Dtw. Deutsche Tierärztliche Wochenschrift最新文献

Two black and white female German Holstein calves showed malformations of the cerebrum. The first calf exhibited a cystencephaly and the second calf a meningoencephalocele. The animals originated from two different dairy farms. Both calves were sired by two unrelated sires used in artificial insemination. The calf affected by cystencephaly was lacking the corpus callosum which may had been caused the cystencephaly. Exept for a pressure atrophy, the remaining parts of the brain were macroscopically and histologically inconspicious. Histological examination of the cerebrum, brain stem and cerebellum in the second calf did not reveal specific changes. A further finding in the second calf was a unilateral anophthalmia. Both animals were affected by additional defects in the spinal column including brachyuria, duplications and fusions of vertebral bodies and rips as well as malformations of the heart such as ventricular-septal defects. Only mild clinical symptoms could be observed in both calves. The calves were not inbred and further calves affected by the identical anomalies could not be ascertained at the farms where the calves were born. Chromosomal anomalies could not be detected after examination of metaphase spreads using light microscopy.

The expertise on the interpretation of section 11b TierSchG implies a hypertrophy of aggressive behaviour in some bloodlines of Bullterriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, and Pitbull type dogs. This study aimed at finding out whether a hypertrophy of aggressive behaviour occurred in a certain Bullterrier bloodline. Dogs of this line were tested according to the guidelines of the Dangerous Animals Act of Lower Saxony, Germany (GefTVO) enacted on July 5th 2000. The Bullterriers' test results towards humans and environment were compared to those of 415 dogs affected by the legislation (Mittmann, 2002) and those of 70 Golden Retrievers (Johann, 2004) in order to detect possible differences in the occurrence of inadequate or disturbed aggressive behaviour. Of 38 Bullterriers, ten showed no aggressive behaviour towards humans and the environment. 27 dogs displayed visual or acoustic threats at most. Only one dog reacted by "biting or attacking with preceding threatening behaviour". Thus, according to the test guidelines, 37 dogs (97.37%) reacted appropriately in all test situations. Only one dog (2.63%) displayed inadequate agressive behaviour. No indication for inadequate or disturbed aggressive behaviour in this Bullterrier bloodline was found. Furthermore, no significant differences were found when comparing Bullterriers and dogs of the two others studies concerning inadequate or disturbed aggressive towards humans and the environment. On the contrary, throughout the entire study the broad majority of dogs proved to possess excellent social skills as well as the ability to communicate competently and to solve conflicts appropriately.

In the German Reich cruelty to animals was punishable over decades only under anthropozentrical points of view, animal experiments and slaughter without stunning were also settled insufficient. Then at the end of the republic of Weimar initiated by the national socialists slaughter without stunning was forbidden. After the takeover by the national socialists the ban was immediately extended to the hole country, the criminal punishment of cruelty to animals was increased and finally the Reichstierschutzgesetz was enacted--influenced by an ethical way of protection of animals. The societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals were aligned and offences against the law were punished with hard sentences. Protection of animals was particularly promoted by the national socialists on propagandistic purposes and served for the compensation of an increasing degeneration of social values.

A 26-year-old female African elephant (Loxodonta africana) with a history of purulent pododermatitis, recurrent abdominal pain, and severe weight loss died spontaneously after a period of deteriorating disease. The main pathological finding was a severe bilateral pyogranulomatous, partially necrotizing pneumonia with numerous intralesional fungal hyphae. At microbiological examination Aspergillus spp. were isolated. The present case indicates that mycotic pneumonia should to be considered as a differential diagnosis of pulmonary disorders in elephants.

In recent years controversial discussions arose during major animal disease outbreaks in the EU about the ethical soundness of mass culling. In contrast to numerous publications about ethical issues and laboratory animals/animal experiments, literature concerning ethical deliberations in the case of mass culling as a means of outbreak control remain scarce. Veterinarians in charge of decision about and implementation of mass culling actions find themselves in an area of conflict in between the officially required animal disease control policy and a public that is increasingly critical. Those veterinarians are faced with the challenge to defend the relevant decisions against all stakeholders and also themselves. In this context an interdisciplinary workshop was initiated in Switzerland in October 2007 with ethicians and (official) veterinarians from Germany, Switzerland and Austria. With the aim to identify ethical components of animal disease control for official veterinarians, talks and moderated group discussions took place. This article summarizes selected discussion points and conclusions.

The aim of this study was the determination of IgG and IgM concentrations in sera of 15 vital and healthy calves from the day of birth to the 10th day of life using two ELISAs exclusively developed for this purpose. We investigated if and to which extent the sera profiles were correlated with antibody levels in the colostral milk administered, with GGT activity and with total plasma protein content. Due to the assays' high sensitivity, traces of IgG and IgM in calf sera could be determined prior to the first uptake of the foremilk. Throughout the colostrum administration period until the 12th living hour, IgG and IgM levels remarkably increased (P < 0.0001).The correlation between IgG concentrations in sera determined 24 h post natum and the IgG content of the colostrum administered was highly significant (P < 0.001; r = 0.851), while the correlation of seral IgM levels 24 h post natum and the IgM content of the foremilk was significant (P = 0.009; r = 0.651). The sum of the IgG and IgM concentrations in calf serum 24 h post natum was significantly correlated with the neonatal plasma protein level (P = 0.01; r = 0.642). With P = 0.012; r = 0.629 and P = 0.029; r = 0.561 respectively, there was also a significant correlation between the subjects' IgG and IgM concentrations at 24 h post natum and the GGT activity in calf serum. By looking at individual cases, it became evident that the administration of colostrum containing maximum or minimum immunoglobulin concentrations does not necessarily result in the respective sera immunoglobulin concentrations. From these findings, as well as from the fact that numerous subjects displayed their highest IgG and IgM sera concentrations well after the gut closure, we conclude that individually diverse resorption patterns are in place which cannot be characterized by immunoglobulin measurements only. The determination of the total plasma protein content or GGT activity in calf serum at 24 h post natum only give a rough idea about the actual immunoglobulin supply of the calves, since for the individual subject no conclusion could be drawn to the extent of immunoglobulin concentrations.

In this case report pathomorphological findings of acute and chronic stages of fasciolosis are described in a European hare (Lepus europaeus) hunted in NorthWestern Germany. Acute hepatic lesions consisted of coagulation necrosis with haemorrhages and surrounding infiltrations of granulocytes and histiocytes. Subacute to chronic changes were characterized predominantly by pyogranulomatous inflammations with extensive fibrosis. Adult parasites and eggs were detectable.

The present study rates the value of different investigative procedures used to diagnose a congenital hydrocephalus internus of the dog. Six dogs, aged between two and ten months, were presented in our clinic with neurologic signs because of a congenital hydrocephalus internus. After taking a neurologic examination and further diagnostic studies they were euthanized and dissected. The neurologic examination did not help to predict the exact location of the lesion in the brain. Very high amplitudes and low frequencies are the characteristic electroencephalographic pattern of congenital hydrocephalus internus; they occurred in all electroencephalograms (EEGs). Radiologic changes like calvarial enlargement or thinning of the bony walls could be seen only in patients whose brain volumes had increased before the closure of the cranial sutures. The CT images of all dogs showed the dilatations of the cerebral ventricles in their entire size. Examination of the cerebrospinal fluid did not yield uniform findings. Consequently, EEG, conventional diagnostic radiography and computed tomography of the skull are the most important studies for diagnosing a primary hydrocephalus internus. However, the total extent of the lesion can be confirmed only by computed tomography. This is of special interest in case of planning and controlling therapies.

A high ruminal protein degradation is especially undesirable in high producing dairy cows and beef cattle, since these animals have high requirements of protein and the amount of protein that is not degraded by ruminal microorganisms and therefore enters the small intestine (so-called UDP = undegraded protein) is crucial. In this study, Merino rams with ruminal fistulas were used (n = 4) to determine the effect of glucose treatment of soybean meal (SBM), full fat soybean (FFSB) and soybean seed (SBS) on the ruminal degradability of dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP). All these feedstuffs were grinded, diluted with water and heated (2 h; 100 degrees C) either without or with supplementation of 2 or 3% glucose (20 or 30 g glucose per kg dry feed). For the determination of the ruminal degradability nylon bag technique was used (incubation times: 2-48 h). In general ruminal degradability of protein in all three soy products was reduced by glucose treatment. In FFSB CP disappearance started to decrease after 8 h of incubation, whereas in SBM (+ 3% glucose) and SBS (+ 2 or 3% glucose) reduction of CP disappearance were time-independent. Further, effective degradability (Pe) of DM and CP of all feedstuffs were significantly reduced by glucose treatment, with the reduction being more pronounced when the glucose level was increased. When adding 3% of glucose, the Pe for CP was reduced by 6 (FFSB), 16 (SBM) and 18% (SBS), respectively. Explanation for the observed effects of a glucose supplementation (incl. water and heat treatment) is the reductive activity of glucose within these conditions.