Veterinary Quarterly最新文献

RNA-containing coronaviruses are widespread in nature and can infect a number of vertebrates. Animals are potential sources of human coronaviruses diseases, and interspecies infection by animal coronaviruses has been recorded several times. Such a transmission may have caused the COVID-19 pandemic. The study and control of the spread of farm animals' coronavirus infections is very important, due to the constant close contact between humans and farm animals. Vaccination remains the key to preventing animal diseases and limiting the further spread and transmission of coronavirus infections among poultry and livestock. This review considers coronavirus infections in farm animals, which pose a serious challenge to animal husbandry, and their zoonotic potential and epidemiological features. The review also discusses current vaccines and their limitations, as well as the latest developments and trends in veterinary vaccines aimed at preventing coronavirus infections in poultry and livestock.

The Canine Inflammatory Bowel Disease Activity Index (CIBDAI) and Canine Chronic Enteropathy Clinical Activity Index (CCECAI) are key tools for monitoring chronic enteropathies (CE) in dogs. Despite their widespread use, concerns persist regarding their intra-observer repeatability and inter-observer reproducibility, which may impact clinical and research applications. This study evaluated the reliability of these indices through a two-phase approach using anonymized clinical records. In Phase 1, two observers independently scored 41 consultation forms twice, one month apart, to assess repeatability and reproducibility. Phase 2 involved four observers with varying expertise who scored 59 forms using a standardized guide addressing Phase 1 inconsistencies. Statistical methods included Lin's concordance correlation coefficient and Bland-Altman plots. High intra-observer repeatability was observed for most variables, but inter-observer reproducibility was limited for CIBDAI, CCECAI, and fluctuating parameters like stool consistency and defecation frequency. The standardized guide marginally improved consistency but did not resolve discrepancies. Expert evaluators did not consistently outperform non-experts. Reproducibility declined in more clinically severe cases. These findings highlight the need for standardized training, dynamic scoring systems, and digital tools to enhance reliability. Addressing these limitations is critical to improve clinical decision-making and research outcomes in canine CE.

Primary pulmonary lung cancer is rare in dogs, and clinicians increasingly rely on advanced imaging for diagnosis and treatment planning. However, manual lesion segmentation can be time-consuming and subject to operator variability. This retrospective study compiled a multicenter dataset of canine CT scans containing at least one pulmonary mass measuring more than 2 cm. Data were collected from two university veterinary hospitals and a teleradiology service, encompassing varying acquisition protocols and scanner types. Lesions were manually segmented to create ground truth masks, and an AI model was trained and evaluated using the nnUNet v2 framework with a 5-fold cross-validation approach. Performance on a separate test set of 30 scans was quantified using the Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) and Average Symmetric Surface Distance (ASSD). The databse was made of 217 cases. The training/validation set comprised 187 cases. The model's segmentation accuracy was tested on 30 cases. The trained model had a high segmentation accuracy on the test set, with a mean DSC of 0.91 and an ASSD of 1.88 mm. The model had high performance on homogeneous, well-defined masses, whereas the presence of intralesional mineralisation or pleural effusion had a negative impact on the model's performance.

Macrophages play key roles in tissue homeostasis and regeneration-associated inflammation. Unlike humans, a reliable protocol to obtain and polarise equine monocyte-derived macrophages is lacking. In this study the polarisation of equine macrophages, derived from CD172a⁺ peripheral blood monocytes is described. After differentiation, IFN-γ/LPS or IL-4 were used to induce pro- and anti-inflammatory phenotypes, respectively. Evaluation criteria included morphology, mRNA (RT-qPCR) and protein expression (flow cytometry, immunofluorescence), nitric oxide and arginase production, cytokine secretion (multiplex), and functional effects of conditioned medium (CM). IFN-γ/LPS-stimulated cells exhibited a rounded morphology with cytoplasmic extensions, while IL-4 stimulation induced spindle-shaped and multinucleated giant cells. IFN-γ/LPS upregulated CXCL8, CD86, IL10 and TGFB1 mRNA, whereas IL-4 upregulated CXCL8, MRC1 and TGFB1. Polarisation was confirmed with IFN-γ/LPS-stimulated macrophages expressing CD86 and secreting TNFα and IL-1β, while IL-4-stimulation increased CD206 positivity and VEGFα expression. Increased proliferation and altered mRNA expression in tendon cells treated with 50% CM further validate the functional impact of macrophage polarisation. In summary, a robust protocol to obtain equine macrophages was developed, followed by in-depth characterization of their pro- and anti-inflammatory polarisation. Given the horse's increasing relevance as large animal model, this research holds both a strong species-specific and translational value.

Bluetongue (BT), caused by the Bluetongue virus (BTV), is a vector-borne disease that primarily affects domestic and wild ruminants and is recognized globally for its significant impact on animal health, livestock productivity, and the economy. While traditionally considered as a disease confined to ruminants, recent evidence reveals that BTV has a broader host range, expanding to atypical species, including carnivores. This review consolidates current knowledge on natural and experimental BTV infection in atypical hosts, with particular emphasis on carnivores. The occurrence of acute or subacute infections, together with the detection of BTV-specific antibodies and viral RNA in carnivores such as dogs and lynx, points to a broader ecological interface. Expanding our understanding of BTV infection beyond classical ruminant hosts is essential for refining surveillance and control strategies, and for anticipating shifts in disease ecology under changing environmental and epidemiological conditions.

Pigeon coccidiosis caused by Eimeria spp. is an important veterinary disease with a significant economic impact on the pigeon industry. Preventive measures for Eimeria columbarum in pigeons have been hampered by the lack of extensive genetic, morphological, and biological data on the oocysts. In this study, we examined the prevalence and identity of Eimeria spp. in domestic pigeons from seven cities in Guangdong Province, China. Data show that coccidiosis was prevalent in domestic pigeons in Guangdong Province, with an overall Eimeria spp. detection rate of 73.4%. Five Eimeria species were identified, including E. columbarum (73.4%), Eimeria kapotei (25.6%), Eimeria labbeana (19.6%), Eimeria duculai (19.6%), and Eimeria tropicalis (6.7%). We obtained single oocyst-derived lines of the dominant E. columbarum from fecal specimens. E. columbarum oocysts measured 20.06 ± 0.69 μm × 18.63 ± 1.03 μm, and sporocysts measured 10.29 ± 0.82 μm × 85.38 ± 0.46 μm. In infection experiment using obtained E. columbarum isolates, 60-day-old coccidia-free pigeons exhibited a prepatent period of 105 h and patent period of 9-10 days followed by severe diarrhea, depression, anorexia, and emaciation. Endogenous development of the parasite was observed mainly in the cytoplasm of epithelial cells in the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and rectum. Two generations of meronts developed on days 3 and 4 after infection, respectively, while gamont and gamete developed on day 5 after infection. The morphological, genetic, and biological data are expected to be useful in elucidating the biological characterization of pigeon coccidiosis to develop measures against the treatment and containment of this disease.

Hair cortisol concentration (HCC) and a questionnaire were used as indicators of chronic stress status and quality of life (QoL), respectively, in cats. To date, there has been limited research on the simultaneous application of both indicators in unwell cats. Our aim was to evaluate HCC and questionnaire data obtained from a healthy cat cohort (n = 61) and cat cohorts with either chronic kidney disease (CKD) (n = 78) or suspected feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) (n = 24). Furthermore, we also investigated the correlation between HCC and clinical pathological data. For this study, hair from the abdomen of cats was collected and analyzed for HCC using a commercial ELISA kit. Owners also completed a questionnaire, from which average-item-weighted-impact-scores (AWISs) were calculated. Cats with late-stage-CKD (median, HCC = 330.15 pg/mg, AWIS = -0.43) presented with a significantly higher HCC (p < 0.01) and a significantly lower AWIS (p < 0.01) than cats with early-stage-CKD (HCC = 183.56 pg/mg, AWIS = 1.08). Similarly, there were significant differences in both HCC (p < 0.001) and AWIS (p < 0.001) between cats with suspected FIP (HCC = 896.27 pg/mg, AWIS = -1.97) and healthy cats (HCC = 181.24 pg/mg, AWIS = 1.24). The degree of consistency between the HCC results and the questionnaire results reminds us that the severity of a chronic disease or the presence of a life-threatening disease can significantly increase stress and thus can affect the QoL of cats.

Pancreatic alpha amylase (P-AMY) is used as a biomarker of acute pancreatitis (AP) in human medicine. To our knowledge, there are no studies evaluating the usefulness of P-AMY in dogs with AP. In this study, we evaluated the diagnostic value of P-AMY, currently not verified in veterinary medicine. The AP group (n = 40) consisted of dogs with AP diagnosed using clinical signs and laboratory examinations, including abnormal canine pancreatic lipase (cPL) concentration, and compatible abdominal ultrasound examination at first presentation. Evaluation of the canine AP severity (CAPS) score was performed. The control group (n = 38) was composed of normal dogs without any abnormalities in clinical findings, blood exams or diagnostic imaging. The correlation of P-AMY with cPL was confirmed by Pearson's correlation analysis (r = 0.564, p < .001). The sensitivity and specificity for the most appropriate cut-off values of P-AMY were recorded similar to the values of DGGR. The dogs with AP and CAPS ≥11 had significantly higher serum P-AMY (p = .016) contrary to DGGR lipase and cPL. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in the median P-AMY dependent on the presence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (p = .001). P-AMY showed similar level of diagnostic accuracy along with sensitivity and specificity compared to DGGR lipase. In addition, P-AMY showed a significant association with CAPS score, contrary to cPL and DGGR lipase. Along with other biomarkers associated with AP, P-AMY has the potential of usefulness as a supportive diagnostic and prognostic biomarker of AP in dogs.

Animal industry seeks cost-effective solutions to enhance performance and health of domestic animals. This study investigated the effects of supplementing Bacillus spp. probiotics and xylanase on 2000 one-day-old Japanese quails, randomly assigned to four treatment groups (10 replicates). The control group received no supplementation, while the others were supplemented with a Bacillus-based probiotic at 7.5 × 10⁷ cfu/kg of feed, xylanase enzyme (2,000 U/kg) alone or in combination. Quails receiving both probiotic and enzyme exhibited significantly (p < 0.01) higher weekly and overall weight gain, and lower feed conversion ratios compared to the control group. Dressing percentage was higher (p < 0.01), and mortality lower in birds supplemented with a combination of enzyme and probiotic. Antibody titres against infectious bronchitis and infectious bursal disease were significantly (p < 0.01) higher in quails receiving combined probiotic and enzyme supplementation, while titres against Newcastle disease virus were higher (p < 0.01) in groups supplemented with probiotic and enzyme individually or in combination. Additionally, digestibility was significantly (p < 0.01) higher in groups receiving combined enzyme and probiotic supplementation, with higher apparent metabolizable energy compared to the control. The populations of beneficial Lactobacillus increased, while harmful E. coli and Salmonella decreased significantly in quails supplemented with both probiotic and enzyme. In conclusion, supplementing xylanase enzyme and probiotic together in Japanese quails positively influenced growth, nutrient digestibility, immune response, and cecal microbiota.

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is an annual plant belonging to the family of Cannabaceae with several varieties characterized by different fatty acid profile, content in flavonoids, polyphenols, and cannabinoid compounds. Hemp is mostly used in livestock nutrition as oil or as protein cake, but not as inflorescences. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary hemp inflorescences on milk yield and composition in grazing dairy goats. Twenty Camosciata delle Alpi goats at their 3rd parity and with a mean body weight of 45.2 ± 2.0 kg, immediately after kidding, were equally allocated into two groups (G: Grazing and GH: grazing and hemp). For three months, all goats were fed on a permanent pasture and received 700/head/day of concentrate; diet of group GH was supplemented with 20 g/head/day of hemp inflorescences. Goats' body weight did not change during the trial. Individual milk yield was daily recorded and samples collected every 20 days for chemical composition and fatty acid profile analysis. No significant differences were found for milk yield and chemical composition. Caproic (C6:0) (1.80 vs. 1.74%; p < 0.01) and lauric acids (C12:0) were significantly higher in milk of group GH (4.83 vs. 4.32%; p < 0.01) as well as linoleic (C18:2) (2.04 vs. 1.93%; p < 0.05), adrenic acid (C22:4) (0.046 vs. 0.031%, p < 0.05), omega-6/omega-3 ratio (3.17 vs. 2.93, p < 0.05) and total conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) (0.435 vs. 0.417%; p < 0.01). The results of this study suggest that the supplementation of grazing goats' diet with hemp inflorescences may enhance the milk nutritional characteristics by increasing its content of CLAs and other beneficial fatty acids.