Diagnosis and treatment of mastitis in mares

Infection and inflammation of the udder (mastitis) is a common condition affecting all domestic mammals, but it appears to be less prevalent in mares than in dairy cows and dairy goats. The seemingly reduced incidence of mastitis in mares can be partially explained by the smaller size and relatively concealed location of the mare’s udder, coupled with a smaller storage capacity than cows and goats. Mastitis can affect lactating, peripartum, dry mares, mares at dry-off or prepubertal foals. Common clinical signs include swollen mammary tissue, abnormal mammary gland secretion, fever and anorexia; less common signs are hindlimb lameness and a swollen mammary vein. On rare occasions, mastitis pathogens can severely affect the nursing foal and mares may develop fibrotic tissue and consequent agalactia in the side(s) or quarter(s) affected. Based on the clinical presentation, mastitis can be classified as acute or chronic, and clinical or subclinical. Diagnosis is based on the clinical signs aided with aerobic culture and cytological evaluation of the gland secretion. In addition, these ancillary tests can also be used to assess prognosis and duration of treatment. Mares suffering from mastitis may present neutrophilia and hyperfibrinogenaemia. Treatment for mastitis includes antimicrobial therapy (systemic and/or locally), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, frequent milking and cold hosing with/without hot-packing applied on the gland. While the frequent monitoring of mares after weaning and reducing food intake should be part of common practices at weaning, cleaning of the udder, control of insect populations and frequent milking of mares with a foal unable to nurse can also aid in preventing mastitis.     

Cutaneous leiomyosarcoma with visceral metastases in a White Carneau pigeon and literature review

Cutaneous leiomyosarcomas are malignant mesenchymal tumors of smooth muscle origin and are reported occasionally in avian species. A 14-y-old male laboratory White Carneau pigeon (Columba livia) was presented for surgical excision of a cervical soft tissue mass. Ultrasonography with color flow Doppler imaging revealed multiple cavitations of mixed echogenicity within the mass and vascularization. Histologically, the dermis and subcutis were expanded by a densely cellular multinodular mass comprised of fusiform cells forming haphazardly arranged broad streams and short interwoven bundles, often surrounding blood vessels and variably sized cavitations. Neoplastic cells were strongly immunopositive for desmin and α–smooth muscle actin, and negative for pancytokeratin, S100, and von Willebrand factor. Based on histopathology and IHC findings, the cutaneous mass was diagnosed as leiomyosarcoma (LMS). The pigeon died 312 d post-operatively. Postmortem examination revealed masses infiltrating the left and right pulmonary airways and one hepatic nodule, but no regrowth at the surgical site. Histologic and IHC evaluation of the pulmonary and hepatic masses were consistent with LMS, representing metastatic foci from the primary cutaneous LMS. Our case highlights the malignant behavior and histomorphologic features of cutaneous LMS in an avian species.     

Study on Length Polymorphism of KAP1 Family Genes in Yak (Bos gurnniens)

This study was aimed to understand the characteristics of length polymorphism with repeat sequence of keratin associated protein 1 (KAP1) family genes in yak. KAP1 family genes of yak and cattle were sequenced, and compared with sheep KAP1 family gene sequences. The results showed that cattle KAP1 family genes were located in chromosome 19, according to location of sheep KAP1 family genes in the chromosome and similarity with cattle KAP1 family genes, renaming the cattle KAP1 family (according to the gene location of chromosome) B2D, B2A, KAP1-1 and B2C genes into KAP1-4, KAP1-1, KAP1-2 and KAP1-3 gene, respectively. KAP1 family genes in the 3'and 5' flank were highly conserved, the difference between family genes mainly in the the repeat sequence region, which yak KAP1 to KAP4 genes were found 30 bp length polymorphism. There were B(CCQTS)A₁(CCQPT) repeat sequence and a new repeat sequence C(SIQTS). The results indicated that the repeat sequence was the key of the polymorphism of KAP1 family genes, which might be relate to combination with keratin protein.