Iron deficiency in stabled Dutch warmblood foals

Forty-three Dutch Warmblood foals were divided at random into 3 rearing groups immediately after birth: a box-rest group, a box-rest with exercise group, and a pasture group. All stabled foals (box-rest and exercise groups) were fed freshly cut grass harvested from the same pastures on which the pasture group foals were grazing. Blood samples were obtained monthly for CBC and biochemical analyses. At 1-3 months of age, the foals at pasture were active but the foals in the box-rest and exercise groups were listless. Mean hemoglobin concentrations, PCVs, blood iron concentrations, and saturation of total iron binding capacity were significantly lower (P < .05) in the box-rest group (11.3+/-1.2 g/dL, 33+/-3%, 123+/-67 microg/dL, and 18+/-9%) and the exercise group (11.6+/-1.5 g/dL, 34+/-4%, 101+/-61 microg/dL, and 15+/-10%) compared with the pasture group (14.0+/-0.8 g/dL, 42+/-3%, 212+/-67 microg/dL, and 32+/-10%). Oral supplementation of iron to all foals resulted in significant increases in the values of these variables in the box-rest group and exercise group at 4-5 months of age, and the stabled foals were as active as the foals at pasture. In the pasture group, no significant changes occurred. Management practices clearly influence the iron state in young growing foals from 1 to 3 months of age, and although not a frequent cause of anemia in the horse, an absolute deficit of body iron may occur in stabled foals fed freshly cut grass.     

Dual-chamber pacemaker implantation via the cephalic vein in healthy equids

The purpose of the present study was to develop a feasible and safe technique for dual-chamber pacemaker implantation in healthy horses. Implantation was performed in a standing, tranquilized horse and in ponies. Atrial and ventricular leads were transvenously inserted through the cephalic vein, and a subcutaneous pacemaker pocket was created between the lateral pectoral groove and the manubrium sterni in 6 equids. Positioning of each lead was guided by echocardiography and by measuring the electrical characteristics of the lead. The implantation procedure lasted about 4 hours in each animal and was well tolerated. In all animals, dual-chamber pacemaker function was obtained, and these results remained good throughout the follow-up period. At the time of implantation, atrial and ventricular sensing were between 2.1 and 7.2 mV and 7.8 and 16.8 mV, respectively, and atrial and ventricular pacing thresholds at 0.5 millisecond varied from 0.5 to 0.7 V and from 0.3 to 1.0 V, respectively. Six months after the implantation, sensing values varied from 2 to 10 mV for the atrial lead and from 2 to 16 mV for the ventricular lead, while pacing thresholds at 0.5 millisecond varied from less than 0.5 to 2.5 V for the right atrium and from less than 0.5 to 5.0 V for the right ventricle. Atrial lead dislodgment occurred in 2 animals, requiring insertion of a new lead. Ventricular lead dislodgment was not observed.     

Vaccination of cattle against bovine viral diarrhoea

This brief review describes types and quality (efficacy and safety) of bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) vaccines that are in the market or under development. Both conventional live and killed vaccines are available. The primary aim of vaccination is to prevent congenital infection, but the few vaccines tested are not highly efficacious in this respect, as shown in vaccination-challenge experiments. Vaccination to prevent severe postnatal infections may be indicated when virulent BVDV strains are prevalent. Live BVDV vaccines have given rise to safety problems. A complication for the development of BVDV vaccines is the wide antigenic diversity among wild-type BVDV. There is ample room for improvement of both the efficacy and safety of BVDV vaccines, and it may be expected that better vaccines, among which marker vaccines, will be launched in the future.     

Veterinary dental health science. 18. Chronic molar fistula in a lion: case discussion

In this case-report immobilization, examination and treatment of a lion (Panthera leo) with a chronic fistulation of a carnassial tooth are described.