Neomycin toxicosis in calves

Calves (n = 4) were given neomycin (2.25 or 4.5 mg/kg) twice daily IM and were compared with 2 calves given penicillin IM. The 2 hallmarks of aminoglycoside toxicosis, nephrotoxicosis and ototoxicosis, were seen with both dosages of parenterally administered neomycin. Nephrotoxicosis was confirmed by abnormal findings in urinalysis (granular casts, proteinuria, low specific gravity), renal biopsy results (tubular degeneration and necrosis), and increased 24-hour amounts of urinary enzymes (alanine aminopeptidase and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase). Azotemia, decreased creatinine clearance, polyuria, and polydipsia also were documented in calves given neomycin. Clinically, deafness was suspected in 2 calves and was documented by electrical auditory-evoked response tests. Abnormalities in partial thromboplastin times and renal residues of neomycin were seen in all 4 calves that were given neomycin, but not in calves that were given penicillin.     

Theileria orientalis: a review

Theileria orientalis (also known historically as T. sergenti and T. buffeli) is responsible for benign or non-transforming theileriosis, and exerts its major effect through erythrocyte destruction. The life cycle of T. orientalis is essentially similar to that of other Theileria species, except that the schizonts do not induce transformation and fatal lymphoproliferation. The pathogenesis of anaemia as a result of infection is not clearly established and may be multifaceted. Clinical signs of weakness, reluctance to walk and abortion are early but non-specific indications of disease, particularly if accompanied by a history of cattle being moved. Physical examination may reveal pallor (pale eyes, vaginal mucosa), pyrexia, and elevated heart and respiratory rates. T. orientalis is an economically important parasite of cattle in New Zealand, Australia and Japan, especially where naïve animals are introduced into an endemic area or in animals under stress. Increased awareness of the risks posed by the parasite is required to enable management practices to be implemented to minimise its impact.     

Age and the ability of calves to respond to a leptospiral vaccine

The serological responses of calves at two different ages to a commercial hardjo/pomona vaccine were examined. Microscopic agglutination test (MAT) titres of a group of ten three-month-old calves and three groups of 11,12 and 12 six-month-old calves were monitored over a period of 28 weeks. The calves vaccinated at three months of age had a poorer serological response rate to vaccination (30% responded to pomona and 40% responded to hardjo) compared with those vaccinated at six months of age (91-100% responded to pomona and 83-91% responded to hardjo). Those three-month-old calves which did respond also produced a lower level of-antibody than six-month-old calves. It was concluded that in order to achieve adequate protection using commercially available leptospiral bacterins at the recommended dose, vaccination should not be undertaken routinely with animals less than six months of age. Where circumstances arise in which earlier vaccination is necessary, repeat vaccination for continued protection at six months or older is suggested.     

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.     

Association between insecticide use and greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum westwood) resistance to insecticides in hawaii

Susceptibility to acephate, methomyl, and permethrin was determined with laboratory bioassays for adults of greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum Westwood, from 12 to 14 sites in Hawaii. Comparisons at LC₅₀ showed up to 42-fold resistance to acephate, 36-fold resistance to methomyl, and 8-fold resistance to permethrin. Higher levels of resistance to acephate and methomyl than to permethrin are consistent with greater use of organophosphates and carbamates than pyrethroids by growers. Insecticide use varied from 1 to 98 insecticide sprays per site per season. Significant positive associations between LC₅₀ for each insecticide and frequency of application of the same insecticide were found across sites. This finding suggests that local variation in insecticide use was an important cause of variation in susceptibility.