bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Controlled trial of behavioural therapy for separation‐related disorders in dogs
Authors: Blackwell E. , Casey R. A. , Bradshaw J. W. S.
Published: October 2010

A generic programme of behavioural modification for the clinical treatment of separation‐related behaviours in dogs was assessed in a controlled replicated trial. After 12 weeks of treatment, 56 per cent of the owners of the treated dogs reported significant improvements in their dogs’ behaviour, and a further 25 per cent reported a slight improvement. The owners’ reports were generally supported by changes in the behaviour of the dogs as recorded on video when they were left alone. The majority of the untreated dogs continued to show the same degree of separation‐related behaviour throughout the 12 weeks of the trial. In a supplementary set of 30 case studies, treated with a behavioural programme tailored to the specific diagnosis for each dog, all the owners reported improvements in their dogs’ behaviour after 12 weeks of treatment.
Feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus infections in cats in the Pisa district of Tuscany, and attempts to control FeLV infection in a colony of domestic cats by vaccination
Authors: Bandecchi P. , Dell’Omodarme M. , Magi M. , Palamidessi A. , Prati M. C.
Published: October 2010

The seroprevalence of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) in 203 apparently healthy domestic cats living in the district of Pisa, central Italy, was 11·3 per cent, and the prevalence of feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) was 8·4 per cent. The prevalence of FIV depended significantly on the lifestyle and age of the cats; cats living outdoors were more likely to be FIV ‐positive than cats living indoors, and the proportion of FIV ‐positive cats increased with age. In contrast, there was no significant relationship between these variables and the prevalence of FeLV. There was no significant relationship between the cats’ seropositivity for FIV and FeLV. The results of a five‐year field study to control FeLV infection by vaccination in a colony of 30 domestic adult cats naturally exposed to the infection suggest that the vaccination was effective in FIV ‐negative cats, but failed to protect FIV ‐positive cats against FeLV.
Comparison of the effects of fan‐assisted and natural ventilation of vehicles on the welfare of pigs being transported to slaughter
Authors: Warriss P. D. , Brown S. N. , Knowles T. G. , Wilkins L. J. , Pope S. J. , Chadd S. A. , Kettlewell P. J. , Green N. R.
Published: October 2010

A total of 417 pigs with an estimated average liveweight of 91 kg were transported to slaughter in three journeys, carried out in late June, each consisting of a three‐hour drive followed by a one‐hour holding period at the slaughter plant before they were unloaded. The pigs were accommodated on the lower two decks of a three‐deck articulated lorry, each deck having five equal‐sized pens; half were kept in naturally ventilated pens and half in pens with fan‐assisted ventilation. The pigs’ body temperature was recorded as the temperature of the blood lost at exsanguination, and as the temperature of the inner surface of the ear measured by thermal imaging. The pigs carried on the upper deck were hotter than those carried on the lower deck, and the pigs carried at the front of the vehicle were hotter than those at the back. There were small differences between the temperatures of the pigs in the different pens, but overall the temperatures of the pigs kept in pens with fan‐assisted ventilation were no lower than those of the pigs kept in pens with natural ventilation. The higher temperature of the pigs transported in the front of the vehicle was associated with significantly higher serum concentrations of cortisol and activities of creatine kinase, and a tendency to higher albumin concentrations and osmolality, suggesting that they may have been exposed to more physical and psychological stress, and were possibly slightly more dehydrated, than the pigs in the rearmost pens. The type of ventilation had no effect on the blood composition of the pigs.
Prevalence of wet litter and the associated risk factors in broiler flocks in the United Kingdom
Authors: Hermans P. G. , Fradkin D. , Muchnik I. B. , Morgan K. L.
Published: October 2010

A postal questionnaire was sent to the managers of 857 broiler farms in the UK to determine the prevalence and risk factors for wet litter. The response rate was 75 per cent. Wet litter was reported by 75 per cent (95 per cent confidence interval [CI] 71·3 to 78·3) of the respondents in at least one flock during the year 2001 and 56·1 per cent (95 per cent CI 52·0 to 60·0) of them reported that they had an outbreak of wet litter in their most recently reared flock. Wet litter occurred more often during the winter months and farms using side ventilation systems were at an increased risk (odds ratio 1·74; 95 per cent CI 1·09 to 2·76). A multivariable analysis was carried out using two different definitions of wet litter as outcome variables – all cases of wet litter, and cases of wet litter associated with disease. Consistent risk factors for both outcomes were coccidiosis, feed equipment failures and the availability of separate farm clothing for each house. Cases of wet litter associated with disease were reported by 33·7 per cent (95 per cent CI 28·8 to 39·1) of the managers in their last flock and were associated with the use of hand sanitisers and broiler houses with walls made of concrete.
Prevalence and regional distribution of scab, lice and blowfly strike in Great Britain
Authors: Bisdorff B. , Milnes A. , Wall R.
Published: October 2010

The prevalence of psoroptic mange (sheep scab), louse infestation and blowfly strike in sheep in Great Britain between March 2003 and February 2004 was investigated by means of a retrospective postal survey, stratified by region. Of the 3530 questionnaires sent out, 1067 were returned completed, a response rate of 30·2 per cent. Overall, 9 per cent of the farmers reported at least one outbreak of scab, 10·7 per cent reported an outbreak of lice and 75 per cent reported at least one case of blowfly strike. A mean of 1·4 per cent of ewes were struck by blowfly and 2·8 per cent of lambs. There were strong regional variations in disease prevalence, with scab and lice infestation being highest in Wales, Scotland and the north of England and blowfly strike highest in the south west of England.
Postal survey of the population of South American camelids in the United Kingdom in 2000/01
Authors: D’Alterio G. L. , Knowles T. G. , Eknaes E. I. , Loevland I. E. , Foster A. P.
Published: October 2010

The members of the two leading British camelid breeders associations were surveyed by means of a postal questionnaire between December 2000 and January 2001; 696 questionnaires were posted and 218 usable responses were returned. A total of 3520 camelids were recorded, of which 2719 (77·2 per cent) were alpacas (Lama pacos) and 726 (20·6 per cent) were llamas (Lama glama). Ninety‐four per cent of the camelid herds were of one species, and 70 per cent of the animals were kept for more than one purpose. Camelids imported from South America were present on 45 per cent of the units surveyed. Husbandry procedures and preventive health measures were uniform; 92·2 per cent of the animals were kept on pasture all year round, 99 per cent were supplemented with hay and 97·7 per cent with concentrate feed; 88·1 per cent were vaccinated against clostridial disease with a multivalent vaccine licensed for sheep, and 96·3 per cent were treated periodically with anthelmintic drugs. During 2000, ill health, other than dermatological conditions, was reported by 24·3 of respondents, and 32 different conditions were described. Skin disease was reported by 51 per cent of breeders. Zinc deficiency was diagnosed presumptively as the cause of skin disease by 31·9 per cent of the respondents, and ectoparasitism by 26·4 per cent. Of those who treated a skin condition, 71·9 per cent reported an improvement, but less than half of them considered the improvement to have been permanent.
Effects of the timing of the administration of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae bacterin on the development of lesions associated with porcine circovirus type 2
Authors: Opriessnig T. , Halbur P. G. , Yu S. , Thacker E. L. , Fenaux M. , Meng X. J.
Published: October 2010

To determine whether there is an effect of the timing of vaccination on porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV‐2) replication and PCV‐2 ‐associated lesions, 78 pigs were randomly assigned to eight groups: group 1 (10 pigs) was vaccinated with a commercial Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae vaccine at two and four weeks of age, group 2 (nine pigs) was vaccinated at four and six weeks of age, group 3 (10 pigs) at six and eight weeks of age and group 4 (10 pigs) at eight and 10 weeks of age; group 5 (nine pigs) was vaccinated once with a double dose at four weeks of age, and group 6 (10 pigs) was vaccinated once with a double dose at eight weeks of age. Groups 7 and 8, both of 10 pigs, were not vaccinated. At eight weeks of age, the pigs in groups 1 to 7 were inoculated with PCV‐2. Fourteen days after they had been inoculated, the pigs in groups 1, 4 and 5 had significantly (P<0·05) more copies of the PCV‐2 genome in their serum than the unvaccinated pigs. Microscopically, 14 of the 68 inoculated pigs had normal lymphoid tissues, 40 had mild PCV‐2 ‐associated lymphoid lesions and 14 had moderate lesions. The mean overall lymphoid lesions (lymphoid depletion, granulomatous inflammation, and quantity of PCV‐2 antigen in spleen, tonsil, and five lymph nodes) were significantly (P<0·05) more severe in groups 4 and 5 than in groups 2, 3, 7 and 8.
Effects of stage and number of tumours on prognosis of dogs with cutaneous mast cell tumours
Authors: Murphy S. , Sparkes A. H. , Blunden A. S. , Brearley M. J. , Smith K. C.
Published: October 2010

Between 1997 and 1999, 280 dogs with mast cell tumours were identified, of which 59 (21 per cent) had multiple tumours. Follow‐up data for survival analysis were available for 145 dogs with single tumours and 50 dogs with multiple tumours. There was no significant difference between the survival times of the two groups; the survival rates after 12 and 24 months were 88 per cent and 83 per cent, respectively, for the dogs with single tumours, and 86 per cent at both intervals for the dogs with multiple tumours. Eight of the dogs with single tumours had lymph node metastases (stage II disease) and these dogs had a median survival time of 431 days, whereas the 50 dogs with multiple tumours (classified as stage III disease) and the dogs with single tumours (classified as stage I disease) had not reached their median survival times. Golden retrievers appeared to be predisposed to developing multiple tumours in the population studied, with an odds ratio of 3·8. This study found no evidence that dogs with multiple tumours had different survival times than those with single tumours, although there was evidence that the presence of lymph node metastasis generally carried a poorer prognosis.
Evaluation of the health of free‐ranging greater rheas (Rhea americana) in Argentina
Authors: Uhart M. , Aprile G. , Beldomenico P. , Solís G. , Marull C. , Beade M. , Carminati A. , Moreno D.
Published: October 2010

The health of 22 free‐ranging adult rheas (Rhea americana) examined and sampled during a translocation/reintroduction project and six juvenile rheas kept in semicaptivity was investigated, and details of their haematology and plasma biochemistry are presented. Serological testing for antibodies to infectious agents was negative for infectious laryngotracheitis, avian adenovirus, avian influenza, avian reovirus, infectious bursal disease, infectious bronchitis virus, paramyxovirus types 1, 2, and 3, fowlpox and Salmonella Pullorum. Antibodies to Chlamydophila species were found in 25 of 27 of the birds, and 22 of 25 had antibodies to Aspergillus species. Ova of gastrointestinal nematodes of the genus Capillaria were identified, and the anoplocephalid cestode Monoecocestus cf rheiphilus was identified in R americana for the first time.
Idiopathic immune‐mediated polysynovitis in three horses
Authors: Pusterla N. , Pratt S. M. , Magdesian K. G. , Carlson G. P.
Published: October 2010

This paper describes the clinical, laboratory and histological findings in three horses with immune‐mediated polysynovitis; they had lost weight, suffered intermittent fever, were lethargic and stiff, and had effusions in several joints. Laboratory abnormalities included anaemia, leucocytosis, hyperfibrinogenaemia and hyperglobulinaemia. The diagnosis was based on the presence of a suppurative, non‐septic inflammation in at least two different joints in each of the horses and the presence of immunoglobulins in the synovial membrane of one of them. The horses were treated with a combination of dexamethasone and azathioprine, and responded well to the initial treatment. Twenty months after its last re‐evaluation, the first horse was being maintained on azathioprine because similar clinical signs had recurred after the cytotoxic drug was discontinued; the second horse was finishing a tapering course of prednisolone 15 months after its first examination, and the third horse was euthanased five months after it was first examined as a result of an unrelated injury.
Comparison of flank and midline approaches to the ovariohysterectomy of cats
Authors: Coe R. J. , Grint N. J. , Tivers M. S. , Hotston Moore A. , Holt P. E.
Published: October 2010

In a survey of uk veterinary practitioners, 96 per cent indicated that they performed ovariohysterectomy on cats via flank laparatomy rather than a midline coeliotomy. At a veterinary teaching hospital 32 cats were spayed by the midline approach and 34 by the flank approach, by undergraduate students under the continuous supervision of a veterinary surgeon. The duration of each part of the procedures was recorded and information was obtained from the students, the supervisors and the owners of the cats by means of questionnaires. The total duration of the surgery and the students' assessment of the difficulty of the surgery were not significantly different between the two groups. The time taken from the skin incision to entering the peritoneum was significantly longer with the flank approach, but finding the uterus took significantly longer with the midline approach. There was a high incidence of wound complications, in the form of swelling, redness or discharges, but the only statistically significant difference between the groups was a greater incidence of discharges in the cats spayed via the flank (five cases) than in the cats spayed via the midline (one case).
Control of rabies in Jaipur, India, by the sterilisation and vaccination of neighbourhood dogs
Authors: Reece J. F , Chawla S. K.
Published: October 2010

A programme to sterilise and vaccinate neighbourhood dogs against rabies was established in Jaipur, India. Neighbourhood dogs were captured humanely, sterilised surgically, vaccinated against rabies and, when they had recovered, released where they had been caught. Between November 1994 and December 2002, 24,986 dogs were treated in this way. Direct observational surveys of the local dog population indicated that 65 per cent of the females were sterilised and vaccinated, and that the population declined by 28 per cent. The records of human cases of rabies seen in the main government hospital of the city between January 1992 and December 2002 showed that the number of cases had declined to zero in the programme area but increased in other areas.
Malignant catarrhal fever in pigs and a genetic comparison of porcine and ruminant virus isolates in Finland
Authors: Syrjälä P. , Saarinen H. , Laine T. , Veijalainen P. , Kokkonen T.
Published: October 2010

An outbreak of the sheep‐associated form of malignant catarrhal fever (mcf) in a Finnish sow herd was diagnosed by histopathology and confirmed by pcr. Several gilts and sows were suffering from high fever and anorexia and had aborted, and six of them had died. Typical signs of lymphoproliferation and vasculitis were observed histologically in several tissues, including the uterus. Ovine herpesvirus‐2 (ovhv‐2) was detected by pcr in two sows. Sequences of the ovhv‐2 tegument protein gene obtained from the sows and from three cases of sheep‐associated mcf in Finnish cattle were compared and found to be identical. These are the first confirmed cases of mcf in pigs in Finland.
PrP genotype progression in flocks participating in the National Scrapie Plan for Great Britain
Authors: Warner R. , Morris D. , Dawson M.
Published: October 2010

The National Scrapie Plan (nsp) for Great Britain is a voluntary scheme that, through PrP genotype testing and restricted breeding, aims to reduce the risk of scrapie in the national sheep flock. To gauge the progress in member flocks and within breeds, the genotype profile of successive crops of ram lambs was monitored between 2002 and 2004. In each of the 11 most frequently sampled breeds, the proportion of ram lambs testing in the most resistant genotype category (nsp type 1: arr/arr) increased, and there was a reduction in the proportion of genotypes associated with the highest disease risk, that is X/vrq, where X is an allele other than arr. Changes in the proportion of ram lambs testing for ARR‐heterozygous genotypes (nsp type 2: arr /X, where × is not vrq) appeared to be influenced by whether the sheep were hill breeds or non‐hill breeds. In each of six frequently sampled hill breeds these genotypes expanded, in relative terms, whereas they declined in four of five prominent lowland/crossing breeds. The proportion of ram lambs that carried neither arr nor vrq (nsp type 3) declined consistently in the top 11 breeds, but there was little change in the arr /vrq genotype (nsp type 4). Among individual flocks that had ram lambs tested in all three years 2002 to 2004, the majority experienced an increase in the proportion testing arr /arr, and of those that had vrq ram lambs in 2002, most recorded a decrease in their frequency by 2004.
Serological survey of encephalomyocarditis virus infection in pigs in France
Authors: Bakkali Kassimi L. , Madec F. , Guy M. , Boutrouille A. , Rose N. , Cruciere C.
Published: October 2010

Samples of serum from 76 gilts, 1440 sows, 1473 piglets and 3093 finishing pigs from 96 farrow‐to‐finish herds were tested for antibodies to encephalomyocarditis virus (emcv) in microtitre serum neutralisation tests employing two strains of virus, one associated with myocarditis and the other with reproductive failure. The total seroprevalence of emcv infection was 2·48 per cent. There was no significant difference between the seroprevalence of the reproductive failure strain (1·6 per cent) and the myocardial strain (1·85 per cent). The seroprevalence was higher in the gilts (6·57 per cent) and sows (5·13 per cent) than in the piglets (1 per cent) and finishing pigs (1·84 per cent), and the highest titres were observed in the sows (1:540) and finishing pigs (1:640). In the gilts, the difference in seroprevalence between the reproductive failure strain (3·95 per cent) and the myocardial strain (5·33 per cent) was wider than in the other groups.
Skeletal deformities and mortality in grey herons (Ardea cinerea) at Besthorpe heronry, Nottinghamshire
Authors: Feltrer Y. , Perkins M. , Cunningham A. A. , Draper E. R. C.
Published: October 2010

Dead and sick grey heron chicks with multiple fractures of the leg and wing bones and/or bone deformities have been reported at Besthorpe Nature Reserve heronry in north Nottinghamshire since 1996. Forty‐five grey heron carcases were examined, 35 from the Besthorpe colony and 10 from other colonies where bone disease was not known to occur. On the basis of the results of radiological studies, postmortem examinations, peripheral quantitative computed tomography scanning and four‐point bending tests, it was concluded that the skeletal abnormalities were probably due to metabolic bone disease.
Cardiopulmonary effects of dexmedetomidine in goats and sheep anaesthetised with sevoflurane
Authors: Kutter A. P. N. , Kästner S. B. R. , Bettschart‐Wolfensberger R. , Huhtinen M.
Published: October 2010

In sheep, α2 ‐agonists can induce severe hypoxaemia. In goats, reports on changes in oxygenation are inconsistent. The aim of this study was to compare the cardiopulmonary effects of dexmedetomidine in six goats and four sheep anaesthetised with sevoflurane and maintained at approximately 1 minimal alveolar concentration. The animals were ventilated mechanically and held in an upright position to minimise the influence of positioning on pulmonary function. After baseline cardiopulmonary measures, 2 μg/kg dexmedetomidine was injected intravenously over one minute, and measurements were made for 120 minutes. In both species, respiratory resistance, alveolar dead space and shunt fraction increased and thoracic compliance decreased significantly; arterial, pulmonary arterial, pulmonary capillary wedge and central venous pressures increased and heart rate and cardiac output decreased significantly. Arterial oxygen tension decreased significantly, with no significant difference between the goats and sheep. Wide interindividual differences were observed in both the goats (mean [sd] 144 [149·1] mmHg, range 54·8 to 443·7 mmHg) and sheep (mean [sd] 129·8 [132·1] mmHg, range 33·7 to 352·8 mmHg), but the cardiovascular and respiratory changes were similar in the two species.
Use of metabolic profiles for the assessment of dietary adequacy in UK dairy herds
Authors: Macrae A. I. , Whitaker D. A. , Burrough E. , Dowell A. , Kelly J. M.
Published: October 2010

Between April 1999 and March 2004, metabolic profile analyses were performed on individual blood samples from 35,506 dairy cattle in the uk. Assessment of the cows' energy status by the analysis of plasma samples for (β‐hydroxybutyrate, glucose and non‐esterified fatty acids showed that 70·4 per cent of the cows in early lactation (10 to 20 days calved), 57·1 per cent of the cows in mid‐lactation (51 to 120 days calved) and 57·7 per cent of the dry cows within 10 days of their predicted calving date had one or more energy metabolites outside the optimum range; in addition, 16 per cent of the cows in early lactation, 5·6 per cent of those in mid‐lactation and 20·5 per cent of the dry cows within 10 days of their predicted calving date had a low plasma urea nitrogen concentration, indicating poor intakes of effective rumen‐degradable protein. Abnormalities in the concentrations of magnesium, inorganic phosphate, copper, selenium and iodine were relatively uncommon. The transitional period, particularly in late pregnancy, was commonly identified as a constraint on productivity. Nutritional problems were most commonly associated with poor feed intakes and poor feed management, rather than with the formulation of the rations.
Herd health planning: farmers' perceptions in relation to lameness and mastitis
Authors: Bell N. J. , Main D. C. J. , Whay H. R. , Knowles T. G. , Bell M. J. , Webster A. J. F.
Published: October 2010

Between December 2002 and December 2003, the herd health planning activities on 61 dairy farms in the uk were compared with several measures of lameness and mastitis. Lameness had been reported as a problem in 53 of the herds directly by the farm and in the other eight by the nominating local veterinary practice; 54 of the farms also reported having a mastitis problem. Fifty‐three (87 per cent) of the farms had some form of written herd health plan, of which 21 (40 per cent) had been in place for 12 months or less. All the farms were recording mastitis in some way, although 38 (62 per cent) of the farmers did not review these records and only four retained the results of a comprehensive record review. Farms defined as having a high incidence of mastitis were more likely to be reviewing their health records, but farms defined as having a high prevalence of lameness in a sentinel group of early lactation heifers were less likely to be reviewing their health records.
Field evaluation of a PCR for the diagnosis of chlamydial abortion in sheep
Authors: Güler L. , Hadimli H. H. , Erganiş O. , Ateş M. , Ok Ü. , Gündüz K.
Published: October 2010

A total of 94 vaginal swab samples and 195 serum samples collected from aborted ewes in 15 flocks were examined by pcr and a complement fixation test, respectively. In addition, 172 samples of stomach contents from fetuses from different flocks submitted for the diagnosis of abortion during the four lambing periods between 2000 and 2004 were tested by pcr. Chlamydial dna was detected in seven vaginal swabs obtained from five of the 15 flocks and in six samples of fetal stomach contents. The results of pcr and flock serology for Chlamydia were positive in five of the 15 flocks and negative in eight.
Plasma chemistry reference values in hybrid falcons in relation to their species of origin
Authors: Lierz M. , Hafez H. M.
Published: October 2010

Twenty‐one blood chemistry parameters were determined in 127 peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus), 79 gyr‐peregrine hybrids and 166 gyr‐saker hybrids. These parameters, together with those previously established in 53 gyr falcons (Falco rusticolus) and 234 saker falcons (Falco cherrug), were compared. There were statistically significant differences in 15 of the parameters between the saker and peregrine falcons; the saker and gyr falcons; the saker and gyr‐saker hybrids; the peregrine and gyr falcons; and the peregrine and gyr‐peregrine hybrids, but not between the gyr falcons and the gyr‐saker falcon hybrids.
Fate of cystic ovarian follicles and the subsequent fertility of early postpartum dairy cows
Authors: Sakaguchi M. , Sasamoto Y. , Suzuki T. , Takahashi Y. , Yamada Y.
Published: October 2010

The fate of cystic ovarian follicles that developed spontaneously during the early postpartum period of 50 lactating dairy cows was traced by ultrasonography to characterise the follicular dynamics in relation to the fertility of the cows. The absence of postpartum ovulations caused by repeated waves of anovulatory large follicles was also characterised and evaluated. Fifteen of the 50 cows developed cystic follicles, and these follicles became follicular cysts in five of the 15 cows. Most of the cystic follicles emerged before the first postpartum ovulation of the cows. The transition from cystic follicles to follicular cysts delayed the cows' first ovulation, oestrus and insemination, but had less influence on their fertility after they had recovered spontaneously. In addition to the 15 cows that developed cystic follicles or follicular cysts, six of the cows had five to 13 waves of follicles before their first ovulation. These repeated waves of follicles caused a more severe delay in the early postpartum reproductive events but did not affect the cows' fertility.
Effects of UVB radiation on calcium metabolism in psittacine birds
Authors: Stanford M.
Published: October 2010

The effects of providing ultraviolet (uv) radiation (285 to 315 nm, ultraviolet B) on calcium metabolism in two groups of 20 healthy grey parrots (Psittacus e erithacus) fed either a seed or pellet‐based diet were investigated. There was a significant increase in the concentration of ionised calcium in the plasma of both groups, independent of the calcium and vitamin D3 content of the diets fed, and a significant increase in the plasma concentration of 25‐hydroxycholecalciferol in only the seed‐fed group. In a separate study there were no significant increases in plasma ionised calcium or 25‐hydroxycholecalciferol between March and August in a group of 28 South American parrots (Pionus species) exposed to unfiltered natural sunlight.
Detection of prion protein gene polymorphisms in Baltic breeds of sheep
Authors: Sild E. , Volskiene R. , Viinalass I. , Miceikiene I. , Grislis Z. , Distl O. , Drögemüller C.
Published: October 2010

A total of 167 sheep belonging to the Estonian whiteheaded mutton, Estonian blackheaded mutton, Lithuanian coarsewool native, Lithuanian blackface and Latvian darkheaded mutton breeds, and a population of sheep kept isolated on the Estonian island of Ruhnu, were sequence‐analysed for polymorphisms in the prion protein (PrP) gene, to determine their genotype and the allele frequencies of polymorphisms in PrP known to confer resistance to scrapie. A 939 base pair fragment of exon 3 from the PrP gene was amplified by pcr and analysed by direct sequencing. For animals showing polymorphism at two nucleotide positions, both haplotypes of these double‐heterozygous genotypes were further verified by pcr cloning and sequence analysis. Known polymorphisms were observed at codons 136, 154 and 171, and six different haplotypes (arr, ahq, arh, ahr, arq and vrq) were determined. On the basis of these polymorphisms, the six populations of sheep possessed the resistant arr haplotype at different frequencies. The high‐risk arq haplotype occurred in high frequencies in all six populations, but vrq, the haplotype carrying the highest risk, occurred at low frequencies and in only three of the populations.
Epidemiology of salmonella infections in pig units and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of the strains of Salmonella species isolated
Authors: Mejía W. , Casal J. , Zapata D. , Sánchez G. J. , Martín M. , Mateu E.
Published: October 2010

One hundred and thirteen finishing pig units and 74 sow units in Catalonia, Spain, were examined to determine the prevalence of salmonella infections and the factors that could be associated with them. Pooled faecal samples were taken from the finishing units, and samples of faeces were collected from individual sows. The Salmonella isolates were serotyped, phage typed and examined for their antimicrobial susceptibility to 18 common antimicrobial drugs. In addition, blood samples from pigs on 141 farms were analysed by elisa. In both the bacteriological and serological surveys, a questionnaire with 84 questions was completed for each farm. Salmonella species were isolated from 20 per cent of the finishing units and 24 per cent of the sow units; 14 serotypes were detected in the finishing pigs and 11 in the sows. More than 30 per cent of the strains were resistant to tetracycline, sulphonamides, ampicillin or streptomycin, and 69 per cent of the strains were resistant to three or more agents up to 10 compounds. Seventy‐seven per cent of the farms had at least one seropositive animal, and 26 per cent of these farms had an individual seroprevalence of 50 per cent or more. The factors associated (P<0·05) with the excretion of Salmonella species in the finishing units were the practice of raising livestock other than pigs (odds ratio [or]=6·18), the herd size (or =5·87), and a past history of clinical salmonellosis (or =4·97). For the sows, the factors associated (P<0·05) with the excretion of Salmonella species were having open‐flushed drainage of sewage (or =34·48), a lack of rodent control measures (or =0·05) and the number of sows in the unit (or =9·26). Factors associated with seropositivity in the finishing units were a lack of bird‐proof nets (or =0·30) and the use of water from private wells (or =3·64).
Recent research on the effects of excess dietary nitrogen on the fertility of dairy cows
Authors: Laven R. A. , Scaramuzzi R. J. , Wathes D. C. , Peters A. R. , Parkinson T. J.
Published: October 2010

High concentrations of dietary nitrogen have been associated with reductions in the fertility of dairy cows, but the evidence is not conclusive and many studies have shown little or no effect. This paper reviews recent investigations of the effect of rapidly degradable sources of nitrogen on parameters of fertility, and concludes that high levels of dietary nitrogen do not routinely reduce fertility, even at intakes above those in normal dairy cow diets. It also concludes that cows may be able to adapt to high nitrogen diets so that diets that may reduce their fertility when introduced at critical periods, for example, when they are inseminated, do not reduce it when introduced at an earlier stage.
Prevalence of classical swine fever, Aujeszky's disease and brucellosis in a population of wild boar in Switzerland
Authors: Leuenberger R. , Boujon P. , Thür B. , Miserez R. , Garin‐Bastuji B. , Rüfenacht J. , Stärk K. D. C.
Published: October 2010

During two survey rounds of a national surveillance system for infectious diseases in wild boar in Switzerland, each lasting four months from November to February, between 2001 and 2003, 1949 blood samples and 62 tissue samples from the spleen and 50 from the reproductive organs were collected from hunted wild boar. The survey was designed so that freedom from infection could be detected with a probability of 95 per cent at a threshold prevalence of less than 1 per cent for classical swine fever and Aujeszky's disease and less than 1·5 per cent for brucellosis. There was no serological evidence of classical swine fever or Aujeszky's disease, but brucellosis due to Brucella suis biovar 2 was confirmed serologically and by bacterial isolation.
Seroprevalence of leptospirosis in domesticated Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in north and west Thailand in 2004
Authors: Oni O. , Sujit K. , Kasemsuwan S. , Sakpuaram T. , Pfeiffer D. U.
Published: October 2010

Serum samples from Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in the Kanchanaburi, Chiang Mai and Lampang provinces of Thailand were tested using the microscopic agglutination test against 22 serovars of Leptospira interrogans. A titre of more than 1:100 was used as evidence of infection. In northern Thailand, the seroprevalence was 58 per cent and the prevalent serovars were Leptospira interrogans serovar Sejroe, Leptospira interrogans serovar Tarassovi, Leptospira interrogans serovar Ranarum and Leptospira interrogans serovar Shermani. In western Thailand, the seroprevalence was 57 per cent and the prevalent serovars were L Tarassovi, L Sejroe, L Ranarum, Leptospira interrogans serovar Bataviae and L Shermani. These results were similar to studies in domestic livestock and stray dogs in the Bangkok district. Among the elephants from Kanchanaburi there were significant associations between seropositivity and between the camp and between the prevalent serovars and the camp.
Descriptive epidemiology of the outbreak of classical swine fever in Catalonia (Spain), 2001/02
Authors: Allepuz A. , Casal J. , Pujols J. , Jové R. , Selga I. , Porcar J. , Domingo M.
Published: October 2010

Spain suffered an outbreak of classical swine fever between June 14, 2001 and May 7, 2002, which affected 49 herds; this paper describes the epidemiological characteristics of the 39 herds that were affected in Catalonia, an area of high pig density in the north east of Spain. The outbreak took place in two waves, which affected first the province of Lleida and then Barcelona. A total of 291,058 animals were slaughtered, 59,595 belonging to infected herds; 22 of the infected herds were detected on the basis of clinical suspicion on the part of the farmer or farm veterinarian, and the other 17 were detected by surveillance methods. The transmission of the virus between herds was attributed to the movement of people in 23 per cent of the cases, to animals in 13 per cent, vehicles in 10 per cent, proximity 18 per cent, the pick‐up service of the rendering plant in 8 per cent and slurry in 5 per cent; in the other nine herds (23 per cent) the route of entry of the disease could not be established. The viruses isolated in the two waves of the outbreak were 100 per cent homologous and belonged to subgroup 2.3. The origin of the outbreak remains unknown.
Retrospective evaluation of the long‐term outcome of non‐surgical management of 74 dogs with clinical hip dysplasia
Authors: Farrell M. , Clements D. N. , Mellor D. , Gemmill T. , Clarke S. P. , Arnott J. L. , Bennett D. , Carmichael S.
Published: October 2010

The long‐term outcome for dogs treated non‐surgically for clinical signs of canine hip dysplasia were evaluated retrospectively; 74 dogs were evaluated by a postal questionnaire sent to their owners, and 24 of these were also evaluated by a veterinary clinical examination. A total of 11 outcome variables were evaluated. Depending on the variable assessed, between 31 (41·9 per cent) and 49 (66·2 per cent) of the dogs remained clinically affected according to their owner's assessment, and between 17 (70·8 per cent) and 23 (95·8 per cent) of the 24 dogs had abnormalities attributed to hip osteoarthritis according to the veterinary assessment. Orthopaedic abnormalities other than hip dysplasia affected 17 of the 24 dogs. Long‐term medications had been prescribed for the treatment of clinical signs associated with hip dysplasia in 41 of the 74 dogs.
Efficacy of licofelone in dogs with clinical osteoarthritis
Authors: Moreau M. , Lussier B. , Doucet M. , Vincent G. , Martel‐Pelletier J. , Pelletier J‐P.
Published: October 2010

To evaluate the effect of licofelone, an arachidonic acid substrate with combined inhibitory activity against 5‐lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenases 1 and 2, a double‐blind, randomised and placebo‐controlled study was conducted in 33 client‐owned dogs that were lame owing to hindlimb osteoarthritis. Seventeen of the dogs received a placebo and 16 were treated with 2·5 mg/kg licofelone twice a day for 28 days. The dogs' lameness was assessed on a visual analogue scale (vas), and by force plate analyses at baseline and 14 and 28 days after starting the treatment. After 14 days the mean (se) change in peak vertical force in the licofelone‐treated dogs (1·7 [0·8] per cent bodyweight) was significantly greater (P<0·05) than in the placebo‐treated dogs (−0·3 [0·6] per cent bodyweight), and after 28 days the difference had increased. In contrast, the dogs' lameness, as assessed by the vas values, had decreased significantly over baseline in both the treated and control groups.
Elimination of strains of Streptococcus suis serotype 2 from the tonsils of carrier sows by combined medication and vaccination
Authors: Swildens B. , Nielen M. , Wisselink H. J. , Verheijden J. H. M. , Stegeman J. A.
Published: October 2010

The effect of vaccination with a killed whole‐cell vaccine of extracellular factor‐positive Streptococcus suis serotype 2 (S suis 2 ef +) combined with medication with amoxicillin on the presence of virulent S suis 2 ef + strains on the tonsils of sows and their offspring was evaluated. In two herds, 14 pregnant sows that carried these virulent strains, as detected by pcr in three consecutive tonsillar brush samples, were selected and randomly assigned to be treated or left untreated as controls. The treated sows were vaccinated at six and three weeks before the expected farrowing date and medicated from one week before expected farrowing until the end of the experiment. Two weeks before parturition, the sows were housed in individual isolation farrowing rooms, and the sow and its litter were sampled by using tonsil brushes and tonsil swabs, respectively. Approximately 27 days postpartum, the sows and their piglets were euthanased and their tonsils were collected and analysed by pcr. No S suis 2 ef + could be detected in the tonsils of the seven treated sows, but the tonsils of the seven untreated sows remained positive. Only one of the litters of the untreated sows became infected, five days after birth, and none of the litters of the treated sows became infected.
Compatibility of a bivalent modified‐live vaccine against Bordetella bronchiseptica and cp iV, and a trivalent modified‐live vaccine against cpv, cdv and cav‐2
Authors: Jacobs A. A. C. , Bergman J. G. H. E. , Theelen R. P. H. , Jaspers R. , Helps J. M.B , Horspool L. J. I. , Paul G.
Published: October 2010

Eight puppies (group 1) were vaccinated once with a bivalent modified‐live vaccine against infectious tracheobronchitis by the intranasal route and at the same time with an injectable trivalent vaccine against canine parvovirus, canine distemper virus and canine adenovirus; a second group of eight puppies (group 2) was vaccinated only with the intranasal bivalent vaccine, and a further eight puppies (group 3) were vaccinated only with the injectable trivalent vaccine. Three weeks later they were all challenged with wild‐type Bordetella bronchiseptica and canine parainfluenza virus by the aerosol route, and their antibody responses to the five vaccine organisms were determined. Oronasal swabs were taken regularly before and after the challenge for the isolation of bacteria and viruses, and the puppies were observed for clinical signs for three weeks after the challenge. There were no significant differences in the puppies' titres against canine parvovirus, canine distemper virus and canine adenovirus type 2 between the groups vaccinated with or without the bivalent intranasal vaccine. After the challenge the mean clinical scores of the two groups vaccinated with the intranasal vaccine were nearly 90 per cent lower (P=0·001) than the mean score of the group vaccinated with only the trivalent injectable vaccine, and the puppies in this group all became culture‐positive for B bronchiseptica and canine parainfluenza virus. There were only small differences between the rates of isolation of B bronchiseptica from groups 1, 2 and 3, but significantly lower yields of canine parainfluenza virus were isolated from groups 1 and 2 than from group 3.
Behavioural responses of poultry during kosher slaughter and their implications for the birds' welfare
Authors: Barnett J. L. , Cronin G. M. , Scott P. C.
Published: October 2010

Measurements were made during Shechita (kosher) slaughter of 692 meat chickens, including the behaviour of the birds during the procedure and the times from their removal from the crate, to neck cutting, bleed‐out and shackling. Four of 100 birds showed a mild physical response to neck cutting but the others showed no response. Approximately 60 per cent of the birds showed a physical response to touching the eye or eyelid at up to 5 seconds after neck cutting, but by 15 seconds none showed this response. The birds became unable to retain their posture and suffered involuntary muscular contractions at 12 to 15 seconds after neck cutting and had lost approximately 40 per cent of their total blood volume by 30 seconds after neck cutting.
Comparison of the effects of thiopentone and propofol on the electrocardiogram of dogs
Authors: Dennis S. G. , Wotton P. R. , Boswood A. , Flaherty D.
Published: October 2010

Sixty‐four dogs were randomly assigned to receive either thiopentone or propofol and their electrocardiograms were recorded immediately before and shortly after they were anaesthetised. Thiopentone caused a marked increase in qt and jt intervals, a flattening of the T‐wave and an increase in precordial qt dispersion. Propofol induced a less marked increase in qt and jt intervals, corrected for heart rate. Both agents induced an increase in heart rate and a decrease in heart rate variability, consistent with reduced vagal tone. Shortly after anaesthesia was induced, thiopentone affected ventricular repolarisation to a far greater extent than propofol, changes which suggest that it may be more likely to induce re‐entrant ventricular arrhythmogenesis and could be associated with an increase in sympathetic tone. Propofol may therefore be more suitable than thiopentone for dogs with a susceptibility to ventricular arrhythmias or a long qt interval.
Effects of radial shockwave therapy on the limb function of dogs with hip osteoarthritis
Authors: Mueller M. , Bockstahler B. , Skalicky M. , Mlacnik E. , Lorinson D.
Published: October 2010

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of extracorporeal radial shock wave therapy on the hindlimb function of dogs suffering from hip osteoarthritis. Twenty‐four client‐owned dogs with hip osteoarthritis were investigated; 18 of them received radial shockwave therapy and six were left untreated as controls. Force plate analysis on a treadmill was used to assess the dogs' hindlimb function before treatment and four weeks after the last treatment, and the treated dogs were re‐evaluated three and six months after the treatment. The parameters chosen for evaluation were peak vertical force and vertical impulse, and the calculated symmetry indices. In the treated dogs, differences between the ground reaction forces exerted by the right and left hindlegs disappeared four weeks after the treatment, whereas in the control dogs only the peak vertical force distribution changed significantly. The significant improvement in the treated dogs was confirmed by changes in the symmetry indices. Significant improvements in vertical impulse and peak vertical force were observed three months after the treatment.
Requirement for additional treatment for dogs with atopic dermatitis undergoing allergen‐specific immunotherapy
Authors: Colombo S. , Hill P. B. , Shaw D. J. , Thoday K. L.
Published: October 2010

Allergen‐specific immunotherapy (asit) is one of the main treatments for atopic dermatitis in dogs, but it often requires additional treatments such as antibacterial and antifungal therapy for secondary bacterial and yeast infections, or antipruritic drugs to control the clinical signs or treat the adverse effects of the immunotherapy. Twenty‐seven dogs enrolled in a study of asit were clinically assessed four times over a period of nine months; their requirement for treatment for secondary bacterial and yeast infections, for the administration of glucocorticoids as additional antipruritic therapy, and for the treatment of any adverse effects of the asit were evaluated. Twenty (74 per cent) of the dogs were treated for superficial bacterial pyoderma, 18 (66·6 per cent) required treatment for Malassezia species dermatitis on one or more occasions, eight (29·6 per cent) required treatment for otitis externa due to Malassezia species or bacteria, and eight required glucocorticoids to control their clinical signs. Five (18·5 per cent) of the dogs experienced adverse effects due to the asit and two required treatment with antihistamines (H1 receptor antagonists) in order to continue with the asit.
Total intravenous anaesthesia with propofol or propofol/ketamine in spontaneously breathing dogs premedicated with medetomidine
Authors: Seliškar A. , Nemec A. , Roškar T. , Butinar J.
Published: October 2010

The cardiorespiratory parameters, the depth of anaesthesia and the quality of recovery were evaluated in six spontaneously breathing dogs that had been premedicated with medetomidine (40 μg/kg, supplemented with 20 μg/kg an hour later), administered with either propofol (1 mg/kg followed by 0·15 mg/kg/minute, intravenously), or with ketamine (1 mg/kg followed by 2 mg/kg/hour, intravenously) and propofol (0·5 mg/kg followed by 0·075 mg/kg/minute, intravenously). The dogs' heart rate and mean arterial blood pressure were higher and their minute volume of respiration and temperature were lower when they were anaesthetised with propofol plus ketamine, and a progressive hypercapnia leading to respiratory acidosis was more pronounced. When the dogs were anaesthetised with propofol/ketamine they recovered more quickly, but suffered some unwanted side effects. When the dogs were anaesthetised with propofol alone they recovered more slowly but uneventfully.
Massive outbreak of anthrax in wildlife in the Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve, Zimbabwe
Authors: Clegg S B. , Turnbull P. C. B. , Foggin C. M. , Lindeque P. M.
Published: October 2010

A massive outbreak of anthrax in the wildlife of the Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve in Zimbabwe between August and November 2004 resulted in the death of almost all the reserve's estimated 500 kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros). Other species badly affected were nyala (Tragelaphus angasi), bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus), waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus) and roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus), which suffered losses of approximately 68 per cent, 48 per cent, 44 per cent and 42 per cent of their populations, respectively. Buffalo (Syncerus caffer) were also badly affected and although their population suffered only a 6 per cent loss, the numbers of deaths ranked second highest after kudu. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first record of anthrax in wildlife in Zimbabwe.