Nonsurgical removal of a catheter embolus from the heart of a dog

A fragment of an 18-gauge catheter was inadvertently severed during catheterization of the cephalic vein in a 7-year-old Golden Retriever. Under fluoroscopic guidance, the fragment was retrieved successfully from the right ventricle, using a self-constructed, loop-snare catheter.     

Milk fever and calcium metabolism

Allen, W.M. & Sansoni, B.F. Milk lever and calcium metabolism. J. vet. Pharmacol. Therap. 8, 19–29.
W.M. Allen, Department of Functional Pathology, AFRC Institute for Research on Animal Diseases, Campion, Newbury, Berkshire RC16 ONN, England.     

Ocular changes in a cat with disseminated blastomycosis

A domestic shorthair cat examined because of dyspnea was found to have ophthalmoscopic and radiographic changes suggestive of systemic mycosis. The cat died despite antifungal therapy. Histologic examination revealed Blastomyces dermatitidis in the eyes, brain, lungs, stomach, liver, kidneys, spleen, pancreas, and adrenal glands. The pathologic changes were similar, but more widespread than those typically seen with canine blastomycosis.     

Filariasis and microfilariasis in parrots in the eastern islands of Indonesia

From 1978 to 1983, 411 bird submissions consisting of 911 birds were received in our laboratory for diagnosis. Filariasis occurred in four submissions (0.97% of total) consisting of four birds (0.44% of total), and microfilariasis was diagnosed in 34 submissions (8.27% of total) consisting of 123 birds (13.5% of total). Adult filariae were found in the abdominal air sacs of two cockatoos and two red lories and identified as Cardiofilaria sp. Although filariasis and microfilariasis in birds are found world-wide, there seems to have been no report made previously in Indonesia.     

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of Bordetella avium infection in turkey flocks: sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of Bordetella avium infection in turkey poults was developed. One-week-old poults challenged intratracheally with 10(12) colony-forming units of B. avium had detectable titers (greater than or equal to 11), with an average of 13.6% positive samples when the birds were 6 to 11 weeks old. The method was sensitive enough to detect maternal antibodies to B. avium in poults up to 3 weeks of age. The same poults challenged at 1 week of age had 100% tracheal infection up to 3 weeks of age, which dropped to 0% by 6 weeks. The method resulted in no false-positive samples (titer = 0) from birds not infected with B. avium and tested weekly between 4 and 11 weeks of age. Antibodies in turkey flocks infected with Newcastle disease virus, hemorrhagic enteritis virus, and Mycoplasma meleagridis, and birds infected with Escherichia coli had no apparent cross-reactivity to the B. avium antigens used in the ELISA. The percentages of B. avium-positive serum samples collected from different turkey flocks did not significantly differ (P greater than 0.05) when samples were tested by the developed ELISA at different times, an indication of the reproducibility of the method.     

Effect of feeding selected carbohydrates on the in vivo attachment of Salmonella typhimurium in chick ceca.

Two-day-old chicks were orally inoculated with 1 ml of Salmonella typhimurium (10(5) colony-forming units/ml) and divided into four groups. Three groups were fed 2.5% carbohydrates starting on day 1 (arabinose, galactose, and lactose), while the fourth group served as the control. Ceca were obtained from each group at 7, 14, and 21 days. At the end of 14 days, all three carbohydrates statistically reduced Salmonella recovery. However, lactose failed to reduce recovery between day 14 and day 21. Arabinose and galactose continued to show significant reductions of recovery through 21 days. No statistical difference was found between Salmonella recovery from whole ceca (with cecal material) and inverted ceca (washed free of cecal material).     

Antibiotic and sulfonamide residues from Food Safety Inspection Service bob veal calf tissues by region, from October 1987 to September 1988

Of 3,095 bob veal carcasses declared positive to the calf antibiotic and sulfonamide test (CAST) performed by USDA-FSIS personnel during the fiscal year 1988, 967 were submitted to USDA-FSIS laboratories for intensified antimicrobial evaluation of kidney, liver, and muscle specimens. In the western region, CAST-positive specimens were analyzed from certified calves, that is, calves declared free of antimicrobials by their producers. In the midwestern and eastern regions, 20% of the CAST-positive carcass submissions were certified and 20% had not been certified. Among the regions, neomycin was the most commonly reported agent from kidney specimens; however, there were some distinct differences among regions (24.6% of the specimens in the Midwest, 37.4% in the East, and 46.8% in the West). Reports of gentamicin in specimens also were different among regional laboratories (9.0% in the Midwest, 12.1% in the East, 3.1% in the West). Sulfamethazine was less frequently reported by the western laboratory, never exceeding 2% among the 3 tissues tested, whereas the eastern and midwestern laboratories had at least 1 tissue type that was greater than or equal to 9%. Not all specimens were subjected to sulfonamide evaluation. Regional patterns were noticed for unidentified microbial inhibitors, which were most evident for liver in which 24.6% of the specimens at the western laboratory were classified as having unidentified microbial inhibitors, and only 6.3% of specimens at the eastern laboratory were classified as having unidentified microbial inhibitors.     

Ultrasonography of the reproductive tract and early pregnancy in red deer

Thirty-five farmed red deer hinds two years of age or older were observed during mating in April and May and the dates of oestrus and, or, matings were recorded. From immediately before the breeding season and at approximately weekly intervals from the start of mating until all deer were 42 days pregnant, rectal ultrasonographic scans were taken using a 5 MHz linear transducer while deer were held standing in a restraining device. Scans were recorded on video. The vagina and cervix were visible with the lumen appearing as a continuous or intermittent white line, respectively. The non-pregnant uterus was observed in most cases and was immediately anterior to the bladder. Structures resembling ovaries were seen only occasionally. By seven days gestation a 5 mm vesicle could be observed in a few deer, and by day 14, oedema of uterine horns was apparent in some cases. A comma-shaped fetal mass 6 mm long, fetal membranes and placentomes could be observed on day 24. The heart beat was observed on day 28 when the fetus was 10 mm long. Limb buds were observed on day 31 and by day 37 the head with nose and eyes was distinguishable. Fetal movements were first observed on day 42. The accuracy of pregnancy detection before day 20 was 35 per cent, between 21 and 30 days gestation 71 per cent and from 31 to 42 days 98 per cent.