Babesiosisis a tick borne hemoprotozoan disease of canines and anaemia is the predominant clinical syndrome. This disease causes considerable morbidity and mortality in canines. Several factors such as leukocyte activation, vascular endothelial cell injury and release of chemical mediators lead to multi-organ failure and coagulation abnormality in complicated form of babesiosis. The assessment of these biomarkers is used as indicators of severity of disease and outcome in dogs with MODS in babesiosis. Successful treatment of babesiosis is challenging task and no drugs have been demonstrated to clear B. gibsoni (Asian genotype) infection. Newer successful treatment has shown encouraging response in cure of B. gibsoni infection which includes combination of clindamycin, metronidazole and doxycycline.

The present communication deals with concurrent infestation of lice and tick in a peafowl from Cauvery delta region of Tamil Nadu. External examination of the bird revealed presence of six lice and seven tick specimens. The ectoprasites were processed and examined under microscope. The lice and tick specimens were identified as Goniodes pavonis and nymphal stages of Haemaphysalis sp respectively. This is the first study to establish the concurrent infection of Goniodes pavonis and Haemaphysalis sp in peafowl from Cauvery delta region of Tamil Nadu and also first report of Goniodes pavonis in peafowl from India. 

Gross anatomy of sternum in white-breasted waterhen was studied. Bone samples (sternum) were collected from three carcasses of white-breasted waterhen died were brought for postmortem examination to the Department of Veterinary Pathology, Madras Veterinary College, Chennai. The sternum was quadrilateral in shape. The longitudinal groove on the body of the sternum extended proximally and disappeared distally. The antero-lateral process was large, three-sided polygon shaped. Postero-lateral process was clamp-like at its posterior end. Postero-lateral process extended beyond the level of body of the sternum. Foramen ovale wasnoticed in the form of a W- shaped oval notch between the body of the sternum and the postero-lateral process. The anterior border of body of the sternum was noticed with two medial pneumatic notches. 

This study presents two clinical cases in Chinchilla and Himalayan rabbits, exhibiting symptoms such as alopecia, skin lesions, and ear lesions. Skin scrapings and fecal samples were collected and processed, revealing the presence of Sarcoptes scabiei mites, Psoroptes cuniculi mites, and Eimeria oocysts. Treatment involved subcutaneous administration of Ivermectin (0.2 mg/kg), accompanied by supportive and topical application of Benzyl benzoate. The rabbits displayed clinical improvement, with complete recovery observed within 30 days.

In India there is no present government policy to survey and evaluate adverse drug events (ADEs) / Pharmacovigilance programme in veterinary medicine. Therefore, essential information such as frequency, severity of treated animal ADRs and reliable data about frequent ADR-producing drugs remains unknown. The objective of the study is to assess and communicate risks and benefits in the market. Ultimately to educate the veterinarians and the stake holders on the safety and efficacy of veterinary drugs and biologicals. To this purpose, a 12 month pilot study based on WHO recommendations was conducted to monitor ADRs in the livestock treated by field veterinarian in the state of Tamil Nadu in India for frequently used drugs and common labeled signs. The present study warrants for the need for sustained veterinary pharmacovigilance programmers in livestock for timely ADR presenting drug reactions and drug safety improvement. 

A biochemical study was conducted in Japanese quail to find out the efficiency of supplementation of diet with Selenium, Vitamin E, Ocimum Sanctum and their combinations on the blood antioxidant status. Day old Japanese quail chicks belonging to the same hatch were purchased and maintained in the Institute of Poultry Production and Management, Nandanam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Chicks were weighed and randomly distributed into 8 dietary treatments with 3 replicates of 7 chicks each (168 chicks). The control chicks were fed, only with basal diet (T1) and the other treatments had, 0.2mg of selenium per kg diet (T2), 40mg of vitamin E per kg diet (T3),1g of Ocimum sanctum per kg diet (T4), Selenium 0.2mg and vitamin E 40 mg per kg diet (T5), Vitamin E 40 mg  and Ocimum sanctum 1g per kg diet (T6), Selenium 0.2 mg and Ocimum sanctum 1g per kg diet (T7), Selenium 0.2mg , vitamin E 40 mg and Ocimum sanctum 1g per kg diet (T8). Isocaloric and Isonitrogenous feed and water were given ad libitum. Blood  was drawn at the end of 4th, 8th and 12th week of age and the following  antioxidant analysis were carried out using standard procedures. Reduced glutathione (Eyer 1986), Catalase  (Sinha 1974), Glutathione peroxidase ( Rotruck 1973), MDA lipid peroxidation  (Yagi 1998). The results of the antioxidant analysis showed a highly significant (p<0.01) increase in all supplemented groups with respect to control in all weeks. The MDA levels showed a highly significant (p<0.01) decrease in supplemented groups with respect to control in all weeks. The dietary supplementation of Selenium, Vitamin E and Ocimum sanctum has improved the blood antioxidant status. The combination of all the three supplements produced higher improvement than given alone. 

In recent years, concerns about the use of antimicrobial products in food-producing animals have focused on human food safety because foods of animal origin are sometimes identified as the vehicles of food borne disease in humans and, therefore, also vehicles of  resistant food borne pathogens and resistant genetic material. The major zoonotic pathogens of concern for the development of  antimicrobial resistance are Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter jejuni. A broad spectrum of antimicrobials are in use in animals One such antimicrobial is Silver, used to treat a various infections . The current wide spread and uncontrolled use of silver may result in more bacteria developing resistance, analogous to the emergence of antibiotic and biocide resistant bacteria. This could be very detrimental to many industrial and medicinal properties that depend on the microbial properties of silver. In the present study, in order to gain an insight into bacterial resistance to silver the clinical isolates of Salmonella typhimurium were plasmid cured, the antibiotic sensitivity was tested in order to find out whether the strains were drug resistant; the Plasmid cured bacterial strains were then grown in nutrient broth containing silver nitrate, in order to determine silver resistance. To identify the protein encoded by this silver resistance determinant, a whole cell lysate was made and an SDS-PAGE was carried out. Plasmid was cured .The results of the study showed that silver resistance is plasmid encoded. A low molecular weight protein found in wild strains was found missing in the plasmid cured strains and possibly could play role in silver resistance.

A survey was undertaken to screen and evaluate the presence of organochlorine pesticide residue in poultry products. Both commercial and desi chicken eggs and meat samples were collected from Namakkal area of Tamil Nadu and analyzed by thin layer chromatography and confirmed by gas chromatography- mass spectrometry. Total Endosulfan in commercial chicken egg and in broiler thigh and breast muscle exceeded the MRL of Codex alimentarius. The occurrence was 50 percent with regards to broiler meat and 33.33 percent with regards to commercial egg. Desi chicken adipose tissue had a high incidence of endosulfan residue (58.33 per cent) with the levels of 28.57 ± 2.85 ppb. But the detected mean values were below the permissible MRL. DDT (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) was detected in broiler thigh and breast meat. The values obtained were below the MRL of Codex alimentarius and EU standards. BHC (Benzene hexa chloride) was detected in broiler liver, thigh and breast meat while the per cent incidence was higher in liver (33.33). The detected mean values were below the maximum permissible level of Codex alimentarius and EU standards. Both desi and broiler egg and meat analyzed were negative for aldrin, dieldrin and endrin residues which indicate that there may be these pesticides are not used in the geographical area from where samples were obtained. The findings of this study indicates that the presence of organochlorine pesticide residues, though at low level of incidence, still continues to be a threat for poultry products, hence it is essential to have a constant screening and monitoring of these compounds in feedstuff and feed at feed mills and mixing plants so as to prevent contamination in the eggs and meat.

We estimated the incidence of clinical mastitis (CM) and antimicrobial agent (AMA) usage for its treatment in an organized dairy farm over a period of six months. The incidence of mastitis at different stages of lactation was also quantified. The incidence of mastitis was higher in Sahiwal cows (9.52%) compared to crossbred cows (3.61%). Among different AMA usage, enrofloxacin (22%), ampicilin with cloxacillin (18.57%), gentamicin (18.29) and ceftriaxone (12.57%) drugs were most commonly used against CM cases. Penicillin group and their combinations (29.43%) was found to be the most commonly used AMA for CM followed by fluoroquinolone (22%), aminoglycosides groups (21.43%) and cephalosporins group (16.86%) of drugs. Tetracyclines (9.14%) and chloramphenicol (1.14%) were least choice as evidenced by less frequent usage. From the findings of the study it may be concluded that the incidence of mastitis was high in Sahiwal cows milked with machine milking system and mastitis animals needed an average of five days treatment for clinical cure. Further, â-lactam group of antimicrobial drugs were predominantly used in mastitis treatment, despite entry of new AMA in the market.

Antimicrobials used in poultry production have the potential to bioaccumulate in poultry feathers but available data are scarce. Although feathers were processed and introduced as a protein source in animal feed, withdrawal periods were not established. Hence, an experimental trial was conducted to evaluate the residuol profile of enrofloxacin and its primary metabolite ciprofloxacin in featherof broiler chicken. Thirty six one-day old broiler chicks were randomly divided into control (6 nos) and treatment group (30 nos). Treatment group was administered with enrofloxacin at recommended therapeutic dose 10 mg Kg , through drinking water for five consecutive days from 43rd  to 47th -1 day of age, whereas control group received non-medicated water. Six birds from treatment group were sacrificed ethically and feather samples were collected at different time points during the withdrawal period at 48 hours interval on day 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 post treatment. Control birds were sacrificed on day 9 post treatment. Enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin residues in feather were analysed by a validated High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography Fluorescent Densitometry method. The present study revealed that enrofloxacin persisted in feather throughout the study period, where as its metabolite ciprofloxacincould be detected until 7th day post treatment and on 9th day post treatment it was below detection limit. The interesting finding is the high level of enrofloxacin achieved in feathers during the withdrawal period. Drug withdrawal times, based on the concentrations of antimicrobial residues in edible chicken meat, were not adequate to reduce antimicrobial residues in chicken feathers. As the feathers are used as a protein source to supplement feed for different food animal species (bovines, pigs, Salmons, trouts) they must be considered potential reservoirs of chemical residues that can reach man through the food chain; hence, the present study warrantsestablishment of withdrawal period for feather similar to that of edible tissues.