Australian Veterinary Journal最新文献

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic utility of C-reactive protein (CRP) in dogs with tick paralysis, focusing on its relationship with thoracic radiographic severity scores (TRSS).

Methods: Twenty client-owned dogs presenting to a veterinary emergency hospital were enrolled. CRP concentrations, TRSS, white blood cell count, red blood cell count, vital signs and oxygenation indices were assessed for up to 72 hours from admission.

Results: Using a CRP cut-off of ≥20 mg/L, sensitivity and specificity estimates for detecting pneumonia were both 0.86 but imprecise (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.49-0.99, 95% CI 0.57-0.98 respectively). CRP was moderately correlated with TRSS (Spearman's ρ = 0.77, 95% CI 0.60-0.88, P < 0.001) and was negatively correlated with heart rate (r = -0.302, 95% CI -0.518 to -0.049, P = 0.02), SpO₂ (r = -0.342, 95% CI -0.550 to -0.094, P = 0.008) and the SpO2/FiO₂ ratio (r = -0.292, 95% CI -0.510 to -0.039, P = 0.025). TRSS was negatively correlated with total WBC count (ρ = -0.382, 95% CI -0.638 to -0.051, P = 0.026). There was no evidence that CRP differs by gait score or respiratory grade after accounting for TRSS. Temporal trends by case showed that CRP increases in parallel with worsening radiographic scores.

Conclusions: CRP is a valuable biomarker for pneumonia in dogs with tick paralysis in conjunction with other clinical indicators of pneumonia.

Infectious diseases significantly impact equine health and welfare, causing illness and death, and loss of productivity globally. One such disease is 'strangles', a highly contagious upper respiratory condition in horses caused by Streptococcus equi subspecies equi (SEE). Diagnostic methods for this pathogen include sensitive molecular assays and less reliable bacterial isolation and biochemical testing. However, the presence of closely related streptococci, such as Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus (SZOO), may confound diagnosis. Rapid assays for SEE are crucial for outbreak control. This study aimed to validate species-specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays for SEE and SZOO using a portable real-time fluorometer performed in a clinical setting and to compare their performance with laboratory-based conventional API20 Strep strip and qPCR assays. Rapid sample processing methods were also evaluated with a range of clinical samples, including nasopharyngeal and guttural pouch lavage, purulent exudate, mucosal swabs and bacterial isolates. The LAMP assays demonstrated an analytical sensitivity of 50 genome copies per reaction and showed high congruence with external diagnostic methods. For SEE, the agreement was 96.55% (Kappa 0.88), while for SZOO, it was 94.87% (Kappa 0.87). When applied to rapidly processed clinical samples, SEE and SZOO LAMPs achieved agreements of 97.01% (Kappa 0.70) and 94.94% (Kappa 0.87), respectively, compared with qPCR assays. Testing in an equine clinical setting revealed a 93.84% agreement between LAMP and qPCR results, and 86.96% between LAMP and API20 Strep assays. This study highlights LAMP assays as effective, rapid diagnostic tools, offering reliable options for clinical settings and enabling appropriate and more timely biosecurity interventions.

Kneipp CC, Marshall D, Westman ME et al. Brucella suis in feral pigs in Australia: what is the risk? Aust Vet J 2025;103:379–387.

In the Acknowledgements section, we would like to include a colleague's contribution and change the text from:

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Lachlan Marshall, Southern Queensland Landscapes, and Brenden Latimer for their assistance with sample collection; Jessica Bourke, Lyndall Stone, and Henry Clutterbuck, District Veterinarians with the NSW Department of Primary Industries, as well as the Hunter, Central West, and Central Tablelands Local Lands Services for their assistance with sample collection and testing. We would also like to thank Monica Suann, from the NSW State Veterinary Laboratory, APHL, for her assistance with sample testing and data management; and Brendan Cowled, AUSVET, and Troy Crittle, NSW Department of Primary Industries, for sharing feral pig distribution data.

to

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Lachlan Marshall, Southern Queensland Landscapes, and Brenden Latimer for their assistance with sample collection; Jessica Bourke, Lyndall Stone, and Henry Clutterbuck, District Veterinarians with the NSW Department of Primary Industries, as well as the Hunter, Central West, and Central Tablelands Local Lands Services for their assistance with sample collection and testing. We would also like to thank Jonathan Lee from the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for collating and sharing the BSL dog data, and Monica Suann from the NSW State Veterinary Laboratory, APHL, for her assistance with sample testing and data management. We are also most grateful to Brendan Cowled, AUSVET, and Troy Crittle, NSW Department of Primary Industries, for sharing feral pig distribution data.

We sincerely apologise for this oversight and for any inconvenience this correction may cause.

Outbreaks of emergency animal diseases such as African swine fever (ASF) and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) are typically managed through regulated control measures, including tracing, surveillance, movement restrictions, culling, disposal and decontamination. However, limited understanding and fragmented data on material flows – such as semen, live animals and meat products – within meat supply chains hinder policymakers' ability to assess the full impact of these measures and to consider these implications in their decision-making. This study aimed to map the material flow within the Australian pork supply chain and to identify the potential socio-economic implications of disease control interventions. Industry experts were engaged to assist in the drafting of a flow chart and to provide descriptions of activities at each segment of the supply chain. Results revealed a highly integrated and complex supply network. These structural and operational features, combined with regulatory movement controls, can lead to significant disruptions, including loss of livestock and breeding capacity, business income and employment, animal welfare risks, psychological stress, reputational damage from mass culling and reduced meat availability for consumers. The findings of this work emphasise the importance of decision-makers being well informed about the effects of supply chain disruptions and the socio-economic consequences of disease control decisions.

Amyloid-producing odontogenic tumor (APOT) is a rare odontogenic neoplasm in cats, characterized by amyloid deposition within the tumor. Surgical resection is commonly recommended, but in cases where complete excision is difficult, radiation therapy may be considered as an alternative treatment. In this case report, a 10-year-old male neutered domestic cat with an APOT of the maxilla was treated with radiation therapy and showed favorable outcomes. The treatment protocol involved a total dose of 42 Gy (Gray) administered over six sessions, with good tumor control, and minimal side effects observed over a 481-day follow-up period. This case suggests that radiation therapy can be an effective treatment option for APOT, particularly in cases where surgical excision is not feasible.

Syringomyelia is a common and heritable disorder in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (CKCS), characterised by fluid accumulation within the spinal cord that may result in pain and neurological dysfunction. The prevalence of syringomyelia in CKCS in Australia has not previously been reported. The goal of this study was to assess the prevalence and severity of syringomyelia in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-screened breeding CKCS in New South Wales, Australia, from 2008 to 2024, and to evaluate changes over time. A secondary goal was to investigate associations between age and coat colour with the prevalence and severity of syringomyelia. A retrospective observational study was conducted on 386 CKCS undergoing voluntary MRI screening. The dogs included in the study had no clinical signs of syringomyelia or Chiari-like malformation. Syringomyelia was defined as fluid accumulation within the spinal cord with a diameter ≥ 1.0 mm. Dogs were graded by severity and grouped by age, coat color and screening period. Statistical analyses included Fisher's exact test, Wilcoxon rank-sum, Kruskal-Wallis and multivariable logistic regression. Syringomyelia was detected in 50.5% of dogs. No significant change in prevalence or severity was observed over the 16-year period. Syringomyelia prevalence increased with age (P < 0.001). Coat colour was associated with both prevalence and severity, with black and tan dogs more severely affected than Blenheim dogs (P = 0.007). Syringomyelia was highly prevalent in Australian CKCS, with no significant improvement over time despite voluntary screening and breeding recommendations. Greater emphasis on MRI screening beyond 3 years of age and stricter breeding practices may be necessary to reduce disease prevalence and severity in the breed.

Geotechnologies, such as Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and remote sensing, are essential for documenting topographic features and analyzing land use. Among them, the GPS (Global Position System)-based sensors have proven highly effective in monitoring livestock, providing high-resolution data on movement patterns. This study tracked two Hispano-Breton mares in the Spanish Pyrenees during summer 2023 using GPS collars. A°C (LiDAR) dataset provided the digital elevation model (DEM), while Sentinel-2 imagery assessed the grazing conditions. All data were integrated within a Geographic Information System (GIS). The study period ranged from 1 July to 28 August 2023. Until 7 August, the mares grazed in a valley area, while from that date on they traveled to high mountain pastures. The mares and their foals traveled a mean distance of 472.99 km, averaging 7.95 ± 2.58 km per day with a mean elevation gain of 561 m daily. Distance traveled increased with elevation gain, likely to mitigate steep slopes. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) analysis revealed that lower valley pastures maintained stable vegetation throughout the season, whereas high mountain pastures became significantly drier in August. These findings suggest that equine grazing patterns are shaped by forage availability, and possibly also by traditional herding practices. Although this study focuses on Hispano-Breton mares in the Spanish Pyrenees, the results provide insights applicable to horses managed in extensive grazing systems worldwide, including wild and feral populations in arid and semi-arid regions such as the Australian outback. Notably, the movement patterns observed in this study more closely resemble those of Australian domestic horses confined to large paddocks than those of feral horses, despite our mares being part of free-range grazing systems. This study highlights the joint value of GPS tracking and remote sensing in understanding equine behavior in mountainous environments, offering insights for sustainable husbandry practices in high-altitude regions.

The growing problem of antimicrobial resistance also affects equine veterinarians with increasing frequency. Antimicrobial stewardship and responsible prescribing are essential for a future in which effective antimicrobials are available, as it is unlikely that new antimicrobials will become available for use in horses. While antimicrobials are commonly used to treat equine infections, complications with therapy are also relatively common. Antimicrobial-associated diarrhoea, immune-mediated diseases, and nephrotoxicity have been reported as sequelae of antimicrobial therapy in equine practice. This does not indicate that clinicians should avoid using these drugs, only that knowledge of the potential for adverse effects is critical when deciding on the most appropriate antimicrobial to use and can assist in avoiding serious side effects, wherever possible, or at least in detecting and responding to them early. These guidelines comprehensively outline key features of infectious diseases in horses, diagnostic testing, and therapeutic guidelines for use in treating horses in Australia.