Canadian Veterinary Journal-revue Veterinaire Canadienne最新文献

Background: Depopulation, involving the mass euthanasia of livestock, is an established practice in the agricultural industry to ensure animal welfare, human health, and economic stability by preventing disease spread. There is evidence that veterinarians involved in animal-disease management and depopulation experience significant and long-lasting mental health impacts.

Objective: This study examined the mental health impacts of depopulation on veterinarians and the ways to build their resilience to these stressful events.

Procedure: Using qualitative methods, 11 veterinarians and industry experts from Alberta participated in semi-structured, one-on-one interviews between April 2023 and April 2024.

Results: Analysis revealed 3 main themes and 6 sub-themes: ongoing work-mental health tensions (including professional bond versus emotional labor, disease control versus moral distress, sense of duty versus trauma of the event), emotional detachment, and occupational distress (including emotional exhaustion, decreased job satisfaction and turnover intentions, and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms). These themes were used to adapt the emergency-management framework for veterinarians involved in depopulation, to support their mental health and well-being.

Conclusion and clinical relevance: The pervasive behavioral and mental health challenges associated with depopulation highlight the necessity for education, training, support, and policy adjustments to safeguard veterinarians' mental health and well-being.

Background: Strychnine is a highly toxic, plant-derived alkaloid. It has historically been used in western Canada as a rodenticide for control of Richardson's ground squirrels; and in Alberta, as a predacide against wolves, coyotes, black bears, and skunks. However, nontarget species poisonings with strychnine have been widely documented in Canada and elsewhere. Poisonings manifest as acute neuroexcitation and are usually fatal. In March 2023, strychnine was banned in Canada for control of Richardson's ground squirrels, with concerns over wildlife poisonings cited. However, fatal poisonings have occurred in animals since the ban.

Objective: To retrospectively characterize cases of nontarget species poisoning by strychnine in western Canada (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba) based on diagnostic case records.

Procedure: Diagnostic information from confirmed cases of strychnine poisoning from 2014 to 2023 was compiled from the records of Prairie Diagnostic Services (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan). Where available, epidemiologic data pertaining to year and month of submission, province, location of submitting veterinary clinic/enforcement office, species/breed, age, sample submitted, strychnine concentration, and case history were collected.

Results: Prairie Diagnostic Services confirmed 51 cases of strychnine poisoning in western Canada from 2014 to 2023. Strychnine poisoning was diagnosed in dogs (n = 38), horses (n = 5), and wildlife (n = 8). Most poisonings occurred in Alberta (n = 23) and Saskatchewan (n = 25). Poisonings occurred annually (average: 6/y), with the highest numbers of cases occurring in 2015 (n = 9) and 2017 (n = 9). Poisoning in dogs occurred predominantly in medium and large breeds and in smaller population centers. Poisonings were diagnosed after the national ban was in effect.

Conclusion and clinical relevance: This paper highlights the prevalence of nontarget species strychnine toxicosis in western Canada. Despite the recent national ban of strychnine, poisonings of nontarget species have continued.

A 13-year-old spayed female domestic shorthair cat was brought to a veterinary clinic because of lethargy and anorexia. The cat had a history of hyperthyroidism and had been treated with methimazole for 40 d before the appointment. Hematologic examination revealed a severe non-regenerative anemia and leukopenia characterized by severe neutropenia along with low basophil and eosinophil numbers. Discontinuation of methimazole resulted in the complete return to normal values of the white blood cell numbers and a marked increase in red blood cell numbers. This case demonstrated the need for follow-up veterinary examinations after prescription of methimazole treatment.

A 16-year-old, French saddlebred horse was referred for examination because of colic signs, diagnosed with incarceration of the jejunum in a mesoduodenic rent, and subsequently treated surgically (with an end-to-end anastomosis of the jejunum and an enterotomy of the pelvic flexure). The horse initially recovered without complications; however, on the following day, it exhibited moderate signs of endotoxemia and severe serosanguineous discharge from the abdominal wound. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed substantial peritoneal effusion, necessitating the placement of an abdominal drain. The blind drain insertion resulted in the drainage of a brown, malodorous liquid, identified as enteral fluid. Subsequently, the drain inadvertently penetrated the viscera, prompting immediate surgery. An embolectomy catheter was placed in the drain before induction, and the Fogarty catheter cuff was inflated as the horse was induced. The drain was carefully removed from the viscera, maintaining traction on the embolectomy catheter until a repeat laparotomy was done. Moderate contamination of the abdominal cavity occurred during the iatrogenic perforation of the cecum. The balloon catheter effectively sealed the breach in the cecum, demonstrating sufficient strength to pull on the viscera without causing tears. The abdominal cavity was lavaged with 80 L of Ringer's lactate, and another abdominal drain was placed. The horse recovered without further complications throughout the remainder of its hospitalization and returned to its intended use within 6 mo. Key clinical message: Abdominal drain placement carries the risk of complications, including enteric misplacement. Temporary occlusion of the defect is achievable using an embolectomy catheter pending surgery. Swift action in response to complications can help limit contamination of the abdominal cavity.

The creation of purebred breeds of domestic animals has been accompanied by inbreeding and an increased incidence of simple genetic diseases within these breeds and animals. The veterinary profession has largely been a spectator of recent developments in companion animal genetics. A review of the current state of veterinary genetics for the small animal practitioner is provided that includes an overview of commercial DNA service providers as well as a review of information sources useful for clinical veterinary genetics.

Objective: To evaluate the shape of the distal femoral metaphysis in various dog breeds and apply femoral detorsional techniques.

Animals and procedure: Computed tomographic scans of 6 right femurs of dogs from 3 breeds, Chihuahua, border collie, and rottweiler, designated Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. On the distal femoral metaphysis axial image, just proximal to the femoral trochlea, femoral craniocaudal and mediolateral diameters were measured and their ratio (R) was calculated. The circumference technique (CiT), cortical arch length method (CAL), and geometric method (GM) were applied to these images to simulate 15° of detorsion. For each technique, the detorsion amount and the resulting detorsion angle (α) were calculated and reported.

Results: Means and standard deviations of R were 0.59 ± 0.10, 0.81 ± 0.05, and 0.87 ± 0.08 for Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. In Group 1, due to the femoral flattened shape, the techniques were not reliable. In Groups 2 and 3, the correction was acceptable.

Conclusion and clinical relevance: The distal femoral metaphyseal axial section shape in Group 1 was comparable to an ellipse. Therefore, the tested techniques were not reliable in chondrodystrophic dogs.

Objective: Neonatal skeletal articulations for research and display purposes are uncommon due to issues surrounding incomplete bone maturation and reduced structural integrity that affect the bone preparation and articulation procedures. The present project was designed to add to the veterinary literature on neonatal moose (Alces alces) osteological specimens, document the procedures of preparing and articulating a delicate specimen, and construct a 3-dimensional (3D) scan of the articulated skeleton that could be used for scientific and veterinary research and study worldwide.

Animal: A neonatal moose that had succumbed to capture myopathy resulting from entanglement in a barbed wire fence was the sole subject of this project.

Procedure: The neonatal moose carcass was degloved, the bones processed and cleaned, the skeleton articulated, and the articulated skeleton rendered into a 3D model using photogrammetry.

Results: The result was an articulated neonatal moose skeleton. The articulation is on display at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC); the 3D model is available on UNBC's website.

Conclusion and clinical relevance: This project adds to the literature and makes available tools to study neonatal ungulate (A. alces) allometry, morphometry, osteology, and skeletal articulation. The documented processes and 3D model can be used as references in veterinary and biological research, study, and instruction. In addition, the 3D model is available to download (open source) for future projects from UNBC (www.unbc.ca/roy-rea/moose-calf-articulation).

Objective: To determine the prevalence of fecal microorganisms and parasites in a population of sheltered cats, and to identify specific animal factors associated with infection.

Animals: A total of 79 sheltered cats and kittens in Guelph, Ontario.

Procedure: A fecal sample was collected from each animal upon shelter entry. A second sample was collected following deworming treatment. Microorganism and parasite prevalence was assessed by PCR assays. A linear mixed model was used to determine the relationships between animal factors (intake source, age, sex, body condition score, time between deworming and sample collection, and fecal consistency) and fecal microorganisms and parasites, as well as to compare samples taken before and after deworming.

Results: Clostridium perfringens alpha toxin gene and feline coronavirus (FCoV) DNA were the most common abnormalities identified. Giardia spp., C. perfringens enterotoxin, and Campylobacter jejuni were rare. Clostridium perfringens prevalence was negatively associated with increasing age (P = 0.04) and FCoV prevalence was positively associated with softer stool (P = 0.02). Hookworms, roundworms, and tapeworms were uncommon, and prevalence was not affected by any animal factor. Parasite prevalence decreased after deworming (P = 0.04).

Conclusion and clinical relevance: There do not appear to be durable relationships between C. perfringens and FCoV prevalence and animal factors in cats. A larger population of cats is required to identify potential relationships between microorganism and parasite prevalence and animal-specific demographic factors.