An Outbreak of Equine Herpesvirus-4 in an Ecological Donkey Milk Farm in Romania.

Equine herpesviruses are important pathogens causing significant economic loss in equine and asinine populations. EHV-1/4 strains are mainly associated with respiratory distress. The aim of this study is to report the first EHV 4-associated respiratory disease in donkeys in Romania. Thirty-seven of three hundred jennies in an ecological donkey farm in southwest Romania started initially showing signs of severe upper respiratory tract disease, with ten concomitant late abortions/neonatal deaths and three neurological cases. There were nine fatalities. Pathological examination was performed, and samples were collected for Real-Time PCR analysis and histology. In addition, serum samples from 28 individuals with respiratory symptoms were collected and tested using indirect ELISA. RT-PCR identified the EHV-4 strain. Acute, diffuse necrotizing bronchointerstitial pneumonia with occasional intraepithelial intranuclear viral inclusion bodies was identified. Additionally, EHV-1/4-specific antibodies were found in 15 of the 28 sampled animals. Few studies on donkeys and herpesviruses have been published, and this is the first reported case of EHV-4 outbreak in Romania. There is a need for more extensive seroprevalence studies as, currently, the status of EHV-4 infection in donkeys in Romania is unknown.

The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic During Lockdown on the Veterinary Profession in Romania: A Questionnaire-Based Survey.

The lockdown period in Romania lasted for 60 days and had the purpose of limiting the spread of SARS-CoV-2 virus outbreak and manage its consequences through emergency measures on many important areas of activity. This study aimed to gather, assess, analyze and disseminate relevant social, economic, and medical aspects on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic during lockdown on the veterinary profession in Romania. A survey was created using an online questionnaire platform, and disseminated. The survey was completed by a total of 409 individuals. A high number of respondents (71.64%; n = 293) felt exposed to medium or high risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2 at their workplace and many (56.97%; n = 233) felt that their professional environment was more stressful than usual during lockdown. Almost all respondents (89.73%; n = 367) declared the implementation of several control measures recommended by FECAVA and FVE (e.g., social distancing, wearing protective equipment, hand washing), but few mentioned the opportunity of remote work or visiting restrictions. Overall, the results show that the impact of lockdown lies directly on four main categories of importance on veterinarian professional's life-human resource, activity management, relationship between veterinarian and authorities, and continuing education.

Comparison of Eight Commercially Available Faecal Point-of-Care Tests for Detection of Canine Parvovirus Antigen.

A real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is considered the gold standard for the laboratory diagnosis of canine parvovirus (CPV) infection but can only be performed in specialized laboratories. Several point-of-care tests (POCT), detecting CPV antigens in faeces within minutes, are commercially available. The aim of this study was to evaluate eight POCT in comparison with qPCR. Faecal samples of 150 dogs from three groups (H: 50 client-owned, healthy dogs, not vaccinated within the last four weeks; S: 50 shelter dogs, healthy, not vaccinated within the last four weeks; p = 50 dogs with clinical signs of CPV infection) were tested with eight POCT and qPCR. Practicability, sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV), as well as overall accuracy were determined. To assess the differences between and agreement among POCT, McNemar's test and Cohen's Kappa statistic were performed. Specificity and PPV were 100.0% in all POCT. Sensitivity varied from 22.9-34.3% overall and from 32.7-49.0% in group P. VetexpertRapidTestCPVAg® had the highest sensitivity (34.3% overall, 49.0% group P) and differed significantly from the 3 POCT with the lowest sensitivities (Fassisi®Parvo (27.7% overall, 36.7% group P), Primagnost®ParvoH+K (24.3% overall, 34.7% group P), FASTest®PARVOCard (22.9% overall, 32.7% group P)). The agreement among all POCT was at least substantial (kappa >0.80). A positive POCT result confirmed the infection with CPV in unvaccinated dogs, whereas a negative POCT result did not definitely exclude CPV infection due to the low sensitivity of all POCT.

The detection of canine parvovirus type 2c of Asian origin in dogs in Romania evidenced its progressive worldwide diffusion.

BACKGROUND: Canine parvovirus (CPV) is one of the most important pathogens of dogs. Despite vaccination, CPV infections are still ubiquitous in dogs, and the three antigenic variants 2a, 2b and 2c are variously distributed in the canine population worldwide. To date, no information is available on CPV variants circulating in some European countries. The aim of this study was to genetically characterise the CPV detected in ten dogs with clinical signs of acute gastroenteritis in Romania. The presence of Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 DNA was investigated in faecal samples using an end-point PCR targeting the complete VP2 gene and positive amplicons were sequenced and analysed. RESULTS: All ten dogs with acute gastroenteritis tested positive to Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 DNA in faecal samples. The identified viruses belonged to CPV-2c type, showed identical sequences of the VP2 gene and were characterised by distinctive amino acid residues in the deduced VP2 protein: 5-glicine (5Gly), 267-tirosine (267Tyr), 324-isoleucine (324Ile) and 370-arginine (370Arg). These distinctive amino acid residues have already been reported in CPV-2c widespread in Asia and occasionally detected in Italy and Nigeria. CONCLUSIONS: Since CPV-2c with VP2 amino acid residues 5Gly, 267Tyr, 324Ile and 370Arg were never reported before 2013, it can be assumed that this virus is progressively expanding its spread in the world dog population. This study adds new data about the presence of this new virus in Europe and underline worrying questions about its potential impact on the health of the canine population.

Clinical Benefits of Using a Smartphone Application to Assess the Wound Healing Process in a Feline Patient - A Case Report.

The aim of this paper was to determine whether digital imagery can be employed in veterinary medicine to measure and analyze wound healing dynamics. A smartphone application (ImitoMeasure) was used to capture, measure, and analyze the metatarsal wound images in a cat patient. The smartphone app was used to evaluate the wound area, width, length, and circumference at the time of topical treatments. Further analysis of the measurements taken by the ImitoMeasure app revealed significant correlations among all analyzed parameters. The day of treatment was inversely correlated with all the parameters of the wound, showing the healing progress over time. Also, the width was the most influential parameter (P ≤ .05) when assessing wound area. Thus, the app provided a noncontact, easy to use, and accurate smart wound measurement solution. Additionally, this case report describes the treatment of a cat with a severe chronic metatarsal wound and extensive soft tissue loss using a commercially available silver calcium alginate dressing (Askina Calgitrol Ag, B. Braun). The dressing was changed every 2 days, in the first week of treatment, and then every 3 days until the cat was discharged, 21 days later. Granulation tissue formed rapidly, from the fourth day of treatment and continued to expand in the entire wound bed; epithelization process started since the 16th day of treatment and mature scar tissue could be observed 21 days postinjury.

Effects of topical application of tramadol with/without dexmedetomidine and proparacaine on corneal sensitivity in rats.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the corneal anesthetic effect following topical application of tramadol alone and in combination with dexmedetomidine, and compare it to proparacaine, in clinically healthy rats. METHODS: A randomized, crossover study was performed. Twenty Wistar albino rats (n = 40 eyes) were used. Corneal touch threshold (CTT) measurements (in mm) were obtained using a Cochet-Bonnet aesthesiometer. CTT measurements were obtained at baseline, 1-min following application of the topical anesthetic agent, and repeated at 5-min intervals up to 75 min. The topical protocol involved 3 treatment conditions, separated by a 2-week washout period: proparacaine, tramadol alone, and tramadol in combination with dexmedetomidine. RESULTS: CTT values were significantly decreased compared to baseline at each timepoint until completion of the 75-min evaluation in all treated eyes, regardless of the assigned treatment (p < 0.0083). With tramadol, complete corneal anesthesia (CTT = 0) was achieved within 1-5 min in 18 eyes and ranged from 5 to 25 min. Co-administration of dexmedetomidine to tramadol resulted in significantly increased CTT values from 5 to 20 min following topical application, compared to tramadol alone (p < 0.0083), and complete corneal anesthesia was achieved in only 14 out of 20 treated eyes. CONCLUSION: Tramadol might be a useful alternative to topical anesthetic agents, providing a dose-related corneal anesthetic effect. Co-administration of dexmedetomidine does not potentiate its anesthetic effect. The underlying mechanism(s) of drug antagonism between tramadol and dexmedetomidine remains to be determined.

Respiratory and hemodynamic effects of 2 protocols of low-dose infusion of dexmedetomidine in dogs under isoflurane anesthesia.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the respiratory and hemodynamic effects of a low-dose dexmedetomidine infusion [1 µg/kg body weight (BW) per hour], with or without a loading dose (1 µg/kg BW), in dogs under isoflurane anesthesia. Thirty dogs were premedicated with methadone [0.3 mg/kg BW intramuscular (IM)], induced with propofol intravenous (IV) and maintained with isoflurane (1.3% to 1.4%) under mechanical ventilation. Animals were randomly assigned to 3 intravenous (IV) treatments (n = 10): 1 µg/kg BW dexmedetomidine, followed by 1 µg/kg BW per hour (group BI); or saline solution bolus, followed by either an infusion of 1 µg/kg BW per hour dexmedetomidine (group I) or saline solution (group C). The infusions were interrupted after 30 minutes. Respiratory system static compliance (Cstat) and respiratory system resistance (Rrs), partial pressure of oxygen/fractional inspired oxygen ratio (PaO2/FIO2), intrapulmonary shunt (Fshunt), and cardiac output (CO) were determined 5 minutes before the bolus (BASELINE), at the end of the bolus (BOLUS), and at 15 (T15), 30 (T30), and 45 minutes (T45) intervals. In group BI, Cstat and PaO2/FiO2 were higher at T15 and T30 than at BASELINE in the same group and than group C at the same times. In group I, the same parameters at T30 were higher than at BASELINE and than group C at the same time. In group BI, Rrs and Fshunt were lower than at BASELINE and than group C at the same time. In group I, the same parameters at T30 were lower than at BASELINE and those of group C at the same time. Cardiac output (CO) at T30 was higher in groups BI and I than in group C. The results of this study showed that low-dose dexmedetomidine infusion improves oxygenation and respiratory system mechanics and has a stabilizing hemodynamic effect in dogs anesthetized with isoflurane and mechanically ventilated.

L'objectif de la présente étude était d'évaluer les effets respiratoires et hémodynamiques de l'infusion d'une faible dose de dexmedetomidine [1 µg/kg de poids corporel (BW) par h], avec ou sans une dose de charge (1 µg/kg de BW), chez des chiens sous anesthésie à l'isoflurane. Trente chiens ont été pré-médicamentés avec de la méthadone [0,3 mg/kg BW intra-musculaire (IM)], induit avec du propofol intra-veineux (IV) et maintenu avec de l'isoflurane (1,3 % à 1,4 %) sous ventilation mécanique. Les animaux étaient attribués au hasard à trois traitements IV (n = 10) : 1 µg/kg BW dexmedetomidine, suivi de 1 µg/kg BW par heure (groupe BI); ou un bolus de solution saline, suivi par soit une infusion de 1 µg/kg BW par heure de dexmedetomidine (groupe I) ou une solution saline (groupe C). Les infusions étaient arrêtées après 30 min. La compliance statique du système respiratoire (Cstat) et la résistance du système respiratoire (Rrs), le ratio pression partielle d'oxygène/fraction d'oxygène dans l'inspiré (PaO2/FIO2), le shunt intrapulmonaire (Fshunt) et le débit cardiaque (CO) furent déterminés 5 min avant le bolus (BASELINE), à la fin du bolus (BOLUS), et à des intervalles de 15 (T15), 30 (T30) et 45 min (T45). Dans le groupe BI, Cstat et PaO2/FIO2 étaient plus élevés à T15 et T30 qu'à BASELINE dans le même groupe et similaire au groupe C aux mêmes temps. Dans le groupe I, les mêmes paramètres à T30 étaient plus élevés qu'à BASELINE et plus élevés que ceux du groupe C aux mêmes temps. Dans le groupe BI, Rrs et Fshunt étaient plus bas qu'à BASELINE et similaire au groupe C aux mêmes temps. Dans le groupe I, les mêmes paramètres à T30 étaient plus bas qu'à BASELINE et ceux du groupe C aux mêmes temps. Le CO à T30 était plus élevé dans les groupes BI et I que dans le groupe C. Les résultats de cette étude ont démontré qu'une infusion d'une faible dose de dexmedetomidine améliore l'oxygénation et la mécanique du système respiratoire et a un effet hémodynamique stabilisant chez les chiens anesthésiés avec de l'isoflurane et ventilé mécaniquement.(Traduit par Docteur Serge Messier).

Preen gland removal increases plumage bacterial load but not that of feather-degrading bacteria.

The preen gland is a holocrine sebaceous gland of the avian integument which produces an oily secretion that is spread on the plumage during preening. It has been suggested that birds may defend themselves against feather-degrading bacteria (FDB) and other potential pathogens using preen gland secretions. However, besides some in vitro studies, the in vivo bacterial inhibitory effects of the preen oil on the abundance of feather-associated bacterial species has not yet been studied in passerines. Here we tested the effect of gland removal on the abundance of FDB and other-cultivable bacterial loads (OCB) of male house sparrows (Passer domesticus). Our results did not support earlier results on in vitro antibacterial activity of preen oil against FDB since the absence of the preen gland did not significantly affect their loads related to the control birds. In contrast, we found that preen gland removal led to higher loads of OCB. This result suggests that the antimicrobial spectrum of the preen oil is broader than previously thought and that, by reducing the overall feather bacterial loads, the preen gland could help birds to protect themselves against a variety of potentially harmful bacteria.