Zoonotic Gastroenteric Diseases of Exotic Animals.

Exotic pet ownership has steadily increased over the last decade, and with increased numbers of these species in close contact with humans, the risk of gastrointestinal zoonoses has also increased. Non-typhoidal serovars of Salmonella enterica are one of the most prevalent and important zoonoses of exotic pets, and reptile and backyard poultry are common asymptomatic carriers of these bacteria. Outbreaks of reptile-associated salmonellosis have occurred yearly in the United States since 2019 but contact with backyard poultry has actually been associated with more Salmonella outbreaks in the United States than any other animal species to date.

Investigation of a Questionnaire Used to Measure Self-Perception of Self-Regulated Learning in Veterinary Students.

In the United States, the veterinary medical curriculum is 4 years, and at most institutions, no more than one-third of that time is devoted to clinical training, meaning that graduates must continue learning post graduation. Additionally, practicing veterinarians must keep up with new discoveries and techniques in the veterinary medical field and may also choose to pursue specific interests or specialties post graduation. For these reasons, it is essential that veterinarians be competent, self-regulated, life-long learners.

Residue, distribution and depletion of fluralaner in egg following a single intravenous and transdermal administration in healthy shaver hens: fluralaner residue in egg.

The demand for the use of fluralaner in an extra label manner is increasing due to lack of efficacious treatment to combat mites and bed bugs in the poultry industry in the United States. Fluralaner residue data in eggs is lacking and residues might cause risks to human health. The present study aimed to determine the depletion profiles of fluralaner in eggs and estimate the drug withdrawal interval in whole eggs by adopting the US Food and Drug administration tolerance limit method with single intravenous (0.

Mydriasis in eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) following topical administration of proparacaine, 10% phenylephrine, and rocuronium bromide.

Objective: To determine the mydriatic effect of topical 10% phenylephrine with 10 mg/mL rocuronium bromide and compare this protocol with and without pretreatment with proparacaine.

Animals Studied: Ten client-owned pet adult eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina).

Procedures: All turtles were sedated with 8 mg/kg alfaxalone intramuscularly.

Major crossmatch compatibility of rabbit blood with rabbit, canine, and feline blood.

Objective: To evaluate the major crossmatch compatibility between rabbit recipients, rabbit donors, and the major canine and feline blood types.

Design: Prospective in vitro study in December 2021.

Setting: Academic veterinary teaching hospital.

Anesthetic efficacy of dexmedetomidine-ketamine in eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) is enhanced with the addition of midazolam and when administered in the forelimb versus the hindlimb.

Objective: To compare dexmedetomidine-ketamine (DK; 0.1 and 10 mg/kg, respectively) with midazolam (M; 1.0 mg/kg) or 0.

Pharmacokinetics of fluralaner as a systemic drug to control infestations of the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, in poultry facilities.

Background: Bed bug infestations are re-emerging in the poultry industry throughout the USA. Although the impacts of bed bugs on birds' health and welfare are poorly understood, adverse outcomes are expected, including stress, anemia, infections and lower production rates. Worker welfare is also an important consideration in commercial poultry farms.

Pharmacokinetics and Safety of Sulfamethoxazole-Trimethoprim After Oral Administration of Single and Multiple Doses to Rhode Island Red Chickens ().

Sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (SMZ-TMP), a commonly prescribed antibiotic for backyard hens, is neither Food and Drug Administration approved nor prohibited in laying hens in the United States. The aim of this study was to determine whether plasma concentrations above targeted minimum inhibitory concentration breakpoint values for Enterobacteriaceae could be achieved with oral dosing. Five Rhode Island red hens () were administered a single dose of 96 mg/kg SMZ-TMP (80 mg/kg SMZ and 16 mg/kg TMP) IV followed by the same dose orally after a washout period.

Retrospective evaluation of wobbly hedgehog syndrome in 49 African pygmy hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris): 2000-2020.

Objective: To retrospectively evaluate the prevalence and clinical progression of wobbly hedgehog syndrome (WHS) and concurrent incidence of neoplasia in a cohort of African pygmy hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris).

Animals: 49 hedgehogs.

Clinical Presentation And Procedures: Medical records of hedgehogs from 7 institutions across the US over a 20-year period (2000 to 2020) were retrospectively reviewed.

Effects of Intramuscular Alfaxalone and Midazolam Compared With Midazolam and Butorphanol in Rhode Island Red Hens ().

Chickens () often undergo veterinary procedures requiring sedation; however, there is little published research evaluating the efficacy of sedation protocols in this species. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of intramuscular alfaxalone and midazolam compared with intramuscular butorphanol and midazolam in chickens. In a complete crossover study, 11 healthy adult hens were randomly administered midazolam 2.

Treatment of Pain in Ferrets.

Ferrets often require pain management as part of comprehensive veterinary care. Recognition and objective quantification of pain, such as the ferret grimace scale, are the first steps of an analgesic plan. As in other species, a multimodal approach to pain management is preferred, which includes combining analgesic drugs of multiple classes and/or techniques to affect different areas of the pain pathway.

Intramuscular Alfaxalone-Butorphanol-Midazolam Compared with Ketamine-Butorphanol- Midazolam in New Zealand White Rabbits.

Rabbits are a common companion animal and research subject and frequently require sedation to facilitate procedures. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of intramuscular butorphanol and midazolam combined with either alfaxalone or ketamine in rabbits. In a complete crossover study, healthy New Zealand white rabbits ( = 9; age, 6 mo) randomly received midazolam (1 mg/kg IM) and butorphanol (1 mg/kg IM) combined with either alfaxalone (2 mg/kg IM; ABM) or ketamine (5 mg/kg IM; KBM).

Clinicopathologic, Gross Necropsy, and Histopathologic Effects of High-Dose, Repeated Meloxicam Administration in Rhode Island Red Chickens ().

Meloxicam is a commonly prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug for backyard poultry that has demonstrated pharmacodynamic efficacy at a single high dose of 5 mg/ kg. This study characterized the adverse effects of meloxicam administered in chickens at an approximate dose of 5 mg/kg orally twice daily for 5 days. Twenty-one adult Rhode Island Red hens (), judged to be healthy based on an external physical examination, complete blood count (CBC), and plasma biochemistry panel, were recruited for this study.

Clinicopathological findings in and prognostic factors for domestic rabbits with liver lobe torsion: 82 cases (2010-2020).

Objective: To document clinicopathologic findings in domestic rabbits with liver lobe torsion and identify prognostic factors.

Animals: 82 rabbits.

Procedure: Medical records of 4 institutions were reviewed to identify rabbits with an antemortem diagnosis of liver lobe torsion that were examined between 2010 and 2020.

Pharmacokinetics of maropitant citrate in Rhode Island Red chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) following subcutaneous administration.

Maropitant citrate is a synthetic neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist and substance P inhibitor used for control of emesis in dogs in cats. Maropitant citrate is used empirically in birds, despite a lack of pharmacokinetic data in avian species. The objective of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetic profile of a single dose of maropitant citrate 1 and 2 mg/kg subcutaneously (SC) in eight Rhode Island Red hens (Gallus gallus domesticus).

Egg residue and depletion in Rhode Island Red hens (Gallus gallus domesticus) following multiple oral doses of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.

Sulfamethoxazole-Trimethoprim residues in eggs can cause risks to human health. The most common cause of residues in eggs results from failure to meet an appropriate withdrawal interval. The aim of this study was to determine the quantity and duration of sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim residues in eggs and evaluate the drug elimination parameters in egg components and whole egg to better estimate the withdrawal interval of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim following oral administration for 7 days at a purposed dosage regimen (time average 46 mg kg day for sulfamethoxazole, time average 25 mg kg day for trimethoprim).

Biochemical Effects of Routine Gonadectomy on Blood of Domestic Ferrets ().

We studied domestic ferrets () to evaluate the physiologic effects of routine surgery. Standard plasma biochemistry panels and H-NMR spectroscopy of heparinized whole blood were performed on samples taken 24 h prior to and immediately after surgery from female and male ferrets undergoing routine gonadectomy. Increases in plasma glucose, phosphorus, potassium, and creatine kinase concentrations associated with the duration of surgery were identified on plasma biochemistry panels.

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.

Emerging Infectious Diseases of Rabbits.

Recently, multiple infectious organisms have been identified as the cause of emerging diseases in lagomorphs. The most important of these emerging diseases is rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) type 2, a new variant with differences in pathogenicity to classical RHDV. Hepatitis E is considered an emerging zoonotic infectious disease, with widespread prevalence in many different rabbit populations.

Radiographic anatomy and barium sulfate contrast study of the gastrointestinal tract of eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina).

Gastrointestinal disorders are an important cause of morbidity in box turtles (Terrapene carolina Carolina), however published information is currently lacking on the normal radiographic anatomy, transit, and emptying times of the gastrointestinal tract. A total of 15 healthy box turtles were recruited for this prospective, anatomic, reference interval study. Three-view radiographic series (vertical beam dorsoventral, horizontal beam latero-lateral, and horizontal beam rostrocaudal views) were acquired prior to contrast administration, and following contrast administration at 0, 20, 40, 60, and 90 min, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 24 h post administration, and every 24 h thereafter until all contrast was eliminated (15 mL/kg barium sulfate diluted to 30% weight per volume was administered via orogastric gavage).

Effective mydriasis in juvenile loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) following topical administration of rocuronium bromide and 10% phenylephrine.

Objective: To determine the combined mydriatic effects of topical rocuronium bromide and phenylephrine in juvenile loggerhead turtles and identify any adverse effects associated with treatment.

Animals Studied: Eleven juvenile loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta).

Procedures: Four 20 μL drops of rocuronium bromide and four 20 μL drops of 10% phenylephrine were placed into the right eye at 2-minute intervals of 5 turtles, while the same volume of saline was administered to six control turtles.

Pharmacokinetics and safety of zonisamide after oral administration of single and multiple doses to Hispaniolan Amazon parrots (Amazona ventralis).

OBJECTIVE To determine pharmacokinetics after oral administration of single and multiple doses and to assess the safety of zonisamide in Hispaniolan Amazon parrots (Amazona ventralis). ANIMALS 12 adult Hispaniolan Amazon parrots. PROCEDURES Zonisamide (30 mg/kg, PO) was administered once to 6 parrots in a single-dose trial.

Therapeutic Contraindications in Exotic Pets.

The selection and dosing of medications for exotic pets are often challenging because most drugs are used in an extralabel manner without pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies. Doses are often extrapolated from common domestic animals and safety data are often lacking in exotic species. Just as the bioavailability and therapeutic levels are different for each species, what may be a safe and commonly used medication in one species can be deadly in another.