Schweizer Archiv fur Tierheilkunde最新文献

Introduction: Semi-feral, free-roaming Konik polski horses are used in some European countries for preserving semi-open pasture landscapes. The estimation of their health status is still limited by insufficient data on various blood parameters. Therefore, our study aimed at the sex- and age-dependent analysis of haemogram and selected biochemistry parameters in healthy, semi-feral Koniks. In order to reach this aim, we took blood samples from 53 female and 18 male (8 uncastrated, 10 castrated) Koniks living in two Middle German nature reserves. They were of different age (9-266 months) and without signs of illness. Blood samples were analysed by an accredited laboratory. We identified age- but not sex-dependent changes in the white blood cell count (WBC). Higher age mainly caused a decrease in lymphocytes. Therefore, WBC correlated negatively and granulocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio positively with increasing age. Serum values of selected biochemical parameters did not depend on age but showed some sex-related differences. In this regard, serum total protein, triglyceride and the enzymatic activities of alkaline phosphatase, aspartate transaminase and g-glutamyltransferase were higher in males than females. However, the sex dependency of these enzymatic activities was restricted to uncastrated males. They also showed higher serum values for calcium and selenium than castrated males or all females. As far as the respective group sizes permitted, we then calculated age- or sex-dependent reference interval values for all parameters analysed. These values improve now the estimation of the health status of semi-feral, free-roaming Konik horses and provide a stable basis for future studies.

Introduction: A retrospective data analysis was performed on 17 eyes from 13 horses which underwent a sub-Tenon's injection to facilitate phacoemulsification or pars plana vitrectomy under general anesthesia between 2018 and 2022. All procedures were performed by the same veterinary ophthalmologist. Seven eyes received a sub-Tenon's dose of 7 ml lidocaine (XylocainÒ, 2 % lidocaine hydrochloride, Germany, Aspen Germany GmbH), and 10 eyes received 7 ml mepivacaine (MepinaestÒ purum 2 %, mepivacaine hydrochloride, Switzerland, Gebro Pharma GmbH). Statistical analysis compared onset and duration of globe centralization and pupil mydriasis between the two groups. Intraoperative and postoperative complications were also assessed. Mepivacaine had a significantly later onset of action regarding globe centration and mydriasis (8,9 minutes vs. 6 minutes), but also a significantly longer duration of globe centration than lidocaine (31,5 minutes vs. 15,6 minutes). There were no statistically relevant differences between solutions regarding duration of pupil dilation (40,4 minutes for 2 % lidocaine vs. 69,2 minutes for 2 % mepivacaine). Chemosis occurred in all 17 eyes. Surgical complications included corneal epithelial defects (5), retinal detachment (5), lens opacification (5), temporary blindness during recovery (3) and glaucoma (2). Sub-Tenon's anesthesia is a feasible alternative to systemic neuromuscular blockade and retrobulbar block anesthesia for surgical procedures on the equine globe. A controlled prospective in vivo study is needed to further evaluate effects and risks.

Introduction: Recently, a new hereditary disease, bovine lymphocyte intestinal retention defect (BLIRD), was discovered in Holstein cattle in France and is caused by a variant in the Integrin subunit beta 7 (ITGB7) gene. The altered cell adhesion molecule resulting from this point mutation is responsible for an impaired tissue of CD4 T lymphocytes from the blood to intestinal tissue. The aim of this study was to assess the allelic frequency of this deleterious variant in the local Holstein population and to clinically examine ten BLIRD-affected Holstein cattle from Switzerland in order to characterise the phenotype of this new hereditary disease, which is still unknown to the veterinary community. BLIRD was associated with severely impaired animal health in the rearing phase and significantly reduced animal welfare due to weakened immune defences, below-average development and recurrent diarrhoea. Further examinations revealed increased leucocyte values and a slightly increased average age at first calving. Affected homozygous animals are labelled internationally as BLIRD-carrier homozygous (LRS), BLIRD-carrier heterozygous (LRC) and BLIRD-free (LRF). An obvious inbreeding practice was clearly demonstrated by the pedigree analysis of the ten animals, which all trace back to the potential founder bull. Herein, BLIRD has been detected and described in Switzerland for the first time. The ITGB7 variant allele has a frequency of 2,1 % in the current Swiss Holstein population, which is below the level of the cholesterol deficiency (CD)-associated apolipoprotein B (APOB) variant allele with a frequency of 3,9 %. Although relatively rare, attention should be paid to the BLIRD genotype when mating in order to exclude further affected animals. In cattle with clinically suspected BLIRD, the diagnosis should be confirmed by genetic testing.

Introduction: The aim of the present study was to determine the views and thoughts of dog owners in Türkiye on animal welfare. The research material consisted of data obtained from face-to-face surveys with 172 randomly selected dog owners. Half of the dog owners (54,7 %) were aware of the concept of animal welfare, and almost two-thirds (61,6 %) organized their dogs' living spaces according to animal welfare principles. Participants most associated the concept of animal welfare with the concept of animal quality of life (47,7 %). Gender (p.

Introduction: Veterinary students suffer from increased psychological stress compared to the general public and are increasingly affected by manifest mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety disorders, as well as an increased prevalence of suicidal thoughts. Additionally, veterinary students tend to ignore signs of mental distress and do not seek support for their mental health issues. This impaired mental health is also evident in fully trained veterinarians, who, among other things, have the highest suicide rates of all medical professions. In our survey, we examined a total of 428 veterinary students at the two veterinary faculties of the Universities of Zurich and Bern. The survey was carried out across all six years of the curriculum as a cross-sectional survey using standardized questionnaires on resilience, sense of coherence and depression. In all years, the students showed increased levels of depression compared to the general public, and the salutogenic parameters of resilience and sense of coherence were also reduced. The constellation with increased depression, reduced resilience and reduced sense of coherence was particularly accentuated in the second and third year. The increased affective stress on students presents itself as a consistent condition, which - if you look at studies on fully trained veterinarians - continues into their working life together with a reduced ability to cope. The low number of participants in the higher years of study and the high number of female study participants could limit the generalizability of the results. In addition, the data was collected in spring 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have influenced the results. Active counteracting, for example by integrating the teaching of protective behavior such as mindful self-compassion and resource-oriented behavior such as mind-body techniques, therefore appears to be recommended in the veterinary training curriculum from the first semester onwards. Various measures to support students have been introduced since 2021, such as events on learning strategies, a mentoring system and seminars on mental health.

Introduction: The novel Porcine circovirus 3 (PCV-3) has been associated in the past years to different porcine diseases, including reproductive failure. The potential occurrence of PCV-3 in abortions from Swiss pig herds has not been investigated so far. Thus, we conducted a retrospective study on pig aborted cases submitted to our laboratory in the University of Bern during the last 10 years with the main aim of investigating the possible presence of PCV-3 in foetal and/or placental tissue. Twelve out of the 53 studied cases showed mild histopathological changes as previously described in PCV-3 positive cases. However, in none of the cases, PCV-3 genetic material could be detected in the examined formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues. In only one third of the cases, a cause for the abortion was found, which is similar to other studies. Our survey suggests that PCV-3 was not involved in the porcine abortion cases submitted over the last decade at our institution in Switzerland.

Introduction: Pigs without intestinal receptors for F4 fimbriae are congenitally resistant to F4 fimbriae-bearing enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC F4). In general, 50 % and 100 % of piglets born to resistant (RR) sows crossed with hetero- or homozygous susceptible (SR, SS) boars, respectively, are susceptible but do not receive colostral antibodies against F4 fimbriae unless the sows have been vaccinated. The question arises as to whether resistant sows produce protective amounts of F4 antifimbrial antibodies after vaccination. The serum and colostrum antibody titres of 12 resistant and 12 susceptible vaccinated gilts were compared. The effect of the receptor status of the dam and sire on the preweaning performance of 5027 piglets was evaluated using Agroscope's recordings. The sows of the experimental herd, where ETEC F4 was circulating, were vaccinated against ETEC twice during the first pregnancy and once during each following pregnancy. The log2 transformed F4 antibody titres in the serum obtained after the second vaccine injection as well as in the colostrum of the 12 resistant animals were lower than the titres of the susceptible animals (serum: F4ab 11,19 ± 1,44 vs. 12,18 ± 1,33, P = 0,096; F4ac 10,03 ± 1,58 vs. 11,59 ± 1,43, P = 0,019; colostrum: F4ab 12,20 ± 2,41 vs. 14,02 ± 1,31, P = 0,033; F4ac 10,93 ± 2,46 vs. 13,03 ± 5,21, P = 0,006). The heat labile enterotoxin (LT) antibody titres after vaccination did not differ between susceptible and resistant animals (p > 0,10). Preweaning mortality in the offspring of RR sows × SS boars was slightly lower than in the offspring of SS sows × RR boars (P = 0,04), suggesting that the disease risk of susceptible piglets born to vaccinated resistant sows was not increased, even though they received colostrum with a slightly reduced content of antibody against F4 fimbriae.

Introduction: Essential oils are secondary metabolites of aromatic plants and are used in phytotherapy to treat various diseases. In the present study, eight selected essential oils - ajwain oil (Trachyspermum ammi L.), fennel oil (Foeniculum vulgare Mill. subsp. vulgare var. vulgare), thyme oil chemotype (ct.) thymol (Thymus vulgaris L.), tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia Cheel.), oregano oil (Origanum vulgare L.), mountain savory oil (Satureja montana L.), lemongrass oil (Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf.) and eucalyptus oil (Eucalyptus globulus Labill.) -were examined for their antibacterial effect against Pasteurella (P.) multocida and Mannheimia (M.) haemolytica isolates from deep nasopharyngeal swab samples of fattening calves using agar diffusion and microdilution. All eight essential oils were effective against the tested isolates. Lemongrass oil proved to be the most potent of all eight essential oils, while fennel oil was only weakly effective. Different antimicrobial effects were observed between the two research methods. The effectiveness of ajwain, thyme, oregano and mountain savory oils was comparable in agar diffusion. However, this could not be reproduced using the microdilution method. P. multocida was found to be more sensitive to all essential oils tested than M. haemolytica. This study shows that the tested essential oils have antimicrobial in-vitro effects on P. multocida and M. haemolytica isolates and that the examination method is associated with the test result.

Introduction: Ovine foot rot is a highly contagious and multifactorial claw disease, caused by Dichelobacter nodosus (D. nodosus) and is the main cause of lameness in sheep. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the prevalence of D. nodosus in western Austria both at animal and farm levels. Real-time PCR was evaluated in comparison with clinical and bacteriological investigations from interdigital foot swabs to detect D. nodosus-infected animals. In addition, the use of pooled four-foot swabs to detect foot rot was determined. In course of the study a total of 3156 sheep from 124 farms were examined for lameness and clinical signs of foot rot. The found flock prevalence of D. nodosus was 30,65 % with bacterial culture showing a sensitivity of 75,0 % and a specificity of 100,0 % (p < 0,001) respectively, compared with PCR. Furthermore, clinical foot rot scores (Ckorr = 0,87; p < 0,001) and lameness scores (Ckorr = 0,71; p < 0,001) highly correlated with the detection of D. nodosus by PCR. The result showed that the clinical examination can be used to identify animals infected with D. nodosus in flocks, but PCR must be used to confirm the diagnosis. D. nodosus could be detected equally well with risk-based pools-of-five samples as with undiluted samples (p < 0,001), suggesting that a pool-of-five samples might be a suitable and cost-effective method for detecting D. nodosus in sheep flocks. This study provides an overview of foot rot in Tyrolean sheep flocks and outlines the possibilities and limitations of the various diagnostic tools for D. nodosus. Further studies to investigate possible influencing factors, including alpine pasturing, management factors and biosecurity predisposing to foot rot are necessary for the design of effective future control programs in alpine regions.