Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Roundworms in small animals are Toxocara species, which are ascarid nematodes.
Transmammary and transplacental transfer in dogs, transmammary transfer in cats.
Treated with Fendbendazole and Pyrantel every 2 -3 weeks until patient is 4 months old.
o Toxocara canis is the most common cause of cough in puppies.
o Will cause visceral larval migrans when ingested by humans. Commonly affects
eyes of children.
o Ivermectin will kill roundworms (nematodes), although this is not the treatment of
choice in small animals.
o Thelazia are roundworms that affect the ocular tissues. Transmitted by Diptera &
Musca flies.
Trichuris vulpis is the major whipworm of small animals. Eggs have symmetrically
bipolar plugs. Inhabit cecum and colon. Treat with Fenbendazole over a long period.
o
Ancylostoma, the canine hookworm, will cause cutaneous larval migrans in humans.
o Can infect dogs in utero, via nursing, or by piercing the skin (usually the feet).
Tapeworms such as Dipylidium caninum & Taenia taeniaeformis are treated with
Praziquantel.
o Fleas are the intermediate hosts of Dipylidium caninum.
Giardia is a protozoal parasite is treated with fenbendazole or metronidazole.
o
o Cannot be seen on fecal sedimentation.
Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that commonly affects cats. A large percentage
of cats are sereopositive but do not shed oocysts.
o Infected cats usually only shed oocysts for 1 2 weeks when initially affected.
o Diagnose active infection with paired titers 1 2 weeks apart.
o Oocysts take a couple of days to sporulate and become infective, so cleaning the
litter box daily reduces the risk of infection for humans.
o Treat with Clindamycin.
Capillaria aerophilia is a respiratory roundworm. Eggs look similar to Trichuris but are
smaller with asymmetrical plugs.
o Very malignant, will develop phthisis bulbi (shrunken eye), and treat with
enucleation.
The cutoff for differing mammary tumor prognoses is 3 cm in dogs & 2 cm in cats.
o Mammary tumors more frequently develop in caudal glands.
Black widow spider bites cause muscle spasms, muscle rigidity, and pain.
Ingestion of Stargazer lillies can cause acute renal failure in cats.
Anterior uveitis is the most common cause of cataracts in cats. Clinical signs include
hyphema and keratic precipitates.
o Treat idiopathic anterior uveitis with systemic prednisone and carprofen as well as
topical dexamethasone and atropine.
Dont use topical antibiotics; there are no bacteria.
The cornea has the most refracting power in the eye.
Feline herpes virus will cause ocular ulcers and commonly cause systemic disease.
o Herpes virus is the only cause of corneal ulcers in cats, although corneal ulcers
can become secondarily infected with bacteria.
o 80 100% of affected cats become carriers.
Feline calicivirus is the only respiratory virus to cause oral ulcerations. Also causes
systemic disease and skin ulcers.
o Treat with clindamycin for associated bacterial infections and sucralfate to coat
ulcers.
Feline herpes virus causes conjunctivitis and dendritic ocular ulcers.
For alopecia X (alopecia of unknown cause), castration is treatment of choice. Also try
melatonin supplementation.
o Consider alopecia X if skin cytology, chemistry panel, thyroid panel, and ACTH
stimulation are normal.
Mycoplasma gallisepticum causes severe respiratory signs in turkeys and milder
respiratory signs in chickens.
o Histomonas meleagridis causes fatal necrosis of the liver and di in turkeys, but is
less pathogenic in chickens.
Proliferative enteritis in swine is caused by Lawsonia intracellularis. Prevent via a
vaccine. Treat with tylosin in water or feed.
o Lawsonia intracellularis causes proliferative ileitis in hamsters, which causes
severe diarrhea.
Remember, a Na:K ratio < 23 is a hallmark of hypoadrenocorticism.
Morphine will release histamine; avoid in mast cell tumors.
o Mast cell tumors can cause local inflammation.
The most common cause of glaucoma (increased intraocular pressure) is decreased
outflow of aqueous humor.
o Acute glaucoma causes episcleral injection. corneal edema, and pain.
o Chronic glaucoma causes buphthalmos (enlarged globe).
o Glaucoma does not cause strabismus.
o Primary glaucoma in one eye will typically cause glaucoma in the other eye in 6
12 months.
Primary glaucoma is most common in female spayed Cocker Spaniels.
Botulism (Clostridulum botulinum) blocks the release of acetylcholine from the
neuromuscular junction, resulting in flaccid paralysis. Can affect cranial nerves.
o Clostridium tetani causes muscle stiffness.
o Tick paralysis has an ascending symmetrical paralysis and does not cause cranial
nerve involvement.
o Coonhound Paralysis (Idiopathic polyradiculoneuritis) is usually seen after a
raccoon bite. Causes paralysis and facial / laryngeal paralysis. May cause diffuse
hyperesthesia.
Botulism causes dyspnea, mydriasis, & tongue hanging out. Does not cause
proprioceptive deficits.
Dogs do not have a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy.
Tick paralysis does not involve cranial nerves.
Mycobacterium species are acid-fast rods.
Idiopathic polyradiculoneuritis (Coonhound Paralysis) is an ascending paralysis normally
associated with raccoon exposure. Unknown etiology and animals usually spontaneously
recover fully within several months.
A positive scooch test (xiphoid pain) in cows is indicative of traumatic reticuloperitonitis.
The most important treatment for severe acute blood loss is whole blood transfusions.
Aspiration pneumonia causes an alveolar pattern mostly involving the right cranial and
middle lung lobe.
o Seen cranioventrally on radiographs.
Anhidrosis is the inability to sweat. Commonly occurs in horses in hot humid climates.
Canine esophagus is entirely striated muscle.
o Feline esophagus is 2/3 striated then 1/3 smooth muscle.
Mycobacterium bovis is the disease of most concern from drinking unpasteurized cow
milk.
o Brucella melitensis can be acquired in humans via raw goat milk.
Sympathetic innervation to the bladder is provided by the hypogastric nerve.
o Parasympathetic innervation to the bladder is provided by the pelvic nerve.
o Somatic innervation to the external urethral sphincter is provided by the pudendal
nerve.
The ideal incision site for a foreign body gastrotomy is halfway between the greater and
lesser curvature of the stomach.
Cat scratch disease is caused by Bartonella henselae. Spread between cats by fleas and
spread to humans via scratches and bites. Results in fever and lymphadenopathy.
o Treat with doxycycline.
Swayback & enzootic ataxia in sheep and goats is caused by copper deficiency.
Positive predictive value is proportion of test-positive animals that are disease-positive.
o Young Siamese cats with the histiocytic subtype of mast cells tumors will usually
have the tumors spontaneously regress.
o Cutaneous mast cell tumors in cats are most commonly on the head. They rarely
metastasize and are not graded.
Ketamine has been associated with seizures in epileptic dogs.
Bracken fern contains glycoside and thiaminase, which leads to a thiamin deficiency.
This causes convulsions, opisthotonus, and death.
o Also causes bone marrow suppression.
Abomasal ulcers and associated peritonitis have a grave (<10% survival) prognosis in a
calf.
In older cats, the most likely cause of retinal detachment is hypertension secondary to
renal or thyroid disease.
Epinephrine can be given with lidocaine to prolong the duration of lidocaines effects.
o Epinephrine causes local vasoconstriction, preventing rapid systemic absorption.
This prolongs the local anesthetic effects of lidocaine.
o The most common early sign of lidocaine toxicity is CNS depression in dogs
(muscle tremors and seizures) and cardiac suppression / CNS excitation in cats.
In budgerigars, squamous metaplasia of the oral cavity is normally due to
hypovitaminosis A.
The most common cause for hyperparathyroidism in dogs is a parathyroid adenoma.
Castration reduces the risk of prostatitis and benign prostatic hyperplasia.
o Castration does not reduce the risk of bladder and prostate neoplasia.
Mycoplasma mycoides ssp. mycoides causes mastitis in adult female goats and
polyarthritis / pneumonia in goat kids.
o No treatment. Cull all culture-positive animals and affected kids.
o Can also cause meningitis in goat kids.
Old world primates do not have prehensile tails.
Most parrot species have normal featherless areas called aptera.
An anaphalyctic reaction in a horse mostly affects the lungs and colon. (The shock
organs in a horse are the lungs and colon.)
Systemic fungal disease can cause pulmonary nodules, but will usually have hilar
lymphadenopathy.
o Treat fungal disease for several months with an antifungal like Itraconazole.
Treat sand enteropathies in horses with psyllium.
Patent urachus in foals can have urine draining from navel, a hot and painful navel, and
purulent discharge from navel. Non-complicated cases will often heal on own. If
infected, treat with systemic antimicrobials and possible surgical removal.
The most common organisms that cause endocarditis are Bartonella, Staphylococcus,
Streptococcus, Pseudomonas, E. coli, Corynebacterium, & Erysipelothrix.
The hormone injected in cattle to increase milk production is Somatotropin (growth
hormone).
Consider pharyngeal trauma when cow workers use paste guns and a cow is sick!
Acute, painful exophthalmos is usually due to a retrobulbar abscess. These animals are
frequently systemically ill with fever and leukocytosis.
Xylazine is the best emetic in cats.
o Cats do not respond to apomorphine because they lack dopamine receptors in
their brain.
The main disadvantage to giving xylazine to a horse with acute colic is inhibition of
intestinal motility.
The most frequently isolated bacteria in cat bite abscesses are anaerobes.
o Most important therapy is to place a penrose drain for a few days.
o Antibiotics are usually unnecessary.
White cats or cats with white fur on face or ears are predisposed to squamous cell
carcinoma, which is ulcerative.
Tetracyclines (such as doxycycline) administration in young growing puppies can result
in delayed bone growth and discolored teeth.
o Doxycycline can also cause esophageal strictures if it stays in the esophagus an
extended period.
o Fluoroquinolones such as enrofloxacin in young growing puppies can cause
cartilage formation abnormalities.
Do not house guinea pigs and rabbits together because rabbits will transmit Bordatella to
guinea pigs.
o Bordatella is part of the rabbits normal flora, but not the guinea pig.
Enamel hypoplasia of canines is seen in dogs previously infected with Distemper virus.
Grass tetany is caused by magnesium deficiency.
Rubella (Measles) is not transmitted from non-human primates to humans.
E. coli O157:H7 is an enterohemorrhagic strain that produces shiga-like toxins that cause
hemorrhagic diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome.p
Tracheal collapse is usually due to weakness of the tracheal rings.
Many antibiotics are very toxic to rodents. The three safest antibiotics are TMS,
Enrofloxacin, & Chloramphenicol.
Hypovitaminosis A is most common in turtles (compared to other reptiles). Causes
palpebral edema and nasal discharge.
Nitrous oxide is contraindicated in gastrointestinal surgeries because it moves into closed
gas spaces intestines.
o Nitrous oxide also decreases fractional inspired levels.
Human ingestion of the pork tapeworm Taenia solium causes cystericercosis.
Rumen acidosis commonly causes liver abscesses.
o Liver abscesses can cause venal caval thrombosis and metastatic pneumonia.
Feline mammary hyperplasia is caused by progesterone. Treat with ovariohysterectomy.
Ceftiofur has a 4 day meat withdrawal time (shorter than most antibiotics).
o Xylazine has a 4 day meat withdrawal time.
Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration Syndrome (SARDS) is usually seen in middleaged obese female spayed dogs. Causes acute blindness with no retinal lesions. They
will eventually develop retinal vascular attenuation and tapetal hyperreflectivity.
o Electroretinogram (ERG) will have a flat-line (no response).
An abnormal electroretinogram localizes a lesion to the retina.
Anterior lens luxation warrants immediate lens removal because it causes discomfort,
uveitis, and glaucoma.
Horse tapetums normally have dark dots.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) is an inherited retinal disease most commonly seen in
miniature poodles.
o Night blindness progresses to complete blindness with retinal lesions.
Acute uveitis results in low intraocular pressures, but chronic uveitis can lead to
glaucoma and high intraocular pressures.
Recurrent uveitis in horses (moon blindness) causes period ocular redness, tearing,
photophobia, and cloudy corneas. Due to recurrent immune-mediated inflammation.
o Appaloosa horses are predisposed.
The most common cause of post-anesthetic cortical blindness in cats is hypoxia.
Sows have 14 teats.
o Dogs have 10 teats.
o Cats have 8 teats.
o Cows have 4 teats.
o Sheep, goats, guinea pigs, and horses have 2 teats.
In snakes, retained spectacle after shedding should be treated by increasing
environmental humidity for several days and applying ophthalmic ointments until the
eyecaps fall off. May be due to other underlying diseases.
o Do not forcibly remove eyecaps.
o Best way to prevent retained spectacles is to provide proper husbandry.
Cyanide blocks cellular respiration and oxidative transport. This means hemoglobin
cannot release oxygen to the tissue so blood is saturated with oxygen and bright red.
o Treat with methylene blue, sodium nitrate, and sodium thiosulfate.
o Supplemental oxygen is not a useful treatment.
o Chokecherry contains cyanide.
Bighead is caused by Clostridium novyi or Clostridium sordelli.
o Causes facial swelling and edema & fever.
o Clostridium is found in the environment and healthy animals, so culling affect
animals is unnecessary.
Treat with penicillin.
Alpha-Mannosidosis is a genetic (autosomal-recessive) and usually fatal disease of cattle.
o Causes ataxia in calves that leads to further neurological problems.
Beta-Mannosidosis is a genetic disorder of Anglo-Nubian goats and Salers calves.
o Causes abnormal neonates.
Colonic aganliosis (lethal white foal syndrome) is a genetic (autosomal recessive) disease
of Overo horses.
o Affected foals are white with blue irises.
o Most affected foals get colic and die within 2 days.
E.Coli is the most common cause of diarrhea in piglets <5 days old.
Regurgitation in horses with colic usually means a guarded to poor prognosis.
Entropion in foals usually resolves spontaneously and requires no treatment.
o Entropion also commonly occurs in piglets and lambs.
Atropine can be used as a premedication to decrease salivary excretions.
A common complication of prolonged recumbency and inhalant anesthesia is atelectasis.
o Atelectasis is incomplete expansion of the lung due to loss of air from alveoli.
Lobar consolidation is airways filling with fluid.
Non-selective COX inhibitory NSAIDS cause GI ulcers, inhibition of platelet function,
analgesia, renal damage, and fever reduction.
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) can never be cleared; positive antibodies indicate
infection or vaccination.
Cats can exhibit cervical ventroflexion due to weakness, which is most often caused by
hypokalemia.
Rhabdomyosarcomas are tumors of striated muscle.
Hemangiosarcoma has a 3 month prognosis with spelenectomy alone and 9 - 12 months
with splenectomy + chemotherapy.
Sepsis is confirmed by effusion having 20 mg/dL lower than that of peripheral blood.
Sweating in horses can cause metabolic alkalosis.
Enrofloxacin causes cartilage abnormalities in growing puppies.
o Tetracyclines cause enamel hypoplasia and teeth staining in growing puppies.
A small animal emergency practice needs ~25 veterinarians within a 45 minute drive.
Anal sac adenocarcinomas cause morbidity and mortality via metastatic disease, pelvic
canal obstruction by local lymph nodes, and renal damage via hypercalcemia of
malignancy (due to PTHrp).
o Anal sac adenocarcinomas are very small and do not obstruct the bowel.
The holding layer of the esophagus and intestines is the submucosa.
All newly diagnosed diabetic patients should have their urine cultured. Chronic
glucosuria makes a patient prone to UTIs.
Diabetes mellitus is diagnosed with an elevated fasting glucose level and glucosuria.
Diabetes can cause cataracts in dogs and a plantigrade stance in cats.
Vomiting does not commonly occur with hyperadrenocorticism.
After ingestion of anticoagulant rodenticide, the PT value will rise first. (PT measures
profactor VII, which is the first of the vitamin K-dependent cofactors to decrease.)
Proventricular dilatation disease is caused by Avian bornavirus (ABV).
Sweeney is the name for shoulder atrophy in the horse. Caused by damage to
suprascapular nerve.
o
Melanoma cell with dark brown melanin granules.
o Melanomas can be treated with the ONCEPT vaccine.
Dogs can eat anything; cats should get a low-carbohydrate and highprotein diet.
Obesity induces an insulin-resistant state.
o Diagnostic indicators are hyperglycemia (> 200 dog, ~300 cat), glucosuria,
ketonuria, increased liver enzymes and cholesterol
o Fructosamine gives you a look at glucose control over the past 2 weeks. Very
helpful for stressed cats that are hard to get accurate glucose readings.
o For glucose curves, get first blood draw before eating and insulin. Get readings
every 2 hours for 12 hours.
o Can cause hypercholesterolemia.
o An insulin dose that is too high can induce the Somogy effect, which causes a
rebound hyperglycemia due to blood glucose falling too rapidly.
o When controlling diabetes, want glucose to be 150 300. Most importantly,
base on clinical signs.
o When controlling diabetes, glucose will always be in the urine. Ketones will not.
o Standard starting insulin is 0.25 0.5 units / kg per injection.
o Regular insulin is short-acting and short-lasting. Useful in diabetic ketoacidosis.
Lente is used in dogs. It is a porcine insulin and intermediate-lasting.
Glargine is used in cats. It is a bovine insulin and long-lasting.
o Dogs can get diabetic cataracts. Cats rarely get diabetic cataracts; they can get
plantigrade stance.
o Treat diabetic ketoacidosis with a constant rate infusion of Regular insulin.
In the face of acidosis, potassium and phosphorous will decrease when
you treat it. Supplement potassium when treating.
Severe hypophosphatemia can cause hemolysis.
The maximum amount of potassium you can give is 0.5 mEq/kg/
hour.
Once patient is eating well and hydrated, switch to injectable insulin
(Lente or Glargine).
o DKA in cats can cause Heinz body anemia.
o The shortest acting insulin is Regular; the longest acting is Ultralente.
Tear production is controlled by the lacrimal nerve from cranial nerve VII (facial nerve).
Dont combine NSAIDs with steroids because it increases the risk for gastric ulceration,
GI perforation, and renal failure.
Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia will cause lethargy with fever and pale mucous
membranes.
Diagnose nasal aspergillosis with histopathology.
The reversal agent for medetomidine is atipamezole.
o Medetomidine & xylazine are alpha-2 agonists; reverse with yohimbine.
o Opiates are reversed with naloxone.
o Benzodiazepines (Midazolam & Diazepam) are reversed with flumanezil.
o Phenobarbital does not have a reversal agent.
Appetite stimulants for small animals include mirtazapine, diazepam, oxazepam, &
cyproheptadine.
Vesicular exanthema of swine is caused by a calicivirus also affects sea lions.
Neorickettsia risticii, which causes Potomac Horse Fever, requires paired titers to
diagnose.
o Treat with tetracyclines.
Neorickettsia helminthoeca causes salmon-poisoning disease.
o Dogs eat salmon, which have the flukes, which have Neorickettsia.
o Causes vomiting, diarrhea, and thrombocytopenia.
A left-sided ping on a cow indicates ruminal tympany or a left displaced abomasum.
o A right-sided ping indicates gas in the spiral colon, gas in the cecum, or abomasal
torsion.
Abomasal torsion causes hypochloremia and metabolic alkalosis.
o When hydrogen ions leave the cells, potassium rushes into the cells and causes
hypokalemia.
o Treat with IV saline with added potassium.
Foxglove is a cardiotoxic plant.
Aminocaproic acid promotes hemostasis by inhibiting plasminogen and stabilizing blood
clots.
Dogs with hepatic insufficiency or hepatic encephalopathy should be fed the maximum
amount of protein they will tolerate without causing signs of encephalopathy.
Portosystemic shunts cause high bile acids, microcytosis, ammonium biurate crystaluria,
hypoproteinemia, hypoglycemia, and normal/increased liver enzymes.
Carpal hygromas (fluid-filled swelling) in horses is treated with surgical exploration and
drain placement.
Moldy sweet potatoes with the fungus Fusarium solani have 4-ipomeanol. This is a
pneumotoxic compound.
Sertoli cell tumors can cause color changes in budgerigars.
o Budgerigars commonly get iodine deficiency, which causes goiters (thyroid
hyperplasia).
Three major causes of protein-losing enteropathies are inflammatory bowel disease,
lymphagniectasia, and lymphoma.
Lymphocytic plasmacytic enteritis is consistent with inflammatory bowel disease. Treat
with a hypoallergenic diet and prednisolone. Metronidazole can also be used to control
bacterial overgrowth.
o Lymphangiectasia is treated with a low-fat diet; steroids are not helpful unless it is
secondary to another condition.
Fat increases lymph production and causes further lacteal dilation.
o A biopsy is helpful to differentiate IBD from lymphangiectasia because
lymphangiectasia needs a low-fat diet and no steroids whereas IBD requires a
hydrolyzed diet and possibly steroids.
A pure thyroid diet that is low in iodide (no other food) can be effective on
its own. Not as many studies.
Stop methimazole for 7 days before radioiodine-131 therapy so that the
overactive cells can actually become overactive again and be targeted.
Normal thyroid cells have a much lower metabolic rate because of
negative feedback from high thyroid hormone and are thus not
targeted by radioiodine-131.
Hyperadrenocorticism can cause increased platelets and hypercholesterolemia.
In horses, a rapidly spreading infection with fever and cough should make you suspicious
for equine influenza (an orthomyxovirus).
o Test for this and other viral diseases with viral isolation via nasopharyngeal
swabs.
Hemorrhage from guttural pouch mycosis is treated with surgical occlusion of affected
internal or external carotid artery under general anesthesia.
The most likely side effect for potassium bromide therapy is sedation.
Infectious coryza is easily treated in birds because it is bacterial.
o Avian influenza, infectious laryngotracheitis, & infectious bursal disease are
caused by viruses and not easily treated.
Gangrenous mastitis in sheep is caused by Staphylococcus aureus & Manheimia. Grave
prognosis.
Desmopressin acetate releases von Willebrand factor, which helps with clotting.
o Can also give exogenous von Willebrand factor via fresh frozen plasma.
Features of avian anatomy are 9 air sacs, a 4-chambered heart, complete tracheal rings,
and heterophils as the major white blood cell.
Agglutination on feline blood typing cards (which have antibodies against blood types)
indicate the patient has that blood type.
In cows, hypomagnesemia (grass tetany) causes death, staggering, tachycardia, pyrexia,
nystagmus, and clamping of jaws. Occurs in lactating cows on lush pasture.
Oral candidiasis in birds is caused by yeast and often occurs secondary to other illnesses
or stresses. Causes oropharyngeal lesions. Treat with an anti-fungal such as fluconazole.
The state veterinary board licenses veterinarians to prescribe drugs.
Anesthetic gases are potent vasodilators. When a patient under anesthesia shows a drop
in blood pressure, turn down the anesthetic gas first and give fluids before drugs.
o Dobutamine can then be tried to raise blood pressure.
Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis has hemorrhagic diarrhea with marked hemoconcentration.
o Key findings are high PCV of 55 60% and normal total protein (that is not
hemoconcentrated due to intestinal loss).
Familial Shar Pei Fever (FSF) causes fever and tarsal swelling. Dogs with FSF are
predisposed to amyloidosis, which can result in proteinuria.
Chylous pleural effusion can be treated medically with a low fat diet and Rutin
(stimulates protein breakdown and removal), although this normally fails.
o
o
o
o
Transitional cell carcinoma is treated with piroxicam (an NSAID) and carboplatin
chemotherapy.
Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia burgorferi.
o Causes erythema migrans in humans.
o In dogs, causes anorexia, arthritis, lymphadenopathy, and fever.
Red legs in frogs is a result of bacterial septicemia due to Aeromonus hydrophila.
o Gasterophilus intestinalis is a bot fly larvae (stomach bot). Typically no clinical
signs.
Osteochondritis dissecans incidence is not reduced via cross-breeding. Cull affected pigs.
Anaplasma marginale causes anaplasmosis. Causes extravascular hemolysis, so no
hemoglobinuria.
o Calves are resistant, so only affects adult cows.
Thiopental is an ultra-short acting barbituate. Recovery depends on redistribution to
tissues including fat. So, dont give to Greyhounds because they have very little fat.
For bovine surgery, only the cecum is only approached on the right side.
The only veins that should enter the vena cava between the renal and hepatic veins are the
phrenicoabdominal veins.
o Any other veins that enter the vena cava in this position could be an extrahepatic
portosystemic shunt.
Activated charcoal does not bind alcohol, corrosives, some metals, and arsenic.
Cryptosporidiosis in reptiles has no effective treatment; euthanize animals.
o Causes regurgitation, weight loss, and debilitation.
o Causes thickening of GI mucosa and loss of GI motility.
In horses, anechoic regions in tendons on ultrasound indicate acute tendonitis (the
anechoic regions are areas of hemorrhage and loss of tendon fibers).
The most likely complication of clotrimazole is laryngeal inflammation.
Bracken fern causes hemolytic anemia.
Influenze viruses can readily undergo antigenic shift because of their segmented genome.
Emphysematous cystitis, which is caused by gas-forming bacteria, is usually due to
Cushings disease, diabetes mellitus, UTIs, or bladder stones.
Dysfunction of the esophageal groove in calves can cause rumen acidosis, abdominal
pain, and white putty feces.
Cats require taurine and arachidonic acid in their diets.
o Taurine deficiency in cats causes dilated cardiomyopathy and retinal
degeneration.
Basal cell tumors are the most common skin tumors in the cat.
o Basal cell tumors are usually hairless, domed, and raised masses.
o Usually found on the head, neck, and shoulders.
o Usually benign.
Sebaceous gland tumors are the most common skin tumors in dogs.
o They are cauliflower-like and often ulcerate.
Round cell tumors include mast cell tumors, lymphoma, plasma cell tumors,
histiocytomas, and transmissible venereal tumors.
Vesicular stomatitis affects cattle and horses.
o Causes fever and ulcerated tongues.
In birds, Candidiasis is caused by the yeast Candida albicans. Usually affects young
birds and is linked to hypovitaminosis A and spoiled feed.
Fiddleneck, groundsel, ragwort, & senecios cause liver failure in horses because they
have pyrrolizidine alkaloids.
o Pyrrrolidizone alkaloids cause elevations in SDH, lactate, ALP, and a decrease in
albumin. They also cause problems with hepatocyte division, thus leading to
megalocytosis (large hepatocytes).
Oak poisoning in horses causes GI signs.
o Oak poisoning in cattle causes renal failure.
The most cost-effective treatment for ruptured bladder in a feedlot steer is a perineal
urethrostomy.
o This is a salvage procedure to get the steer to market in a few months.
Enrofloacin is good for treating UTIs associated with prostatitis.
Yersinia enterocolitica & Trichinella spiralis affect humans who eat pork. They cause GI
signs and appendicitis, although Yersinia causes the signs faster.
Atrophic rhinitis in pigs is caused by Bordatella bronchiseptica & Pasteurella multocida.
o No treatment, just cull.
Ascaris suum are nematodes that infect the small intestine of pigs.
o Cause white spots when migrating through the liver. Can also cause pulmonary
edema when migrating through the lungs.
o Trichuris suum is a whipworm that infects pigs cecums and large intestines.
o Fasciola hepatica is a liver fluke of pigs.
o Stephanurus dentatus is the kidney worm of pigs.
Atricurium & succinylcholine are neuromuscular blockers.
o Reversed by edrophonium and neostigmine (cholinesterase inhibitors).
Guaifenesin is a centrally acting muscle relaxant.
Ethmoid hematomas cause intermittent, recurrent, and unilateral epistaxis in horses.
Influenza viruses are prone to antigenic shift because they have a segmented genome.
Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome (MRLS) is associated with eastern tent caterpillars.
Anxiety-related problems can be treated with tricyclic anti-depressants such as
clomipramine.
o Side effects of clomaprine include vomiting, constipation, anorexia, and sedation.
Theriogenology
A bitch in estrus will have vaginal cytology with >90% cornified epithelial cells (look
like flakes with no nucleus).
Neonatal rabbits (kits) must nurse 1 - 2 times per day.
In a cow, you will see parturition 48 hours after administering dexamethasone.
o Dexamethasone + PGF-2alpha will lyse a corpus luteum if cow is 5 8 months
pregnant.
Progesterone levels are highest in diestrus, when the corpus luteum is active.
In pigs, an ascending reproductive tract infection can be caused by E. coli, Streptococci,
Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, & Actinomyces.
Lysing a mature corpus lutem in a cow will return her to estrus in 3 days.
Risk factors for metritis in cattle are retained fetal membranes, dystocia, stillbirth, &
twinning.
To synchronize a dairy cow, 2 injections of PGF-2 alpha should be given 11 14 days
apart.
o Giving PGF2-alpha during anestrus has no effect.
The Whitten (buck) effect induces sheep and goats to ovulate at the same time. The
Whitten (buck) effect is done via introduction of a new male.
Mammary gland hyperplasia occurs in youg, intact female cats. Is non-painful. Treat
with ovariohysterectomy.
Most common testicular tumor in the horse is a seminoma.
Colonic torsions commonly occur in mares that are a few weeks post-partum.
Prolactin is stimulated by suckling and promotes milk production.
In dogs, radiographs can see puppy skeletons at 45 days post-ovulation.
In horses, placentas are considered retained after 3 hours post-parturition. Treat with
oxytocin and uterus lavage.
In pigs, E. coli, Streptococci, Staphylococci, & Actinomyces can cause reproductive
failure via ascending infection of the reproductive tract.
The most effective way of synchronizing lactating pigs is batch weaning at 3-4 weeks.
This results in estrus about 5 days later.
Gestation length of goats and sheep is 150 days.
Progesterone is essential for maintenance of pregnancy in all domestic mammals.
o The pig depends on ovarian progesterone throughout pregnancy.
o In cows, the latter half of pregnancy is maintained by ovarian and placental
progesterone.
o In horses, the ovarian source of progesterone peaks relatively early in gestation
and is gradually replaced by placental progesterone.
o In sheep, the placenta takes over progesterone production early in gestation.
Fescue causes reproductive failure in mares.
Cow lactation lasts 305 days, then the cows are dried off for 60 days (the last 2 months of
pregnancy).
o Cows reach peak lactation 4 8 weeks post-parturition.
The placentome is the relationship between the uterine endometrium and placenta.
o In cows, the placentome consists of the maternal caruncle (mom drives the car) &
fetal cotyledon.
In the bitch, dark red vaginal discharge can be seen up to 6 weeks postpartum.
o Sub-involution of placental sites can cause fresh bleeding for up to 15 weeks.
o Bitches do not normally get retained placentas.
Repair of a pneumovagina in horses involves placing horizontal sutures at the dorsal
aspect of the labia and increasing the mares weight.
o Pneumovaginas are normally seen in older, thin mares.
Goats and sheep reach puberty at 6 months old.
o Cows reach puberty at 14 months old.
Goats have a 21 day estrous cycle
Theriogenology Species Comparison
Species
Dog
Gestation
Length
63 days
Estrous Cycle
Length (Averages)
9 days Proestrus
9 days Estrus
2 - 3 months Diestrus
4 - 5 months Anestrus
Cat
65 days
Seasonally polyestrous,
spring through fall
1 day Proestrus
7 days Estrus
7 - 21 day
Interestrous cycle
during mating season
Cow
283 days
Important Notes
Oocytes undergo
meiosis before
fertilization
occurs.
Estrus has falling
estrogen and
rising
progesterone.
Induced ovulators
(copulation
stimulates LH
surge, which
stimulates
ovulation).
In the absence of
pregnancy,
oxytocin
receptors form in
uterus during
diestrus, which
leads to
production of
PGF-2alpha.
The cow is
unusual because
she ovulates after
estrus.
Chorioallantoic
membrane slip
can be felt at 30
days pregnancy.
Fetus can be felt
at 60 days
pregnancy.
Placentomes can
be palpated at 75 90 days pregnant.
Horse
340 days
Seasonally polyestrous,
spring and summer
Fremitus can be
felt at 4 months
on the ipsilateral
horn & 7 months
bilaterally.
Prostaglandin-F
will lyse a corpus
luteum between 5
- 17 days of the
estrous cycle.
Can palpate
pregnancy at 20
days.
Horses have
endometrial cups
which produce
progesterone
between 45 - 120
days of
pregnancy.