Although the issue of breeding practices that cause suffering is primarily discussed using the example of dog breeding, it also represents an extremely urgent animal welfare problem in cat breeding. The professional assessment of whether breeding practices that cause suffering are present, in particular the presence and severity of symptoms in terms of their pathological significance or other adverse effects on the animals concerned, is carried out on an individual level by veterinarians, who also perform breeding suitability examinations and should advise breeders accordingly. The high relevance of this topic for small animal veterinarians prompted this study to explain the recently amended prohibition of defect breeding in the Austrian Animal Protection Act, to identify the responsible actors in cat breeding, and to compile an overview of the scientific findings on the breeding of brachycephalic cat breeds, with a focus on the Persian cat, which is one of the basic cat breeds. The results show that this cat breed is affected by a variety of health problems. The modern standard of the "peke-face"-Persian cat is subject to the prohibition of breeding practices that cause suffering due to the extremely exaggerated brachycephaly and the resulting brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS); for reasons of legal certainty, the breeding of this line should be expressly prohibited.
A one-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer presented with a three-day history of lethargy, fever, and reduced appetite. Clinical examination revealed markedly increased lung sounds and pleural effusion on radiographs. Computed tomography identified a soft-tissue mass with a defined wall in the left caudal lung lobe. Surgical resection revealed an abscess containing a grass awn as a foreign body. Histopathology showed severe fibrinopurulent pleuritis with concurrent pneumonia. Bacterial culture yielded Staphylococcus haemolyticus. Following surgical intervention and targeted antibiotic therapy, the dog recovered fully. This case highlights the diagnostic value of CT in identifying pulmonary foreign bodies and supports the favourable prognosis associated with early surgical management.
Sheep farming has experienced an upswing in Austria in recent years but lameness poses a key challenge in terms of animal welfare and profitability. It can be influenced by factors such as housing system, hoof care and biosecurity measures. We have studied current husbandry and health management practices in Styria, a federal state of Austria, assessing the occurrence of lameness and claw disorders and their association with farm-level and animal-specific parameters. We collected data by means of questionnaires completed by the farm managers, complemented by site visits and investigative assessments. We found no statistically significant associations between claw disorders and factors such as farm structure, manure removal frequency, pasture management and hoof care, although some trends were apparent. Very frequent manure removal and quarantine measures had a potentially preventive effect. The most common diagnoses were footrot (6.5 %), hyperkeratosis (6.5 %) and white line disease (5.4 %). We recorded lameness in 21 of the 682 animals, with footrot most frequently in its early stages. There were no significant associations with age or breed but rams showed a significantly higher prevalence than females (p=0.034). The results highlight the importance of targeted management measures for the prevention of claw disorders in sheep farming.
This case report describes a left testicular seminoma and degenerative osseous alterations of the atlas (C1) and axis (C2) in a free-ranging, eleven-year-old Alpine ibex (Capra ibex ibex). The animal had shown an abnormal body posture for several weeks and was culled in July 2023 because of noticeable head tilt, severe gait impairment and progressive emaciation. Both testes, an altered skin area at the tail base and the complete cervical spine were collected for diagnostic evaluation. Histopathology revealed a benign seminoma within the enlarged left testis, presenting as a whitish, soft-elastic neoplasm of approximately 6 cm in diameter. The altered skin region at the tail base exhibited a non-purulent dermatitis with hyperkeratosis of unclear aetiology. Examination of the first two cervical vertebrae showed pronounced deformities and proliferative changes consistent with advanced degenerative bone alterations. No abnormalities were found in other internal organs. Neoplasms of the reproductive tract are exceedingly rare in small ruminants and wild caprines. No comparable cases have been documented in Alpine ibex.
A female adult stray cat was presented with a diaphragmatic hernia, sacroiliac luxation and tail paralysis. After successful surgical repair of the diaphragmatic hernia and conservative management of the pelvic injury, the cat developed haemometra requiring ovariohysterectomy. During this procedure, due to persistent tail dysfunction and perineal soiling, a tail amputation was performed. A bilateral perineal hernia was diagnosed by rectal examination. Because a laparotomy had already been planned, colopexy and cystopexy were carried out, followed by bilateral perineal hernia repair two weeks later using the internal obturator muscle flap technique. The cat was then referred to the animal shelter. Fourteen days after surgery, the shelter management reported that the cat had recovered without complications. This case report highlights trauma as a possible underlying cause of perineal herniation in cats and discusses differences in anatomy and aetiology of feline compared to canine perineal hernias.
The European brown hare (EBH) can carry various diseases, including zoonoses such as brucellosis, tularaemia, pasteurellosis, pseudotuberculosis and staphylococcosis. The hare is small game and a food source and it shares its habitat with humans and farm animals, so it is important to survey the population for diseases. We report a retrospective investigation of the pathomorphological and microbiological findings of 218 EBH carcasses that were sent to AGES M & ouml;dling between 2018 and 2023. A large proportion of the specimens were submitted from the federal state of Salzburg (116/218). The data were categorized and sorted, then visualized and interpreted, with a focus on individuals that had tested positive for tularaemia. During postmortem analysis the animals most frequently showed alterations in the lower digestive tract (44.1 %) and the respiratory system (23.9 %). Signs of trauma.
We present the first case of a gastrointestinal Mycobacterium (M.) fortuitum infection in a cat, characterized by anorexia and abdominal lymphadenitis. After failed treatment with amoxicillin and clavulanic acid, we performed diagnostic laparotomy to procure lymph node biopsies. Histology including Haematoxylin-Eosin-and Ziehl-Neelsen-staining was negative but PCR confirmed an infection with M. fortuitum. We initiated a multimodal antibiotic regimen including clarithromycin, amikacin and enrofloxacin but stopped it after 48 hours due to inadequate owner-patient compliance. Six months post-diagnosis, without further treatment, the cat remained asymptomatic and the lymph nodes showed no pathological abnormalities.
The population growth in Vienna in the 19th century made the meat supply a constant challenge for the city's administration. In 1850, a credit institution for livestock trade was established and the subsequent years saw the provision of new public slaughterhouses (e.g. 1851: St Marx) and related facilities, with the aim of improving and strengthening the small-scale structured meat production and of avoiding the formation of a private monopoly. The 'Approvisionierungsverein' (established in 1872) fostered the trade of livestock and meat to help assure the meat supply in Vienna. These measures had only limited success and were hardly accepted or maybe misinterpreted by small butchers. The import of meat from other European countries increased and there were additional long-term measures to improve the efficacy of meat supply by rendering pig carcasses at low levels of infestation with Cysticercus (starting in 1899), the import of buffaloes for slaughter (starting in 1894) and the foundation of a public limited company for slaughter ('Gro ss schl & auml;chterei-Aktiengesellschaft') in 1905. In 1910 and 1911, beef was imported from overseas.
A four-and-a-half-year-old neutered male cat was presented to a veterinarian because it had been suffering from respiratory symptoms for three weeks. On clinical examination, the larynx was sensitive to palpation and mild increased lung sounds were audible on auscultation of the lungs. The cat was treated with amoxicillin/ clavulanic acid and meloxicam for twelve days and the clinical condition improved significantly. However, the animal again deteriorated two days after the end of the medication. When the cat was presented again, cough could be induced over the larynx and the lung sounded moderately increased. A blood test (leucopenia, eosinophilia) was performed and radiographs (diffuse interstitial to alveolar lung pattern) taken. The cat was again treated with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, with the addition of prednisolone. There was again an improvement in clinical symptoms but recovery was not complete and a fresh radiograph of the lung showed no improvement. The cat was therefore referred to the clinic, where further diagnostic tests were performed, including computer tomography, bronchoscopy and examination of the BAL fluid (cytological, bacteriological, PCR). DNA from Troglostrongylus brevior could be detected in the BAL fluid by PCR, while Aelurostrongylus abstrusus was not detectable. The bacteria Pasteurella multocida and Pseudomonas oryzihabitans could be cultivated. The cat was given a combination of fenbendazole, doxycycline and prednisolone and recovered.
Helminth counts (differential count of helminth parasites recovered from the gastrointestinal tract, liver and lungs after slaughter) of first-year steers which grazed an extensive mountain pasture in the Pinzgau district of Salzburg for just four weeks after start of the grazing mid of May or over the full pasture season until mid of September in the year of 2016 (two animals each) are presented. All steers harbored gastrointestinal nematodes. Moniezia cestodes (6 and 9) and Dictyocaulus lung-worms (9 and 876) were recovered from the steers that grazed for four weeks from the start of the pasture season or for the full grazing season, respectively; no liver flukes and rumen flukes were recovered from any animal. Nematodes of 10 species were recovered from the gastrointestinal tract which were all previously documented from cattle in Austria but Trichuris ovis. Dominating Ostertagia ostertagi/O. lyrata and Cooperia oncophora/C. surnabada accounted for more than 98 % of the total gastrointestinal nematode burden averaging approximately 7,000 and 24,600 nematodes in the steers which grazed for four weeks from the start of the pasture season or for the full grazing season, respectively. However, the ratio of O. ostertagi/O. lyrata and C. oncophora/C. surnabada numbers shifted from 1 : 0.8 in the steers grazing for four weeks from the start of the pasture season to 1 : 1.6 in the steers that were kept on the alpine pasture for the full duration of the season. Inhibited larval ostertagid nematodes accounted for approximately 90 % of the ostertagid population in the abomasum of the steers grazing until September but for only about 0.1 % of the total ostertagids recovered from the steers that grazed for four weeks at the beginning of the pasture season. The results of this limited investigation complement a recently reported coproscopical and serological survey of endoparasite infections in grazing dairy cows from farms in a pre-mountainous district of Salzburg that indicated the presence of gastrointestinal and pulmonary nematode and Fasciola hepatica infections. The present investigation shows that first-year cattle grazing on mountain pastures in the Alps may acquire a considerable level of mixed gastrointestinal nematode parasites and lungworms. The findings should be considered in the parasite management of cattle in alpine pasture-based farms to control a negative impact on production due to parasitism and to prevent clinical disease.
Mice are frequently used in basic research, both in biomedical research and for the development and testing of drugs. Although their specific needs are well known, the demands on the housing environment and care are often underestimated. The principle of refinement anchored in animal experimentation law stipulates that the animals' physiological and ethological needs must be satisfied as far as possible. There must be appropriate enrichment strategies, providing the mice with a complex housing environment and allowing them to engage in a wide range of natural behaviours. Suitable measures to enrich the environment, social contact to conspecifics and positive interactions with people promote the animals' quality of life, facilitate their handling in animal experiments and enhance the reliability of the results. Enrichment strategies should be based on scientific knowledge on the behavioural needs of the species, planned as an overall concept and closely monitored. We provide an overview of enrichment strategies for laboratory mice that are recommended in the scientific literature to support the persons and committees charged with improving the wellbeing of laboratory animals, in particular the veterinarians, the persons responsible for animal welfare and the animal welfare bodies.
Aeromonas species are microorganisms that can cause clinically significant diseases in fish and humans. We have isolated bacterial pathogens from samples of fish infected with Aeromonas species, determined their antibiotic susceptibility profiles and investigated their antibiotic resistance. We examined ten rainbow trout with symptoms of the disease. After necropsy, we isolated and identified bacteria from the lesions in the tissues and organs. We performed culture confirmation and species identification using Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). We determined the phenotypic antibiotic susceptibility of Aeromonas isolates by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method and evaluated the results according to the standards of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). For phenotypic resistance, we used commercially prepared ready-to-use antibiotic discs of the antibacterial groups tetracyclines, carbapenems, penicillins, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, folic acid synthesis inhibitors, quinolones, aminoglycosides, amphenicols and macrolides. We also analysed the expression of the antibacterial resistance genes blaACC, sul1, tetA and hfq. Aeromonas bestiarum isolates exhibited phenotypic resistance to ampicillin, penicillin, amoxicillin and erythromycin. Comparative genotypic analysis of the resistance genes blaACC, sul1 and tetA with the reference strain revealed the expression of gene seg-ments. We conclude that Aeromonas bestiarum agents cause severe infections in rainbow trout. We recom-mend testing diseased fish for Aeromonas and selecting the appropriate antibacterial agent using antibiograms.
Introduction We have identified indexes for the classification of brachycephaly, based on the idea that brachycephalic skulls differ from normocephalic skulls. Materials and Methods We investigated eleven normocephalic and four brachycephalic macerated adult cat skulls, sourced from animals euthanized for reasons unrelated to the study. We took measurements with a calliper directly from macerated skulls and from digital radiographs and CT images. We measured four lengths using standardized anatomical landmarks and used them to calculate six indexes. Results Brachycephalic skulls showed shorter total (AP) and facial lengths (FP) and greater facial width (ZyZy) for all measurement techniques without statistical significance. The LW and the S indexes were higher and the Skull, the modified Cranial and the modified Facial indexes lower in normocephalic skulls. The difference between normocephaly and brachycephaly was significant for these five indexes but not for the F index. The results of all four measured distances and all six indexes were significantly different for each measurement technique (p<0.001). Conclusion The four measured distances and six calculated indexes may reliably classify feline skulls as brachycephalic or normocephalic. All three measurement techniques (calliper, radiographic and CT images) are generally suitable for the purpose. The comparability of the results of the various measurement techniques should be evaluated with a larger number of cases. The LW and the Skull indexes seem to be the most reliable.
The food supply of the population of Vienna has depended on imports for centuries. While cattle were initially driven over long distances, the expansion of the railway network led to the transport of animals for slaughter by rail. This enabled other food-producing animals, such as pigs, small ruminants, calves and poultry, to be delivered in larger numbers from greater distances. Poultry farming and production intensified towards the end of the 19th century, allowing the per capita consumption of poultry to remain at the same level despite the population growth. The first and second World Wars, and the immediate post-war years, saw shortages of the meat supply. During these times, the urban population practised small-scale animal husbandry, such as poultry, providing the city with a certain degree of self-sufficiency. In addition to the shortage of food, recurring animal diseases posed further challenges to the food supply. A series of legal regulations were enacted to ensure food safety.
Introduction The bovine coronavirus (BCoV) is associated with neonatal diarrhoea, winter dysentery and enzootic bronchopneumonia. There is a report of a 53.9 % prevalence of enteric BCoV infections in Austrian calves, significantly higher than the levels in the USA and Spain, where prevalences of 5.8 and 23.6 % have been reported. Biosecurity measures have a significant role in farm management to prevent the introduction and to reduce the spread of the virus. This study was part of a Europe-wide project to estimate the prevalence of BCoV in commercial dairy farms. Our aim was to survey the occurrence of the bovine coronavirus in selected Austrian dairy farms and to examine the relationship between the presence of the virus and risk factors for the introduction and spread of infectious agents. Material and Methods We took serum samples, nasal swabs and rectal swabs from 257 animals of three age groups (pre-weaned calves, weaned calves, freshly lactating cows) and one tank milk sample per farm. We tested blood and tank milk for antibodies by ELISA and nasal swabs and rectal swabs for antigens by duplex RT-PCR. Results The herd prevalence for the bovine coronavirus was 100 %. Over 90 % of the animals examined were antibody-positive, with the lowest proportion of 76 % in the weaned calves. Approximately 8 % of both nasal and rectal swabs were PCR-positive, with the proportion highest in pre-weaned calves. Pre-weaned calves from vaccinating farms (dams vaccinated against BCoV, bovine rotavirus and Escherichia coli) had significantly higher antibody concentrations and showed significantly reduced viral excretion of BCoV (no positive PCR results), whereas the prevalence in positive calves from non-vaccinating farms was around 35 %. The general biosecurity score collected by questionnaires averaged 58 of 100 points, with external biosecurity scores achieving 41 % and the internal biosecurity scores averaging 74 %. Conclusions Although the results are not representative of all Austrian farms, they show that the bovine coronavirus is widespread in Austria. Vaccinations of dams and correct colostrum management can significantly reduce viral excretion in pre-weaned calves. There is room for improvement in general biosecurity.
Introduction The bovine coronavirus (BCoV) is associated with neonatal diarrhoea, winter dysentery and enzootic bronchopneumonia. There is a report of a 53.9 % prevalence of enteric BCoV infections in Austrian calves, significantly higher than the levels in the USA and Spain, where prevalences of 5.8 and 23.6 % have been reported. Biosecurity measures have a significant role in farm management to prevent the introduction and to reduce the spread of the virus. This study was part of a Europe-wide project to estimate the prevalence of BCoV in commercial dairy farms. Our aim was to survey the occurrence of the bovine coronavirus in selected Austrian dairy farms and to examine the relationship between the presence of the virus and risk factors for the introduction and spread of infectious agents. Material and Methods We took serum samples, nasal swabs and rectal swabs from 257 animals of three age groups (pre-weaned calves, weaned calves, freshly lactating cows) and one tank milk sample per farm. We tested blood and tank milk for antibodies by ELISA and nasal swabs and rectal swabs for antigens by duplex RT-PCR. Results The herd prevalence for the bovine coronavirus was 100 %. Over 90 % of the animals examined were antibody-positive, with the lowest proportion of 76 % in the weaned calves. Approximately 8 % of both nasal and rectal swabs were PCR-positive, with the proportion highest in pre-weaned calves. Pre-weaned calves from vaccinating farms (dams vaccinated against BCoV, bovine rotavirus and Escherichia coli) had significantly higher antibody concentrations and showed significantly reduced viral excretion of BCoV (no positive PCR results), whereas the prevalence in positive calves from non-vaccinating farms was around 35 %. The general biosecurity score collected by questionnaires averaged 58 of 100 points, with external biosecurity scores achieving 41 % and the internal biosecurity scores averaging 74 %. Conclusions Although the results are not representative of all Austrian farms, they show that the bovine coronavirus is widespread in Austria. Vaccinations of dams and correct colostrum management can significantly reduce viral excretion in pre-weaned calves. There is room for improvement in general biosecurity.
Endoparasitoses in cattle represent a significant global challenge, resulting in substantial economic losses in milk and meat production and raising concerns regarding animal welfare. To gain insights into the parasite burden in pre-Alpine regions, we conducted a clinical examination of 260 dairy cows from 26 farms in Salzburg during July and August 2020. We collected individual faecal samples and analysed them for gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN), Dictyocaulus viviparus and Fasciola hepatica. We also analysed milk samples by ELISA to test for antibodies against Fasciola hepatica. We paid particular attention to the prevalence of endoparasites in the Flachgau region (Salzburg) and to the correlations between their occurrence and the clinical symptoms exhibited by the animals. The prevalence of GIN was 23.80%. Coprological examination revealed a prevalence of 28.46% for Fasciola hepatica, while 3.20% of milk samples tested positive in the ELISA assay. The prevalence of Dictyocaulus viviparus was 3.10%. There was no significant correlation between endoparasitosis and altered faecal consistency (p=0.981). The likelihood of an GIN infection decreased with increasing Body Condition Score (BCS). There was a significant correlation between the detection of Dictyocaulus viviparus larvae and coughing (p=0.011) but we found no statistically significant associations between the detection of Fasciola hepatica and BCS, reproductive issues, the presence of natural water sources or feeding practices. We conclude that parasite management in the Flachgau region is satisfactory and that current practices are effective.
Successful communication with owners is essential for effective veterinary work. It promotes customer satisfaction and adherence to veterinary recommendations, contributing to the success of treatment. However, we know little about animal owners' perception of their veterinarians' communication skills. This article presents the results of an online survey of Austrian livestock owners (n=550) on their perception of veterinarians' communicative competences. Specifically, we investigated (1) which communication skills the respondents consider desirable in veterinary medicine and (2) how livestock owners assess the communication competences of their veterinarian. From the respondents' perspective, the communication competences are a central requirement for good veterinary practice. Farmers primarily desire clear explanations of medical issues and a respectful interaction based on equality, characterized by openness, interest, active listening and shared decision-making. Austrian livestock owners largely reject asymmetrical, paternalistically influenced veterinary communication. A key result is the livestock owners' high satisfaction with the communicative competences of their veterinarians, which is consistently reflected across many surveyed skills. The study emphasizes the central importance of communication skills in veterinary medicine and recommends their promotion in education, further training and practice.
Jakob Lechner's efforts to improve the hoof health of civilian and military horses motivated him to pursue a new scientific approach. Two years after being appointed as a professor at the Imperial and Royal Military Veterinary Institute in Vienna, Lechner published the rotation theory to explain the changes in shape of the hoof during movement. It sparked an intense scientific discourse, as the expansion theory of Leisering and Hartmann had been considered unassailable for twenty years. The proponents were few and the rotation theory could not establish itself. In recent times, the rotation theory for hoof mechanics has been largely confirmed by computer simulation using finite element modelling. Lechner remained committed to his theory and used it to develop the Lechner horseshoe, which he designed to take the new knowledge of hoof mechanics into account. The horseshoe was produced in three sizes and in three variations (riding shoe without studs, known as sidebone shoe; studded riding shoe; and riding shoe with screw studs). After an initial testing phase on riding horses at the Veterinary Institute in Vienna, further testing was conducted after approval by the Imperial War Ministry. The tests did not follow a standardized protocol but were undertaken at the discretion of the various commanders. The results showed that the Lechner shoe performed well and it was widely adopted as the standard horseshoe in the Imperial and Royal Army. Lechner later emphasized the importance of this type of horseshoe for the success of the Imperial and Royal Army, although the issue of hoof shoeing was of secondary importance in military equestrian affairs.
Idiopathic aplastic pancytopenia is a rare bone marrow disorder characterized by pancytopenia with bone marrow hypoplasia and the replacement of hematopoietic cells in the bone marrow by adipose tissue. Although the condition is classified as idiopathic, it is thought to have an immune-mediated cause and immunosuppressive therapy is recommended. The literature contains few cases, most of which were treated only with steroids and led to death. This case report describes a 1.5-year-old unspayed female American Pit Bull Terrier presented with acute lethargy. Severe pancytopenia was diagnosed and a bone marrow biopsy revealed aplasia with low cellularity and mostly stromal cells. Treatment with prednisolone 2 mg/kg was initiated, leading to improvement in the overall clinical condition and pancytopenia. Prednisolone was tapered over four months and follow-up clinical and hematological evaluations after six months showed a stable remission.
