A dermoid of the eye in a blue-fronted Amazon parrot (Amazona aestiva)

A corneo-conjunctival dermoid is reported in a blue-fronted Amazon parrot ( Amazona aestiva ). After laminar keratectomy, histology showed the epidermis with feather follicles and dermal connective tissue with lymph follicles and sebaceous glands.     

Hepatozoon canis: The prevalence of antibodies and gametocytes in dogs in Israel

A survey for the prevalence of antibodies to Hepatozoon canis and for intraneutrophilic H. canis gametocytes in the peripheral blood neutrophils of dogs in Israel showed that 33.1% were seropositive, while only 1% of the dogs sampled had detectable parasites in their blood smears. Exposure to H. canis is widespread but it appears that most infected dogs undergo a subclinical infection and only a small proportion develop clinical disease.Abbreviations IFAT indirect fluorescent antibody test     

Chemotherapy of brucellosis in rams

Abstract

Extract

Recognition that one infective agent could cause ram epididymitis and ewe abortion in New Zealand was due to McFarlane et al. (1952 McFarlane, D., Jebson, J. L., Hartley, W. J., Salisbury, R. M., McClure, T. J. and Osborne, H. G. 1952. Aust. vet. J., 28: 226–226. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar]). The organism was not identified at that time, but Buddie and Boyes (1953 Buddle, M. B. and Boyes, B. W. 1953. Aust. vet. J., 29: 145–153. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar]) classified it in the genus Brucella—possibly a variant of Br. melitensis. This finding provided a basis for research on control and treatment of the disease. The present paper describes studies on one aspect of this problem, the chemotherapy of affected rams.     

Coenurosis in New Zealand

Extract

Sir,—During the survey on the cestode problems of food animals and dogs in New Zealand, Multiceps multi-cops (Leske, 1780) and its metacestode Coenurus cerebralis have been observed in the dog and sheep respectively in mid-Canterbury. An unconfirmed case has also been reported recently in a lamb's brain exported to Australia.     

A note on the evaluation of tuberculin tests

Abstract

Extract

Sir,—Robertson (1963a Robertson, T. G. 1963a. N.Z. vet. J., 11: 6–6. [Taylor &; Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]), in discussing the evaluation of tuberculin tests, neither distinguishes between absolute and comparative evaluation nor recognizes that the evaluation of an ancillary test is merely a special case of comparative evaluation. The consequence of these shortcomings is his quite unwarranted conclusion (p. 8) that “the use of statistics based on the classification of slaughtered reactors only is of no value whatsoever in evaluating a test”. This statement is true only in the context of absolute evaluation.     

Some investigations into the epidemiology of ovine toxoplasmosis

Abstract

Extract

Infection by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii is widespread in sheep in New Zealand and is recognized as the most common cause of intra-uterine infection leading to abortion and stillbirths (Hartley et al., 1954 Hartley, W. J., Jebson, J. L. and McFarlane, D. 1954. New Zealand Type II Abortion in ewes. Aust. vet. J., 30: 216–218.  [Google Scholar]; Hartley and Boyes, 1964 Hartley, W. J. and Boyes, B. W. 1964. Incidence of ovine perinatal mortality in New Zealand with particular reference to intra-uterine infections. N.Z. vet. J., 12: 33–36. [Taylor &; Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]). In view of the prevalence of this infection in New Zealand, trials were set up to investigate some aspects of the epidemiology of this perplexing disease.     

A vitamin e response in a young dog

Extract

This subject will be covered in three sections, first, a brief history of how the idea of using trained dogs to help the blind was conceived, then the present-day methods of training guide dogs, and, finally, how the blind person is trained with their guide dog to work together as a team.