Osteochondral fragmentation of the plantar/palmar proximal aspect of the proximal phalanx in racing horses

SUMMARY The clinical presentation and outcome of treatment is presented for 26 cases of osteochondral fragmentation of the plantar/palmar proximal aspect of the proximal phalanx. Twenty-three were racing Standardbreds and three were racing Thoroughbreds. The most common reason for presentation was an inability to run straight at high speed. Only eight horses presented for lameness, although on examination 19 were lame. A positive flexion test was recorded in 90% of affected fetlock joints and effusion in 48%. Arthroscopic fragment removal was performed on 23 occasions in 21 horses and arthrotomy in one horse. Of the 16 horses that had returned to racing, 12 had improved their performance, while three showed no improvement, and one was retired for other reasons. In three horses refragmentation occurred after surgery, two of which had improved after initial arthroscopic removal. Degenerative changes within the fetlock joint were detected at surgery in eight horses. Of the four horses treated conservatively, one returned to its previous level of performance temporarily after intra-articular medication, one showed no improvement and two were still resting. Plantar/palmar osteochondral fragmentation of the proximal aspect of the first phalanx is a common cause of low-grade lameness in racing horses, and arthroscopic removal results in improvement in race performance in a high percentage of cases.     

Rearing performance of farmed fallow deer (Dania dama)

The ability of fallow does to rear fawns to weaning age was examined in a group of 243 adult does of known age (Group 1) and 509 adult does of unknown age (Group 2). All does had between 1 and 8 opportunities to rear fawns. There was an increasing proportion of does that failed to rear a fawn to weaning age as the number of rearing opportunities increased, although most does (93.6%) only failed on one occasion. A small percentage of does in groups 1 and 2 failed repeatedly to rear fawns to weaning. At slaughter, the presumed causes of failure in chronic non-breeders included pyometron, cystic ovaries, cervical cysts, a vulval neoplasm and salpingitis. The overall rearing success of both groups of deer was 82.4% and there was no consistent pattern of rearing failure relating to parity or previous rearing history.     

Muscle strain injuries of the hindlimb in eight horses: diagnostic imaging,management and outcomes

Objective To describe the clinical presentation, ultrasound findings, management and outcome in horses with muscle tear injuries of the hindlimbs. Design Retrospective case series Procedure Medical records of eight horses were reviewed and information on signalment, history, presenting complaint, physical examination findings and further diagnostic tests were recorded. Diagnosis of muscle injury was determined by the presence of abnormal ultrasound findings, compared with the contralateral limb, and, when required, nuclear scintigraphy. Follow-up information was obtained via telephone interviews with owners, trainers and referring veterinarians. Results Muscle tears causing lameness were identified in the middle gluteal (3), semitendinosus (1), semimembranosus (2) and gracilis (2) muscles. Tears were classified by ultrasound imaging as partial (6) or complete (2). The degree of lameness did not appear to be indicative of the extent of injury or of completion of healing. Long-term follow-up was available for seven horses and the outcome was favourable in six cases. Conclusions and clinical relevance Ultrasonography is useful in the diagnosis and assessment of moderate to severe muscle strain injuries. The prognosis appears to be favourable in most cases, although recurrence of injury and lameness can delay the return to athletic activity and an inferior outcome with persistent gait abnormality may occur.     

Serum isocitrate dehydrogenase during polybrominated biphenyl toxicosis in dairy cattle

Bovine serum isocitrate dehydrogenase (sICDH) was investigated in dairy cattle as a clinical measurement indicative of hepatic injury. Conditions for optimization of isocitrate dehydrogenase assays for bovine serum are described. Assays of sICDH in normal cattle show average activities of .814 (SD = .202) units/ml serum with a range of .316 to 1.268 for 83 samples taken from 32 animals. Investigation of sICDH in pregnant dairy cattle experimentally dosed with polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) showed no discernible elevations until doses were sufficient to cause toxicosis (25,000 mg PBB/d). Cows lethally dosed with 25,000 mg PBB/d had moderate elevations of sICDH (approximately a twofold increase) concomitant with severe toxicosis in some but not all animals. This PBB dose also caused abortion or fetal death in pregnant animals; elevation of sICDH in these animals was coincident with fetal trauma. This suggests that sICDH may be influenced by fetoplacental contributions in pregnant animals. Non-pregnant cows, intoxicated with PBB, had minimal sICDH elevation as compared with 10-fold in a calf with experimentally induced hepatotoxicity (thioacetamide). This observation was consistent with histopathological findings of minimal, if any, hepatic involvement in dairy cattle lethally intoxicated with PBB. Serum isocitrate dehydrogenase appears to be a useful adjunct to the ordinary complement of serum chemistries used for clinical diagnosis; however, it does not appear to reflect exclusively hepatic injury.     

From forest to fen: Microarthropod abundance and litter decomposition in a southern Appalachian floodplain/fen complex

Our study compared decomposition and litter microarthropod abundance among five plant communities in a mountain floodplain/fen complex located in the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA. We found that the least disturbed plant communities, red maple in particular, have the quickest decomposition, the greatest number of litter microarthropods, the highest soil organic carbon, and the lowest soil pH. Positive correlations were shown between soil organic carbon and total microarthropods; negative correlations were found between soil pH and total microarthropods. No correlations were found between soil moisture and decomposition or total microarthropod numbers. We conclude that soil characteristics related to disturbance, rather than to the presence of a closed canopy, are the main influences on decomposition and litter microarthropods.     

Testicular feminization in a cat

Testicular feminization, caused by an inherited defect of the androgen receptor, was diagnosed in a domestic cat. Individuals affected with this syndrome are genetic males that have testes but fail to undergo masculinization because the internal and external genitalia cannot respond to androgens. The affected cat had the external appearance of a sexually normal female, but during surgery for ovariohysterectomy, only 2 abdominal gonads were found. Müllerian (uterus) or wolffian (epididymides) derivatives were not present. Only testicular tissue was found in histologic sections of the gonad. A normal male chromosome constitution (38,XY) was found in karyotypes prepared from lymphocyte cultures. High affinity binding of dihydrotestosterone was undetectable in fibroblasts cultured from genital skin of the affected cat, indicating that the cytosolic androgen receptor was nonfunctional. Pedigree analysis indicates that this is an X-linked disorder in cats, as it is in other mammals. Accurate diagnosis and genetic counseling are advocated to reduce the prevalence of the disorder.     

Further characterization of the agent causing coryza in turkeys

A total of 128 isolates of Alcaligenes faecalis, from the respiratory tract of turkeys and chickens, were identified and divided into two types designated type I and type II. Type I isolates were pathogenic in poults, hemagglutinated guinea pig red blood cells (RBCs), and did not grow on minimal essential medium (MEM) agar, and most did not grow in 6.5% NaCl broth. Type II isolates were nonpathogenic and nonhemagglutinating and grew on MEM agar, and most grew in 6.5% NaCl broth. Hemagglutination of guinea pig RBCs was a reliable characteristic for distinguishing type I from type II isolates, and it correlated with pathogenicity. In serological studies using 62 type I and 21 type II isolates, cross-reactions were observed when type I but not type II antigens were used to test antisera in the microagglutination test. Eleven bacterial isolates, different from type I and type II isolates, were urease-positive. Although frequently isolated from turkeys with coryza, these isolates were nonpathogenic and were always found in association with type I A. faecalis. Urease-positive isolates and type I and type II A. faecalis isolates were stable following 50 in vitro passages. Bordetella avium sp. nov. (the nomenclature suggested in Europe for A. faecalis) was pathogenic in poults. The colonial morphology, biochemical characteristics, and hemagglutinating activity of B. avium sp. nov. were the same as those of type I A. faecalis isolates. Based on the results of these studies, it was concluded that type I A. faecalis is the etiologic agent of turkey coryza.