Intracranial schwannoma in a cow

A nine year old Hereford crossbred cow with a history of progressive neurological signs was referred to the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Saskatoon. A large intracranial mass, histologically identified as a schwannoma, was found to be compressing the left brain stem and appeared to have arisen from the left fifth cranial nerve.     

William osler and comparative medicine

During the last thirty years of the nineteenth century, comparative medicine deeply influenced veterinary education in Montreal, New York and Philadelphia. Of the many physicians and veterinarians involved in this movement, Sir William Osler has attracted the most biographical and historical attention. However, his contributions to comparative medicine have been characterized inexactly, partly because of his later prominence as a clinician and partly because little has been written about the history of veterinary education in Quebec.

Osler's teaching and research in comparative medicine as well as his efforts to promote a veterinary profession are described and set alongside the work of other physicians and veterinarians who were his contemporaries. As a result, Osler's contributions to comparative medicine are seen to be many and important but by no means unique. Other Quebec veterinarians, including Duncan McEachran, Orphyr Bruneau, Victor T. Daubigny and J.A. Couture, and such physicians as T. Wesley Mills and J. George Adami made as many, and in some cases greater, contributions to veterinary education in Quebec than did Osler. That they have not received the degree of recognition that Osler has received reveals Osler's ability to represent values and ideals and draws attention to some essential features of late nineteenth-century comparative medicine.

     

Plasma cell pododermatitis in a cat

Plasma cell pododermatitis, an uncommon disease of unknown etiology, is described in a six year old male domestic short-haired cat. The cat was referred with a history of lameness associated with swelling, softness and ulceration of the foot pads. The history suggested a seasonal occurrence of the condition. The dermis and subcutis of the foot pads were infiltrated by inflammatory cells which were mainly plasma cells. The large number of plasma cells present in the lesions suggests an immunological basis for the condition.     

A review of cancer chemotherapy for pet animals

A review of the principles of cancer chemotherapy for pet animals is presented. The various pharmacological classes of antineoplastic drugs are described with specific references to those drugs that have been widely used in veterinary medicine.     

Behavior of ewes and lambs subjected to restraint fostering

The objective of this study was to investigate the development of maternal-filial social attachments between ewes and alien lambs using the technique of "restraint fostering." Forty-eight to 72 h after parturition, 22 Targhee -type ewes were separated from their natural lambs, placed in restraining devices ( stanchions ) and each exposed to a single alien lamb. After a period of 1 or 4 d of restraint, the ewes were subjected to five 10-min lamb acceptance tests over a 48-h period. The observer recorded butts and butt attempts by the ewe and successful and unsuccessful suckle attempts by the lamb. The ewe-lamb pairs were then housed in pens with other groups of ewes and lambs and observed intermittently for acceptance behaviors. Six of the 14 ewes restrained for 4 d and none of the eight ewes restrained for 24 h met the criterion for successful adoption within 48 h. After being housed in group pens, adoptions were achieved by three ewes in the 1-d group and an additional four ewes in the group restrained for 4 d. Ewes restrained for 24 h were significantly more aggressive toward fostered young than ewes restrained for 4 d. In addition, the proportion of successful suckling attempts was significantly lower for lambs fostered on ewes in the 1-d group. Both groups showed a decline in butts and butt attempts over successive acceptance tests, but while the proportion of successful suckling attempts declined for lambs housed with 1-d ewes, they increased over time for lambs fostered on ewes restrained for 4 d.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Papovavirus induced feather abnormalities and skin lesions in the budgerigar: clinical and pathological findings

Feather abnormalities and skin lesions caused by a papovavirus infection in budgerigars are described. Diseased one to 15 day old birds displayed a lack of nestling down feathers and filoplumes on the head and neck. Survivors older than 15 days exhibited retarded growth and temporary absence of feathers variable from bird to bird. Several birds between 15 and 25 days of age had flight feathers with total absence or marked sparseness of the vanes. After 25 days, feathers began to grow, although the tail and/or some flight feathers of some of the birds remained underdeveloped or absent for several weeks. Several of these affected birds were unable to fly and are called “runners”

Microscopic lesions in the feather follicles of the affected birds less than 15 days of age, were characterized by focal, multifocal or diffuse ballooning degeneration in the lateral and axial plate cells of the barb ridges with the presence of large basophilic or amphophilic intranuclear inclusions in the same cells. Focal areas of ballooning degeneration with intranuclear inclusions were also found in the epidermis. Clinical observations made on these birds are compared with those reported in the literature for French molt.

     

Treatment of a strandling whale (Kogia breviceps)

A stranded young pygmy sperm whale was nursed for four days in a pool, fed an artificial diet via a stomach tube and injected intramuscularly with antibiotics and corticosteroids. Initially unable to maintain her balance or to swim, she showed progressive improvement and by the third day could swim and dive quite strongly. Early on the fifth day her condition rapidly worsened and she died. An autopsy revealed extensive deep bruising in the head and mid-abdominal regions consistent with injuries sustained during the stranding.     

A perspective on ovine footrot control

A method for the control of ovine footrot is described which utilises the most appropriate measures to suit the circumstances for individual properties. This approach was used to eradicate the disease from three Central Otago fine-wool properties wintering in excess of 35,000 sheep on widely differing classes of land. This programme incorporates the use of proven.techniques and suitable planning together with input from the rural veterinarian, who plays an important role in demonstration and advising on control measures.     

Comparison of an enzyme-linked immunospecific assay (ELISA) with the cold complement fixation test for the serodiagnosis of Brucella ovis infection

An enzyme-linked immunospecific assay (ELISA) for the serodiagnosis of Brucella ovis infection in sheep is described and compared with the cold complement fixation (CF) test. ELISA was performed in microtiter plates, using horse-radish peroxidase conjugated to anti-normal sheep serum globulins, and hydrogen peroxide plus o-phenylenediamine as substrate. A heated, cell-free B. ovis extract was used as antigen in both tests. ELISA was easier to perform, distinguished better between positive and negative sera, and did not need heat-inactivated sera.