Orthopedic conditions that affect the avian pelvic limb.

Birds are often presented to the veterinarian with injury or disease that affects their ability to use one or both legs. Although in wild birds traumatic injuries usually involve the wing, captive birds especially falconer's birds, are usually presented with injuries to their legs. This article focuses on conditions affecting practice: birds of prey, and injured wild birds. The birds are presented with lameness or loss of use of the leg. The conditions described can be initiated by injury or by disease affecting an area other than the leg, such as the kidney or spinal cord, or they can be toxic or metabolic.     

Chlamydia psittaci: a suspected cause of reproductive loss in three Victorian horses

Chlamydia psittaci was detected by PCR in the lung and equine foetal membranes of two aborted equine foetuses and one weak foal from two different studs in Victoria, Australia. The abortions occurred in September 2019 in two mares sharing a paddock northeast of Melbourne. The weak foal was born in October 2019 in a similar geographical region and died soon after birth despite receiving veterinary care. The detection of C. psittaci DNA in the lung and equine foetal membranes of the aborted or weak foals and the absence of any other factors that are commonly associated with abortion or neonatal death suggest that this pathogen may be the cause of the reproductive loss. The detection of C. psittaci in these cases is consistent with the recent detection of C. psittaci in association with equine abortion in New South Wales. These cases in Victoria show that C. psittaci, and the zoonotic risk it poses, should be considered in association with equine reproductive loss in other areas of Australia.     

Oocyte holding in the Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus): Effect of initial oocyte quality and epidermal growth factor addition on in vitro maturation

Current in vitro embryo production protocols in the Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) need to be optimized; oocyte harvesting in situ followed by overnight holding could reduce the human effort and shipping costs. In our work, post‐mortem ovaries were retrieved, and the oocytes were harvested and allocated to G1 group (good quality) or G2 + G3 group (low quality). The oocytes were separately subjected to immediate in vitro maturation (IVM) or held overnight in a holding medium composed of 40% of TCM 199 with Earle's salts, 40% TCM 199 with Hanks' salts and 20% fetal bovine serum (FBS), at room temperature (16 hr). In vitro maturation was carried out in a basal medium supplemented or not with 50 ng/ml of epidermal growth factor (EGF). Our data showed that addition of EGF to the maturation medium increases the percentage of G1 oocytes reaching metaphase II (3.9% vs. 50%, basal vs. EGF; p < .001) and decreased their degeneration rate (69.9% vs. 22.2%, basal vs. EGF; p < .01) when oocytes were immediately matured. Overnight holding increased the meiotic competence of G1 oocytes (37.5% matured in basal medium) and EGF increased prophase arrest in G2 + G3 oocytes (16.1% vs. 38.8% in germinal vesicle [GV] stage in basal medium vs. EGF added medium; p < .05). Our data demonstrate that oocyte holding can be used in Iberian red deer oocytes. Interestingly, EGF addition increases the oocytes' meiotic competence in immediately matured oocytes but not after oocyte holding depending upon initial oocyte quality.     

Preliminary investigation of the vitamin D status of pet rabbits

The plasma concentrations of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (1,25-(OH)2D3) (vitamin D3) were measured in blood samples taken from one wild rabbit and 13 pet rabbits at different times of the year. Some pet rabbits had low or undetectable plasma concentrations of 1,25-(OH)2D3 especially if they were kept in hutches. Rabbits with more access to sunlight had higher concentrations of 1,25-(OH)2D3.     

Anticonvulsant responsive, episodic movement disorder in a German shorthaired pointer

An episodic movement disorder is described in a young German shorthaired pointer. Movement disorders are rare, but well-described, neurological conditions in human beings. An attempt is made to classify this disorder using current human guidelines. Unlike previously described movement disorders in dogs, this case responded very well to two commonly used anticonvulsant therapies, suggesting that trial therapy with these drugs is worthwhile in similar cases.