Duplex gall bladder associated with choledocholithiasis, cholecystitis, gall bladder rupture and septic peritonitis in a cat

A 10-year-old cat was presented with a history of inappetence, pyrexia and weight loss. Clinical investigations showed anaemia, hyperbilirubinaemia, septic peritonitis and a double gall bladder with choleliths in an extrahepatic duct. Initial medical stabilisation was performed. At laparotomy, a duplex gall bladder with two separate cystic ducts was identified. The left gall bladder was thickened and had ruptured at the apex. Multiple choleliths were identified in the left cystic duct. The right gall bladder and cystic duct were grossly normal. The ruptured gall bladder was repaired, the gallstones were removed via a choledochotomy of the left cystic duct and a choledochoduodenostomy was created from the dilated left cystic duct. The cat remained depressed and anorexic, and it was euthanased 72 hours postoperatively at the owners' request. This is the first ante-mortem investigation of extrahepatic biliary disease associated with gall bladder duplication in the cat.     

Validation of the indirect fluorescent antibody and the complement fixation tests for the diagnosis of Theileria equi

The indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test for Theileria equi was evaluated to assess test's suitability for the serological diagnosis of equine piroplasmosis, to provide performance parameters for the purpose of test validation, and to compare it with the complement fixation (CF) test. Using a protocol that included Evan's blue, the specificity of the IFA test was estimated at 99.0% for T. equi by the classical method of analysis, and 96.6% by the Bayesian method. The use of Evan's blue in the test protocol increased test specificity and contributed to an excellent test agreement between two collaborating laboratories (kappa = 0.96). Using Bayesian analysis, the sensitivity estimate for the IFA test was 89.2%. The CF test sensitivity and specificity estimates for T. equi were 63.1 and 96.4%, respectively, as determined by Bayesian analysis. The IFA test was more sensitive than the CF test but the specificity estimates were similar.     

Biofilms and their relevance to veterinary medicine

Bacteria are renowned for their ability to tolerate and adapt to a wide range of adverse environmental conditions. The primary mechanism that facilitates these adaptations is thought to be the capacity to form and maintain biofilms. Within a biofilm, bacteria become attached to a surface where they exist in complex communities which are able to interact with each other through intracellular communication and thus rapidly adapt to changing environments. The organisms within biofilms are notorious for their resistance towards the host immune response and antibacterial agents compared to their free-living planktonic counterparts. Consequently, biofilms are of significant importance to both clinical and veterinary science. However, although bacterial infections are widely reported in animals their association with biofilms is rarely discussed. The aim of this review is to look at the characteristics of biofilm infections in humans and to relate this knowledge to veterinary science in order to assess their relevance in this area.     

Neospora caninum antibodies in commercial fetal bovine serum

The protozoan parasite Neospora caninum is a major cause of abortion in cattle throughout the world. In the process of propagating Neospora in vitro and producing specific antibodies for development of diagnostic assays in the food supply, our laboratory identified the presence of bovine antibodies to N. caninum in fetal bovine sera. The sera were produced commercially and preferentially recommended for tissue culture use and monoclonal antibody production. Seventeen different fetal bovine serum samples of different grades and from four different companies were examined for the presence of total IgG, IgG₁, IgG₂, and IgM specific for N. caninum. All of the tested serum samples recognized N. caninum specific bands on Western blot. Low IgG serum also recognized these antigens but with lower intensity. Antibody response was also evaluated using a commercially available ELISA kit for N. caninum.     

Analysis of the toxic potential of Palicourea corymbifera (Müll. Arg.) Standl. in laboratory animals

Palicourea species may produce bovine toxicity. Palicourea corymbifera grows in terra firme forests within the Amazon rain forest and in Tropical America, particularly in spots that gave place to gazing areas. The lyophilized extract done with the aerial organs of P. corymbifera were analyzed in male and female mice. Results revealed a significant toxicity: LD50 was 1.10 (1.04-1.15)g/kg for male mice, and 1.05 (1.00-1.10)g/kg for female mice. Locomotion was affected as well as there were reflexes linked to environmental stimuli in addition to changes in posture. Progressive central nervous system stimulus signs such as trembling and convulsions were detected, the latter followed by the animal's death. Macroscopic histopathological exams performed on the liver, kidneys and lungs of mice submitted to necropsy did not indicate the existence of lesions. General activity of animals, measured in an open field, was reduced as a result of the administration of the extract. Duration of locomotion and rearing frequency were reduced, in opposition to an increase in the duration of immobility. Thin layer chromatography analysis showed that monofluoroacetic acid is present in the lyophilized extract, but other qualitative techniques as gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and 19F nuclear magnetic resonance showed that the MFAA was not present in the extract, and that the toxicity is related to other compound, although the toxic profile is very similar to that of MFAA. P. corymbifera was shown to be significantly toxic to laboratory animals and investigation of the possible toxic substance shall be done.     

Pathological manifestations observed in dead-on-arrival broilers at a Danish abattoir

1. The mortality of broilers during pre-slaughter handling, including harvesting and transport, is an issue of increasing public concern which has led to the adoption of Council Directive EC/43/2007 implementing abattoir surveillance regarding the number of dead-on-arrival (DOA) broilers.

2. Pathological lesions and causes of death of DOA broilers at a Danish abattoir were investigated in a cross-sectional study comprising 300 DOA broilers (25 broilers from each of 12 randomly selected flocks). Major pathological manifestations of DOA broilers included severe pulmonary congestion (51.5%), lung congestion in combination with trauma (12.5%), trauma (10.2%), nephropathy accompanied by dehydration and/or discolouration (8.8%), morbus cordis (2.0%), septicaemia (1.7%) and suspected septicaemia (1.0%). Lung congestion accompanied by circulatory disturbances in other tissues was suggested to be due to suffocation.

3. Analyses of pathological diagnoses revealed that DOA broilers can be divided into two main categories, lung congestion and trauma, based on the chronicity of the lesions, both of which are primarily related to management and handling procedures. Most DOA broilers examined (74.2%) were estimated to have died as a consequence of events during pre-slaughter handling underlining the importance of increased focus on handling-related factors to reduce DOA rate.     

Caecal lipomatosis as a cause of colic in a 9‐year‐old gelding

Lipomatosis is an uncommon cause of colic. This case report details the pre‐ and intraoperative findings of a 9‐year‐old gelding, presented with acute abdominal pain. Exploratory laparotomy revealed a massive fatty infiltrate involving an extensive portion of the base and mid‐body of the caecum. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of an infiltrative lipomatous lesion of the equine caecum.