Veterinary Record: Journal of the British Veterinary Association

Palmer, A. C.; Blakemore, W. F.; Franklin, R. J. M.; Frost, L. M.; Gough, R. E.; Lewis, J. C. M.; Macdougall, D. F.; O'Leary, M. T.; Stocker, L. R.

doi: 10.1136/vr.143.20.550pmid: 9854316

Paraplegia affected 14 hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) in a wildlife rescue hospital over a period of six months. Postmortem examination revealed demyelination in the brain and spinal cord and an inflammatory response in the meninges, choroid plexus and CNS. The peripheral nervous system was not affected. In the spleen, lungs and liver there was an accumulation of megakaryocytes and other evidence of extramedullary haemopoiesis, but there was no haematological evidence of anaemia. The pattern of disease incidence and the nature of the changes in the CNS suggest they were of viral origin, but no causal agent was isolated and the possibility of a neurotoxin cause cannot be ruled out.

Stuen, S.; Olsson Engvall, E.; Artursson, K.

doi: 10.1136/vr.143.20.553pmid: 9854317

Five lambs were infected experimentally with Ehrlichia phagocytophila and examined regularly during the next six months. The lambs all had recurrences of parasitaemia at various times but had a fever on only 21 per cent of these occasions. A reduced number of leucocytes was observed in all the lambs for at least eight weeks. All the lambs were still infected four months after inoculation with E phagocytophila. After six months, blood from four of the five lambs was infective when inoculated into susceptible lambs.

doi: 10.1136/vr.143.20.555pmid: N/A

Canine leproid granuloma syndrome Malik, R., Love, D. N., Wigney, D. I. & Martin, P. (1998) Australian Veterinary Journal 76, 403

Lewbart, G. A.; Spodnick, G.; Barlow, N.; Love, N. E.; Geoly, F.; Bakal, R. S.

doi: 10.1136/vr.143.20.556pmid: 9854318

An undifferentiated abdominal sarcoma was removed surgically from a koi carp. The diagnostic procedures, including radiography and computed tomography, and the procedures for general anaesthesia and the surgical approach for a celiotomy in a fish are described. The gross and microscopic appearance of the tumour is described and lustrated.

Bauer, C.; Çirak, V. Y.; Hermosilla, C.; Okoro, H.

doi: 10.1136/vr.143.20.558pmid: 9854319

The efficacy of moxidectin was evaluated in young ponies naturally infected with gastrointestinal parasites. Eight animals were treated orally with moxidectin at 0.4 mg/kg bodyweight and eight received only the vehicle. They were all necropsied two weeks later. Faecal samples were examined daily for egg counts and larval cultures. Parasites were recovered from total faecal samples collected daily and from the gastrointestinal tracts at necropsy. Moxidectin reduced the strongyle egg counts by >99 per cent from three days after treatment but some individuals remained positive for 10 days. The drug had little or no ovicidal activity. As evaluated in the critical‐controlled test, moxidectin was 99 to 100 per cent effective (P<0.05) against luminal stages of Parascaris equorum, Strongylus vulgaris, Triodontophorus species, Craterostomum acuticaudatum, 19 cyathostome species and Oxyuris equi. Adult S edentatus were also completely removed. Its efficacy against third stage larvae of Gasterophilus intestinalis was 95 per cent (P<0.05). Luminal nematode stages were removed within a few days, and bots continued to be eliminated for at least two weeks after treatment. No activity was observed against Anoplocephala perfoliata. As evaluated in the controlled test, moxidectin was 100 per cent effective against Habronema muscae (P<0.05) and had a 76 per cent but not significant efficacy against encysted small strongyle larvae.

Cook, N.

doi: 10.1136/vr.143.20.561pmid: 9854320

Williams, A.; Davies, A. C.; Wilson, J.; Marsh, P. D.; Leach, S.; Humphrey, T. J.

doi: 10.1136/vr.143.20.562pmid: N/A