Gastrointestinal nematodes and Fasciola hepatica in Norwegian cattle herds: a questionnaire to investigate farmers’ perceptions and control strategies

Background Pasture management influences the prevalence and impact of the pasture parasites (PP) in cattle herds, which cause production-limiting disease worldwide. Evaluating farmer management strategies is vital when considering sustainable PP control practices. The aim of this questionnaire-based study was to describe the pasture management and control strategies regarding PP in Norwegian beef cattle (BC) and dairy cattle (DC) production systems with a focus on gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) and Fasciola hepatica. Results A total of 745 responses from BC (return rate 20.5%) and 1347 responses from DC farmers (30.7%) were included. The mean total pasture time for DC was 4.2 months for first-season grazers and 4.3 months for second-season grazers and cows, while the corresponding finding in BC was 5.4 months. Home pasture was used for most of the pasture period, particularly for first-season grazer dairy heifers (81%), which were also commonly grazed on the same pasture every year (79%). For most farmers it was necessary for grazing areas to be used for cattle for more than one season (77% of BC farmers and 89% of DC farmers). However, changing the pasture during the season was common in both DC (67%) and BC (70%) herds. The majority of DC farmers (60%) stated that they did not consider that they had a problem with PP. Of the remaining 40%, few respondents could specify whether their herds had a problem due to infection by GIN (11%) or liver flukes (12%). Treatment for GIN was performed by 52% of DC and 34% of BC farmers. Diagnostic faecal samples were collected upon suspicion of parasitic disease by 5% of DC and 16% of BC farmers. Veterinarians were stated as a central source of information about parasite management and treatment. Conclusions Potential risks for exposure to PP were identified, such as use of the same pasture every year for first-season grazers and frequent use of home pasture. The perception of problems related to PP appeared low. Regular anthelmintic treatment without concurrent use of diagnostic faecal samples seems to be common practice.

Surgical treatment of post-traumatic luxation of rib heads with spinal cord compression in a cat

Background Luxation of the rib head with intrusion into the intervertebral foramen seems to be rare in cats. Only one report has been published describing a cat with non-ambulatory paraparesis, which was managed conservatively. Here we report a case of rib head luxation that was managed surgically. Case presentation A 4-year-old, female domestic shorthair cat with a two-week history of non-ambulatory paraparesis was presented at our clinic. Based on history and neurological examination, a diagnosis of thoracolumbar spinal cord lesion of traumatic origin was made. Computed tomography scanning revealed mild scoliosis, a luxation of the 3rd and 4th right rib heads and penetration into the spinal canal through intervertbral foramina. Surgical management using right dorsal approach to the spine was performed. The spinal cord was decompressed by cutting and removing of proximal ribs’ fragments by rotation and pulling out from the intervertebral foramina. The cat was ambulatory and paraparetic four weeks after surgery. Two years after surgery the cat regained functional gait, but ataxia remained. Conclusions We report the first case of a surgical treatment of rib head luxation and intrusion into the spinal canal in a cat. The applied procedure resulted in an improvement of neurological signs.

Immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive drug protocols in the treatment of canine primary immune thrombocytopenia, a scoping review

Primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a cause of severe thrombocytopenia in dogs. Immunosuppressive corticosteroid drugs are frequently used in the management of ITP, but treatment failure may occur. Immunomodulatory and non-corticosteroid immunosuppressive drugs might improve outcomes from therapy either alone or in combination with corticosteroids. The objectives of this scoping review were (1) to evaluate the current evidence relating to immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive drug protocols in the treatment of canine ITP, and (2) to answer the clinical question, whether or not therapy with immunomodulatory or non-corticosteroid immunosuppressive drugs alone or in combination with corticosteroids could improve outcome, compared to therapy with corticosteroids alone. A literature search was performed in the electronic databases of Agricola, CAB Abstracts, Embase, Medline and Web of Science for publications in November 2019 and again February 1, 2021. Selection criteria were relatively strict and included peer-reviewed research papers reporting outcome measures from immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive drug protocols in the treatment of canine ITP with a pre-therapeutic mean or median platelet count < 50,000/µL as a strict criterion for inclusion. Studies were evaluated if they had an appropriate diagnostic work up to exclude underlying conditions. Outcome measures and adverse events were compared between drug protocols both within studies and between studies. The search identified 456 studies, with six studies being eligible for inclusion. The studies were mostly case series while two were randomized controlled trials. Level of evidence varied with an overall uncertain subject enrollment, small groups, inadequate description and variable use of drug protocols or outcome measures. For outcomes such as platelet recovery time and duration of hospitalization, an improvement was observed using adjunctive therapy (human intravenous immunoglobulin) compared to therapy with corticosteroids alone. For outcomes of complete platelet recovery time, survival (6-month), mortality and relapse, no improvement was observed using adjunctive drugs compared to corticosteroids alone. Specifically, therapy with mycophenolate mofetil alone and adjunctive azathioprine were associated with more severe adverse events compared to other drug protocols. Evidence relating to immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive drug protocols in the treatment of canine ITP was of variable quality. Future larger case-controlled trials are required for determination of optimal treatment protocols in canine ITP.

QimmeqHealth—thyroid status of Greenland sled dogs (Canis lupus familiaris borealis)

Background Greenland sled dogs (GSD) are a unique, genetically isolated population of dogs living under exceptional environmental conditions. Metabolism, and thereby thyroid hormones are affected by multiple factors. Among other activity, energy balance and environmental conditions are important. A breed-specific reference interval (RI) can be useful for diagnostics of potential thyroid-related pathologies. The aim of this study was to establish RIs of the thyroid hormones thyroxin (T4), free thyroxin (fT4), and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in GSD. In addition to evaluate the effect of sex, age, season, management, and body condition score (BCS) in GSD. Physical exams and cephalic venous blood sampling were performed in the period of 2018–2019 from 265 GSD managed either privately or by the Danish navy. Serum biochemical analyses, including C-reactive protein, were performed and RIs were determined for TSH, T4 and fT4 in only healthy dogs. The RIs were determined using American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology guidelines and the effect of varying factors were evaluated by linear regression and further tested by Mann–Whitney test. Results 144 GSD were included in the reference group resulting in RIs: T4: 6.44–48.65 nmol/L; fT4: 3.91–18.51 pmol/L; and TSH: 0.04–0.55 ng/mL. Female GSD had significantly higher concentrations of T4 (P = 0.039) and fT4 (P = 0.015) compared to males; a positive correlation between TSH and aging was found; T4 concentrations were significantly higher (P = 0.003) during summer; and TSH concentrations were lower in GSD managed by the navy (P < 0.0001). BCS was higher (P < 0.0001) in Sirius GSD compared to civilian GSD, and BCS was positively correlated with T4 and negatively correlated with TSH. Conclusions Reference intervals for T4, fT4 and TSH in GSD were established. The RI for T4 and fT4 was lower compared to other breeds. In addition, sex, age, season, management and BCS demonstrated variable effects on thyroid hormones. Our results can be used as a foundation for improving management and further research of GSD.

Reversible infertility in male dog following prolonged treatment of Malassezia dermatitis with ketoconazole

Background Ketoconazole, an antifungal agent, adversely affects spermatogenesis in rodents, but knowledge on adverse effects of prolonged administration of ketoconazole on the fertility of male dogs is lacking. A case of reversible infertility with azoospermia in a male American Staffordshire terrier treated with ketoconazole is reported here. Case presentation A seven-year old male American Staffordshire terrier treated for 3 months with ketoconazole for a persistent Malassezia dermatitis displayed reduced libido and mating of 3 bitches had been unsuccessful. The dog was presented at the clinic 40 days after the treatment had been stopped. At first presentation, low libido and complete absence of sperm in the ejaculate (azoospermia) associated with low testosterone level were found. Repeated examinations revealed that sperm quality and testosterone level had restored 100 days after ketoconazole had been withdrawn. Thereafter, the dog successfully mated 2 bitches. Conclusion The treatment with ketoconazole for 3 months may have led to reversible infertility characterized by azoospermia. Therefore, owners of stud dogs should be informed of this risk prior to initiating such treatment and in case of infertility, previous treatment with ketoconazole should be considered as a possible cause.

Antinociceptive and analgesic effect of continuous intravenous infusion of maropitant, lidocaine and ketamine alone or in combination in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy

Background Multimodal analgesia consists of the combination of analgesic drugs at low doses to act in different places along the path of pain. Studies with continuous infusion of analgesic drugs in cats are not common. This study aimed to evaluate the analgesic effect of maropitant, lidocaine and ketamine alone or in combination (intravenous bolus + subsequent continuous intravenous infusion) in the management of acute postoperative pain in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy. Seventy healthy cats undergoing an ovariohysterectomy received a standard anesthetic protocol consisting of acepromazine and morphine, propofol (anesthesia induction), and isoflurane (anesthesia maintenance). The animals were stratified into seven groups (n = 10 in each group): control (CG), maropitant (MG), lidocaine (LG), ketamine (KG), maropitant + lidocaine (LMG), maropitant + ketamine (KMG), and maropitant + lidocaine + ketamine (LKMG). All drugs were injected first as an intravenous bolus and then by continuous intravenous infusion. During surgery, esophageal temperature, respiratory rate, heart rate, oxygen saturation, expired isoflurane concentration, and partial pressure of carbon dioxide at the end of expiration were evaluated at 7 time points. Postoperative pain was evaluated for 6 h after extubation using the visual analogue scale and the UNESP-Botucatu multidimensional composite pain scale for assessing postoperative pain in cats. Results Adverse effects related to maropitant, lidocaine and ketamine infusion were not observed. Pain scores were lower in the MG, KG and LG groups when compared to the CG group using both scales. Although pain scores were also lower in all combination groups than CG, more animals in these groups required rescue analgesia compared to MG. This indicates that the postoperative analgesic effect of all drugs, either alone or in combination, confers analgesia, although the combinations did not promote greater analgesia. Conclusions Continuous intravenous infusion of maropitant, lidocaine, and ketamine alone induces postoperative analgesic effect in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy, but combinations of these drugs did not increase the analgesic effect. No adverse effect was observed with any drug or their combination.

Chronic wasting disease in Europe: new strains on the horizon

Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders with known natural occurrence in humans and a few other mammalian species. The diseases are experimentally transmissible, and the agent is derived from the host-encoded cellular prion protein (PrPC), which is misfolded into a pathogenic conformer, designated PrPSc (scrapie). Aggregates of PrPSc molecules, constitute proteinaceous infectious particles, known as prions. Classical scrapie in sheep and goats and chronic wasting disease (CWD) in cervids are known to be infectious under natural conditions. In CWD, infected animals can shed prions via bodily excretions, allowing direct host-to-host transmission or indirectly via prion-contaminated environments. The robustness of prions means that transmission via the latter route can be highly successful and has meant that limiting the spread of CWD has proven difficult. In 2016, CWD was diagnosed for the first time in Europe, in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) and European moose (Alces alces). Both were diagnosed in Norway, and, subsequently, more cases were detected in a semi-isolated wild reindeer population in the Nordfjella area, in which the first case was identified. This population was culled, and all reindeer (approximately 2400) were tested for CWD; 18 positive animals, in addition to the first diagnosed case, were found. After two years and around 25,900 negative tests from reindeer (about 6500 from wild and 19,400 from semi-domesticated) in Norway, a new case was diagnosed in a wild reindeer buck on Hardangervidda, south of the Nordfjella area, in 2020. Further cases of CWD were also identified in moose, with a total of eight in Norway, four in Sweden, and two cases in Finland. The mean age of these cases is 14.7 years, and the pathological features are different from North American CWD and from the Norwegian reindeer cases, resembling atypical prion diseases such as Nor98/atypical scrapie and H- and L-forms of BSE. In this review, these moose cases are referred to as atypical CWD. In addition, two cases were diagnosed in red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Norway. The emergence of CWD in Europe is a threat to European cervid populations, and, potentially, a food-safety challenge, calling for a swift, evidence-based response. Here, we review data on surveillance, epidemiology, and disease characteristics, including prion strain features of the newly identified European CWD agents.

Retrospective analysis of post-mortem findings in domestic ducks and geese from non-commercial flocks in Sweden, 2011–2020

Background Small poultry flock ownership has become a popular hobby in Europe and North America in recent years but there is a general lack of information regarding bird health and welfare. This retrospective analysis of routine post-mortem cases of non-commercial anseriform poultry aimed at providing information on causes of mortality mostly in relation to mortality events. For this purpose, birds that were submitted for routine post-mortem diagnostics to the National Veterinary Institute (SVA) in Sweden in 2011–2020 were retrospectively reviewed to determine main causes of mortality. Results Records from 79 necropsy submissions involving 120 birds (domestic ducks n = 41, Muscovy ducks n = 45, hybrid ducks n = 2 and domestic geese n = 32) were retrieved and analysed. Most submissions (72.2%) represented flock disease events and unexpected mortality was the most common cause of submission (70.9% of submissions). Twenty-two submissions (27.8%) were referred by veterinarians. There was a wide range of diagnoses of infectious and noninfectious aetiologies. Infectious causes of mortality included parasitic (19.2%), bacterial (13.3%), fungal (10.0%) and viral infections (3.3%) (at bird level of all 120 birds). Some of these infections such as duck virus enteritis (DVE), highly pathogenic influenza (HPAI H5N8) in Muscovy ducks and leucocytozoonosis (Leucocytozoon sp.) in all three species were most likely acquired from contact with wild free-living waterfowl. Generalised yeast infection (Muscovy duck disease) was diagnosed in Muscovy ducks and in a Muscovy duck/domestic duck hybrid. Other diseases were related to generalised noninfectious causes (27.5% of all birds) including diseases such as kidney disease, amyloidosis, cardiac dilatation, reproductive diseases and idiopathic inflammatory conditions. Nutritional or management-related diseases were diagnosed in 14.2% of all birds including rickets and gastrointestinal impaction/obstruction. Congenital/developmental, neoplastic, toxic and traumatic causes of mortality were rare. Conclusions The information obtained in this study can be used to identify and evaluate risks and help owners and veterinarians to prevent disease and provide adequate veterinary care for non-commercial anseriform poultry.

The impact of water depth and speed on muscle fiber activation of healthy dogs walking in a water treadmill

Background Water treadmills are frequently used in the rehabilitation of dogs, for example with the purpose of re-building muscular strength after surgery. However, little is known about how different water depths and velocities affect the muscular workload during aquatic locomotion. This study used acoustic myography to assess hind limb muscle fiber activation in 25 healthy large-breed dogs walking in a water treadmill. Acoustic myography sensors were attached to the skin over the vastus lateralis of the quadriceps and the biceps femoris muscles. The dogs walked at two velocities (30 and 50 m/min) and four water depths: bottom of the pads, hock, stifle and mid-femur. Acoustic myograph signals were analyzed for changes in three muscle function parameters: efficiency/coordination (E-score) and spatial (S-score) and temporal (T-score) summation. Results Differences between E, S, and T were statistically significant compared across different speeds (30, 50) and water levels (0, 1, 2, 3) using a one-way ANOVA with multiple comparisons (Tukey; Geisser-Greenhouse correction) as well as a two-tailed one sample t-test. At 50 m/min in water at the mid-femur, the biceps femoris was less efficient (P < 0.001) and recruited more fibers (P = 0.01) at a higher firing rate (P = 0.03) compared to working in shallower water, while the vastus lateralis was also less efficient (P < 0.01), but spatial and temporal summation did not change significantly. At 30 m/min, biceps efficiency was reduced (P < 0.01) when water was at the mid-femur compared to the bottom of the pads level. Walking in stifle- or hock-deep water did not show increased muscle activation for either muscle compared to walking in water at the bottom of the pads. Conclusion More muscle activation was required to walk in water at a depth at the level of the mid-femur compared to shallower water, and this exercise was more demanding for the biceps femoris, a muscle engaged in propulsion, than for vastus lateralis. These findings may help practitioners towards making more precise rehabilitation protocols.

Undifferentiated laryngeal carcinoma with hyaline bodies in a cat

Background Primary laryngeal neoplasms are rare in cats, with lymphoma and squamous cell carcinoma being the most commonly diagnosed tumour types. These tumours are usually highly aggressive, difficult to treat, and have a poor prognosis. Here an undifferentiated laryngeal carcinoma with hyaline bodies in a cat is reported. Case presentation A 13-year-old cat was presented for progressive respiratory signs. Diagnostic procedures revealed a partially obstructive laryngeal mass. Cytology was compatible with a poorly differentiated malignant tumour, with neoplastic cells frequently containing large intracytoplasmic hyaline bodies. After 1 month the patient was euthanised due to a worsening clinical condition and submitted for post-mortem examination, which confirmed the presence of two laryngeal masses. Histopathology confirmed the presence of an undifferentiated neoplasm with marked features of malignancy. Strong immunolabelling for pancytokeratin led to a diagnosis of undifferentiated carcinoma, however, histochemical and immunohistochemical investigations could not elucidate the origin of the large intracytoplasmic hyaline bodies observed in tumour cells, which appeared as non-membrane bound deposits of electron-dense material on transmission electron microscopy. Conclusion This is the first report of primary undifferentiated laryngeal carcinoma in a cat. Our case confirms the clinical features and the short survival that have been reported in other studies describing feline laryngeal tumours. Moreover, for the first time in feline literature, we describe the presence of intracytoplasmic hyaline bodies in neoplastic cells that were compatible with the so-called hyaline granules reported in different human cancers and also in the dog.