bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Validation and application of a radioimmunoassay for ovine growth hormone in the diagnosis of acromegaly in cats
Authors: Niessen S. J. M. , Khalid M. , Petrie G. , Church D. B.
Published: October 2010

The validity of an ovine growth hormone (ogh) assay for the detection of feline growth hormone (fgh) was demonstrated by the parallel displacement of radiolabelled ogh by standard concentrations of ogh and serial dilutions of pooled fgh ‐rich serum. The minimum detectable limit of the assay was 1·67 μg/l. The mean (sd) basal fasting fgh level in 19 non‐acromegalic, non‐diabetic cats aged two to 16 years was 4·01 (1·38) μg/l (range 1·87 to 6·33); 19 acromegalic cats had significantly higher fgh levels (range 8·45 to 33·2 μg/l). There were no significant differences in the fgh levels measured when aprotinin was added to the samples or when plain serum and serum gel separation tubes were used for blood collection, but the fgh levels were significantly higher when the samples were collected into edta. There were also no significant differences between the concentrations of fgh measured in samples in which the separation of the serum and storage had been delayed by 24 hours, or in samples that had been stored for up to four weeks at −20°C.
Cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy born in Switzerland before and after the ban on the use of bovine specified risk material in feed
Authors: Schwermer H. , Heim D.
Published: October 2010

In Switzerland there was a reduction in the number of cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, observed in the birth cohorts from 1995 to 1996, but no further reduction in the following birth cohorts up to 1998. From the records of 34 cases born after April 30, 1996 (bab96) and 174 cases born before April 30, 1996 and after December 1990 (bab90), observed up to April 30, 2004, the risk factors at the farm level, possible routes of exposure and the geographical distribution of the cases were analysed to try to explain the observations. No evidence was found for a rate of exposure other than feed. There was some evidence that the risk factors at farm level were different between the bab90 and bab96 cases. A large proportion of the bab96 cases was born in cantons that had reported only a few bab90 cases, but a small cluster of the bab96 cases was found in a region where there had been a cluster of bab90 cases. The spatial distribution of these cases indicated that the risk of exposure to infection had been more randomly distributed than during the period up to April 1996. Farms with mixed livestock had a higher risk of having a case born after the ban on the feeding of specified risk material in 1996. In a regression model, a trend towards an association between cases of bse and presence of small ruminants on the farm was observed for the bab96 cases, and the presence of pigs and the pig:cattle ratio were significant for the bab90 cases.
Estimation of the volume of the gall bladder of 32 dogs from linear ultrasonographic measurements
Authors: Atalan G. , Barr F. J. , Holt P. E.
Published: October 2010

The maximum length and depth of the longitudinal section, and the maximum width and depth of the transverse section of the gall bladders of 32 dog cadavers were measured ultrasonographically; the contents of the gall bladder were then aspirated and its actual volume measured. The volume of the gall bladder was estimated from the ultrasonographic measurements by using formulae suggested for assessment of the volumes of the urinary bladder in human beings and the gall bladder of dogs, and these formulae were compared with a formula derived from the measurements made in this study. In 21 of the dogs, the measurements were repeated twice so that their reproducibility could be evaluated. All the formulae gave good estimations of the volume of the dogs' gall bladders, but the formula for the human urinary bladder volume was better than the other two. The actual volume of the gall bladder was related to the dogs' bodyweight. There were no significant differences between the repeated measurements of the maximum length and depth of the longitudinal section or the width of the transverse section of the gall bladder, but there were significant variations in the depth of the transverse section.
Repair of a salivary duct fistula in a horse without using a stent
Authors: Vos N. J , Vos A.
Published: October 2010

A salivary duct fistula in a horse was repaired surgically without using a stent. Seventeen months after the operation the skin incision had healed without complications and the fistula had not recurred.
Clinical application of an external fixator in the repair of bone fractures in 28 birds
Authors: Hatt J‐M. , Christen C. , Sandmeier P.
Published: October 2010

The repair of seven tibiotarsal fractures, three humeral fractures, three tarsometatarsal fractures, two femoral fractures and 13 radial and ulnar fractures with a tubular external fixator system was evaluated prospectively in 10 common pigeons (Columba livia), 11 psittacine birds, six birds of prey and one Bali starling (Leucopsar rothschildii). The fixations included type 1, type 2 and intramedullary tie‐in methods, and the fractures healed in all but three cases. A comparison of the weight of different connecting bars showed that the external fixation system and polymethylmethacrylate are the lightest available systems and that there was no clinically relevant difference between them.
Histological evaluation of the adrenal glands of seven dogs with hyperadrenocorticism treated with trilostane
Authors: Reusch C. E. , Sieber‐Ruckstuhl N. , Wenger M. , Lutz H. , Perren A. , Pospischil A.
Published: October 2010

The lesions in the adrenal glands of seven dogs with hyperadrenocorticism that had been treated with trilostane were studied histologically. The glands of the six dogs with pituitary‐dependent hyperadrenocorticism had moderate to severe cortical hyperplasia that was either diffuse or nodular. The lesions were more pronounced in the zona fasciculata than in the zona reticularis, and the zona glomerulosa was normal. In the dog with a functional adrenal tumour the non‐tumour bearing adrenal gland showed mild nodular hyperplasia. Five of the seven dogs had variable degrees of adrenal necrosis, which was severe in two of them. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase‐mediated dutp nick‐end labelling (tunel) reaction specified areas of cell death as apoptosis in three of the dogs, and was positive in one of the dogs without visible areas of cell death. There were variable degrees of cortical haemorrhage in three of the dogs. In some of the dogs the lesions were severe enough to lead to hypoadrenocorticism.
Efficacy of an inactivated aqueous vaccine for the control of enzootic pneumonia in pigs infected with Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae
Authors: Tzivara A. , Kritas S. K. , Bourriel A. R. , Alexopoulos C. , Kyriakis S. C.
Published: October 2010

The efficacy of an inactivated aqueous vaccine against Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae was evaluated at two M hyopneumoniae ‐infected farrow‐to‐finish commercial farms (A and B) in Greece. In a prospective, randomised double‐blind study, two groups on each farm received intramuscular doses of either the vaccine or the adjuvant when they were one and four weeks of age. The pigs were observed daily for clinical signs of disease; morbidity and mortality were recorded; and bodyweight was recorded at intervals. At slaughter, the lungs of the animals were examined and the chest cavities were examined for signs of pleuritis. No adverse reactions to the treatments were observed in any of the pigs. On farm A the vaccinated pigs were on average 6 kg heavier at slaughter, and on farm B they were on average 4 kg heavier; on both farms the average daily gain of the pigs was greater than that of the unvaccinated pigs. The prevalence and severity of enzootic pneumonia in the affected lungs were significantly lower in the vaccinated than in the unvaccinated pigs.
Fatal enterocolitis in harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) caused by infection with Eimeria phocae
Authors: van Bolhuis G. H. , Philippa J. D. W. , Osterhaus A. D. M. E. , Kuiken T. , Gajadhar A. A.
Published: October 2010

Coccidiosis due to Eimeria phocae infection has been described in harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) from the western Atlantic population, but not in any detail in seals from the eastern Atlantic population. This paper describes fatal enterocolitis due to E phocae infection in three juvenile harbour seals at a rehabilitation centre in the Netherlands in July 2003. The clinical signs were lethargy, bloody faeces, and intermittent convulsions and muscle tremors just before they died; the nervous signs resembled those of nervous coccidiosis in calves. The main pathological finding was severe, diffuse, haemorrhagic enterocolitis; there were diffuse inflammatory changes in the lamina propria of the jejunal, ileal, caecal and colonic mucosa that were associated with the presence of the sexual stages and oocysts of a coccidian species identified as E phocae. A retrospective microscopical examination of intestinal tissues from 113 harbour seals that had died between 1999 and 2004 revealed one seal that was positive for E phocae.
Cryptosporidium parvum infection in orphan lambs on a farm open to the public
Authors: Pritchard G. C. , Marshall J. A. , Giles M. , Chalmers R. M. , Marshall R. N.
Published: October 2010

A longitudinal survey was undertaken on an open farm to investigate the occurrence of Cryptosporidium species infection in orphan lambs obtained from three local flocks. During an initial pilot study, Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected by a fluorescent antibody test (fat) in the faeces of two of 21 lambs aged between one and three weeks derived from one flock (flock A). Pooled pen samples of faeces were collected weekly from lambs derived from each flock; oocysts were detected by fat in 24 (49·0 per cent) of 49 samples from lambs from flock A, 18 (30·5 per cent) of 59 samples from lambs from flock B and 14 (29·8 per cent) of 47 samples from lambs from flock C. Oocyst counts of 1 × 103 to more than 2 × 106 per gram of faeces were detected in lambs up to 12 weeks old, with the peak counts occurring at six weeks of age in the lambs from flocks A and B and at four weeks of age in those from flock C. The oocysts were confirmed by molecular analysis as Cryptosporidium parvum. Virtually all the infections were subclinical.
Field anaesthesia of leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea)
Authors: Harms C. A. , Eckert S. A. , Kubis S. A. , Campbell M. , Levenson D. H. , Crognale M. A.
Published: October 2010

Ten nesting leatherback sea turtles on Trinidad were anaesthetised for electroretinogram (erg) measurements, using ketamine and medetomidine, reversed with atipamezole. They weighed 242 to 324 kg and were given initial doses of 3 to 8 mg/kg ketamine and 30 to 80 μg/kg medetomidine administered into an external jugular vein; six of the turtles received supplementary doses of 2·6 to 3·9 mg/kg ketamine combined with 0 to 39 μg/kg medetomidine. The lower doses were used initially to ensure against overdosage and reduce the chances of residual effects after the turtles returned to the water, but successful erg s called for step‐wise dose increases to the required level of anaesthesia. Respiratory rate, heart rate, electrocardiogram, cloacal temperature, and venous blood gases were monitored, and blood was collected for plasma biochemistry. At the end of the erg procedure, atipamezole was administered at 150 to 420 μg/kg (five times the dose of medetomidine), half intramuscularly and half intravascularly. The turtles were monitored and prevented from re‐entering the water until their behaviour was normal. No apparent mortalities or serious anaesthetic complications occurred. The observed within‐season return nesting rate of the anaesthetised turtles was comparable with that of unanaesthetised turtles.
Comparative study of doramectin and fipronil in the treatment of equine chorioptic mange
Authors: Rendle D. I. , Cottle H. J. , Love S. , Hughes K. J.
Published: October 2010

In equids, chorioptic mange is a common dermatitis for which there are no licensed medications in the uk. Doramectin and fipronil are licensed for the control of ectoparasites in other species and were evaluated for the treatment of 17 cases of chorioptic mange in 13 equids. Equids were included if clinical findings were indicative of chorioptic mange, chorioptes mites were positively identified and concurrent disease that could affect response to disease was not evident. A random number table was used to allocate subjects to receive doramectin (group D, eight animals) or fipronil (group F, nine animals). Each of the horses in group D were given 0·3 mg/kg doramectin (Dectomax; Pfizer) on two occasions 14 days apart by subcutaneous injection. All limbs of the horses in group F were sprayed with fipronil 0·25 per cent solution (Frontline; Merial) to the level of the stifles and elbows. Both groups were examined on the day of treatment and 14 and 28 days later to assess the behavioural signs of pruritus and the severity of the dermatological lesions. Acetate tape impressions were collected from the distal limbs and the degree of mite infestation was assessed. By day 28 there were no behavioural signs of chorioptic mange in any of the animals, and there were significant reductions in the numbers of mites in both groups. However, there were no significant reductions in the mean lesion score in either group. There was no significant difference between the effectiveness of the two treatments.
Abortion in a thoroughbred mare associated with an infection with avirulent Rhodococcus equi
Authors: Nakamura Y. , Nishi H. , Katayama Y. , Niwa H. , Matsumura T. , Anzai T. , Ohtsu Y. , Tsukano K. , Shimizu N. , Takai S.
Published: October 2010

An eight‐year‐old thoroughbred mare with no previous history of illness aborted a fetus at 196 days of gestation, and its internal tissues were examined immunohistologically and bacteriologically. The placenta was not examined, but specimens of the intrauterine fluids and the dam's faeces were collected four days after the abortion and examined bacteriologically. No significant histological lesions were found in the fetus but the amnion and the umbilical cord were oedematous and had petechial haemorrhages. Rhodococcus equi was isolated in pure culture from the lung, heart and stomach contents of the fetus and from an intrauterine specimen and faeces of the dam. The anti‐R equi antibody titre of the mare was high after the abortion. The diagnosis was confirmed in the lung of the fetus by immunohistochemical staining with R equi ‐specific antibodies. Isolates from the fetus and mare were identified as avirulent R equi by pcr and the mouse pathogenicity test. The avirulent isolates were characterised by pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis, which yielded only one Vsp I profile in all the isolates from the fetus and its dam.
Effect of long‐term adaptation on indirect measurements of systolic blood pressure in conscious untrained beagles
Authors: Schellenberg S. , Glaus T. M. , Reusch C. E.
Published: October 2010

To evaluate the effect of an adaptation period on systemic blood pressure readings, systolic blood pressure was measured in 12 young adult untrained beagles over several weeks by means of a Doppler flow detector and oscillometric devices. The pressure decreased gradually and significantly, and levelled out after 14 days. The median (range) of values obtained by Doppler were 166 (149 to 200) mmHg initially, 145 (119 to 176) mmHg on day 9, 138 (118 to 165) mmHg on day 10, 127 (111 to 139) mmHg on day 35, 124 (115 to 143) mmHg on day 94 and 127 (114 to 142) mmHg on day 161. All the later measurements were significantly lower than the initial measurement. Male dogs had higher blood pressures than females on each occasion. The blood pressure readings obtained with one of the oscillometric devices and the Doppler device were comparable and correlated significantly.
Efficacy of maropitant for preventing vomiting associated with motion sickness in dogs
Authors: Benchaoui H. A. , Siedek E. M. , De La Puente‐Redondo V. A. , Tilt N. , Rowan T. G. , Clemence R. G.
Published: October 2010

Maropitant is a neurokinin‐1 inhibitor that acts to prevent and treat vomiting by blocking stimuli to the final common pathway in the emetic centre of the brain. The field efficacy and safety of a single oral dose of maropitant were investigated for the prevention of vomiting in dogs with a history of motion sickness resulting from transportation by car in two blinded, placebo‐controlled studies. In an exploratory study designed as a two‐way crossover trial with 17 dogs, 10 of the dogs given the placebo vomited during a car journey but only three of the dogs vomited under maropitant treatment. In a larger multicentred parallel design study, 69 of 105 dogs treated with the placebo vomited during the journey compared with 15 of 106 dogs treated with maropitant (P≤0·0001).
Haematological and biochemical values for grey seal pups (Halichoerus grypus) during early rehabilitation
Authors: Barnett J. E. F. , Turner L. , Booth P. A. , Hunt A. E.
Published: October 2010

Haematological and biochemical data were collected over a period of six years from grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) pups undergoing rehabilitation. Pups bled during the first three days were allocated retrospectively to one of seven clinical groups and statistical analyses were carried out on six of these groups (130 pups). Compared with reference ranges, all the groups had lower mean packed‐cell volumes (pcv), red blood cell (rbc) counts haemoglobin and albumin levels, pups with severe trauma had higher total white blood cell (wbc) and neutrophil counts, pups with severe trauma and malnourished pups had higher total bilirubin levels, and pups in all the clinical groups except those with severe trauma had lower sodium levels. There were significant differences (P≤0·05) between some clinical groups for mean pcv, rbc counts, all wbc counts except monocytes, haemoglobin, total bilirubin, creatine kinase, amylase and potassium levels. Forty‐nine pups were bled more than once during the first 10 days of rehabilitation for haematology, and 11 were bled more than once for biochemistry. There were significant decreases (P≤0·05) during this period in pcv, and in the activities of alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase, and significant increases in all wbc counts, total protein, globulin, amylase and calcium levels.
Survey of the seroprevalence of brucellosis in ruminants in Tajikistan
Authors: Jackson R. , Ward D. , Kennard R. , Amirbekov M. , Stack J. , Amanfu W. , El‐Idrissi A. , Otto H.
Published: October 2010

A cross‐sectional serological survey of the prevalence of brucellosis in ruminants in the Region of Republican Subordination and Khatlon oblasts (provinces) in Tajikistan was conducted in May 2003. Sera from 13,625 ruminants involving 3513 households in 172 kishlaks (villages) were collected and screened by the rose bengal test. Doubtful and positive results were further tested with competitive and indirect elisa s. The overall serological prevalences (95 per cent confidence intervals [ci s]) were 5·8 per cent (5·2 to 6·4 per cent) for sheep, 5·5 per cent (5·0 to 6·0 per cent) for goats and 2·1 per cent (1·0 to 3·2 per cent) for cattle. The results show that brucellosis was a common disease of ruminants that was widely but unevenly distributed throughout the two oblasts. Seropositive animals were found in 119 of the 172 kishlaks (69·2 per cent [95 per cent ci 61·9 to 75·6 per cent]) and 14·4 per cent (95 per cent ci 13·3 to 15·6 per cent) of the 3513 households. Evidence of infection was also found in cattle kept for milk production in urban kishlaks in two major cities and in state‐owned dairy farms.
Persistence of oxytetracycline residues in milk after the intrauterine treatment of lactating cows for endometritis
Authors: Tan X. , Huang Y‐J. , Jiang Y‐W. , Hu S‐H.
Published: October 2010

Milk samples were collected at one day intervals after the last dose from 31 cows that had received an intrauterine infusion of oxytetracycline once daily between one and five times. The tetrazolium chloride assay was used to determine whether there were significant residues of the antibiotic in the samples. A single treatment resulted in residues for between one and eight days, and the period tended to be longer in the cows that had received more than one dose. Of the 31 cows, six remained tetracycline‐positive for more than five days after their last dose of the drug.
Double‐balloon enteroscopy in two dogs
Authors: Latorre R. , Ayala I. , Soria F , Carballo F , Ayala M. D. , Pérez‐Cuadrado E.
Published: October 2010

It is difficult to insert a flexible endoscope deep into the small intestine. A new method, double‐balloon enteroscopy, has been developed to improve access to the small intestine, and the aim of this study was to evaluate its usefulness for examination of the small intestine of dogs. The method uses two balloons, one attached to the tip of the endoscope and another attached to the tip of an overtube. The double‐balloon endoscope is advanced through the intestine by being held alternately by the balloon on the endoscope and the balloon on the overtube. The technique was applied in two dogs of medium size, using both oral and anal approaches, and it was possible to examine the whole surface of the mucosa of their small intestines.
Spatial analysis of the exposure of dogs in rural north‐coastal California to vectorborne pathogens
Authors: Foley J. E. , Brown R. N. , Gabriel M. W. , Henn J. , Drazenovich N. , Kasten R. , Green S. L. , Chomel B. B.
Published: October 2010

Between 0 and 50 per cent of the dogs in eight rural villages in far northern California with a high risk of tickborne diseases were seropositive for Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Bartonella vinsonii subspecies berkhoffii, and between 0 and 10 per cent were seropositive for Borrelia burgdorferi. The odds ratio for the co‐exposure of individual dogs to B vinsonii berkhoffii and A phagocytophilum was 18·2. None of the diseases was associated with the sex of the dogs, whether they slept out of doors, or whether tick‐preventive measures were taken. When the villages were assessed for landscape risk factors, a particularly high seroprevalence for B vinsonii berkhoffii and A phagocytophilum was observed in a village at a relatively high altitude and greater distance from the Pacific coast, and montane hardwood conifer woodland was most associated with a high seroprevalence for these two pathogens.
Comparisons of different measurements for monitoring diabetic cats treated with porcine insulin zinc suspension
Authors: Martin G. J. , Rand J. S.
Published: October 2010

Clinical measurements, including a subjective clinical score and water intake, and biochemical measurements, including blood glucose, fructosamine, beta‐hydroxybutyrate, cholesterol, triglycerides, triglycerides corrected for free glycerol, glycerol and urine glucose were compared for monitoring diabetic cats treated with porcine insulin zinc suspension. The data were grouped by subjective clinical score and the sensitivity of each measurement in differentiating the grouped data was assessed. None of the measurements was able to differentiate between the ranked clinical score groups, but two‐hourly measurements of blood glucose over 24 hours, water intake, urine glucose and fructosamine were useful in differentiating cats that subjectively had the water and food consumption and general appearance of a normal cat from cats in which the signs of diabetes were less well controlled. Measurements of plasma lipids were not well correlated with the other measurements. The measurements that were most closely correlated with apparently perfect clinical control were the J index, water intake and maximum and mean blood glucose concentrations. In practice, water intake, maximum blood glucose concentration, mean blood glucose concentration and urine glucose would be the most useful indicators of clinical control in diabetic cats treated with porcine insulin zinc suspension.
Blood gas and acid‐base analysis of arterial blood in 57 newborn calves
Authors: Bleul U. , Lejeune B. , Schwantag S. , Kähn W.
Published: October 2010

The pH, partial pressure of oxygen (pO2), partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2), concentration of bicarbonate (HCO− 3), base excess and oxygen saturation (SO2) were measured in venous and arterial blood from 57 newborn calves from 55 dams. Blood samples were collected immediately after birth and 30 minutes, four, 12 and 24 hours later from a jugular vein and a caudal auricular artery. The mean (sd) pO2 and SO2 of arterial blood increased from 45·31 (16·02) mmHg and 64·16 (20·82) per cent at birth to a maximum of 71·89 (8·32) mmHg and 92·81 (2·32) per cent 12 hours after birth, respectively. During the same period, the arterial pCO2 decreased from 57·31 (4·98) mmHg to 43·74 (4·75) mmHg. The correlation coefficients for arterial and venous blood were r=0·86 for pH, r=0·85 for base excess and r=0·76 for HCO− 3. The calves with a venous blood pH of less than 7·2 immediately after birth had significantly lower base excess and HCO− 3 concentrations for 30 minutes after birth than the calves with a venous blood pH of 7·2 or higher. In contrast, the arterial pO2 was higher in the calves with a blood pH of less than 7·2 than in those with a higher pH for 30 minutes after birth.
Radiographic assessment of the progression of osteoarthrosis in the contralateral stifle joint of dogs with a ruptured cranial cruciate ligament
Authors: de Bruin T. , de Rooster H. , Bosmans T. , Duchateau L. , van Bree H. , Gielen I.
Published: October 2010

The formation and progression of osteoarthrosis in the unaffected contralateral stifle joints of 14 dogs with a unilateral cranial cruciate ligament rupture were monitored radiographically in terms of a global score and the scores for 10 parameters specific for the stifle joint. The dogs were examined initially and six and 12 months later by three observers, and the variability between the observers' scores was also assessed. The score for osteophytes at the tibial attachment site of the ligament was the most reliable parameter, and that for the increase in femoropatellar joint space was the least reliable. In the contralateral stifle joints there were significant increases after six and 12 months in osteophyte formation caudal to the tibial plateau, and in subchondral sclerosis of the tibial plateau and of the long digital extensor muscle groove. These three parameters progressed more regularly during the disease process than the other parameters. The global osteoarthrosis score of the contralateral stifle joint was an important risk factor for sustaining a rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament in that joint during the next six months.
Evidence of cardiac autonomic neuropathy in dogs with diabetes mellitus
Authors: Kenefick S. , Parker N. , Slater L. , Boswood A.
Published: October 2010

The NeuroScope, a specific and sensitive indicator of cardiac vagal tone, was used to look for differences in autonomic tone between 25 dogs with naturally occurring diabetes mellitus and 23 healthy control dogs, to determine whether there was any correlation between the dogs' cardiac vagal tone, the duration of diabetes and the adequacy of glycaemic control. The cardiac index of parasympathetic activity (cipa) was determined for each dog over a period of 2600 heartbeats. The mean, median and modal cipa values were significantly lower in the diabetic dogs than in the healthy dogs. There was no significant relationship between the cipa values and the duration of disease or the adequacy of recent glycaemic control in the diabetic dogs, but there was a significant inverse relationship between the cipa values and the bodyweight of the diabetic dogs that was not evident in the normal dogs. The conclusions were based on a 500‐heartbeat interval selected from the 2600 heartbeats recorded.
Bovine viral diarrhoea virus infection of alpacas (Vicugna pacos) in the uk
Authors: Foster A. P. , Houlihan M. G. , Holmes J. P. , Watt E. J. , Higgins R. J. , Errington J. , Ibata G. , Wakeley P. R.
Published: October 2010

Three alpacas (Vicugna pacos) aged two to 22 months with a history of illthrift and diarrhoea were examined postmortem, and tissues were collected for histology, including immunohistochemical labelling for pestivirus antigen, virus isolation and TaqMan reverse transcriptase‐pcr assay. Blood samples from two clinical cases and the remaining herd members were tested for bovine viral diarrhoea virus (bvdv) antibody by serum neutralisation, antigen detection and pcr assay. The three affected alpacas were positive for bvdv by pcr of splenic tissue and/or heparinised blood. Non‐cytopathic bvdv was isolated from several tissues and plasma of two of the alpacas. dna sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the viral genome from the pcr product showed that the bvdv was of subgenotype 1b. Immunohistochemical examination of brain tissue was positive in two cases, consistent with a persistent infection. bvdv antibodies were detected in 16 of 25 clinically unaffected alpacas. There was no evidence of persistent infection in the in‐contact animals. The source of the infection was not determined.
Changes in abdominal dimensions during late gestation and early lactation in Holstein‐Friesian heifers and cows and their relationship to left displaced abomasum
Authors: Wittek T. , Sen I. , Constable P. D.
Published: October 2010

The changes in abdominal dimensions and contour during late gestation and early lactation were investigated in 44 Holstein‐Friesian cattle, 20 normal heifers and 17 normal cows, and seven cows that had a left displaced abomasum (lda) surgically corrected by a right flank omentopexy in a previous lactation. Abdominal measurements were made eight times during the six months spanning the last trimester of pregnancy and the first three months of lactation, they included the circumference of the thorax and abdomen, the depth and width of the abdomen, the vertical distance between the ventral abdomen and the descending duodenum, the height at the withers, and the length of the trunk. There were significant changes in these dimensions during the last trimester of pregnancy, immediately after parturition and during the first three months of lactation. The depth of the abdomen and the vertical distance between the ventral abdomen and the descending duodenum were greater in the cows with a previous history of lda than in those without.
Treatment in the field of 27 horses with epiglottic entrapment
Authors: Russell T. , Wainscott M.
Published: October 2010

Twenty‐seven horses were treated for epiglottic entrapment by using an oral, hand‐assisted bistoury knife technique, under general anaesthesia; 26 of them returned successfully to racing, but one developed a permanently displaced soft palate. After the surgery 13 of the horses had an increased handicap rating and 13 had a decreased rating.
Recovery characteristics following maintenance of anaesthesia with sevoflurane or isoflurane in dogs premedicated with acepromazine
Authors: Love E. J. , Holt P. E. , Murison P. J.
Published: October 2010

A standard anaesthetic protocol was used to anaesthetise 40 dogs for intravenous urography and a retrograde urethrogram or vaginourethrogram. The dogs were allocated by blocked randomisation to receive either isoflurane or sevoflurane for maintenance of anaesthesia after they had been premedicated with acepromazine and pethidine, and anaesthesia induced with propofol. An observer who was unaware of which agent had been used assessed ataxia 30 and 60 minutes after discontinuation of administration of the anaesthetic and assigned an overall recovery score. No complications occurred during anaesthesia of either group of dogs. The scores for ataxia were significantly lower after 60 minutes than after 30 minutes, but there was no significant difference between the groups. The quality of recovery was significantly better in the dogs that received sevoflurane than in those that received isoflurane, but the recovery times were similar.
Ultrasonographic imaging of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta)
Authors: Valente A. L. , Parga M. L. , Espada Y. , Lavin S. , Alegre F. , Marco I. , Cuenca R.
Published: October 2010

Twenty live and five dead juvenile and subadult loggerhead sea turtles were examined ultrasonographically. Ten soft tissue areas of the integument were used as acoustic windows: cervical‐dorsal and cervical‐ventral, left and right cervicobrachial, left and right axillary, left and right prefemoral and left and right postfemoral windows. Anatomical cross‐sections were performed on the dead turtles to provide reference data. The fourth and fifth cervical vertebrae, the spinal cord, and the venous sinuses of the external jugular vein were clearly visible through the cervical‐dorsal acoustic window, and the oesophagus and the heart were imaged through the cervical‐ventral acoustic window. The stomach was more frequently visible through the left axillary acoustic window. The liver could be imaged through both sides, but the right axillary acoustic window was better for visualising the gall bladder. The large and small intestines and the kidneys were visible through the right and left prefemoral acoustic windows; the kidneys were easily identified by their intense vasculature.
Clinical signs and pathology shown by British sheep and cattle infected with bluetongue virus serotype 8 derived from the 2006 outbreak in northern Europen
Authors: Darpel K. E. , Batten C. A. , Veronesi E. , Shaw A. E. , Anthony S. , Bachanek‐Bankowska K. , Kgosana L. , Bin‐Tarif A. , Carpenter S. , Müller‐Doblies U. U. , Takamatsu H‐H. , Mellor P. S. , Mertens P. P. C. , Oura C. A. L.
Published: October 2010

Four poll Dorset sheep and four Holstein‐Friesian cattle were infected with the northern European strain of bluetongue virus (btv), btv‐8, to assess its pathogenicity in uk breeds. The time course of infection was monitored in both species by using real‐time reverse transcriptase‐pcr (rt‐pcr), conventional rt‐pcr and serology. Two of the sheep developed severe clinical signs that would have been fatal in the field; the other two were moderately and mildly ill, respectively. The cattle were clinically unaffected, but had high levels of viral rna in their bloodstream. Real‐time rt‐pcr detected viral rna as early as one day after infection in the cattle and three days after infection in the sheep. Antibodies against btv were detected by six days after infection in the sheep and eight days after infection in the cattle. Postmortem examinations revealed pathology in the cattle that was more severe than suggested by the mild clinical signs, but the pathological and clinical findings in the sheep were more consistent.
Efficacy of a live bovine herpesvirus type 1 marker vaccine under field conditions in three countries
Authors: Makoschey B. , Zehle H‐H. , Bussacchini M. , Valla G. , Pálfi V. , Földi J.
Published: October 2010

The performance of a live marker vaccine for bovine herpesvirus type 1 (bhv‐1) was studied in the field in three European Union countries with different farming conditions. The progress in the eradication of the virus was followed in a large herd in Germany and one in Italy, and a major serological survey involving 147 farms was conducted in Hungary. Commercial batches of the same vaccine were used in all three studies. The herds were vaccinated according to agreed protocols and the animals' bhv‐1 antibody status was determined at local institutes by using commercial glycoprotein B (gB)‐ and glycoprotein E (gE)‐elisa s. In all three studies, the seroprevalence of bhv‐1 gE decreased progressively. Given the starting conditions and the long duration of the studies, reactivation events and virus circulation would have been more likely to have occurred if the herds had not been vaccinated.
Thirteen cases of tetanus in dogs
Authors: Adamantos S. , Boag A.
Published: October 2010

The records of 13 dogs with tetanus were reviewed, 12 of the dogs survived and were discharged, but the other died as a result of the acute onset of hyperthermia. Long‐term follow up was available for 10 of the survivors of which nine were reported to be normal. One case was euthanased after a cervical spine fracture four months after it was discharged. Complications encountered during management included aspiration pneumonia in three cases, urinary tract infection in two cases, and upper respiratory tract obstruction, hiatal hernia, coxofemoral luxation, seizures and respiratory arrest in one case each. None of the dogs required ventilatory support, and the complications were managed successfully. The dogs were nursed intensively and monitored carefully.
Outbreak of Mycobacterium bovis infection in a wild animal park
Authors: Schmidbauer S‐M. , Wohlsein P. , Kirpal G. , Beineke A. , Müller G. , Müller H. , Moser I. , Baumgartner W.
Published: October 2010

An outbreak of tuberculosis due to Mycobacterium bovis occurred in a wild animal park. Three pot‐bellied pigs (Sus scrofa vittatus), one red deer (Cervus elaphus), one buffalo (Bison bonasus) and two European lynxes (Lynx lynx) were affected and showed clinical signs including weight loss, enlarged lymph nodes and paralysis of the hindlimbs. Postmortem examinations revealed multifocal granulomatous lesions in various organs, including the lymph nodes, lungs, intestines, kidneys and the central nervous system. Acid‐fast organisms were demonstrated in various organs histologically and bacteriologically. Spoligotyping of 17 isolates from various organs of the affected animals confirmed an infection by M bovis and revealed an identical pattern indicating a common origin. The spoligotype was different from the pattern of M bovis recorded in the cattle population in Germany between 2000 and 2006. Investigations of sentinel animals such as an aged silver fox (Vulpes vulpes), a badger (Meles meles), a ferret (Mustela putorius) and rodents, and tuberculin skin tests of the animal attendants and randomly collected faecal samples from the enclosures were all negative for M bovis.
Effect of vaccinating lambs against pneumonic pasteurellosis under New Zealand field conditions on their weight gain and pneumonic lung lesions at slaughter
Authors: Goodwin‐Ray K. A. , Stevenson M. A. , Heuer C.
Published: October 2010

In a field trial, 9174 lambs from seven commercial sheep flocks with a history of subclinical pneumonia were either vaccinated with Ovipast Plus (Intervet) or given a placebo by systematic random allocation; they were vaccinated twice at an interval of four to six weeks and grazed on pasture in the same paddocks. They were weighed at the first vaccination, 11 and 23 weeks later, and one to three days before they were slaughtered. The extent of the pneumonic lesions in their lungs was scored visually postmortem. A subset of pneumonic lung samples was examined bacteriologically and histopathologically. There were no statistically significant differences between the pneumonic lesions at slaughter or the mean average daily weight gains of the vaccinated and placebo‐treated lambs between 11 and 23 weeks or between first vaccination and slaughter. The vaccinated lambs had a lower mean daily gain between first vaccination and 11 weeks. The extent of pneumonic lesions at slaughter was negatively correlated with the mean daily gain between first vaccination and slaughter. There were no significant differences between the frequency of isolation of Mannheimia (Pasteurella) haemolytica and Pasteurella trehalosi or the histopathological classification of disease between pneumonic lung samples from the placebo‐treated and vaccinated lambs.
Epidemic of diarrhoea caused by porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus in Italy
Authors: Martelli P. , Lavazza A. , Nigrelli A. D. , Merialdi G. , Alborali L. G. , Pensaert M. B.
Published: October 2010

There was an epidemic of diarrhoea affecting pigs of all ages in Italy between May 2005 and June 2006. In 63 herds the cause was confirmed as porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus by electron microscopy, immunoelectron microscopy, pcr and serology. Watery diarrhoea without mucus and blood was usually associated with a reduction of feed consumption. In farrowing‐to‐weaning herds, diarrhoea affected the sows and suckling piglets, and the mortality in newborn piglets was up to 34 per cent. In growers and fatteners the morbidity ranged from 20 to 80 per cent, but there was either no mortality or it was very low. Depending on the size of the herd and the type of operation, the clinical disease lasted for weeks or months.
Clinical, serological and molecular investigations ofehv‐1andehv‐4in 15 unweaned thoroughbred foals
Authors: Marenzoni M. L. , Passamonti F. , Cappelli K. , Veronesi F. , Capomaccio S. , Verini Supplizi A. , Valente C. , Autorino G. , Coletti M.
Published: October 2010

Fifteen unweaned thoroughbred foals, born on a stud farm to vaccinated mares, were clinically monitored during their first six months of life and repeatedly tested for equine herpesvirus type 1 (ehv‐1) and equine herpesvirus type 4 (ehv‐4). Nasopharyngeal swabs and blood samples were collected and screened respectively bypcrand seroneutralisation to detect the presence of the virus, explore its role as a possible cause of respiratory disease, and to assess the efficiency of the PCR for the diagnosis of this disease. The foals were divided into three groups on the basis of their clinical signs and whether they had seroconverted toehv‐1and/orehv‐4: first, foals with no clinical signs of disease that had not seroconverted; secondly, foals with clinical signs that had seroconverted, and thirdly, foals with clinical signs that had not seroconverted. The results indicated that the viruses circulated on the stud farm despite stringent vaccination regimens against them, and confirmed their association with respiratory disease. The absence of significantly differentpcrresults among the three groups of foals showed that thepcrwas effective in confirming the circulation of the viruses on the premises without being particularly helpful as a diagnostic tool.
Plasma concentrations of 25‐hydroxycholecalciferol in 22 captive tortoises (Testudo species)
Authors: Eatwell K.
Published: October 2010

The plasma concentration of 25‐hydroxycholecalciferol was measured in 13 adult Hermann's tortoises (Testudo hermanni), seven adult spur‐thighed tortoises (Testudo graeca) and two adult marginated tortoises (Testudo marginata) during 2004. They were healthy, of both sexes, and kept in captivity under natural unfiltered sunlight in southern England with no dietary sources of cholecalciferol. Blood samples were taken in March, June and August, and the concentration of 25‐hydroxycholecalciferol did not vary significantly with the seasons. However, the concentrations in the female tortoises were always significantly lower than in the males.
Rupture of the dura mater in two dogs caused by the peracute extrusion of a cervical disc
Authors: McKee W. M. , Downes C. J.
Published: October 2010

A rupture of the dura mater caused by the peracute extrusion of a cervical disc was diagnosed by myelography in two dogs. In both cases traction on the cervical spine resulted in contrast medium entering the ruptured intervertebral disc from the subarachnoid space. Both dogs became suddenly tetraparetic and unable to ambulate during vigorous exercise, but regained the ability to walk without surgical treatment.
Veterinary surgeons and suicide: influences, opportunities and research directions
Authors: Bartram D. J. , Baldwin D. S.
Published: October 2010

Veterinary surgeons are at high risk of suicide, with a proportional mortality ratio approximately four times that of the general population and around twice that of other health care professions. It is uncertain whether this derives from the characteristics of individuals entering the profession, the nature of the work environment, or other factors known to influence suicide. In this article, David Bartram and David Baldwin present a hypothetical model to explain suicide risk in veterinary surgeons, and argue that research is required to validate the model and to inform the development of appropriate interventions.
First outbreak of Trypanosoma evansi in camels in metropolitan France
Authors: Desquesnes M. , Bossard G. , Patrel D. , Herder S. , Patout O. , Lepetitcolin E. , Thevenon S. , Berthier D. , Pavlovic D. , Brugidou R. , Jacquiet P. , Schelcher F. , Faye B. , Touratier L. , Cuny G.
Published: October 2010

The first outbreak of trypanosomosis caused by Trypanosoma evansi in camels in France was reported on a farm in the Aveyron Department. Five camels were imported from the Canary Islands to the farm in early July 2006, and trypanosomes were observed on a stained blood smear from one of them, which died in October. On further investigations, trypanosomes were observed in the blood of five camels, three of them indigenous to the farm and two that had been imported. On the basis of microscopical examination (morphological criteria and measurements) and serological results based on the card agglutination T evansi test and pcr typing, the parasites were identified as T evansi. After treatment with melarsomine, the infected camels rapidly became negative by parasitological tests and were negative two to four months later by serological tests. The parasite was probably transmitted by tabanids and Stomoxys calcitrans, which were abundant in July to September 2006. No parasites were observed in other animals on the farm or on neighbouring farms, but some of the sheep on these farms were positive by pcr or serology.
Occlusal angles of cheek teeth in normal horses and horses with dental disease
Authors: Brown S. L. , Arkins S. , Shaw D. J. , Dixon P. M.
Published: October 2010

The angle between the occlusal surface of the tooth and the horizontal plane of 687 cheek teeth from the skulls of 22 horses without gross dental disorders and 11 horses with dental disorders were measured by using stiff malleable wire as an imprint. Each measurement was repeated five times and the mean angle was recorded. In the normal skulls, the mean occlusal angles of the mandibular cheek teeth ranged from 19·2° at the Triadan 06 position to 30° at the 11 position, and these angles were significantly greater than the occlusal angles of the opposing maxillary cheek teeth (range 12·5° to 18°) at all the positions except the 06. The rostral mandibular cheek teeth had significantly lower occlusal angles than the caudal mandibular cheek teeth, but the converse was true for the maxillary teeth. In the skulls with dental disorders the occlusal angles of the mandibular cheek teeth ranged from 15·6° to 28·5°, and of the maxillary cheek teeth from 9·2° to 16·4°. They were not significantly different from the angles of the teeth from the normal skulls, except at the 06 position, where they were smaller.
Two outbreaks of classical swine fever in wild boar in France
Authors: Pol F. , Rossi S. , Mesplède A. , Kuntz‐Simon G. , Le Potier M‐F.
Published: October 2010

In 2002 and 2003, two successive outbreaks of classical swine fever were declared in wild boar in northern France. The first was in Moselle, near the town of Thionville and the border with Luxembourg, and the second was in the northern Vosges area, near the German border. The outbreaks were investigated by serological and virological diagnosis of dead or shot animals. Hunting restrictions were applied to limit the spread of the outbreaks. The virus was detected eight times between April and July 2002 in the Thionville area, an area well delimited by natural or artificial barriers such as rivers or highways. Cooperation between the authorities concerned was good, and hunting restrictions were applied for one year. No virus was detected after July 2002 and the Thionville outbreak was officially considered over in March 2005. In the northern Vosges the situation was different, with no barriers to animal movements, continuous forest, difficulties in establishing hunting restrictions in this huge area, and the circulation of the virus in Germany close to the frontier. Virus of a different strain from that isolated in the Thionville outbreak was still being isolated in the northern Vosges in 2004, and owing to the failure of the hunting restrictions, the French health authorities decided to vaccinate wild boar.