Marine Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas in the Chagos Archipelago

This is the final version. Available on open access from Cambridge University Press via the DOI in this recordSeabirds are declining globally and are one of the most threatened groups of birds. To halt or reverse this decline they need protection both on land and at sea, requiring site-based conservation initiatives based on seabird abundance and diversity. The Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) programme is a method of identifying the most important places for birds based on globally agreed standardised criteria and thresholds. However, while great strides have been made identifying terrestrial sites, at-sea identification is lacking. The Chagos Archipelago, central Indian Ocean, supports four terrestrial IBAs (tIBAs) and two proposed marine IBAs (mIBAs). The mIBAs are seaward extensions to breeding colonies based on outdated information and, other types of mIBA have not been explored. Here, we review the proposed seaward extension mIBAs using up-to-date seabird status and distribution information and, use global positioning system (GPS) tracking from Red-footed Booby Sula sula – one of the most widely distributed breeding seabirds on the archipelago – to identify any pelagic mIBAs. We demonstrate that due to overlapping boundaries of seaward extension to breeding colony and pelagic areas of importance there is a single mIBA in the central Indian Ocean that lays entirely within the Chagos Archipelago Marine Protected Area (MPA). Covering 62,379 km2 it constitutes ~10% of the MPA and if designated, would become the 11th largest mIBA in the world and 4th largest in the Indian Ocean. Our research strengthens the evidence of the benefits of large-scale MPAs for the protection of marine predators and provides a scientific foundation stone for marine biodiversity hotspot research in the central Indian Ocean.Bertarelli Foundatio

What is your diagnosis?

A 9-year-old spayed female Greyhound that was nonambulatory was examined because of painful progressive paraparesis of 1 week’s duration. No precipitating cause had been identified by the owner. Findings on initial CBC and serum biochemical analysis were unremarkable. Physical examination findings were unremarkable. Neurologic assessment revealed paraparesis with absent conscious proprioception in both pelvic limbs and normal spinal reflexes. The cutaneous trunci reflex was absent caudal to L4. Signs of diffuse pain were evident on palpation of the cranial lumbar region. The lesion was localized to the T3-L3 spinal cord segment. Survey radiography of the lumbar portion of the vertebral column revealed mineralization of several intervertebral disks and narrowing of the intervertebral disk space at L1-2. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lumbar vertebral column was performed under general anesthesia (Figure 1)

Radiographic diameter of the colon in normal and constipated cats and in cats with megacolon

Radiographs of 50 cats with no history of gastrointestinal disease were evaluated to establish a normal reference range for radiographic diameter of the feline colon. Thirteen cats with constipation and 26 with megacolon were also evaluated and compared with the normal cats to characterize the accuracy of the reference range and to identify a cutoff to distinguish constipation from megacolon. A ratio of maximal diameter of the colon to L5 length was the most repeatable and accurate measurement. A ratio <1.28 is a strong indicator of a normal colon (sensitivity 96%, specificity 87%). A value >1.48 is a good indicator of megacolon (sensitivity 77%, specificity 85%

Canine thyroid carcinoma prognosis following the utilisation of computed tomography assisted staging

\ua9 2021 British Veterinary AssociationBackground: Metastatic disease is frequently present at the time of diagnosis of canine thyroid carcinoma; however, utilisation of computed tomography (CT) alone for staging pre-treatment has been rarely reported in the veterinary literature. Methods: The aims of this retrospective study were to stage affected dogs using CT findings of the cervical and thoracic regions, combined with histopathology/cytology results, in order to assess whether metastatic disease/WHO staging was of prognostic significance. Results: Fifty-eight dogs were included in the study. Classification of cases into WHO stages I, II, III and IV were 10%, 50%, 9% and 31%, respectively. No statistically significant effect of WHO stage classification on overall survival/follow-up time was found (P =.576). Surgery resulted in a statistically significant increase in overall survival/follow-up time (P <.01). There was no statistically significant effect on overall survival/follow-up time in dogs that received medical therapy, either as sole therapy or as an adjunctive post-surgery (P =.198). Conclusion: In summary, this study documents the metastatic rate of canine thyroid carcinoma using CT for staging pre-treatment. Staging utilising CT revealed a higher distant metastatic rate in dogs with thyroid carcinoma when compared to historical studies using different imaging techniques. As long-term outcomes are possible for cases with advanced disease, surgical intervention could still be considered