A Computed Tomographic Study of the Premolar Teeth of Babyrousa spp.

A photographic and computed tomography (CT) scanning study was carried out on the premolar teeth of 18 adult male Babyrousa babyrussa skulls, 10 skulls of Babyrousa celebensis, including 6 adult males, 1 adult female, 1 subadult male, 1 subadult female, and 1 juvenile male. The occlusal morphology of the permanent maxillary premolar teeth of B. babyrussa was very similar to that of B. celebensis. Almost all the maxillary third premolar teeth (107/207) had 2 roots, whereas maxillary fourth premolar teeth (108/208) had 3 or 4 roots. All of the mesial tooth roots of 107/207 and 108/208 were tapering rod-like structures; each contained a single pulp canal. Almost all distal roots of 107/207 were “C” shaped and contained 2 pulp canals. The 108/208 palatal roots were “C” shaped and contained 2 pulp canals. The mesial and distal roots of the mandibular third premolar teeth (307/407) teeth were uniformly rod-like, as were the mesial roots of the mandibular fourth premolar teeth (308/408) teeth. The distal roots of the 308/408 teeth were “C” shaped. All B. babyrussa 307/407 teeth have a single pulp canal located in each of the mesial and distal roots. The 308/408 mesial tooth root contained 1 pulp canal. In all but 3 of the 36 distal 308/408 roots of B. babyrussa teeth and in 7 of the 14 distal roots of B. celebensis teeth there was a single pulp canal; in the other 7 teeth there were 2 pulp canals. Each of the 3 medial roots contained 1 pulp canal

A computed tomographic study of the molar teeth of Babyrousa spp.

A photographic and computed tomography (CT) scanning study was carried out on the molar teeth of 18 adult male Babyrousa babyrussa skulls and 8 skulls of Babyrousa celebensis including 7 adult males, 1 adult female and 1 subadult male. The occlusal morphology of the adult maxillary and mandibular molar teeth of B. babyrussa was very similar to that of B. celebensis. Most B. babyrussa maxillary molar teeth had 6 roots, with small numbers of teeth having 4, 5 or 7 roots. A similar pattern was suggested in B. celebensis. Mandibular molar teeth had between 4 and 8 roots. Tooth roots of first and second maxillary and mandibular molar teeth were largely tapering, rod-like structures.The roots of the 111/211 teeth had a more complex arrangement; some inserted almost vertically into the maxilla; others orientated in a more distal direction. The mesial and distal roots were splayed in appearance. The 311/411 tooth roots retained elements of the open ‘C’ shape and were generally orientated distally. The pulp chambers were arched to fit under the main cusps in all molar teeth. Pulp canals were variable in number

The first report of Aelurostrongylus falciformis in Norwegian badgers (Meles meles)

The first report of Aelurostrongylus falciformis (Schlegel 1933) in Fennoscandian badgers is described. Routine parasitological examination of nine Norwegian badgers, at the National Veterinary Institute during 2004 and 2005, identified A. falciformis in the terminal airways of five of the animals. The first stage larvae (L1) closely resembled, in size and morphology, those of Angiostrongylus vasorum (Baillet 1866). The diagnosis for both A. falciformis and A. vasorum is frequently based on the identification of L1 in faeces or sputum. The potential for misclassification of an A. falciformis infection as A. vasorum, where larval identification is the only diagnostic method used, is discussed

Myocardial injury in dogs with snake envenomation and its relation to systemic inflammation

OBJECTIVE : To investigate the presence of myocardial injury in dogs hospitalized for snake envenomation and to examine its relationship with systemic inflammation. DESIGN : Prospective case-control study. SETTINGS : University teaching hospital and small animal referral hospital. ANIMALS : Dogs naturally envenomed by the European viper (Vipera berus; n = 24), African puff adder (Bitis arietans; n = 5), or snouted cobra (Naja annulifera; n = 9). INTERVENTIONS : Blood was collected from dogs envenomed by V. berus at admission, 12–24 hours postadmission, and 5–10 days postadmission. Blood was collected from dogs envenomed by B. arietans or N. annulifera at admission, and 12, 24, and 36 hours postadmission. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS : Concentrations of cardiac troponin I (cTnI), a marker of myocardial injury, and C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of systemic inflammation, were measured in each blood sample. Evidence of myocardial injury was found in 58% of dogs envenomed by V. berus at one or more time points. A significant correlation between cTnI and CRP concentrations was found at all time points. Evidence of myocardial injury was found in 80% of dogs envenomed by B. arietans at one or more time points; however, no correlation was found between cTnI and CRP concentrations. Evidence of myocardial injury was found in 67% of dogs envenomed by N. annulifera at one or more time points. A significant correlation between cTnI and CRP concentrations was found at admission, but not at other time points. CONCLUSIONS : Myocardial injury frequently occurred in dogs with snake envenomation. While the degree of systemic inflammation was significantly correlated with degree of myocardial injury in V. berus envenomation at all time points, this was not the case in dogs envenomed by N. annulifera or B. arietans. This could be due to differences in the toxic substances of the snake venoms or to differences in the cytokines induced by the venom toxins.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1476-44312015-04-30hb201

Tick-borne encephalitis virus in dogs - is this an issue?

The last review on Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in dogs was published almost ten years ago. Since then, this zoonotic tick-borne arbovirus has been geographically spreading and emerging in many regions in Eurasia and continues to do so. Dogs become readily infected with TBE virus but they are accidental hosts not capable to further spread the virus. They seroconvert upon infection but they seem to be much more resistant to the clinical disease than humans. Apart from their use as sentinels in endemic areas, however, an increasing number of case reports appeared during the last decade thus mirroring the rising public health concerns. Owing to the increased mobility of people travelling to endemic areas with their companion dogs, this consequently leads to problems in recognizing and diagnosing this severe infection in a yet non-endemic area, simply because the veterinarians are not considering TBE. This situation warrants an update on the epidemiology, clinical presentation and possible preventions of TBE in the dog