Erysipelothrix septicemia in a little blue penguin (Eudyptula minor).

On June 25, 2002, aquarium veterinarians treated a 5-year-old, male little blue penguin (Eudyptula minor) that was acutely recumbent and dull, with inappetence of 24-hour duration. The penguin died within 10 minutes of presentation despite emergency resuscitation efforts. Gross pathologic findings consisted of pulmonary congestion and intestinal hemorrhage. Histopathologic findings included necrosis of tips of intestinal villi, increased numbers of mononuclear cells in pulmonary interstitium and hepatic sinusoids, and gram-positive bacteria in systemic microvasculature. Transmission electron microscopic examination revealed short gram-positive bacilli located in lumina of glomerular capillaries and in cytoplasm of mononuclear phagocytic cells in the lung and liver. Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae was recovered from the lung, liver, and intestine by bacteriologic culture. Amplicons from polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests using Erysipelothrix genus-specific primers and total genomic DNA extracted from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections of lung and intestine demonstrated 99% nucleotide sequence identity with 16S small-subunit ribosomal DNA of E. rhusiopathiae and E. tonsillarum. The source of infection was speculated to be fish in the diet; however, repeated attempts to detect Erysipelothrix spp. from the mucous layer of food fish using bacteriologic culture and PCR were unsuccessful. This is the first report of erysipelas in a captive aquatic bird. Details of the isolation of E. rhusiopathiae and the application of molecular testing to identify Erysipelothrix DNA in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections are given.     

Comparative Study on Five Different Commercial Extenders for Boar Semen

Increasing interest in a longer preservation of diluted boar sperm raises questions in the field concerning the choice of the extender. The aim of this study was to evaluate the longevity of boar sperm extended in currently used commercial semen extenders. Three long-term extenders and two short-term extenders were compared for different semen quality parameters that can be assessed under routine laboratory conditions. Sperm morphology, motility, pH and bacteriological contamination were investigated during a 7-day period. The number of dead spermatozoa did not differ significantly among the extenders (p > 0.05). Sperm motility was not only related with storage period but most of all with pH, especially in long-term extenders. Differences between the different extenders were prominent (p < 0.05); the sperm preserved in only one long-term extender showed good motility during the whole test period. In all cases, the pH of the extended semen increased by 0.3-0.5 in the first days of storage and was significantly correlated with a decrease in motility. Bacteriological quality had no significant influence on motility or pH of the semen. In conclusion, we can state that in both short-term extenders and in only one long-term extender, sperm longevity, as evaluated by the parameters used in this study, was sufficient during the preservation period. To preserve the quality of diluted boar semen during long-term storage, the choice of the long-term extender is important. In addition, the monitoring of the pH of extended boar semen in our study emphasizes the importance of the buffering capacity of semen extenders.     

Avian care and husbandry.

Birds are becoming more popular as pets, and the need for veterinary professionals to learn more about these pets is crucial. This article introduces the veterinary staff to basic information required to provide high-quality care to avian patients. High-quality nutrition for a variety of species and ages is included in this article. The importance of proper husbandry and intellectual stimulation with toys is also discussed. Special emphasis is placed on instructions for clients when making appointments, as well as recognizing signs of illness for both clients and veterinary staff. Capture, restraint, and sample collection are an important part of this article, as well as medication administration, anesthesia, supportive care, preventive care and grooming. A variety of aspects concerning the care of the avian patient are covered for the benefit of the client and veterinary technician.     

Preliminary study of plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) during low- and high-dose radiation therapy of dogs with spontaneous tumors

High plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentrations are associated with radiation resistance and poor prognosis. After an exposure to ionizing radiation in cell culture an early phase and a late phase of increased VEGF have been documented. The activation was dependent on the radiation dose. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to measure baseline plasma VEGF and changes in VEGF over the course of fractionated radiation therapy in dogs with spontaneous tumors. Dogs with tumors had a significantly higher pretreatment plasma VEGF than did dogs without tumors. Immediately after irradiation no increased plasma VEGF was observed. Over the course of radiation therapy there was an increased plasma VEGF in dogs treated with low doses per fraction/high total dose, whereas plasma VEGF remained stable in dogs irradiated with high doses per fraction/low total dose. The regulatory mechanisms are very complex, and therefore the value of plasma VEGF measurements as an indirect marker of angiogenesis induced by radiotherapy is limited.     

New and unusual causes of acute renal failure in dogs and cats.

This article provides a source for easy reference, summarizing in one location newly recognized and unusual causes of acute renal failure (ARF) in dogs and cats. Several of the causes discussed in this article have been described previously. New or unusual causes of ARF in dogs and cats include infectious diseases (leptospirosis,borreliosis, and babesiosis), nephrotoxicants (aminoglycosides,vitamin D, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), and plant material (lilies and raisins/grapes).     

Management of ureteral obstruction.

The most common cause of ureteral obstruction in dogs and cats is ureteral calculi. Common clinical signs associated with ureteral obstruction include abnormalities in urination, persistent urinary tract infection, abdominal pain, vomiting, anorexia, weight loss,and depression or lethargy. Medical management of ureteral obstruction includes fluid diuresis, muscle relaxants, and treatment of azotemia using nephrostomy tubes or hemodialysis. Surgical techniques used to restore patency to the ureter include ureterotomy,partial ureterectomy and ureteroneocystostomy, and ureteral resection and anastomosis. Lithotripsy has been used in dogs to remove ureteral calculi. Renal function can be preserved if complete ureteral obstruction is relieved within several days of onset.     

Current therapies in exotic animal oncology.

The majority of information on oncology therapies has been reported in humans, canine, and feline patients, and laboratory animals with experimentally induced tumors. A variety of treatments,including radiation therapy, chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, and others have been used with exotic animals. There are many species of exotic pets, and anatomic differences, as well as husbandry and nutritional requirements, must be taken into account to provide optimal care. By providing a broad overview of therapies and considerations for treatment, this article is intended to provide the practitioner with an overview of approach and options when addressing oncology cases in exotic animals.     

Characterization of a wild-type strain of Francisella tularensis isolated from a cat.

Francisella tularensis type A is the primary cause of tularemia in animals and humans in North America. The majority of research on F. tularensis has been done with the attenuated live vaccine strain (LVS), which is a type B, but very few wild-type F. tularensis strains have been characterized. A gram-negative coccobacillus that was isolated in pure culture from the lungs of a cat that died after being lost for 5 days was received for identification at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine Teaching hospital. The isolate (strain TI0902) was not identified (or was misidentified) by commercial identification systems; however, it was identified as F. tularensis subspecies tularensis (type A) by sequencing a portion of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. Furthermore, repetitive extragenic palindromic sequences-polymerase chain reaction amplified a 4-kb DNA fragment from TI0902 that was characteristic of F. tularensis type A but not type B. The electrophoretic profile of the lipopolysaccharide of strain TI0902 was identical to that of the LVS by Western blotting with antiserum to LVS. The protein-enriched outer membrane of strain TI0902 contained 6-8 proteins, which were similar in molecular size to those from the LVS. Electron microscopy of negatively stained and alcian blue-stained LVS and TI0902 cells showed that both strains were coccobacillary in shape and may be encapsulated. However, after mouse challenge, the TI0902 strain was clearly more virulent than the LVS strain. Results of this study indicate that the genotype and phenotype of wild-type F. tularensis type A strain TI0902 is similar, but not identical, to that of the LVS strain. Further studies will help determine whether pathogenesis and host-pathogen interactions are also similar between the 2 strains.