Journal of the South African Veterinary Association最新文献

Few reports of clinical Bluetongue virus (BTV) infections have been described in dogs. Most cases were linked to inoculation with a BTV-contaminated canine modified live vaccine. In dogs, cases have only been described in pregnant females with clinical signs of fever and abortion followed by severe dyspnoea and death. A pregnant Rottweiler dog was presented with a three-day history of progressive lethargy and anorexia. The patient was a guard dog living in an enclosure where sheep were kept at night. High mortalities had been experienced in the sheep but had not been investigated. On presentation, the major clinical findings were dyspnoea and hypoxia. Clinicopathological tests showed hypoxia and systemic inflammation. Radiological findings were consistent with non-cardiogenic pulmonary oedema. The patient was treated symptomatically and recovered but did not retain the pregnancy. Bluetongue virus was identified in the patient's blood using BTV RT-PCR (Ct value 24.7). At a follow-up farm visit, an ongoing BTV outbreak in the sheep was diagnosed with affected sheep testing positive for BTV on RT-PCR. This report describes the clinical presentation, diagnostic investigations and successful treatment of a dog with BTV infection. This is the first case report of a naturally occurring clinical BTV infection in a dog. Possible routes of infection were direct contact, midgeborne, or ingestion of infected afterbirth or abortus from sheep.

Abstract: The study compared immobilisation of blesbok (Damaliscus pygargus phillipsi) with etorphine and azaperone vs etorphine and midazolam. Twelve female blesbok, weighing 59.4 ± 2.8 kg, were used. Each animal randomly received Treatment 1 (T1) (etorphine, 0.07 ± 0.003 mg/kg + azaperone, 0.36 ± 0.02 mg/kg) and Treatment 2 (T2) (etorphine, 0.07 ± 0.003 mg/kg + midazolam, 0.20 ± 0.01 mg/kg) with a one-week washout period between treatments. Induction times were recorded followed by physiological monitoring for 45 minutes of immobilisation. Immobilisation was reversed with naltrexone (20 mg per mg etorphine). Recovery times were also recorded. Induction, immobilisation and recovery were scored with subjective measures. Inductions and recoveries did not differ between combinations, but the quality of immobilisation was significantly better with T1. Rectal temperature and blood pressure were significantly lower during T1. Both treatments resulted in severe hypoxaemia and impaired gas exchange, although overall hypoxaemia was more pronounced for T1. Animals treated with T2, however, exhibited a deterioration in respiration as the monitoring period progressed, possibly as a result of impaired ventilatory muscle function due to the effects of midazolam. Both combinations are suitable for adequate immobilisation of blesbok and should be selected based on the specific capture situation. Supplementation with oxygen is highly recommended.

Abstract: The immobilisation time and cardiopulmonary effects of ketamine-medetomidine (KM) and tiletamine-zolazepam-medetomidine (TZM) were compared in semi-captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus). Seven healthy adult cheetahs were included in a randomised prospective crossover study. Each cheetah was immobilised on two occasions by remote injection, once with a combination of ketamine (4.93 ± 0.75 mg/kg) and medetomidine (0.038 ± 0.003 mg/kg) (KM) and once with tiletamine-zolazepam (1.16 ± 0.12 mg/kg) and medetomidine (0.039 ± 0.002 mg/kg) (TZM). Time to safe approach, characterised by absent responses to an ear flick and tail tug, was recorded as the immobilisation time. Following immobilisation, cardiopulmonary parameters were recorded, and an arterial blood gas sample analysed. Data is reported as mean ± SD and compared using a general linear mixed model (p < 0.05). Immobilisation times were no different between combinations, 11.4 ± 5.7 minutes for KM and 13.2 ± 4.6 minutes for TZM (p = 0.528). Systolic blood pressure was 218 ± 22 mmHg for KM and 210 ± 28 mmHg for TZM (p = 0.594). There was moderate hypoxaemia with both combinations with arterial oxygen partial pressure of 58.4 ± 6.6 mmHg for KM and 61.3 ± 4.2 mmHg for TZM (p = 0.368). Haematocrit was higher with KM (40.7 ± 2.5) than TZM (35.8 ± 2.8, p = 0.007). There were differences in electrolytes, with TZM resulting in higher serum potassium (4.3 ± 0.2 mmol/L, p < 0.001) and glucose (11.8 ± 2.9 mmol/L, p = 0.039) than KM. Both combinations provided acceptable immobilisation for field use, although severe hypertension was a consistent finding. Supplementation with oxygen is recommended with both combinations.

Abstract: Nemaline myopathy - a clinically and genetically complex heterogenous group of disorders - is described uncommonly in humans and rarely in animals, and is characterised by progressive muscle weakness. The diagnosis is confirmed by histological and/or ultrastructural identification of subsarcolemmal, thread-like, rod-shaped structures called nemaline rod bodies within more than 40% of skeletal muscle fibres. These rods contain the Z-line protein, α-actinin, that can be effectively stained in skeletal muscles using Gomori or Masson trichrome and negatively stained with periodic acid-Schiff. Similar rod-like bodies have been found in smaller numbers in dogs with endocrine disorders and occasionally in other conditions in humans. This report is of a six-monthold Pomeranian dog which had progressive exercise intolerance over a two-month period associated with severe disuse muscle atrophy of the thoracic limbs, as well as gradual pelvic limb weakness and regurgitation of food. Baseline diagnostics ruled out endocrinopathies and after histological and ultrastructural evaluation of thoracic limb muscles and nerve biopsies confirmed nemaline myopathy. The clinical course, diagnostic test results, ultrastructure of skeletal muscle and peripheral nerve, gross necropsy findings and histopathology using various stains are described and illustrated.

Abstract: A six-year-old intact male Southern African hedgehog (Atelerix frontalis) presented with a history of chronic mild to moderate weight loss, and sub-acute hind limb ataxia that progressed to complete paralysis, at which point the hedgehog was euthanised. At autopsy, a large multinodular pale mass had completely replaced the left testicle and transcoelomically metastasised to the diaphragm and the peri-renal area, from where it then invaded the vertebral column and spinal cord. Multifocal, irregular to round, well-demarcated, blood-filled, proliferative lesions were also present in the hepatic parenchyma. Histological analysis of both the testis and metastatic lesions revealed diffuse sheets of neoplastic cells with moderate pale cytoplasm, large irregular to round nuclei and mostly one prominent magenta nucleolus, consistent with metastatic seminoma. The neoplastic cells were negative for periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain and positive for CD117 by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Taken together with the morphology of the neoplastic cells and the advanced age of the animal, this is suggestive of a spermatocytic seminoma. Histological analysis of the liver revealed multifocal lesions consisting of large anastomosing blood-filled spaces bordered by compressed hepatocytes, consistent with hepatic peliosis. This is the first report of a neoplasm in the Southern African hedgehog (Atelerix frontalis), the first report of a metastatic seminoma in a hedgehog, together with diagnosis of spermatocytic subtype, and the first report of a hedgehog with concomitant hepatic peliosis.

Abstract: Canine parvovirus (CPV) is a common cause of enteritis, immune suppression and systemic inflammation in young dogs. Endothelial markers, such as intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), and molecules that upregulate their expression, such as high mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB-1), provide insight into the state of the endothelium during inflammation. This study aimed to determine if circulating concentrations of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and HMGB-1 were altered in CPV enteritis compared to healthy controls, and whether a correlation existed between these molecules and the degree of inflammation. Thirty dogs with naturally occurring CPV enteritis and ten control dogs were included. Physical examinations, complete blood count and C-reactive protein (CRP) measurements were performed on all dogs at presentation. The concentrations of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and HMGB-1 were measured using commercially available canine-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. In dogs with CPV enteritis, ICAM-1 concentrations were significantly lower (median: 5.9 [IQR: 4.3-8.3]) and CRP higher (134 [IQR: 85-195]) compared to controls (8.0 [IQR: 6.9-10.3], p = 0.008; 1 [IQR: 0-7], p < 0.001). No significant difference was found for VCAM- 1 and HMGB-1. A strong correlation was identified between VCAM-1 and segmented neutrophil count (r = 0.612, p < 0.001). Despite the presence of systemic inflammation in CPV enteritis, evidenced by high CRP concentrations, our results suggest circulating concentrations of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and HMGB-1 failed to show an increase. Endothelial activation with subsequent leukocyte adhesion and transmigration through the endothelium may be affected in CPV enteritis and these findings require further investigation.