How Does Cushing’s Disease Relate to Laminitis? Advances in Diagnosis and Treatment

The pathophysiology of pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) and its connection to laminitis have been the focus of much recent research. This article reviews the pathophysiology, diagnostics, and treatments of PPID, as well as the proposed pathogenesis of laminitis in these horses. An increased understanding of the disease process, along with appropriate diagnosis and treatment, can often minimize the devastating laminitis often associated with PPID.     

Vaccination: Is it Effective in Preventing Respiratory Disease or Influencing Weight Gains in Feedlot Calves?

Respiratory disease, both undifferentiated and etiologically defined, remains a major problem in feedlot cattle. Vaccination has been used in an attempt to reduce the frequency and/or severity of respiratory disease in the first few weeks after the cattle arrive at the feedlot.

The efficacy of vaccination has been studied both in controlled laboratory experiments and field trials as well as observational studies. (In this review, efficacy refers to the ability to reduce overall treatment rate and/or increase weight gains.) This review summarizes the data resulting from studies of vaccine efficacy.

In general, there is little published data to support the use of vaccines against respiratory disease under feedlot conditions. Treatment rates and weight gains usually did not differ between vaccinated and nonvaccinated groups. The use of live bovine virus diarrhea virus vaccines was associated with a significant subsequent increase in treatment rates. Criteria to be considered in future field trials are described.

     

Studies on the Respiratory Disease ‘Sonbobe’ in Camels in the Eastern Lowlands of Ethiopia

New epidemics of respiratory disease have caused 29.6 morbidity and 6.4% mortality in camels in the Somalia region of Ethiopia. The major clinical signs observed were fever of 40–41.5°C, depression, cough, loss of appetite and a watery nasal discharge that became mucopurulent at a later stage. Finally, the camel became recumbent and extended its neck straight along the ground. Some of the animals died within 8–9 days. The major post-mortem lesions were hydrothorax, adhesion of the lung to the thorax, red and grey hepatization, emphysema, hydropericardium and fibrinous pericarditis. A treatment trial indicated that oxytetracycline was more effective than a combination of penicillin and streptomycin, the results showing a significant difference (p>0.05) between the treated and control groups. The bacteria isolated from lung, thoracic fluid and whole blood were Pasteurella haemolytica. Further studies on the epidemiology of this disease, the identification of the serotypes involved, and the demonstration of any primary viral initiating agent are recommended to allow the development of preventive methods.     

Does Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus Potentiate Classical Swine Fever Virus Infection in Weaner Pigs?

Fifteen 6-week-old crossbred weaners weighing about 12 kg each were randomly divided into three groups of five animals each. One group of pigs was inoculated first with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus and then 3 days later with CSF virus. The second group received classical swine fever (CSF) virus, while the third group was inoculated with PRRS virus only. The aim of the experiment was to determine whether a primary PRRS virus infection influences the clinical outcome of experimentally induced CSF in young pigs. The PRRS virus infected weaners developed mild respiratory symptoms and recovered completely. All five weaners which were inoculated with CSF virus only showed severe clinical signs typical of the acute form of CSF. One pig had to be killed 15 days post-inoculation (p.i.); the remaining four died between the 18th and 22nd day p.i. The clinical course of the animals inoculated with both viruses was slightly different from that of the pigs that received only CSF virus. Four out of five pigs from the PRRS/CSF group became febrile and viraemic earlier than the animals which received CSF virus only. These pigs had to be killed 15–17 days post CSF virus inoculation. One animal in this group survived the acute phase of CSF and recovered completely. It was concluded that the observed divergences of the clinical courses would not have been noticed under field conditions. Therefore these findings cast doubt on the relevance of PRRS virus infection potentiating significantly the clinical outcome of CSF in young pigs.     

Does Age Matter? The Influence of Age on Response Rates in a Mixed-Mode Survey

The appeal of cost savings and faster results has fish and wildlife management agencies considering the use of Internet surveys instead of traditional mail surveys to collect information from their constituents. Internet surveys, however, may suffer from differential age-related response rates, potentially producing biased results if certain age groups respond to Internet surveys differently than they do to mail surveys. We examined this concern using data from a mixed-mode angler survey conducted in South Dakota following the 2011 fishing season. Results indicated that young anglers (16–18) had the lowest return rates and senior anglers (65+) had the highest, regardless of survey mode. Despite this consistency in response rates, we note two concerns: (a) lower Internet response rates and (b) different age groups represented by the Internet and mail survey samples differed dramatically. Findings indicate that constituent groups may be represented differently with the use of various survey modes.     

Bovine tuberculosis in badgers in four areas in Ireland: does tuberculosis cluster?

We described the distribution of badger populations in four different areas in the Republic of Ireland. The data came from periodic targeted badger-removal and subsequent post-mortem examinations conducted between 1989 and September 1997, and from a formal badger-removal project in the same areas from 1997 through 1999. Records were complete for 2292 badgers regarding the date of capture, tuberculosis status, geographical area and specific sett from where the badgers were snared. Of 3187 setts, 2290 had no badgers recorded against them (i.e. were inactive).The badger-level prevalence of tuberculosis differed among areas (range 13-29%). Badger populations were highly clustered by sett, and this result was similar over the four study areas. The median number of badgers per active sett was 2. Tuberculous badgers also clustered within a sett. The third quartile of tuberculous badgers was 1 per active sett. The prevalence of tuberculous badgers within a sett was not related to the total number of badgers. There was little evidence of spatial clustering with only one local cluster of tuberculous setts in each of three areas, and none in the fourth area. After adjusting for the number of badgers per sett, only one area had spatial clusters identified.