Eyelid eosinophilic granuloma in a Siberian husky

Canine eosinophilic granuloma (CEG) is a rare skin disease of unknown origin. It has been reported in Siberian huskies, Cavalier King Charles spaniels and occasionally in other breeds. The lesions comprise nodules or plaques, mostly localised in the oral cavity. A case of a single cutaneous nodular lesion of CEG on the eyelid of a Siberian husky is described. Complete remission was achieved with oral glucocorticoid treatment.     

Deep digital flexor tendon force and digital mechanics in normal ponies and ponies with rotation of the distal phalanx as a sequel to laminitis

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Previous studies have implicated tension in the deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) in the rotation of the distal phalanx (DP) after the breakdown of the dorsal laminae caused by laminitis. Howeveer, once the DP has rotated, the DDFT should become shorter, reducing the force it exerts on the DP. OBJECTIVE: To compare DDFT force and ground reaction forces (GRFs) in normal ponies and ponies with rotation of the DP as a sequel to laminitis. METHODS: Six normal ponies (Group 1) and 6 sound ponies with 6-13 degrees of rotation of the DP in relation to the dorsal hoof wall (Group 2) were assessed at trot using forceplate and motion analysis. The force in the DDFT was calculated by assuming that the extending moment at the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint resulting from the GRF was equal to the flexing moment created by the force in the DDFT during the stance phase (inverse dynamics). RESULTS: In early stance, the peak DDFT force (mean+/-s.d.) in the normal ponies was 1.92+/-1.63 N/kg. However, in Group 2, the point of zero moment was palmar to the centre of rotation of the DIP joint for the first 40% of stance and hence DDFT force was zero. Force in the DDFT reached a peak of 10.00+/-3.56 N/kg at 60.7+/-5.6% of stance in Group 1 and 6.41+/-1.37 N/kg at 79.2+/-9.6% of stance in Group 2. CONCLUSIONS: DDFT force in Group 2 laminitic ponies was much reduced until late stance, when it neared normal values. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: Further studies of ponies with rotation of the DP as a sequel to laminitis should assist farriery aimed at reducing the force in the DDFT through the breakover phase of stance to protect damaged dorsal laminae.     

Complex Carbohydrates Occurring in the Digestive Apparatus of Umbrina Cirrosa (L.) Fry

The glycosoaminoglycans in the digestive apparatus of immature fish have important biological functions and are involved in morphofunctional differentiation. The aim of this study was to investigate the glycoconjugate histochemistry in the different parts of the digestive apparatus (oesophagus, stomach, intestine) of Umbrina cirrosa (L.) fry using classical histochemical reactions (periodic acid-Schiff, Alcian blue pH 2.5, Alcian blue/periodic acid-Schiff, high iron diamine, low iron diamine) in conjunction with glycolytic digestions that degrade different classes of glycosoaminoglycans. No differences were observed in the reactivity to conventional histochemical staining of the oesophagus, stomach or intestine among 27-, 34- or 44-day-old fry. In the oesophagus, the mucopolysaccharides contained chondroitin sulphates B and A and/or C, heparan sulphate and chondroitin. In the stomach, only neutral glycoconjugates were revealed, whereas in the intestine there were only chondroitin sulphates. Some differences in the type and content of glycoconjugates were found in Umbrina cirrosa (L.) fry compared to those of adult subjects, probably related to different dietary habits and to changes in the environmental conditions.     

Validation of the FAMACHA eye color chart for detecting clinical anemia in sheep and goats on farms in the southern United States

Recent studies on sheep and goat farms in the southern United States indicate that multiple-anthelmintic resistance in Haemonchus contortus is becoming a severe problem. Though many factors are involved in the evolution of resistance, the proportion of the parasite population under drug selection is believed to be the single most important factor influencing how rapidly resistance develops. Therefore, where prevention of resistance is an important parallel goal of worm control, it is recommended to leave a portion of the animals untreated. Recently, a novel system called FAMACHA was developed in South Africa, which enables clinical identification of anemic sheep and goats. When H. contortus is the primary parasitic pathogen, this system can be applied on the farm level to reduce the number of treatments administered, thereby increasing the proportion of the worm population in refugia. Since most studies validating the FAMACHA method have been performed in South Africa, it is important that the method be tested in other regions before its use is broadly recommended. We performed a validation study of FAMACHA by testing the system in sheep (n = 847) and goats (n = 537) of various breeds and ages from 39 farms located in Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Florida, and the US Virgin Islands. The color of the ocular conjunctiva of all animals were scored on a 1-5 scale using the FAMACHA card, and blood samples were collected from each animal for determination of packed cell volume (PCV). Fecal samples were also collected from a majority of the animals tested for performance of fecal egg counts (FEC). Correlations between PCV and eye scores, PCV and FEC, and FEC and eye scores were all highly significant for both sheep and goats (P < 0.001). Data for both FAMACHA scores and PCV were evaluated using two separate criteria for anemia: eye score values of 3, 4 and 5 or 4 and 5, and PCV values of < or =19 or < or =15 were considered anemic. Specificity was maximized when eye score values of 4 and 5 were considered anemic and PCV cut off for anemia was < or =19, but sensitivity was low. In contrast, sensitivity was 100% for both sheep and goats when eye score values of 3, 4 and 5 were considered anemic and PCV cut off was < or =15, but specificity was low. In both sheep and goats, predictive value of a negative was greater than 92% for all anemia and eye score categories, and was greater than 99% for both eye score categories when an anemia cutoff of < or =15 was used. Predictive value of a positive test was low under all criteria indicating that many non-anemic animals would be treated using this system. However, compared to conventional dosing practices where all animals are treated, a large proportion of animals would still be left untreated. These data indicate that the FAMACHA method is an extremely useful tool for identifying anemic sheep and goats in the southern US and US Virgin Islands. However, further studies are required to determine optimal strategies for incorporating FAMACHA-based selective treatment protocols into integrated nematode control programs.     

Recurrence of thoracolumbar intervertebral disk extrusion in chondrodystrophic dogs after surgical decompression with or without prophylactic fenestration: 265 cases (1995-1999)

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate a population of chondrodystrophic dogs treated for Hansen type 1 intervertebral disk (IVD) disease by surgical decompression with or without prophylactic fenestration and determine the rate and location of surgically confirmed recurrence of intervertebral disk extrusion. ANIMALS: 265 dogs. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. PROCEDURES: Medical records of dogs that underwent spinal decompression between 1995 and 1999 were reviewed. RESULTS: 3 (4.9%) dogs were euthanatized or died prior to discharge. Fenestration was performed in 252 dogs, including 37 (14.7%) at the site of decompression only, 48 (19%) at 3 to 4 disk spaces, and 167 (66%) at 5 to 7 disk spaces. There were 12 instances of recurrent disk extrusion confirmed by removal of disk at a second surgery 3.5 to 33 months after the first surgery. Recurrence was always at a new disk space, and rates did not significantly differ between dogs that underwent single or multiple fenestrations. Two recurrences were at a previously fenestrated disk space. Seven recurrences were at a site immediately adjacent to a fenestrated disk space, and 5 recurrences were at L4-5. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Prophylactic fenestration is generally successful in preventing future disk extrusions at fenestrated disk spaces. Prospective evaluation is still required to determine whether fenestration decreases the overall rate of recurrence. Prophylactic fenestration could promote disk extrusion at adjacent, nonfenestrated disk spaces. This could have a substantial clinical impact if recurrence develops at L4-5.     

Subcutaneous Botryomycosis Due to Bibersteinia trehalosi in a Texas Longhorn Steer

A 3-year-old Texas Longhorn steer had a long history of progressive swelling of the soft tissues of the jaw and neck. At necropsy, multifocal to coalescing dermal and subcutaneous pyogranulomas were surrounded by fibrous tissue. Microscopically, the pyogranulomas contained aggregates of gram-negative coccobacilli surrounded by Splendore-Hoeppli material and were separated by bands of fibrovascular tissue (botryomycosis). Phylogenetic analysis of multilocus sequence-typing data revealed that the bacteria recovered in pure culture from swabs of submandibular tissue were most closely related to Bibersteinia [Pasteurella] trehalosi. The bacterial colonies were immunohistochemically reactive with a rabbit polyclonal anti-Pasteurella class C acid phosphatase antibody. Botryomycosis is a pyogranulomatous inflammation caused by a variety of nonbranching, nonfilamentous bacteria that elicit the formation of Splendore-Hoeppli material. This case of botryomycosis is unique for its association with Bibersteinia trehalosi.     

Multifocal cutaneous histiocytic sarcoma in a young dog and review of histiocytic cell immunophenotyping

A 9‐month‐old male Great Dane had progressive generalized nodular dermatopathy for several months. There were > 100 raised, alopecic, firm, painful nodules throughout the skin. Aspirates from several lesions yielded moderate numbers of irregularly round or polygonal to spindle‐shaped cells with mild to moderate anisocytosis and few inflammatory cells, and the cytologic interpretation was proliferation of mesenchymal or histiocytic cells. On histopathologic examination, nodules were composed of densely packed sheets of round to spindle‐shaped cells with mild anisokaryosis and low mitotic activity. Multifocal histiocytic sarcoma with a spindle‐cell pattern was diagnosed based on morphologic features and intense expression of CD18. Additional immunophenotypic analysis on frozen sections of tissue confirmed the diagnosis of histiocytic sarcoma; expression of CD18, CD45, CD1a, CD11b, and CD11c, limited expression of Thy‐1 (CD90) and CD80, and lack of expression of CD4, CD11d, and CD86 indicated that the cells were likely interstitial dendritic cells; a review of reactive and neoplastic dendritic cells is provided. Based on staging, internal organs were not affected. Sequential treatment with lomustine and doxorubicin failed to prevent progression of the cutaneous lesions, and the dog died 3 months after initial diagnosis. At necropsy, a focus of neoplastic cells was present in one lymph node, but except for skin other organs were not involved. The clinical presentation of histiocytic sarcoma may be unusual, and neoplastic cells may lack overt features of malignancy on cytologic and histopathologic examination. In some instances, immunophenotyping is required to differentiate histiocytic sarcoma from other histiocytic disorders.