This study was carried out to observe the histological changes of the parenchymal organs of the rats, rabbits and dogs intramuscularly injected with Rompun. There were severe hyperemia of spleen, hyperemia and extension of the central vein of the liver, centrilobular degeneration of liver, hyperemia and hemorrhage of the kidney, necrosis and hydropic degeneration of renal tubule, hyperemia of pulmonary alveolar septa and pulmonary edema, and in the cases injected with Rompun and histamine or pentothal sodium at the same time, the microscopical findings described above were more conspicuous than the cases injected with Rompun alone.

In order to investigate the morphological characteristics of epididymal duct of the squirrel, the histological and histochemical studies were carried out. The epididymal duct can be divided into 9 segments by histological and histochemical features. Segments 1 to 5 were located in the head, segments 6 and 7 in the body, and segments 8 and 9 in the tail of the epididymis. The apical cells were numerous in the segment. Clear cells which has a compact, deeply staining nucleus and a characteristically clear cytoplasm were scattered in the epithelium throughout the duct. Interepithelial clear cells which had PAS-positive granules tended to increase in number caudally. Strong PAS-positive reaction was detected at the intralumen of the segments 3, 8 and 9. Acid phosphatase activity was relatively high in the basal cytoplasm of the segment 7, and then in the supranuclear region of the segments 8 and 9. Alkaline phosphatase activity was weakly positive or negative except the segments 3 and 4. ATPase activity was strong in the free surface of the epithelium in the head and the entire cytoplasm in the body and tail, and SDH activity was generally weak except for the body where it was more intense.

This study was undertaken to obtain basic data of the sternal development in Korean native cattle from the earliest sternal formation to the ossification using histological and histochemical methods. Thirty three sterna were collected from a series of embryos and fetuses ranging from 11 to 225mm (estimated age 37-120 days) in crown rump length. The bilateral sternal bars were observed in the 2nd group (CRL 21-30mm) of Korean cattle embryos. Those bars initiated to be fused in the 3rd group (CRL 31-40mm) and completed in the 7th group (CRL 71-80mm). The ossification centers were detected in the 8th group (CRL 81-90mm) also bilateral ossification centers were found in the same group. The typical epiphyseal plates, endochondral bone and calcium deposit were found in the 9th group (CRL 91-100mm). Osteocytes, osteoblasts, osteoclasts and myeloid cells appeared in ossification centers in the 10th group (more than CRL 101mm). The alcianophility responded markedly in the 9th group that was decreased and showed slightly positive reaction in territorial matrix of the 10th group. Marked positive reaction to PAS was observed in bony trabeculae in the 10th group. The positive reaction to calcium deposit by trichrome stain was observed initially in the hypertrophied zone of epiphyseal plate in the 9th group and was conspicuous in the calcified zone of epiphyseal plate in the 10th group. The 1st positive reaction to the von Kossa stain was observed in the 9th group.

The prevalence of Dirofilaria repens in dogs in countries bordering Slovenia ranges from 1.5% to 47.3%. The aim of this study was to estimate its prevalence in Slovenian dogs and to present the cases of dirofilariasis diagnosed in humans from 2010 to 2020. Epidemiological data were collected and blood samples were taken from 465 dogs older than one year and born in Slovenia. A real-time PCR was performed on all samples to detect filarioid DNA, and a D. repens-and D. immitis-specific real-time PCR was performed on positive samples. Blood samples from 446 dogs were tested for Dirofilaria spp. using a modified Knott’s test. Human cases were diagnosed from histological sections of excised subcutaneous nodules. Descriptive statistics were used to characterise the samples. The one-sample nonparametric chi-squared test was used to assess whether categories of a variable were equally distributed. Three dogs’ samples tested positive for D. repens using the species-specific real-time PCR, while D. immitis DNA was not detected. The modified Knott’s test was positive in two of the three PCR-positive dogs, two of which had never travelled outside Slovenia’s borders. Four human patients with D. repens dirofilariasis were diagnosed. Since their travel history was unknown, autochthonous transmission could not be confirmed. Our study demonstrated a 0.64% prevalence of D. repens infection in dogs in Slovenia. Two cases could be autochthonous.

Diarrhoea in growing-finishing pigs is a common problem of commercial pig farms. Among many causative factors, porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is one considered an important pathogen in modern pig production. The aim of the study was to verify if PCV2 was responsible for antibiotic non-responsive diarrhoea and wasting in pigs. A total of 13 dead pigs aged between 12 and 15 weeks from three Polish farms with persistent herd symptoms suggestive of PCV2 infection were provided for evaluation. Sections of lymph nodes and intestines were analysed by in situ hybridization (ISH) for PCV2 and histopathological examination. Faeces and intestinal scrapings were tested for Lawsonia intracellularis and Brachyspira hyodysenteriae by real-time PCR and for parasitic infection by flotation and decantation. ISH and histopathological examination showed that all pigs were PCV2 systemic disease negative. Swine dysentery was confirmed by real-time PCR on two farms, and proliferative enteropathy on one farm. In histological examinations, erosions of the caecal and colonic mucosa were found, together with cysts and trophozoites of Balantidium coli. The protozoa were present in the intestinal lumen and mucosa. B. coli cysts were identified in faeces from all examined pigs. These results suggest that monitoring of B. coli infections should be an additional measure of control and prevention of gastrointestinal tract disorders in modern swine husbandry.

Introduction: Apocrine sweat gland carcinomas (ASGCs) are malignant neoplasms of dogs and other animals, rarely reported worldwide. The aim of this study was to summarise the occurrence of this cancer in a population of dogs in Poland between 2009 and 2014 with regards to histological features and body location of the tumours, as well as age, sex and breed of the cancer-affected dogs.Material and Methods: The study involved 40 canine ASGC cases diagnosed in five national veterinary pathology laboratories. The material was processed according to routine histological methods.Results: Histological types of the tumours involved simple and complex apocrine carcinoma of cystic/papillary (62.5%), solid (15%), and tubular type (12.5%), as well as apocrine ductal carcinoma (10%). The epidemiological analysis revealed peak incidence of the cancer in dogs between 8 and 14 years of age, with the most commonly affected sites being forelimbs and thorax. The highest number of the cancer cases was diagnosed in mixed breed dogs and German Shepherds; no sex predilection was noted.Conclusion: To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report recounting the study on canine malignant apocrine sweat gland tumours in Poland providing detailed phenotypical and histological data, which are otherwise rarely described in veterinary literature. This type of cancer appears to be diagnosed more frequently in dogs than in humans. Being an easily accessible material for research, canine ASGCs might serve as a relevant animal model for studies related to pathogenesis of sweat gland tumours.

Introduction: Hard antlers of deer are unique bioindicators of environmental metal pollutions, but sampling methods presented in the literature are inconsistent. Due to the specific growth pattern of antlers and their histological structure, sampling methods described in the literature were reviewed, the suitability of using mixed samples of both antler layers as element bioindicators was assessed, and the codified method of antler sampling used for bioindication was described. Material and Methods: Lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic, copper, zinc, and iron in trabecular and cortical parts of hard antlers of red deer (Cervus elaphus) were determined using different methods of atomic absorption spectrometry (depending on the element). Results: Mean mercury content in trabecular bone (0.010 ±0.018 mg/kg) was 5 times higher than in cortical bone (0.002 ±0.003 mg/kg). Mean iron concentration was approximately 15 times higher in trabecular (239.83 ±130.15 mg/kg) than in cortical bone (16.17 ±16.44 mg/kg). Concentrations of other analysed elements did not differ statistically between antler layers. Conclusion: In mixed antler samples, concentrations of mercury and iron depend on the particular antler layer contents. This therefore warrants caution when comparing results across studies and specification of the sampling methodology of antlers is highly recommended.

The purpose of the study was to investigate post-mortem changes in dogs infected with Babesia canis and to establish the probable cause of death of the affected animals. Cadavers of six dogs that did not survive babesiosis were collected. Necropsies were performed and samples of various organs were collected for histological examination. Necropsies and histological examinations revealed congestion and oedemata in various organs. Most of the dogs had ascites, hydrothorax or hydropericardium, pulmonary oedema, pulmonary, renal, hepatic, and cerebral congestion, and necrosis of cardiomyocytes. These results suggested disorders in blood circulation as the most probable cause of death. However, the pulmonary inflammatory response and cerebral babesiosis observed in some of these dogs could also be considered possible causes of death. This study also showed a possible role for renal congestion in the development of renal hypoxia and azotaemia in canine babesiosis.

The therapeutic effect of subcutaneous embedding and revascularisation on the repair of canine bone defects caused by open fracture was examined. A total of 12 adult beagle dogs were randomly split into a control group (group C) and a test group (group T). A section of the radius was removed from each dog under general anaesthesia and the deficit supported by an orthopaedic implant. Group T had the section surgically implanted next to the blood vessel–rich saphenous vein and Group C had it cryopreserved at −80°C. After eight weeks, the bone was surgically implanted back into the matching radial deficit. Bone healing was evaluated by gross morphological and X-ray examinations, post-mortem histology, and successive blood measurements of key bone biochemical markers. At 12 weeks, the bone healing boundary was disappearing more quickly in group T dogs than in their group C counterparts. X-ray and histological examinations showed that the cortical repair of group T subjects was complete and the bony plate arrangement was more regular than that in group C. The levels of bone biochemical markers also proved that the healing state of group T was better. The results showed that the degree of healing, osteoclast activity, and bone formation status of group T were better than those of group C, proving that the vascularised bone graft had a significantly shorter healing time than the cryopreserved bone graft.