Survey of tuberculin testing in Swedish zoos.

Tuberculin test results from 214 animals in three Swedish zoos, tested between the years 1993 and 2000, were compiled from a questionnaire sent out to zoo veterinarians. Comparative testing with bovine and avian tuberculin was used on various sites of injection. A total of five skin test reactors were found: three cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) in one zoo and two tapirs (Tapirus terrestris) in another zoo. Postmortem culture from one of the tapirs revealed growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and a stamping out policy was adopted in the herd. Tuberculosis in the primates was ruled out by further investigations. Zoo veterinarians should try to adopt a common scheme for the regular testing of zoo animals to improve the diagnostic ability and comparison of results between institutions.     

Biodiversity assessment and conservation strategies

The efficient representation of all species in conservation planning is problematic. Often, species distribution is assessed by dividing the land into a grid; complementary sets of grids, in which each taxon is represented at least once, are then sought. To determine if this approach provides useful surrogate information, species and higher taxon data for South African plants and animals were analyzed. Complementary species sets did not coincide and overlapped little with higher taxon sets. Survey extent and taxonomic knowledge did not affect this overlap. Thus, the assumptions of surrogacy, on which so much conservation planning is based, are not supported.     

Evaluation of a Burdizzo Castrator for Neutering of Dogs

A Burdizzo castrator was evaluated for the neutering of dogs. Histological and morphological changes of spermatic cells and peripheral serum testosterone after challenge with a GnRH-analogue (gonadorelin) were assessed. There was a control group (G1), a surgically castrated group (G2) and a Burdizzo group (G3) divided in two, G3a receiving two crunches in each spermatic cord and G3b receiving one crunch in each spermatic cord. Sixteen days after application of the Burdizzo blood samples were taken from the dogs at 30 min interval during 2 h; after the second sample the dogs were treated with 1 mug/kg body weight of gonadorelin i.v. The same protocol of gonadorelin challenge was performed in G1 and G2 dogs. The G2 dogs were surgically castrated after the second blood sample, before the gonadorelin treatment, and the G1 dogs after the last blood sample. The excised gonads were examined histologically, and sperm smears were prepared from the caudae epididymidis. The testes and plexus pampiniformis of the G1 and G2 dogs had a normal histological appearance, and they had morphologically normal epididymal sperm cells. In all G3 dogs, there was an acute fibrosis with an inflammatory reaction in the plexus pampiniformis. The testes from the G3a dogs showed diffuse areas of infarction and degeneration of the parenchyma. Similar but less diffuse lesions were seen in group 3b dogs. The deferent ducts from all G3 dogs showed vasitis and/or sperm granulomas. Azoospermia or sperm malformations were observed in the epididymal smears from the G3 dogs. Testosterone concentration in the G1 dogs increased after gonadorelin application (p < 0.0001). The G2 dogs had basal testosterone levels after castration (p < 0.001) and did not respond to gonadorelin. Groups 3a and b showed a slight but non-significant increase in testosterone concentration after gonadorelin challenge, supposedly due to the reduction of testicular blood flow and loss of testicular interstitial tissue.