2008 - 77 (6)

Paper in Dutch

Thirteen multidrug-resistant MRSA strains from infections of hospitalized horses in an equine clinic wereanalyzed. They all were indigestible by SmaI restriction, possessed SCCmec type IV and belonged to spa typet011. One isolate was analyzed by MLST and allotted to ST398. The MRSA clonal lineage ST398-SCCmec IVappears to have a high capability of causing clinical infections in an equine hospital environment.

Progestagens can be used to control the estrus of bitches and cats for contraceptive purposes. This implies theoccurrence of both reproductive and non-reproductive side effects. However, other contraceptive methods such assurgical sterilization are alternatives of equal value. To investigate this matter, a survey about the use of progestagensin small animal practices was sent to 120 Flemish veterinarians, 80 of whom responded. The results show that surgicalsterilization is recommended by 98% of the veterinarians when owners require heat control of their animal.Nevertheless, the use of progestagens remains popular, with 71% of the practices using them with dogs and 58% usingthem with cats. The injectable formulations of medroxyprogesterone acetate and proligestone are mostly used inbitches, while the oral administration of megestrolacetate is most commonly used in cats. Increased appetite and bodyweight, neoplasia of the mammary gland and cystic endometrial hyperplasia/pyometra complex were the side effectsmost commonly noticed by veterinarians in both species.

Cerebellar cortical atrophy has been described both in animals and in humans. In cattle, it has alreadybeen identified in several breeds, with the main histopathological lesions being located in the cerebellarPurkinje layer and ranging from chromatolysis to loss of neurons. This case, however, is the first described ina Belgian Blue cow. Additionally, the histopathological lesions were different from those described in othercattle breeds, with prominent focal granular layer loss and abnormal Purkinje cells comparable to thosedescribed in Norman-Jaeken disease or primary degeneration of the granular layer of the cerebellum inhumans.

The fertility of high yielding dairy cows has decreased during the last 25 years. For example, the calving-interval(CI) has extended with 30 days (from 390 days in 1992 to 420 days in 2008). Consequently, practitioners dealing withherd health management, are often faced with farmers’ questions about the financial impact of an extended CI.Numerous studies have attempted to calculate the economic consequences of an extended CI. Some researchersbased their investigations on real data and analyzed them retrospectively, while others simulated situations by complexmodels. Undoubtedly, the lactation curve is the most important contributor to these calculations, besides a whole rangeof other factors, which may influence the economic results in a positive or negative way. Consequently, conclusionsare not always that unambiguous. In general the conclusion is that an extended CI will result in a loss of money.Extending the CI from 395 days to 432 days for instance results in a loss of € 2.08 per cow per day; in total € 77 percow (37 days).Because the lactation persistency is rather plastic, some managerial measures, such as a higher milking frequencyand the use of bovine somatotropin, can be taken to increase the persistency resulting in a less negative or even apositive economic balance.

When a mare exhibits signs of colic during the last trimester of gestation, uterine torsion should alwaysbe part of the differential diagnosis. Uterine torsion is an infrequently occurring but serious complication inpregnant mares. In this article a review is given of the appearance, causes, symptoms, diagnostic examinations,treatment options and prognosis for the mare, as well as for her foal. At the end, three unusual cases aredescribed.

Dental problems are very common in pet rabbits. To establish a correct diagnosis of rabbit dentalpathology, a general knowledge of normal dental anatomy and physiology is necessary. The specific anatomyand the most common pathologies of rabbit dentition are reviewed.Techniques for diagnosing dental abnormalities − such as clinical examination, radiography and computedtomography (CT) − are summarized. Finally, two clinical cases of rabbits with dental pathologies aredescribed.

Rabies is a lethal viral encephalitis of mammals. This article reviews important aspects of rabies controlin Belgium. From the sixties to the nineties, the virus caused an epidemic in foxes in the south of Belgium.Thanks to successive vaccination campaigns starting from 1989, the disease was eradicated in foxes. Belgiumwas declared free by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) in 2001. Different measures are in placeto maintain this free status, including surveillance in wild carnivores and domestic animals and the Europeanpet travel scheme. This scheme implies that pets can only be imported from risk regions after vaccination andconfirmation of immunity by an antibody test. Data on the distribution of negative and positive results withthis test in vaccinated animals are presented in this article. Further, a new case of rabies in a dog in Beersel,3.5 months is described after import from Morocco. Finally, the unique role of bats in rabies epidemiology iselaborated.

Paper in Dutch