Computed tomographic diagnosis of necroulcerative reticulorumenitis with portal venous gas in a lamb

A 2-month-old, intact male Merino sheep was presented for acute inappetence and pyrexia. Contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography identified reticulorumenal intramural gas with suspected ruminal ulceration, arborizing portal venous gas, and mild peritoneal fluid. The lamb was treated medically for presumptive ulcerative reticulorumenitis and non-septic peritonitis. Over 10 days, the lamb initially showed mild improvement before clinical deterioration and was ultimately euthanized. Definitive diagnosis of necrotizing, ulcerative reticulorumenitis was made via necropsy with histopathology. An underlying cause was not determined.Key clinical message:Contrast-enhanced computed tomography was effective in identifying gastric emphysema and portal venous gas associated with reticuloruminal ulceration.     

Effects of perioperative saphenous and sciatic nerve blocks,lumbosacral epidural or morphine–lidocaine–ketamine infusion on postoperative pain and sedation in dogs undergoing tibial plateau leveling osteotomy

ObjectiveTo compare the quality of postoperative analgesia and sedation after preoperative saphenous and sciatic nerve blockade, preoperative lumbosacral epidural injection and perioperative intravenous (IV) morphine, lidocaine and ketamine infusions in dogs undergoing stifle arthroscopy and tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) under general anesthesia.Study designProspective, blinded, randomized, clinical comparison study.AnimalsA total of 45 dogs weighing 33.9 (15.9–56.7) kg and aged 5.2 (1.0–12.0) years, mean (range), undergoing elective unilateral TPLO for spontaneous cranial cruciate ligament rupture.MethodsClient-owned dogs were enrolled. Dogs were randomly assigned to one of three groups: group MLK, perioperative IV morphine, lidocaine and ketamine infusion; group EPID, lumbosacral epidural with ropivacaine and morphine; or group SSNB, saphenous and sciatic nerve blockade with ropivacaine. Routine stifle arthroscopy followed by TPLO surgery was performed. Sedation and pain scores were assessed at 0, 2, 4, 8 and 24 hours following extubation. Rescue analgesia was administered as prescribed by Glasgow composite pain score–short form score >5.ResultsSedation scores for MLK were higher than EPID and SSNB. Pain scores for SSNB were lower than those for EPID and MLK. No significant differences were found in anesthesia duration or surgery duration among groups. No dogs required rescue analgesia.Conclusions and clinical relevanceAlthough analgesia was adequate in all groups, the best combination of analgesia without increased sedation was recorded for SSNB.     

Socio-spatial organization reveals paternity and low kinship in the Honduran white bat (Ectophylla alba) in Costa Rica

Ectophylla alba is a tent-making bat that roosts in mixed-sex clusters comprising adults and offspring. Our goal was to determine the genetic identity of individuals belonging to different roosting groups. We tested the hypothesis of kin selection as a major force structuring group composition. We used 9 microsatellites designed for E. alba to determine the genetic identity and probability of parentage of individuals. We analyzed parentage and kinship using the software ML-Relate, GenAIEx, and Cervus. The obtained relationship probabilities (0.5) revealed a clear maternal relationship between female adults and offspring with allele compatibility, and at least 5 relationships between male adults and pups. We found a low degree of relatedness within roosting groups. Between roosting groups at different sites, the mean probability of a half-sibling relationship ranged from 0.214 to 0.244 and, for full-sibling relationship, from 0.383 to 0.553. Genetically, adult individuals were poorly related within clusters, and kinship as an evolutionary force could not explain group membership.     

Benign mixed Müllerian (duct) vaginal tumor in a 12-y-old goat

In human and veterinary medicine, mixed Müllerian tumors (MMTs) are rarely diagnosed neoplasms of the tubular female genital tract. Although there are case reports of malignant MMTs in various species, benign MMTs have only been described once in a macaque. Here we present a case of benign MMT in a 12-y-old goat, and review the literature on uterine, cervical, and vaginal neoplasia in goats. The doe was presented with vaginal discharge and was euthanized because of the high suspicion of intraabdominal neoplasia. On gross examination, an ulcerated vaginal mass was identified. Histologically, 2 distinct cell populations were present: smooth muscle cells that were well differentiated and positive for alpha–smooth muscle actin, and ciliated columnar epithelial cells that lined ductal structures and had no signs of malignancy. These findings led to the diagnosis of neoplasia of Müllerian origin. Benign MMT should be considered as a differential diagnosis for uterine and vaginal neoplasms in goats.     

Effects of density on growth and survival of juvenile Red Swamp Crayfish, Procambarus clarkii (Girard), reared under laboratory conditions

The aim of this study was to quantify the importance of population density on the growth and survival of juvenile red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii (Girard), and to understand the effects of density on both the period between moults and the increment per moult at high densities without food limitation. A laboratory experiment was performed to determine growth and survival of juvenile crayfish at five densities (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 crayfish m^?2). Density clearly affected crayfish growth. The impact of density on final weight was higher than on total length increase, growth rate and final length (FL) (by decreasing order of effect). When comparing minimum and maximum densities, we observed that FL suffered a 34% reduction. Number of moults, mean intermoult period (IP) and survival were not significantly affected by density. Our results indicated that the IP and the percentage of increment per moult are affected by the size of crayfish before moult and we provide equations for these relations. Our findings are relevant both for crayfish aquaculture management and for the management of wild or harvested rice‐field crayfish populations.