A prospective multicenter observational study of Viperidae polyvalent immune F(ab') antivenom administration for the treatment of viper envenomation in dogs.

Objective: To test an equine-derived polyvalent viperid antivenom (EPVA) in the treatment of dogs with evidence of viper envenomation.

Design: Prospective, multicenter observational study.

Setting: Veterinary emergency and critical care hospitals.

High diversity of genes and plasmids encoding resistance to third-generation cephalosporins and quinolones in clinical Escherichia coli from commercial poultry flocks in Italy.

The aim was to investigate occurrence and diversity of plasmid-mediated resistance to third-generation cephalosporins (3GC) and quinolones in clinical Escherichia coli from 200 industrial poultry farms across Italy. E. coli was isolated from colibacillosis lesions in turkeys (n = 109), broilers (n = 98) and layers (n = 22) between 2008 and 2012.

Serum levels of ochratoxin A in dogs with chronic kidney disease (CKD): a retrospective study.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin produced by secondary metabolism of several fungi belonging to the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium. OTA is potentially nephrotoxic, neurotoxic, immunotoxic and carcinogenic in several animal species and in humans. This toxin has been detected in several human food and animal feed.

Determination of ochratoxin A in pig tissues using enzymatic digestion coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography with a fluorescence detector.

We present a new method for the rapid analysis of ochratoxin A (OTA) in pig tissues (muscle, liver and kidney) using enzymatic digestion (ED) coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography with a fluorescence detector (HPLC-FLD). OTA was digested with a 1% pancreatin solution in a phosphate buffer and then cleaned with ethylacetate. After being evaporated to dryness and re-dissolved, the sample was determined using HPLC-FLD.

Selective and simultaneous determination of NSAIDs in equine plasma by HPLC with molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction.

Background: Detection of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in equine plasma is a significant analytical problem in veterinary anti-doping controls.

Results: A new HPLC method coupled to selective extraction with molecularly imprinted polymers was developed for the simultaneous determination in equine plasma of the NSAIDs phenylbutazone, flunixin, oxyphenbutazone, ketoprofen and naproxen. The analytical performances of the method have been evaluated both in standard solutions and equine plasma samples.

Antimicrobial resistance of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae isolated from swine.

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the antimicrobial resistance rates and the trend in resistance of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae isolated from pigs in Italy from 1994 to 2009. A total of 992 A. pleuropneumoniae isolates were tested for their susceptibility to a panel of antimicrobial agents in a disk diffusion method.

Use of antimicrobials in companion animal practice: a retrospective study in a veterinary teaching hospital in Italy.

Objectives: To describe the use of antimicrobials in a veterinary teaching hospital for companion animals in Italy, with particular regard to the agreement with recommendations of prudent use

Methods: The study was conducted with a retrospective, cross-sectional design. The population under investigation included 18,905 cats and dogs that were referred to the hospital between 2000 and 2007. Two different samples of the clinical paper forms were randomly selected to estimate the prevalence of animals receiving an antimicrobial prescription and to describe the pattern of antimicrobials used in relation to the condition being treated.

Genotypic versus phenotypic identification of staphylococcal species of canine origin with special reference to Staphylococcus schleiferi subsp. coagulans.

A comparative study was performed to examine the respective accuracy of 16S rDNA sequencing and of the commercial biochemical assay ID32 STAPH (bioMérieux, Marcy l'Etoile, France) in the identification of 232 staphylococcal samples representing 20 species and subspecies isolated from 367 dogs. Notable differences in species distribution were observed by comparing genotypic and phenotypic data. Partial sequencing of 16S rDNA resulted in an unambiguous identification of 226 (97.