Incidence and risk factors of heat-related illness in dogs from New South Wales,Australia (1997–2017)

Heat Related Illness (HRI) in dogs is expected to increase as heatwaves surge due to global warming. The most severe form of HRI, heat stroke, is potentially fatal in dogs. The current study investigated the incidence and risk factors for HRI in dogs in NSW, Australia, from 1997 to 2017. We identified 119 HRI cases during this period, with a fatality rate of 23%. Dog breeds at elevated risk of HRI were Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog, British Bulldog, French Bulldog, Maremma Sheepdog, Italian Greyhound, Chow Chow, Airedale Terrier, Pug, Samoyed, English Springer Spaniel, Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Border Collie, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and pooled non-Australian National Kennel Council breeds (which included the American and Australian Bulldog) when compared with cross breeds (i.e., the reference variable). As expected, HRI cases were more likely in December and January, during the Australian summer and during hotter years (e.g., 2016). There were no differences in the risk of HRI between males and females nor between desexed or un-desexed dogs; but older dogs were at increased risk of HRI. These findings underscore the need for data collection that will enable the incidence of HRI in dogs to be monitored and to better understand canine risk factors particularly as temperatures will continue to rise due to global warming. The risk of mortality from HRI underpins the need for education programs focussed on prevention and early identification of HRI so that owners present affected dogs to their veterinarian as promptly as possible.     

Epidemic of blindness in kangaroos - evidence of a viral aetiology

OBJECTIVE: To determine the cause of an epidemic of blindness in kangaroos. DESIGN AND PROCEDURES: Laboratory examinations were made of eyes and brains of a large number of kangaroos using serological, virological, histopathological, electron microscopical, immunohistochemical methods, and PCR with cDNA sequencing. In addition, potential insect viral vectors identified during the disease outbreak were examined for specific viral genomic sequences. SAMPLE POPULATION: For histopathological analysis, 55 apparently blind and 18 apparently normal wild kangaroos and wallabies were obtained from New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia. A total of 437 wild kangaroos and wallabies (including 23 animals with apparent blindness) were examined serologically. RESULTS: Orbiviruses of the Wallal and Warrego serogroups were isolated from kangaroos affected with blindness in a major epidemic in south-eastern Australia in 1994 and 1995 and extending to Western Australia in 1995/96. Histopathological examinations showed severe degeneration and inflammation in the eyes, and mild inflammation in the brains. In affected retinas, Wallal virus antigen was detected by immunohistochemical analysis and orbiviruses were seen in electron microscopy. There was serological variation in the newly isolated Wallal virus from archival Wallal virus that had been isolated in northern Australia. There were also variations of up to 20% in genotype sequence from the reference archival virus. Polymerase chain reactions showed that Wallal virus was present during the epidemic in three species of midges, Culicoides austropalpalis, C dycei and C marksi. Wallal virus nucleic acid was also detected by PCR in a paraffin-embedded retina taken from a blind kangaroo in 1975. CONCLUSION: Wallal virus and perhaps also Warrego virus are the cause of the outbreak of blindness in kangaroos. Other viruses may also be involved, but the evidence in this paper indicates a variant of Wallal virus, an orbivirus transmitted by midges, has the strongest aetiological association, and immunohistochemical analysis implicates it as the most damaging factor in the affected eyes.     

TRANSCUTANEOUS ULTRASONOGRAPHY OF THE AVIAN UROGENITAL TRACT

The purpose of this article is to provide a survey of the diagnostic use of transcutaneous sonographic examination of the urogenital tract of pet birds. Possibilities and limitations in imaging normal and altered components of this organ system are discussed. Ultrasonographic examination of the avian urogenital tract was evaluated in 386 pet birds. Abnormal clinical signs were present in 289 birds; 97 birds were normal. Transcutaneous ultrasonography proved to be a useful, noninvasive, and fast diagnostic tool, especially in imaging laminated eggs and changes of the oviduct. Until now, these pathologic changes were not diagnosable in birds with other common noninvasive methods (e.g. radiography). The imaging of low-grade changes of the oviduct, disorders of the kidney without enlargement of the organ, as well as roughening of the egg shell proved to be difficult. Sonographic imaging of neither the normal kidney nor the inactive gonads was possible.     

RADIOGRAPHIC FINDINGS IN THE THORAX OF DOGS WITH LEPTOSPIRAL INFECTION

Thoracic radiographs of 4 dogs with confirmed and 1 dog with suspected leptospirosis were reviewed. In all dogs a reticulonodular pulmonary opacity was noted, affecting the entire lung in 3 and predominantly the caudodorsal lung field in 2 dogs. The radiographic lung pattern described is associated with pulmonary hemorrhage probably due to endothelial damage and vasculitis. Pulmonary manifestations in dogs with leptospirosis may be misinterpreted and attributed to neoplasia, pneumonia, edema, hemorrhage due to disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, adult respiratory distress syndrome and pulmonary thromboembolism.