Infectious diseases of New-World camelids (NWC)

Although there are notable infectious conditions that are capable of producing clinical disease in the NWC, overall, these species are quite healthy. Of the bacterial diseases, enterotoxemia caused by Clostridium perfringens types C and D would be deemed the most significant in North America, while type A also would be regarded as important in South America. Other important bacterial infections of potential concern are tuberculosis, Johne's disease, anthrax, malignant edema, actinomycosis, tetanus, and the South American condition referred to as alpaca fever, which, to date, has not been observed in North America. Fungal infections include classical ringworm, principally caused by Trichophyton spp., and the cases of coccidioidomycosis that are associated with the arid desert lands of the southwestern United States. Most notable of naturally occurring viral infections in the NWC would be rabies, ecthyma, and a recently described blindness neuropathy that has been associated with the equine herpesvirus I. NWC can be infected experimentally with agents causing hoof-and-mouth disease and vesicular stomatitis, but naturally occurring cases do not seem to occur. Serological evidence of exposure to many viral agents, including blue tongue, parainfluenza 3, bovine respiratory syncytial virus, bovine herpesvirus I, bovine viral diarrhea, influenza A, and rotavirus, has been demonstrated; however, no clinical disease associated with these agents, as yet, is apparent.     

Dietary zinc concentration and lipopolysaccharide injection affect circulating trace minerals,acute phase protein response,and behavior as evaluated by an ear-tag–based accelerometer in beef steers

To assess plasma trace mineral (TM) concentrations, the acute phase protein response, and behavior in response to a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge, 96 Angus cross steers (average initial body weight [BW]: 285 ± 14.4 kg) were sorted into two groups by BW (heavy and light; n = 48/group), fitted with an ear-tag–based accelerometer (CowManager SensOor; Agis, Harmelen, Netherlands), and stagger started 14 d apart. Consecutive day BW was recorded to start the 24-d trial (days −1 and 0). Dietary treatments began on day 0: common diet with either 30 (Zn30) or 100 (Zn100) mg supplemental Zn/kg DM (ZnSO₄). On day 17, steers received one of the following injection treatments intravenously to complete the 2 × 3 factorial: 1) SALINE (~2–3 mL of physiological saline), 2) LOWLPS: 0.25 µg LPS/kg BW, or 3) HIGHLPS: 0.375 µg LPS/kg BW. Blood, rectal temperature (RT), and BW were recorded on day 16 (−24 h relative to injection), and BW was used to assign injection treatment. Approximately 6, 24 (day 18), and 48 (day 19) h after treatment, BW, RT, and blood were collected, and final BW recorded on day 24. Data were analyzed in Proc Mixed of SAS with fixed effects of diet, injection, diet × injection; for BW, RT, dry matter intake (DMI), plasma TM, and haptoglobin-repeated measures analysis were used to evaluate effects over time. Area under the curve analysis determined by GraphPad Prism was used for analysis of accelerometer data. Body weight was unaffected by diet or injection (P ≥ 0.16), but there was an injection × time effect for DMI and RT (P < 0.05), where DMI decreased in both LPS treatments on day 16, but recovered by day 17, and RT was increased in LPS treatments 6 h post-injection. Steers receiving LPS spent less time highly active and eating than SALINE (P < 0.01). Steers in HIGHLPS spent lesser time ruminating, followed by LOWLPS and then SALINE (P < 0.001). An injection × time effect (P < 0.001) for plasma Zn showed decreased concentrations within 6 h of injection and remained decreased through 24 h before recovering by 48 h. A tendency for a diet × time effect (P = 0.06) on plasma Zn suggests plasma Zn repletion occurred at a greater rate in Zn100 compared to Zn30. These results suggest that increased supplemental Zn may alter the rate of recovery of Zn status from an acute inflammatory event. Additionally, ear-tag–based accelerometers used in this study were effective at detecting sickness behavior in feedlot steers, and rumination may be more sensitive than other variables.     

Scale-dependent habitat use in three species of prairie wetland birds

We evaluated the influence of scale on habitat use for three wetland-obligate bird species with divergent life history characteristics and possible scale-dependent criteria for nesting and foraging in South Dakota, USA. A stratified, two-stage cluster sample was used to randomly select survey wetlands within strata defined by region, wetland density, and wetland surface area. We used 18-m (0.1 ha) fixed radius circular-plots to survey birds in 412 semipermanent wetlands during the summers of 1995 and 1996. Variation in habitat use by pied-billed grebes (Podilymbus podiceps) and yellow-headed blackbirds (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus), two sedentary species that rarely exploit resources outside the vicinity of nest wetlands, was explained solely by within-patch variation. Yellow-headed blackbirds were a cosmopolitan species that commonly nested in small wetlands, whereas pied-billed grebes were an area-sensitive species that used larger wetlands regardless of landscape pattern. Area requirements for black terns (Chlidonias niger), a vagile species that typically forages up to 4 km away from the nest wetland, fluctuated in response to landscape structure. Black tern area requirements were small (6.5 ha) in heterogeneous landscapes compared to those in homogeneous landscapes (15.4–32.6 ha). Low wetland density landscapes composed of small wetlands, where few nesting wetlands occurred and potential food sources were spread over large distances, were not widely used by black terns. Landscape-level measurements related to black tern occurrence extended past relationships between wetlands into the surrounding matrix. Black terns were more likely to occur in landscapes where grasslands had not been tilled for agricultural production. Our findings represent empirical evidence that characteristics of entire landscapes, rather than individual patches, must be quantified to assess habitat suitability for wide-ranging species that use resources over large areas.     

Histological observations of bovine tuberculosis in lung and lymph node tissues from British deer

Deer are recognized as hosts of Mycobacterium bovis and assessing the role of wild cervids in perpetuating tuberculosis among cattle has motivated extensive research on several continents. In this paper, the histopathology of lymph node and lung tuberculous granulomas in M. bovis positive British deer is presented. The overall aim was to seek further insights into the potential for onward transmission from infected deer to other species, including cattle. Samples were obtained from an extensive survey of wild mammals in South-West England and from statutory tuberculosis surveillance. M. bovis culture-positive samples were characterised microscopically as to their stage of lesion advancement, number of acid-fast bacilli and granuloma encapsulation. Seventy percent of the deer developed granulomas containing far greater numbers of M. bovis bacilli than typically reported in cattle. Red and fallow deer had the largest number of poorly encapsulated granulomas often containing many hundreds of bacilli. The results are consistent with infected wild British deer being a potential source of environmental contamination and onward transmission to other species. However, further work on levels of bacillary shedding is required before this can be confirmed.     

A retrospective study of 11 cases of lungworm (Didelphostrongylus hayesi) infection in opossums (Didelphis virginiana).

A juvenile, female North American opossum (Didelphis virginiana) died of verminous pneumonia caused by Didelphostrongylus haysei despite aggressive treatment with oral fenbendazole, corticosteroids, and antibiotics. This prompted a retrospective study of lungworm infection in opossums, during which 19 additional necropsy reports from opossums were reviewed. Including the subject of this report, a total of 11 (55%) of these cases included a diagnosis of lungworm infection. This diagnosis was considered to have contributed to death in eight out of the 11 cases (73%). Histologically, 10 of the 11 (91%) opossums had granulomatous bronchopneumonia with small to moderate numbers of adult nematodes in the airways and parenchyma. Four of the 11 (36%) opossums had free larvae within the parenchyma or terminal airways. Inflammation was usually associated with larvae, degenerating parasites, and nonintact adult nematodes. Superimposed bacterial pneumonia was evident in three animals, and sections of lung examined from all the opossums were characterized by moderate to severe smooth-muscle hyperplasia in airways, including terminal respiratory bronchioles and alveolar ducts. Nine animals had prominent medial smooth-muscle hyperplasia in small- and medium-sized arterioles. Lesions in other organs, particularly in liver, heart, and gastrointestinal tract, were frequently identified. Three animals had concomitant septicemia or bacterial bronchopneumonia (or both), which contributed to the cause of death. Seven animals had gastric nematodosis (Physaloptera sp.), although three of them had been treated with a 14-day course of fenbendazole.     

Pituitary responsiveness to GnRH in mares following deslorelin acetate implantation to hasten ovulation

The present experiment characterized the pituitary responsiveness to exogenous GnRH in the first 10 d after ovulation following commercially available deslorelin acetate implantation at the normal dosage for hastening ovulation in mares. Twelve mature, cyclic mares were assessed daily for estrus and three times weekly for ovarian activity starting May 1. Mares achieving a follicle at least 25 mm in diameter or showing signs of estrus were checked daily thereafter for ovarian characteristics. When a follicle >30 mm was detected, mares were administered either a single deslorelin acetate implant or a sham injection and then assessed daily for ovulation. On d 1, 4, 7, and 10 following ovulation, each mare was challenged i.v. with 50 microg GnRH, and blood samples were collected to characterize the LH and FSH responses. The size of the largest follicle on the day of treatment did not differ (P = 0.89) between groups. The number of days from treatment to ovulation was shorter (P < 0.001) by 2.0 d for the treated mares indicating a hastening of ovulation. The size of the largest follicle present on the days of GnRH challenge was larger in the treated mares on d 1 (P = 0.007) but smaller on d 10 (P = 0.02). In addition, the interovulatory interval was longer (P = 0.036) in the treated mares relative to controls by 4.4 d. Concentrations of FSH in plasma of the treated mares were lower (P < 0.05) than control concentrations from d 3 to 12; LH concentrations in the treated mares were lower (P < 0.05) relative to controls on d 0 to 5, d 7, and again on d 20 to 23. Progesterone values were the same (P = 0.99) for both groups from 2 d before ovulation though d 23. There was an interaction of treatment, day, and time of sampling (P < 0.001) for LH and FSH concentrations after injection of GnRH. Both the LH and FSH responses were suppressed (P < 0.009) in the treated mares relative to controls on d 1, 4, and 7; by d 10, the responses of the two groups were equivalent. In conclusion, deslorelin administration in this manner increased the interovulatory interval, consistently suppressed plasma LH and FSH concentrations, and resulted in a complete lack of responsiveness of LH and FSH to GnRH stimulation at the dose used during the first 7 d after the induced ovulation. Together, these results are consistent with a temporary down-regulation of the pituitary gland in response to deslorelin administered in this manner.     

Theileriosis in a Missouri beef herd caused by Theileria buffeli: case report, herd investigation, ultrastructure, phylogenetic analysis, and experimental transmission

A 6-year-old Simmental cow infected with Theileria buffeli had a clinical disease characterized by theilerial parasitemia, macrocytic normochromic anemia with acanthocytosis and spherocytosis, lymphoid hyperplasia (lymphocytosis, edematous lymphadenomegaly), dysproteinemia, evidence of liver disease, and a low serum antibody titer against T. buffeli. The cow was in a herd in which all cattle originated in Missouri; 22/75 (29%) of cattle had a theilerial parasitemia and 26/75 (35%) had titers to T. buffeli of > or =1:160. Classification of the Missouri bovine organism as T. buffeli was based on DNA sequencing and comparison to sequences for T. buffeli and Theileria sp. type A obtained from GenBank. Intraerythrocytic veils and piroplasms were seen during transmission electron microscopy. The organism was successfully transmitted to two splenectomized calves, which developed mild anemias while parasitemic. Blood from the second calf was used as the source of T. buffeli antigen for an indirect immunofluorescence antibody test. Theilerial isolates from a Missouri white-tailed deer were also sequenced and resembled Theileria sp. types F and G and were not consistent with the bovine organism.     

Conventional versus high-flow oxygen therapy in dogs with lower airway injury

Dogs with lower airway pathology that present in respiratory distress often receive oxygen therapy as the first line of treatment regardless of the underlying cause. Conventional “low-flow” systems deliver oxygen with a maximum flow rate of 15 L/minute. Traditionally, when an animal’s respiratory status does not improve with conventional oxygen therapy and treatments for underlying disease, options might be limited to either intubation and mechanical ventilation or humane euthanasia. High-flow oxygen therapy (HFOT) has been gaining popularity in veterinary medicine as an alternative route of oxygen supplementation for animals that require support beyond conventional therapy. High-flow oxygen therapy can supply a mixture of air and oxygen via a heated and humidified circuit. It is user friendly and can be used in an environment in which mechanical ventilation is unavailable.This review article is written for emergency doctors and general practitioners who lack access to mechanical ventilation. This article briefly reviews pertinent respiratory physiology, traditional oxygen supplementation techniques, the physiology of HFOT, and the limited evidence available in veterinary medicine regarding the use of HFOT, its applications, and limitations. Guidelines for the use of HFOT are suggested and HFOT is compared to conventional therapy.