Guidelines for zoo and aquarium veterinary medical programs and veterinary hospitals

These guidelines for veterinary medical care and veterinary hospitals are written to conform with the requirements of the Animal Welfare Act, which states that programs of disease prevention and parasite control, euthanasia, and adequate veterinary care shall be established and maintained under the supervision of a veterinarian. Ideally the zoo and aquarium should be providing the best possible veterinary medical care for the animals in their collections. Many of these animals are rare and endangered and the institutions should endeavor both to provide for the long term health and well being of these animals and to advance the field of non-domestic animal medicine. It is hoped that this publication will aid in this process.     

Ova of Dioctophyme renale in a canine struvite urolith

This report describes light and scanning electron microscopic appearance of an ovum from the giant kidney worm, Dioctophyme renale found in the nidus and stone layer of a struvite calculus. The stone had been surgically removed from the bladder of a 4-year-old spayed female mixed breed dog from northern Ontario.     

An outbreak of Shiga toxin‐producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 linked to a mud‐based obstacle course,England, August 2018

In August 2018, Public Health England (PHE) was made aware of five probable cases of Shiga toxin‐producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 among individuals reporting participation in a mud‐based obstacle race. An additional four cases, identified via routine whole‐genome sequencing, were subsequently linked to the same event. Two of the nine cases were due to secondary household transmission. Despite an agreement between the event organizers and the local authority, to ensure that all livestock were removed from the site 28 days before the event, sheep were observed grazing on some of the routes taken by the runners 2 days prior to the race taking place. A retrospective review of incidents reported to PHE between 2015 and 2018 identified 41 cases of gastroenteritis associated with muddy assault course events. Of these, 25 cases were due to infection with STEC O157:H7, of which all but one were associated with outbreaks. Due to the environment in which such events take place, it is impossible to entirely remove the risk of exposure to potentially pathogenic zoonoses. However, race organizers should ensure that livestock are removed from the course 28 days before the event. They should also ensure that participants are made aware of the risk of contracting gastrointestinal disease from the environment, and to stress the importance of hand hygiene post‐event and the risk of secondary transmission, particularly to children who are at risk of developing haemolytic uraemic syndrome.     

Pewenomyces kutranfy gen. nov. et sp. nov. causal agent of an important canker disease on Araucaria araucana in Chile

Araucaria araucana, (commonly referred to as araucaria, pewen, or monkey puzzle tree) is an ancient conifer endemic to the Chilean and Argentinian mountain ranges where it has a sacred relevance to indigenous communities. During 2015, a serious disease was noticed on trees of all ages in most of the natural distribution of this iconic tree. Four areas were surveyed, and the most important symptoms of the disease were cankers on branches and stems resulting in copious resin exudation. Trees were monitored for a period of two years and isolations were made from the cankers. Field observations showed that the disease typically begins on the leaves or at the leaf bases and progresses downwards to initiate cankers that can girdle branches or stems within a two-year period. Black ascomata, resembling those of Caliciopsis species previously described from A. araucana, were consistently found developing in the cankers from which isolations were made. Phylogenetic analyses of the ITS, nucSSU, and nucLSU gene regions showed that the fungus resides in the Coryneliaceae but is distinct from other genera in that family. The morphological characteristics and phylogenetic position of the fungus show that it represents a new genus and species, described here as Pewenomyces kutranfy gen. nov. et sp. nov. Pathogenicity trials on trees under field conditions confirmed that this newly described fungus is able to cause cankers on A. araucana similar to those found under natural conditions.     

Preliminary investigations into the analgesic effects of topical ocular 1% morphine solution in dogs and cats

ObjectiveTo perform preliminary evaluations into the ocular analgesic effect of topical 1% morphine in a clinical setting and to determine onset, duration and complications.Study designProspective, randomised, blinded clinical study.AnimalsTwenty six dogs and seventeen cats, all client‐owned.MethodsDogs and cats with corneal ulceration requiring medical treatment or corneal conditions requiring surgery were included and randomly assigned to receive one drop of topical morphine (group M) or base solution (group B). Recordings were made prior to application and at 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 minutes, then 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 hours. Corneal aesthesiometry, blink rates and scores for blepharospasm (BLEPH), conjunctival hyperaemia (CH) and lacrimation (LAC) were recorded. Statistical analyses used anova,t‐tests and Mann–Whitney U tests as relevant.ResultsNo significant effect of treatment group on any recordings was found at any time point in either dogs or cats. Adverse effects of increased BLEPH, CH or blink rate were observed in six animals (three cats from group M and three dogs from group B), occurring within 5 minutes of drop application and lasting for between 10 minutes and 6 hours.Conclusions and clinical relevanceTopical ocular morphine showed no measurable analgesic effect against corneal pain in dogs and cats.     

Seasonal Variation in Habitat Selection by Free-Ranging Feral Horses Within Alberta’s Forest Reserve

Little is known about habitat selection by free-ranging feral horses in Montane environments, including how horse use may vary seasonally throughout the year. We tracked four global positioning system collared horses in four separate harems between November 2008 and October 2010 for a portion of the Rocky Mountain Forest Reserve in southwest Alberta, Canada. We assessed seasonal habitat selection for the study period by combining locational data with landscape data (including vegetation types) in an information theoretic framework. Home ranges for horses varied from 12.4 to 90 km² and were confined to local watersheds. Horses selected most for lowland grasslands across all seasons, with shrublands increasingly selected in spring and summer. Harvested conifer forests were only selected by horses during winter. Resource selection functions indicated that in addition to vegetation type, horses were selecting for a variety of habitat characteristics (i.e., distance to forest and solar radiation), while water availability, topographic accessibility, and disturbance features (e.g., distance to roads, recreational trails, and seismic lines associated with energy exploration) had little or no influence on horse selection. Overall, horses demonstrated selection for habitats covering 14% of the study area while avoiding 42% of habitats: remaining areas were used in proportion to their availability. Concentration of horse use within sparse vegetation types (grassland and shrubland), particularly during one or more times of the year, help identify critical horse habitat including areas where multiple, overlapping land uses interact on public land.     

增加B族维生素喂量有利于瘦肉生长

美国的试验证实 ,三倍于通常的B族维生素添加率有利于瘦肉生长     

Visualizing the actin cytoskeleton in living plant cells using a photo-convertible mEos::FABD-mTn fluorescent fusion protein

Background  

The actin cytoskeleton responds quickly to diverse stimuli and plays numerous roles in cellular signalling, organelle motility and subcellular compartmentation during plant growth and development. Molecular and cell biological tools that can facilitate visualization of actin organization and dynamics in a minimally invasive manner are essential for understanding this fundamental component of the living cell.