Clinical management of canine babesiosis

Objective – To review and summarize current information regarding epidemiology, pathogenesis, and pathophysiology leading to the various clinical syndromes associated with canine babesiosis. Diagnosis, treatment, preventative strategies, and zoonotic implications are discussed.
Etiology – Babesiosis is caused by hemoprotozoa of the genus Babesia . Numerous species of Babesia exist worldwide. An increased incidence of babesiosis is described, especially in North America. The babesial organism spends the majority of its life cycle within the erythrocyte of the definitive host, resulting in hemolysis, with or without systemic complications.
Diagnosis – Definitive diagnosis depends on direct visualization of the organism on blood smear or polymerase chain reaction. A positive serologic antibody test indicates exposure with or without active infection.
Therapy – Antiprotozoal drugs, antimicrobials, and supportive care are the mainstays of babesiosis therapy.
Prognosis – Prognosis depends on the severity of disease, which in turn depends on both organism and host factors. Clinical syndromes associated with a poorer prognosis include red biliary syndrome, acute renal failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome, neurologic dysfunction, acute pancreatitis, cardiac dysfunction, and hypoglycemia.     

Half-Body Radiotherapy in the Treatment of Canine Lymphoma

In a Phase I-II study, half-body radiotherapy was used to treat 14 dogs with multicentric lymphoma. Using this technique, a radiation dose of 7 Gray (Gy) was delivered to one half of the body in a single exposure. The other half of the body was treated approximately 28 days later. Of 14 treated dogs, 11 (79%) had a measurable decrease in tumor size. Five dogs achieved a complete or partial remission with a mean duration of 102 and 54 days, respectively. In predicting response to therapy, poor prognostic factors included large tumor burdens, advanced disease stage, and chemotherapy-resistant tumors. Side effects of treatment were divided chronologically into acute (radiation sickness, tumor lysis), subacute (bone marrow suppression), and chronic (radiation pneumonitis, lymphoma-cell leukemia) syndromes. Complications were more severe in tumor-bearing dogs when compared with healthy control animals. Dogs with small tumor burdens and minimal internal disease had fewer complications compared with those with more advanced disease.     

Muscle disorders and rehabilitation in canine athletes.

Muscle disorders associated with physical exertion in human athletes include delayed-onset muscle soreness, muscle strain, muscle tears, rhabdomyolysis, and acute and chronic compartment syndromes. Given that the structure of muscle is similar among different species, it is reasonable to expect that dogs experience the same phenomena. This article focuses on several of the muscle disorders of bird dogs, namely, coccygeal muscle injury and infraspinatus muscle contracture, and on those of dogs involved in tracking-obedience-protection training, namely, fibrotic myopathy, with an additional discussion of muscle strain. For injury prevention, one important area that can be adapted to canine athletes is the incorporation of warm-up and cool-down into the training program.     

Germination Syndromes and Their Relevance to Rangeland Seeding Strategies in the Intermountain Western United States

Rangelands in the western United States exhibit extremely high temporal variability in seedbed microclimate, and this variability contributes to poor establishment of revegetation species that are typically planted in the fall. We conducted long-term simulations of cumulative germination as a function of planting date and identified alternative germination syndromes based on population-level responses to environmental variability. These germination syndromes reveal ecologically significant differences but also noteworthy similarities in species and seed lot response that can inform rangeland restoration planning and management. Seed germination may occur much sooner than assumed under the traditional paradigm of fall-planting/spring-emergence in the intermountain western United States, and seed germination per se does not appear to be a bottleneck for successful establishment in most years. Instead, simulations of germination response support recent hypotheses that postgermination/preemergent mortality may be the larger contributor to poor seedling establishment. Our data support two general strategies to improve the likelihood of seedling survival into the spring: seeding as late as possible in the fall and active diversification of germination syndromes within a given seed mix. Consistent application of these strategies could increase the probability that some seeds are always available to take advantage of any pulse of seedbed favorability in the late fall, winter, or early spring.     

Avian influenza in birds and mammals

The disease syndromes caused by avian influenza viruses are highly variable depending on the host species infected, its susceptibility and response to infection and the virulence of the infecting viral strain. Although avian influenza viruses have a broad host range in general, it is rare for an individual strain or subtype to infect more than one species. The H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) lineages of viruses that descended from A/goose/Guandong/96 (H5N1 HPAIV) are unusual in the diversity of species they have infected worldwide. Although the species affected by H5N1 HPAI in the field and those that have been experimentally studied are diverse, their associated disease syndromes are remarkably similar across species. In some species, multi-organ failure and death are rapid and no signs of the disease are observed. Most prominently in this category are chickens and other avian species of the order Galliformes. In other species, neurologic signs develop resulting in the death of the host. This is what has been reported in domestic cats (Carnivora), geese (Anseriformes), ratites (Struthioniformes), pigeons inoculated with high doses (Columbiformes) and ducks infected with H5N1 HPAIV isolated since 2002 (Anseriformes). In some other species, the disease is more prolonged and although multi-organ failure and death are the eventual outcomes, the signs of disease are more extensive. Predominantly, these species include humans (Primates) and the laboratory models of human disease, the ferret (Carnivora), mouse (Rodentia) and cynamologous macaques (Primates). Finally, some species are more resistant to infection with H5N1 HPAIV and show few or no signs of disease. These species include pigeons in some studies (Columbiformes), ducks inoculated with pre-2002 isolates (Anseriformes), and pigs (Artiodactyla).     

Mycoplasma infections in small ruminants.

Mycoplasmas have complex mechanisms of antigenic variation that allow them to evade the immune system. These organisms cause a variety of clinical syndromes that can have a significant economic effect on small ruminant production. The syndromes range from acute septicemia and death to chronic infection resulting in decreased production. Recent research findings have shed light on the means by which these organisms evade the host immune response and cause or contribute to the development of disease in the host. This article provides a review of the pathogenesis, clinical signs, and treatment options for common disease syndromes involving Mycoplasma spp. in small ruminants.     

Common paraneoplastic syndromes

Cancer has many effects on the veterinary patient. One group of syndromes that must be paid particular attention to is the paraneoplastic diseases. These are a group of changes that occur in the body at sites distant from the actual tumor. Paraneoplastic syndromes can affect many different body systems. Paraneoplastic diseases are important to recognize for many reasons. Often the paraneoplastic change is the earliest indication of cancer and, thus, neoplasia must be included on any differential list when typical paraneoplastic changes are found in the routine medical work-up. Paraneoplastic syndromes can also be used as markers of remission. Many of the paraneoplastic changes will disappear when remission is achieved, and will reappear once the period of remission had come to an end. Identification of paraneoplastic changes is also important in that often they must be treated before treatment of the primary disease can occur. Treating the remote effects of cancer will increase quality of life. Although many different paraneoplastic syndromes exist, hypercalcemia, hypoglycemia, cachexia and anemia are the most clinically significant in the veterinary patient. Chronic treatment most commonly involves removal or treatment of the primary or inciting neoplastic process. The acute treatment of these syndromes can occur quickly. Rapid identification and treatment will allow the patient to have a better prognosis and will help to improve quality of life.     

Atypical Interstitial Pneumonia in Cattle

Atypical interstitial pneumonia is described as two clinical syndromes in young cattle. One syndrome occurs in animals which have clinical evidence of pneumonic pasteurellosis, responds initially to treatment for one to two days and then develops acute signs of atypical interstitial pneumonia. The second syndrome involves acute respiratory distress in young calves due to atypical interstitial pneumonia with antecedents of enzootic pneumonia. The postmortem lesions are described along with discussion of the possible pathogenesis of the condition and treatment.     

Equine autoimmunity.

Although relatively little is known about autoimmunity and autoimmune mechanisms specifically in horses, the similarities between clinical syndromes with identifiable effector mechanisms in horses and other species suggest that comparable mechanisms may be applicable. Our understanding of equine autoimmunity undoubtedly will benefit from the extensive study of autoimmunity in other species.     

Veterinary radiation therapy: review and current state of the art

Veterinary radiation oncology became a recognized specialty in 1994. Radiation therapy is an important component of a multimodality approach to treating cancer in companion animals. It is important to understand the many aspects of radiation, including the equipment used in external beam radiation therapy, the basic mechanism of action of ionizing radiation, the results of irradiating various histopathological types of tumors, as well as the associated potential acute and late side effects of radiation. A comprehensive review of radiation therapy is timely and provides information for clients on cancers that may benefit from external beam radiation therapy.     

Respiratory disease in adult cattle

This article discusses the nomenclature of respiratory disease, acute respiratory distress syndromes, hypersensitivity diseases, chronic respiratory disease, and the differential diagnosis of respiratory disease.     

EFFECTS OF LOW-LEVEL EXPOSURE TO IONIZING RADIATION: CURRENT CONCEPTS AND CONCERNS FOR VETERINARY WORKERS*

The issue of biological effects caused by low-level exposure to ionizing radiation (0.1Sv/yr or 10 rem) is a concern of veterinary radiologists, clinicians and radiotherapists. Cellular damge from ionizing radiation is mediated by injury to DNA, some of which can be repaired. The most important harmful effects attributed to low-level exposure are carcinogenesis and mutation. Ionizing radiation may also cause embryonic and fetal damage, life span shortening and cataractogenesis. The estimated excess risk of mortality for all human cancers is 0.8% (800 deaths per 100,000) per 0.10 Sv of acute exposure; at low dose-rates, risk is presumed to be less. Ionizing radiation increases the frequencey of spontaneous genic and chromosomal mutations in man and animals. Studies of atomic bomb survivors imply that at least 1 Sv would be needed to double the spontaneous mutation rate for acute exposure to low-LET radiation. However, the doubling dose for chronic, low-level exposure may be 4 Sv or more. The human embryo and fetus are sensitive to excessive doses of ionizing radiation, with mental retardation the main concern in the low dose range. Paradoxically, there is scientific evidence that in some instances, chronic low-level exposure to ionizing radiation causes a beneficial or hormonic effect. For veterinary workers, occupational exposures appear to be well below the maximum permissible dose limit and the risk or probability of harmful effects is low if stringent radiation safety practices are maintained.     

Elapid snake envenomation in dogs in New South Wales: a review

Elapid snake envenomation in dogs is a commonly occurring yet poorly described clinical entity. Twelve species of dangerously venomous elapid snakes are found in New South Wales that are capable of causing disease in dogs. Geographical distribution of these species varies, as does their venom composition and systemic envenomation syndromes produced in target species. Elapid venom may be divided into the components of prothrombin activating enzymes, lipases and peptidic neurotoxins. Each species of elapid snake may possess venom components that fit any or all of these classifications. The action of these venom components may result in neurotoxic (pre-synaptic and post-synaptic), haemotoxic (red-cell destruction and coagulation disturbance), cardiovascular, myotoxic and secondary nephrotoxic effects. Marked variability may occur in venom composition between and within snake species, resulting in varying toxicity between species and also potentially unreliable clinical syndromes following envenomation. The existence of certain components consistently within the venom of each snake species allows the broad definition of basic pathological processes and clinicopathological changes resulting from snake species-specific envenomation and these are discussed. Diagnosis of snake envenomation is unreliable if based on clinical signs alone and the use of these signs in conjunction with history, physical examination and laboratory investigation, including snake venom detection kits, is recommended. Treatment of systemic envenomation should be undertaken with initial effective first aid and subsequent administration of snake species-specific antivenom.     

Two Syndromes in Young Dogs Caused by Toxoplasma Gondii

Abstract— —Two syndromes are described, one characterized by locomotor signs of varying severity affecting one or more limbs and causing partial or complete paralysis. The other characterized by an acute fulminating illness with death occurring within 48 hr of the appearance of initial symptoms, and possibly associated with the presence of distemper virus. In both syndromes, the examination of tissues microscopically showed the presence of Toxoplasma gondii either as free forms or cysts or both.     

冰川棘豆生长的生态环境特点

冰川棘豆主要分布西藏阿里地区，该地区所处纬度较低，海拔高，气温低，气温日差较大，降水稀少，空气稀薄、太阳辐射角度大，能接受较多的阳光照射，获得丰富的光能和热量。草原以高寒草原为主，土壤质地粗，土壤养分、含水量低，抗灾能力差，容易引起草场退化，使抗逆性强的冰川棘豆等伴生草种滋生蔓延，成为优势种。     

Ki67 reactivity in nasal and periocular squamous cell carcinomas in cats treated with electron beam radiation therapy

Squamous cell carcinomas of sparsely haired skin are relatively common tumors in cats, and these tumors likely exhibit a rapid growth rate. Thus, we evaluated response and duration of response in relation to the Ki67 proliferative reactivity in such tumors. Seventeen cats with confirmed squamous cell carcinomas and treated with an accelerated, hypofractionated electron beam radiation protocol were included in the study. For all of them histologic grading, Ki67 reactivity, response, and disease-free interval (DFI) were evaluated. Response to therapy was excellent (94% complete response rate) with a median DFI of 414 days. Only moderate acute and few long-term adverse effects were seen. Cats with tumors with a low Ki67 reactivity had markedly shorter DFIs than cats with tumors with high Ki67 reactivity. We concluded that an accelerated, hypofractionated electron beam radiation therapy protocol is well suited for feline squamous cell carcinomas. The protocol appears especially efficacious in tumors with a high Ki67 reactivity.     

Prognostic markers for myeloid neoplasms: a comparative review of the literature and goals for future investigation

Myeloid neoplasms include cancers associated with both rapid (acute myeloid leukemias) and gradual (myelodysplastic syndromes and myeloproliferative neoplasms) disease progression. Percentage of blast cells in marrow is used to separate acute (rapid) from chronic (gradual) and is the most consistently applied prognostic marker in veterinary medicine. However, since there is marked variation in tumor progression within groups, there is a need for more complex schemes to stratify animals into specific risk groups. In people with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), pretreatment karyotyping and molecular genetic analysis have greater utility as prognostic markers than morphologic and immunologic phenotypes. Karyotyping is not available as a prognostic marker for AML in dogs and cats, but progress in molecular genetics has created optimism about the eventual ability of veterinarians to discern conditions potentially responsive to medical intervention. In people with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), detailed prognostic scoring systems have been devised that use various combinations of blast cell percentage, hematocrit, platelet counts, unilineal versus multilineal cytopenias and dysplasia, karyotype, gender, age, immunophenotype, transfusion dependence, and colony-forming assays. Predictors of outcome for animals with MDS have been limited to blast cell percentage, anemia versus multilineal cytopenias, and morphologic phenotype. Prognostic markers for myeloproliferative neoplasms (eg, polycythemia vera, essential thrombocythemia) include clinical and hematological factors and in people also include cytogenetics and molecular genetics. Validation of prognostic markers for myeloid neoplasms in animals has been thwarted by the lack of a large case series that requires cooperation across institutions and veterinary specialties. Future progress requires overcoming these barriers.     

伪狂犬病病毒基因缺失及活载体疫苗研究进展

伪狂犬病是由伪狂犬病病毒引起的多种畜、禽及野生动物的一种以发热、奇痒、脑脊髓炎为主要症状的急性传染病。该病每年给养猪业造成的损失达数十亿美元,目前对该病主要是以疫苗防制为主。随着基因工程技术的不断更新和发展,研制更加安全、有效的基因工程疫苗对该病的防治将会有重要的意义。文章对伪狂犬病基因缺失疫苗及活载体疫苗的研究进行了综述。     

Pasteurella haemolytica infections in sheep

Summary Pasteurella haemolytica causes two distinct disease syndromes in sheep. P. haemolytica biotype A causes septicaemia in young lambs and pneumonia in all ages of sheep. Biotype T produces an acute systemic disease affecting principally the upper alimentary tract and lungs in young adult sheep. The bacteriology, epidemiology and clinical and necropsy findings of the two diseases are described and the current situation regarding their experimental reproduction and immunology is reviewed.     

五台山高山、亚高山草甸植物种分布的环境梯度分析和种组划分

通过野外植被调查,结合景观尺度生境因子的测定与模拟,运用CCA排序分析研究区内高山、亚高山草甸地段植物物种分布与环境因子之间的定量关系,综合TWINSPAN分类结果对五台山高寒草甸植物种进行了生态种组划分。结果表明：1)五台山的高山、亚高山草甸分布地段,温度和太阳辐射是控制着草甸植物种分布的关键因子;2)依据草甸物种在CCA排序图上的分布位置,划分出高山冷干型、高山冷湿型、亚高山典型种、亚高山凉干型、亚高山凉湿型、山地暖干型和山地暖湿型几类物种,可以较好地指示研究区的生境特征;3)TWINSPAN划分结果与CCA 划分的生态种组比较吻合。