Honey Bees and Humane Euthanasia.

Euthanasia of animals is a cornerstone of veterinary medicine. Currently, no official criteria are set for the euthanasia or dispatch of a honey bee colony. Many methods are used around the world and vary with regards to technique, materials, volume of agent used, and timing.

Common Noninfectious Conditions of the Honey bees (Apis mellifera) Colony.

Honey bee colonies can be afflicted by serious conditions beyond infectious etiologies. Noninfectious conditions, such as starvation, laying worker colonies, and environmental dysregulation, can be as devastating as any disease. Improper hive monitoring and care often are the underlying causes of noninfectious conditions and each condition may be prevented by instituting best management practices.

Diseases and Pests of Honey Bees (Apis Mellifera).

Infectious and parasitic diseases plague honey bees similarly to that of other food animal species. A complete understanding of each is necessary for a honey bee veterinarian to establish a strong veterinarian-client-patient relationship and make sound treatment recommendations. Control and management of these diseases is paramount to success of the colony and apiary operation.

Common and Emerging Infectious Diseases of Honeybees (Apis mellifera).

Most honeybee diseases are not newly emerging diseases; however, honeybee veterinary medicine and disease understanding are emerging concepts for veterinarians in the United States. Beekeepers in the hobby and commercial sectors need a prescription or veterinary feed directive from a veterinarian to obtain medically important antibiotics for administration to their honeybees. Medically important antibiotics such as oxytetracycline, lincomycin, and tylosin were removed from over-the-counter availability for use in honeybees.

Mucopolysaccharidosis IIIB (Sanfilippo syndrome B) in a commercial emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) flock.

Clinicopathological diagnosis of mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIB (MPS IIIB; Sanfilippo syndrome B), an inherited autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disease, as a cause of losses in a commercial emu flock and screening breeders using a mutation-specific DNA test are described. Between 2012 and 2015, ∼5-10 juvenile emus from a few weeks to several months of age developed progressive neurological signs and died while others in the flock remained healthy. Necropsy of two affected siblings revealed multiple sites of haemorrhage, cytoplasmic periodic acid-Schiff and Luxol fast blue-positive inclusions in neurons, and aggregates of foamy macrophages in visceral organs.

Management and Case Outcome of Gastric Impaction in Four Raptors: A Case Series.

Four captive raptors, an American kestrel ( Falco sparverius ), peregrine falcon ( Falco peregrinus ), golden eagle ( Aquila chrysaetos ), and barn owl ( Tyto alba ), were diagnosed with ventricular and/or proventricular foreign material impactions consisting of artificial turf substrate, paper and plastic substrate, grass, and newspaper. Partial or total anorexia was reported in all birds and decreased casting in 2 birds. Survey radiographs confirmed presence of gastric enlargement in all 4 birds.

TRICAINE METHANESULFONATE (MS-222) SEDATION AND ANESTHESIA IN THE PURPLE-SPINED SEA URCHIN (ARBACIA PUNCTULATA).

The purple-spined sea urchin ( Arbacia punctulata ) is commonly found in shallow waters of the western Atlantic Ocean from the New England area of the United States to the Caribbean. Sea urchins play a major role in ocean ecology, echinoculture, and biomedical research. Additionally, sea urchins are commonly displayed in public aquaria.