Tyzzer’s disease is caused by Clostridium piliforme and can cause severe disease in many animal species.
Transmission is mainly through the fecal-oral route.
It is mostly seen in mice, but infected mice often do not exhibit clinical symptoms. Mice become carriers of the disease and spread the pathogen to other mice and other animal species.
Different mouse strains differ in their susceptibility to the pathogen.
Tyzzer’s disease can occasionally infect rats and should be considered as a possible cause in cases of diarrhoea and sudden death in this species.
The prognosis for affected individuals is very poor. Infection causes necrotic lesions in the liver, digestive organs and heart.
Originally a charity set up by veterinary students for the homeless hounds of Glasgow in October 2014, Trusty Paws has become incredibly successful and has received a huge amount of public support.
This success has allowed the charity to run monthly clinics at the Simon Community Scotland drop-in centre, providing free health checks, vaccinations, microchipping, and flea and worming treatment for the pets of the homeless.
Essential supplies, such as food, coats and harnesses for the dogs, are also given out at these clinics for those in need.
Branching out
The success of the Glasgow clinics has led to a branch of the charity opening in London, with the first clinic taking place in November 2015.
Run by fourth year RVC students, the clinics take place at the West London Day Centre in Marylebone, which also provides other services for the homeless.
The expansion of the charity is excellent news for the pets of the homeless, for whom we can continue to provide the veterinary care they deserve.
The Glasgow clinics are organised by the student committee, but health checks are conducted by other fourth year student volunteers. Last week I had the chance to get involved and, under the supervision of a volunteer vet, conducted my first full consultation that didn’t involve actors in a communication skills class.
My patient, Bruno, wasn’t particularly well. The owner said he was not himself (he certainly looked depressed), had lost a significant amount of weight since his last visit and had a slow heart rate, in addition to some evident skin issues.
The vet suspected Cushing’s disease, so we referred him to the local Pets’n’Vets branch that undertakes any secondary veterinary care Trusty Paws patients require. They have conducted blood tests, paid for by the charity, and have confirmed the diagnosis.
Offering support
While a little daunting to be thrown straight into a full consultation, I thoroughly enjoyed helping out at the clinic and would certainly encourage other students (whether in Glasgow or London) to do so in the future.
The clients are extremely appreciative and evidently love their pets dearly, so it’s easy to see the benefits of such a charity to everyone involved.
Alternatively, the charity has two Amazon wishlists (one for Glasgow, one for London), enabling supporters to purchase specific products that each clinic requires.
Interrupted labour can last from 24-36 hours. Image: mari_d/Fotolia.
Interrupted labour is common enough in queens, especially primagravida and domestic breeds, as to be a normal occurrence.
The interruption, which may last as long as 24 or even 36 hours, may be triggered by a disturbance or may be attributable to no changes at all.
After one or more kittens have been born, the queen will stop contracting and rest, suckling the kittens already born. She will remain bright and often take food and water.
After this period of rest the queen will recommence contractions and the remainder of the litter should be born normally and easily.
Starting treatment for epilepsy in dogs is slightly controversial as the adverse effects of medication, and the fact that most dogs will be on treatment for life, puts many owners off.
Many dogs will only seizure once, and never again.
I was taught to advocate treatment after the second seizure episode, once other organic causes have been ruled out.
Experimental evidence and a single study in dogs suggest that early treatment offers better long-term control of the seizures as compared to animals that are allowed to have numerous seizures prior to the onset of treatment.
Most effective are the chlorhexidine based rinses.
Say “Aaaah”
Chlorhexidine gluconate is an antiseptic which reduces inflammation and bleeding of the gums and freshens the breath. It has no known side effects.
Chlorhexidine acetate is antibacterial, but there are some reports of staining of the teeth after prolonged usage.
Rinses may also help reduce plaque and calculus formation. They can be added to the drinking water or some come with handy applicators, enabling direct application to the mouth.
When bleeding and inflammation subside, the rinse should be stopped.
Ideally, daily brushing with cat toothpaste is the gold standard for ongoing dental care.
Diagnosing CKD before the appearance of clinical signs is difficult, as no symptoms will be seen until approximately 70% of renal function is lost. However, common signs include increased thirst (polydipsia) and excessive urination (polyuria).
The overall aim is to maintain the phosphate concentration in the lower end of normal range: <1.45mmol/l.
Now well into December, and getting ever closer to Christmas, there will be an abundance of “goodies” around the house that are not so good for the four-legged family members.
Most owners are aware of the dangers of chocolate and so are likely to rush down to the vet on Boxing Day when their Labrador has broken into the tin of Heroes – but what other festive dangers are there that owners are not so clued up on?
Pudding
The festive favourite Christmas pudding, while enjoyable for us, can be lethal for pets. It is the raisins, currants and sultanas that may lurk within that are poisonous.
While the mechanism of toxicity is poorly understood, we know it can cause acute kidney failure in dogs.
The treatment protocol for poisoning by raisins, etc, is similar to general suspected poisoning with an unknown agent: give an emetic (to make the animal vomit), an adsorbent (for example, activated charcoal) and supportive care (IV fluids) to protect the kidneys for a few days.
Antifreeze
Ethylene glycol, more commonly known as antifreeze, is extremely toxic to pets, with consumption of tiny amounts resulting in crystal formation in the kidneys, and so acute renal failure. Antifreeze smells and tastes sweet, so pets are often attracted to it. For this reason, it is best for owners to ensure it is kept in a secure container, well away from pets.
Early symptoms include neurological signs, such as wobbliness, twitching, seizures and depression. As the poisoning progresses, the animal will have cardiac and respiratory signs, such as increased heart and respiratory rate. It’s vitally important owners look out for these signs if their pets have had any possible access to antifreeze (for example, if they’ve got into the garage or if a cat has been missing for a few days and potentially been locked in someone’s shed).
The antidote for ethylene glycol poisoning is ethanol, because it replaces ethylene glycol as a substrate for the enzyme that breaks it down into toxic products. More specifically, lab-grade ethanol is best.
Sweetener
Xylitol is a sugar-free sweeter that is used in chewing gum, cakes and sweets, particularly diabetic foods. Xylitol causes insulin release in the body, resulting in hypoglycaemia and, later, liver damage.
Symptoms include vomiting and signs of hypoglycaemia: lethargy, weakness, collapse and, if it progresses, seizures and coma. Unlike ethylene glycol, there isn’t a specific antidote, but supportive care, including fluids and liver protectants, is vital. The prognosis for xylitol toxicity is good if the animal’s hypoglycaemia is corrected quickly, so it is essential for owners that suspect this to contact their vet immediately. If you’re trying to determine whether xylitol is in a product, it is often listed as a food additive, code E967.
Decorations?
And don’t forget the potential foreign body too – if the cat has been playing with the tinsel and managed to swallow some or the dog has ingested a few tasty looking baubles.
Enjoy the festive season, but advise owners to keep an eye on their pets this Christmas.
Cats with hyperthyroidism are more vulnerable to bacterial UTIs. One study reported bacterial lower UTIs were diagnosed in 12% of hyperthyroid cats.
Bacterial UTIs are clinically “silent” in a high proportion of older cats, with no haematuria, dysuria, or other signs to indicate their presence.
Where possible, bacterial culture of cystocentesis-obtained urine samples (right) is recommended in hyperthyroid cats at time of diagnosis and periodically thereafter, especially if indicated by clinical signs or previous history.
Capillaria aerophila by Lalošević, V., Lalošević, D., Čapo, I., Simin, V., Galfi, A. & Traversa, D. [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia CommonsCapillaria aerophila and Aelurostrongylus abstrusus are two of those most commonly found lungworm in cats.
Cats become infected with lungworm when they drink water or eat prey infected with the larval stage of the worm.
The larvae migrate out of the intestines via the bloodstream to the lungs, where they develop into adult worms and lay eggs in the host’s lungs within 40 days. The eggs are then coughed up by the cat or passed in faeces, which may then be eaten by birds, rodents and/or snails.
Symptoms include coughing, dyspnoea and mucus accumulation.
Treatment options include fenbendazole, albendazole, ivermectin, praziquante and levamisole. Usually, a 10-day course of fenbendazole with three to four days of ivermectin will clear the infection.
Coming from the centre of England, studying veterinary medicine in Scotland has its quirks. In my first week I was immersed in an entirely new language that had nothing to do with my choice of course.
One of my Scottish friends loves to remind me of the golden moment in an introductory lecture when I leaned over and whispered “who’s Ken?” (as in “I dinnae ken”, or “ken what I mean?”).
But this week, during a lecture on bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD), I was left wondering about the geographical impact of studying in Glasgow compared to friends who stayed closer to home.
North of the border
The BVD virus has a pretty interesting mechanism that, while making for fascinating reading, is the reason it wreaks havoc on the UK’s cattle industries and can be pesky to both diagnose and get on top of in the herd.
While BVD is prevalent all over the UK, Scotland is significantly further ahead than my home turf in the control of this disease, mainly due to a government-implemented eradication programme in recent years.
In England, however, many farmers are unaware of the disease or reluctant to undertake the costly exercise of hunting persistently infected calves within the herd, which, at the moment, is not compulsory – unlike in Scotland.
Now there was a lot of joking about England letting the side down and being a bit useless, but the reality is that until England plays catch-up and implements an eradication scheme, it’s going to be extremely difficult for the Scottish eradication to be 100% successful – short of throwing up a double fence between us and them.
Regional issues
If I were studying elsewhere, I wonder how the emphasis would differ depending on the prevalence in that region. Several times in my lectures I’ve heard Angiostrongylus (heartworm) brushed off as a differential if the animal has been to the south of England, with little much else said.
Would that be given more time in an area with higher prevalence, if I were studying in London for example?
At the end of the day, we all come out as vets, no matter where we’ve studied, and, while some topics may get more emphasis because of their regional importance, we’ll still need to pay particular attention to those conditions or diseases more commonly found in the areas we end up working in. So I don’t think geography has a dramatic impact long term (unless you never intend to leave your university city).
