Poisonings in reptiles.

Reptiles are increasingly being kept as pets in American households. The basic principles of emergency medicine are the same for all species, but reptilian species present special diagnostic challenges to veterinary clinicians when they become ill. Reptiles in captivity can become accidentally poisoned in a variety of ways. Veterinarians treating small animal emergencies must make an effort to familiarize themselves with the large body of literature and resources that are developing regarding both nontraditional exotic companion species and advances in toxicology.     

Effect of fentanyl on the induction dose and minimum infusion rate of alfaxalone preventing movement in dogs

Objective

To determine the effect of fentanyl on the induction dose and minimum infusion rate of alfaxalone required to prevent movement in response to a noxious stimulus (MIR_NM) in dogs.

Effect of dietary iodine on growth and iodine status of growing fattening bulls

The aim of the present study was to assess the influence of different levels of iodine supplementation on animal growth and the iodine content of food from beef cattle. In a dose–response experiment with 34 growing fattening bulls of the “German Holstein” breed, in the range from 223 to 550 kg body weight, three iodine dosages were tested. The animals were fed a corn silage/concentrate ration. Iodine concentration in the diet amounted to 0.79 (Group 1), 3.52 (Group 2) and 8.31(Group 3) mg I per kg dry matter (DM). After slaughtering, I was determined in blood, serum, plasma, thyroid, liver, kidneys and meat (M. longissimus dorsi, M. glutaeus medius) by ICP-MS. I-supplementation did not significantly influence DM intake, daily weight gain (1453 (1), 1419 (2) and 1343 (3) g; p > 0.05) or slaughtering performance, but the weight of the thyroid gland increased significantly with the highest I dosage (32 (1), 26 (2) and 42 (3) g animal^− 1, p < 0.05). I-supplementation significantly increased I-concentration in muscle, liver, kidney and thyroid gland (p < 0.05). The contribution of beef food to I-intake of humans is relatively low, therefore there is no need to reduce the EU-upper limit (10 mg kg^− 1 feed) for growing fattening cattle from the view of consumer safety. In view of animal health and performance more dose–response studies seem to be necessary.     

Bedding hygiene,cleanliness and lying behaviour for heifers housed on wood chip or straw deep bedding

The aim of this project was to compare the hygienic quality of the bedding, as well as the parasitic load, cleanliness and lying behaviour in heifers kept on either straw or wood chip deep bedding. Fourteen heifers kept in two pens were housed on straw or wood chip bedding for 43 days, after which the bedding material was switched for 43 additional days. Significantly more mould was found in wood chip than in straw and there was a tendency towards less yeast in wood chip. The heifers had a low faecal parasitic load. The results indicate that the wood chip treatment resulted in somewhat cleaner animals. The heifers had a significantly longer total lying time when kept on straw. In conclusion, wood chip deep bedding could be an option as bedding material, but the impact on hygiene of bedding material and lying behaviour needs to be further investigated.     

Bilateral palpebral reduction and concurrent mycoplasmosis in a wild Agassiz's desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii)

A wild Agassiz's desert tortoise, Gopherus agassizii, with bilateral eyelid reduction and plaques of tissue covering the superior surface of both corneas was examined in the field and subsequently submitted to the University of Florida for diagnostics. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), from a swab of both corneas, was positive for Mycoplasma agassizii. Two months later, the tortoise was euthanatized and necropsied. There was increased bulbar exposure associated with dermal excoriation of periocular scales in both superior and inferior palpebra resulting in an increased palpebral fissure opening. Concurrently, there was bilateral conjunctivitis of the nictitating membranes and squamous metaplasia of the bulbar conjunctiva. Using PCR, Mycoplasma testudineum, another pathogen of tortoises, was identified in both nasal cavities, and the upper respiratory tract histopathological findings were consistent with those described for M. testudineum in Agassiz's desert tortoises. Although eye disease has been reported in desert and gopher (Gopherus polyphemus) tortoises with mycoplasmosis, widespread loss of palpebral tissue, conjunctivitis of the nictitans, and squamous metaplasia of the bulbar conjunctiva have not been reported in tortoises.     

Assessing and Managing Soil Quality for Urban Agriculture in a Degraded Vacant Lot Soil

Following the decline of industrial manufacturing, many US cities have experienced severe population reductions that have resulted in large areas of vacant land. Urban agriculture has emerged as a desirable land use for these spaces, but degraded soils are common. Therefore, we measured soil and plant responses to amendments and management in urban lots where vacant houses had recently been demolished in Youngstown, OH, USA. Soil degradation was observed following demolition activities in the form of compaction (bulk density of 1·5–1·8 Mg m⁻³) and low soil microbial biomass C (21 mg C kg⁻¹ soil). Our split‐plot experiment measured the effects of organic matter (OM) amendments produced from yard wastes and the use of raised beds on soil properties and vegetable crop yields. Two years after their application, OM amendments resulted in significant improvement to a number of soil physical, chemical, and biological properties. Vegetable crop yields were improved by OM amendments in 2011 and by both OM amendments and the use of raised beds in 2012. A soil quality index, developed using factor analysis and the Soil Management Assessment Framework, produced values ranging from 0·60 to 0·85, which are comparable to those reported for rural agricultural soils. All results indicate that urban agriculture can be productive in vacant urban land and that amendments produced from urban yard wastes can improve soil quality at previously degraded sites and increase crop yields for urban agriculture. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.