Genetics and the small animal veterinarian

The various modes of inheritance are described and illustrated with canine examples. The information required to establish that a given anomaly is of genetic origin is stated, and the methods for reducing the incidence of hereditary diseases are discussed. Résumé. L'auteur décrit les différents modes d'hérédité et les illustre à l'aide d'exemples relevés chez le chien. Il fournit les données nécessaires pour vérifier qu'une anomalie donnée est d'origine génétique et passe en revue les méthodes permettant de réduire l'incidence des maladies héréditaires. Zusammenfassung. Die verschiedenen Vererbungsgänge werden beschrieben und mit Beispielen der Vererbung bei Hunden belegt. Die benötigten Informationen für die Feststellung, dass eine bestimmte Anomalie genetischen Ursprungs ist, werden genannt und die Methoden beschrieben, die Häufigkeit des Auftretens von Erbkrankheiten zu vermindern.     

An outbreak of lymphadenitis associated with Stenotrophomonas (Xanthomonas) maltophilia in Omani goats

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a commonly isolated organism from human clinical specimens and is gaining significance as a pathogen in immunocompromised patients and nosocomial infections. In most cases it is difficult to establish the source of human infections. In veterinary medicine, S. maltophilia is not generally considered a primary pathogen. In the present study, we report the occurrence of 16 cases of caprine abscess from which S. maltophilia was isolated in pure culture from 15 animals. In six animals, the abscesses were confined to the pre-scapular lymph nodes but in the remaining nine, the cutaneous abscesses were multiple and extended from the neck to the inguinal area. The possibility is suggested that goats in Oman, which often live in close proximity to humans, might potentially serve as a reservoir of infection.     

An epizootic of highly virulent feline calicivirus disease in a hospital setting in New England

This article reports an outbreak of 24 cases of an unusually virulent feline calicivirus (FCV) infection in a small animal hospital. The circumstances and disease signs were very similar to those recently described in an outbreak of FCV hemorrhagic disease in Northern California (Vet. Microbiol. 73 (2000) 281). The virus entered the facility through shelter cats showing upper respiratory signs. Affected cats manifested high fever, anorexia, labored respirations, oral ulceration, facial and limb edema, icterus, and pancreatitis. The infection spread rapidly among the patients by contaminated animal caretakers and hospital equipment. One case of fomite transmission from an employee to a housecat was documented. Prior vaccination, even with multiple doses of FCV-F9-based live calicivirus vaccine, was not protective. Affected cats often required extensive supportive care for 7-10 days, and the overall mortality from death and euthanasia was 32%. The strain of FCV responsible for this outbreak was genetically and serologically distinct from the FCV strain responsible for a similar epizootic and the FCV-F9 strain contained in most vaccines. Outbreaks of this type are being reported with increasing frequency, and are often associated with the practice of treating sick shelter cats in private practices. Similar to the present epizootic, outbreaks of FCV hemorrhagic disease have been self-limiting, but require prompt application of strict quarantine, isolation, personnel sanitation, and disinfection procedures.