Pathological findings in South American camelids presented at a farm animal clinic in Northern Germany (2005-2021).

To expand the knowledge about common diseases in llamas and alpacas in Germany, a screening of the cases of South American camelids presented at the Clinic for Swine and Small Ruminants of the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany from 2005 to the end of November 2021 was performed. A retrospective evaluation of necropsy reports from this period was conducted. Overall, necropsy reports were evaluated from 187 alpacas, 35 llamas and one vicuña (n = 223).

[Diaphragmatic hernia in a female alpaca (Vicugna pacos)].

A 3-year-old pregnant female alpaca was noticed due to increased lying and decreased feed intake after shearing. Twelve days after shearing, she aborted an almost completely developed cria. After another two days, the alpaca was recumbent and subsequently died during transport to the clinic.

Neurotropic Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus in Red Foxes, Northern Germany.

In a 1-year survey of wild terrestrial predators in northern Germany, we found that 5 of 110 foxes were infected with contemporary avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses, forming a temporal cluster during January‒March 2023. Encephalitis and strong cerebral virus replication but only sporadic mammalian-adaptive viral polymerase basic 2 protein E627K mutations were seen.

Severe anaemia secondary to a perforated gastric ulcer in a male alpaca.

Background: Anaemia is a common condition in alpacas and attributable to a variety of causes. Severe anaemia with a packed cell volume (PCV) less than 10% is frequently diagnosed, usually due to blood loss resulting from haemonchosis. Many South American camelids (SACs) also suffer from gastric ulcers, which are often associated with anaemia in other species.

Impact of vaccination on humoral immune response, vaginal shedding, and lamb mortality in naturally pre-infected sheep.

Introduction: Sheep are considered to be one of the main reservoirs for , a gram-negative bacterium with high zoonotic potential. Infected sheep shed tremendous amounts of the pathogen through birth products which caused human Q fever epidemics in several countries. Information about the impact of an inactivated Phase I vaccine on humoral immune response, vaginal shedding, and lamb mortality in naturally pre-infected sheep is scarce.

Case report: Urolithiasis, nephrolithiasis and a urinary bladder malformation in a seven-month-old alpaca cria.

Urolithiasis is a common condition in male small ruminants where predisposing factors have been identified. Occasionally, urolithiasis is diagnosed in South American camelids (SACs). However, nephrolithiasis is rarely diagnosed in ruminants.

Neuropathologic and molecular aspects of a canine distemper epizootic in red foxes in Germany.

In the last fifteen years, an epidemic of canine distemper virus (CDV) with marked neurotropism has occurred in Europe after a longer period of endemic transmission. Many wildlife species have been infected, with red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) being particularly affected. Given that this species is assumed to mediate cross-species CDV infections to domestic and wild animals, tissue samples from foxes with confirmed CDV infection in North-Western Germany were investigated to better understand the neurotropic aspects of the disease.

Gastric Ulcers in Alpacas- Clinical, Laboratory, and Pathological Findings.

Gastric ulcers are a common finding in post-mortem examinations of South American camelids (SAC), but diagnosis in living animals is often difficult. The aim of this study was to provide an overview of the incidence of gastric ulcers in alpacas, common concomitant diseases, and clinical as well as laboratory findings to facilitate diagnosis for veterinarians. For this purpose, a total of 187 necropsy reports of alpacas were evaluated, including clinical and laboratory findings on the living animal.

Calcinosis in Alpaca Crias Due to Vitamin D Intoxication-Clinical, Laboratory and Pathological Findings with a Focus on Kidney Function.

Alpacas kept in Central Europe are often deficient in vitamin D, which is supplemented orally or by injection by the owners or veterinarians. Vitamin D can be specified in two different units (IU and µg), which differ by a factor of 40. By mixing up these units, an overdosage can be induced.

Congenital Myofibroblastic Skin Tumours in a Newborn Piglet Resembling the Multicentric Form of Infantile Myofibromatosis.

A 2-day-old female piglet was submitted with multiple congenital, nodular skin masses located on the head, neck, trunk and legs. Histopathological examination revealed the presence of nodular, cutaneous tumours with a biphasic growth pattern and comprising a population of undifferentiated, oval or slightly polygonal, frequently perivascularly located cells and a population of spindle-shaped, fibroblast-like cells arranged in bundles. Multifocally, tumour cells infiltrated subcutaneous adipose and muscular tissue.

A Case of Concurrent Molybdenosis, Secondary Copper, Cobalt and Selenium Deficiency in a Small Sheep Herd in Northern Germany.

To the author's knowledge this paper describes the first proven report of a combined primary molybdenosis, secondary copper (Cu) deficiency, Ovine White Liver Disease-Cobalt (Co) deficiency, and selenium (Se) deficiency in a small pedigree herd of White Horned Heath sheep in Germany (8 ewes, 2 rams, 3 yearling ewes, 17 lambs) for decades. Clinical signs associated with these mineral deficiencies in a group of pastured ram lambs included emaciation, conjunctivitis, anaemia, growth retardation, discolouration of the wool and photodermatitis. Morbidities and mortalities arose in 4-6-month-old lambs despite intensive veterinary treatment in the summer of 2014 and 2015 ( = 13, 23% died).

Swine Conjunctivitis Associated with a Novel Mycoplasma Species Closely Related to .

Conjunctivitis in swine is a common finding, usually considered to be a secondary symptom of respiratory or viral systemic disease, or a result of irritation by dust or ammonia, or of local infections with () or chlamydia. In three unrelated swine farms in Germany with a high prevalence of conjunctivitis, a novel mycoplasma species, tentatively named sp. 1654_15, was isolated from conjunctival swabs taken from affected pigs.

Relation between Intensity of Biocide Practice and Residues of Anticoagulant Rodenticides in Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes).

Anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) are commonly used to control rodent infestations for biocidal and plant protection purposes. This can lead to AR exposure of non-target small mammals and their predators, which is known from several regions of the world. However, drivers of exposure variation are usually not known.

HMGA1 and HMGA2 expression and comparative analyses of HMGA2, Lin28 and let-7 miRNAs in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Humans and dogs are affected by squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity (OSCC) in a considerably high frequency. The high mobility group A2 (HMGA2) protein was found to be highly expressed in human OSCC and its expression was suggested to act as a useful predictive and prognostic tool in clinical management of oral carcinomas. Herein the expression of HMGA2 and its sister gene HMGA1 were analysed within human and canine OSCC samples.

[Metastasizing epitheliotropic T-cell lymphoma (Mycosis fungoides) in two guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus)].

Two guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) were presented with a clinical history of a chronic, unresponsive skin disorder with scaling, itching and alopecia. After clinical differential diagnoses (e. g.

Long-term survival of Mycoplasma bovis in necrotic lesions and in phagocytic cells as demonstrated by transmission and immunogold electron microscopy in lung tissue from experimentally infected calves.

In the lungs of cattle infected with Mycoplasma bovis persistence of the agent for several weeks after infection has been demonstrated by different methods, e.g. isolation of the organism, immunohistochemistry for antigens, and in situ hybridization.

Presumptive primary central nervous system T cell lymphoma in a deer (Capreolus capreolus).

This report describes the morphological and immunohistochemical findings in an approximately 7-year old wild European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) with an infiltrative primary central nervous system T cell lymphoma. The roebuck had lost its timidity and was shot by a hunter. It was submitted for necropsy to exclude rabies.

Quantitative PCR and immunohistochemical analyses of HMGB1 and RAGE expression in canine disseminated histiocytic sarcoma (malignant histiocytosis).

Background: Disorders of histiocytic origin affecting humans and dogs share various similarities. Canine disseminated histiocytic sarcoma (DHS) (formerly known as malignant histiocytosis) is an aggressive neoplasm of interstitial dendritic cells (DCs). The receptor for glycation end products (RAGE) and the high mobility group box1 protein (HMGB1) have been shown to be required for the maturation and migration of DCs.

Structural and functional changes of neuronal and glial components of the feline enteric nervous system in cats with chronic inflammatory and non-inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Immunohistochemical examinations of the enteric nervous system (ENS) were performed on biopsies of healthy cats and compared to findings in cats suffering from inflammatory bowel disease or intestinal lymphoma. In lymphocytic-plasmacytic enterocolitis all affected samples had significant reductions in glial fibrillary acidic protein and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and mostly of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) possibly reflecting alterations in enteric glial cells and neurons. In cases with eosinophilic gastroenterocolitis significantly reduced phosphorylated neurofilament (PN) expression was present suggesting a disturbance in neuronal cytoskeleton, whereas cats with fibrosing enteropathy had reduced expression of NSE, non-phosphorylated neurofilaments (NPN), PN and VIP, possibly reflecting neuronal disturbances.

Phenotypical characterization, distribution and quantification of different mast cell subtypes in transmural biopsies from the gastrointestinal tract of cats with inflammatory bowel disease.

In this study subtypes, distribution and number of mast cells were investigated within mucosa and submucosa of the gastrointestinal tract of 24 cats with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in comparison to 11 control cats. Paraffin sections of formalin-fixed transmural gastrointestinal biopsies from stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum and colon were examined. Mast cells were phenotyped and quantified based on their chymase and tryptase content, by applying a combined enzyme-histochemical and immunohistochemical double-labeling technique and on their heparin content by a metachromatic staining method (kresylecht-violet, MC(KEV)).

Chronic inflammatory and non-inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in cats: diagnostic advantages of full-thickness intestinal and extraintestinal biopsies.

An evaluation of histological findings in full-thickness biopsies from the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and extraintestinal samples of 43 cats with chronic GIT disease signs was performed. In the majority of cases (46.5%) inflammatory bowel disease, ie, lymphocytic-plasmacytic enteritis/colitis (32.

[Familial canine pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism in wirehaired Dachshunds].

Canine pituitary hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing's disease) caused by neoplasia of the corticotrope cells is one of the most common endocrine diseases especially in smaller dog breeds. Cushing's disease was diagnosed in eleven wire-haired Dachshunds and for further six wire-haired Dachshunds Cushing's disease was suspected on the basis of clinical signs. A joined pedigree could be ascertained for all these 17 dogs.

Characterization of mast cell numbers and subtypes in biopsies from the gastrointestinal tract of dogs with lymphocytic-plasmacytic or eosinophilic gastroenterocolitis.

It has been suggested but not proven that hypersensitivity type I reactions are involved in the pathogenesis of canine inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The main effector cells in type I hypersensitivity reactions are mast cells (MCs). Canine MCs, as human MCs, can be subdivided into three subtypes according to their content of mast cell-specific proteases: tryptase (MCT), chymase (MCC), or tryptase and chymase bearing MCs (MCTC).

Distribution of mast cell subtypes and immune cell populations in canine intestines: evidence for age-related decline in T cells and macrophages and increase of IgA-positive plasma cells.

The distribution and numbers of leucocytes and mast cells (MC) in the canine gastrointestinal tract of three different age groups was investigated immunhistochemically. In all age groups, CD3+ T cells were more prominent in the villus region than in the crypt areas without differences between intestinal segments, whereas macrophages were more randomly distributed. Kresylecht-violet and tryptase-positive MC were prominent in pericrypt regions with statistic significances.

Age-related histomorphologic changes in the canine gastrointestinal tract: a histologic and immunohistologic study.

Aim: To examine the changes in the histomorphology of the gastric, jejunal and colonic wall of dogs due to physiological aging.

Methods: Full thickness biopsies were taken from the gastrointestinal tracts of 28 dogs of different ages. The thickness of the different layers of the wall was measured and the numbers of proliferating cells as indicated by immunohistochemical detection of Ki67 were counted.