Coxofemoral Luxation in the Dog and Cat

The medical records from 95 cases of coxofemoral luxation in dogs and cats were reviewed. Unilateral craniodorsal luxation was most common, (78.1% of dogs, 72.7% of cats). Trauma from being struck by an automobile was the most frequent cause (59.0%). Treatment was closed (manual) or open (surgical) reduction. The failure rate following single closed reduction was 64.8%. The surgical reduction procedure included capsular repair (capsulorrhaphy) via a craniolateral approach to the hip or via trochanteric osteotomy or gluteal tenotomy. The success rate following reduction via the craniolateral approach was 82%; no failure was recorded with trochanteric transposition, but reluxa-tion followed the single gluteal tenotomy. The Ehmer sling was the most common external fixation and was kept in place an average of 12.5 days. Thirty-three animals were available for follow-up, and no difference was recorded in limb function between the two groups of animals treated by closed vs surgical reduction. Patients with degenerative joint disease at the time of luxation were less likely to be successfully reduced; 64.3% of these animals were eventually treated by femoral head and neck excision. Thirty-eight patients had associated major injuries. Long-term follow-up results were better in those patients with concomitant orthopedic injuries than in those without other injuries.     

Quarantine requirements for the importation of black rhinoceros from Zimbabwe into Australia

SUMMARY The proposal by the Zoological Parks Board of New South Wales to import 10 southern black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) from Zimbabwe as part of an international project for conservation of the species presented the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) with a unique challenge. This importation is, at least in the modern era, the first importation of live herbivores from the African continent. Many of the serious animal diseases in the world are endemic in parts of Africa. Knowledge of which of these diseases infect wild species and may be transmitted from the wild species to domesticated species, is limited. This paper describes the strategies adopted by AQIS to facilitate the importation of rhinoceros while maintaining protection of Australian consumers, rural industries, domestic livestock and fauna against the entry and spread of unwanted pests and diseases.     

Review: The strobilurin fungicides

The original article to which this Correction refers was published in Pest Management Science 58 (7): 649–662 (2002).Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

IMAGING DIAGNOSIS—AORTIC THROMBOEMBOLISM ASSOCIATED WITH SPIROCERCOSIS IN A DOG

An 8-year-old neutered female Rhodesian Ridgeback developed acute, nonneurological right pelvic limb lameness. Femoral pulsation was poor, and oscillometric blood pressure measurements between the two pelvic limbs differed markedly. A caudal aortic right external iliac embolus was detected sonographically. Radiographically, there was a caudal esophageal mass and thoracic vertebral spondylitis typical of spirocercosis. Using CT-angiography, a caudal thoracic aortic aneurysm with a mural thrombus was detected. The dog recovered following heparin and aspirin therapy but signs recurred 7 months later. Subsequently, the patient improved on treatment and remains asymptomatic. This report illustrates the value of CT-angiography in detecting aortic thrombosis in dogs with spirocercosis.     

Interaction of red raspberry cultivars with isolates of Phragmidium rubi-idaei

Seven cultivars of red raspberry ( Rubus idaeus ) showed different susceptibility to infection by yellow rust ( Phragmidium rubi-idaei ) at two commercial plantations in Scotland and North Wales, The cultivars Latham, Chief and Boyne were completely resistant. Mailing Delight and Glen Clova supported more telial more than Mailing Jewel. In contrast the last named was the most susceptible cultivar at the aecial stage in Scotland but developed similar numbers of aecia to Glen Clova and Mailing Delight in Wales.
Meeker had an extended latent period, fewer and smaller pustules and a very small yield of urediniospores compared to the other susceptible cultivars, thus showing the characteristics of slow-rusting genotypes. At the Scottish site in 1982, where rust was less than in Wales, Meeker and Mailing Jewel performed differently to the other cultivars at the telial stage. Inoculation studies under controlled environmental conditions with urediniospores from each site revealed an interaction between cultivars and isolates suggesting that variation in pathogenicity is present in populations of P. rubi-idaei in the UK.     

Retrobulbar Block in Combination with General Anesthesia for Equine Ophthalmic Surgery

The use of retrobulbar block in conjunction with general anesthesia was evaluated in the horse. A prospective study of 12 cases fulfilling criteria for application of retrobulbar block was compared to a retrospective survey of 25 cases (control group) in which retrobulbar block was not performed. Retrobulbar block was done using a modified Peterson technique and 2% lidocaine HCI without epinephrine. In the control group, four horses exhibited signs compatible with initiation of the oculocardiac reflex; three horses developed bradyarrhythmias and hypotension during global traction related to enucleation, and cardiac arrest occurred in one horse during cataract extraction. In the retrobulbar block group, one horse developed bradyarrhythmia subsequent to retrobulbar block.     

Monitoring distances travelled by horses using GPS tracking collars

Objective The aims of this work were to (1) develop a low-cost equine movement tracking collar based on readily available components, (2) conduct preliminary studies assessing the effects of both paddock size and internal fence design on the movements of domestic horses, with and without foals at foot, and (3) describe distances moved by mares and their foals. Additional monitoring of free-ranging feral horses was conducted to allow preliminary comparisons with the movement of confined domestic horses. Procedures A lightweight global positioning system (GPS) data logger modified from a personal/vehicle tracker and mounted on a collar was used to monitor the movement of domestic horses in a range of paddock sizes and internal fence designs for 6.5-day periods. Results In the paddocks used (0.8–16 ha), groups of domestic horses exhibited a logarithmic response in mean daily distance travelled as a function of increasing paddock size, tending asymptotically towards approximately 7.5 km/day. The distance moved by newborn foals was similar to their dams, with total distance travelled also dependent on paddock size. Without altering available paddock area, paddock design, with the exception of a spiral design, did not significantly affect mean daily distance travelled. Feral horses (17.9 km/day) travelled substantially greater mean daily distances than domestic horses (7.2 km/day in 16-ha paddock), even when allowing for larger paddock size. Conclusions Horses kept in stables or small yards and paddocks are quite sedentary in comparison with their feral relatives. For a given paddock area, most designs did not significantly affect mean daily distance travelled.     

Life-history of Phragmidium rubi-idaei on red raspberry in the United Kingdom

Phragmidium rubi-idaei produced five spore stages on red raspberry and overwintered as teliospores adhering to canes. In the field spermagonia appeared in a single flush in early summer on leaves of the primocanes (first-year canes) and on leaves of the lateral shoots of fruiting canes, and were followed by aecia, uredinia and telia. Aecia and uredinia occasionally appeared on petioles and sepals and uredinia on drupelets of mature fruit. Lesions caused by aecia and uredinia on the bases of primocanes did not become cankerous in the following fruiting year. Necroses associated with large aecia produced a shot-hole effect and leaflets heavily affected by either aecia, uredinia or telia abscissed prematurely.
The sequence of spore stages on pot-grown plants inoculated with mature overwintered teliospores took 60 days to the reappearance of telia. The rate of development of uredinia and associated necroses was faster on younger than on older leaves but the cumulative spore yield was not significantly different.
Optimum temperature for germination of urediniospores in vitro (18.4–20.9°C) was higher than for mature teliospores (14.6–18.4°C). Light inhibited germination of both types of spores. Teliospore germination was inhibited by wavelengths of 590–750 nm, but this was partially reversible under other light conditions. A reversible inhibition of basidiospore formation was also observed under shorter wavelengths.     

RADIOGRAPHIC EVALUATION OF FELINE APPENDICULAR DEGENERATIVE JOINT DISEASE VS. MACROSCOPIC APPEARANCE OF ARTICULAR CARTILAGE

Degenerative joint disease (DJD) is common in domesticated cats. Our purpose was to describe how radiographic findings thought to indicate feline DJD relate to macroscopic cartilage degeneration in appendicular joints. Thirty adult cats euthanized for reasons unrelated to this study were evaluated. Orthogonal digital radiographs of the elbow, tarsus, stifle, and coxofemoral joints were evaluated for the presence of DJD. The same joints were dissected for visual inspection of changes indicative of DJD and macroscopic cartilage damage was graded using a Total Cartilage Damage Score. When considering all joints, there was statistically significant fair correlation between cartilage damage and the presence of osteophytes and joint‐associated mineralizations, and the subjective radiographic DJD score. Most correlations were statistically significant when looking at the different joints individually, but only the correlation between the presence of osteophytes and the subjective radiographic DJD score with the presence of cartilage damage in the elbow and coxofemoral joints had a value above 0.4 (moderate correlation). The joints most likely to have cartilage damage without radiographic evidence of DJD are the stifle (71% of radiographically normal joints) followed by the coxofemoral joint (57%), elbow (57%), and tarsal joint (46%). Our data support radiographic findings not relating well to cartilage degeneration, and that other modalities should be evaluated to aid in making a diagnosis of feline DJD.