Dale Smith - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Dale Smith
Canadian journal of veterinary research = Revue canadienne de recherche vétérinaire, 1988
Healing of cutaneous wounds was studied in groups of common garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis) h... more Healing of cutaneous wounds was studied in groups of common garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis) held at 13.5 degrees C, 21 degrees C and 30 degrees C. Linear unsutured incisions and circular excisional wounds were evaluated two, five, and ten days after surgery, while linear sutured and unsutured incisions and circular and square excisional wounds were studied three and six weeks after wound production. The sequence of events during healing was the same for all experimental situations. The epithelial margins of the wounds moved freely over exposed epaxial muscle until an exudate of fibrin and inflammatory cells caused adhesion. Heterophils and macrophages were present two days after wounding. Heterophils were present throughout the wound while macrophages were concentrated in areas containing fibrin and proteinaceous exudate. Fibroblasts moved laterally into the wound from the adjacent dermis producing a flat dermal scar oriented parallel to the wound surface. Epithelial cell hypert...
American journal of veterinary research, 2017
OBJECTIVE To assess rheological properties and in vitro diffusion of poloxamer 407 (P407) and but... more OBJECTIVE To assess rheological properties and in vitro diffusion of poloxamer 407 (P407) and butorphanol-P407 (But-P407) hydrogels and to develop a sustained-release opioid formulation for use in birds. SAMPLE P407 powder and a commercially available injectable butorphanol tartrate formulation (10 mg/mL). PROCEDURES P407 and But-P407 gels were compounded by adding water or butorphanol to P407 powder. Effects of various concentrations of P407 (20%, 25% and 30% [{weight of P407/weight of diluent} × 100]), addition of butorphanol, and sterilization through a microfilter on rheological properties of P407 were measured by use of a rheometer. In vitro diffusion of butorphanol from But-P407 25% through a biological membrane was compared with that of a butorphanol solution. RESULTS P407 20% and 25% formulations were easily compounded, whereas it was difficult to obtain a homogenous P407 30% formulation. The P407 was a gel at avian body temperature, although its viscosity was lower than tha...
Journal of Veterinary Medical Education, 2006
Canada has four veterinary schools, from which approximately 325 veterinarians graduate each year... more Canada has four veterinary schools, from which approximately 325 veterinarians graduate each year. Curricular offerings in zoological medicine consist of limited core material and a variety of internal and external electives pursued by students with particular interests. Several electives are offered jointly by and rotate among the existing schools. All schools offer graduate programs that encompass some aspects of zoological medicine. A fifth veterinary school, expected to open in 2007, will have a stronger focus on ecosystem health and zoological medicine. In Canada, the most effective method of increasing educational opportunities in zoological medicine is likely through enhanced collaboration among the five schools. Employment opportunities exist in private veterinary practice and at universities, research establishments, provincial or federal governments, and zoological gardens and safari parks. Increasing recognition of the importance of ecosystem health and of the relevance o...
and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requi... more and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.
The Canadian veterinary journal. La revue vétérinaire canadienne, 2003
A 3-year-old, female African pygmy hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris) was referred with a history of... more A 3-year-old, female African pygmy hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris) was referred with a history of hematuria. Hyperglycemia and glucosuria were found at presentation. Mammary adenocarcinoma and a granulosa cell tumor were found and removed surgically. Glucosuria and hematuria resolved, and the hedgehog has done well for 10 mo postoperatively.
Canadian journal of veterinary research = Revue canadienne de recherche vétérinaire, 1988
The effects of four topical medications on the rate and character of healing of cutaneous wounds ... more The effects of four topical medications on the rate and character of healing of cutaneous wounds were studied in six common garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis) held at an ambient temperature of 30 degrees C. Two sets of five 6 to 8 mm round excisional wounds, four test and one control site in each set, were created on the dorsolateral body wall of each snake. Wounds were examined daily and treated for ten days, then the snakes were killed and sections of all wounds were examined by light microscopy. Composite scores, derived by ranking each treatment group in relation to the control group (control score = 0) for each of 22 characteristics associated with wound healing, were used to compare the overall effects of each treatment. Statistical comparisons were made between groups for 20 characteristics. Wounds treated with a polyurethane film merited a score of +12 and had significantly more advanced healing than untreated controls for three characteristics. Wounds treated with an ointm...
Canadian journal of veterinary research = Revue canadienne de recherche vétérinaire, 1988
The effects of ambient temperature (13.5 degrees C, 21 degrees C, 30 degrees C) and type of wound... more The effects of ambient temperature (13.5 degrees C, 21 degrees C, 30 degrees C) and type of wound on healing of skin wounds were evaluated in common garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis). Linear unsutured incisions and circular excisional wounds were evaluated grossly and microscopically in three snakes held at each temperature at each of two, five and ten days after surgery. Linear sutured and unsutured incisions and circular and square excisional wounds were similarly evaluated three and six weeks after wound production in groups of six snakes held at each temperature. The rates of stabilization of wound margins, scab formation, migration and maturation of the regenerating epithelium, resolution of dermal inflammation, and fibroplasia varied directly with temperature. The inflammatory reaction to wounding was similar in character and intensity in snakes held at all three temperatures two days after surgery. Unsutured linear incisions, compared to sutured incisions, tended to have mo...
Journal of zoo and wildlife medicine : official publication of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians, 2015
A 2-yr-old neutered male pet serval (Felis serval) was presented for progressive hind limb lamene... more A 2-yr-old neutered male pet serval (Felis serval) was presented for progressive hind limb lameness that started at 6 mo of age. Previous therapy included only nutritional supplementation. Direct and video gait analysis confirmed bilateral hind limb lameness, more severe on the right. Physical examination and radiography revealed a multifocal complex bilateral angular deformity with a significant rotational component. A right tibial corrective osteotomy was followed by internal rotation and stabilization with a 2.7-mm eight-hole locking compression plate and locking screws. Other deformities were not corrected. Clinical improvement was noted immediately and has been maintained over the 16-mo follow-up.
Canadian veterinary journal, 2010
A 6-year-old castrated male domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo) with a 4-week history of inte... more A 6-year-old castrated male domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo) with a 4-week history of intermittent diarrhea and straining during defecation had an intraluminal mass in the descending colon identified by abdominal ultrasound. The histopathological diagnosis of the resected mass was an adenomatous polyp of the colon. No post-operative complications were identified over a 32-month follow-up period.
Canadian veterinary journal, 2013
A 4 1/2-year-old female spayed ferret (Mustela putorius furo) was presented for a rapidly growing... more A 4 1/2-year-old female spayed ferret (Mustela putorius furo) was presented for a rapidly growing mass in the inguinal region. Following a complete clinical evaluation, the unusual mass was surgically removed and the histopathological diagnosis was an inguinal liposarcoma. No post-operative complications were observed over a 14-month follow-up period.
Canadian veterinary journal, 2011
Twelve parrots anesthetized with isoflurane were euthanized intravenously (IV) with 3 or 10 mEq/k... more Twelve parrots anesthetized with isoflurane were euthanized intravenously (IV) with 3 or 10 mEq/kg body weight (BW) of potassium chloride (KCl) resulting in ventricular asystole at 68.0 s and 32.8 s, respectively. Mild vocalization (1/6 birds, 3 mEq/kg BW) and involuntary muscle tremors (5/6 birds, 10 mEq/kg BW) were noted. Unlike barbiturates or T-61 no histologic artefacts resulted from this technique.
Pathology of Wildlife and Zoo Animals
Nine cases of fatal infection with Babesia odocoilei were confirmed in reindeer (Rangifer tarandu... more Nine cases of fatal infection with Babesia odocoilei were confirmed in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) and elk (Cervus canadensis) housed in zoological institutions located in southern Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba, Canada between 2013 and 2016. All animals died of a hemolytic crisis. Frequent postmortem findings were extensive hemorrhage, pigmenturia, and intrahepatic cholestasis. The described ante- and postmortem signs are consistent with those of previously reported cases in the United States. Diagnosis was confirmed in all cases by polymerase chain reaction performed on DNA extracted from whole blood or frozen spleen. We propose that babesiosis is an emerging disease of cervids in multiple Canadian provinces, most likely as a result of climate change and the northward range expansion of Ixodes scapularis, the primary tick vector for B. odocoilei. The role of captive animals as sentinels for wildlife health is also highlighted.
Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports
Combined morphometric and molecular characterization of coccidia that infect domestic ferrets (Mu... more Combined morphometric and molecular characterization of coccidia that infect domestic ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) was completed to improve the diagnostic specificity of 'coccidiosis' in this host. Coccidia-positive fecal samples (n = 11) and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded intestinal tissues (n = 3) from domestic ferrets were collected from diagnostic laboratories in Canada and Europe. An average of 3.5 and 13 domestic ferret fecal samples per year were coccidia-positive when tested by Canadian and European diagnostic laboratories, respectively, during the period 2008-2015. Oocyst morphometrics and sequence genotyping at two loci (nuclear 18S rDNA [nu 18S] and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I [mt COI]) were conducted on all samples. The first nu 18S and mt COI sequences for Cystoisospora laidlawi, and the first mt COI sequence for Eimeria furonis were generated during this study. Phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial COI sequences demonstrated that E. furonis was most closely related to E. ictidea isolated from a black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) and that C. laidlawi was closely related to C. canis and C. felis. The identifications provided by diagnostic laboratories of the specific parasite species present in a sample showed poor agreement with their identifications based on genotyping obtained in this study. Molecular techniques appear to be essential for determining the specific coccidial species responsible for individual and group outbreaks of coccidiosis and for further understanding of eimeriid host-parasite relationships.
Journal of Herpetological Medicine and Surgery
Abstract Mycobacteriosis was implicated in the deaths of eight Chinese gliding frogs (Rhacophorus... more Abstract Mycobacteriosis was implicated in the deaths of eight Chinese gliding frogs (Rhacophorus dennysi) in a zoo population over a 3 yr period. Clinical signs included nonhealing skin lesions, cloacal prolapse, hind limb weakness, weight loss, and sudden death. Abnormalities on postmortem were proliferative or ulcerative skin lesions in four of eight, pneumonia in three of eight, and gall bladder empyema in two of eight cases. All eight clinical cases had multisystemic granulomas containing acid-fast bacilli. Tissues most commonly affected were lung (seven of eight), liver (six of eight), kidney (six of eight), spleen (five of eight), and heart (five of eight). The remaining eight clinically normal frogs in the population were euthanized: eight of eight had granulomatous lesions, with acid-fast bacilli in three of eight cases. A mycobacterial species was cultured from four of the clinical cases by the Public Health Ontario Laboratory and was initially misidentified as Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex by a commercial line-probe assay (GenoType Mycobacterium CM, Hain Lifesciences, Nehren, Germany). Further diagnostic testing using 16S rRNA gene sequencing ultimately identified the mycobacterial species as Mycobacterium marinum. The correct identification of mycobacterial species is essential in epidemiological investigations at zoological facilities, and in assessing health risks to staff and to other animals in the zoo population.
Bulletin of the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians
Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics
This study was designed to investigate the pharmacokinetics of imidocarb, a carbanilide derivativ... more This study was designed to investigate the pharmacokinetics of imidocarb, a carbanilide derivative, in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). The pharmacokinetic properties of a single intramuscular (IM) dose of imidocarb were determined in 10 deer. A single IM injection of 3.0 mg/kg imidocarb dipropionate was administered, and blood samples were collected prior to, and up to 48 hr after imidocarb administration. Plasma imidocarb concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. The disposition of plasma imidocarb was best characterized by a two-compartment open model. The mean ± SE maximal imidocarb concentration in deer was 880.78 ± 81.12 ng/ml at 38.63 ± 5.30 min postinjection. The distribution phase had a half-life (t1/2α ) of 25.90 ± 10.21 min, and plasma imidocarb concentration declined with a terminal elimination half-life (t1/2β ) of 464.06 ± 104.08 min (7.73 ± 1.73 hr). Apparent volume of distribution based on the terminal phase (VZ /F) was 9.20 ± 2.70 L/kg, and apparent total body clearance (Cl/F) was 15.97 ± 1.28 ml min-1 kg-1 .
Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases
Cervid babesiosis, caused by the protozoan hemoparasite Babesia odocoilei and transmitted by the ... more Cervid babesiosis, caused by the protozoan hemoparasite Babesia odocoilei and transmitted by the blacklegged tick Ixodes scapularis, is an emerging disease of Canadian cervids. This pathogen has not yet been described in humans. Data are lacking on the role of migratory birds in the adventitious spread of Ba. odocoilei-infected ticks, as well as on the infection status of I. scapularis in environments used by susceptible wildlife hosts. Following a high-mortality outbreak of cervid babesiosis at the Toronto Zoo [TZ], the present study was initiated to investigate Ba. odocoilei and other tick-borne pathogens of veterinary and public health importance (Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia miyamotoi, and Babesia microti) in I. scapularis at three sites in southern Ontario, Canada. Blanket dragging for questing ticks yielded I. scapularis from the three sites evaluated: TZ, Point Pelee National Park, and Long Point Bird Observatory [LPBO]. Babesia odocoilei was identified in I. scapularis collected by dragging at the TZ and at LPBO. Borrelia burgdorferi s.s. was identified in I. scapularis at all three sites. Anaplasma phagocytophilum was identified in I. scapularis collected from the TZ. During the springs of 2016 and 2017, 1102 northward-migrating birds were examined for ticks at LPBO. One or more I. scapularis were found on 3.2% of birds (n = 595) in 2016, and 6.7% (n = 507) of birds in 2017. Overall, across both years, 0.2% and 0.5% of birds carried one or more I. scapularis ticks that tested PCR-positive for Ba. odocoilei and Bo. burgdorferi s.s., respectively. These data indicate that Ba. odocoilei-positive I. scapularis are found in southern Ontario, and suggest that bird-borne ticks have the potential to contribute to range expansion of both Ba. odocoilei and Bo. burgdorferi s.s. in Canada.
Journal of comparative physiology. B, Biochemical, systemic, and environmental physiology, Jan 29, 2018
Hepcidin is the key regulator of iron homeostasis in the body. Iron storage disease (hemochromato... more Hepcidin is the key regulator of iron homeostasis in the body. Iron storage disease (hemochromatosis) is a frequent cause of liver disease and mortality in captive Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus), but reasons underlying this condition are unknown. Hereditary hemochromatosis in humans is due to deficiency of hepcidin or resistance to the action of hepcidin. Here, we investigated the role of hepcidin in iron metabolism in one species of pteropodid bat that is prone to iron storage disease [Egyptian fruit bat (with and without hemochromatosis)], one species of pteropodid bat where iron storage disease is rare [straw-colored fruit bat (Eidolon helvum)], and one species of bat with a natural diet very high in iron, in which iron storage disease is not reported [common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus)]. Iron challenge via intramuscular injection of iron dextran resulted in significantly increased liver iron content and histologic iron scores in all three species, and increased ...
Canadian journal of veterinary research = Revue canadienne de recherche vétérinaire, 1988
Healing of cutaneous wounds was studied in groups of common garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis) h... more Healing of cutaneous wounds was studied in groups of common garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis) held at 13.5 degrees C, 21 degrees C and 30 degrees C. Linear unsutured incisions and circular excisional wounds were evaluated two, five, and ten days after surgery, while linear sutured and unsutured incisions and circular and square excisional wounds were studied three and six weeks after wound production. The sequence of events during healing was the same for all experimental situations. The epithelial margins of the wounds moved freely over exposed epaxial muscle until an exudate of fibrin and inflammatory cells caused adhesion. Heterophils and macrophages were present two days after wounding. Heterophils were present throughout the wound while macrophages were concentrated in areas containing fibrin and proteinaceous exudate. Fibroblasts moved laterally into the wound from the adjacent dermis producing a flat dermal scar oriented parallel to the wound surface. Epithelial cell hypert...
American journal of veterinary research, 2017
OBJECTIVE To assess rheological properties and in vitro diffusion of poloxamer 407 (P407) and but... more OBJECTIVE To assess rheological properties and in vitro diffusion of poloxamer 407 (P407) and butorphanol-P407 (But-P407) hydrogels and to develop a sustained-release opioid formulation for use in birds. SAMPLE P407 powder and a commercially available injectable butorphanol tartrate formulation (10 mg/mL). PROCEDURES P407 and But-P407 gels were compounded by adding water or butorphanol to P407 powder. Effects of various concentrations of P407 (20%, 25% and 30% [{weight of P407/weight of diluent} × 100]), addition of butorphanol, and sterilization through a microfilter on rheological properties of P407 were measured by use of a rheometer. In vitro diffusion of butorphanol from But-P407 25% through a biological membrane was compared with that of a butorphanol solution. RESULTS P407 20% and 25% formulations were easily compounded, whereas it was difficult to obtain a homogenous P407 30% formulation. The P407 was a gel at avian body temperature, although its viscosity was lower than tha...
Journal of Veterinary Medical Education, 2006
Canada has four veterinary schools, from which approximately 325 veterinarians graduate each year... more Canada has four veterinary schools, from which approximately 325 veterinarians graduate each year. Curricular offerings in zoological medicine consist of limited core material and a variety of internal and external electives pursued by students with particular interests. Several electives are offered jointly by and rotate among the existing schools. All schools offer graduate programs that encompass some aspects of zoological medicine. A fifth veterinary school, expected to open in 2007, will have a stronger focus on ecosystem health and zoological medicine. In Canada, the most effective method of increasing educational opportunities in zoological medicine is likely through enhanced collaboration among the five schools. Employment opportunities exist in private veterinary practice and at universities, research establishments, provincial or federal governments, and zoological gardens and safari parks. Increasing recognition of the importance of ecosystem health and of the relevance o...
and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requi... more and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.
The Canadian veterinary journal. La revue vétérinaire canadienne, 2003
A 3-year-old, female African pygmy hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris) was referred with a history of... more A 3-year-old, female African pygmy hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris) was referred with a history of hematuria. Hyperglycemia and glucosuria were found at presentation. Mammary adenocarcinoma and a granulosa cell tumor were found and removed surgically. Glucosuria and hematuria resolved, and the hedgehog has done well for 10 mo postoperatively.
Canadian journal of veterinary research = Revue canadienne de recherche vétérinaire, 1988
The effects of four topical medications on the rate and character of healing of cutaneous wounds ... more The effects of four topical medications on the rate and character of healing of cutaneous wounds were studied in six common garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis) held at an ambient temperature of 30 degrees C. Two sets of five 6 to 8 mm round excisional wounds, four test and one control site in each set, were created on the dorsolateral body wall of each snake. Wounds were examined daily and treated for ten days, then the snakes were killed and sections of all wounds were examined by light microscopy. Composite scores, derived by ranking each treatment group in relation to the control group (control score = 0) for each of 22 characteristics associated with wound healing, were used to compare the overall effects of each treatment. Statistical comparisons were made between groups for 20 characteristics. Wounds treated with a polyurethane film merited a score of +12 and had significantly more advanced healing than untreated controls for three characteristics. Wounds treated with an ointm...
Canadian journal of veterinary research = Revue canadienne de recherche vétérinaire, 1988
The effects of ambient temperature (13.5 degrees C, 21 degrees C, 30 degrees C) and type of wound... more The effects of ambient temperature (13.5 degrees C, 21 degrees C, 30 degrees C) and type of wound on healing of skin wounds were evaluated in common garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis). Linear unsutured incisions and circular excisional wounds were evaluated grossly and microscopically in three snakes held at each temperature at each of two, five and ten days after surgery. Linear sutured and unsutured incisions and circular and square excisional wounds were similarly evaluated three and six weeks after wound production in groups of six snakes held at each temperature. The rates of stabilization of wound margins, scab formation, migration and maturation of the regenerating epithelium, resolution of dermal inflammation, and fibroplasia varied directly with temperature. The inflammatory reaction to wounding was similar in character and intensity in snakes held at all three temperatures two days after surgery. Unsutured linear incisions, compared to sutured incisions, tended to have mo...
Journal of zoo and wildlife medicine : official publication of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians, 2015
A 2-yr-old neutered male pet serval (Felis serval) was presented for progressive hind limb lamene... more A 2-yr-old neutered male pet serval (Felis serval) was presented for progressive hind limb lameness that started at 6 mo of age. Previous therapy included only nutritional supplementation. Direct and video gait analysis confirmed bilateral hind limb lameness, more severe on the right. Physical examination and radiography revealed a multifocal complex bilateral angular deformity with a significant rotational component. A right tibial corrective osteotomy was followed by internal rotation and stabilization with a 2.7-mm eight-hole locking compression plate and locking screws. Other deformities were not corrected. Clinical improvement was noted immediately and has been maintained over the 16-mo follow-up.
Canadian veterinary journal, 2010
A 6-year-old castrated male domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo) with a 4-week history of inte... more A 6-year-old castrated male domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo) with a 4-week history of intermittent diarrhea and straining during defecation had an intraluminal mass in the descending colon identified by abdominal ultrasound. The histopathological diagnosis of the resected mass was an adenomatous polyp of the colon. No post-operative complications were identified over a 32-month follow-up period.
Canadian veterinary journal, 2013
A 4 1/2-year-old female spayed ferret (Mustela putorius furo) was presented for a rapidly growing... more A 4 1/2-year-old female spayed ferret (Mustela putorius furo) was presented for a rapidly growing mass in the inguinal region. Following a complete clinical evaluation, the unusual mass was surgically removed and the histopathological diagnosis was an inguinal liposarcoma. No post-operative complications were observed over a 14-month follow-up period.
Canadian veterinary journal, 2011
Twelve parrots anesthetized with isoflurane were euthanized intravenously (IV) with 3 or 10 mEq/k... more Twelve parrots anesthetized with isoflurane were euthanized intravenously (IV) with 3 or 10 mEq/kg body weight (BW) of potassium chloride (KCl) resulting in ventricular asystole at 68.0 s and 32.8 s, respectively. Mild vocalization (1/6 birds, 3 mEq/kg BW) and involuntary muscle tremors (5/6 birds, 10 mEq/kg BW) were noted. Unlike barbiturates or T-61 no histologic artefacts resulted from this technique.
Pathology of Wildlife and Zoo Animals
Nine cases of fatal infection with Babesia odocoilei were confirmed in reindeer (Rangifer tarandu... more Nine cases of fatal infection with Babesia odocoilei were confirmed in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) and elk (Cervus canadensis) housed in zoological institutions located in southern Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba, Canada between 2013 and 2016. All animals died of a hemolytic crisis. Frequent postmortem findings were extensive hemorrhage, pigmenturia, and intrahepatic cholestasis. The described ante- and postmortem signs are consistent with those of previously reported cases in the United States. Diagnosis was confirmed in all cases by polymerase chain reaction performed on DNA extracted from whole blood or frozen spleen. We propose that babesiosis is an emerging disease of cervids in multiple Canadian provinces, most likely as a result of climate change and the northward range expansion of Ixodes scapularis, the primary tick vector for B. odocoilei. The role of captive animals as sentinels for wildlife health is also highlighted.
Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports
Combined morphometric and molecular characterization of coccidia that infect domestic ferrets (Mu... more Combined morphometric and molecular characterization of coccidia that infect domestic ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) was completed to improve the diagnostic specificity of 'coccidiosis' in this host. Coccidia-positive fecal samples (n = 11) and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded intestinal tissues (n = 3) from domestic ferrets were collected from diagnostic laboratories in Canada and Europe. An average of 3.5 and 13 domestic ferret fecal samples per year were coccidia-positive when tested by Canadian and European diagnostic laboratories, respectively, during the period 2008-2015. Oocyst morphometrics and sequence genotyping at two loci (nuclear 18S rDNA [nu 18S] and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I [mt COI]) were conducted on all samples. The first nu 18S and mt COI sequences for Cystoisospora laidlawi, and the first mt COI sequence for Eimeria furonis were generated during this study. Phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial COI sequences demonstrated that E. furonis was most closely related to E. ictidea isolated from a black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) and that C. laidlawi was closely related to C. canis and C. felis. The identifications provided by diagnostic laboratories of the specific parasite species present in a sample showed poor agreement with their identifications based on genotyping obtained in this study. Molecular techniques appear to be essential for determining the specific coccidial species responsible for individual and group outbreaks of coccidiosis and for further understanding of eimeriid host-parasite relationships.
Journal of Herpetological Medicine and Surgery
Abstract Mycobacteriosis was implicated in the deaths of eight Chinese gliding frogs (Rhacophorus... more Abstract Mycobacteriosis was implicated in the deaths of eight Chinese gliding frogs (Rhacophorus dennysi) in a zoo population over a 3 yr period. Clinical signs included nonhealing skin lesions, cloacal prolapse, hind limb weakness, weight loss, and sudden death. Abnormalities on postmortem were proliferative or ulcerative skin lesions in four of eight, pneumonia in three of eight, and gall bladder empyema in two of eight cases. All eight clinical cases had multisystemic granulomas containing acid-fast bacilli. Tissues most commonly affected were lung (seven of eight), liver (six of eight), kidney (six of eight), spleen (five of eight), and heart (five of eight). The remaining eight clinically normal frogs in the population were euthanized: eight of eight had granulomatous lesions, with acid-fast bacilli in three of eight cases. A mycobacterial species was cultured from four of the clinical cases by the Public Health Ontario Laboratory and was initially misidentified as Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex by a commercial line-probe assay (GenoType Mycobacterium CM, Hain Lifesciences, Nehren, Germany). Further diagnostic testing using 16S rRNA gene sequencing ultimately identified the mycobacterial species as Mycobacterium marinum. The correct identification of mycobacterial species is essential in epidemiological investigations at zoological facilities, and in assessing health risks to staff and to other animals in the zoo population.
Bulletin of the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians
Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics
This study was designed to investigate the pharmacokinetics of imidocarb, a carbanilide derivativ... more This study was designed to investigate the pharmacokinetics of imidocarb, a carbanilide derivative, in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). The pharmacokinetic properties of a single intramuscular (IM) dose of imidocarb were determined in 10 deer. A single IM injection of 3.0 mg/kg imidocarb dipropionate was administered, and blood samples were collected prior to, and up to 48 hr after imidocarb administration. Plasma imidocarb concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. The disposition of plasma imidocarb was best characterized by a two-compartment open model. The mean ± SE maximal imidocarb concentration in deer was 880.78 ± 81.12 ng/ml at 38.63 ± 5.30 min postinjection. The distribution phase had a half-life (t1/2α ) of 25.90 ± 10.21 min, and plasma imidocarb concentration declined with a terminal elimination half-life (t1/2β ) of 464.06 ± 104.08 min (7.73 ± 1.73 hr). Apparent volume of distribution based on the terminal phase (VZ /F) was 9.20 ± 2.70 L/kg, and apparent total body clearance (Cl/F) was 15.97 ± 1.28 ml min-1 kg-1 .
Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases
Cervid babesiosis, caused by the protozoan hemoparasite Babesia odocoilei and transmitted by the ... more Cervid babesiosis, caused by the protozoan hemoparasite Babesia odocoilei and transmitted by the blacklegged tick Ixodes scapularis, is an emerging disease of Canadian cervids. This pathogen has not yet been described in humans. Data are lacking on the role of migratory birds in the adventitious spread of Ba. odocoilei-infected ticks, as well as on the infection status of I. scapularis in environments used by susceptible wildlife hosts. Following a high-mortality outbreak of cervid babesiosis at the Toronto Zoo [TZ], the present study was initiated to investigate Ba. odocoilei and other tick-borne pathogens of veterinary and public health importance (Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia miyamotoi, and Babesia microti) in I. scapularis at three sites in southern Ontario, Canada. Blanket dragging for questing ticks yielded I. scapularis from the three sites evaluated: TZ, Point Pelee National Park, and Long Point Bird Observatory [LPBO]. Babesia odocoilei was identified in I. scapularis collected by dragging at the TZ and at LPBO. Borrelia burgdorferi s.s. was identified in I. scapularis at all three sites. Anaplasma phagocytophilum was identified in I. scapularis collected from the TZ. During the springs of 2016 and 2017, 1102 northward-migrating birds were examined for ticks at LPBO. One or more I. scapularis were found on 3.2% of birds (n = 595) in 2016, and 6.7% (n = 507) of birds in 2017. Overall, across both years, 0.2% and 0.5% of birds carried one or more I. scapularis ticks that tested PCR-positive for Ba. odocoilei and Bo. burgdorferi s.s., respectively. These data indicate that Ba. odocoilei-positive I. scapularis are found in southern Ontario, and suggest that bird-borne ticks have the potential to contribute to range expansion of both Ba. odocoilei and Bo. burgdorferi s.s. in Canada.
Journal of comparative physiology. B, Biochemical, systemic, and environmental physiology, Jan 29, 2018
Hepcidin is the key regulator of iron homeostasis in the body. Iron storage disease (hemochromato... more Hepcidin is the key regulator of iron homeostasis in the body. Iron storage disease (hemochromatosis) is a frequent cause of liver disease and mortality in captive Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus), but reasons underlying this condition are unknown. Hereditary hemochromatosis in humans is due to deficiency of hepcidin or resistance to the action of hepcidin. Here, we investigated the role of hepcidin in iron metabolism in one species of pteropodid bat that is prone to iron storage disease [Egyptian fruit bat (with and without hemochromatosis)], one species of pteropodid bat where iron storage disease is rare [straw-colored fruit bat (Eidolon helvum)], and one species of bat with a natural diet very high in iron, in which iron storage disease is not reported [common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus)]. Iron challenge via intramuscular injection of iron dextran resulted in significantly increased liver iron content and histologic iron scores in all three species, and increased ...