Infectious dermatitis in a ball python (Python regius) colony.

Seven wild-caught ball pythons (Python regius), including six gravid females and one male, were obtained from Africa and were housed in a government animal facility in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. Upon arrival, the snakes were found to be infested with ticks (Aponomma latus), which were manually removed. Four weeks following arrival, vesicular skin lesions began to appear on the snakes. Despite treatment of all affected female snakes with amikacin (5 mg/kg i.m., every 3 days) and cefotaxime (25 mg/kg i.m., every 3 days), the condition progressed and five of the female snakes died 7 wk after arrival. The remaining male and one female improved after an increase in environmental temperature, with ecdysis followed by healing. Physiologic stress, ectoparasites, and shipping may have predisposed the snakes to sepsis.     

Structure of the sheep epidermis.

The stratum corneum measured on fresh frozen sections was found to be considerably thicker than previously reported. It was uniformly permeated with sebum, which also formed an intact film over the skin surface and it could readily be divided into two zones. The living epidermis was approximately half as thick as the stratum corneum.     

Organic matrix morphology and distribution in the palisade layer of eggshells sampled at selected periods during lay

1. 1 cm2 pieces of eggshells from a commercial battery flock were plasma etched to remove the outer shell membranes. 2. They were decalcified using EDTA (200 g/l, pH 6.9 to 7.0) in paraformaldehyde (20 g/l) and 25% gluteraldehyde (20 ml in 0.98 l) in phosphate buffer, then prepared for light and transmission electron microscopy. 3. Light microscopy revealed a differential distribution of matrix material within all 3 regions of the palisade layer at the beginning of lay. 4. Transmission electron microscopy revealed a more even distribution of matrix at the beginning of lay, although morphological differences were observed. At the end of lay all 3 regions showed an increase in % matrix and vesicles/10 cm2 of micrograph compared to the middle and beginning of lay periods. 5. It is hypothesised that matrix vesicles are involved in the regulation of the physiochemical environment within the forming eggshell and that the decline in shell quality associated with the end of lay is related to a concomitant change in matrix quality.     

Epitheliotropic T-cell gastrointestinal tract lymphosarcoma with metastases to lung and skeletal muscle in a cat

An Abyssinian cat examined because of hypoproteinemia and weight loss was found to have epitheliotropic T-cell lymphosarcoma of the gastrointestinal tract. Neoplastic lymphocytes infiltrated the epithelium and lamina propria of the stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. Metastatic foci were found in the lungs and the musculature of the right hind limb. Chemotherapy resulted in transient shrinkage of the lung and limb masses; however, these masses grew to approximately their original size within 2 weeks after initiation of treatment, and the cat was euthanatized.     

Disodium-fosfomycin pharmacokinetics and bioavailability in post weaning piglets

Disodium-fosfomycin pharmacokinetics has been studied in different species after oral, intravenous, intramuscular and subcutaneous administration. At present there are neither documented clinical experiences of the use of fosfomycin in pigs nor any published studies in weaning piglets, although it is a period of high incidence of infectious diseases. The pharmacokinetics and the bioavailability of sodium fosfomycin were studied in post weaning piglets after intravenous and intramuscular administration of 15 mg/kg of body weight. Plasma concentrations were measured by a high-performance liquid ms/ms. After IV administration the area under the fosfomycin concentration:time curve in plasma was AUC_(0–12) of 120.00 ± 23.12 μg h/ml and the volume of distribution (Vd) of 273.00 ± 40.70 ml/kg. The elimination was rapid with a plasma clearance of 131.50 ± 30.07 ml/kg/h and a T_1/2 of 1.54 ± 0.40 h. Peak serum concentration (C_max), T_max, AUC_(0–12) and bioavailability for the IM administration were 43.00 ± 4.10 μg/ml, 0.75 ± 0.00 h, 99.00 ± 0.70 μg h/ml and 85.5 ± 9.90% respectively. Different authors have determined a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC₉₀) ranging from 0.25 μg/ml for Streptococcus sp. and 0.5 μg/ml for Escherichia coli. Considering the above, and according to the values of plasma concentration vs time profiles observed in this study, effective plasma concentrations of fosfomycin for sensitive bacteria can be obtained following IV and IM administration of 15 mg/kg in piglets.     

The first appearance of infectious hemorrhagic disease of rabbits in Austria

In three Austrian rabbit units (two in the west, one in the east) heavy losses occurred in April/May 1989. The clinical course (deaths in adult animals, haemorrhagic diathesis) of the disease was indicative for an infection with the RHD-virus. Necropsy confirmed the suggestive clinical diagnosis as bleeding of the nostrils, hyperaemia in the respiratory tract, spleen tumor, partly decolorized livers, hyperaemia of kidneys with rare petechias could be observed. Histologic examination revealed centrolobular liver necrosis, lung bleeding and edema, tumor of spleen and atrophy of spleen follicles. Rabbits infected with organ suspensions died within 48 hours. The organ suspensions and the suspensions of the already necropsied animals showed a haemagglutination titer for above 1:100. This reaction could be inhibited with a specific RHD-antiserum. The intramuscular application of a RHD-reference strain in one hare, two wild rabbits and a rabbit did not induce clinical disease or death of the leporids during a six week observation period. The rabbit died within 48 hours post infection. However the hare and wild rabbits showed high antibody titers by ELISA at the end of the observation period. Before infection the two wild rabbits were serologically negative.     

Variable locations of nutrient foramina of the proximal phalanx in forelimbs of Thoroughbreds

Bilateral metacarpophalangeal radiographs of 100 Thoroughbreds were examined for visualization and location of the major nutrient foramen of the proximal phalanx. The foramina were located on the dorsal or palmar aspects of the cortex or were not visible radiographically. Of the 100 horses, 60 had the same pattern in both forefeet. In the remaining 40 horses, the left and right proximal phalangeal foramina were asymmetric. Of the 200 proximal phalangeal foramina (100 horses), 53 were on the dorsal aspect of the cortex and 101 were on the palmar aspect of the cortex; 46 were not visible radiographically. Significant effect of age or gender could not be determined.     

Extrahepatic biliary atresia in a border collie

Progressive lameness and leg pain were the predominant clinical signs in a 17-week-old male border collie presented for examination. On clinical investigation, extrahepatic cholestasis in association with rickets due to inadequate vitamin D resorption was diagnosed. The dog was treated parenterally with vitamin D and a cholecystoduodenostomy was performed. At 25 days postsurgery the lameness had resolved and bone structure was radiographically normal. However, at six weeks postsurgery, the dog's condition deteriorated rapidly and euthanasia was finally performed at eight weeks postsurgery. At postmortem examination, Toxocara canis nematodes were found to have invaded the biliary system via the anastomosis between the gallbladder and duodenum, causing biliary and hepatic toxocariasis. The cause of the primary extrahepatic cholestasis was atresia of the common bile duct at the hepatic end. The liver tissue showed microscopic lesions of chronic extrahepatic cholestasis as well as acute inflammation associated with the nematode invasion. There was no postmortem evidence of bone lesions. Extrahepatic biliary atresia is extremely rare in animals and has not been described before in dogs. In contrast, it represents the most common cause of congenital cholestasis in children, occurring in approximately one per 10,000 to 15,000 live births.     

Diagnosis of sporotrichosis in a donkey using direct fluorescein-labeled antibody testing.

A 4-year-old female donkey residing in an open field in Indiana was admitted for evaluation of facial lesions of 2 years duration. Cytologic and histologic examination of exudate and tissue from the lesions revealed a pyogranulomatous inflammatory reaction with numerous yeasts. Sporothrix schenckii was suspected to be the infectious agent; however, multiple culture attempts did not provide positive identification of the organism. Serologic examination supported infection with S. schenckii. A specific direct immunofluorescent antibody test performed on paraffin-embedded tissue sections confirmed the organism as S. schenckii. Clinical signs resolved after appropriate iodide therapy.