Heterogeneity of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius isolates from atopic and healthy dogs

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is part of the normal canine flora but frequently causes pyoderma in canine atopic dermatitis (AD). This study aimed to determine whether particular S. pseudintermedius strains were associated with AD and/or pyoderma. Ninety‐six S. pseudintermedius isolates from the ear, nares, perineum and lesions of 21 atopic and 16 healthy dogs were lysed with proteinase K and digested with 40 U SmaI. Restriction products were separated using pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) with an Oxford S. aureus control and lambda‐ladder DNA concatomer markers. A dendrogram was constructed by the unweighted pair group method. All isolates showed a ≥56% similarity coefficient. Nine distinct PFGE clusters were identified, as follows: five from both atopic and healthy dogs; three from atopic dogs only; and one from healthy dogs only. Nine clusters were isolated from the nares, eight from the perineum, five from the ears and six from pyoderma lesions. There were no significant differences in the frequency of isolation from atopic or healthy skin, body sites or infected lesions for any of the clusters. Two of six healthy dogs and 18 of 20 atopic dogs with multiple isolates had closely related isolates (less than three band differences) at more than one sampling site. Isolates from pyoderma lesions were closely related to at least one mucosal isolate in 11 of 16 dogs. Staphylococcus pseudintermedius isolates appear to be heterogeneous, and colonization or infection of atopic skin was not associated with any particular strain or cluster of strains.     

The Functional Anatomy of the Neck and Forelimbs of the Cape Golden Mole,Chrysochloris Asiatica (Lipotyphla: Chrysochloridae)

The anatomy of the neck and forelimb of Chrysochloris asiatica is described and illustrated. The sequence of events during digging and modifications for fossorial action are described. Modifications include the appearance of a third bone in the forearm; the shortening and fusion of bones in the manus; enlarged processes on the scapula, humerus and ulna for greater muscle attachment; enlarged neck muscles and a dip in the spine in the cervical region to accommodate these and the enlarged shoulder muscles; an enlarged occiput for insertion of the powerful neck muscles; a greatly enlarged triceps and movement of the shoulder girdle to a position anterior to that normal in mammals. The possibility of the third forearm bone being the ossified tendon of a flexor muscle is discussed, without any conclusion being reached as to its true origin.     

Surgery of the scrotum.

Scrotal surgery is common in routine veterinary practice. Many techniques are available for commonly performed surgeries, and most can be accomplished easily in private practice and in the field. Procedures are described for surgical and nonsurgical castration, unilateral castration, inguinal herniorrhaphy, cryptorchidectomy, caudal epididymectomy, and vasectomy. Changes in current thinking about the timing of castration and about pain control in cattle surgery likely will alter the way veterinarians perform scrotal surgery in the years to come.     

Concurrent nephrosplenic entrapment and acquired inguinal herniation of the jejunum in a Standardbred stallion

A stallion presenting for surgical correction of an acquired inguinal hernia was also diagnosed with a nephrosplenic entrapment (NSE) intraoperatively. Surgical intervention resulted in a successful outcome. To date, these conditions have not been reported to occur simultaneously.     

In-vitro comparison of 3 knotting techniques for lateral fabellotibial suture stabilization

This study evaluated the biomechanical characteristics of a single self-locking knot (sSLK) and a double self-locking knot (dSLK) compared with the square knot (SQ) for stabilization of cranial cruciate ligament rupture. Each knot underwent monotonic tensile and cyclical loading. Starting tension, elongation, stiffness, and load to failure were all evaluated. A value of P < 0.05 was considered significant. Starting tension, overall stiffness, and load to failure were all significantly greater in both the sSLK and dSLK compared with the SQ. There was no difference in elongation among the knots. There were no significant differences in starting tension, elongation, stiffness, and load to failure between the sSLK and the dSLK. The self-locking knots were stronger and stiffer than the SQ; there is no biomechanical advantage in using the dSLK compared with the sSLK.     

A survey of nematode control measures used by sheep farmers and of anthelmintic resistance on their farms Part 2: South Island excluding the Nelson region

Forty-three randomly selected farms located throughout South Island, excluding the Nelson region, were surveyed for anthelmintic usage and for sheep nematodes resistant to anthelmintics.

Most farmers had used both benzimidazole and non-benzimidazole broad-spectrum drenches on their properties in previous years.

Sheep were being drenched, on average, 5.6 times within their first year of life but much less frequently thereafter. Commercial interests played the dominant role in helping farmers formulate their drenching policies. On each farm 24 numbered ewe replacement lambs, born during the spring of 1980, were sampled for faeces at the beginning of the trial to provide material for egg counts and larval cultures. The lambs were weighed and divided into three groups of eight. One group received thiabendazole (TBZ) at 66 mg/kg, the second levamisole (LEV) at 8 mg/kg while the third remained untreated as controls. All were resampled 4 to 10 days later.

On 32 (88%) of the 40 farms where drenching trials were successfully carried out during autumn 1981, the faecal egg count depression (FECD) following treatment with either drench was 100%. On one farm TBZ was less than 100% effective as gauged by FECD. LEV proved to be less than 100% effective on 7 farms. On one farm the FECD was less than 80%, on 2 between 90% and 95% and on 4 between 95% and 99%.