Aujeszky’s disease in hunting dogs after the ingestion of wild boar raw meat in Sicily (Italy): clinical, diagnostic and phylogenetic features

Background Aujeszky's disease is caused by Suid Herpes Virus-1 and species belonging to the genus Sus scrofa are the main reservoir hosts. This virus, however, is capable of infecting and causing severe disease, with an almost constant fatal outcome in other species, both domestic and wild (carnivores, monogastric herbivores and ruminants). Moreover, the possibility of transmission to humans has been demonstrated. This study reports and describes the clinical, diagnostic, pathological and phylogenetic aspects of two cases of Aujeszky's disease in two hunting dogs following the ingestion of infected wild boar raw meat. These cases are contextualized in the province of Messina (Sicily), where a high prevalence of Aujeszky's disease has been recorded (average of 12,20% in the period 2010–2019) in farmed pig, and with evidence of spread to other species. A severe outbreak in cattle has recently been reported in these areas. Nevertheless, cases of Aujeszky's disease in dogs are rarely reported and this study represents the first well-documented report in this species in Sicily. Case presentation After a wild boar hunt, two dogs showed neurological symptoms and intense itching unresponsive to therapy. Diagnosis of Aujeszky's disease was made based on clinical suspicion, anamnestic information and confirmed by the isolation of the virus from the brain of both dogs. In addition, molecular typing, sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the Real-Time PCR products were performed. The sequences studied were placed in the Italian Clade 1 along with the sequences obtained from wild boars and hunting dogs from Italy and France. Conclusions The finding of this disease in non-natural hosts in Sicilian multi-host epidemiological contexts suggests that the risk of inter-species transmission is concrete and that attention should be paid to developing disease control programs in these territories. The data obtained from genome sequencing of the two SuHV-1 isolates contribute to the enrichment of the GenBank with unknown sequences and the phylogenetic analysis implementation.

Breed group differences in the unsolvable problem task: herding dogs prefer their owner, while solitary hunting dogs seek stranger proximity

The communicating skills of dogs are well documented and especially their contact-seeking behaviours towards humans. The aim of this study was to use the unsolvable problem paradigm to investigate differences between breed groups in their contact-seeking behaviours towards their owner and a stranger. Twenty-four dogs of ancient breeds, 58 herding dogs, and 17 solitary hunting dogs were included in the study, and their behaviour when presented with an unsolvable problem task (UPT) was recorded for 3 min. All breed groups interacted with the test apparatus the same amount of time, but the herding dogs showed a longer gaze duration towards their owner compared to the other groups and they also preferred to interact with their owner instead of a stranger. Interestingly, the solitary hunting dogs were more in stranger proximity than the other groups, and they also showed a preference to make contact with a stranger instead of their owner. Hence, we found differences in contact-seeking behaviours, reflecting the dog–human relationship, between breed groups that might not only be related to their genetic similarity to wolves, but also due to the specific breeding history of the dogs.

Ocular abnormalities in Polish Hunting Dogs

This study aimed to describe and determine the prevalence of ocular abnormalities in Polish Hunting Dogs. The study was conducted with 193 Polish Hunting Dogs: 101 female and 92 male animals, aged between 3 months and 12 years. Ophthalmic examinations were performed using slit lamp biomicroscopy, ophthalmoscopy, and tonometry based on the ophthalmological protocol for the examination of hereditary eye diseases. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) was performed for dogs with sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome (SARDS) and progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), while electroretinography was also performed in dogs with SARDS. Five dogs (2.6%) were diagnosed with cataract, iris coloboma in 3 dogs (1.6%), ocular dermoid in 1 dog (0.5%), and retinal dysplasia, distichiasis and entropion in 1 dog (1%). Three dogs (1.6%) were diagnosed with PRA and SARDS occurred in 1 dog. Retinal lesions was observed in 16 dogs (8.3%). The clinical signs of retinopathy observed in Polish Hunting Dogs included discoloration of the tapetal fundus, patchy increased reflectivity in the region of discoloration, focus of hyperpigmentation and an area of tapetal hyper-reflectivity with a pigmented center. SD-OCT performed in the 3 dogs with PRA revealed alteration in the retinal layers, which was most advanced in the non-tapetal fundus. Although SD-OCT revealed retinal layers with normal architecture only in some parts of the dorsal, nasal and temporal regions in dogs with SARDS, areas of disorganized external limiting membrane, myeloid zone, ellipsoid zone, outer photoreceptor segment and interdigitation zone were also observed. Polish Hunting Dogs should undergo periodic ophthalmological examination for the evaluation of other hereditary eye diseases. The prevalence of retinal lesions in Polish Hunting Dogs requires further research.

Serosurvey of anti-Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum antibodies in hunting dogs and hunters in Brazil

Background and Aim: Although wild boar hunting activities and the hunting dog trade in the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biomes of Brazil overlap both with endemic and with non-endemic areas for visceral leishmaniasis, no study to date has focused on Leishmania spp. exposure among hunting dogs and hunters. The aim of the present study was to assess the presence of Leishmania spp. antibodies in hunting dogs and hunters in different anthropized areas of two Brazilian biomes. Materials and Methods: Blood samples were collected from 170 hunting dogs and 46 hunters between October 2016 and May 2018. The presence of antibodies against Leishmania spp. in hunting dogs was screened through a dual-path platform immunochromatographic test (DPP rapid test; Bio-Manguinhos/Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and in hunters through an rK39-based rapid immunochromatographic test. Both tests were used in accordance with Brazilian Ministry of Health recommendations. Results: Overall, although antibodies were detected through the immunochromatographic test in 3/170 (0.02%) of these female asymptomatic hunting dogs, all living in anthropized areas of the Atlantic Forest biome in South Brazil, no sample was confirmed through the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. All the hunters were non-reactive in the rapid immunochromatographic test. Conclusion: Our study on three suspicious hunting dogs has suggested that Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum may circulate both in endemic and non-endemic areas in Brazil. In addition, a high rate of hunting dog replacement due to death and trade may have led to less chance of infection and transmission between animals and between animals and humans, which would corroborate the outcomes reported here. Further studies should be conducted to fully establish whether hunting dogs and hunters may be used as sentinels in other areas endemic for Leishmania spp.

Hunting dogs bark differently when they encounter different animal species

Previous studies have shown that vocalizations of dogs can provide information to human companions. While acoustic signals of dogs have been intensively studied during the last decade, barking during hunting activities remains unstudied. The experiences of hunters indicate that owners can recognize what animal species has been found based on the bark of their dog. Such a phenomenon has never been tested before. We tested such an ability by comparing barks that were produced when dogs encountered four different animal species: wild boar, red fox, rabbit and fowl. Classification results of a discrimination analysis showed, that based on barks of dachshunds and terriers, it is possible to categorize towards which animal species barks were produced. The most distinctive barks were produced during encounters with the most dangerous of these animals, the wild boar. On the contrary, barks evoked by red fox encounters were classified similarly as those towards other smaller and non-dangerous animals like rabbits and fowl. Although the red fox represents a potentially dangerous species, the barking provoked was not classified with a much higher result than barking at animals that pose no threat. This might indicate that the key parameter could be the body size of the animal the dog meets. We further tested whether the degree of threat from the species of animal the dog encounters is reflected in the structure of the acoustic parameters based on the valence-arousal model. We found that barks produced in contact with a wild boar showed significantly lower frequency parameters and longest duration compared to other barks. According to these results, it seems that the variability of barking depending on the species of animal a dog encounters is an expression of the dogʼs inner state rather than functionally reference information.

Brucella suis Seroprevalence and Associated Risk Factors in Dogs in Eastern Australia, 2016 to 2019

Brucella suis is a zoonotic disease of feral pigs that also affects pig hunting dogs, pig hunters, veterinarians and veterinary staff. In recent years the incidence of B. suis in the eastern Australian states of New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland (QLD) has increased. A cross-sectional study was conducted to document the seroprevalence, geographical extent and risk factors for B. suis in dogs at-risk of contracting the disease. Eligible dogs were those that were known to hunt or consume feral pig meat. Dogs were enrolled through private veterinary clinics and/or directly by District Veterinarians in six regions of NSW and QLD. Blood was collected by venepuncture and tested for B. suis antibodies using the Rose Bengal Test (RBT) followed by a Complement Fixation Test (CFT) if they returned a positive RBT. Owners were invited to complete a questionnaire on the dogs' signalment, husbandry including hunting practices and locations, and any clinical signs referable to brucellosis. Of the 317 dogs included in the prevalence survey, 21 were seropositive returning a survey-adjusted true seroprevalence of 9.3 (95% CI 0.45 to 18) B. suis positive dogs per 100 dogs at-risk. True seroprevalence ranged from 0 to 24 B. suis positive dogs per 100 across eastern Australia, with the highest prevalence in central west NSW and southern QLD. Adjusted for other factors, dogs that shared a household with other seropositive dogs and those that traveled away from their home regions to hunt were more likely to be seropositive. Clinical signs at presentation were not predictive of serostatus, with seropositive and seronegative dogs equally likely to present with signs consistent with brucellosis. The results obtained from this study show that B. suis exposure is relatively common in dogs that have contact with feral pigs, with one in 10 testing seropositive. Further studies are needed to understand the progression and risk of transmission from seropositive dogs.

Survei Prevalensi Ektoparasit pada Populasi Anjing Pemburu (Canis Lupus familiaris) di Kecamatan Jagong Jeget Kabupaten Aceh Tengah

Dogs are one of the domestic animals that are much loved by humans as pets because of their relatively easy maintenance. The existence of dogs is becoming popular among the public, because for some people, dogs are kept as friends, guards, hunters, scouts or drug trackers.. On the other hand, to maintain their good body condition, then need to control their health.. One of the parameters for dog health disorders is the presence of ectoparasites in their body. This study was aimed to determine the prevalence of ectoparasites of hunting dogs that are kept in Jagong Jeget District, Central Aceh Regency. Research activities have been carried out from November 2019 to February 2020. The samples used in this study were 30 hunting dog samples that owned by the member of PORBI in Jagong Jeget subdistrict by manual ectoparasites examination. The Analysis of results were conducted descriptively. The results showed that the prevalence of ectoparasites in hunting dogs in Jagong Jeget District was 83.3%. In detail, this result comprised of the prevalence of ectoparasites of the Ctenocephalides canis group at 80%, followed by Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Boophilus sp. with a prevalence of 16.6% and Trichodectes canis with a prevalence of 3.3%. We concluded that there was ectoparasitic infection in hunting dogs that were kept in Jagong Jeget District and hunting dog maintenance management in Jagong Jeget District was still classified as poor.Abstrak Anjing merupakan salah satu hewan domestik yang banyak digemari manusia sebagai hewan kesayangan karena pemeliharaannya yang relatif mudah. Keberadaan anjing sangat populer dikalangan masyarakat tertentu, karena bagi mereka, anjing dipelihara sebagai teman, penjaga, pemburu, pengintai atau pelacak narkoba. Disisi lain, untuk menjaga kondisinya tetap stabil sesuai kebutuhan pemeliharaannya, maka kesehatannya perlu dirawat dengan baik. Salah satu parameter gangguan kesehatan anjing adalah keberadaan ektoparasit dalam tubuh. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui prevalensi pada ektoparasit pada anjing pemburu yang di pelihara di Kecamatan Jagong Jeget Kabupaten Aceh Tengah. Kegiatan penelitian telah dilaksanakan dari bulan November 2019 sampai bulan Februari 2020. Sampel yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah 30 sampel anjing pemburu yang diperiksa dari pemilik anjing pemburu anggota PORBI dari Kecamatan Jagong Jeget dengan pemeriksaan ektoparasit secara makroskopis. Data yang diperoleh dianalisis secara deskriptif. Hasil pemeriksaan menunjukkan bahwa prevalensi ektoparasit pada anjing pemburu yang di pelihara di Kecamatan Jagong Jeget adalah 83.3%. Secara rinci ektoparasit dari kelompok kelompok Ctenocephalides canis yaitu 80%. diikuti oleh Rhipicephalus sanguineus dan Boophilus sp. dengan prevalensi 16.6% dan Trichodectes canis dengan prevalensi 3.3%. Dapat disimpulan bahwa terdapat infeksi ektoparasit pada anjing pemburu yang dipelihara di Kecamatan Jagong Jeget dengan tingkat infestasi yang tergolong tinggi