Bovine lymphotropic herpesvirus detected in Belgium

in Veterinary Record : Journal of the British Veterinary Association (2013), 172

The bovine lymphotropic herpesvirus was detected for the first time outside the US, Canada and UK in a cow with nonresponsive chronic metritis.

Can horses be clinically screened for West Nile fever ?

in Veterinary Record : Journal of the British Veterinary Association (2013), 172(4), 101

Characterisation of pregnancy losses by measuring plasma profiles of progesterone and bovine pregnancy-associated glycoprotein-1 after embryo transfer.

in Veterinary Record : Journal of the British Veterinary Association (2012), 194(1), 71-76

The aim of this analysis was to determine whether pregnancy loss (PL) after embryo transfer (ET) in cattle was related to maternal progesterone (P4) concentrations during and shortly after ET, and ... [more ▼]

The aim of this analysis was to determine whether pregnancy loss (PL) after embryo transfer (ET) in cattle was related to maternal progesterone (P4) concentrations during and shortly after ET, and maternal bovine pregnancy-associated glycoprotein-1 (bPAG-1) concentrations in plasma at days 25–35 of gestation. Embryos (n = 260) were produced either in vivo after superovulation (n = 115), or in vitro from oocytes (obtained with ovum pick-up) in co-culture (n = 44) or cultured in a synthetic medium (n = 101). Overall, PL was 56.9% (148) and no significant differences occurred in calving rate among the three embryo production groups. There was no difference in P4 concentrations on days 7–14 of gestation in the three groups, nor between ongoing and interrupted pregnancies. Between days 25 and 35 of pregnancy, bPAG-1 concentrations were unaffected by embryo production, but in cattle that had PL between days 26 and 120, four bPAG-1 profiles could be detected. Between days 25 and 32, bPAG-1 concentrations were influenced by PL, and concentrations were significantly lower in animals in which PL occurred between days 26 and 120 than in those animals that aborted later or calved at term. Early P4 concentrations suggested that maternal luteal factors were not responsible for PL which appeared to be caused by impaired conceptus development (regardless of embryo type) as reflected by low maternal bPAG-1 concentrations prior to embryonic death [less ▲]

Two-dimensional and M-mode echocardiographic reference values in healthy adult Saanen goats

in Veterinary Record : Journal of the British Veterinary Association (2012), 170(6), 154

Echocardiography has become a routine non invasive cardiac diagnostic tool in most species. Accurate measurement of cardiac dimensions requires reference values, which are poorly documented in goats. The ... [more ▼]

Echocardiography has become a routine non invasive cardiac diagnostic tool in most species. Accurate measurement of cardiac dimensions requires reference values, which are poorly documented in goats. The aim of this study was to test the inter-day repeatability and to establish the reference values of two-dimensional (2D-) and time-motion (M-) mode echocardiographic variables in healthy adult Saanen goats. Six goats were investigated three times by the same observer at one day interval using a standardized 2D- and M-mode echocardiographic protocol. The intra-observer inter-day repeatability was tested using analysis of variance, calculation of the coefficient of variation and confidence intervals. A single echocardiographic examination was performed in 6 other goats, and values obtained in the 12 goats were used to establish the 2D- and M-mode echocardiographic reference values in healthy adult female Saanen goats. Statistical analysis revealed a good inter-day repeatability of the echocardiographic cardiac measurements. Echocardiographic reference values obtained in healthy adult Saanen goats seemed slightly higher than those reported in healthy Swedish domestic goats and were similar to those reported in healthy adult sheep. [less ▲]

Prevalence of Salmonella serotypes in male mule ducks in Belgium

in Veterinary Record : Journal of the British Veterinary Association (2012)

Salmonella species infections of male mule ducks were studied for 32 months in 100 flocks on nine duck farms in Belgium. The prevalence of Salmonella species infections changed significantly over time (P ... [more ▼]

Salmonella species infections of male mule ducks were studied for 32 months in 100 flocks on nine duck farms in Belgium. The prevalence of Salmonella species infections changed significantly over time (P<0.001) with infection rates of 50, 13.4, 6.7, 2.6 and 2.9 per cent, respectively, at the time of arrival on the farm, at three, six and nine weeks of age, and when the ducks left the breeding unit to enter the force-feeding rooms (at 11 or 12 weeks of age). During the study period, 95 strains of Salmonella were isolated, belonging to 11 serotypes. S Indiana (42.1 per cent) and S Regent (36.8 per cent) were the two most common serotypes, whereas S Typhimurium and S Enteritidis were found only once (1.1 per cent). All isolated strains were resistant to at least two antimicrobials, but resistance to more than five antimicrobials was observed in 21.6 per cent of the strains. [less ▲]

Three cases of Parafilaria bovicola infection in Belgium, and a few recent epidemiological observations on this emergent disease

in Veterinary Record : Journal of the British Veterinary Association (2012)

Parafilariosis is a vector borne parasitic disease caused by the development of the nematode Parafilaria bovicola in the subcutaneous and intermuscular connective tissues of cattle. On February 28th 2012 ... [more ▼]

Parafilariosis is a vector borne parasitic disease caused by the development of the nematode Parafilaria bovicola in the subcutaneous and intermuscular connective tissues of cattle. On February 28th 2012, the so-called bleeding spots were observed in two heifers and one bull in a cattle herd close to Namur (Belgium). The animals had been treated in December with an injectable ivermectin/closantel solution (Closamectin pour on®, Norbrook Lab) at the recommended dosage. Samples of serohaemorrhagic exudate and blood as well as skin biopsies were collected. Embryonated eggs of Parafilaria bovicola in the serohaemorrhagic exudate and high levels of creatine phosphokinase (CPK) were detected. Clinically affected animals were treated with injectable ivermectin (Ivomec®, Merial) at 200 µg/kg. Two epidemiological phone surveys were carried out in the south of Belgium (Wallonia) in order to estimate the geographical distribution of this condition since it was first described and published in 2009. A standardized questionnaire was used and the results were analysed. Most outbreaks were recorded in the provinces of Liege and Luxembourg. The initial source of infection is still unknown but this parasitic infection is clearly spreading from the initial Belgian outbreak site. [less ▲]

Subclinical diseases underlying poor performance in endurance horses: diagnostic methods and predictive tests.

in Veterinary Record : Journal of the British Veterinary Association (2011), 169(6), 154

Thirty-eight endurance horses underwent clinical and ancillary examinations, including haematological and biochemical evaluation, standardised exercise tests both on a treadmill and in the field, Doppler ... [more ▼]

Thirty-eight endurance horses underwent clinical and ancillary examinations, including haematological and biochemical evaluation, standardised exercise tests both on a treadmill and in the field, Doppler echocardiography, impulse oscillometry, video endoscopy and collection of respiratory fluids. All of the examined poorly performing horses were affected by subclinical diseases, and most of them had multiple concomitant disorders. On the contrary, the well-performing horses were free of any subclinical disease. The most frequently diagnosed diseases were respiratory disorders, followed by musculoskeletal and cardiac problems. Poor performers exhibited lower speeds at blood lactate concentration of 4 mmol/l (VLA4) and at heart rates of 160 (V160) and 200 bpm (V200) on the treadmill and in the field, as well as slower recovery of heart rate. [less ▲]

Inhalation with NDS27 attenuates pulmonary neutrophilic inflammation in recurrent airway obstruction

in Veterinary Record : Journal of the British Veterinary Association (2011)

Phenotypic and genotypic characterisation of Brucella strains isolated from cattle in the Gambia.

in Veterinary Record : Journal of the British Veterinary Association (2010), 166(24), 753-6

Thirty-five serum samples and six hygroma fluid samples were collected from sexually mature cattle in one herd with clinical signs of brucellosis (abortion and hygromas) in the Western Region of the ... [more ▼]

Thirty-five serum samples and six hygroma fluid samples were collected from sexually mature cattle in one herd with clinical signs of brucellosis (abortion and hygromas) in the Western Region of the Gambia in order to isolate and characterise Brucella species. Information on the sex, age, number of calvings, number of abortions, presence of hygromas, and presence of orchitis was also collected for each animal sampled. Twenty-six (74 per cent) of the serum samples were positive in the rose bengal test and 29 (83 per cent) were positive by indirect ELISA. Three isolates of Brucella, biotyped as Brucella abortus biovar 3, were cultured from six hygroma fluid samples. The multiple locus variable number tandem repeat analysis assay clustered the isolates as B abortus with the same profile for the three isolates, suggesting a common origin of contamination. [less ▲]

Equine atypical myopathy. Letters (equine health)

in Veterinary Record : Journal of the British Veterinary Association (2009), 165