositive against an h7 strain of avian influenza virus, and the virus was subsequently isolated from stored carcases. The results of a reverse‐transcriptase pcr showed that a h7n3 strain was involved, and it was characterised as of low pathogenicity. However, its intravenous pathogenicity index was 2·4, characterising it as of high pathogenicity, suggesting that a mixture of strains of low and high pathogenicity may have been present in the isolate. The outbreak remained limited to three farms.
Passive surveillance (1987 to 2004) of United Kingdom bats for European bat lyssaviruses
Authors: Harris S. L. , Brookes S. M. , Jones G. , Hutson A. M. , Fooks A. R.
Published: October 2010

Passive surveillance for European bat lyssaviruses (eblv s) in the uk began in 1987, and between 1987 and 2004, 4883 bats of European origin (4871 belonging to 17 uk resident species and 12 belonging to seven non‐uk resident species) were tested. The proportions and numbers of each species submitted from different regions varied considerably, partly owing to inherent biases in the passive surveillance, and there were seasonal variations in the numbers, sex and age of the bats. Contact with cats was reported in approximately 30 per cent of the bats submitted. Daubenton's bat (Myotis daubentonii) was the only species found to be positive for lyssavirus infection, with four cases of eblv type 2 identified, in 1996, 2002, 2003 and 2004. No active infection with eblv type 1 was recorded.
Genotyping of Mycobacterium bovis isolates from badgers in four areas of the Republic of Ireland by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis
Authors: Costello E. , Flynn O. , Quigley F. , O'Grady D. , Griffin J. , Clegg T. , McGrath G.
Published: October 2010

An analysis of the molecular epidemiology of Mycobacterium bovis in badgers was made in four selected areas of the Republic of Ireland in which an intensive badger removal programme was being carried out over a period of five years. Tissue samples from 2310 badgers were cultured. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (rflp) analysis with is6110, polymorphic gc ‐rich sequence (pgrs) and direct repeat sequence (dr) probes was applied to the isolates from 398 badgers, and 52 different rflp types were identified. Most of the isolates belonged to seven predominant types, and the other 45 types were represented by few isolates. An analysis suggests that some of these 45 types may have been introduced by the inward migration of badgers and others may have been the result of genetic changes to one of the prevalent types. The badgers were divided into groups on the basis of the sett at which they were captured, and rflp typing was applied to isolates from two or more badgers from 85 groups. Multiple rflp types were identified among isolates from 50 of these groups, suggesting that badgers probably moved frequently between group territories.
Certification for regional and international trade in livestock commodities: the need to balance credibility and enterprise
Authors: Thomson G. R. , Perry B. D. , Catley A. , Leyland T. J. , Penrith M‐L. , Donaldson A. I.
Published: October 2010

The current system for the certification of internationally traded animal commodities can act as a barrier to developing countries accessing high‐value international markets. In this Viewpoint article, Gavin Thomson and colleagues discuss the situation as it stands and identify inconsistencies with respect to the certification process. They suggest ways to address the lack of capacity for credible certification in some developing countries that will encourage market access for livestock commodities. They emphasise the role of mechanisms other than demonstrating that an area of production is free from a range of animal diseases, arguing that this could be of significant benefit to developing regions and countries, but that a reliable and independent system of certification based on international standards is essential.
Evaluation of a laryngoscope and a rigid endoscope for the examination of the oral cavity of small mammals
Authors: Jekl V. , Knotek Z.
Published: October 2010

The oral cavities of 65 rabbits, 35 chinchillas, 38 guinea pigs, 19 degus and 13 prairie dogs suffering from a lack of appetite, hypersalivation, moist dermatitis, swelling of the lower jaw or mild exophthalmos were examined with a paediatric laryngoscope and rigid endoscope. The laryngoscope was safe and satisfactory for a preliminary examination, but changes in the less accessible caudal parts of the cavity could not be identified precisely. A rigid endoscope with 30° optics made it possible to examine all parts of the oral cavity and oropharynx, and make detailed observations of surface lesions on the premolar and molar teeth and the mucosal surface of the gingiva, tongue and hard palate; endoscopy with 70° optics provided an excellent view of the occlusal tooth surfaces, tooth crowns, and buccal mucosa. The collection of biopsy samples, the removal of foreign objects and the correction of malocclusions were greatly simplified by the use of the endoscope owing to the clear visualisation of the procedures, and the risk of injury was minimised. The examinations with a laryngoscope were made effectively on animals that were manually restrained, but a thorough examination with a rigid endoscope required the animals to be anaesthetised.
Effect of passive stretching on the range of motion of osteoarthritic joints in 10 labrador retrievers
Authors: Crook T. , McGowan C. , Pead M.
Published: October 2010

Ten labrador retrievers and their owners undertook a programme to determine the effect of passive stretching on the dogs' osteoarthritic joints, which had a restricted range of motion. The range of motion of the joints was measured before and after the 21‐day study, during which the owners performed 10 passive stretches for a hold of 10 seconds twice daily. Goniometric measurements showed that the passive stretching had significantly increased the range of motion of the joints.
Case‐control study of factors associated with arthritis detected at slaughter in pigs from 49 farms
Authors: Heinonen M. , Hakala S. , Hämeenoja P. , Murro A. , Kokkonen T. , Levonen K. , Peltoniemi O. A. T.
Published: October 2010

Data were collected on the housing, management and disease factors in the weaning and finishing units of 49 integrated pig herds, 24 of them with a high incidence of arthritis at slaughter (case herds) and 25 with a low incidence (control herds). A median of 5·2 per cent (range 3·7 to 12·4 per cent) of the slaughtered pigs in the case herds had arthritis at meat inspection, compared with 2·2 per cent (range 0·3 to 2·8 per cent) in the control herds. In the farrowing units, high clinical sign scores for the lactating sows and piglets less than one week old and a low age at castration were associated with the case herds. In the weaning units, the herds with open partitions between the pens were 5·6 times more likely to be a case herd than the herds with solid walls. A higher age at weaning and moving the piglets at weaning from the farrowing pen instead of the sows decreased the likelihood of being a case herd. In the finishing units, a higher score for clinical signs, using a proper hospital pen, disinfecting the pens between the groups and using a feeding plan increased the likelihood of being a case herd. In total, 145 condemned joints, a median of four (up to six per herd), were collected at the slaughterhouse. In the case herds, 71 of 76 joints (93·4 per cent) had lesions related to osteochondrosis and in the control herds 66 of 69 joints (95·6 per cent) had such lesions. Only two of 11 joints from the case herds and one of 12 joints from the control herds that were examined bacteriologically were positive for Stapylococcus aureus and/or Streptococcus species.
Use of a transdermal matrix patch of buprenorphine in cats: preliminary pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data
Authors: Murrell J. C. , Robertson S. A. , Taylor P. M. , McCown J. L. , Bloomfield M. , Sear J. W.
Published: October 2010

Six domestic shorthair cats, aged three to four years and weighing 5·1 to 7·4 kg, were used to assess the thermal antinociceptive effect of a transdermal buprenorphine patch, designed to supply 35 μg buprenorphine/hour, which was applied to the shaved thorax. The cats' thermal thresholds were tested before the patch was applied and two, four, six, eight, 10, 12, 14 and 16 hours after it had been applied, and then every six hours until it was removed after 72 hours, and for a further 24 hours afterwards. Blood was collected at each time to measure the plasma concentration of buprenorphine. The patches did not produce a significant change in the thermal thresholds of the cats throughout the testing period. The mean (sd) peak plasma buprenorphine concentration was 10 (0·81) ng/ml.