Peripheral nerve sheath tumours (PNSTs) are rare in the mammary glands of dogs. Here, we report a case of a schwannoma, composed of two parts, of the mammary gland of a dog. The first part consists of clusters of uncircumscribed, alternating, more concentrated and looser regions. In the more concentrated parts, typical fascicularly arranged schwannoma intermingle in plexiform arrangement, more subtle in appearance than in neuronal tumour areas. The second part undergoes regression consisting predominantly of residual shorter rosettes of cells with the presence of a peculiar variably sized swirling of target-like formations consisting of compact, thicker, pinkish lamellae also with occasional adjacent cells. Immunohistochemically, the tumour cells are positive for evidence of vimentin and neuro-specific enolase. They exhibit the variable expression of the S-100 protein, show mild CD56 positivity, and focally mildly accentuated proliferative activity as assessed by Ki-67. The tumour elements are negative for evidence of cytokeratin 7, cytokeratin 20, and oestrogen receptors. Hybrid tumours may change their morphology in combination with atypical localisation and may be underdiagnosed in veterinary biopsy practice. They differ from epithelial tumours prognostically, as well as in their development and behaviour, therefore it is essential to clearly differentiate them.

Urinary -acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) activity is associated with kidney disease. In our study, we focused on evaluating the ratio of NAG to the urinary creatinine concentration (NAG/Cr) in the German Shepherd breed. Sixty-two healthy dogs and thirteen dogs with chronic kidney disease (CKD) were examined. The healthy dogs were divided into groups based on their sex and age (puppies and adolescent dogs under 2 years, adult dogs from 2 to 6 years and seniors over 6 years), while the dogs with CKD were divided based on the disease stage (CKD stage 1 and 2). No significant difference was detected between the males and females. Regarding the age dependence, significantly higher values were found in dogs older than 6 years ( = 0.020 3) compared to dogs aged 2-6 years. When comparing the healthy dogs to the dogs with CKD, the lowest NAG/Cr ratio was observed in the dogs with CKD stage 2. The reference interval for NAG/Cr in the German Shepherd was established in the range of 0.78-7.86 U/gCr. We observed no correlations with the commonly used markers of kidney disease such as creatinine, urea, or symmetrical dimethylarginine. Nevertheless, we encourage the further investigation of NAG in relation to CKD, taking the breed, sex and age of the patients into account.

The aim of this study was to determine the reference values of cartilage damage biomarkers in the blood and urine in 76 clinically healthy German Shepherd dogs. We grouped the dogs into 4 groups by age. All the groups were consistently made up of 19 dogs. The mean age and average body weight were established for all the dog groups. The blood was collected from the or the and the urine sample was taken by us-guided cystocenthesis. The biomarkers were determined using quantitative sandwich ELISA kits. The mean values of the biomarkers ± SD were, for the urine biomarkers, CTX-I 3.29 ± 1.16 ng/ml, CTX-II 1 993.95 ± 777.04 ng/ml, and TIMP-I 392.80 ± 160.56 ng/ml, and for the blood biomarkers, MMP-9 89.85 ± 50.21 ng/ml and PIICP 19.19 ± 7.33 ng/ml. Based on the obtained values of the mean 95%, we expect a standard for CTX-I 5.05 ng/ml, CTX-II 3 204.26 ng/ml, TIMP-I 606.64 ng/ml, MMP-9 187.93 ng/ml, and PIICP 31.71 ng/ml.

Canine parvoviral enteritis (CPE) has a high mortality rate in untreated dogs due to systemic inflammation and multi-organ dysfunction. The inflammatory process can lead to coagulation abnormalities. This study aimed to evaluate the coagulation status using thromboelastography (TEG) and assess the thrombin generation (TG) and clot dissolution using TEG-derived velocity curve (v-curve) parameters in dogs with CPE. It included 21 dogs with CPE and five healthy dogs. In addition to the clinico-haemato-biochemical examinations, the coagulation status was analysed using citrated venous blood samples with TEG. All the dogs with CPE met at least two criteria for systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). The comparison to healthy controls showed a statistically significant prolongation of reaction times (R time;  = 0.005) and times to the maximum rate of thrombus generation (TMRTG;  = 0.003). However, the times to the maximum rate of lysis (TMRL;  = 0.041) and total lysis (L;  = 0.024) decreased significantly. The TEG tracings showed coagulation states varying from hypocoagulation to hypercoagulation in dogs with CPE. These results showed that the v-curve derivate can be used to evaluate the coagulation in dogs with CPE, and it could be superior to the standard TEG variables for determining the low fibrinolytic activity. Thus, the v-curve parameters may provide a novel insight into the underlying mechanism and clinical treatment strategy of CPE-induced inflammation.

Haemotropic mycoplasmas (haemoplasmas) are obligate epierythrocytic bacteria that infect a wide range of vertebrate hosts. The molecular characterisation of  organisms in dogs has not previously been attempted from India. Hence, in the present study, the molecular characterisation of  spp. in dogs of different zones of Kerala was attempted using gene. An overall prevalence of 18% for was detected. The NCBI-BLAST analysis of all the selected sequences revealed > 99% identity with the sequences of  The phylogenetic analysis revealed clustering of  and in a single clade indicating low genetic variability. It was further supported by the genetic distance data and haplotype analysis.

Cadmium is one of the most important environmental contaminants. Animals grazing on natural pastures are particularly exposed to cadmium. Sheep are mostly reared in extensive and grazing systems. Therefore, sheep may accumulate larger amounts of cadmium compared to other ruminant species and are a good indicator of exposure to cadmium contamination in a given area. The determination of cadmium concentrations in the muscles, livers and kidneys of lambs and sheep was carried out in the Czech Republic during the period 2001-2022. The average cadmium content in the livers and kidneys of all the lambs was 0.037 ± 0.006 and 0.061 ± 0.013 mg.kg, respectively. The average cadmium content in the livers and kidneys of all the sheep was 0.319 ± 0.047 and 1.255 ± 0.204 mg.kg, respectively. The maximum limit for human consumption was not exceeded in any of the 24 samples in the lambs but was exceeded in 5 of 33 liver samples and 12 of 33 kidney samples in the adult sheep. The average value of cadmium in the muscles of the lambs and sheep was 0.004 ± 0.001 mg.kg. The maximum limit for human consumption was not exceeded in any muscle sample. The cadmium content in both the liver and in the kidney differs significantly between the lambs and sheep, being higher in the sheep ( < 0.001 for both comparisons). No statistically significant trend of a decrease in the cadmium content in the lamb and sheep tissues was found during the observed time ( > 0.05). We can sum up that there is an evident need for further monitoring of the cadmium concentration in lamb and sheep tissues in the Czech Republic.

This study describes a case of poisoning by pyrrolizidine alkaloids in a horse. To the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first confirmed case of  poisoning. A six-year-old 450-kg Irish cob mare was presented to the Equine Clinic of the University of Veterinary Sciences Brno (Czechia) with symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy, which progressively worsened with time despite intensive therapy and led to euthanasia. A complex diagnostic and therapeutic approach including the post-mortem patoanatomical and histopathological examination is described here. Regarding the histopathology of the liver, there was necrosis with haemorrhage, fatty changes and inflammation. A later inspection of the grazing area revealed the presence of  (wood ragwort). A sensitive chromatographic method was used to determine the pyrrolizidine alkaloids and their metabolites in the plasma and the liver. In both of the samples, metabolites of pyrrolizidine alkaloids were detected. Although pyrrolizidine alkaloid poisoning was proven, the histopathological findings typical for this disease were absent. It is clear from our case that the histopathology in cases of poisoning by pyrrolizidine alkaloids may not always be conclusive.

Fractures of long bones in limbs are rare traumatic events in horses. This study investigates whether the incidence and types of fractures can be related to the histomorphometric features of the radius and tibia, which experience different biomechanical stresses and exhibit varying incidences and types of fractures. Clinical observations suggest that, in adults, slightly transverse and comminuted fractures are present in the radius, while the tibia shows a higher frequency of longitudinal and spiral fractures. Microscopic observations reveal no apparent distinctive characteristics between the radius and tibia, whereas the histomorphometric data highlight differences in the osteon density, eccentricity, and diameters of the osteons and Haversian canals. To sum up, tibial osteons are more numerous and smaller than those in the radius, resulting in a 15% higher total extension of the cement line in the tibia compared to the radius. These histomorphometric differences are an evolutionary adaptation to the different biomechanical stresses that involve the thoracic and pelvic limbs. Our results could help better understand numerous clinical realities detectable through retrospective analyses and aid in evaluating a specific bone's predisposition towards traumatic events in all mammals, including humans.

This study was conducted to evaluate the wound-healing activities of a L. plant extract and cannabidiol on incision wounds. An incision was created and sutured in rats under anaesthesia. Routine wound care procedures were applied for 10 days, followed by histological wound examinations. The cellular bioactivities of the hemp extract and CBD were assessed for MCP-1, EGF, BFGF, IL-8, and COL-1 using ELISA on the rat skin wound healing activity. A one-way ANOVA was used for the data analysis. The EGF values in the plasma were similar in the povidone-iodine, hemp seed oil, and hemp essential oil groups ( > 0.05). However, the EGF levels were lower in the CBD group compared to the other groups ( < 0.001, < 0.005). The MCP-1 values in the hemp seed oil, hemp essential oil, and CBD were similar ( > 0.05), whereas povidone iodine exhibited lower MCP-1 levels compared to the other groups ( 0.001, < 0.005). It was determined that the plasma BFGF, IL-8, and COL 1 values of the groups were similar ( > 0.05). To our knowledge, this study is the first to evaluate the effects of CBD, seed oil, and hemp leaf extract on incision wound healing. It demonstrates that hemp extract holds greater potential benefits for wound healing compared to CBD.

Determination of the urinary protein-to-creatinine ratio (UPC) is an important tool in the quantification of proteinuria in animals. However, the result may be affected by the different methods of determining the urinary protein concentration. The aim of this study was to compare the turbidimetric method using benzethonium chloride and the colorimetric method using pyrogallol red in the measurement of the urinary protein concentration in dogs, cats, guinea pigs and horses. A total of 464, 192, 216 and 119 urine samples from dogs, cats, guinea pigs and horses were examined in the study, respectively. The group consisted of animals of both sexes and different ages, and, in the dogs and cats, it included both healthy animals and those with various health problems. In the group of horses and guinea pigs, only clinically healthy animals were included. A total of 347, 185, 103 and 100 samples from the dogs, cats, guinea pigs and horses were used in the statistical analysis; the other values were excluded as they were below the detection limit. According to the Passing-Bablok analysis, there was a significant constant and proportional difference in the horses. In the dogs, cats and guinea pigs, there was a significant constant difference, but no proportional difference. The Bland-Altman method showed significant bias between the two methods in the horses and cats, but not in the dogs and guinea pigs. In the dogs and cats, the agreement between the two methods was tested and expressed as Cohen's kappa (κ). In the cats, it was almost perfect for the proteinuric samples (κ = 0.823 3) and significant for the non-proteinuric samples (κ = 0.804 9). In the dogs, the agreement was significant for the non-proteinuric samples (κ = 0.621 5) and only moderate for the proteinuric samples (κ = 0.527 5). The influence of the method used to determine the urinary protein concentration should be taken into account when evaluating the UPC. Repeated examinations in one patient should be performed with the same method.

Using probiotics represents a potential solution to post-weaning diarrheal diseases in piglets on commercial farms. The gastrointestinal tract of wild boars serves as a promising reservoir of novel lactic acid bacteria with suitable probiotic characteristics. In this study, we isolated eight bacterial strains from the intestinal content of wild boars identified as representatives of the species , , and . These isolates underwent analysis and characterisation to assess their biological safety and probiotic properties. Analysis of their full genome sequences revealed the absence of horizontally transferrable genes for antibiotic resistance. However, seven out of eight isolates harboured genes encoding various types of bacteriocins in their genomes, and bacteriocin production was further confirmed by mass spectrometry analysis. Most of the tested strains demonstrated the ability to inhibit the growth of selected pathogenic bacteria, produce exopolysaccharides, and stimulate the expression of interleukin-10 in porcine macrophages. These characteristics deem the isolates characterised in this study as potential candidates for use as probiotics for piglets during the post-weaning period.

The most common orthopaedic developmental disease in dogs is hip dysplasia. This condition results in coxofemoral laxity due to incongruity and lack of stabilisation of the joint by the soft tissues. Currently, there is no therapeutic plan to correct hip dysplasia without surgical intervention at a very early age. The goal of the non-surgical treatment is to relieve pain and stiffness and to increase the muscle strength, usually through hydrotherapy and the beneficial physical properties of water. Recently, there has been growing interest in regenerative medicine, which involves the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and their products to alleviate the characteristic clinical symptoms of osteoarthritis (OA). studies with canine MSCs have shown that an intra-articular injection of MSCs into cartilage lesions leads to the excellent regeneration of the hyaline cartilage. Regenerative medicine has undergone rapid development in recent years thanks to new therapies based on the application and combination of innovative biomaterials. One of the first known regenerative methods to be used in clinical practice was platelet-rich plasma (PRP). This review summarises the use and potential of MSCs and PRP, including their properties, their therapeutic effects in the treatment of cartilage lesions in preclinical studies, their clinical efficacy in the treatment of naturally occurring OA in dogs, and the current limitations of the studies.

The Alentejano pig () is an autochthonous breed of swine from Portugal phylogenetically close to the Iberian breed that is known to develop melanocytic lesions. In this study, 34 melanocytic skin lesions were identified and collected from Alentejano pigs slaughtered for human consumption for further routine histologic assessment. The samples were classified into 4 age ranges: 1 (1 to 6 months), 2 (7 to 12 months) 3 (13 to 24 months), and 4 (more than 25 months). All the lesions were considered benign after the histopathological assessment, of which 52.9% and 47.1%, were classified as melanosis and melanocytomas, respectively. Regarding the age ranges, a statistical difference between the groups was observed, indicating that the probability of melanosis presentation was higher at the age range 4 and for melanocytomas at the age range 3. While no malignant lesions were observed in this study, it was concluded that benign melanocytic lesions are commonly found in Alentejano pig carcasses. Further research is necessary to accurately distinguish between malignant and benign lesions, which is crucial for official veterinarians to make decisions regarding meat approval or condemnation.

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a serious acute, highly contagious disease caused by the peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV). This study aims to establish a qRT-PCR assay with an internal amplification control for the rapid and accurate detection of PPRV. The primers and probes for PPRV N were based on the national standard of the diagnostic techniques for PPR of China, and a pair of primers and Man probes for the internal reference gene of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase () was designed. Optimisation of the reaction conditions, specificity, sensitivity and reproducibility tests, and clinical sample detection were conducted. The results showed that the optimal primers and probe concentrations of PPRV were 0.4 μmol/l and 0.4 μmol/l, respectively, and were 0.4 μmol/l and 0.2 μmol/l for the reference gene , respectively. The established method has no cross-reaction with other viruses. The minimum detection limit was 6.8 copies/μl for PPRV and 190 copies/μl for . The coefficients of variation (CV%) of PPRV and were both lower than 2%. The results suggest that the PPRV qRT-PCR method containing internal reference genes has strong specificity, high sensitivity, and good reproducibility. The addition of internal reference genes for the sample quality control improves the accuracy of the detection.

This review aims to enrich our understanding of Chiari-like malformation (CLM) by combining human and veterinary insights, and providing a detailed cross-species overview. CLM is a developmental abnormality characterised by caudal displacement of the hindbrain into the foramen magnum due to an entire brain parenchymal shift caused by insufficient skull volume. This malformation leads to a progressive obstruction at the craniocervical junction, which disrupts the normal cerebrospinal fluid flow, leading to secondary syringomyelia. The clinical signs of CLM and syringomyelia include phantom scratching, head tilt, head tremor, ataxia, tetraparesis, pain, muscle atrophy, and scoliosis or torticollis. Magnetic resonance imaging remains the gold standard for diagnosing CLM, since it allows the visualisation of abnormal findings such as the caudal cerebellar herniation, caudal cerebellar compression from occipital dysplasia, and attenuated cerebrospinal fluid cisternae. Although various medical and surgical interventions, including foramen magnum decompression, can provide temporary symptomatic/clinical sign relief, current literature shows a lack of sustained long-term efficacy. Therefore, additional research is needed to evaluate the long-term effects of existing treatment strategies and to compare different techniques utilised in conjunction with foramen magnum decompression.

Surgical site infections (SSIs) cause significant complications in the postoperative period in veterinary surgeries. Determining the aetiology of infections is crucial for increasing treatment success rates. This study aims to assess treatment processes by identifying the bacterial agents responsible for infections occurring in cats and dogs after orthopaedic operations and to determine the antimicrobial resistance profiles of these agents. Strains isolated from SSIs were retrospectively analysed in patients brought to the Surgical Clinic of Siirt University Animal Health Application and Research Hospital between 2021 and 2023. The isolates were identified using MALDI-TOF MS. The disc diffusion method was applied to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates. A high isolation rate was detected in methicillin-resistant and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing . According to the antimicrobial susceptibility results, cephalosporin treatment was continued in only one of the cases in which prophylactic treatment with cephalosporin group antibiotics was applied. Consequently, this study revealed that preoperative prophylactic antibiotic administration may not be sufficient in preventing surgical site infections. Diagnosis of aetiological agents and evaluation of antimicrobial susceptibility are essential in preventing surgical site infections and determining effective treatment options.

We examined the antibacterial efficacy of streptomycin, hibiscus acid, and their combination against multidrug-resistant Shiga-toxin-producing (STEC) and Typhimurium in mice. We determined the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) for streptomycin, hibiscus acid, and their combination against STEC and . Fifteen sets of six mice in each set were utilised: six groups were orally exposed to 4 log colony forming units (CFUs) of Typhimurium and another six to STEC, and three acted as the controls. Six hours post-inoculation, specific groups of mice received either oral solutions containing hibiscus acid at 5 and 7 mg/ml; streptomycin at 50 and 450 μg/ml; hibiscus acid/streptomycin (5 mg/ml hibiscus acid and 50 μg/ml streptomycin); or isotonic saline. The study determined the MIC and MBC of 7 mg/ml of hibiscus acid; 300 and 450 μg/ml of streptomycin; and two concentrations of hibiscus/streptomycin (3 mg/ml / 20 μg/ml and 5 mg/ml / 50 μg/ml). Interestingly, the mice that were infected and subsequently treated with hibiscus acid at 7 mg/ml alone or in conjunction with streptomycin did not have either STEC or  in their faecal samples, and none of the mice died. In contrast, the untreated mice and those exclusively treated with streptomycin had the pathogens present in their stool, leading to the mortality of all the subjects.

In order to determine the possibility of using infrared thermography (IRT) in preventing lameness in dairy cows, the aim of this study was to evaluate temperature variations depending on the lesion presence, measurement points and leg position. The study used about 3 000 IRT records from 60 Holstein cows housed in a free-stall barn. Surface temperature measurements were taken at two regions of the hooves: the region of the coronary band, and the region of the skin up to 2 cm above the coronary band. A highly significant ( = 0.004; 0.006,  < 0.01) difference in temperature was observed between healthy and diseased legs at both measurement points. Additionally, a significant ( = 0.029; 0.037; 0.045; 0.012; 0.018,  < 0.05) or highly significant ( = 0.004; 0.006,  < 0.01) difference in temperature values between the front and rear legs was established for both measurement points, i.e., the coronary band and the skin. Despite confirming the potential applicability of infrared thermography in the detection of lameness, it is crucial to consider the significant influences of the environmental factors, impurities, and animal-related factors.

The aim of this study is to investigate the correlation between the incidence of spontaneous tumours of various origins and the localisation in dogs with sex, breed, and age factors. A total of 360 tumours with various localisation were studied pathomorphologically. Histopathologic data sets from 360 dog tissue samples were processed and statistically examined. A chi-square test of independence was conducted to examine the relationships among the various levels of the specified variables. Logistic regression models were employed for dichotomous outcomes to ascertain the influence of certain explanatory variables on the tumour types. Characteristic pathomorphological changes observed during examination of dogs with oncologic diseases were determined. The most common neoplasms were mammary tumours, accounting for 43% of the cases. The mammary gland tumours were most common in mongrel dogs (25%), with German Shepherds (17.3%), Poodles, Dachshunds, Central Asian Shepherds (6.7% each), and Rottweilers (5.7%) following. The highest frequency of these tumours appeared at 8 years of age, predominantly originating from the ductal epithelium, which represented 46.4% of all the malignant cases.

poses a significant threat to both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals, often resulting in life-threatening infections. With increasing antimicrobial resistance, novel therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. Although animal models are crucial for preclinical studies, limited data are available for porcine models, more specifically for complicated skin and soft tissue infections (cSSTIs). This study presents a novel porcine model inducing and sustaining cSSTI for 14 days. Six pigs (120 wounds) were used for the development of infections, and within this group, two pigs (40 wounds) were used to evaluate the progression of the cSSTI infection. The model demonstrated bacterial loads of more than 10 CFU/gram of tissue or higher. The cSSTI fully developed within three days and remained well above these levels until day 14 post-infection. Due to the immunocompetence of this model, all the immunological processes associated with the response to the presence of infection and the wound healing process are preserved.

This study aimed to evaluate the immunomodulatory effect of the probiotic L26 Biocenol (L26) and its purified exopolysaccharide (EPS) with respect to antiviral innate immune response. In our experiment, we used porcine epithelial IPEC-J2 cells as a model of the intestinal barrier in a homologous infection by porcine   strain OSU6 (RVA). The production of selected molecules of non-specific humoral immunity was evaluated at the mRNA level. The EPS alone significantly increased the level of interferon λ3 (IFN-λ3) mRNA in the non-infected IPEC-J2 cells ( < 0.001). We also tested whether the treatment of IPEC-J2 cells by L26 or EPS influences the replication of RVA by virus titration and real-time PCR. We found that a pre-treatment in combination with subsequent continuous stimulation has no influence on the RVA replication. However, both treatments significantly decreased the RVA-induced production of IFN-λ3 ( < 0.05) and the "SOS" cytokine interleukin 6 (IL-6;  < 0.01), already at the transcription level. In addition, the EPS treatment resulted in significantly increased IL-10 mRNA in the RVA-infected cells. In summary, we assume an immunoregulatory potential of  L26 Biocenol and its EPS in the local intestinal antiviral immune response.