2003 - 72 (2)

During the period of July 1999 through June 2002, carcasses of wild rabbits that had been shot or found dead and livers originating from wild rabbits that had been shot for consumption were collected in Flanders. One hundred and twelve carcasses were suitable for necropsy and histological and bacteriological analysis; histological analysis was possible in 41 livers. Considering the 112 rabbit carcasses only, Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease (RHD) was found to be present in 33.9% of the cases. RHD was the most prevalent wild rabbit pathology detected in this study, before staphylococcosis (12.5%), and myxomatosis (10.7%). None of the liver samples from rabbits shot for consumption were positive for RHD. Of the 38 histologically RHD positive samples, 24 were analyzed with the hemagglutination (HA) technique, yielding 58.3% positive results. Seven samples that were histologically positive for RHD but HA negative were examined by transmission electron microscopy and were found positive for calicivirus. This proves that HA-negative RHD strains are circulating in the Flemish wild rabbit population.

A pulmonary infiltration with eosinophils in a male Husky is described in this paper. The clinical signs, such as dyspnoea and coughing, were present for four days. A diagnosis was obtained by radiography of the thorax and a bronchoalveolar lavage. A treatment of prednisolone was given and resulted in a complete recovery of the patient. The literature on the different techniques to take a sample (the translaryngeal, the transtracheal and the bronchoalveolar lavage), the differential diagnosis, the diagnosis and the treatment are furthermore discussed. A good differential diagnosis is important for a correct prognosis and treatment.

The chemical structure, metabolism, biological function and general requirements for vitamin E are highlighted. The clinical symptoms, including the diagnosis and treatment of vitamin E deficiency, are briefly discussed for different zoo mammals. The physiological levels of vitamin E are presently available for most zoo animals, and supplementation of vitamin E in the diet has become common practice in zoo and wildlife medicine. Due to this knowledge and adapted supplementation, clinical cases of vitamin E deficiency are becoming increasingly rare.

This paper describes an outbreak of subclinical mastitis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a dairy herd. An increase in the bulk milk somatic cell count from 82 000 to 327 000 cells/ml was observed over a period of one month. P. aeruginosa was diagnosed as the causal agent of the problems. All infected cows were identified using bacteriological culture of milk samples. As the farmer explicitly asked for a treatment, disinfection and renewal of the teat liners were carried out and all infected quarters and cows were treated systemically and intramammarily with a cephalosporin antibiotic. Treatment was unsuccessful and all persistently infected cows were culled, after which the bulk somatic cell count returned to a normal level.