Polydactyly is the congenital presence of one or more extra digits. The extra digit often does not contain a full complement of bones. Unilateral syndactyly and polydactyl mixed-breed dog was used as a case study. A three-month old unvaccinated intact female mixed breed dog weighing 8 kg, presented with a deformity of the left forepaw was used for this study. The deformity had been present since birth according to the owner. During physical examination the dog was given a lameness score of 0/5 for the affected limb. A complete blood count, and serum biochemistry did not reveal any abnormalities. Radiographs of both distal forelimbs were obtained. These showed Fused 2nd and 3rd metacarpal bones, a rudimentary metacarpi and a hypoplastic digit located on the axial side of the distal end of the left forelimb. As a result of the lameness score of 0/5 and the owner’s lack of interest, a decision was made to monitor the condition and consider surgery once the dog had grown larger. It seems this is the first case of polydactyly associated with syndactyly and the rudimentary metacarpal bone.

Background: In recent years, dietary fat supplementation has become a common practice and fat supplemented diets have had variable effects on animal performance and carcass characteristics. OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to determine the effect of  increasing the levels of sesame oil on performance, rumen parameters and plasma lipid profile in finishing Chal lambs. METHODS: Eighteen male lambs were fed with control (C; without sesame oil) and the diets contained low level (LSO; 2.5%) and high level (HSO; 5%) of sesame oil. RESULTS: The addition of fat had no effect on dry matter intake (DMI), average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and carcass weight. Treatments with sesame oil had no effect on rumen ammonia concentration and total protozoal count. Ruminal pH was numerically smaller (p=0.14) for control compared to lambs fed diets containing 2.5 and 5% sesame oil. Treatments had no effect on total VFA, acetate, butyrate, valerate and isovalerate concentrations. The propionate concentration decreased (p=0.04) by supplementation of sesame oil compared with the control. Total cholesterol (TC) and HDL increased and the tendency for VLDL and triglyceride (p=0.13) to increase was observed by treatment groups when compared with the control. Glucose concentration and LDL were not affected by treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Sesame oil had no effect on the performance and carcass weight of lambs but there was decrease in blood cholesterol concentration.

Background: Coccidiosis is recognized as the parasitic disease that has the greatest economic impact on poultry production. Modern poultry production is largely dependent upon anticoccidials. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to determine and compare the efficacy of two chemical anticoccidials (Clopidol and Diclazuril) on oocyst shedding and their probable effects on growth performance and feed efficiency of broilers in experimental coccidiosis. Methods: One hundred and twenty Ross 308 one day old broilers were randomly assigned into 4 groups: CON+, infected with Eimeria mixed oocysts but not medicated; CON-, not infected and not medicated; CLO, infected and medicated with Clopidol; DIC, infected and medicated with Diclazuril. Chickens in all groups except negative control were inoculated by mixed sporulated oocysts of pathogenic Eimeria at the end of the 3rd week of age. Oocyst shedding was counted using a Mc Master counting chamber. Body weights, body weight gains, and feed conversion ratio were determined on weekly basis. Results: Obtained results showed that Diclazuril was more effective in reducing oocyst shedding than Clopidol. As expected, mean body weight in the positive control group was lower than other groups. But surprisingly, no significant difference was found between Diclazuril or Clopidol treated birds and positive control group, at the end of the experiment. In comparison of weight gain in different treatment groups except for the 4 and 5th week, no significant difference was found in different groups. In the last week of the experiment, difference in weight gain between groups was not significant. According to feed conversion ratio (FCR)  results, anticoccidial supplementation did not have any significant effect on improving FCR. ConclusionS: It is reported that some anticoccidials reduce feed consumption and feed conversion. It seems that neither of the present synthetic anticoccidials is completely satisfactory in controlling coccidiosis economic losses and new strategies are urgently required.

BACKGROUND: The control of coccidiosis in poultry industryis dominated by prophylactic chemotherapy; however,drug resistance is a serious problem. Alternative control methodssuch as vaccination have been accepted as a practical method forcontrolling coccidiosis in chickens. Considering the immunologicalvariation of Eimeria strains, the efficacy of live coccidiosisvaccines may be compromised. OBJECTIVES:To evaluatethe efficacy of a commercial anticoccidial vaccine in poultry,vaccination was followed by experimental challenge with 3Eimeria field isolates. METHODS: The efficacy of Livacox® Qanticoccidial vaccine was evaluated on male broiler chicks,reared in battery cages. Different factors including weight gain,FCR, OPG (oocysts per gram of feces) and intestinal lesionscores were assessed. RESULTS: Vaccinated challenged groups(VC) gained less weight than the un-vaccinated un-challenged(UVUC) birds (p£0.05). Fourteen days post-challenge, theweight gain of VC groups challenged with isolate 2 differedsignificantly from its un-vaccinated challenged (UVC)counterpart; however, there were no significant differences inweight gain of groups challenged by isolates 1 and 3 with theirrespective UVC groups. Lesion score and FCR weresignificantly improved in VC groups comparing with theirassociated UVC groups (p£0.05). Lesion score and FCR weresignificantly improved in VC groups comparing with their UVCcounterparts (p|£|0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The present studysuggests that the use of live anticoccidial vaccine has thepotential for improving live weight gains and FCR; nonetheless,immunity to local Eimeria species should be evaluatedseparately and in trial designs it should be more approximate tothe actual field condition.

BACKGROUND: Protozoa are common in poultry and otherbirds and can cause mild to severe disease. OBJECTIVES: Thisstudy was concerned with the prevalence of parasitic protozoa inwild waterfowl in Caspian sea lagoons in the North of Iran.METHODS:Atotal of 293 waterfowl belonging to various generaincluding Tadorna tadorna (common shelduck),Aythya fuligula(Tufted duck), Aythya ferina (Common puchard), Spatulaclypeata (Shoveler), Anser anser (greylag goose), CygnusCygnus (Whooper Swan), Anas strepera (Gadwall), AnasPenelope (Eurasian Widgeon), Anas crecca (common teal), andAnas platyrhynchos (mallard) were sampled and tested forintestinal, tracheal, and blood protozoa between winter 2010 andspring 2011. RESULTS: The results showed that 184 birds of 293(62.8%) harbored protozoan parasites. The highest prevalence ofprotozoan contamination belonged to Giardia spp (24.2%) andthe lowest belonged to Haemoproteus spp. (6.1%). Thricomunasgallinea, Plasmodium spp., and Cryptosporidium spp. werefound in 7.2%, 8.2%, and 17% of waterfowl, respectively.Moreover, statistical analyses showed that the highest rate ofgiardiosis was in female Aythya fuligula (43.75%). However,tricomuniasis belonged to Anas crecca (30.5%). On the otherhand, female Cygnus cygnus had the highest rate ofcryptosporidiosis (44.7%), and more infection to Haemoproteusand Plasmodium spp. were observed in Anas platyrhynchos,concurrently. CONCLUSIONS: Migration of various species ofwaterfowl toward the northern parts of Iran has an importantimpact on parasitic diseases in birds and human in these regions.

A3-year-old goat weighing 40 kg was presented to the LargeAnimal Unit, University Veterinary Hospital, Universiti PutraMalaysia with complains of in appetence, lateral recumbency,and weakness. Physical examination findings were pyrexia,tachycardia, tachypnea, and pale mucous membrane. Harsh andcrackles lung sound was noticed upon auscultation. The case wastentatively diagnosed as pneumonic pasteurellosis, and the goatwas treated with broad spectrum antibiotic, non-steroidal antiinflammatorydrug (NSAID), and fluid therapy. The prognosisof this case was guarded and the goat died on day afterhospitalization and post mortem examination was carried out.Samples were taken from the lungs, heart, and pericardial fluidfor bacterial isolation and identification. The post mortemfindings were consolidations of the left and right craniolaterallung lobes, frothy exudates along the trachea, bronchi and the cutsurface of the lungs and presence of straw-colored pericardialfluid. The bacterial culture yielded Pasteurella multocidagrowth from all the samples. Based on the clinical signs, postmortem findings, and bacteriology result, this case was finallydiagnosed as pneumonic pasteurellosis.

BACKGROUND: Determining the clinical significance of cardiac murmurs is widely considered in equine practice. Pulmonary murmurs are commonly detected in athletic horses. Echocardiography plays a leading role in assessment of these murmurs. OBJECTIVES: Echocardiographic evaluation of horses with pulmonary regurgitation and determining the importance of pulmonary valve murmurs. METHODS: A total number of 450 athletic horses were examined with focus on cardiac and respiratory systems and 18 horses (8 horses with pulmonary murmur grades 3 and 4 and 10 normal horses) were included in echocardiographic examination. RESULTS: B-mode, M-mode, color flow Doppler and spectral Doppler were performed on two groups and the calculated indices were compared. No statistical difference was found between the values of the two groups (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: No significant correlation was found between severity of murmurs grade and the severity of regurgitating jets. We found that with moderate grades of pulmonary regurgitation, no change in cardiac indices is present.

BACKGROUND: Normal bacterial flora of the conjunctiva, which inhibits growth of opportunistic organisms, has an important role in the prevention of ocular infections. If resident flora is inhibited by disease or long-term application of antibiotics, opportunistic pathogens overgrow, leading to disease. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ophthalmic chloramphenicol and ciprofloxacin on bacterial conjunctival flora in healthy dogs. METHODS: A total of 16 animals were divided into 2 equal groups which received either chloramphenicol (CHL) (0.5%) or ciprofloxacin (CIP) (0.3%). In both groups, the right eye of each animal was treated with 2 drops of antibiotics every 8 and 6 hours, respectively, for 1 week and the left eye received artificial tear solution and served as control. Bacterial and fungal cultures were performed 8 hours before and after the treatment. Fisher’s Exact test and SPSS software were used for statistical analyses (p<0.05). RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between control and test eyes and bacterial isolates in both groups. In CHL group, after treatment Staphylococcus spp (62.5%), Bacillus spp (12.5%) from the right eyes and Staphylococcus spp (75%) and Bacillus spp (12.5%) from left eyes were isolated. In CIP group, after treatment the bacterial isolates of right eyes were Staphylococcus spp (87.5%), Aerococcus spp (37.5%), Viridans streptococcus (25%), Micrococcus spp (12.5%), Bacillus spp (12.5%); Staphylococcus spp (75%), Micrococcus spp (25%), Bacillus spp (12.5 %) were isolated from left eyes of dogs after 1 week administration of artificial tear. CONCLUSIONS: Topically applied chloramphenicol and ciprofloxacinhad no significant changes in or detrimental effects on normal bacterial flora of treated dogs.

BACKGROUND: Giardia has the ability to infect many mammals including dogs, cats, deer, mice, ground squirrels, chinchillas, swine, rabbits, pocket mice, oxen, guinea pigs, and humans. Giardia lamblia (also Giardia duodenalis, G.intestinalis) isolates have been variably divided into two or three genotypes by different investigators, and each group can be divided into subgroups. OBJECTIVES: We have compared the triosephosphate isomerase (tpi) sequences of these genotypes by polymerase chain reaction- restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) to determine G.lambia genotype in Iran for the first time. METHODS: In this study, 4 sets of primers were used in which 2 sets were designed by other investigator, and 2 sets were designed by the authors of the present study to confirm the results of the first two primers and also to differentiate the subgroups. RESULTS: Among Giardia isolates, 2/10 and1/19 of PCR-RFLP of rabbit and mouse respectively amplified with primer PM290. CONCLUSIONS: There is evidence that suggests that direct transmission from companion animals to human does occur. Zoonosis is controversial regarding Giardia; however, most researchers believe that its zoonotic potential merits adequate precaution when working with feces of animals that may be infected.

BACKGROUND: Hematological studies are valuable diagnostictechniques in the medical care of fish, reflecting the healthcondition and the effects of environmental factors on fish. OBJECTIVES:Due to the high value of sturgeon fish and necessityto recover the brood stock, this study was done to provide dataabout hematological parameters and reproduction normative ofwild brood stock beluga, Huso huso, from the southeast of theCaspian Sea. METHODS: Hematological parameters includingRBC, WBC, hematocrit, hemoglobin, MCV, MCH, MCHC,and differential leukocyte count were determined. In this regard,7 male and 7 female wild broods were studied. Differencesin mentioned parameters between genders were evaluated.The correlations among parameters were also determined.RESULTS: According to the results, the male fish had significantlyhigher WBC and lymphocyte and lower neutrophil comparedto the females. Also, functional fecundity was 447000 ±157210 and weight of extracted oocytes was 35.4 ± 3.78 mg/cell. The oocytes’ long diameter was 4.17 ± 0.21mm and widthdiameter was 3.75 ± 0.19 mm. Egg fertilization rate was 46.7± 24.33%, and larvae weight was 25.48 ± 1.56 mg. CONCLUSIONS:Hematological parameters of juvenile and fingerlingreared beluga showed wide ranges, and there are differences inhematological parameters between reared and wild broodstockbelugas. These findings highlight the importance of hematologicalstudy in wild beluga sturgeon.