Morphometry of the heart orifices and morphometry and topography of the coronary ostia in the goat

Background: The coronary vessels have been described in various species of domestic and wild ruminants. However, no studies on the detailed morphology and morphometry of heart orifices and coronary ostia in the Polish goat are available. Materials and methods: The study was carried out on 112 female, adult dairy goats belonging to Polish Fawn Improved and Polish White Improved breed, closely related to French Alpine and Saanen, respectively. Results: In all examined individuals, all heart orifices and heart valves were of normal structure. There was no significant diametrical difference between the aortic and pulmonary orifice. The right atrioventricular opening was significantly wider than the left atrioventricular opening. The dimension of the left coronary ostium ranged from 1.0 to 5.5 mm with the arithmetic mean (±standard deviation [SD]) of 4.3 ± 0.8 mm. The dimension of the right coronary ostium ranged from 0.5 to 5.0 mm with the arithmetic mean (±SD) of 2.8 ± 0.7 mm. Both coronary artery ostia were located under the sinotubular junction. 39/112 examined goats (34.8%) had variations in the structure of the coronary ostia such as the lack of main trunk or the presence of additional coronary ostia. They were observed in one (in 34/39 goats) or both coronary arteries (5/39 goats). Conclusions:  In goats, the dimensions of aortic and pulmonary orifices are similar while the right atrioventricular opening outsizes the left one. On the other hand, the left coronary ostium is wider than the right one. Morphological variations in the coronary ostia occur in approximately one third of goats, more often in the right than in the left ostium

The Agreement between Feline Pancreatic Lipase Immunoreactivity and DGGR-Lipase Assay in Cats—Preliminary Results

The colorimetric catalytic assay based on the use of 1,2-o-dilauryl-rac-glycero-3-glutaric acid-(6′-methylresorufin) (DGGR) ester as a substrate for pancreatic lipase activity is commonly used for the diagnosis of pancreatitis in dogs and cats. Even though the assay has generally been shown to yield consistent results with feline pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (fPLI) assay, the agreement may vary between assays of different manufacturers. In this study, the chance-corrected agreement between a DGGR-lipase assay offered by one of the biggest providers of diagnostic solutions in Poland and fPLI assay was investigated. The study was carried out on 50 cats in which DGGR-lipase activity and fPLI were tested in the same blood sample. The chance-corrected agreement was determined using Gwet’s AC1 coefficient separately for the fPLI assay’s cut-off values of >3.5 μg/L and >5.3 μg/L. The DGGR-lipase activity significantly positively correlated with fPLI (Rs = 0.665; CI 95%: 0.451, 0.807, p < 0.001). The chance-corrected agreement between the fPLI assay and DGGR-lipase assay differed considerably depending on the cut-off values of the DGGR-lipase assay. When the cut-off value reported in the literature (>26 U/L) was used, it was poor to fair. It was moderate at the cut-off value recommended by the laboratory (>45 U/L), and good at the cut-off value recommended by the assay’s manufacturer (>60 U/L). The highest agreement was obtained between the fPLI assay at the cut-off value of 3.5 μg/L and the DGGR-lipase assay at the cut-off value of 55 U/L (AC1 = 0.725; CI 95%: 0.537, 0.914) and between the fPLI assay at the cut-off value of 5.3 μg/L and the DGGR-lipase assay at the cut-off value of 70 U/L (AC1 = 0.749; CI 95%: 0.577, 0.921). The study confirms that the chance-corrected agreement between the two assays is good. Prospective studies comparing both assays to a diagnostic gold standard are needed to determine which of them is more accurate

Mitral regurgitation in Dachshund dogs without heart murmurs

Introduction: Older small breed dogs are considered at risk for heart failure secondary to chronic mitral valve disease. However, few data are available on the onset of this disease in such dogs. This study was performed to determine if auscultation alone can be used to eliminate clinically relevant mitral valve regurgitation seen in echocardiography in Dachshund dogs. Material and Methods: Clinical and echocardiographic data were obtained from 107 dogs without heart murmurs. Results: The study revealed that 63.6% of the dogs had mitral regurgitation. Numbers increased with age and a larger percentage of male Dachshunds were affected than female Dachshunds. Mitral valve prolapse and thickening were mild, and the regurgitant area inextensive in most dogs. Conclusions: The study shows that mitral valve regurgitation is prevalent (63.6%) in Dachshunds without heart murmurs. Typical lesions often become apparent during echocardiographic examinations in dogs under 5 years of age

Cocciodiosis in goats - diagnosis, prophylaxis and treatment

In this review we aimed to present important protozoan disease in goats, which are increasingly bred in Poland. Coccidiosis is the main cause of diarrhoea in young goats. The disease is caused by apicomplexan parasitic protozoans – Eimeria spp. Eimeriae are host-specific and never cross interspecies barrier even in ruminants. Goats at any age may be infected, however the clinical disease occurs most often in young animals from 3 weeks to 5 months of age. Poor management, stress and overcrowding are the most important factors associated with the clinical coccidiosis in goats. Eimeria spp. infection causes serious damage to the intestinal epithelium which results in severe watery diarrhea, dehydration, failure to thrive, poor weight gain and loss of productivity. Control of coccidiosis in goats is based on the improvement of management and environmental conditions, preventive use of medicines (coccidiostats), and treatment of clinical cases

Resistance to antihelmintics in gastro-intestinal nematodes in goats. Part I. Epidemiology, clinical course and infection recognition

This article presents the major genera and species of gastrointestinal nematodes found in goats, along with appropriate diagnostic methods. Many health problems in goat herds are related to the infection gastrointestinal nematodes. In Poland, the most common goat nematodes belong to the species H. contortus and to genera Trichostrongylus and Teladorsagia. The clinical signs of infection are non-specific and include diarrhoea, pale mucous membranes, oedema of soft tissues, and weight loss. Diagnosis is based on qualitative (simple flotation), and quantitative (McMaster’s method), and larvoscopic methods (Baermann’s method). Differentiation of the species and genus of gastrointestinal nematodes is carried out using invasive larvae culture methods and molecular biology (PCR) methods

A primary multiple pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma of the heart in an adult dog

Abstract Background Heart tumors are rare in dogs. They can be benign or malignant. Clinical signs depend primarily on the location of the tumor and its effect on blood flow. Case presentation An eleven-year-old crossbreed male dog lethargic and anorectic for previous 3 days was presented to the veterinary clinic. The focused ultrasound assessment with sonograms in trauma (FAST) revealed multiple tumors in the heart which were then confirmed in echocardiographic examination performed by a veterinary cardiologist. Due to the poor general condition and grave prognosis, the dog was humanely euthanized. The autopsy revealed numerous intracardiac tumors in all four heart chambers. No proliferative changes were found in other organs either in thoracic or abdominal cavity. Immunohistochemical examination was performed using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue from heart masses. The antibodies against myoglobin, desmin, smooth muscle actin, vimentin, CD34, S100, and pan-cytokeratin (AE1/AE3) were used. Microscopically, the tumor was composed of fascicles of spindle-shaped cells with pale eosinophilic cytoplasm with round, oval, and focally elongated nuclei and one or two prominent nucleoli. The tumor cells showed strong diffuse cytoplasmic immunopositivity for myoglobin and vimentin and focal staining for desmin. Immunostainings for smooth muscle actin-SMA, CD34, pan-cytokeratin, S-100 protein were negative. The immunohistochemical staining pattern confirmed rhabdomyosarcoma. Conclusions This is the first description of the primary multiple heart rhabdomyosarcoma in a dog

Resistance to anthelmintics in gastro-intestinal nematodes in goats. Part II. Methods of control and prevention of infection

Many health disorders in goats result from infections with intestinal nematodes, however this problem is commonly misdiagnosed by veterinarians. Treatment is based on the use of an effective anthelmintic in a goat-proper dose. In practice, the control of parasitic infections in goat herds is based on the use of antiparasitic drugs: benzimidazoles (albendazole), imidazothiazoles/tetrahydroxypyrimidines (especially levamisole) and macrocyclic lactones (ivermectin, eprinomectin). Unfortunately, only few antiparasitics are registered in Poland for use in goats. This renders veterinarians to extrapolate dosage from cows and sheep, which is however considerably different. Thus, the failure of treatment is the most direct consequence of incorrect protocol of therapy, but growing resistance of nematodes to anthelmintics quickly follows. Furthermore, it is crucial to comply with the Directive 2001/82/WE and assume longer withdrawal periods, when the drug is used in an extra-label pattern. The aim of this article was to present methods of control and prevention of infection with gastro-intestinal nematodes in goats

The purulent meningoencephalitis in goats caused by <i>Trueperella pyogenes</i>

This article presents a case of purulent meningoencephalitis in goat kid caused by Trueperella pyogenes (formerly: Corynebacterium pyogenes, Actinomyces pyogenes and Arcanobacterium pyogenes), a Gram-positive, non-sporulating and microaerophilic bacteria. This opportunistic pathogen is a common resident on the skin and mucous membranes of many animal species and can cause suppurative and necrotizing infections of tissues, including also central nervous system. In goats, purulent brain lesions caused by T. pyogenes are often associated with hot-iron disbudding and the disease manifests itself by various neurological signs. Despite the risk of the complications from thermal disbudding procedure, it is still the most common and humane method of preventing horn related injuries in the goats herd

Ultrasonographic and anatomical examination of normal thyroid and internal parathyroid glands in goats.

Ultrasonographic examination of the normal thyroid and parathyroid glands has been described for humans and many animal species. However, similar reports for goats are still missing. The aim of the study was to present ultrasound features of the normal thyroid and internal parathyroid glands in goats with the determination of their dimensions and volume, followed by a comparison of the results to the gross examination. Seventy-two goats were used in the study. The echostructure and echogenicity of the thyroid and parathyroid glands were assessed. The length, width and height of the thyroid and the length and width of the parathyroid glands were measured. The thyroid volume was calculated using the ellipsoid formula, basing on the ultrasonographic dimensions. Size and volume of the dissected thyroid glands were established grossly, followed by a histological examination. In order to accurately describe the anatomy of the thyroid, new anatomical terminology characterizing this gland was proposed. The mean dimensions of the thyroid lobes were 30.2 x 10.5 x 6.3 mm. There were no statistically significant differences between the right and left lobe. Parathyroid glands measured an average of 3.6 x 2.4 mm. The percentage Root Mean Square Error between the results of ultrasonographic and gross examination was 16.73%, 20.65% and 17.01% for thyroid length, width and height, respectively, and 46.30% for volume. In order to obtain more precise calculation of the thyroid volume, a modified correction factor for the ellipsoid formula was introduced. For the first time, the normal ultrasonographic characteristics and dimensions of the caprine thyroid and internal parathyroid glands were presented. The results may serve as a radiological reference and be the basis for further research