The role of extruded disk material in thoracolumbar intervertebral disk disease: a retrospective study in 40 dogs

The objective of the study was to determine the effect of the dispersed or nondispersed form of the extruded disk material (EDM) on the neurological status and surgical outcomes in Hansen thoracolumbar intervertebral disk disease Type I (IVDD-I). Medical records of 40 dogs with IVDD-I were reviewed, including neurologic status on admission, findings on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), intraoperative findings, and surgical outcomes. In MRI evaluations, EDM was on the right in 16, on the left in 18, and centrally in 6 cases; in all cases, findings were confirmed by surgery. Extruded disk material was localized and classified as dispersed disk (DD) or nondispersed disk (NDD) according to its dispersion in the epidural space on MRI. Twenty-five dogs had DD and 15 had NDD on both MRI and surgery. There was no significant difference between DD and NDD in preoperative neurological status and surgical outcomes (P > 0.05).     

Prevalence of cryptosporidiosis in dogs and human beings in San Bernardino County, California

Fecal specimens from 200 stray dogs impounded at the San Bernardino City and County animal shelters were screened for Cryptosporidium sp oocysts, using the auramine-rhodamine fluorescent staining procedure. The University of California, Los Angeles acid-fast stain was used for confirmation. Only 4 (2%) dogs were passing cryptosporidial oocysts. Likewise, stool specimens from 664 people were submitted to the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health Laboratory for routine parasitologic examination and were screened for Cryptosporidium sp. Cryptosporidial oocysts were detected in 20 human fecal specimens (3.01%). On the basis of these findings, it appears that the human and canine populations of San Bernardino County are at low risk for development of cryptosporidiosis at this time.     

Spontaneous vomition of foreign bodies by a dog

Extract

Foreign bodies in the stomachs of dogs, although not of frequent occurrence, usually are the result of accidental ingestion of such materials while playing. This is especially true in young subjects. The most outstanding symptom consists of persistent vomition, which may be bloody in cases where injury of the gastric mucosa has occurred. Most cases are relieved only by surgical intervention, especially when the foreign bodies are too large to pass through the pylorus or are embedded in the gastric mucous membrane.     

Cryptosporidium in market pigs in southern California, USA

Faecal specimens from 200 market swine (115 feeder pigs and 85 butcher hogs) offered for sale at a southern California livestock auction yard during a three-month period, were examined for cryptosporidium oocysts. Of the 10 pigs (5 per cent) found to be excreting the parasite, seven were feeder pigs and three were butcher hogs. Of the feeder pigs four (4.1 per cent) came from the 98 non-diarrhoeic pigs and three (17.6 per cent) from 17 diarrhoeic pigs. The 85 butcher hogs were all apparently healthy.     

Investigation of cryptosporidial infection in calves in San Bernardino County, California

Cryptosporidium is a protozoan parasite that inhabits the intestinal epithelium of calves, lambs, foals, pigs, and poultry. Of the 500 calves studied, 95 calves had diarrhea and 20 (21.05%) of those were infected with Cryptosporidium; only 8 (1.9%) of the remaining 405 nondiarrheic calves had Cryptosporidium oocysts in their feces.