Original article(s)

Descemetocoele and acute perforation of the cornea are a common eye problem in dogs. Lamellar keratoplastyand nictitating membrane flap were used in 20 dogs with progressive ulceration of the cornea (21 eyes). Sixteen dogswere brachycephalic or had a physiological exophthalmos, and 4 dogs were dolichocephalic. In all cases, after flapremoval, the transplant showed edema and vascularization. In addition, the transplant became granulated, though thisgranulation gradually cleared up later on. As for the post-operative complications, focal wound dehiscence wasobserved in one case and pigmentation was seen in all cases, though the pigmentation was more pronounced in thebrachycephalic dogs. Enucleation of an eye was performed in 1 dog because of glaucoma. In 17 of the dogs, completerestoration of vision occurred, while in 2 dogs the vision remained diminished due to pigmentation. Lamellarkeratoplasty is an adequate technique in the treatment of deep ulcerations of the cornea in dogs.

Both for research and practical purposes, accurate and repeatable methods are required to assess theconcentration of boar semen samples. Since the method which is used may influence the results considerably,the aim of the present study was to compare 5 frequently used techniques to determine boar semenconcentration. Fifty ejaculates were collected from 37 different boars at an artificial insemination centre.Subsequently, each ejaculate was analyzed for sperm concentration by means of 2 different types ofcolorimeters (Colorimeter 1: Model 252, Sherwood Scientific Ltd, Cambridge, UK ; Colorimeter 2: Ciba-Corning, Schippers, Bladel, The Netherlands), the Bürker counting chamber (golden standard), and theHamilton Thorne Analyzer (Ceros 12.1) using 2 types of Leja chambers (the ‘former’ and the ‘recentlydeveloped’). Each ejaculate was assessed 5 times with each of the 5 methods, and the repeatability, expressedby coefficient of variation (CV), was determined for each method. The different methods were compared usingPearson’s correlations and limits of agreement. The colorimeters yielded the lowest CV’s (both 3.7%), whilethe former Leja chamber resulted in the highest CV (12.4%). Moreover, significant (P<0.01) and highcorrelations (r>0.71) were found between the results obtained by the different methods. The limits ofagreement plots showed that none of the methods consistently over- or underestimated the spermconcentrations when compared to the Bürker chamber, although there was a tendency toward higher overorunderestimation in highly concentrated sperm samples. Based on our results, there were no majordifferences in the assessment of sperm concentration between the evalua ted methods. The choice of methodused in a laboratory could therefore be based on factors such as cost, number of samples to be assessed andpractical use, without thereby negatively affecting the validity of the results thus obtained.

Seahorses have become an endangered species because of overfishing. Aquaculture could potentially compensatefor this decline, but its effect is limited since most seahorses raised in captivity die as from the age of 5 days. In thisstudy the histological analysis of the alimentary tract of larvae aged 7 and 33 days is described, to help to understandtheir digestive mechanisms. At day 7 a lot of mucins could be found in the oesophagus. They are suggestive of pregastricdigestion. At both ages, the stomach was observed as a sac-like distension cranially to the midgut, lackinggastric glands. A solid tubulus-shaped structure in between swimbladder and hindgut is suggestive of a regressingpneumatic duct.

This article describes the assessment of immunoglobuline (Ig) G concentration in the colostrum of Belgian bluebeef cows and an investigation of its association with serological status against helminth infections (i.e. Ostertagiaostertagi and Fasciola hepatica). In the discussion, we go more deeply into cow-related factors and environmentalfactors that are known to influence the bovine colostrum quality. Colostral Ig G concentrations were measured in 103cows and showed great variation: the majority of the colostra studied had a low (≤ 25 mg/ml; 36%) or moderate (26-50 mg/ml; 31%) concentration, and only 33% had a concentration which is considered to represent a colostrum ofhigh quality (> 50 mg/ml). This variation was not significantly related to the serological status against helminthinfections. Factors with known influence on bovine colostrum quality can be divided into cow-related factors (age,genetics, disease), seasonal factors, climate factors and management factors (lactation and dry-off management, feed,temperature and administration of hormones and vaccines). Knowledge of these factors can be used to improvecolostrum management in cattle farms.

Many articles on anesthesia in llamas have been published. Xylazine, combined with ketamine is the mostfrequently used injectable anesthetic protocol and it warrants an effective and reliable anesthesia to perform shortprocedures. The use of other α2-agonists is far less documented in the literature.A study was carried out to evaluate and compare the anesthetic and cardiorespiratory effects of intramuscularmedetomidine-ketamine and dexmedetomidine-ketamine in llamas. The induction of anesthesia, cardiorespiratoryparameters and the recovery time were similar in both groups. However, during recovery, significantly more ataxiawas observed in the llamas that received medetomidine than in the llamas that received dexmedetomidine.

The present paper describes a study in which the association between the shape of the lactation curve based ondaily milk yield recordings and the registration of the first post partum heat as detected by an automated heat detectionsystem was examined. In total, 689 animals from 2 herds were included in the study. On both farms, the daily milkproduction was automatically registered by the management system. This data was used to determine in which weekpost partum the peak lactation occurred. Then the shape of the lactation curve between the first week and the peakweek was calculated, which served as a good reflection of the rapidity with which the milk production starts up.Both herds were equipped with similar pedometers to detect cows in heat in a standardized and reasonably accurateway. The first heat was registered on average 52 days post partum. Factors significantly associated with the intervalbetween parturition and first estrus were parity and maximum milk yield. Older cows and cows with a higher peakproduction were detected in heat significantly later. The rapidity with which the lactation starts up (expressed as theshape of the lactation curve) and the calving season were not significantly associated with the interval betweenparturition and first estrus.

In this retrospective study thirteen Yorkshire terriers with histopathologically confirmed necrotizing encephalitiswere studied. All the dogs had progressive neurologic symptoms compatible with a cerebral or a brainstem disease.The blood work revealed increased creatinine kinase (CK) levels in most cases. The cerebrospinal fluid analysis wascharacterized by elevated protein concentrations and mononuclear pleocytosis. Computed tomography (CT) scansrevealed hypodense areas, ventriculomegaly and contrast enhancement. All thirteen Yorkshire terriers were euthanizeddue to the progressive course of this brain disease and the lack of an effective treatment.

The aim of the present study was to examine the correlation between the subcutaneous and intra-abdominal fatdeposits in dairy cows and, furthermore, to determine how these fat deposits can be accurately measured in the livingcow using methods applicable in the field. In 74 dairy cows, the amount of subcutaneous fat was measured justbefore slaughter, using three different techniques: determination of the body condition score (BCS), measurementof the ultrasonographic back fat thickness (BFT), and measurement of the bio-electrical impedance (bioelectricalimpedance analysis, BIA). After slaughter, the amount of fat stored in the omentum was determined using a newomental fat score (OFS) based on a 5-point scale. The results revealed that there is significant correlation betweenthe different methods tested to measure the amount of subcutaneously stored fat (BCS-BFT: r = 0.71; p < 0.001; BCSBIA:r = 0.39; p < 0.01; BFT-BIA: r = 0.57; p < 0.001). Remarkably, however, no correlation was found between theOFS and the amount of fat stored in the subcutis as measured by the BCS and the BFT (r = 0.20; p = 0.08 and r =0.10; p = 0.39, respectively). Also, the BIA results were not correlated with the OFS (r = 0,10; p = 0,40), a fact whichcould be due to the electrode placement along the dorsal midline of the cow instead of on the limbs. The conclusionof this study is that both farmers and veterinarians should be aware that, although the BCS and the BFT may bescored as optimal in relation to their stage in lactation, some cows may hide a significant amount of fat in theiromentum, which may put them at a higher risk of suffering from metabolic diseases. More research is required inorder to develop new techniques to measure accurately and in a practically applicable way the total amount of fatstored in the body of a living cow.

Neurological diseases caused by neuropathogenic strains of EHV1 are being reported with increasingfrequency. Consequently, concern is being voiced within the US horse industry that the neurologic form ofEHV1 may be intensifying in prevalence and/or morbidity and mortality. In Belgium, outbreaks of EHV1-induced abortions are an annually recurrent phenomenon, but outbreaks of equine herpes myelitis (EHM) arerare. This report describes an unusually large outbreak of EHV1-induced EHM that involved at least 13different premises. Seven of them were characterized in more detail and were included in this study. Amorbidity of 26% was seen, with an EHM incidence of 43% in the affected horses. The outbreak wascharacterized by rapid occurrence of ataxia and paralysis immediately after disappearance of the fever. EHV1was diagnosed by means of virus isolation and/or seroconversion. The isolated virus was classified either asneuropathogenic or as belonging to group 4 after sequencing in the ORF30 and ORF68 regions, respectively.The extent of this outbreak and the high percentage of neurological disease, along with the fact that EHMis only sporadically seen in Belgium, might indicate that the neurological form of EHV1 is possibly alsoemerging in Belgium.

Sudden death is defined as the unexpected death of an apparently healthy animal within 24 hours after onset ofthe symptoms. In literature, many causes of sudden death have been reported. In the field, it is very difficult toconfirm the exact cause of sudden death only by necropsy. Nevertheless, an exact diagnosis is requested in case ofinsurance expertise or herd health problems. In the present article, a practical protocol for approaching sudden deathin cattle is proposed. The protocol is based on information available in the literature and on a retrospective necropsyseries of sudden death cases in cattle in Flanders (n=124). The most common causes were enterotoxemia (23.7%),acute pneumonia (9.3%) and Taxus baccata intoxication (6.8%).