Survey of otitis externa in American Cocker Spaniels in Finland

Background: American Cocker Spaniels are overrepresented among breeds that require surgery as a treatment of end-stage otitis externa. However, the prevalence of otitis externa (OE) in this breed remains unknown. We reviewed the year 2010 medical records of 55 private veterinary clinics in Finland to determine the prevalence of OE in American Cocker Spaniels compared with English Cocker and English and Welsh Springer Spaniels. An American Cocker Spaniel owner questionnaire was designed to identify potential risk factors for end-stage OE. Results: From the medical records of 98,736 dogs, the prevalence of OE was highest in Welsh Springer Spaniels (149 out of 468, 31.8%, [95% confidence interval 27.6-36.0]), followed by American Cocker (89/329, 27.0%, [22.2-31.7]), English Springer (96/491, 19.6%, [16.1-23.1]) and English Cocker Spaniels (231/1467, 15.7%, [13.8-17.6]). The mean number of OE episodes in ear-diseased dogs and the number of ear surgeries were highest in American Cocker Spaniels. Owner questionnaires were received for 151 American Cocker Spaniels, 85 (56%) of which had suffered from OE. In 47% (40/85) of these dogs, OE occurred without concurrent skin lesions, 46% (33/72) displayed the first signs of OE before 1 year of age. In 24% (20/85) of the dogs, the signs of OE recurred within 1 month or continued despite treatment, 16% (14/85) required surgery (n = 11) or were euthanized (n = 5; 2 of the operated dogs and 3 others) due to severe OE. The onset of OE before the age of 1 year significantly increased the risk (OR 3.8, 95% CI 1.1-13.6) of end-stage OE. Conclusions: The prevalence of OE in American Cocker Spaniels in Finland was higher than previously reported in Cocker Spaniels, but the highest prevalence of OE was found in Welsh Springer Spaniels. Compared to the other Spaniels, OE was more often recurrent and more frequently surgically managed in American Cocker Spaniels. Based on the questionnaire, early onset (<1 year) of OE increased the risk of end-stage OE. In American Cocker Spaniels, OE requires an intensive approach from the first treatment, and prevention of recurrence should be emphasised. The causes and treatment of OE in this breed warrant further study.Peer reviewe

Antimicrobial resistance in Staphylococcus spp., Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp. in dogs given antibiotics for chronic dermatological disorders, compared with non-treated control dogs

The aim of this study was to evaluate antimicrobial resistance in canine staphylococci, Escherichia coli and enterococci, which were isolated from 22 dogs with pyoderma and a history of previous antibiotic treatment, compared to bacterial isolates from 56 non-treated control dogs. Two isolates of each bacterial species per dog were investigated, if detected. Staphylococcal isolates from dogs with pyoderma (35 isolates) were more resistant to sulphatrimethoprim than the isolates from controls (56 isolates) (57% vs. 25%, p < 0.004). Multiresistance in staphylococci was also more common in dogs with pyoderma (29% vs. 9%, p = 0.02). A similar trend among isolates of E. coli was detected (24 and 74 isolates from treated and control dogs, respectively), but the differences were not significant. Resistance for macrolide-lincosamides was approximately 20% among staphylococci in both groups. Resistance to ampicillin among enterococci was 4%–7%. The age of the dogs might have an impact on resistance: multiresistance among staphylococcal isolates from younger dogs (≤5 years) was more common than in older dogs (≥6 years) (24%, vs. 0%, 63 and 27 isolates, respectively, p = 0.02). Staphylococci in younger dogs were more resistant to tetracycline (48% vs. 11%, p < 0.001) and sulphatrimethoprim (48% vs. 15%, p < 0.01) than those in older dogs. In contrast, the isolates of E. coli from older dogs tended to be more resistant, although a significant difference was detected only in resistance to tetracycline (13% vs. 2% of 40 and 50 isolates respecthely, p = 0.04)). The results of this small study indicate that resistance in canine staphylococci in the capital area of Finland is comparable with many other countries in Europe. Resistance in indicator bacteria, E. coli and enterococci, was low

Epidemiology of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius in guide dogs in Finland

Background: Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) and Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are common multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria in dogs. In 2012-2013 three dogs of the Guide Dog School of the Finnish Federation of the Visually Impaired were found to be MRSP positive. Guide dogs have regular contact with each other during their first year of life and prolonged contact when in training. Since dogs are placed in different parts of Finland after training, there is a risk for national spread of MDR bacteria. In this study the prevalence of MRSP and MRSA, as well as the risk factors for MRSP were determined in the Finnish guide dog population. MRSP isolates were investigated using molecular methods and compared to the earlier isolates. Results: Out of 132 tested dogs 4 were MRSP positive thus giving the prevalence estimate of 3% (95% CI: 1-8%) for MRSP in the target population. MRSA was not detected (prevalence estimate 0%, 95% CI: 0-3%). Risk factors associated with MRSP were being a breeding bitch (OR = 8.4; 95% CI: 1.1-64.1, P = 0.012), the number of veterinary visits (OR = 1.23; 95% CI: 1.0-1.5, P = 0.025) and number of antimicrobial courses (OR = 1.63; 95% CI: 1.0-2.55; P = 0.035). Identified MRSP isolates belonged to five different sequence types (ST45, 71, 402, 403 and 404). All ST71 isolates carried SCCmec II-III, while the SCCmec type of the ST45 and ST402 (a single locus variant of ST45) isolates were non-typeable with the method used. Conclusions: MRSP and MRSA had low prevalence in the studied dog population despite the close contact between dogs, and the MRSP population was heterogenic. Antimicrobial therapy and veterinary visits are risk factors for MRSP even among a small case group.Peer reviewe

Clinical and Genetic Findings in 28 American Cocker Spaniels with Aural Ceruminous Gland Hyperplasia and Ectasia

American Cocker Spaniels (ACSs) develop aural ceruminous gland hyperplasia and ectasia more often than dogs of other breeds. Data on the cause and development of these breed characteristic histopathological changes are lacking. We performed video-otoscopic examinations and dermatological work-up on 28 ACSs, obtained aural biopsies from each dog and assessed the statistical associations between the presence of ceruminous gland hyperplasia and ectasia and disease history, clinical or microbiological findings and underlying cause of otitis externa (OE). Histological lesions of ceruminous gland hyperplasia and ectasia were observed in aural biopsies from 6/13 clinically healthy ears and 13/15 ears with OE from 19/28 examined dogs. Nine of 28 dogs had histologically normal ceruminous glands (odds ratio [OR] 6.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-36.6). Bacterial growth in microbiological culture of aural exudate (OR 14.1, 95% CI 2.1-95.3) was associated with ceruminous glandular changes, whereas previous history of OE, cutaneous findings or underlying allergies were not. Pedigree analysis and a genome-wide association study (GWAS) were performed on 18 affected and eight unaffected dogs based on histopathological diagnosis. While the GWAS indicated a tentative, but not statistically significant, association of ceruminous gland hyperplasia and ectasia with chromosome 31, a larger cohort is needed to confirm this preliminary result. Based on our results, ceruminous gland hyperplasia and ectasia may also precede clinical signs of OE in ACSs and a genetic aetiological component is likely Further studies with larger cohorts are warranted to verify our preliminary results. (C) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.Peer reviewe

Eläinsuojelustyö ja kansakoulu

14 x 22 c

The political economy of ending the fossil fuel era : lessons from the Lake Turkana Wind Power project in Kenya

In the light of increasing socio-ecological crises, there has been a surge in the promotion of, and investments in, renewable energy in the Global South. Previous theories and research, largely framed around conservative and liberal paradigms, have hailed these developments as a breakthrough. Yet, just sustainability theorists have pointed to logically plausible problems in these alternatives, suggesting that they do not go far enough and could, indeed, worsen the present crises. From these critiques, the conservative and liberal advocacy of a shift towards a low-carbon society does not, and cannot, automatically guarantee just sustainabilities. Although controversial, neither conservative, liberal, nor just sustainability theorists have empirically ascertained these claims about the nature of sustainable development. Africa’s largest wind power plant, the Lake Turkana Wind Power (LTWP) project in Kenya, provides a useful case study for this purpose. In addressing this lacuna, this thesis attempts to answer two fundamental questions related to the project. First, which are the dominant discourses on the LTWP project in Kenya? and second, what are the prospects of these discourses to drive just sustainability in Kenya? To address these questions, a range of rich data was collected, consisting of eight semi-structured interviews with key informants in Kenya and Finland, written documents including 12 news and feature articles, two policy documents and one company impact assessment. The data was systematised using critical discourse analysis (CDA) set within a political-economic framework of just sustainabilities in which wind power is dialectically linked to the dominant fossil fuel system built on global inequalities. Based on this methodology, this thesis argues that not only is the LTWP project not regarded as an environmental sustainability initiative, it is mostly understood as satisfying economic needs. More fundamentally, as the LTWP is realised within the dominant capitalist frame, guided by a reliance on market forces, new technologies and a search for new frontiers of capital accumulation, processes that are erected on, and typically drive, local and global inequalities, it does not address wider concerns of inclusion, raised by representatives for local communities in Northern Kenyan in the semi-structured interviews. Analytically, this evidence shows that mainstream conservative and liberal theories of development and energy are insufficient for analysing the transition from fossil to alternative fuels, let alone provide a canvass for a total liberation of the Global South. Clearly, the political economy of LTWP also calls into question the objectives of donor nations involved in the project as financiers. This evidence provides further basis to put the case for understanding alternative energy projects, particularly the LTWP under study, within a much broader framework of alternative, radical theories of just sustainabilities centred on concepts such as just land

Oletukset yritysoston takana: Case Stora Enso - Consolidated Papers

The thesis studies the assumptions management makes when contemplating a merger or an acquisition. The argument of the research is that management makes a variety of different assumptions on factors that might not be directly related to the target company, but which might still have a significant effect on the long-term success of the transaction. The framework developed aims at capturing the decision making process involved in a merger or an acquisition. The process consists of making assumptions in three areas a) mergers and acquisitions as a strategic action in general, b) the certain geographical or business area where to make the transaction and c) the assumptions specific to the target company. In addition, the framework classifies these assumptions into 12 internal or external "dimensions", which are factors or stakeholders whose future reactions or developments should be considered. To validate the framework, the 2000 acquisition of Consolidated Papers by Stora Enso is looked at in detail. The deal has been strongly criticized because it failed to attain its preconceived benefits. Seven years later, the target was divested with a significant loss incurred by Stora Enso. The research includes 16 interviews with key players involved in the deal, including top management of Stora Enso, the chairman and main stockholder of Consolidated Papers, advisors involved in the deal as well as competitor representatives. The findings of the interviews have been validated using publicly available contemporary documents. Based on the interviews, assumptions made by Stora Enso management at the time of the acquisition have been identified. After that, their truthfulness has been assessed. This has provided a systematic way to assess why Stora Enso bought Consolidated Papers and what factors hindered the realization of the deal's preconceived benefits. The conclusion of the study is that four factors were most significant in causing the loss incurred by Stora Enso as a result of the acquisition. These were: 1) The economic cycle turned suddenly and paper demand started to change fundamentally 2) The increasing presence of Asian paper manufacturers was a market disrupting threat 3) Consolidated Papers' weakening profitability would have required a turnaround in operations, and Stora Enso management was overconfident in its ability to halt the company's declining prospects 4) The US dollar weakened dramatically increasing the competitiveness of American production, but making production optimization harder and causing the euro value of CPI's future cash flows to drop causing a major part of the losses. A secondary aim of the research was to document accurately the historical events involved in the acquisition, and to provide a rigorous and reliable calculation of the extent of Stora Enso's losses. The losses for pre-acquisition Stora Enso shareholders have been calculated using several methods, with the total loss lying between 2,0 - 2,7 billion Euros.Tutkimus käsittelee yritysjohdon tekemiä olettamuksia yrityskauppojen yhteydessä. Tutkimus esittää, että pohtiessaan yrityskauppoja johto tekee erilaisia olettamuksia tekijöistä, jotka eivät välttämättä suoraan liity ostettavaan yritykseen, mutta jotka voivat kuitenkin olla merkittäviä kaupan taloudellisen lopputuloksen kannalta. Tutkimusta varten kehitetty viitekehys pyrkii kuvaamaan yrityskaupan päätöksentekoprosessia. Prosessi jakautuu kolmeen osaan, jossa kussakin johto tekee tiettyjä olettamuksia. Olettamukset liittyvät joko a) yrityskauppoihin strategisena toimenpiteenä ylipäätänsä, b) tiettyyn maantieteelliseen tai liiketoiminta-alueeseen tai c) yrityskaupan kohteeseen. Lisäksi viitekehys jakaa tehdyt olettamukset kahteentoista sisäiseen tai ulkoiseen ulottuvuuteen, jotka ovat tekijöitä tai sidosryhmiä, joiden reaktiot tai tuleva kehitys on syytä ottaa huomioon. Viitekehyksen validoimiseksi tutkitaan vuonna 2000 tapahtunutta yrityskauppaa, jossa suomalais- ruotsalainen metsäyhtiö Stora Enso osti amerikkalaisen Consolidated Papersin. Kauppaa on kritisoitu vahvasti, koska sen etukäteen määritetyt tavoitteet eivät toteutuneet. Seitsemän vuotta oston jälkeen Stora Enso möi Yhdysvaltain toimintonsa kärsien raskaan tappion. Tutkimuksessa haastatellaan 16:ta kaupan syntymisen kannalta merkittävää henkilöä, joihin kuuluu ylimpää johtoa, neuvonantajia, myyjän pääosakkeenomistaja sekä kilpailijoiden edustajia. Haastattelujen löydökset on validoitu käyttäen samalta ajalta peräisin olevia julkisia dokumentteja. Haastattelujen perusteella Stora Enson johdon tekemät olettamukset on listattu ja niiden totuudenmukaisuus on tutkittu. Näin tutkimuskysymykset, miksi kauppa tehtiin ja miksi sen ennakkoon oletetut edut jäivät saavuttamatta, saatiin tutkittua järjestelmällisesti. Tuloksena voidaan todeta, mitkä olettamukset osoittautuivat todeksi, ja minkä olettamusten pettäminen aiheutti Stora Ensolle suuret tappiot. Neljä tekijää osoittautui merkityksekkäimmiksi: 1) Yhdysvaltain talouden sykli kääntyi yllättäen, ja paperin kysyntätrendi kääntyi laskevaksi 2) Aasialaisten kilpailijoiden lisääntynyt läsnäolo Yhdysvaltain markkinoilla haittasi hintakehitystä 3) Consolidated Papers olisi vaatinut merkittäviä toimia kannattavuuden heikentymisen pysäyttämiseksi, ja Stora Enson johto yliarvioi omat kykynsä johtaa yritystä tuottavasti 4) Yhdysvaltain Dollari heikkeni merkittävästi. Tämä toisaalta paransi paikallisen tuotannon kilpailukykyä mutta toisaalta vaikeutti tuotannon optimointia ja heikensi Consolidated Papersin tulevien kassavirtojen euromääräistä arvoa. Tutkimuksen toinen tavoite oli dokumentoida kauppaan liittyvät historialliset tapahtumat, ja laskea Stora Enson tappioiden suuruus. Stora Enson kauppaa edeltävien osakkeenomistajien tappioiden arvioidaan olleen laskutavasta riippuen noin 2,0 - 2,7 miljardia Euroa