Septic peritonitis and uroperitoneum secondary to subclinical omphalitis and concurrent necrotizing cystitis in a colt

A 15-day-old American Quarter horse colt was presented for depression and pyrexia. Peritonitis was diagnosed following peritoneal fluid analysis. Exploratory laparotomy revealed an area of focal necrosis over the dorsal wall of the urinary bladder leading to peritonitis and uroperitoneum. The affected area of the urinary bladder was resected and the peritonitis resolved with medical treatment.     

SnakeMap: four years of experience with a national small animal snake envenomation registry

SnakeMap is a national cloud-based, veterinary snakebite registry. It was designed to prospectively collect data of the clinical circumstances and temporospatial information on cases of snake envenomation in dogs and cats. We herein introduce the project and summarise the data from the first 4 years of SnakeMap. The registry is a veterinary community-based online database allowing case entry from veterinary hospitals across Australia. Registry data comprise hospital characteristics, patient characteristics, envenoming snake type, treatment and outcome variables, including time and geolocation of the snake bite. We present summative information on select key variables from the SnakeMap registry (1 July 2015 to 30 June 2019). Twenty-eight hospitals from 6 states/territories entered 624 cases into the registry, including 419 dogs (67%) and 205 cats (33%). Bite time was available in 216 animals of which 90 (42%) were reported to be bitten in the 3 hours between 03:00 pm and 05:59 pm; median bite to presentation interval was 60 (interquartile range [IQR] 30, 211) minutes in dogs and 95 (IQR 41, 238) minutes in cats. Bites occurred in the owner's yard in 356 dogs (85%) and 53 cats (26%). A snake venom detection kit was used in 172 cases (28%) and antivenom was administered in 523 cases (85%). Most animals (n = 534, 88%) survived to discharge (median hospitalisation of 25 [IQR 16, 62] hours). SnakeMap effectively collects relevant clinical data from dogs and cats with presumed snake bite and provides locally specific information on the epidemiology of snake envenomation in small animals.     

The Effect of Soaking on Protein and Mineral Loss in Orchardgrass and Alfalfa Hay

Nonstructural carbohydrates are usually targeted for reduction during hay soaking, however, other essential nutrients may also be lost. The objectives of this research were to determine the impact of water temperature and time of soaking on reduction of protein and minerals from alfalfa and orchardgrass hay. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with six replications (n = 192). Hay types included bud and flowering alfalfa (Medicago sativa L) and vegetative and flowering orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L). Flakes were soaked for 15, 30, and 60 minutes in 25 L of cold (22°C) and warm (39°C) water, and for 12 hours in cold water. Changes in crude protein concentration after soaking had no effect (P > .05) on alfalfa-bud or flowering orchardgrass hay. However, crude protein concentration increased (P = .02) as soaking length increased in vegetative orchardgrass, and decreased as soaking length increased (P < .001) in flowering alfalfa hay. Soaking did not affect (P > .05) calcium (Ca) concentrations in flowering alfalfa and orchardgrass; however, Ca (P < .001) was reduced as soaking length increased in alfalfa-bud and vegetative orchardgrass hay. Reductions in phosphorus (P), potassium, and magnesium concentrations occurred with longer soaking times, resulting in high Ca:P ratios after 12 hours of soaking (P < .001). Soaking for 15-60 minutes did not result in nutrient deficiencies based on the requirements of a 500-kg horse in light work. However, supplementation of P after feeding hay soaked for 12 hours would be necessary to address high Ca:P ratios.     

Effective Evaluation of Equine Extension Programs

Evaluation has become a more significant component of planning and delivering extension programs, as federal partners and granting agencies are requesting information on program and integrated grant outcomes, including participant learning gains, behavior change, and program-generated impacts. Effective evaluation of equine extension programs involves a balance between asking enough well-designed questions to obtain desired information and keeping the evaluation tool brief enough to encourage participant completion. For most faculties, the difficulty with evaluation lies in developing appropriate and useful questions. The objective of this article was to share examples of questions successfully used to evaluate six key equine extension program areas: participant demographics, program logistics, participant behavior change, participant knowledge gain, teaching effectiveness, and program impact. Data generated by postprogram evaluations can be a source of statistically sound information that can be shared with administration, stakeholders, and granting agencies. Extension personnel can use evaluation data to improve planning and delivery of extension programs and to demonstrate teaching ability and program impacts.     

The Effect of Soaking on Carbohydrate Removal and Dry Matter Loss in Orchardgrass and Alfalfa Hays

The objective of this research was to determine the impact of water temperature and soaking length on removal of nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) fractions and dry matter (DM) from legume and cool-season grass hays. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with six replications. Hay types included bud and flowering alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and vegetative and flowering orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.). Flakes were submerged for 15, 30, and 60 minutes in 25 L of cold (22°C) water, warm (39°C) water, and 12 hours in cold water, respectively. Water temperature at each soaking duration did not affect residual NSC fractions in alfalfa hays. Flowering and vegetative orchardgrass hays soaked for 30 and 60 minutes, respectively, in warm water had greater (P < .001) amounts of NSC fraction removal compared with soaking in cold water. Soaking bud and flowering alfalfa and vegetative orchardgrass hays for ≥15 minutes removed more NSC fractions compared with the control (P ≤ .005); however, soaking for 15-60 minutes resulted in similar NSC fraction removal. Conversely, in flowering orchardgrass hay, longer soaking times resulted in greater (P < .001) NSC fraction removal. Fructan removal in orchardgrass hay was greatest (P < .001) after soaking for 12 hours. DM losses were similar among hays after soaking for 15-60 minutes, but were greatest after soaking for 12 hours (P < .001). Soaking grass hay for 15-30 minutes is recommended to remove sufficient NSC fractions while minimizing DM losses.     

Interaction ofpra tylenchus scribneri and helminthosporium pedicellatum in the etiology of corn root rot

In experiments with both sterile and non-sterile natural soil,Pratylenchus scribneri interacted, perhaps synergistically, withHelminthosporium pedicellatum Henry (Trichometasphaeria pedicellatum Nelson) to enhance the fungus’ invasion of corn roots, with a subsequent increase in severity of root rot disease and a decline in productivity. Water stress appeared to influence the response of the corn plant to the root rot disease rather than the disease development.     

Malignant Sertoli Cell Tumour in a Young Simmenthal Bull – Clinical and Pathological Observations

Tumours are rare in the bovine testicle. A case of malignant Sertoli cell tumour in a 29‐month‐old Simmenthal bull that was hospitalized with a history of severe unilateral scrotal swelling is reported. On inspection and palpation, the scrotal sac was found enlarged with fluctuant content in the right side. The right testicle was enlarged, hard and indolent. Also the right plexus pampiniformis and funiculus spermaticus were enlarged. Sonograms revealed severe changes in the right testicle with a loss of homogeneity and multiple hyperechogenic areas. After slaughter, the scrotum with testicles were removed and evaluated pathologically. On section, the right testicle contained areas of necrosis, haemorrhage, and mineralization. Histology showed Sertoli cells in tubular structures surrounded by dense fibrous stroma replacing normal testicular tissue. Both lymphatic and blood vessels were infiltrated by neoplastic cells. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic cells stained positive for vimentin and negative for cytokeratin and S‐100. Based on the pathological observations a diagnosis of right‐sided malignant Sertoli cell tumour with vascular invasion and hydrocele was established.     

A clinical trial of a topical preparation of miconazole, polymyxin and prednisolone in the treatment of otitis externa in dogs

A topical preparation containing miconazole, polymyxin and prednisolone was shown to be more effective in the treatment of otitis externa in 167 dogs than 2 other ear preparations containing antibiotics, an antimycotic and a corticosteroid. With miconazole, polymyxin and prednisolone, the recurrence rate was 26.7% compared with 72.6% and 54.3% when the other products were used. The mean duration of treatment required to achieve resolution of clinical signs was 9.6 days, compared with 12.2 days and 13.0 days and no cases failed to respond to treatment, compared with 17.7% and 14.3%. Malassezia canis alone (71%) or in association with bacteria (18%) was recovered from 44 of 49 ears cultured.