Familial stomatocytosis--hypertrophic gastritis (FSHG), a newly recognised disease in the dog (Drentse patrijshond)

A newly recognised disease, which we have given the provisional name of familial stomatocytosis-hypertrophic gastritis (FSHG), is described in two families of dogs of the Drentse partrijshond breed. The affected dogs consisted of 3 females and 5 males, 3 to 19 (mean 9.5) months of age at admission. The main clinical problems were diarrhoea, icterus, and ataxia and paresis of the pelvic limbs. Laboratory evaluation revealed abnormal red cell shape (stomatocytosis), increased osmotic fragility, haemolytic anaemia, and increased liver enzymes and serum bilirubin. Gastroscopic and histopathologic examination of the gastric mucosa revealed hypertrophic gastritis resembling Ménétrier's disease in man. Histologic findings in the liver were suggestive of progressive liver disease. Cysts were found in the kidneys of the five oldest patients. Electroneurography in 2 dogs revealed polyneuropathy. In the parents of 2 patients (sister and brother), there were no clinical or laboratory abnormalities. An autosomal recessive hereditary defect of lipid metabolism is suspected.     

Abnormalities of the Female Genital Organs in Mink Heterozygous for the Heggedal Factor Shadow Factor

In Sapphire Shadow (aa pp S^Hs), Blue Shadow (AA pp S^Hs) and Blue Shadow Carrier for Aleutian (Aa pp S^Hs) a malformation of the female genital organs has been demonstrated and described. The malformations seem to be restricted to the areas which are formed by the Müllerian ducts and chiefly affect the vagina and cervix, corpus and cornua uteri, whilst the uterine tubes are as a rule normal.Among females which are empty after their first breeding season the frequency of these malformations was almost 42 % and among virginal young females 18.5 %.The abnormalities seem to be due to a pleiotropic, possibly sexlimited effect of the Heggedal factor (Shadow factor S^H). With respect to these malformations, the Heggedal factor acts as a dominant hereditary factor with incomplete penetrance and varying expressivity. The penetrance in the females was approximately 18.5 % (18.54 ±2.71).A method for demonstrating the malformations in live mink is described.     

Effects of bark mulch and npk fertilizer on yield,leaf nutrient status and soil mineral nitrogen during three years of strawberry production

The effects of bark mulch and NPK fertilizers on yield and leaf and soil nutrient status of ‘Korona’ strawberry plants (Fragaria×ananassa Duch.), were studied over a period of three years. A significant effect of mulching was found in the first harvest year, but additional fertilizer did not affect total yield. Bark mulch slightly decreased the level of leaf nitrogen, but increased the level of leaf phosphorus and potassium in all years. Bark had a significant, negative effect on soil nitrate and ammonium content in the two first seasons. Mulching increased the soil moisture content in all years.     

Effect of acetic acid consumption on clinical laboratory values in the dog

To investigate the influence of food enriched with acetic acid on the clinical, biochemical, electrolyte, blood gas, haematological and urinary variables in the dog, a cross-over study was carried out with periods of approximately 2 weeks involving six healthy, adult dogs. Another objective was to determine the maximum concentration of acetic acid that the dogs found to be palatable. The dogs were maintained on a commercial meat-based food with added acetic acid and/or glucose. The administered acetic acid was increased in stages. All dogs accepted the diet containing acetic acid at a level of 5% of metabolizable energy. Except for a decrease in plasma total protein, none of the variables were significantly affected by acetic acid consumption. Acetic acid feeding did not affect plasma acetate concentration and urinary acetate excretion, indicating that dogs efficiently metabolize ingested acetic acid.     

Transmission of classical swine fever virus by artificial insemination during the 1997-1998 epidemic in The Netherlands: a descriptive epidemiological study

In the course of the 1997-1998 CSF epidemic in the Netherlands, two semen collection centres (SCC) became infected. As an eradication strategy for an acute crisis situation, it was concluded that all semen of the boars at the SCCs collected and distributed in the risk period of 28 January to 7 March 1997 was potentially contaminated (suspect semen). As a consequence, a total of 1,680 pig herds, mainly located in the southern part of the Netherlands, were officially declared CSF suspect. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether infection of farms through contaminated semen played a significant role in the CSF epidemic. A total of 123 CSFV infected herds were identified, that had received suspect semen from one or both of the infected SCCs. In 87 out of these 123 infected herds, infection by way of artificial insemination (AI) could be excluded either according to the insemination information or the infection pattern observed. In only 21 herds, infection by way of AI was regarded as possible according to the insemination information and infection pattern. Owing to missing information, no conclusion could be drawn about the possibility of infection of 15 farms by way of AI. Thus, we conclude that at most 36 farms may have been infected through AI during the CSF epidemic in the Netherlands.     

An introduction to clinical neuromuscular electrophysiology

This paper serves as a brief and general introduction to the basic elements of neuromuscular electrophysiology. The technical and clinical principles of electromyography and electroneurography; as well as the pathophysiology of nerve conduction, are described.     

Electroneurographic examination of the ulnar and radial nerves in the dog: reference values, biological variation and reproducibility

The radial and ulnar nerves were examined electrophysiologically in 90 normal dogs. In 66 of these dogs, aged between one and eight years, the reference values were established for 27 variables. Multicomponent sensory nerve action potentials were encountered at the proximal recording site in the ulnar nerve in 68 per cent of the dogs in the reference group and in the radial nerve in 26 per cent. Differences between the sexes were not significant, nor were differences between two breeds of similar body size. There were no significant age related differences between the ages of one and eight years. Limb length, measured as the distance between sensory stimulation site (digits) and proximal recording site (elbow), was found to have a significant effect on the velocity, amplitude, number of positive peaks and duration of the nerve action potentials. The variation in results of repeated measurements of velocities ranged from 0 to 11 per cent. The relative error in velocities due to errors in measurement of distance and latency ranged from 1 to 12 per cent.     

Economic analysis of outbreaks of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus in nine sow herds

The economic losses due to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSv) outbreaks are reported in the literature to be substantially high, but recent figures are not available. The aim of this study was to quantify the economic effects of epidemic PRRSv outbreaks in Dutch sow herds. Nine sow herds were selected based on a confirmed PRRSv outbreak within those populations. The economic impact during the first 18 weeks after the outbreak was estimated by comparing the overall costs between pre- and postoutbreak periods, using different factors (production data, medication, diagnostics, labour, etc.). An outbreak of PRRSv resulted in a reduced number of sold pigs per sow of 1.7. The economic loss varied between €59 and €379 for one sow per 18-week period outbreak. The mean loss per sow per outbreak was €126. The costs after the outbreak varied significantly from €3 to 160 per sow, due to the different methods used by farmers to tackle PRRSv outbreaks. The calculated costs in this study correlate with the costs of the initial outbreak in The Netherlands of 98 per sow.     

Concentrations and Flow of Free Amino Acids in Ruminal and Duodenal Liquid of Dairy Cows in Relation to Feed Composition,Time of Feeding and Level of Feed Intake

The main purpose of this study was to examine sources of variation in free amino acids (FAA) in the rumen and their relative contribution to the total duodenal amino acid supply. Six cannulated lactating dairy cows fed three concentrate mixtures differing in ruminally degradable intake protein (101, 114 and 134 g kg^-1 dry matter) at two levels of intake (19.3 vs 9.8 kg dry matter day^-1     

Transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains between different kinds of pig farms

The main objective of the present study was to investigate if different kinds of pig farms, like farrowing farms and rearing farms, play a role in the transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) to Dutch finishing farms. Twelve farrowing farms, 11 finishing farms, 6 farrow-to finish farms, 1 rearing farm and 1 centre for artificial insemination were included. Screening of 310 pigs from these 31 farms showed 35 pigs (11%) to carry MRSA in their nares. On 7 of the 31 (23%) investigated farms colonized pigs were found, including 3 finishing farms, 3 farrowing farms and 1 farrow-to-finish farm. The use of standard antimicrobial medication of the pigs seemed to be a risk factor for MRSA carriage. Screening of the pigs on six farms supplying pigs for the MRSA positive farms revealed that the pigs on all but one farm were MRSA positive. Genotyping revealed that all MRSA strains were non-typeable by PFGE using the SmaI restriction enzyme and had multilocus sequence type (MLST) ST398. Different spa-types were found including t011, t108, t567, t899 and t1939, but the spa-types on epidemiologically related farms were identical indicating that MRSA are transmitted between farms through the purchase of colonized pigs. Two SCCmec types were found among the MRSA: type IV and type V. SCCmec type V was predominant. On two farms MRSA isolates with ST398, the same spa-type but with different SCCmec types (IV and V) were found, suggesting that different SCCmec elements have been inserted into MSSA with the same genotype. All MRSA strains were resistant to tetracycline, but additional resistances to erythromycin, lincomycin, kanamycin and gentamicin were also found. All MRSA isolates were negative for the exfoliative toxin genes (eta and etb), PVL toxin genes (lukF and lukS), toxic shock syndrome gene (tst-1), and the leukotoxin genes (lukE, lukD, lukM, lukF').