Ruminal Leiomyosarcoma in an adult cow.

An ulcerated and pedunculated intraluminal yellowish solitary mass was observed protruding into the ruminal lumen of an adult cow during an abattoir survey. Histologically, the neoplasm invaded the lamina propria-submucosa, eroded the ruminal epithelium and segmentally effaced the inner tunica muscularis. It was composed of pleomorphic spindle cells arranged in fascicles.

Generalized severe junctional epidermolysis bullosa with congenital absence of skin in churra lambs.

Background: Up to 0.5% of churra lambs from two genetically related flocks showed congenital skin lesions of variable severity, jeopardizing the life of the lambs in the most severe cases.

Hypothesis/objectives: The primary objective of this study was to classify the type of congenital epithelial disease suffered by these animals, based on the description of the macroscopic skin defects, the histological and ultrastructural changes and the hereditary nature of the condition.

Virulence attenuation of a Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis S-type strain prepared from intestinal mucosa after bacterial culture. Evaluation in an experimental ovine model.

The differences in pathogenicity between an inoculum derived directly from an intestinal tissue homogenate from a paratuberculosis affected sheep and the S-type Mycobacterium avium subsp. partuberculosis (Map) strain isolated in laboratory media from the mentioned homogenate were assessed in two experiments in lambs. Specific peripheral immune responses were significantly lower in animals inoculated with the cultured organisms that showed only granulomatous lesions in the intestinal lymphoid tissue.

Experimental infection of lambs with C and S-type strains of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis: immunological and pathological findings.

The two main genotypes of recognized isolates of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map) are cattle (C) and sheep (S) strains. An experimental infection was conducted to establish the effect of Map strain on the pathogenesis of ovine paratuberculosis.

Calicophoron daubneyi (Paramphistomidae) in slaughtered cattle in Castilla y León (Spain).

The prevalence and aetiology of natural paramphistomosis was investigated in cattle slaughtered in the Castilla y León region (Spain) over a 3 year-period. The overall prevalence of positive animals was 6.20%.

Hereditary lissencephaly and cerebellar hypoplasia in Churra lambs.

Background: Lissencephaly is a rare developmental brain disorder in veterinary and human medicine associated with defects in neuronal migration leading to a characteristic marked reduction or absence of the convolutional pattern of the cerebral hemispheres. In many human cases the disease has a genetic basis. In sheep, brain malformations, mainly cerebellar hypoplasia and forms of hydrocephalus, are frequently due to in utero viral infections.

Impact of maedi-visna in intensively managed dairy sheep.

Maedi-visna (MV) is a slow lentiviral disease of sheep that has a significant economic impact in many sheep-producing regions although there remains a paucity of data relating to actual production losses resulting from this disease. The objective of this study was to evaluate direct losses, through death or culling, from two dairy sheep flocks with high seroprevalences of infection over a 2 year period. Maedi-visna was found, either alone or in combination with other diseases, to be the most common disease diagnosed in these sheep, and the major cause of direct animal losses in the two flocks.

Differences in the peripheral immune response between lambs and adult ewes experimentally infected with Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis.

The peripheral immune response, and its relationship with the outcome of the infection according to the age of the animal, has been investigated in young lambs and adult ewes experimentally infected with two different doses of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (Map). Sixteen 1.5-month-old lambs out of 24 and 23 adult ewes out of 30 were orally challenged with an ovine Map field isolate.

Nephrotoxicosis in Iberian piglets subsequent to exposure to melamine and derivatives in Spain between 2003 and 2006.

Between November 2003 and September 2006, 300 to 400 45-60-day-old Iberian piglets developed anorexia, polydipsia, and lethargy. Piglets were from 5 different farms in the western part of Spain. Morbidity was between 40% and 60%, and mortality ranged from 20% to 40% of the total population of postweaning piglets.