Mannheimia haemolytica vegetative endocarditis in a Suffolk wether

A 12-week-old Suffolk wether was diagnosed with bacterial endocarditis associated with Mannheimia haemolytica. The wether had shown signs of lethargy, inappetance, fever, and a grade 5 of 6 holosystolic murmur. Mannheimia haemolytica was cultured from blood premortem and the valvular lesion postmortem.     

Echocardiographic diagnosis of pulmonic valve vegetative endocarditis in a cow

A 5-year-old cow developed signs of bacterial endocarditis subsequent to parturition and mastitis. Massive vegetative lesions on the pulmonic valve were imaged with 2-dimensional echocardiography.     

Clinical and echocardiographic findings in 10 dogs with vegetative bacterial endocarditis

Ten cases of bacterial endocarditis in the dog were studied by retrospective analysis of case records. Diagnosis of bacterial endocarditis was based on either strict clinical criteria or post mortem examination. A wide spectrum of presenting signs was seen including pyrexia, lameness, epistaxis, haemoptysis and dyspnoea. Haematological and biochemical abnormalities were non-specific and were attributed to the effects of septicaemia, embolism or chronic inflammation. Haemostatic abnormalities and, or, severe dysrhythmias appeared to be associated with a significantly poorer prognosis. Blood cultures were positive in four cases of eight that were cultured. Lesions compatible with bacterial endocarditis were detected in all eight cases that underwent echocardiographic examination. Right-sided vegetations present in two dogs were not detected by echocardiography. Two-dimensional echocardiography is a useful technique for the detection of vegetative endocarditis in the dog and allows rapid therapeutic intervention while blood culture results are pending.     

Spontaneous vegetative endocarditis due to Enterococcus faecalis in a rottweiler puppy

A 5-month-old female Rottweiler was referred because of a 5-week diarrhea and a sudden onset of a cardiac murmur auscultated by its veterinarian. Definitive diagnosis of bacterial endocarditis was based on ultrasonographic visualization of vegetative cardiac lesions and positive cultures of Enterococcus faecalis in blood and urine. Complicating findings were suppurative nephritis and renal infarction. Despite intensive supportive care, the endocarditis and clinical condition deteriorated and the dog had to be euthanized.     

Echocardiographic findings in a dog with vegetative bacterial endocarditis (Case report)

Definitive diagnosis of mitral and aortic valvular endocarditis in a dog was based on echocardiograpic findings and was then confirmed by positive blood culture. Abdominal ultrasound examination revealed a renal abcess. This case illustrates that echocardiography associated with abdominal ultrasound has become an essential tool for the diagnosis of bacterial endocarditis and for the detection of sequela or initial source of bacteriemia, while waiting for blood culture results. A short review of echocardiographic and Doppler abnormalities associated with bacterial endocarditis is presented.     

Bacteremia and vegetative endocarditis associated with a heart murmur in a blue-and-gold macaw.

A 6-year-old male blue-and-gold macaw (Ara ararauna) was presented with severe weakness, anorexia, and weight loss of 2 weeks duration. Cardiac auscultation revealed a soft systolic murmur. Blood cultures collected both antemortem and postmortem yielded pure isolates of Enterobacter cloacae. At necropsy, vegetative endocarditis was found involving the left atrioventricular valve. Microscopically, the lesion on the valve was characterized by a mixture of necrotic material, colonies of gram-negative bacteria, fibrosis, and inflammatory infiltrate consisting primarily of heterophils.     

Histopathology of experimental plague in cats

Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded archival tissues of seven adult cats of both sexes that died after being experimentally infected with Yersinia pestis were examined light microscopically to characterize the lesions. The cats were exposed in two groups using two routes of infection: ingestion of Y. pestis-infected rodent or a subcutaneous injection of Y. pestis to simulate a flea bite. Immunohistochemistry was performed on tissues from all organ systems from a representative cat from each group to determine the distribution of Y. pestis bacilli during infection. In all seven cats, bubonic plague lesions were seen. The lesions of pneumonic plague were present in two cats. Septicemic plague was confirmed in all seven cats by bacteriologic culture. Aggregations of bacteria were seen in lymphoid tissue in all cats and in lung tissues from the two cats with pneumonic plague. The most consistent histologic finding was necrosuppurative inflammation in the lymph nodes. Invariably, Y. pestis bacteria were present in large numbers at affected sites. Orally infected cats had more numerous lesions in the lymph nodes of the head and neck regions. These experimentally induced cases of feline plague document that cats are unique among carnivores in exhibiting bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic plague following exposure to Y. pestis. The lesions of the orally infected cats were consistent with those previously described for naturally occurring Y. pestis infections in cats and corroborate the contention that cats most commonly contract plague by eating Y. pestis-infected rodents and not via flea bite. The histopathology of Y. pestis disease in these cats is comparable to that described for human plague.     

Bacterial endocarditis in the dog

The literature on bacterial endocarditis is reviewed. The condition is illustrated by three cases in which the findings on clinical, radiological, electrocardiographical, bacteriological and post-mortem examinations are described. In one case a 2-year-old Boxer, the causal organism was an atypical Corynebacterium and in another, a 6-year-old Alsatian, it was Proteus vulgaris . Neither of these organisms have been previously associated with canine bacterial endocarditis. The third case is an example of a chronic, long standing lesion, from which no organisms were isolated.     

Histopathology of insulin-induced laminitis in ponies

Reasons for performing study: Ponies with laminitis associated with insulin resistance and hyperinsulinaemia lack systemic and/or intestinal inflammatory signs, suggesting a different pathogenesis potentially reflected in differing histopathology. Objectives: To describe the histological appearance and quantify morphological changes in primary and secondary epidermal lamellae (PEL and SEL) of laminitis lesions from ponies with insulin‐induced laminitis. Methods: Equine hoof lamellar tissue was obtained from 4 control ponies and 5 ponies with laminitis induced following infusion of insulin (1036 ± 55 µU/ml) while maintaining euglycaemia for 55.4 ± 5.5 h. Sections from all 4 hooves were stained and examined by a veterinary pathologist. Measurements of lamellar length (PEL and SEL) were made in mid‐dorsal sections of the right forefeet by 2 blinded observers. Immunolabelling for calprotectin was performed using a monoclonal antibody. Results: No lesions were detected in normal ponies. Lesions detected in ponies with laminitis were variable in severity between ponies. Within ponies, SEL lesions were more severe along the axial region of PEL. Lesions included swelling, disorganisation and abnormal keratinisation of epidermal cells, increased mitotic activity and apoptosis. Separation of basement membranes was minimal. Immunostaining revealed inflammatory cells within the lamellar dermis. SEL were significantly elongated in laminitic hooves relative to controls, with the greatest elongation in those attached to abaxial and middle regions of PEL. Conclusions: Laminitis induced by prolonged infusion of insulin lacked widespread basement membrane disintegration, and increases in epidermal cellular proliferation at axial aspects were marked for this acute stage of disease. Potential relevance: Defining equine laminitis entirely in terms of separation of the basement membrane may not be appropriate for laminitis associated with hyperinsulinaemia.