Gas bubble disease (GBD), a non-infectious, environmentally/physically induced trauma, is caused by an increase in the dissolved gas pressure above the ambient air pressure (supersaturation). Frequently the cause is an increased partial pressure of nitrogen-especially in spring-/groundwater. All fish species as well as amphibians and aquatic invertebrates are susceptible. Fish species and age groups are different sensitive; swim up fry is very endangered. The disease may occur in a chronic form at approximately 103% and in an acute form at above 110/115% total gas pressure (TGP). Fish, especially fry, with the chronic form die slowly without symptoms. The clinical symptoms of the acute form are disorientation, subcutaneous emphysema, embolism, exophthalmus mostly only on one side, swimming near the water surface with darkened skin, haemorrhages and high mortality. Losses increase with increased TGP. Generally, mortality in the chronic form increases by secondary infections of emphysematous tissue. As technical processes may be the cause for an increased total gas pressure, such as water pumping, heating water or mixing cold with warm water, in this context we could speak from a "technopathy". The following "therapeutic" measurement is recommended: avoid causal factors, transfer damaged fish in expanded water, turn off the cause, compensate the pressure in deeper water, if possible.
Bovine leukocyte adhesion deficiency (BLAD) is an autosomal recessive and lethal disease of Holstein-Friesian cattle. It is characterized by leukocytosis with more than 30,000 cells/microliter blood and decreased resistance to infectious diseases. Details of the history and pathological findings in three patients, the situation in the herd and breeding aspects are described.
A specific breeding schedule and the subsequent reproductive performance in a 400 swine breeding herd over five years is described. The reduction of the nursing time from 49 to 28 days increased the number of litters per anno to 2.4 and of weaned piglets by six. The reproductive management is based on the 7-day-breeding schedule. Each week 22 to 23 animals are inseminated, among them eight gilts every 14 days. Mating gilts only every 14 days reduce the cost for transportation. The zoo- and biotechnique is as follows: Sows: weaning on Wednesday; 24 h later 900 IE pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) i.m., artificial insemination (AI) on Monday or Tuesday (two times), pregnancy diagnosis by transcutaneous ultrasonography on day 23/24 post insemination. Gilts: transportation (gilts are bought-in) exactly four weeks before insemination; on Saturday/ Sunday transportation induced heat; 23 days after transportation (18th/19th day of female cycle), on Friday 900 IE PMSG (with sows simultaneously); on Monday 150 micrograms GnRH-analogue i.m.; on Wednesday/Thursday AI (two times; the 2nd AI 14 h after the first), pregnancy diagnosis by transcutaneous ultrasonography on day 23/24 post insemination.
Cefquinome is the first 4th generation cephalosporin antibiotic developed for use in veterinary medicine. A European multicentre study established a high in vitro activity for this modern antimicrobial drug against a wide spectrum of bovine pathogens. Gram-positive and gram-negative mastitis agents were inactivated even at very low active ingredient concentrations, including Enterobacteriaceae which are often resistant to other drugs. The results of clinical trials using experimental E. coli mastitis as an example demonstrate the efficacy of cefquinome in vivo. Parenteral administration at a dose rate of 1 mg/kg body weight when compared with conventional therapy using a control drug with equally good in vitro activity, produced significantly better therapeutic results.
Psittacines embody in an ideal fashion the child-like characteristics that humans adore. Animal lovers are unable to resist their expressive eyes, brightly coloured plumage, tameness and mimicry of human speech. The desire of pet-owners to have a tame, speaking bird with a very strong bond to its owner is achieved through hand-rearing, but this results in psychoreactive behavioural abnormalities in these highly social birds due to abnormal fixation. The signs and causes of these behavioural abnormalities, also called cage neuroses, are explained. The complex of feather-plucking, feather-ingestion and self-mutilation is considered in depth, and there are numerous illustrations.
Six commercial hedgehog feedstuffs were evaluated (palatability, composition and digestibility of crude nutrients and minerals). 14 healthy adult hedgehogs were fed these products and one self mixed diet based on minced beef and egg. The composition of all commercial diets was very similar. The components used mostly were cereal products but also animals like insects and prawns were seen. Gross energy was between 1.9 and 2.3 MJ/100 g DM. The concentrations of the minerals were partly very low (Ca, P) and in some products the relation between Ca and P was unsuitable. Even with individual differences between the animals the palatability of the self mixed diet was generally higher. Contrary to the self mixed diet the digestibility of crude protein of the commercial feed was moderate (93 vs. 73-77%). Crude fat was highly digestible (80-92%). In spite of a low activity of amylase in pancreas and chyme the digestibility of the nitrogen free extracts was very high (67-86%), probably due to thermal processing of the cereals. Since crude fibre has a negative effect on total digestibility (r = -0.78) its concentration should be under 3% in the whole diet. The average netabsorption rates of minerals were: Ca: +/-0%; P: 50%; Mg: 24%; K: 85% and Na: 80%. Based on this knowledge first recommendations for the com position of nutritionally balanced complete feeds are given.
The equine fetlock joint cavity shows ten pouches. The dorsal recess, which is oriented to the proximal side, is separated from those three pouches, which show to the distal direction, by several capsular folds. These folds are documented by means of sagittal sections through the fetlock joint. A medial/lateral recess is covered by the deep part of the collateral ligament of the fetlock joint. The collateral ligaments as well as the sesamoidean collateral ligaments are closely connected with the joint capsule, from which two capsular folds are separated. Between the part of the sesamoidean collateral ligament, that inserts to the metacarpus/metatarsus and the part that inserts to the proximal phalanx, the fetlock joint cavity pouches as Recessus palmaris/plantaris distalis medialis/lateralis. The palmar/plantar distal pouch, which lies in the median line, is covered by the Ligamentum sesamoideum rectum. This recess is narrowed down by the cruciated sesamoidean ligaments. The dominant palmar/plantar proximal recess is subdivided into several small pouches by strangs or bands of the joint capsule, which can already be seen with an unaided eye.
During the last decades intensive breeding of pigs has improved the growth rate, food conversion and the ratio between meat and fat. However, this improvement is very often associated in certain breeds of pig with the porcine stress syndrome, a higher incidence of muscle diseases and a reduced meat quality referred to as pale, soft exudative pork (PSE). These problems are well known since decades and are obviously caused by a variety of factors. The discovery of a mutation in the ryanodine receptor or Ca release channel in the striated muscles of affected pigs has concentrated research on the function of this protein. The mutation of the ryanodine receptor or Ca-release channel may account for the problems mentioned above because the changed ryanodine receptor can be activated much easier and there is no doubt that the inactivation is delayed or - under some circumstances - even impossible. Consequently, the cytosolic Ca concentration in skeletal muscle cells will increase and induce uncontrolled muscle activity. The recommendation is given to breed out this mutation for elimination of a major reason of the porcine stress syndrome and PSE.
Since 1993 a campaign to eradicate Brucella ovis from sheep in Tyrol, using a combination of serological test and culling, is underway. During the pilot survey from 1990 until 1992 out of 812 tested rams, 85 (10%) seroreactors were identified by ELISA. In the year 1995 2263 rams were tested by ELISA, 80 (3.5%) seroreactors could be identified. As the topographical distribution shows the disease is still concentrated in defined areas. The paper discusses the values of the serological tests and reports about the experience in eradication.
The QBC-Vet Autoread-System (QBC = Quantitative Buffy Coat) is an advanced version of the QBC-Vet Haematology-System, to which an automatic reader and a printer have been added. In addition to the determination of haematocrit, haemoglobin, MCHC, white blood cell, granulocyte, lympho-/monocyte and platelet counts, measurement of eosinophils and neutrophils in dogs, and the estimation of reticulocytes and nucleated red blood cells in both dogs and cats are possible. The aim of this study was to evaluate the QBC-Vet Autoread-System with respect to its suitability in veterinary pratice. Samples collected from 213 mostly ill animals were analysed and the results compared with conventionally measured values. The system was found to be easy both in handling and interpretation of results. Accuracy was found to be good for the majority of the parameters (correlation coefficients: haematocrit r > 0.96, WBC r > 0.89). The printed buffy coat profile was found to be very useful to verify accuracy of results immediately and to prevent misinterpretations. Although this is a preliminary study with a small number of samples, the QBC-Vet Autoread-System was found to be a true improvement over the older system and will be very useful in veterinary practices.
Like in man, in neoplastic haematopoietic diseases of tie dog genetical changes can be detected cytogenetically. In this study, some cytogenetically characterized cases are presented and discussed against the background of comparable cases reported in the literature. In two out of three patients investigated, one or two extra copies of chromosome 1 were detected. Corresponding changes have also been described in two other cases in the literature.
Summing up some recent publications, the author provides a survey about what happened, today's situation in Germany, the relation between food contamination and exposure, recommended generic intervention levels for foodstuffs, and possibilities to reduce contamination in food. Some agricultural counter-measures in the management of a post-accidental situation are especially taken into consideration. It follows that the veterinarian plays an important role in reducing population exposure by radioactive fall out.
Germany and several other countries are areas of severe iodine deficiency. In addition to iodized salt additional strategies to fight iodine deficiency exist. A promising possibility is the supplementation of feed with iodine, in order to increase its content in food of animal origin. In a feeding experiment 24 male castrated and female piglets of the cross breed Deutsche Landrasse x Pietrain were fed a high iodine supplemented diet. At a body weight of 100 kg the animals were slaughtered and the effect of the iodine supplementation on iodine content in the organs was studied. Animals receiving 30 mg iodine/kg feed showed significantly higher iodine contents in muscle, heart, kidney, liver, serum, fat and in the thyroidea than animals receiving no iodine supplementation. The iodine content in muscle and organs increased by a factor three to seven. Concerning meat quality and other slaughter parameters there was no difference between the two groups. This demonstrates that this strategy is in addition to iodized salt a possibility to reduce iodine deficiency.
Over a period of five years 28 dog eyes were treated by evisceration and implantation of an intrascleral silicone prosthesis. During an average follow-up period of 2.93 years the only complication noted was a mild entropion in one case. The majority of dog owners were satisfied with the cosmetic result. All of them would again opt for this procedure and prefer it to an enucleation. The post-operative management was well tolerated by both animals and owners. After careful preoperative work-up and ruling-out of intraocular neoplasms, evisceration/prosthesis is a simple and practical method to salvage buphthalmic eyes and globes with beginning phthisis bulbi. Intraocular tumors and septic endophthalmitis are the two principal contraindications. In addition, eyes with deep or even perforated corneal ulcers should not be fitted with an intrascleral prosthesis.
A rare case of a ten-year-old neutered male Persian cat is described, in which metastasis of a pulmonary adenocarcinoma into the choroid of the right eye had led to visual impairment and major ophthalmoscopically detectable changes of the fundus. These were a generalized hyporeflectivity of the tapetal fundus due to retinal edema with multiple areas of retinal detachment and also severe edema of the papilla, furthermore an increased tortuosity and congestion of the retinal vessels. While the diagnosis of a primary lung tumor could be made intra vitam based on the result of an x-ray examination, the neoplastic nature of the fundic lesions could only be confirmed by histopathologic examination.
