Australian Veterinary Journal最新文献

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.

A 2-year-old female spayed British Shorthair cat presented for investigation of chronic small intestinal diarrhoea, which was determined to be attributable to ionised hypercalcaemia. A cranial mediastinal mass was identified on computed tomography; median sternotomy was performed, and the mediastinal mass was excised. Histopathology, including immunohistochemistry, diagnosed the mediastinal mass as being remnant thymic tissue. Subsequent follow-up 10 months postoperatively showed restoration of normocalcaemia and concurrent resolution of gastrointestinal symptoms. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first case to report remnant thymic tissue as a cause of hypercalcaemia. This case report aims to describe the clinical presentation, computed tomography description, histopathological findings and treatment outcome of a thymic remnant causing hypercalcaemia in a cat.

Five dogs diagnosed with and treated for Ixodes holocyclus tick paralysis were successfully weaned from mechanical ventilation (MV) to high flow nasal oxygen therapy (HFNOT). All dogs were mechanically ventilated primarily for hypoventilation for a median time of 80 h (36–113 h). Concurrent conditions included aspiration pneumonia (n = 3) and laryngeal paralysis causing upper airway obstruction (n = 3). Median duration of HFNOT was 4 h (0.5–24 h) before either de-escalation to traditional oxygen therapy (TOT) or discontinuation from oxygen support. Reported complications included superficial corneal ulceration (n = 2), thrombophlebitis (n = 2), gastric ileus (n = 3), urinary tract infection (n = 2) and postventilator seizures (n = 1); however, none were associated with HFNOT. One dog developed a pneumothorax during MV, which was managed with continuous suction via bilateral thoracostomy drains but was not noted to progress with HFNOT. Nasal prong placement was well tolerated in all but one dog, requiring transition to TOT after 1 h of HFNOT. All dogs survived to discharge. Although not recommended in the initial management of hypoventilation, in this case series HFNOT was successfully used as a weaning strategy for dogs ventilated with recoverable neuromuscular disease. This is the first reported use of HFNOT after MV in dogs, specifically with tick paralysis.