Many complicated bone fractures can be healed by different techniques including linear external fixation. New generation linear external fixators enhanced the scope of application for bone fractures by mechanical progress. Difficulties include implementing enough pins through fixation clamps to the comminuted fragments or clamp addition and fixing it properly to the rod with the correct pin insertion angle. Effective configurations may not always result. This study sought to reveal the clinical efficiency of modified clamps of a versatile external fixator (VEF) to fix different types of fractures and orthopedic problems according to the radiographic and clinical results. We used this fixator on 17 cats and 17 dogs of different ages and sizes, having different types of antebrachium, humerus, tibia, ulna fractures, and bone-muscle deformities. Clamps had different features to connect fixator pins. Many fixator configurations were created according to the fracture type and body weight of the animals. The most used ones were unilateral and bilateral configurations. The callus formation and visual gait analysis were observed after the operations, until the removal of the fixator. After fixator removal, the visual gait status of the limbs was excellent in 67% of the cases, good in 15%, fair in 12%, and poor in 6%. We found that rods and fixator pins were connected easily by semi-locked clamps. Also, the double pin holding clamps saved space on the fixation rod by the application of two pins through one clamp. We think that clamps of versatile external fixators can easily be constructed to limb fractures and save time during surgery.

Donkeys (Equus asinus) face a global crisis. Their health, welfare, and even their local survival are compromised as the demand for their skins increases. Such demand for donkey skins aims to supply the ejiao industry. Ejiao is a traditional remedy made from the collagen of donkey skins. Some people believe it has medicinal properties. It is estimated that the ejiao industry currently requires approximately 4.8 million donkey skins per year. Although the future of the donkeys is still uncertain, we must guarantee a life free from suffering to the animals under our responsibility. The trade of donkey skins also undermines the cultural role of donkeys. Donkeys have developed an essential role in Brazil, especially in the Northeast region of the country, carrying on their backs construction materials, water, and food, and, as a consequence, helping people build cities in the deepest hinterland. The close relationship between people and donkeys affords donkeys a unique place in the local culture. This central importance has been recognized by Brazilian artists throughout history. We have many examples of songs, books, “cordeis” (typical Brazilian literature), poems, documentaries, movies, woodcuts, paintings, and sculptures, created to honor this important actor. Here we describe some examples of this human-donkey relationship, and its influence on our culture.

Enteroliths are concretions of minerals that cause partial or total obstruction of the intestinal lumen, resulting in recurrent and chronic colic in horses. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the in vitro solvent effect of carbonated beverages (CocaCola® and Coca-Cola® Zero), and papain and cellulase enzymes (Robinson Pharma®, Santa Ana, CA, USA) on enteroliths obtained from horses. Six 51-grams samples of six enteroliths were assigned to six treatments of immersion solutions: T1, Coca-Cola®; T2: Coca-Cola® Zero; T3: distilled water + papain (90 mg) and cellulase (120 mg); T4: Coca-Cola® + papain and cellulase; T5: Coca-Cola® Zero + papain and cellulase; and, CT: distilled water (control). The volume for immersion in the assigned solution was 150 mL, at a pH of 7.1, using an incubation shaker (Heidolph® , Germany) at 37ºC and 25 rpm, for 72 h. The evaluation periods of the dissolution percentage (difference between the initial weight and final weight of the samples), were 0, 3, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 h. After 72 h of immersion, solutions T4, T5, and T1 presented 47, 38.8, and 14.9% of dissolution, respectively. The other solutions did not have major differences with CT (control). Under the in vitro conditions of this pilot study, papain and cellulase enzymes potentiated the dissolving effect of the carbonated solutions on the enteroliths obtained from horses. Further studies are suggested since the existing literature is on the dissolution of phytobezoars and not of enteroliths.

Bovine mastitis is the most important disease of dairy herds worldwide. Its main etiologic agents are bacteria, including Streptococcus agalactiae. The importance of this agent in bovine mastitis is because it is highly contagious and has a high impact on the occurrence of clinical mastitis cases and in the increase of the bulk milk somatic cell counts. The dry cow therapy and the treatment of the clinical mastitis cases stand out among the measures to control intramammary infections in cows. However, these strategies require knowledge about the antimicrobial susceptibility of the causal microorganisms. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial susceptibility of 89 S. agalactiae strains isolated from bovine mastitis between the years 2004 and 2008 in dairy herds from Campo das Vertentes region, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The disc diffusion technique was used and the antimicrobials currently used in mastitis therapy were tested. The isolates tested showed 100% susceptibility to chloramphenicol, ceftiofur, cefotaxime, enrofloxacin, and cefquinome. High frequencies of susceptibility (>95%) were also observed for the beta-lactams (penicillin G, ampicillin, and oxacillin), cephalosporins (cephalotin, ceftiofur, cefotaxime, cefoperazone, and cefquinome), florfenicol, gentamicin, lincomycin, nitrofurantoin, and sulfamethoprim. The strains showed high frequencies of resistance to neomycin (15.74%), and tetracycline (21.35%). Multidrug resistance was detected in 2.25% of the tested isolates. The results pointed to variations in the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of the studied strains and the importance of the use of the susceptibility tests to determine the correct antimicrobial to be applied in the treatment of bovine mastitis caused by S. agalactiae. The high frequencies of resistance observed to some antimicrobials, such as neomycin and tetracycline, commonly used in the treatment of mastitis and other pathologies, highlighted the need for more judicious use of antimicrobials on dairy farms.

Currently, the use of alternative medicine is necessary, even in animals. Our study focused on the valorisation of the use of herbal products in Algerian veterinary medicine. This study is based on a 6-month exploratory survey of 257 private practicing veterinarians, followed by a study of the bacteriological activity of the essential oil of the Pistacia lentiscus plant. The survey results generally  indicate that private veterinarians support phytotherapy as an alternative to conventional drugs in several areas and species. Also, the results of research conducted on the antibacterial activity of Pistacia lentiscus essential oil show that it inactivates 50% of the bacterial strains. This confirms the well defined role of this medicinal plant used as an alternative in veterinary medicine.

The objective of this study was to determine the ability of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) to induce ovulation and expression of PGE2 receptor (EP2 and EP4) and COX genes (COX-1 and COX-2) in the ovary and pituitary of prepubertal mice. The positive control consisted of the application of 5 μg of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH, n = 29); the negative control applied 0.5 mL of phosphate buffered saline (PBS, n=31); the treatment tested the application of 250 μg of PGE2 (n = 29), making a total of 89 prepubertal mice (BALB/c). Mice were euthanized 14 to 15 h after treatments to detect ovulation and tissue collection. A Chi-square test was used to compare the proportion of animals ovulating. Gene expressions and number of ovulation were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s test was used to compare means among groups. A greater proportion of mice (P < 0.001) ovulated after receiving GnRH (89.7%, 26/29) compared to PGE2 group (58.6%, 17/29). However, the proportion was higher compared to those treated with PBS (0%, 0/31). Ep2 gene expression in the pituitary was > two-fold higher (P < 0.05) in the PGE2 group compared to the PBS and GnRH groups. Further, PGE2 stimulated Cox1 (2.7 fold, P < 0.05) while GnRH stimulated Cox2 expression (6.5 fold, P < 0.05) in the pituitary when compared to the PBS group. In conclusion, our results support the hypothesis that PGE2 can induce ovulation in prepubertal mice with a concomitant increase in Ep2 and Cox1 gene expression in the pituitary gland.

Fowlpox virus (FPV) is one of the viruses affecting chickens worldwide, causing pathological and economic losses in the poultry industry. Viral lesions are easily recognizable by the eye and usually appear in the featherless areas, especially the head. Moreover, the virus could lead to blindness and mortality in some cases. This study diagnosed the suspected fowlpox cases, identified and classified the causative agent. We also analyzed the differences and similarities of closely related viruses at the neighboring and regional countries. Fifty samples were collected from three locations of Tikrit city from the domesticated chickens, which showed cutaneous lesions. Virus DNA was extracted directly from tissue samples before the nested PCR technique was performed. The virion core protein (P4b) gene is partially sequenced and analyzed with routine histological sectioning. Results showed that the virus causes pock lesions of dermal hyperplasia and hyperkeratosis. Hyperplasia and congestion of the chorioallantoic membrane were also recorded. The study also showed that the DNA of FPV could be extracted directly from animal tissue without further purification. The sequence analysis showed that the FPV was confirmed in all samples clustered in clade A identical with Iranian and Egyptian isolates. In conclusion, this study approved that the virus belongs to the classical dermal type of poxviruses and the short genetic distances between viruses related to closely neighboring countries. We also concluded that the conservative P4b gene included mutation sites that make this gene practical for diagnosing the virus and phylogenetic analysis.

Feline calicivirus is among the most common pathogenic microorganisms in upper respiratory tract disease (URTD) and oral lesions of cats. It leads to stomatitis, oral ulceration, ocular and nasal discharge, conjunctivitis, fever, lameness, anorexia, hypersalivation, pneumonia, respiratory distress, coughing, and depression in infected cats. This study aimed to determine the role of Feline calicivirus (FCV) in cats with the upper respiratory tract disease in the Diyarbakir region, Turkey, to provide treatment for infected cats and contribute to the disease prophylaxis. The study material consisted of 10 cats (control group) considered to be healthy according to the clinical examination and 20 cats with URTD that were not vaccinated against Feline calicivirus infection of different breeds, ages, and genders brought to Dicle University Veterinary Faculty Prof. Dr. Servet SEKIN Polyclinic with URTD. After routine clinical examinations of the animals, oral and conjunctival swabs and blood samples were taken. Hematological and biochemical analyzes of blood samples were performed. Swab samples were analyzed by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for the diagnosis of the agent. Oral lesions, hypersalivation, ocular and nasal discharge, coughing, and breathing difficulties were seen in clinical examinations of cats with URTD. Feline calicivirus was detected in only one cat’s conjunctival swab sample in PCR analyses. As a result, we found that Feline calicivirus infection was present in cats with URTD in the Diyarbakir region, and 5% positivity was found in cats with clinical symptoms according to PCR analysis.

A clinical case in which skin and hair color change occurred after sacrococcygeal epidural anesthesia in a nine-month-old Siamese cross queen undergoing ovariohysterectomy (OHE) is described. Six weeks after surgery, during a re-check, it was noted that in the sacrococcygeal region the color of the skin and new hair growth was dark with a color comparable to the color present on the body extremities (muzzle, pinnae, legs, and tail). The skin and new hair growth of the shaved abdomen presented a standard color. The key enzyme of the melanogenic pathway in mammals is tyrosinase (TYR), and the Siamese temperature-sensitive phenotype is the result of genetic mutations that makes TYR function thermolabile. The activity of TYR in these cats is limited to the extremities where the temperature is lower while pigment production is impaired in the other body areas. The trichotomy of the sacrococcygeal region performed during wintertime in an outdoor cat was probably the trigger for increased activity of TYR in this area promoting pigment production. The absence of the same alterations in the abdominal area may be justified by less exposure of that region to the external environment, as well as to the feline habits of sedentarism, that avoid significant cooling in these regions. This report highlights the importance of taking this type of occurrence into account when performing an epidural in the Siamese cat breed. Also, to avoid skin color change in this breed, the authors recommend a midline abdominal instead of a flank approach to perform OHE.

Donkeys have a long history in the development of human societies. Typically referred to as a beast of burden, traditional uses for donkeys have included the transportation of goods and people, use in agricultural and forestry activities, to access water, and provide citizens in low- and middle-income countries a means of making an income for communities. However, the rise of mechanization, the development of modern farming techniques, and the increasing availability of motorized vehicles have led to donkeys and mules becoming redundant from traditional roles in many parts of the world. We provide examples of where donkeys have successfully transitioned from traditional roles to new, non-traditional roles in Europe and North America, and demonstrate that, although the roles and use of donkeys and mules are changing in a rapidly developing world, we can learn lessons from the past and apply them to current challenges. As the need for working equids declines in transport and agriculture, they still hold great value for recreational, therapeutic, and environmentally friendly methods of animal traction.