To investigate the prevalence of edema disease (ED) in Taiwan, fecal samples were collected from nursery and finishing pigs across six counties with the highest pig populations. The fecal samples were cultured in enrichment medium, and the virulence genes and serotypes of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) were analyzed using a PCR assay. Among the positive farms, the prevalence rates of stx1, stx2, and eae genes in nursery and finishing pigs were 0%, 88.9% (40/45), and 97.8% (44/45), respectively. A significantly higher prevalence of stx2 was observed in nursery pigs fed self-formulated feed compared to those fed commercial feed (p Γ 0.01). High crude protein (CP) levels in feed may contribute to indigestion and malabsorption, increasing the risk of compromised intestinal health. Excess dietary protein can alter the gut microbial community by reducing beneficial bacteria and promoting pathogenic bacterial proliferation. Notably, serogroup O8 (86.6%) was the most prevalent among STEC strains, followed by O91 (64.4%) and O174 (60.0%). Both O8 and O91 have been previously isolated from human patients. Our findings indicate that STEC is widespread in Taiwanese pig farms and that inappropriate CP formulations in feed may increase the prevalence of ED in nursery pigs. Additionally, some STEC serogroups associated with human infections pose a critical public health concern.
An 11-year-old unneutered male Corgi dog was referred to the Animal Teaching Hospital of National Chiayi University for surgical treatment of the recurrence of an eyelid tumor. The patient continued to scratch the affected area, causing severe damage to the surface of the mass and plenty of bloody fluid and was unwilling to cooperate with physical examination. Through fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology under anesthesia, the patient was diagnosed with a malignant spindle cell tumor. Since the tumor had expanded to two-thirds of the upper eyelid and adhered the bulbar conjunctive and the cornea, the veterinarian suggested surgical removal of eyelid mass and enucleation. During surgery, the mass was first freed from the ocular surface and excised along a 1-cm margin, followed by transpalpebral enucleation. Histopathological and immunochemical staining was positive for vimentin and [Formula: see text]-SMA and negative for desmin, CD31, S100 and Melan-A. Therefore, the tumor was identified as leiomyosarcoma (LMS) of the eyelid. After surgery, the dog received metronomic chemotherapy for 30 days. At the 10.5-month follow-up, no sign of recurrence was noted. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first case report of LMS of the eyelid in canine.
Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of intravenous constant rate infusion (CRI) of three different doses of a Ketamine–Xylazine (KX) combination in maintaining anesthesia and to explore its application in end-to-end intestinal anastomosis in rabbits. Study design: Prospective, randomized, blinded trial. Animals: Seventeen healthy female New Zealand white rabbits weighing 3.2 ± 0.1[Formula: see text]kg. Methods: Seven rabbits were induced anesthesia via intramuscular administration of a KX admixture (32.5[Formula: see text]mg kg[Formula: see text] + 6.5[Formula: see text]mg kg[Formula: see text]; 1× KX). A catheter was placed in the lateral ear vein within 10[Formula: see text]min of anesthesia induction. Each rabbit received all treatments in a random order for anesthesia maintenance through intravenous CRI of 0.5 ×, 0.75 × and 1 × doses of KX. The calculated dose of KX was diluted in 0.85% saline to a total volume of 40[Formula: see text]mL and administered over a 2[Formula: see text]h period. Cardiorespiratory parameters and anesthetic depth were recorded every 5[Formula: see text]min during this period. The 0.5 × KX regimen was further evaluated in other 10 rabbits undergoing end-to-end intestinal anastomosis. Results: After intramuscular anesthesia induction by 1 × KX, heart rate, respiratory rate and SpO2 (peripheral oxygen saturation) all decreased significantly ([Formula: see text]). During the 2[Formula: see text]h CRI period, all three KX regimens maintained physiological parameters within acceptable ranges, except SpO2. SpO2 did not exceed 90% until 60, 45 and 120 min in the 0.5 ×, 0.75 × and 1 × groups, respectively. All groups maintained a surgical depth of anesthesia effectively during the 2[Formula: see text]h CRI period. Ten surgical procedures were performed using the 0.5 × dose of KX maintained anesthesia for 125 ± 16[Formula: see text]min, and only one rabbit needed an additional dose at 104[Formula: see text]min. Conclusions and clinical relevance: Intravenous CRI of the KX combination appears to be an alternative approach for maintaining anesthesia in rabbits. Also, oxygen supplementation is required to improve hypoxemia during the anesthesia period.
Cytotoxic drugs do not contain preservatives; therefore, they are intended for single-use or disposal on the same day in human medicine. It may lead to medication wastage, increased treatment costs, and environmental pollution in veterinary medicine because veterinary patients are usually much smaller than humans. Mitoxantrone is an expensive anthracycline cytotoxic drug widely used in medical oncology. According to the literature, mitoxantrone can be stored at [Formula: see text]C for up to one year after opening, but it may not be a convenient option for clinical storage. Therefore, we used four different canine tumor cell lines: B-cell lymphoma (CLBL-1), T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia (UL-1), mammary gland tumor (CMT-1), and osteosarcoma (D17) to evaluate the efficacy of mitoxantrone with different storage time. Three parallel experiments of mitoxantrone efficacy testing were conducted for each cell line at weeks 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, and 12. After opening, mitoxantrone was stored in the dark at [Formula: see text]C. Drug aspiration and handling were performed under aseptic conditions. The results showed no significant differences in antineoplastic efficacy between different time points in four cell lines ([Formula: see text] 0.42, 0.16, 0.12, and 0.10, respectively). In conclusion, mitoxantrone maintains its effectiveness on all cell lines for up to three months, allowing for a longer shelf life in practical applications.
Although most surgical techniques, such as the treatment of abdominal displacement, cesarean section, ruminal bloating and obstetrical complications, have been effectively performed, insufficient equipment to manage surgical conditions in Taiwan’s wild animals and ruminants poses significant challenges. Vaginal prolapse is often regarded as an emergency. The limited literature on performing successful vaginal prolapse surgery without adequate equipment makes the procedure particularly challenging in wild environments, especially in Formosan sika deer. This paper presents a modified surgical technique for successfully managing vaginal prolapse in a hind, using an 18G needle instead of the traditional straight, Buhner or S needles to perform the Minchev pexy surgery.
