Computed tomographic diagnosis of necroulcerative reticulorumenitis with portal venous gas in a lamb

A 2-month-old, intact male Merino sheep was presented for acute inappetence and pyrexia. Contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography identified reticulorumenal intramural gas with suspected ruminal ulceration, arborizing portal venous gas, and mild peritoneal fluid. The lamb was treated medically for presumptive ulcerative reticulorumenitis and non-septic peritonitis. Over 10 days, the lamb initially showed mild improvement before clinical deterioration and was ultimately euthanized. Definitive diagnosis of necrotizing, ulcerative reticulorumenitis was made via necropsy with histopathology. An underlying cause was not determined.Key clinical message:Contrast-enhanced computed tomography was effective in identifying gastric emphysema and portal venous gas associated with reticuloruminal ulceration.     

Effects of perioperative saphenous and sciatic nerve blocks,lumbosacral epidural or morphine–lidocaine–ketamine infusion on postoperative pain and sedation in dogs undergoing tibial plateau leveling osteotomy

ObjectiveTo compare the quality of postoperative analgesia and sedation after preoperative saphenous and sciatic nerve blockade, preoperative lumbosacral epidural injection and perioperative intravenous (IV) morphine, lidocaine and ketamine infusions in dogs undergoing stifle arthroscopy and tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) under general anesthesia.Study designProspective, blinded, randomized, clinical comparison study.AnimalsA total of 45 dogs weighing 33.9 (15.9–56.7) kg and aged 5.2 (1.0–12.0) years, mean (range), undergoing elective unilateral TPLO for spontaneous cranial cruciate ligament rupture.MethodsClient-owned dogs were enrolled. Dogs were randomly assigned to one of three groups: group MLK, perioperative IV morphine, lidocaine and ketamine infusion; group EPID, lumbosacral epidural with ropivacaine and morphine; or group SSNB, saphenous and sciatic nerve blockade with ropivacaine. Routine stifle arthroscopy followed by TPLO surgery was performed. Sedation and pain scores were assessed at 0, 2, 4, 8 and 24 hours following extubation. Rescue analgesia was administered as prescribed by Glasgow composite pain score–short form score >5.ResultsSedation scores for MLK were higher than EPID and SSNB. Pain scores for SSNB were lower than those for EPID and MLK. No significant differences were found in anesthesia duration or surgery duration among groups. No dogs required rescue analgesia.Conclusions and clinical relevanceAlthough analgesia was adequate in all groups, the best combination of analgesia without increased sedation was recorded for SSNB.     

Hyperthermia and Delayed-Onset Myopathy after Recovery from Anesthesia in a Horse

A 13-year old Thoroughbred cross gelding (528 kg) underwent lameness investigation. Because of his temperament, general anesthesia was required to facilitate ultrasound of the left fore fetlock and intra-articular medication of three joints. Anesthesia was induced with ketamine/diazepam after acepromazine/detomidine premedication. Anesthesia was maintained for 40 minutes with a guaifenesin/detomidine/ketamine intravenous infusion. Recovery from anesthesia was initially uneventful, although of a moderate duration (70 minutes). Once standing, the horse proceeded to box walk in an agitated state and became recumbent on two occasions. The horse was manually restrained, at which time its rectal temperature was 41.8°C. Cooling measures were employed (fans, ice-water enemas, wet rugs, intravenous fluid therapy (IVFT), and topical application of surgical spirit) until rectal temperature reached 38.7°C. IVFT was continued for a further 16 hours. Four days after recovery from anesthesia, bilateral triceps, deltoideus, trapezius, and rhomboideus muscle swelling was observed. Blood creatinine kinase was elevated (24,898 IU/L). Treatment for postanesthetic myopathy was initiated (hot packing of the muscle groups, topical dimethylsulfoxide [DMSO] cream application, and oral phenylbutazone). Myoglobinuria was not observed at any time. Muscle swelling decreased over the following 3 days. The horse was discharged on day 11 and has since returned to work.     

Intraspecific Relationship of Plasmopara halstedii Isolates Differing in Pathogenicity and Geographic Origin Based on ITS Sequence Data

Sequence parts of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of nuclear ribosomal DNA were analysed to screen for the intraspecific variability of a non-coding genomic region in 15 Plasmopara halstedii populations of different pathotype and geographic origin. Samples revealed uniformity in a ca. 790 Bp fragment comprising of the ITS-1, 5.8S and front parts of the ITS-2. In contrast, clear differences were found in a ca. 810 Bp fragment of the ITS-2 thus allowing differentiation between populations of pathotype 100, 310 and 330 and a group of populations representing pathotypes 700, 701, 703, 710 and 730. Samples of pathotypes 700 to730 originated from Slovakia, France, and Germany, but were uniform in both ITS sequence parts, thus indicating very recent origin of these highly aggressive physiological races. The potential use of ITS sequences for pathotype differentiation and phylogenetic studies in P. halstedii is discussed.