[Sole abscess (Pododermatitis purulenta superficialis) in a Bactrian camel - diagnosis, treatment, and healing process]. / Sohlenabszess (Pododermatitis purulenta superficialis) bei einem Trampeltier ­ Diagnostik, Therapie und Heilungsverlauf.

An approximately 14-year-old female Bactrian camel was referred to the University Clinic for Ruminants with left hindlimb lameness of two weeks duration. All findings of the general clinical examination were within normal limits. Orthopedic examination revealed a left supporting limb lameness score of 2 with moderate weight-shifting and reluctance to bear weight on the lateral toe at walk. The camel was sedated (0.24 mg/kg BW xylazine i.m.+1.92 mg/kg BW ketamine i.m., 0.04 mg/kg BW butorphanol) and rolled in lateral recumbency for further investigations. Sonographic examination of the cushion of the left hindlimb revealed an abscess of diameters of 11×2.3 cm impinging both digits between the sole horn and lateral and medial cushions. The abscess was opened under local infiltration anesthesia after a 5×5 cm incision at the central sole area, the abscess capsule removed with a sharp curette and the abscess cavity flushed. The wound was then bandaged. Postoperative treatment consisted of bandage changes every 5-7 days. For these procedures the camel was repeatedly sedated. At the first change the xylazine dosage was the same for surgery, and sequentially the dosage could be reduced (0.20 mg/kg BW i.m.), but finally increased for the last dressing changes (0.22 mg/kg BW i.m.). Ketamine dosages were also reduced slightly throughout the hospitalization period (1.51 mg/kg BW i.m.), enabling a reduction of the recovery period duration. After 6 weeks of regular bandage changes the wound had healed completely with a new horn layer and showing no lameness the camel could be discharged.

Enterocytozoon bieneusi in fecal samples from calves and cows in Austria.

Enterocytozoon bieneusi is an obligate intracellular pathogen that infects livestock, companion animals, and wildlife and has the potential to cause severe diarrhea especially in immunocompromised humans. In the underlying study, fecal samples from 177 calves with diarrhea and 174 adult cows originating from 70 and 18 farms, respectively, in Austria were examined for the presence of E. bieneusi by polymerase chain reaction targeting the Internal Transcribed Spacer 1 (ITS1) region. All positive samples were further sequenced for genotype determination. Overall, sixteen of the 351 (4.6%) samples were positive for E. bieneusi, two of the 174 samples from cows (1.2%) and 14 of the 177 samples from calves (7.9%). In total, four genotypes, J (n = 2), I (n = 12), BEB4 (n = 3), and BEB8 (n = 1), were identified. The uncorrected p-distance between the four ITS1 lineages (344 bp) ranges from 0.3% to 2.9%. The lineages differ by 1 bp (I and J), 2 bp (J and BEB4), and 3 bp (I and BEB4), respectively, and BEB8 differs by 7 to 10 bp from the latter three lineages. Two of the E. bieneusi-positive calves showed an infection with two different genotypes. E. bieneusi occurred significantly more often in calves > 3 weeks (8/59) than in calves ≤ 3 weeks (6/118), respectively (p = 0.049). Calves with a known history of antimicrobial treatment (50 of 177 calves) shed E. bieneusi significantly more often than untreated calves (p = 0.012). There was no statistically significant difference in E. bieneusi shedding in calves with or without a medical history of antiparasitic treatment (p = 0.881). Calves showing a co-infection with Eimeria spp. shed E. bieneusi significantly more often than uninfected calves (p = 0.003). To our knowledge, this is the first report of E. bieneusi in cattle in Austria. Cattle should be considered as a reservoir for human infection since potentially zoonotic E. bieneusi genotypes were detected.

[Severe chronic osteomyelitis of the os ileum in an alpaca - Diagnostic and pathological findings]. / Hochgradige chronische Osteomyelitis des Darmbeines bei einem Alpaka.

A 5.5-year-old alpaca mare was referred to the University Clinic for Ruminants due to a lameness in the right hind limb. Six months prior to presentation, the mare had been treated with systemic antibiotics resulting in resolution of the initial lameness. At the time there had been no indication of an inciting trauma. Clinical examination revealed an approx. 2 × 2 cm large, fluctuating, neither excessively warm nor painful mass caudal to the right tuber coxae fixed to the underlying tissue. In addition, a moderate, mixed lameness with a predominant proportion of the swinging leg component was present in the right hind limb. Subsequently, sonographic examination of the right gluteal region was performed, revealing severe alterations of bone contour in the area of the right hip joint. Radiographic assessment of the pelvis was carried out for further clarification. Based on the clinical finding of a fistula in the right gluteal region as well as the results of the radiologic examination, a long-standing infected fracture of the right iliac bone accompanied by high-degree, irregularly calcified callus formation and low to moderate osteomyelitis in the fracture area was diagnosed. The patient was euthanized in consequence of the grave prognosis. Computed tomographic examination of the pelvis and the lumbar spine in the L3-L6 area was undertaken in order to further document the extent of the pathological changes. For final clarification, patho-histological examination as well as a microbiologic analysis of the abscess exudate were performed.The presented case shows the importance of clinical as well as orthopedic examinations, as the individual animal frequently only exhibits minimal clinical signs despite the presence of severe changes.

T-cell-lymphoma presented as a solitary subcutaneous mass in the ventral cervical region of an adult llama- diagnostic and treatment.

BACKGROUND: Neoplasm in South American camelids (SAC) are commonly described. The most frequently reported type of neoplasm are lymphomas and difference in the age suffering from lymphomas of and llamas is seen. This report describes a case of a solitary lymphoma in a 5 years and 9 month old llama mare displaying the approach of diagnostic imaging and successful surgical treatment. CASE PRESENTATION: The llama was referred to the clinic for dyspnoea and inspiratory abnormal respiratory sounds. The clinical examination comprised blood cell count, ultrasonographic and radiographic examinations, endoscopy and fine needle aspiration cytology of a mass detected in the mid cervical region. The mass was surgically removed. Histopathological examination of the surgically removed mass diagnosed a malignant T-cell- lymphoma. According to the results of the clinical, ultrasonographic and radiographic examinations no tumor invasion was apparent in distant organs and the llama was discharged from the clinic seven days after surgery. CONCLUSION: Lymphoma has been reported to be the most common neoplasia in camelids and are more often described in young alpacas and in adult llamas. To the author´s knowledge the case presented here is the first that described a broad panel of diagnostic tools including ultrasound, radiographs, endoscopy, fine needle aspiration cytology and histopathoogical examination as well as a successful surgical treatment of a solitary lymphoma in camelids.

The Antibiotic Treatment of Calf Diarrhea in Four European Countries: A Survey.

Neonatal calves are commonly affected by diarrhea caused by different pathogens, but not always bacteria. Yet, antibiotics are routinely used as a treatment to an unknown extent. It was our goal to survey antibiotic use for the treatment of neonatal calf diarrhea in different countries and to identify influencing factors. A total of 873 farmers and veterinarians in Austria, Belgium, Portugal, and Scotland participated in a voluntary online survey. The data were analyzed using classification and regression tree analyses and chi2 tests. Overall, 52.5% of the participants stated that they use antibiotics when treating neonatal calf diarrhea. Of those, 27% use them always, and 45% use highest priority critically important antibiotics. The most important factor differentiating antibiotic use practices was the country the participants were from, which could be due to regulatory differences between the countries. All antibiotic products stated were licensed for use in cattle, but several were not licensed for the treatment of diarrhea in calves. Our study shows that there is an urgent need for more scientific evidence to define best practices for the treatment of neonatal calf diarrhea. Furthermore, consensual criteria for antibiotic therapy must be defined, and targeted training for farmers and veterinarians must be provided.

An Outbreak of Subclinical Mastitis in a Dairy Herd Caused by a Novel Streptococcus canis Sequence Type (ST55).

The present case report provides data on the phenotypic and genotypic properties of S. canis isolated from nine dairy cows with subclinical mastitis (SCC greater than 200,000 cells/mL in the quarter milk sample, no clinical signs) and from a cat living in the barn and reports the eradication of the pathogen from the herd with an automatic milking system. The isolates were identified using conventional bacteriology, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) and genetic relationships were investigated by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Udder health management and hygiene instructions comprised the removal of the carnivores from the barn, strict monitoring of milking hygiene and techniques to avoid new infections via the milking robot, with simultaneous therapy for all infected cows. Phenotypic and genotypic properties of all isolates were identical. MLST revealed a unique sequence type (ST55) and a farmyard cat was identified as the most likely source of the S. canis infection in cows. The simultaneous treatment of all infected cows and management and hygiene improvements lead to a decreased SCC within four weeks.

ultrasonography of kidney and spleen in clinically healthy llamas and alpacas.

BACKGROUND: The ultrasonographic examination technique is a well-established, non-invasive diagnostic tool for diverse conditions in humans and different animal species. The purpose of our study was to describe ultrasonographic localisation, sonographic appearance and dimensions of the kidneys and spleen of clinically healthy llamas and alpacas. Differences between llamas and alpacas and the influence of sex and ages were investigated. Results of this study may aid veterinarians performing ultrasonography in diseased animals and the technique can be used for routine protocol screening. RESULTS: Ultrasonography was performed in 135 clinically healthy, non-sedated llamas and alpacas. Screening was performed with a 6.6 MHz curve linear transducer with only alcohol as contact medium between the probe and unclipped skin. The kidneys could be imaged from the paralumbar region. The right kidney only was visualized when scanning from the right and the left kidney only from the left. While the left kidney appeared in sagittal view as an oval shape in most llamas and alpacas, in one third of animals the left kidney had a triangular shape. The L-shaped base of the spleen, with its homogeneous, echoic pattern, could be seen craniolateral to the left kidney. Anechoic areas displaying vessels inside the spleen and a thin echoic capsule surrounding the splenic tissue could be differentiated. While sonographic appearances of the examined organs showed no differences between llamas and alpacas, selected dimensions of both of kidney and spleen showed significant differences between species. In terms of age and sex, significant differences in respect of kidney size could be found only in alpacas. Sex seemed to have no influence on kidney and spleen sizes in llamas. CONCLUSIONS: The present study provides species-specific information on ultrasonographic appearance and reference values for kidney and spleen dimensions of clinically healthy llamas and alpacas. Results show differences in organ sizes between llamas and alpacas and in alpacas of different sex and age. The results of this study can be used as references for veterinarians performing ultrasound examinations in diseased animals.