Australian Veterinary Journal最新文献

Meningoencephalitis is an important cause of neurological signs in dogs and may arise from infectious or noninfectious causes. In this retrospective study, dogs with steroid-responsive meningitis arteritis (SRMA), meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown origin (MUO), and eosinophilic meningoencephalomyelitis (EM), living on the east coast of Australia, were evaluated. Data accessed included signalment, clinical signs, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) results. C-reactive protein concentration, complete blood count, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, serological tests, medications, duration of treatment, time to relapse and patient outcomes. Of 89 dogs in total, 45 were classified as SRMA, 24 as MUO and 20 as EM. Cervical pain occurred in all dogs with EM and SRMA, and in 50% of dogs with MUO. Dogs with SRMA were less likely to develop paresis than those with EM and less likely to be ataxic than dogs with MUO. Serum CRP concentrations were significantly higher in SRMA compared with MUO and EM (P < 0.01). Twelve dogs, all with eosinophilic pleocytosis, were diagnosed with CNS infections: angiostrongyliasis (n = 11) and cryptococcus (n = 1). A wide variety of treatment protocols were used, underpinned by immunosuppressive medications, with the duration of treatment not significantly different between groups. The most favourable outcomes for dogs with meningoencephalitides in this study were those with EM, which not only had the shortest treatment durations but also had the longest survival times.

In early 2025, a social media influencer sparked widespread outrage after posting a video online in which she picked up a young bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus) from the side of a road, separating it from another wombat, presumed to be its mother. This act ignited public and professional discussions regarding the welfare of wildlife, the responsibility of content creators and the need for stricter guidelines on human-wildlife interactions within and outside digital media. An ethical analysis of the incident was undertaken through the lens of four moral principles: nonmaleficence, beneficence, autonomy and justice. The analysis validated the concerns raised by the public regarding potential harms to the young animal, maternal distress and the risks associated with viewers of the video imitating the experience with other wild animals. Although the video footage caused much upset, it provided an opportunity to critically evaluate depictions of wildlife, including handling, and their potential impact on animal welfare. It underscores an acknowledgement that other, less sensationalised, depictions of wildlife could be created in circumstances that compromise animals and could have unintended adverse impacts beyond the posting of a single photo or video. Animal professionals must consider carefully the impact of their digital presence on audiences and ensure featured wild animals are not handled unnecessarily or used as props. Suggested guidelines for online imagery and other content have been developed for a university-based wildlife teaching hospital and other clinical settings in light of this analysis. Other organisations are encouraged to consider doing the same.

The eastern paralysis tick of Australia, Ixodes holocyclus, is by far the most important ectoparasite of dogs and cats in eastern Australia. In spite of the development of tick-antisera and the availability of highly effective tick-preventative medications, thousands of dogs and cats present to veterinary clinics and hospitals with signs of tick paralysis each year; about 10% of these dogs and 8% of these cats may die from tick paralysis or are euthanized due to severe signs of tick envenomation. One of the mainstays of optimising patient outcome of dogs and cats with signs of tick paralysis is the prompt removal of the tick. In the present paper, we studied 10,913 attachment-sites of I. holocyclus arising from 10,311 veterinary consultations of dogs and cats in eastern Australia. This is, to our knowledge, the largest study of attachment-site preference of I. holocyclus on dogs and cats. We found that whereas I. holocyclus is most often found on the head of dogs, on cats, these ticks are most often found on their necks. In addition, we report attachment-site preferences of adult and immature (larval and nymphal) I. holocyclus. We also highlight some unusual and inconspicuous attachment-sites of I. holocyclus, which may be informative to veterinarians and pet owners alike.

Background: Gastric neoplasia is uncommon in dogs accounting for ⟨1% of all neoplasms. Mesenchymal tumours arise from the muscularis layer of the gastric wall and represent 10-30% of canine gastric neoplasms. Gastric sarcomas arising from the muscularis layer of the stomach have not previously been reported.

Case report: A 7-year-old, female spayed labrador was referred for investigation of chronic vomiting and regenerative anaemia. Abdominal imaging revealed a large solitary pedunculated mass (65 × 62 × 56 mm) within the pylorus and proximal duodenum. A Billroth I procedure was performed to resect the mass. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry were consistent with chronic hypertrophic pyloric gastropathy with atypical spindle cell proliferation confined to the mucosa. A Billroth II procedure was performed 5.5 months later due to local recurrence. A new omental nodule (12 × 13 mm) was identified 10 weeks later, which was surgically resected and confirmed a diagnosis of metastatic sarcoma. Adjuvant chemotherapy with doxorubicin was commenced. Repeat staging identified metastases to the pancreas and local tumour recurrence. The dog was euthanised due to clinical deterioration and biliary obstruction 20 months after the onset of clinical signs (14.5 months post Billroth I).

Conclusion: This is the first report of a gastric mucosal sarcoma in a dog. Distinct from primary gastrointestinal sarcoma, which arises within the muscularis, the mass was confined within the gastric mucosal layer. The pedunculated nature of this mass made it amenable to surgical resection, but ultimately local recurrence was identified along with metastases. Pancreatic metastases have not previously been reported in gastrointestinal sarcomas.

This critically appraised topic (CAT) explored the association between body weight and survival in dogs with canine parvovirus (CPV). A systematic literature search identified six peer-reviewed studies published between 1978 and 2024 that met predefined inclusion criteria. Four of the six studies demonstrated a significant association between lower body weight and increased mortality. While some studies undertook multivariable analysis to account for confounders, limitations including inconsistencies in study design, retrospective data collection, and limited control for variables such as age, breed, and body condition score (BCS) reduce the overall strength of the conclusions. Overall, there is moderate evidence to suggest that lower body weight may be a negative prognostic factor in CPV survival. Further prospective research with standardised methodology is essential to validate these findings and disentangle the impact of confounders such as age, breed, and BCS.

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.