Re: Advances in animal welfare in New Zealand

Extract

The review article which appeared in the Jubilee Issue of the New Zealand Veterinary Journal (Stafford et al 2002) provided a good summary of recent research into the animal suffering associated with normal farming practices and pest control. In many cases, such research has been helpful in making improvements to animal welfare regulations, and the knowledge gained may prove even more useful in making further beneficial changes during the current submission round on codes of ethical conduct.     

Spatial genetic structure and dispersal of the cacao pathogen Moniliophthora perniciosa in the Brazilian Amazon

Moniliophthora perniciosa is the causal agent of witches’ broom in Theobroma cacao (cacao). Three biotypes of M. perniciosa are recognized, differing in host specificity, with two causing symptoms on cacao or Solanaceae species (C‐ and S‐biotypes), and the third found growing endophytically on lianas (L‐biotype). The objectives of this study were to clarify the genetic relationship between the three biotypes, and to identify those regions in the Brazilian Amazon with the greatest genetic diversity for the C‐biotype. Phylogenetic reconstruction based on the rRNA ITS regions showed that the C‐ and S‐biotypes formed a well‐supported clade separated from the L‐biotype. Analysis of 131 isolates genotyped at 11 microsatellite loci found that S‐ and especially L‐biotypes showed a higher genetic diversity. A significant spatial genetic structure was detected for the C‐biotype populations in Amazonia for up to 137 km, suggesting ‘isolation by distance’ mode of dispersal. However, in regions containing extensive cacao plantings, C‐biotype populations were essentially ‘clonal’, as evidenced by high frequency of repeated multilocus genotypes. Among the Amazonian C‐biotype populations, Acre and West Amazon displayed the largest genotypic diversity and might be part of the centre of diversity of the fungus. The pathogen dispersal may have followed the direction of river flow downstream from Acre, Rondônia and West Amazon eastward to the rest of the Amazon valley, where cacao is not endemic. The Bahia population exhibited the lowest genotypic diversity, but high allele richness, suggesting multiple invasions, with origin assigned to Rondônia and West Amazon, possibly through isolates from the Lower Amazon population.     

Theileria orientalis: a review

Theileria orientalis (also known historically as T. sergenti and T. buffeli) is responsible for benign or non-transforming theileriosis, and exerts its major effect through erythrocyte destruction. The life cycle of T. orientalis is essentially similar to that of other Theileria species, except that the schizonts do not induce transformation and fatal lymphoproliferation. The pathogenesis of anaemia as a result of infection is not clearly established and may be multifaceted. Clinical signs of weakness, reluctance to walk and abortion are early but non-specific indications of disease, particularly if accompanied by a history of cattle being moved. Physical examination may reveal pallor (pale eyes, vaginal mucosa), pyrexia, and elevated heart and respiratory rates. T. orientalis is an economically important parasite of cattle in New Zealand, Australia and Japan, especially where naïve animals are introduced into an endemic area or in animals under stress. Increased awareness of the risks posed by the parasite is required to enable management practices to be implemented to minimise its impact.     

Hyaluronidase administered with xylazine–tiletamine–zolazepam into adipose tissue shortens recovery from anesthesia in pigs

Objective

To evaluate the effect of hyaluronidase on uptake, duration and speed of elimination of xylazine–tiletamine–zolazepam administered in the subcutaneous fat over the dorsal lumbar region of swine.

Assessing obesity in adult dogs and cats presenting for routine vaccination appointments in the North Island of New Zealand using electronic medical records data

Aims: To assess the prevalence of obesity in adult dogs and cats presented to first-opinion veterinary clinics in the North Island of New Zealand for routine vaccination appointments, using electronic medical records.

Methods: Ten first-opinion veterinary clinics across the North Island of New Zealand provided electronic medical records for all routine vaccination appointments for adult (>1 year old) dogs and cats between 1 January 2011 and 30 June 2016. Animals with a body condition score (BCS) of 6 or 7 on a 9-point scale and 4 on a 5-point scale were classified as overweight; those with a BCS of 8 or 9 on a 9-point scale and 5 on a 5-point scale were classified as obese. A total of 106,144 records were available over the study period, of which 48,041 (45.2%) had both a recorded weight and BCS.

Results: Of the 24,247 records for dogs with both BCS and weight, 6,324 (26.1%) were classified as overweight, and 551 (2.3%) as obese. The prevalence of dogs classified as overweight or obese was highest in dogs aged between 5–13 years. The odds of desexed dogs being classified as overweight or obese was greater than the odds for intact dogs (OR=1.42 (95% CI=1.29–1.57), p<0.001) adjusting for the effects of age. Of the 23,794 records for cats with a recorded weight and BCS, 5,222 (21.9%) were classified as overweight, and 622 (2.6%) as obese. The prevalence of cats classified as overweight or obese was highest in cats aged between 5–11 years. The odds of desexed cats being classified as overweight or obese tended to be greater than the odds for intact cats (OR=1.14 (95% CI=0.98–1.31); p=0.075), adjusting for the effects of age.

Conclusions: Although there are limitations with using electronic medical records to estimate the prevalence of obesity in companion animal populations, the results highlight that a significant number of animals presenting for routine vaccination appointments were classified as overweight or obese.

Clinical Relevance: It is important for veterinarians to record both patient body condition and weight during routine preventative care appointments to allow accurate ongoing monitoring of trends in obesity at both the patient and population levels.

Abbreviations: BCS: Body condition score     

Pancreatic cyst in a cat

CASE HISTORY: A 5-year-old neutered male Cornish Rex cat was presented for evaluation with a history of vomiting over the previous 5 days.

CLINICAL FINDINGS: An abdominal mass was palpated, which was shown to be cystic by ultrasound examination. Exploratory surgery revealed this to be associated with the pancreas and it was duly resected. Histopathology was performed on the cystic mass.

DIAGNOSIS: Pancreatic cyst with associated chronic active infl ammation.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This is the first report of a true pancreatic cyst in a cat.     

A comparison of the autecology of Quercus robur L. and Q. pyrenaica Wild.: present habitat in Galicia, NW Spain

The biotopes occupied by pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.)and rebollo oak (Quercus pyrenaica Willd.) in Galicia were characterizedusing different parameters, enabling a comparative analysisof its habitats. Thirty-nine plots of pedunculate oak and 40of rebollo oak were inventoried and 25 ecological parameters(physiographic, climatic and edaphic) were measured to describethe biotopes, along with 14 stand parameters to characterizethe structure and the silviculture of these forests; some ofthem were used in previous works about the autecology of bothspecies. Quercus robur was found to occupy a wider range ofecological habitats and their distribution is oceanic; Q. pyrenaicapresents a more Mediterranean phytoclimatic position. The resultsindicated that the distribution of oak forests in Galicia ismore closely related to physiographic and climatic featuresthan to edaphic, because the nature of the substrates that theyoccupy is similar. Analysis of fragility/aggressiveness betweenboth species and chestnut shows that the aggressiveness of bothoaks, mainly pedunculate, was much higher, except at high altitudes,and in areas with a high mean temperature, where rebollo ismore aggressiveness. Comparison of the two Quercus shows formost of the parameters that Q. robur is the more aggressivespecies.