Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in raccoons.

Serum samples from 427 raccoons (93 from Pennsylvania, 45 from New Jersey, 72 from South Carolina, 68 from Virginia, 30 from Iowa, and 119 from Ohio) were evaluated for Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in dilutions of 1:25, 1:50, and 1:500. The distribution of T gondii antibody titers was less than 1:25 for 212 raccoons (49.6%), 1:25 for 34 raccoons (7.9%), 1:50 for 117 raccoons (27.4%), and greater than or equal to 1:500 for 64 raccoons (14.9%). Tissue cysts were seen in the liver, and tachyzoites were in the brain of a raccoon with abnormal neurologic signs and concurrent infection with canine distemper virus. Organisms in the liver were stained with anti-T gondii serum, and the raccoon had a T gondii titer of 1:160 in the agglutination test.     

Comparative susceptibility of caponized and uncaponized tom turkeys to Pasteurella multocida.

When susceptibility to virulent Pasteurella multocida was compared, there was no significant (P greater than 0.05) difference between caponized and uncaponized tom turkeys. Neither was there any significant (P greater than 0.05) difference between the surviving caponized and uncaponized toms in the development of serum anti-P. multocida antibody. However, at 28 weeks of age, the average live body weight of the caponized toms was significantly (P less than 0.05) lower than that of the uncaponized toms. Turkeys were caponized when 9 weeks old, and different groups were exposed to P. multocida when 13, 18, 23, and 28 weeks old.     

Laryngeal paralysis in immature and mature dogs as one sign of a more diffuse polyneuropathy

Six dogs with laryngeal paralysis had clinical, electrophysiologic, and pathologic evidence of a more generalized polyneuropathy. Three of the dogs were young Dalmatians, one was a young Bouvier des Flandres, and two were older, large-breed dogs. The results of this study suggest that laryngeal paralysis in dogs may frequently be one clinical sign of an underlying, more generalized polyneuropathy. Two forms of this generalized polyneuropathy may exist: an early form, as seen in young dogs with congenital or hereditary disease, and a delayed-onset form that is usually found in older dogs with so-called idiopathic laryngeal paralysis, some of which may have hypothyroidism.     

Surgical treatment of lameness.

Digital diseases are commonly seen in cattle. Cattle affected by digital disorders do not always respond to conservative therapy and require surgery. Surgical procedures for the common digital disorders are described, with emphasis on the different approaches to the distal interphalangeal joint.     

Teratogenicity testing of BI 58 EC (38% dimethoate) in chicken embryos with special respect to degradation of the active ingredient.

The insecticide formulation BI 58 EC was tested for teratogenicity in chicken embryos, with particular reference to degradation of the active ingredient (dimethoate) after the treatment of embryonated eggs. The pesticide was diluted in water to a concentration level of 0.8%, and the emulsion was injected into the air space in a volume of 0.1 ml/egg, or hen's eggs were treated by the immersion technique. Residues of dimethoate were measured in the samples on days, 13, 15 and 19 of the incubation of chicken embryos, and morphological examinations were performed simultaneously. Analytical chemistry data indicated a slower degradation of dimethoate in embryos after the immersion of eggs, and cyllosis was remarkable in this group among the sporadic developmental anomalies. The liver tissues of both treated groups exhibited severe fatty infiltration.     

Investigation of Cervical Patency and Uterine Appearance in Domestic Cats by Fluoroscopy and Scintigraphy

The cervical patency of six domestic female cats was monitored under sedation by infusion of contrast medium (Omnipaque) into the cranial vagina during early oestrus, mid‐oestrus, late oestrus and interoestrus or a radiopharmaceutical (^99mTc‐HSA) during mid‐ and interoestrus in a non‐ovulatory oestrous cycle. The transport of the contrast medium or the radiopharmaceutical through the cervix and within the uterine horns was observed under fluoroscopy and with the aid of scintigraphy. In three of the queens, transcervical transport of contrast medium was demonstrated in all stages of oestrus, in one queen during mid‐oestrus, late oestrus and 1 day after oestrus, and in two queens only during late oestrus. The relations between the cervical patency to the contrast medium and the oestrous behaviour, cornification of the vaginal cells and the serum oestradiol‐17β concentration were evaluated, and a relationship was found between the cervical patency and the degree of vaginal cornification. Transcervical transport of the radiopharmaceutical was observed in three queens during mid‐oestrus. When the cervix was open, hysterography under a fluoroscope and hysteroscintigraphy were performed. The fluoroscopic and scintigraphic recordings revealed the patterns of the uterine contractions during oestrus in both ascending and descending directions, and the movement of the uterine contents back and forth between the uterine horns. The hysterograms were classified according to the shape of the uterine horns and the appearance of the endometrial lining. Spiral‐shaped uterine horns with a smooth inner contour were observed in two queens, and a corkscrew appearance with irregular filling defects in the uterine lumen was shown in two queens that had developed subclinical cystic endometrial hyperplasia. These findings demonstrated that fluids or particles deposited in the cranial vagina of the cat can be transported into the uterus during some stages of the oestrous cycle. The fluoroscopic and scintigraphic techniques developed in this study may be further modified to permit more detailed studies of uterine contractile patterns and sperm transport in the feline female reproductive tract. Hysterography proved useful to diagnose uterine disease. The information on cervical patency is of value also for the development of techniques for artificial insemination in this species, and should be studied also in the ovulatory cycle.     

Pseudomycetoma caused by Microsporum canis in a Persian cat: lack of response to oral terbinafine.

An eight-year-old neutered female Persian cat with a four-year history of relapsing skin disease, characterised by ulcerated nodules with a yellow granular discharge, was examined. A diagnosis of granulomatous dermatitis and panniculitis (pseudomycetoma) caused by Microsporum canis was made on the basis of history, clinical signs, histopathological examination of skin biopsy specimens and culture of macerated tissue. Because previous therapy, comprising repeated surgical excision and the administration of griseofulvin and itraconazole, had not been successful, terbinafine was administered for an eight-month period. However, lesions progressed despite this treatment and the cat was euthanased.     

The Effect of Diet on the Biochemical Composition of Juvenile Artemia: Potential Formulations for Rock Lobster Aquaculture

The lipid class and fatty acid (FA) composition of juvenile Artemia fed continuously on four diets—the microalga Tetraselmis suecica , a mix of oat bran-wheat germ-lecithin (OWL), OwL-eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and OWL-EPA-arachidonic acid (AA)—were examined over a 9-d experiment in an attempt to approximate the FA profile of phyllosoma larvae of wild southern rock lobster Jasus edwardrii . The main difference in lipid class composition of Artemia fed the four diets was the relative level of polar lipid (PL) and triacylglycerol (TAG). By day 9, the algal-fed Artemia were highest in PL (95% of total lipid) and lowest in TAG (2%), whereas the remaining diets resulted in Artemia with 16–30% PL and 41–82% TAG. After 2 d, the relative FA composition of all Artemia treatments closely reflected those of the diets, with no marked change after further feeding (to day 9). In terms of the content of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), by day 5 Artemia fed: 1) with the algal diet contained 7 mg/g FA dry mass (0.3% DHA, 6.3% EPA, 3.4% AA of total FA); 2) with the OWL diet contained 3 mg/g (0.3% DHA, 0.9% EPA, 0.7% AA); 3) with the OWL-EPA diet contained 55 mg/g (6.2% DHA, 11.6% EPA, 1.1% AA); and 4) with the OWL-EPA-AA contained 83 mg/g (3.8% DHA, 7.5% EPA, 17.4% AA). The PUFA profiles of Artemia using the OWL-oil diets were similar to wild rock lobster phyllmmata, although levels of doco-sahexaenoic acid (DHA) were lower (10% DHA) than in J. edwardsii larvae. On the basis of PUFA composition data alone, the results suggest the suitability of the OWL-oil mixed diets for consideration for feeding to Artemia used in the culture of southern rock lobster larvae, particularly if the level of DHA can be further enhanced.