Pimobendan controlled release guar gum printlets: Tailoring drug doses for personalised veterinary medicines

Treating chronic heart diseases in dogs is challenging due to variations in mass within and between species. Pimobendan (PBD), a veterinary drug only, is prescribed in specific cases of chronic heart disease in dogs and is available on the market in only a few different doses. Furthermore, the therapy itself is challenging due to the large size of the chewable tablets and the requirement for twice-daily administration. The development of customised and on-demand PBD medicines by three-dimensional (3D) printing has been proposed to circumvent these disadvantages. In this study, we designed controlled-release flavoured printlets containing PBD. We evaluated the use of two natural polymers, guar or xanthan gums, as the main component of the printing inks. Guar gum showed the better rheological behavior and printability by semisolid extrusion. The printlets were produced in three different shapes and sizes to allow dose customisation. Guar gum printlets showed a PBD controlled release profile, regardless of their shape or size. Therefore, we have demonstrated a novel approach for controlling PBD drug release and tailoring the dose by employing a natural polymer to produce 3D-printed tablets. This study represents a significant step towards the development of 3D-printed guar gum controlled-release formulations for veterinary applications.

Chlamydia psittaci Screening of Animal Workers from Argentina Exposed to Carrier Birds

Different syndromes are involved in human psittacosis (flu-like syndrome, atypical pneumonia up to lacrimal gland lymphoma). Diagnostic methods include serology, culture, and PCR. The rate of Chlamydia psittaci (Cp) positive tests among exposed workers is still unknown. Our study aimed to assess the rate of positive tests among workers who have contact with carrier birds in natural reserves from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Secondary aims were to analyze risk factors linked to these outcomes and the occurrence of signs that suggest psittacosis. Nasopharyngeal swabs and serum pairs were collected from employees who had interacted with confirmed carrier birds. Those with detectable DNA of Cp and/or anti-Chlamydia spp. antibody baseline titer ≥ 160 mUI/ml, or at least quadruplicating, were considered positive. Activities performed with or near birds, personal protective equipment use, and previous chronic conditions were assessed. Possible Cp-related pathologies were evaluated during follow-up. A total of 63 exposed workers (71.4% men) with a median age of 35.7 years (IQR 26-39) were evaluated to detect 28.6% positives. Respiratory chronic conditions were the unique factor associated with positive tests (OR 5.2 [1.5-18.5] p < .05). Surprisingly, about a third of the workers resulted positive and all responded to medical treatment, none developing an acute atypical pneumonia syndrome associated with classical presentation of psittacosis. Active testing for early diagnosis and proper treatment in zoological workers exposed to carrier or potentially carrier birds is strongly suggested as part of zoonotic diseases preventive measures.

Down-the-drain pathways for fipronil and imidacloprid applied as spot-on parasiticides to dogs: Estimating aquatic pollution

Fipronil and imidacloprid have been widely detected in UK surface waters in recent years, often at concentrations that ecotoxicological studies have shown can harm aquatic life. Down-the-drain (DTD) passage of pet flea and tick treatments are being implicated as an important source, with many of the UK's 22 million cats and dogs receiving routine, year-round preventative doses containing these parasiticides. The UK Water Industry's 3rd Chemical Investigation Programme (UKWIR CIP3) has confirmed wastewater as a major entry pathway for these chemicals into surface waters, but the routes by which they enter the wastewater system remain unclear. We addressed this knowledge gap by conducting the first quantification of DTD emissions from 98 dogs treated with spot-on ectoparasiticides containing fipronil or imidacloprid, through bathing, bed washing and washing of owners' hands. Both chemicals were detected in 100 % of washoff samples, with bathing accounting for the largest emissions per event (up to 16.8 % of applied imidacloprid and 24.5 % of applied fipronil). Modelled to account for the frequency of emitting activities, owner handwashing was identified as the largest source of DTD emissions from the population overall, with handwash emissions occurring for at least 28 days following product application and an estimated 4.9 % of imidacloprid and 3.1 % of fipronil applied in dog spot-ons passing down-the-drain via this route. The normalised daily per capita emissions for all routes combined were 8.7 μg/person/day for imidacloprid and 2.1 μg/person/day for fipronil, equivalent to 20-40 % of the daily per capita load in wastewater, as estimated from UKWIR CIP3 data. Within the current international regulatory framework adhered to by the UK, the environmental exposure of veterinary medicines intended for use in small companion animals is assumed to be low, and DTD pathways are not considered. We recommend a systematic review of regulations and practices to address this overlooked pollution pathway.

'First, do no harm': systematic program evaluation of an equine veterinary service-learning initiative with Indigenous communities in Canada

BACKGROUND

Veterinary students have historically lacked meaningful experiential learning opportunities in equine medicine. At the same time, there are barriers to accessing veterinary care in Indigenous communities stemming from colonial injustices. In 2018-2019, a partnership was initiated where University of Calgary students began to provide equine veterinary services to Indigenous communities. As the first-documented equine veterinary service-learning initiative in Indigenous communities embedded in a veterinary curriculum, the purpose of the study is to systematically evaluate the program for its potential impact as part of a formative process for improvement.

METHODS

Multiple parties in the program were engaged in a convergent, parallel, mixed-methods systematic program evaluation to explore the main program outcomes: (1) equine veterinary care; (2) clinical experiential student education; (3) cultural training of veterinary professionals and students; and (4) education of community members. The hypothesis was that ethical development using the "first, do no harm principle" would lead to benefits including a healthy horse population, a technically and culturally competent veterinary community, and an educated horse clientele.

RESULTS

The program had a positive impact on accessibility to veterinary care and self-reported improvement in veterinary and cultural competency. In addition to the hypothesized program outcomes, additional program outcomes and effects were identified, including reciprocal learning and relationship building with the Indigenous community, leading to trust and equity-building. The students learned from both the in-community programming as well as the Indigenous community members they worked with.

CONCLUSION

Program evaluation of an equine service-learning initiative in Indigenous communities reveals multiple and profound impacts including improved patient health status, wider scope of veterinary and cultural learning, strengthened relationships, and reciprocal learning with partnering Indigenous communities.

Itraconazole in human medicine and veterinary practice

Diagnosis and management of fungal infections are challenging in both animals and humans, especially in immunologically weakened hosts. Due to its broad spectrum and safety profile when compared to other antifungals, itraconazole (ITZ) has been widely used in the treatment and prophylaxis of fungal infections, both in human and veterinary medicine. The dose and duration of management depend on factors such as the type of fungal pathogen, the site of infection, sensitivity to ITZ, chronic stages of the disease, the health status of the hosts, pharmacological interactions with other medications and the therapeutic protocol used. In veterinary practice, ITZ doses generally vary between 3 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg, once or twice a day. In humans, doses usually vary between 100 and 400 mg/day. As human and veterinary fungal infections are increasingly associated, and ITZ is one of the main medications used, this review addresses relevant aspects related to the use of this drug in both clinics, including case reports and different clinical aspects available in the literature.

Double Outlet Right Atrium in an American Domestic Shorthair Cat

•DORA should be considered in cases with radiographic evidence of LA enlargement. •TTE can diagnose DORA. •Cats with DORA may remain undiagnosed until adulthood.

Hybrid Balloon Mitral Valvuloplasty in an Adult Dog with Congenital Mitral Stenosis and Left Atrial Thrombus

•Congenital MS is a rare cardiac disease in canines. •BMV may improve the mobility of stenotic mitral leaflets. •AF and LA thrombi may occur in congenital MS.

Impact of apitherapy on canine, equine, and chicken lymphocytes, in vitro

Apitherapy is a form of alternative medicine that utilizes products from the western honeybee (Apis mellifera), including honey, propolis, and honeybee venom, to improve the health status of human patients by altering host immunity. An added benefit of these products is that they are nutraceuticals and relatively inexpensive to aquire. Currently, little is known about the use of honeybee products in veterinary species, as well as their impact on host immunity. In the present in vitro study, honey, propolis, and honeybee venom were co-cultured with enriched canine, equine, and chicken peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) with cell proliferation, cell viability/apoptosis, and cellular morphology evaluated. Concanavalin A (Con A) and dexamethasone were used as stimulatory and suppressive controls, respectively. Honeybee products' effects on the three veterinary species varied by product and the species. Honey stimulated the PBLs proliferation in all three species but also displayed some increased cytotoxicity. Propolis stimulated proliferation in canine and equine PBLs, however, it suppressed proliferation in the chicken PBLs. Honeybee venom was the strongest PBL stimulant for all three species and in the equine, surpassed the stimulant response of Con A and yet, enhanced PBL cell viability post culture. In summary, the results of this preliminary in vitro study show that these three honeybee products do impact lymphocyte proliferation and viability in dogs, horses, and chickens, and that more research both in vitro and in vivo will be necessary to draw conclusions regarding their future use as immune stimulants or inhibitors.

Real-time single-base specific detection of the Haemonchus contortus S168T variant associated with levamisole resistance using loop-primer endonuclease cleavage loop-mediated isothermal amplification

Haemonchus contortus is a parasitic haematophagous nematode that primarily affects small ruminants and causes significant economic loss to the global livestock industry. Treatment of haemonchosis typically relies on broad-spectrum anthelmintics, resistance to which is an important cause of treatment failure. Resistance to levamisole remains less widespread than to other major anthelmintic classes, prompting the need for more effective and accurate surveillance to maintain its efficacy. Loop-primer endonuclease cleavage loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LEC-LAMP) is a recently developed diagnostic method that facilitates multiplex target detection with single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) specificity and portable onsite testing. In this study, we designed a new LEC-LAMP assay and applied it to detect the levamisole resistance marker S168T in H. contortus. We explored multiplexing probes for both the resistant S168T and the susceptible S168 alleles in a single-tube assay. We then included a generic probe to detect the acr-8 gene in the multiplex assay, which could facilitate the quantification of both resistance markers and overall genetic material from H. contortus in a single step. Our results showed promising application of these technologies, demonstrating a proof-of-concept assay which is amenable to detection of resistance alleles within the parasite population, with the potential for multiplex detection, and point-of-care application enabled by lateral flow end-point detection. However, further optimisation and validation is necessary.

Demography, common disorders and mortality of Shih Tzu dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK

BACKGROUND

Shih Tzus are a popular dog breed in the UK although there is relatively little reported information on their health. This study aimed to characterise the demography, common disorders and mortality of Shih Tzus under primary veterinary care during 2016 in the UK using de-identified clinical records from the VetCompass™ Programme.

RESULTS

The study population of 336,865 dogs under veterinary care during 2016 included 11,082 Shih Tzus (3.3%). The median age was 4.1 years (IQR: 2.1-7.1, range: 0.3-20.4) and mean adult bodyweight was 7.9 kg (SD: 1.9 kg). Annual proportional births increased from 2.2% of all dog births in 2005 to 3.8% in 2013, dropping to 3.3% by 2016. From a random subset of 2,423 Shih Tzus that had information extracted on disorders diagnosed during 2016, the most prevalent fine-level precision disorders were periodontal disease (n = 229, prevalence 9.5%, 95% CI: 8.4-10.7), anal sac impaction (180, 7.4%, 95% CI: 6.5-8.5) and ear disorders (134, 5.5%, 95% CI: 4.7-6.5). The most prevalent grouped-level precision disorders were cutaneous (n = 402, prevalence: 16.6%, 95% CI: 15.2-18.1), dental (322, 13.3%, 95% CI: 12.0-14.7), and ophthalmological (289, 11.9%, 95% CI: 10.7-13.3). Males were more likely than females to be diagnosed with skin disorders (P = 0.007) and musculoskeletal disorders (P = 0.010) while females were more likely than males to be diagnosed with hernias (P = 0.005). The median age of death was 12.7 years (IQR 8.7-14.3, range 2.0-19.9) and did not differ statistically between males and females. The most common grouped causes of death were enteropathy (7.9%, 95% CI: 3.9-15.4), heart disease (7.9%, 95% CI: 3.9-15.4) and poor quality of life (7.9%, 95% CI: 3.9-15.4).

CONCLUSIONS

Periodontal disease, anal sac impaction and ear disorders were identified as common health issues. Shih Tzus had higher prevalence of anal sac impaction, umbilical hernias and eye problems than reported previously in dogs overall, suggesting potential predispositions. Shih Tzus appear to be relatively long-lived compared to previous reports of lifespan in dogs overall. The results can inform veterinarians and owners on priority disorders for monitoring to protect welfare. Oral hygiene was highlighted as a healthcare priority.

English Cocker Spaniels under primary veterinary care in the UK: disorder predispositions and protections

BACKGROUND

The English Cocker Spaniel (ECS) is one of the most popular dog breeds in the UK but information on disorder predisposition and protection is limited. Using anonymised veterinary clinical data from the VetCompass™ Programme, this study aimed to compare disorder predisposition and protection between the ECS and the remaining dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK during 2016. Electronic patient records for random samples of ECS and non-ECS were reviewed. The most common disorders diagnosed during 2016 were extracted and compared using multivariable logistic regression, controlling for confounders.

RESULTS

The analysis included random samples of 2510/10,313 (24.3%) ECS and 7813/326,552 (2.39%) non-ECS. After accounting for confounding by age, sex, bodyweight within breed-sex, insurance status and veterinary practice group, the ECS had increased odds of 21/43 (48.85%) disorders at fine-level precision, with highest odds for aural discharge (odds ratio (OR) 14.66, 95% confidence interval (CI): 7.73-30.90, P <  0.001) and keratoconjunctivitis sicca (OR 7.64, 95% CI: 4.33-14.14, P <  0.001) and lowest odds for atopic dermatitis (OR 0.14, 95% CI: 0.05-0.31, P <  0.001) and allergy (OR 0.14, 95% CI: 0.06-0.28, P <  0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides evidence for strong predisposition to aural and ocular disorders and protection from hypersensitivity disorders in the ECS. These results can aid dog owners, breeders, and veterinarians to better monitor health in ECS, and promote earlier diagnosis with improved prognosis. Further, the results can help breeding organisations establish key priorities the health-based reforms of the ECS.

Is it now time to iron out the wrinkles? Health of Shar Pei dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK

BACKGROUND

The Shar Pei is a common dog breed with a distinctive appearance caused by hyaluronosis that has been linked with several health conditions. Anonymised primary-care veterinary clinical records were explored to extract data on the demography, common disorders and mortality of Shar Pei in the UK in 2013.

RESULTS

The study population of 455,557 dogs included 1913 (0.42%) Shar Pei. The mean adult bodyweight was 22.26 kg. The most prevalent fine-level precision disorders were entropion (prevalence 17.88%, 95% CI: 16.16-19.59), otitis externa (16.36%, 95% CI: 14.70-18.02), ear disorders (6.69%, 95% CI: 5.57-7.81), aggression (5.23%, 95% CI: 4.23-6.22), and pyoderma (4.29%, 95% CI: 3.38-5.19). The most prevalent disorder groups were ophthalmologic (prevalence = 22.27%, 95% CI: 20.40-24.13), dermatological (21.01%, 95% CI: 19.19-22.84), aural (18.66%, 95% CI: 16.92-20.41), traumatic injury (7.53%, 95% CI: 6.35-8.71) and behavioural (7.21%, 95% CI: 6.05-8.37). The median longevity of 190 Shar Pei that died during the study period was 7.28 years (IQR 5.04-10.05, range 0.04-15.04). Of 184 deaths with a recorded method of death, 157 (85.33%) deaths involved euthanasia and 27 (14.67%) deaths were unassisted. Among 136 (71.58%) deaths with a recorded biomedical cause of death, the most common causes of death at group level precision were neoplasia (15.44%, 95% CI: 9.37-21.51), renal disorders (13.24%, 95% CI: 7.54-18.93), and behavioural disorders (11.03%, 95% CI: 5.76-16.29).

CONCLUSIONS

Almost one fifth of Shar Pei receive veterinary care each year for entropion, a condition linked strongly with the extreme conformation of thickened and folded skin and bristly hair that characterises the Shar Pei breed. Several other common disorders are also linked to hyaluronosis. Current UK legislation can help support efforts to avoid breeding or acquiring animals with extreme conformations and to promote adequate veterinary care for already-owned animals with extreme conformations.

Method in limbo? Theoretical and empirical considerations in using thematic analysis by veterinary and One Health researchers

This article spans a number of theoretical, empirical and practice junctures at the intersection of human and animal medicine and the social sciences. We discuss the way thematic analysis, a qualitative method borrowed from the social sciences, is being increasingly used by veterinary and One Health researchers to investigate a range of complex issues. By considering theoretical aspects of thematic analysis, we expand our discussion to question whether this tool, as well as other social science methods, is currently being used appropriately by veterinary and human health researchers. We suggest that additional engagement with social science theory would enrich research practices and improve findings. We argue that considerations of 'big theory' - ontological and epistemological positionings of the researcher - and 'small(er)' theory, the specific social theory in which research is situated, are both necessary. Our point of departure is that scientific discourse is not merely construction or ideology but a unique and continuing arena of debate, in part at least because of the elevation of self-criticism to a central tenet of its practice. We argue for further engagement with the core ideas and concepts outlined above and discuss them in what follows. In particular, and by way of focusing the point, we suggest that for veterinary, One Health, and human medical researchers to use thematic analysis to its maximum potential they should be encouraged to engage with both broader socio-economic theories and with questions of ontology and epistemology.

Prevalence and characterization of antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli isolated from veterinary staff, pets, and pet owners in Thailand

BACKGROUND

Companion animals may act as antimicrobial resistance (AMR) reservoirs. This study investigated the prevalence and AMR patterns of Escherichia coli in pets and people in close contact with pets.

METHODS

A total of 955 samples were collected from veterinary clinics across Thailand by rectal and skin or ear swabs from dogs and cats and fecal swabs from veterinarians, veterinary assistants, and pet owners. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the obtained isolates were investigated using Sensititre™ MIC plates against 21 different antimicrobial drugs.

RESULTS

Escherichia coli from pets was frequently resistant to ampicillin (100%) and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (100%), whereas E. coli from pet owners, veterinarians, and veterinary assistants was mostly resistant to tetracycline. The multiple antibiotic resistance index revealed that multidrug-resistant E. coli isolates were frequently found in dogs (34.92%), cats (62.12%), veterinarians (61.11%), veterinarian assistants (36.36%), and pet owners (47.62%). The most common AMR genes identified in this study were blaCTX-M, blaTEM, tetA, and tetB, which were associated with the antimicrobial susceptibility results. Additionally, extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-associated genes (i.e., blaCTX-M, blaTEM, and blaSHV) were found in 21.69%, 71.97%, 27.78%, and 21.43% of E. coli isolated from dogs, cats, veterinarians, and pet owners, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrated the presence of AMR genes, particularly ESBL-associated genes, in E. coli isolated from healthy pets and veterinarians. This implies that these sources of E. coli could potentially be reservoirs for antibiotic resistance, thereby increasing the risk of harm to both humans and animals. These findings highlight the importance of implementing effective AMR control measures in veterinary practices, as bacteria resistant to commonly used antimicrobials are present in humans and animals.

Treating Stubborn Cardiac Arrhythmias-Looking Toward the Future

As animals can develop significant side effects or remain refractory while on antiarrhythmic medical therapy for tachyarrhythmias, interventional therapies are progressively being explored. This review will highlight the principles and utilities of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, electrophysiological mapping and catheter ablation, three-dimensional electroanatomical mapping, and stereotactic arrhythmia radiotherapy. In particular, three-dimensional electroanatomical mapping is emerging as an adjunct electrophysiology tool to facilitate activation, substrate, and pace mapping for intuitive analysis of complex tachyarrhythmias. Unlike antiarrhythmic medications, these modalities offer potential for decreasing risk of sudden death and even permanent termination of tachyarrhythmias.

Knowledge, perceptions and practices of health students and professionals regarding leishmaniasis in Portugal: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Control of leishmaniasis in the Mediterranean Basin relies on the active contributions from researchers in the fields of animal, human and environmental health. The application of knowledge, perceptions and practices (KPP) questionnaires to health students and professionals in Europe could be fundamental to identify and explore gaps in KPP, highlighting the diversity of conceptions related to this disease between students and professionals active in (One) Health. The objective of this study was to characterize and compare the current knowledge, perceptions and practices regarding leishmaniasis among subgroups of students and health professionals in Portugal through the application of an online questionnaire.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study targeted the population of health students and professionals in Portugal, including students in medicine, veterinary medicine and environmental health, physicians, veterinarians and environmental health technicians. Potential participants were approached by email via universities and professional societies and organizations and provided with the link to access the online questionnaire. Answers to the self-administered sociodemographic and KPP questionnaire were collected between July and December 2022. Individual KPP scores were calculated by summing grades defined for each question. Logistic regression models were used to search for potential associations, and the results were expressed at estimated crude and adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS

In total, 486 participants were included in this study: 254 students and 232 professionals. Overall, 75% of the participants reported having heard of both human and animal leishmaniasis, and > 80% reported hearing about the disease during their course work (although this was significantly lower among those in the field of environmental health). Around 90% of participants identified the pathogenic agent as a parasite, and an arthropod bite was identified as the main route of transmission by > 95%. Animal leishmaniasis was considered to be diagnosed in Portugal by 87% of participants and human leishmaniasis by only 69%. The main barriers pointed out by professionals to the control of leishmaniasis were: lack of knowledge in the general population, failures in the early diagnosis and treatment of diseased animals, absence/inefficacy of vector control programs and lack of knowledge in human health professionals. Median knowledge and perception scores were higher among professionals in the animal health field and higher in professionals than in students. Median practice scores were not significantly different between groups and subgroups. The multivariate analysis revealed that a longer period of study (for students) and having seen cases of leishmaniasis (for physicians) were associated with above-mentioned median knowledge score.

CONCLUSIONS

Most health students and professionals are knowledgeable about the cause and transmission route of leishmaniasis. However, recognition of the disease as autochthonous in humans is less common, highlighting the importance of promoting an approach to this infection through a One-Health lens. A national structured plan to control leishmaniasis could overcome some of the barriers pointed out by professionals, namely by implementing systematic phlebotomine surveillance and integrated reporting of animal and human cases of disease.

Usage of Antimicrobials in Equine Veterinary Practice in Denmark - A Case-Based Survey

Horses may be carriers of important resistant bacteria like methicillin-resistant staphylococci. Such bacteria can potentially threaten both equine and public health, but little is known about predisposing factors like antimicrobial usage patterns in equines. Objectives of this study were to investigate the antimicrobial usage practices by Danish equine practitioners as well as factors impacting usage. A total of 103 equine practitioners filled in an online questionnaire. When asked to explain their typical treatment of six clinical case scenarios, only 1% and 7% of respondents prescribed systemic antimicrobials for a cough and pastern dermatitis, respectively. More frequent usage was reported for diarrhoea (43%), extraction of a cracked tooth (44%), strangles (56%), and superficial wound near a joint (72%). Among the antibiotics indicated for treatment, enrofloxacin was the only critically important antimicrobial agent reported by two respondents. Thirty-eight (36%) respondents worked in practices with antimicrobial protocols. When asked to prioritize the most important factor influencing prescribing habits, bacterial culture (47%) and antimicrobial protocols (45%) were selected far more often than the owner´s economy (5%) and expectations (4%). Veterinarians reported limitations such as the availability of only one oral antibiotic (sulphadiazine/trimethoprim), and a need for clearer treatment guidelines. In conclusion, the study highlighted important aspects regarding antimicrobial usage among equine practitioners. Antimicrobial protocols and pre- and post-graduate education on prudent antimicrobial usage are recommended.

Ways of knowing the health of livestock populations: the age of surveys, 1928-65

This article advances historical understandings of health, veterinary medicine and livestock agriculture by examining how, in mid-twentieth-century Britain, the diseases of livestock were made collectively knowable. During this period, the state extended its gaze beyond a few, highly impactful notifiable diseases to a host of other threats to livestock health. The prime mechanism through which this was achieved was the disease survey. Paralleling wider developments in survey practices, it grew from small interwar beginnings into a hugely expensive, wide-ranging state veterinary project that created a new conception of the nation's livestock as a geographical aggregation of animals in varying states of health. This article traces the disease survey's entanglements with dairy cows, farming practices, veterinary professional politics and government agendas. It shows that far from a neutral reflection of reality, surveys both represented and perpetuated specific versions of dairy cow health, varieties of farming practice and visions of the veterinary professional role. At first, their findings proved influential, but over time they found it harder to discipline their increasingly complex human, animal and disease subjects, resulting in unconvincing representations of reality that led ultimately to their marginalization.

Dog breeds and conformations predisposed to osteosarcoma in the UK: a VetCompass study

BACKGROUND

Osteosarcoma is a malignant bone neoplasia that has high welfare consequences for affected dogs. Awareness of breed and canine conformational risk factors for osteosarcoma can assist with earlier diagnosis and improved clinical management. Study of osteosarcoma in dogs also offers translational value for humans. Anonymised clinical data within VetCompass on dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK were searched for osteosarcoma cases. Descriptive statistics reported overall and breed-specific prevalence. Risk factor analysis used multivariable logistic regression modelling.

RESULTS

From 905,552 study dogs, 331 osteosarcoma cases were confirmed yielding a one-year period prevalence of 0.037% (95% CI: 0.033-0.041). Breeds with the highest annual prevalence were the Scottish Deerhound (3.28%, 95% CI 0.90-8.18), Leonberger (1.48%, 95% CI 0.41- 3.75), Great Dane (0.87%, 95% CI 0.43- 1.55) and Rottweiler (0.84%, 95% CI 0.64-1.07). The median age at diagnosis was 9.64 years (IQR: 7.97-11.41). Following multivariable modelling, 11 breeds showed increased odds of osteosarcoma compared with crossbred dogs. Breeds with the highest odds included Scottish Deerhound (OR 118.40, 95% CI 41.12-340.95), Leonberger (OR 55.79, 95% CI 19.68-158.15), Great Dane (OR 34.24, 95% CI 17.81-65.83) and Rottweiler (OR 26.67, 95% CI 18.57-38.29). Compared with breeds with mesocephalic skull conformation, breeds with dolichocephalic skull conformation (OR 2.72, 95% CI 2.06-3.58) had increased odds while breeds with brachycephalic skull conformation showed reduced odds (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.32-0.80). Chondrodystrophic breeds had 0.10 times the odds (95% CI 0.06-0.15) compared with non-chondrodystrophic breeds. Increasing adult bodyweight was associated with increasing odds of osteosarcoma.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study cements the concept that breed, bodyweight and longer leg or longer skull length are all strong risk factors for osteosarcoma in dogs. With this awareness, veterinarians can update their clinical suspicion and judgement, breeders can select towards lower-risk animals, and researchers can robustly define more useful study populations for fundamental and translational bioscience.

Demography, common disorders and mortality of Boxer dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK

BACKGROUND

The Boxer is a popular dog breed with a distinctive appearance. However, the breed has been linked with several health conditions, some of which have been associated with its moderately brachycephalic conformation and its white colouration. Anonymised primary-care veterinary clinical records were explored to extract data on the demography, common disorders and mortality of Boxers in the UK in 2016.

RESULTS

The study population of 336,865 dogs included 3,219 (0.96%) Boxers, of which 10.71% were recorded as white. The mean adult bodyweight was 30.43 kg (SD 5.73 kg). Annual disorder counts did not differ statistically between the sexes or between white and non-white Boxers. The most prevalent fine-level precision disorders were otitis externa (n = 230, 7.15%), epulis (188, 5.84%), corneal ulceration (161, 5.00%) and periodontal disease (149, 4.63%). Of the 34 most common fine-level disorders, none differed in prevalence between white and non-white dogs. The most prevalent disorder groups were skin disorder (n = 571, 17.74%), neoplasia (457, 14.20%) and ear disorder (335, 10.41%). White Boxers had higher prevalence than non-white Boxers for two disorder groups: dental disorder and brain disorder. The median longevity of 346 Boxers that died during the study was 10.46 years (IQR 9.00-11.98, range 2.76-18.00). Median longevity did not differ statistically between the sexes or between white and non-white Boxers. The most common grouped causes of death were death - unrecorded cause (n = 73, 21.10%), neoplasia (43, 12.43%) and brain disorder (33, 9.54%).

CONCLUSIONS

There was minimal evidence of substantial health differences between white and non-white Boxers. Among the four most common disorders recorded in Boxers, two were typically common across all types of dogs (otitis externa and periodontal disease) while two suggested strong predispositions for the Boxer breed (epulis and corneal ulceration), showing the value of eliciting breed-specific disorder patterns for insights for potential health reforms. The overall longevity of Boxer dogs was consistent with other breeds of similar body size.

Bibliometric analysis of veterinary medicine on embryo of animals in textbook in conceptualizing disease and health

In veterinary medicine, the concept of disease is critical because it related to the survivability rate of the veterinary, especially livestock. Chicken was the most popular livestock that was observed in veterinary medicine. However, veterinary books were less popular compared to article and conference paper in global academic. This study's goal was to look how was the depiction of topic disease was used in veterinary textbooks that were related to the embryo of chicken as well as the trend of that topic. This study gathered 90 books meta-data donwloaded from Scopus website in form of CSV file. The data were analyzed using Vosviewer and biblioshiny of R Studio software to see the topic trend, citation, and number of book pages. Literature review also used to see the depiction of disease inside samples. Result showed that authors' keywords, heart and disease were closely related with a keyword chicken embryo. Moreover, each book get at least 10-11 citations globally. Moreover, repetitive keywords used in abstract of samples of this study were cells/cell, gene, and human. Those repetitive words were closely related to a word disease. It could be means that cell of the embryo of chicken also played the important role in determining its resistance against disease.

Demography and disorders of English Cocker Spaniels under primary veterinary care in the UK

BACKGROUND

The English Cocker Spaniel (ECS) is a common family dog in the UK. This study aimed to describe demography, morbidity, and mortality in ECS under primary veterinary care in the UK during 2016 using data from the VetCompass™ Programme. This study hypothesised that the prevalence of aggression is higher in male than female ECS, and higher in solid-coloured than bi-coloured ECS.

RESULTS

English Cocker Spaniels comprised 10,313/336,865 (3.06%) of dogs under primary veterinary care during 2016. The median age was 4.57 years (inter-quartile range (IQR) 2.25-8.01) and the median adult bodyweight was 15.05 kg (IQR 13.12-17.35). The annual proportional birth rate was relatively stable between 2.97-3.51% from 2005-2016. The most common specific diagnoses were periodontal disease (n = 486, prevalence 20.97%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 19.31-22.62), otitis externa (n = 234, 10.09%, 95% CI: 8.87-11.32), obesity (n = 229, 9.88%, 95% CI: 8.66-11.09), anal sac impaction (n = 187, 8.07%, 95% CI: 6.96-9.18), diarrhoea (n = 113, 4.87%, 95% CI: 4.00-5.75), and aggression (n = 93, 4.01%, 95% CI: 3.21-4.81). The prevalence of aggression was higher in males (4.95%) than in females (2.87%) (P = 0.015) and in solid-coloured (7.00%) than in bi-coloured dogs (3.66%) (P = 0.010). The median age at death was 11.44 years (IQR 9.46-13.47) and the most common grouped causes of death were neoplasia (n = 10, 9.26%, 95% CI: 3.79-14.73), mass-associated disorders (n = 9, 8.33%, 95% CI: 4.45-15.08), and collapse (n = 8, 7.41%, 95% CI: 3.80-13.94).

CONCLUSIONS

Periodontal disease, otitis externa, and obesity are identified as the most common health issues for ECS, and neoplasia and mass-associated disorders as the most common reasons for death. The prevalence of aggression was higher in males and solid-coloured dogs. The results can aid veterinarians in giving evidence-based health and breed choice information to dog owners and highlights the importance of thorough oral examination and body condition score evaluation during routine veterinary examination of ECS.

Presumed primary cardiac mast cell tumor, pericardial effusion, and arrhythmia in a dog

A 13-year-old female spayed border collie cross presented for pericardial effusion, arrhythmia, and a suspected cardiac mass. Echocardiogram revealed severe thickening and hypokinesis of the interventricular septum with a heterogenous, cavitated myocardium, concerning for neoplasia. Electrocardiogram revealed predominantly accelerated idioventricular rhythm with frequent periods of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia. Occasional prolonged PR intervals terminating in an aberrantly conducted QRS complex were present. These beats were postulated to represent either first-degree atrioventricular block with aberrant QRS conduction or atrioventricular dissociation. Cytology of the pericardial effusion revealed atypical, suspected neoplastic, mast cells. The patient was euthanized, and postmortem examination confirmed full-thickness infiltration of the interventricular septum by a mast cell tumor, with metastasis to the tracheobronchial lymph node and spleen. Given the anatomic location of the mass, the observed atrioventricular nodal conduction delay may represent neoplastic infiltration of the atrioventricular node. Neoplastic infiltration of the ventricle was suspected to cause the accelerated idioventricular rhythm and ventricular tachycardia. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case of a primary cardiac mast cell tumor causing arrhythmia and pericardial effusion in a dog.

Banking on a new understanding: translational opportunities from veterinary biobanks

Current advances in geroscience are due in part to the discovery of biomarkers with high predictive ability in short-lived laboratory animals such as flies and mice. These model species, however, do not always adequately reflect human physiology and disease, highlighting the need for a more comprehensive and relevant model of human aging. Domestic dogs offer a solution to this obstacle, as they share many aspects not only of the physiological and pathological trajectories of their human counterpart, but also of their environment. Furthermore, they age at a considerably faster rate. Studying aging in the companion dog provides an opportunity to better understand the biological and environmental determinants of healthy lifespan in our pets, and to translate those findings to human aging. Biobanking, the systematic collection, processing, storage, and distribution of biological material and associated data has contributed to basic, clinical, and translational research by streamlining the management of high-quality biospecimens for biomarker discovery and validation. In this review, we discuss how veterinary biobanks can support research on aging, particularly when integrated into large-scale longitudinal studies. As an example of this concept, we introduce the Dog Aging Project Biobank.

Toxicology and Analytical Chemistry

Knowing how to effectively use veterinary diagnostic toxicology laboratories is key when navigating suspect toxicoses in ruminants. This begins with establishing a causal relationship between clinical signs and potential sources of exposure, followed by collecting the appropriate samples for toxicology testing. There are times in which a successful diagnosis is hindered by not obtaining a thorough case history and not knowing what specimens to collect, or how much specimen to submit, for toxicology testing. This article is intended to offer some guidance with respect to the effective use of veterinary toxicology/analytical chemistry laboratories when navigating suspect toxicology cases in ruminants.

Application of a universal parasite diagnostic test to biological specimens collected from animals

A previously described universal parasite diagnostic (nUPDx) based on PCR amplification of the 18S rDNA and deep-amplicon sequencing, can detect human blood parasites with a sensitivity comparable to real-time PCR. To date, the efficacy of this assay has only been assessed on human blood. This study assessed the utility of nUPDx for the detection of parasitic infections in animals using blood, tissues, and other biological sample types from mammals, birds, and reptiles, known to be infected with helminth, apicomplexan, or pentastomid parasites (confirmed by microscopy or PCR), as well as negative samples. nUPDx confirmed apicomplexan and/or nematode infections in 24 of 32 parasite-positive mammals, while also identifying several undetected coinfections. nUPDx detected infections in 6 of 13 positive bird and 1 of 2 positive reptile samples. When applied to 10 whole parasite specimens (worms and arthropods), nUPDx identified all to the genus or family level, and detected one incorrect identification made by morphology. Babesia sp. infections were detected in 5 of the 13 samples that were negative by other diagnostic approaches. While nUPDx did not detect PCR/microscopy-confirmed trichomonads or amoebae in cloacal swabs/tissue from 8 birds and 2 reptiles due to primer template mismatches, 4 previously undetected apicomplexans were detected in these samples. Future efforts to improve the utility of the assay should focus on validation against a larger panel of tissue types and animal species. Overall, nUPDx shows promise for use in both veterinary diagnostics and wildlife surveillance, especially because species-specific PCRs can miss unknown or unexpected pathogens.

Comparative analysis of ECG records depending on body position in domestic swine (Sus scrofa domestica)

Background

Electrocardiography is a method widely applied in diagnosing abnormalities in the functioning of the heart muscle in veterinary medicine. It is a non-invasive and easy to perform test helpful in the general examination and a widely used patient monitoring method during anesthesia. Since the 1980s, pigs have become more and more popular companion animals. Moreover, the pig is a widely used model animal in biomedical research. Therefore, there is need to provide them with higher-quality veterinary services, also in emergency situations. It creates new challenges for veterinarians and the need to expand their knowledge of pigs’ treatment as pets. The aim of the planned experiment was to compare the ECG recordings made with two different body positions and determine if any differences occurred. Standard ECG in swine is performed under general anesthesia in the lying position on the left side, for this position of the body have been developed and reported standards in the literature. However, some procedures performed on swine require a different body position, for which there is less data in the literature.

Methods

The study was carried out on 29 Polish landrace pigs weighing in the range of 33–44 kg. The tests were performed under general anesthesia with the same protocol for each animal, placing the animals first lying down on their right side, and then on their backs. The anesthesia protocol included medetomidine, midazolam, ketamine, and propofol. During the examination, ECG records were performed and analyzed in a 12-lead system with software support.

Results

The results show significant differences in electrocardiogram recordings depending on the animal's body position. Those differences mainly concern the amplitude of the P wave and R wave in the recordings and are even more visible comparing the electrocardiograms of the same specimen. There are also some significant differences in the duration of intervals. Based on the obtained results, reference ranges for the right lateral and dorsal positions were developed.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the body position has a significant impact on the ECG recording in swine, therefore performing this examination, chosen normative value tables should be compatible with the position of the examined animal.

The diagnosis of human and companion animal Strongyloides stercoralis infection: Challenges and solutions. A scoping review

Strongyloidiasis is the infection caused by soil-transmitted nematodes of Strongyloides species, infecting humans and some animals. Strongyloides stercoralis is the species with most clinical and epidemiological relevance in humans and dogs, due to its high prevalence and its capacity of inducing a life-threatening hyperinfection. Diagnosis of strongyloidiasis is challenging, due to the absence of a single reference standard test with high sensitivity and specificity, which also hampers the estimation of the accuracy of other diagnostic tests. In this chapter, we review the deployment and performance of the parasitological, immunological, molecular tests for the diagnosis of strongyloidiasis in humans and in dogs. Further, we comment the available evidence from genotyping studies that have addressed the zoonotic potential of S. stercoralis. Finally, we discuss the use of different diagnostic methods in relation to the purpose (i.e., screening, individual diagnosis, inclusion in a clinical trial) and the setting (endemic/non-endemic areas) and report the accuracy figures reported by systematic reviews on either parasitological, serological or molecular techniques published in literature.

Telehealth in Hospice and Palliative Care

Hospice and palliative care is a framework of care focused on the palliation of a patient's pain and symptoms while attending to the emotional and spiritual needs of the client caregiver. Telehospice and telepalliative care is the use of telehealth services for delivering hospice and palliative care to patients remotely through videoconferencing, telephonic communication, or remote symptom monitoring and can address the needs of both patients and clients. Telehealth-based interventions can provide hospice and palliative care providers the ability to assess and address patient care needs including the delivery of effective pain and symptom management, timelier assessments and medical interventions, increased compliance, and additional teaching opportunities for clients.

Teletriage-How Remote Advice Provides Better Care

There are veterinary deserts across the country where access to veterinary care is limited. Teletriage allows animal owners in these areas to get expert advice about the time frame for care through convenient, commonly used methods of communication. Teletriage also creates financial benefits for traditional veterinary clinics by increasing scheduling efficiencies. Lastly, teletriage can creates employment opportunities for veterinary nurses without the burden of relocation.

Effect of Maifan Stone on the Growth of Probiotics and Regulation of Gut Microbiota

Maifan stone is a kind of mineral medicine in Chinese medicine, which has good adsorption, dissolution, mineralization, and biological activity. It has an excellent therapeutic effect on livestock, poultry, and aquatic animals suffering from intestinal diseases. This study explored the effect of Maifan stone on the growth ability of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG (L. rhamnosus GG) and the effect of Maifan stone-L. rhamnosus GG fermented product on the intestinal inflammation and gut microbiota. We find that Maifan stone can adsorb L. rhamnosus GG to form a carrier bacteria. Maifan stone has the characteristics of acid tolerance and bile salt tolerance and can also improve the activity of L. rhamnosus GG in artificial gastrointestinal juice. The fermented product can reduce the degree of diarrhea and colon pathology in rats to a certain extent and significantly improve intestinal inflammatory factors and gut microbiota. This study improves the application effect of L. rhamnosus GG in the prevention and treatment of diarrhea animals and provide a scientific basis for the rational development of Maifan stone resources.

The bactericidal effect of two photoactivated chromophore for keratitis-corneal crosslinking protocols (standard vs. accelerated) on bacterial isolates associated with infectious keratitis in companion animals

Background

Bacterial corneal infections are common and potentially blinding diseases in all species. As antibiotic resistance is a growing concern, alternative treatment methods are an important focus of research. Photoactivated chromophore for keratitis-corneal crosslinking (PACK-CXL) is a promising oxygen radical-mediated alternative to antibiotic treatment. The main goal of this study was to assess the anti-bactericidal efficacy on clinical bacterial isolates of the current standard and an accelerated PACK-CXL treatment protocol delivering the same energy dose (5.4 J/cm²).

Methods

Clinical bacterial isolates from 11 dogs, five horses, one cat and one guinea pig were cultured, brought into suspension with 0.1% riboflavin and subsequently irradiated. Irradiation was performed with a 365 nm UVA light source for 30 min at 3mW/cm² (standard protocol) or for 5 min at 18mW/cm² (accelerated protocol), respectively. After treatment, the samples were cultured and colony forming units (CFU’s) were counted and the weighted average mean of CFU’s per μl was calculated. Results were statistically compared between treated and control samples using a linear mixed effects model.

Results

Both PACK-CXL protocols demonstrated a significant bactericidal effect on all tested isolates when compared to untreated controls. No efficacy difference between the two PACK-CXL protocols was observed.

Conclusion

The accelerated PACK-CXL protocol can be recommended for empirical use in the treatment of bacterial corneal infections in veterinary patients while awaiting culture results. This will facilitate immediate treatment, the delivery of higher fluence PACK-CXL treatment within a reasonable time, and minimize the required anesthetic time or even obviate the need for general anesthesia.

Ecotoxicological effects of human and veterinary antibiotics on water flea (Daphnia magna)

In the present study, we assessed the ecotoxicological effects of selected human and veterinary antibiotics to D. magna. Ecological risk assessment was done by calculating the risk quotients (RQs) of the antibiotics to the species. Results showed that enrofloxacin, a veterinary fluoroquinolone antibiotic, was the most toxic against D. magna with a 48 h EC₅₀ value of 28.59 mg/l. The binary mixture of fluoroquinolones was also more toxic to the species than binary mixtures of macrolides. Fecundity in organisms in negative control was higher than fecundity in organisms exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of the four antibiotics. Enrofloxacin also has a moderate risk to the species with RQ values of 0.199 and 0.416 in surface waters and wastewaters, respectively. Antibiotics pose a greater ecological risk when present in mixtures in the aquatic environment. Environmental standards for pharmaceuticals should incorporate mixture toxicity data to ensure accurate protection of non-target organisms in polluted environments.

Epidemiology of canine mammary tumours on the Canary Archipelago in Spain

BACKGROUND

Mammary gland tumours are the most frequently diagnosed tumours in the female dogs but just a few studies have analysed their epidemiology. Therefore, we set out to describe the epidemiology of canine mammary cancer in the Canary Archipelago, Spain. We analysed a pathology tumour registry (PTR) and identified 7362 samples obtained from 5240 female dogs resident on the Canary Archipelago during an 18-year period (2003-2020). Using a case-control study design, we compared mammary tumour affected dogs with the Canarian canine population registry in order to elucidate the breed associations for these tumours.

RESULTS

The frequency of a diagnosis of mammary tumours relative to all tumour diagnoses in female dogs decreased during the study period from 62.7% to 48.9%. Contemporaneously, the proportion of dogs diagnosed with mammary tumours who were also neutered increased from 13.6% to 26.9%. There was a negative correlation (R = -0.84) between these changes. Additional findings were that: the proportion of female dogs diagnosed with multiple tumours increased by 23.5% and that the proportion of malignant tumours 89.2% diagnosed has remained stable through the period. Benign mammary tumours were diagnosed at younger ages (9.2 years old) than carcinomas (9.7 years old) and sarcomas (10.4 years old). Epithelial mammary tumours were diagnosed at younger ages in entire female dogs. Samoyed, Schnauzer, Poodle, German Pinscher and Cocker Spaniel were the breeds with the highest odds-ratios (OR) in comparison with the reference (crossbreeds) while Miniature Pinscher, American Staffordshire Terrier, English Pointer as well as some local breeds such as the Canary Warren Hound and the Majorero had the lowest ORs.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides a description of the changing epidemiology of canine mammary cancer in the Canary Archipelago over the last two decades. We found high rates of CMT with a significant predominance of malignant tumours. Exact risk factors are uncertain, but a combination of environmental, regional socioeconomic affecting human and their pets, and animal management factors are likely to play a part. Specifically, neutering was negatively associated with the proportion of epithelial mammary gland tumours and breeds native to the region were at lower risk of mammary tumours. A deeper analysis of all these factors will facilitate a deeper understanding of the epidemiology of mammary gland tumours in both the canine and the human population.

Fundamentals of Systems Thinking

A system is a set of interconnected elements that are organized in such a way to achieve a purpose. Structure and feedback are fundamental properties of all systems and determine system behavior-whether successful or failed. Systems thinking is a methodology used to create structural explanations for why things are happening so we are in a better position to identify long-term strategies that will fundamentally improve system performance. This article addresses the origins of systems thinking and briefly describes a methodology that has been used primarily in business management but has application in veterinary medicine as well.

English Bulldogs in the UK: a VetCompass study of their disorder predispositions and protections

BACKGROUND

The English Bulldog has risen sharply in popularity over the past decade but its distinctive and extreme conformation is linked to several serious health conditions. Using multivariable analysis of anonymised veterinary clinical data from the VetCompass Programme, this study compared the odds of common disorders between English Bulldogs and all remaining dogs in the UK during 2016.

RESULTS

From 905,544 dogs under veterinary care during 2016, the analysis included a random sample of 2,662 English Bulldogs and 22,039 dogs that are not English Bulldogs. English Bulldogs had 2.04 times the odds of diagnosis with ≥ 1 disorder than dogs that are not English Bulldogs (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.85 to 2.25). At a specific-level of diagnostic precision, English Bulldogs had increased odds of 24/43 (55.8%) disorders. These included: skin fold dermatitis (odds ratio [OR] 38.12; 95% CI 26.86 to 54.10), prolapsed nictitating membrane gland (OR 26.79; 95% CI 18.61 to 38.58) and mandibular prognathism (OR 24.32; 95% CI 13.59 to 43.53). Conversely, English Bulldogs had significantly reduced odds of 6/43 (14.0%) disorders. These included: retained deciduous tooth (OR 0.02; 95% CI 0.01 to 0.17), lipoma (OR 0.06; 95% CI 0.01 to 0.40) and periodontal disease (OR 0.23; 95% CI 0.18 to 0.30). At a grouped-level of diagnostic precision, English Bulldogs had significantly increased odds of 17/34 (50.0%) disorders. These included: congenital disorder (OR 7.55; 95% CI 5.29 to 10.76), tail disorder (OR 6.01; 95% CI 3.91 to 9.24) and lower respiratory tract disorder (OR 5.50; 95% CI 4.11 to 7.35). Conversely, English Bulldogs had significantly reduced odds of 3/34 (8.8%) disorders. These were: dental disorder (OR 0.25; 95% CI 0.20 to 0.31), spinal cord disorder (OR 0.31; 95% CI 0.14 to 0.71) and appetite disorder (OR 0.43; 95% CI 0.20 to 0.91).

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that the health of English Bulldogs is substantially lower than dogs that are not English Bulldogs and that many predispositions in the breed are driven by the extreme conformation of these dogs. Consequently, immediate redefinition of the breed towards a moderate conformation is strongly advocated to avoid the UK joining the growing list of countries where breeding of English Bulldogs is banned.

Characterization of tongue worms, Linguatula spp. (Pentastomida) in Romania, with the first record of an unknown adult Linguatula from roe deer (Capreolus capreolus Linnaeus)

Specimens of the pentastomid parasite, Linguatula serrata, have been reported from several animals in Romania, including some domestic dogs translocated to other parts of Europe. In this study, gray wolves (Canis lupus, n = 80), golden jackals (C. aureus, n = 115), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes, n = 236), and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus, n = 1) were examined for pentastomes. Overall, 17.5% of wolves were found to be infected with specimens of Linguatula, with a range of infections of one to five individuals per animal. Golden jackals and foxes had much lower infection levels, with 1.73% of golden jackals and 1.69% of foxes infected; both host species were found to be infected with one or two individual pentastomes per animal. The single deer specimen was infected with three individual pentastomes. The pentastomes collected from the wolves and golden jackals were determined to be immature and mature adult specimens of L. serrata based on morphological examination and molecular analysis using the 18S rRNA gene. No pentastomes collected from the red foxes were available for identification. The pentastomes collected from the roe deer were expected to be L. arctica but determined to be mature adult male specimens of an unknown Linguatula, herein, referred to as Linguatula sp. based on its morphology; the results of molecular sequencing for the Linguatula specimen collected from the deer were inconclusive, preventing a final species identification. This study presents the first report of L. serrata in any hosts from Romania through both morphological and molecular characterization, and also presents the first report of a Linguatula sp. in Ca. capreolus, utilizing morphological characterization. Issues of morphological variability are discussed, including the presence of spines in the hook pit of specimens of Linguatula. This study highlights the need to examine all specimens of Linguatula to confirm the stage of development. Despite the inconclusive molecular result for some specimens, the authors still urge future researchers to incorporate a combined molecular and morphological approach in identifying specimens of Linguatula.

Antibacterial treatment for exotic species, backyard ruminants and small flocks: a narrative review highlighting barriers to effective and appropriate antimicrobial treatment

Antimicrobial resistance is a complex One Health issue that exists in both human and veterinary medicine. To mitigate this ever-growing problem, efforts have been made to develop guidelines for appropriate antimicrobial use (AMU) across sectors. In veterinary medicine, there are notable literature gaps for proper AMU in minor species. We conducted a structured narrative review covering the years of July 2006 - July 2021 to find antimicrobial treatments for common bacterial infections in exotic (birds, rodents, reptiles, and others), small flock (chickens, turkeys, and other fowl), and backyard small ruminant (sheep and goats) species. We retrieved a total of 4728 articles, of which 21 articles met the criteria for our review. Studies were grouped according to species, syndrome, and body system affected. Other data extracted included the bacterial pathogen(s), treatment (active ingredient), and geographical origin. Body systems reported included: intra-oral (n = 4), gastrointestinal (n = 1), respiratory (n = 2), reproductive (n = 1), skin (n = 3), aural (n = 1), ocular (n = 4), and other/multisystem (n = 5). By species, our search resulted in: rabbit (n = 5), rat (n = 2), guinea pig (n = 1), chinchilla (n = 1), guinea pig and chinchilla (n = 1), avian species (n = 1), psittacine birds (n = 2), loris and lorikeets (n = 1), turtles (n = 2), lizards (n = 1), goats (n = 2) and sheep (n = 2). The results of our findings identified a distinct gap in consistent antimicrobial treatment information for commonly encountered bacterial conditions within these species. There is a persisting need for clinical trials that focus on antibacterial treatment to strengthen the evidence base for AMU within exotic, small flock, and backyard small ruminant species.

Effect of antimicrobial administration on fecal microbiota of critically ill dogs: dynamics of antimicrobial resistance over time

Background

Multidrug resistance in companion animals poses significant risks to animal and human health. Prolonged antimicrobial drug (AMD) treatment in animals is a potential source of selection pressure for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) including in the gastrointestinal microbiota. We performed a prospective study of dogs treated for septic peritonitis, pyometra, or bacterial pneumonia and collected repeated fecal samples over 60 days. Bacterial cultures and direct molecular analyses of fecal samples were performed including targeted resistance gene profiling.

Results

Resistant Escherichia coli increased after 1 week of treatment (D1:21.4% vs. D7:67.9% P < 0.001) and returned to baseline proportions by D60 (D7:67.9% vs D60:42.9%, P = 0.04). Dogs with septic peritonitis were hospitalized significantly longer than those with pneumonia or pyometra. Based on genetic analysis, Simpson’s diversity index significantly decreased after 1 week of treatment (D1 to D7, P = 0.008), followed by a gradual increase to day 60 (D1 and D60, P = 0.4). Detection of CTX-M was associated with phenotypic resistance to third-generation cephalosporins in E. coli (OR 12.1, 3.3–68.0, P < 0.001). Lincosamide and macrolide-resistance genes were more frequently recovered on days 14 and 28 compared to day 1 (P = 0.002 and P = 0.004 respectively).

Conclusion

AMR was associated with prescribed drugs but also developed against AMDs not administered during the study. Companion animals may be reservoirs of zoonotic multidrug resistant pathogens, suggesting that veterinary AMD stewardship and surveillance efforts should be prioritized.

Graphical abstract

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s42523-022-00178-9.

Health of Pug dogs in the UK: disorder predispositions and protections

BACKGROUND

Pugs are a brachycephalic dog breed that has become phenomenally popular over recent decades. However, there is growing concern about serious health and welfare issues in the breed. To augment the evidence-base on the comparative health of Pugs, this study aimed to compare the odds of common disorders between Pugs and all remaining dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK during 2016. A cross-sectional study design of VetCompass clinical records was used to estimate the one-year (2016) period prevalence for the disorders most commonly diagnosed in Pugs and non-Pugs. Risk factor analysis applied multivariable logistic regression modelling methods to compare the odds of 40 common disorders between Pugs and non-Pugs.

RESULTS

From a study population of 905,544 dogs, the analysis included random samples of 4308 Pugs and 21,835 non-Pugs. Pugs were younger (2.36 years, range 0.07-16.24 vs 4.44 years, range 0.01-20.46, p <  0.001) and lighter (8.95 kg, range 5.00-13.60 vs. 14.07 kg, range 1.41-85.00, p <  0.001) than non-Pugs. Pugs had 1.86 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.72 to 2.01) times the adjusted odds of diagnosis with ≥1 disorder than non-Pugs. Pugs had significantly increased adjusted odds for 23/40 (57.5%) common disorders. These included: brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (odds ratio [OR] 53.92; 95% CI 36.22 to 80.28), stenotic nares (OR 51.25; 95% CI 24.93 to 105.37) and corneal ulceration (OR 13.01; 95% CI 10.50 to 16.11). Conversely, Pugs had significantly reduced adjusted odds of 7/40 (17.5%) common disorders compared to non-Pugs. These included: heart murmur (OR 0.23; 95% 0.13 to 0.14), lipoma (OR 0.24; 95% CI 0.11 to 0.55) and aggression (OR 0.31; 95% CI 0.21 to 0.47).

CONCLUSIONS

The current study highlights that predispositions outnumber protections between Pugs and non-Pugs for common disorders, suggesting some critical health welfare challenges to overcome for Pugs. Highly differing heath profiles between Pugs and other dogs in the UK suggest that the Pug has diverged substantially from mainstream dog breeds and can no longer be considered as a typical dog from a health perspective.

Outcome with Surgical Treatment of Canine Soft Tissue Sarcoma in the Region of the Ischiatic Tuberosity: A Veterinary Society of Surgical Oncology Retrospective Study

OBJECTIVE

To determine the outcome of dogs with soft tissue sarcoma (STS) within the region of the ischiatic tuberosity (ITSTS) treated surgically.

STUDY DESIGN

Multi-institutional retrospective study ANIMALS: Fifty-two client-owned dogs with histologically confirmed STS in the region of the IT treated with surgical resection between March 1st, 2009, and March 1st, 2021, and a minimum follow-up time of six months.

METHODS

Data collected included signalment, preoperative diagnostics, surgical intent/method, complications, histopathology, margins, outcome, and cause of death. Statistical analyses were performed to determine significant factors in treatment and prognosis of ITSTS.

RESULTS

Fifty-two dogs with histopathologically-confirmed ITSTS included resulting in 24 grade I, 20 grade II, and seven grade III tumors. Overall survival time and disease progression were negatively associated with tumor grade while recurrence was positively associated with grade and incomplete margins. Overall survival time and progression-free survival time was not reached for tumors graded as I or II and was 255 and 268 days respectively for grade III. Median time to recurrence was not reached for tumors excised with complete margins and 398 days for incomplete margins. There was a 25% reported surgical complication rate.

CONCLUSION

Ischiatic tuberosity soft tissue sarcoma was not found to be a unique clinical entity in dogs. Treatment recommendations and prognosis were similar to STS in other locations. The outcome was influenced by histologic grade and margins.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Ischiatic tuberosity soft tissue sarcoma of dogs does not behave more aggressively than those in other locations. Surgical complications were common but not life-threatening. Overall prognosis, including survival and disease recurrence, appears to depend on histological grade and surgical margins. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Study on identification, assay and organoleptic quality of veterinary medicines in Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Medicines of poor quality are currently prevailing problems undermining the quality of health care services in veterinary and human medicine. In this study, physico-chemical quality of veterinary medicines was evaluated.

METHODS

A total of 959 veterinary medicines samples were collected during routine regulatory activities, i.e. pre-registration, re-registration, consignment checking and post-marketing surveillance, in Ethiopia. The samples were transported to Animal Products, Veterinary Drug and Feed Quality Assessment Centre (APVD-FQAC), which is the quality control laboratory of the Veterinary Drug and Feed Administration and Control Authority (VDFACA) and stored until analysis. The samples were subjected to visual inspection and chemical analysis following the United States, European or British Pharmacopoeias, or manufacturer's methods.

RESULTS

The findings revealed that 12 (1.3%) of tested products showed defects in physical characteristics, packaging, or labelling information, while a total of 66 (6.9%) samples of the investigated products failed to comply with the Pharmacopoeias and supplier's specification limit set for assay. Of these, 60 samples did not comply with the minimum assay specification limit.

CONCLUSION

Overall, 8.2% of the investigated veterinary medicine samples did not comply with the specification set for the investigated quality attributes and thus were categorized as of poor quality. This indicates the need for continued strengthening of regulatory functions.

Aspects in controlled drug delivery for topical applications in veterinary medicine

The controlled release of drugs is an appealing area of research as it provides numerous benefits in veterinary and human medicine. In this paper we attempt to analyze certain aspects related to topical drug delivery systems, their successes and failures, and their place in veterinary medicine. Some emphasis is given to the pharmaceutical aspects of the delivery systems, where the material available made it possible. Purely topical devices, such as cattle ear tags and various collars, as well as some topically administered bioavailable delivery systems are discussed. Special attention is given to hitherto under-evaluated delivery systems, such as topical varnishes. A carefully selected bibliography aims to lead the reader easily to the facts, without providing overwhelming data of varying quality. We believe that the paper may be of interest to practicing veterinarians as well as to pharmaceutical scientists working or considering practice in the area.

Microfluidic tools for veterinary and zoonotic disease diagnostics

Animal disease diagnostics has linked as the cause and cure of any disease. It also plays a vital role in disease management and prevention. A small outbreak of disease can pose a threat to the entire animal community as we realized in corona pandemic. Thus, to ensure the overall welfare of animals and disease spread monitoring, the development of detection tools for veterinary diagnosis becomes essential. Currently, the animal disease diagnosis is relied on laboratory-based testing. There is a parallel necessity for rapid, reliable and low-cost diagnostic tests to be done by intervention of growing area such as microfluidic platform. Therefore, in this chapter, we have discussed about various microfluidic platform and their application for early diagnosis of veterinary disease. Followed by, we also lightened on future perspective of role of microfluidic in animal disease diagnostics.

Variability in non-core vaccination rates of dogs and cats in veterinary clinics across the United States

Vaccination guidelines for dogs and cats indicate that core vaccines (for dogs, rabies, distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus; for cats, feline parvovirus, herpes virus-1, calicivirus) are essential to maintain health, and that non-core vaccines be administered according to a clinician's assessment of a pet's risk of exposure and susceptibility to infection. A reliance on individual risk assessment introduces the potential for between-practice inconsistencies in non-core vaccine recommendations. A study was initiated to determine non-core vaccination rates of dogs (Leptospira, Borrelia burgdorferi, Bordetella bronchiseptica, canine influenza virus) and cats (feline leukemia virus) in patients current for core vaccines in veterinary practices across the United States. Transactional data for 5,531,866 dogs (1,670 practices) and 1,914,373 cats (1,661 practices) were retrieved from practice management systems for the period November 1, 2016 through January 1, 2020, deidentified and normalized. Non-core vaccination status was evaluated in 2,798,875 dogs and 788,772 cats that were core-vaccine current. Nationally, median clinic vaccination rates for dogs were highest for leptospirosis (70.5%) and B. bronchiseptica (68.7%), and much lower for canine influenza (4.8%). In Lyme-endemic states, the median clinic borreliosis vaccination rate was 51.8%. Feline leukemia median clinic vaccination rates were low for adult cats (34.6%) and for kittens and 1-year old cats (36.8%). Individual clinic vaccination rates ranged from 0 to 100% for leptospirosis, B. bronchiseptica and feline leukemia, 0-96% for canine influenza, and 0-94% for borreliosis. Wide variation in non-core vaccination rates between clinics in similar geographies indicates that factors other than disease risk are driving the use of non-core vaccines in pet dogs and cats, highlighting a need for veterinary practices to address gaps in patient protection. Failure to implement effective non-core vaccination strategies leaves susceptible dogs and cats unprotected against vaccine-preventable diseases.

Adjuvants: Engineering Protective Immune Responses in Human and Veterinary Vaccines

Adjuvants are key components of many vaccines, used to enhance the level and breadth of the immune response to a target antigen, thereby enhancing protection from the associated disease. In recent years, advances in our understanding of the innate and adaptive immune systems have allowed for the development of a number of novel adjuvants with differing mechanisms of action. Herein, we review adjuvants currently approved for human and veterinary use, describing their use and proposed mechanisms of action. In addition, we will discuss additional promising adjuvants currently undergoing preclinical and/or clinical testing.

Non-specific effects of veterinary vaccines: a systematic review

The benefits of vaccines have been centred on their specific effects on subsequent infections by target pathogens. Recent studies, however, have opened up new insights into additional effects of vaccines known as non-specific effects (NSEs) or heterologous effects of vaccines. While several articles have reviewed epidemiological and immunological evidence for NSEs of vaccines in humans, similar works on veterinary vaccines are scarce. The objective of this paper was to review the findings of published studies on NSEs of vaccines developed or repurposed for use in animals. In total 8412 titles were retrieved from PubMed and CABI databases on the 30^th of April 2021. After the final stage of screening, 45 eligible articles were included in the review. Data from these articles were summarised and presented here. In general, most of the vaccines studied in the reviewed articles have beneficial NSEs against multiple pathogens and disease conditions. There were, however, fewe studies reporting detrimental NSEs from both non-live and live vaccines which is in contrast to the currently existing evidence of beneficial NSEs of live vaccines and detrimental NSEs of non-live vaccines. This review may be used as a complement for future review of RCT studies of NSEs of vaccines in animals and provide a useful addition to the evolving understanding of the NSEs of vaccines.

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial measuring the effect of a dietetic food on dermatologic scoring and pruritus in dogs with atopic dermatitis

Background

Canine atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common condition that often requires multimodal therapy. Including a diet in the multimodal management of AD may reduce medication doses, saving pet owners money and reducing side effects. The objective of this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was to determine if a diet fortified in antioxidants, polyphenols, and omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the clinical signs of AD. Forty client-owned dogs with AD were enrolled in the study and assigned to either an enriched diet (diet B) or control diet (diet A) for 60-days. CADESI-4 index scores and owner-reported pruritus scores were measured periodically.

Results

Total CADESI-4 index scores for dogs eating diet B were lower on day 60 compared to baseline (P = 0.003). There was no statistical difference in scores for dogs eating diet A over a 60-day period. Diet B dogs had 25 and 49% reductions in CADESI-4 index scores on days 30 and 60, respectively (P = 0.0007) while diet A had no change over the study period. When comparing the percent change in owner-reported pruritus scores, diet B also performed better than diet A. By day 60, owners feeding diet B to their dogs reported a significant reduction (P < 0.0001) of 46.4% in itching, while those on diet A reported a 26.8% reduction, which was not statistically significant (P = 0.08).

Conclusions

These study results demonstrate feeding a diet enriched with ingredients to improve skin health and reduce inflammation improves the clinical signs of AD in dogs.

Three-dimensional electroanatomic mapping and radiofrequency catheter ablation of ventricular arrhythmia in a dog without structural heart disease

A 1.5-year-old, female-spayed mix-breed dog was presented with recurrent episodes of shaking and excessive panting attributed to drug-refractory ventricular arrhythmia (VA) characterized predominantly by incessant periods of ventricular bigeminy. The VA had a narrow QRS morphology, suggestive of an origin near the His bundle or fascicular system. Diagnostic evaluation found no structural heart disease or underlying etiology. Three-dimensional electroanatomic mapping and radiofrequency catheter ablation were pursued. Voltage mapping demonstrated normal bi-ventricular voltage (≥1.5 mV) without any fractionated or multicomponent electrograms, indicating the absence of ventricular myocardial scar. Pace mapping identified an endocardial origin of the VA at the basal anterior septum of the left ventricle, distal to the His bundle and near the left bundle branch. Two ablation lesions were delivered to this site, and a left bundle branch block was temporarily induced. The dog recovered uneventfully. One month later, the owners reported a remarkable improvement in clinical signs, and follow-up 48-h Holter monitor found complete resolution of VA.