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OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether Babesia odocoilei could be detected from farmed and wild cervid diagnostic submissions prior to its first reported occurrence in Saskatchewan. PROCEDURE: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for B. odocoilei was used to survey 85 fresh-frozen samples and 112 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples from Saskatchewan cervids submitted for necropsy between 2000 and 2014. RESULTS: The PCR was positive for B. odocoilei in 1/84 white-tailed deer, 1/41 moose, 0/37 mule deer, and 1/35 elk. The positive elk was from a farmed herd, but the remaining 2 positive samples were from wild cervids. The positive moose sample was the earliest confirmed infection, dating back to 2008. Therefore, 1.5% of the study population tested positive over the 14-year period. CONCLUSION: There were low numbers of cervids infected with B. odocoilei in the study population. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Babesiosis should be included as a differential diagnosis for disease in susceptible cervids when clinical signs are compatible; however, a lack of suggestive clinical signs or necropsy findings does not preclude infection. Thus, monitoring prevalence of the disease within Saskatchewan (and Canada) will likely require targeted surveillance.

The objectives of this study were to describe serial point-of-care test results in dogs infected with canine parvovirus (CPV), highlight clinicopathologic abnormalities at various timepoints, and investigate their association with the duration of hospitalization. Two-hundred and four dogs positive for CPV at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine between 2003 and 2015 were included. Data were recorded pertaining to emergency panel and venous blood gas tests at presentation, and every 12 hours thereafter (+/− 4 hours) for the first 72 hours of hospitalization. Common persistent abnormalities included hypoproteinemia, acidosis, hyponatremia, hypochloremia, hyperkalemia, and hyperbicarbonatemia. Ionized hypocalcemia was associated with a longer duration of hospitalization and mild hyperkalemia was associated with a shorter duration of hospitalization (P < 0.05). This study suggests that the use of point-of-care tests for in-hospital monitoring may provide insight into CPV case complexity and predict total hospitalization times.

Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is commonly used to diagnose skin disease in companion animals, but its use in horses appears to be infrequent. Equine veterinarians in western Canada were surveyed to determine their opinions about FNA and 15 years of diagnostic submissions were used to compare the perceived to actual value of FNA in the diagnosis of skin disease in horses. Practitioners viewed FNA as quick, easy, economical, and minimally invasive. However, most veterinarians rarely chose to use FNA due to a perception that sample quality and diagnostic yield were poor and there was a narrow range of diseases the technique could diagnose. Analysis of the FNA cytology samples from a veterinary diagnostic laboratory showed a wide variety of equine skin disease conditions, but the frequency of non-diagnostic results was significantly higher in equine submissions compared to those from dogs and cats.

Passive surveillance of ticks on horses in Saskatchewan revealed that the horses were parasitized by 3 species, Dermacentor albipictus, D. andersoni, and D. variabilis. The nymphs and adults of D. albipictus occurred on horses earlier in the year than did adults of the 2 other species.

This report describes a case of equine granulocytic anaplasmosis in a horse from Saskatchewan. Morulae were visualized within blood neutrophils, and the diagnosis was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The organism was identified as the human pathogenic strain of Anaplasma phagocytophilum by PCR and DNA sequencing of 3 independent genes.RésuméAnaplasmose granulocytaire chez un cheval de la Saskatchewan. Ce rapport décrit un cas d’anaplasmose granulocytaire chez un cheval de la Saskatchewan. Des morulas ont été visualisées dans les neutrophiles sanguins et le diagnostic a été confirmé par une réaction d’amplificaton en chaîne par la polymérase (PCR). L’organisme a été identifié comme la souche pathogène humaine d’Anaplasma phagocytophilum par PCR et séquençage d’ADN de 3 gènes indépendants.(Traduit par Isabelle Vallières).

Two unrelated rats were presented to the Western College of Veterinary Medicine emergency service for vaginal bleeding. Each was taken to surgery due to marked blood loss and suspicion of uterine pathology. Despite similar clinical presentation, gross and histopathologic examination revealed 2 different underlying disease processes, uterine dilatation with mild endometritis and vaginal polyp.

This resource sheet has been developed by the Mental Health in Higher Education project (mhhe), in conjunction with the Social Policy and Social Work Subject Centre of the Higher Education Academy (SWAP). It aims to raise awareness of the need for a focus on: developing emotional intelligence, enhancing resilience and those qualities that underpin it, and maintaining personal wellbeing for students who will become practitioners in health and social care. It outlines the rationale for highlighting these issues across the disciplines, and provides some pointers to examples of current practice and resources.

The objective of this study was to use a questionnaire 1) for characterization of hemorrhagic signs; 2) to assess its value as a predictor of von Willebrand Disease (vWD) status; and 3) for evaluation of the vWD diagnostic profile [platelet function analysis using the PFA-100, Collagen binding assay (vWF:CBA), and vWF antigen ELISA (vWF:Ag)], partial thromboplastin time (PTT) and Factor VIII activity (FVIII) as predictors of hemorrhagic risk. von Willebrand factor (vWF) concentration and function was assessed for each of the 165 canine participants using the vWD diagnostic profile. Hemorrhagic signs for each dog were obtained using a standardized questionnaire. Questionnaires were scored according to a previously prepared scoring key. Of the 165 dogs in the study, 43.6% had a low vWF concentration, with only 48.6% of dogs in this group having reports of hemorrhagic signs. Oral bleeding was the most commonly reported sign. The questionnaire had a sensitivity of 48.6% and a specificity of 78.5% for the prediction of vWD status. Using the Spearman correlation coefficient, a statistical association was found between the questionnaire and the vWD diagnostic profile components. However, this could not be translated into an ability to predict hemorrhage. The questionnaire allowed characterization of hemorrhagic signs in a large population of dogs over a range of vWF:Ag concentrations, and demonstrated that the vWD diagnostic profile was unsuccessful in the prediction of hemorrhagic risk. Although the sensitivity was insufficient for a screening tool, the questionnaire did have some discriminatory power in the prediction of vWD status.

Mental well-being is an issue for all staff and students. Further to the stress that can be triggered by any major life-transition (such as entry to Higher Education), young people in general are vulnerable to mental distress and illness (Nuffield Foundation, 2004), and mature students often have additional pressures, responsibilities and vulnerabilities. Some students will have prior experience of mental ill-health (depression or early psychosis, for example); others will experience difficulties whilst studying (Royal College of Psychiatrists 2003). Anxiety is often high at the outset of studies (e.g. about forming new relationships, budgeting and/or meeting academic expectations). Whilst learning in university should entail challenge, it need not entail excessive stress – students will not perform at their best if they are unduly stressed. To promote mental wellbeing, enhance learning, and to protect those who may be vulnerable to mental illness or distress, curricula should take account of mental well-being. Indeed the principles of the Health Promoting University (Dooris 2001) and requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) (1995, 2005) and the Disability Equality Duty (DED), which came into force in 2006, require that higher education institutions do so.

A 4-year-old, standard poodle was presented to the Ontario Veterinary College for a 3-week history of a moist, productive cough that was first noted while boarding at a kennel. Bronchoalveolar lavage revealed numerous ova identified as Eucoleus aerophilus, previously known as Capillaria aerophila. Clinical signs resolved following treatment with fenbendazole.

This thesis describes an investigation of the potential for improved characterization of dogs with von Willebrand disease (vWD) using various laboratory methods. Citrated and EDTA blood samples were collected from 183 dogs with varying von Willebrand Factor (vWF) concentrations. vWF concentration was measured using both the Ontario Veterinary College vWF Antigen ELISA (OVC vWF:Ag) assay and an external control (Asserachrom vWF:Ag) ELISA. Collagen binding activity (vWF:CBA), platelet function using a platelet function analyzer (PFA-100), Factor VIII activity, partial thromboplastin time (PTT), and platelet counts were also determined. Agreement between the OVC vWF:Ag assay and the external control was excellent (concordance correlation = 0.89). The intea-assay coefficients of variation (4.4 and 7.9, respectively) and inter-assay coefficients of variation (15 and 5.9, respectively) were acceptable for the vWF:CBA and OVC vWF:Ag assays. Strong associations were found when the vWF:CBA and PFA-100 results were compared to vWF concentration. As such, the vWF:CBA and PFA-100 were considered to be valuable assets, in conjunction with a vWF:Ag assay, for a canine vWD diagnostic profile. Clinically significant associations were not found when Factor VIII activity, PTT, and platelet count were compared to vWF:Ag concentration, and therefore these tests were not included in the vWD diagnostic profile. A standardized questionnaire to assess bleeding history was mailed to the 183 study participants and their referring veterinarians. Of the 165 questionnaire respondents, 43.6% originated from vWD positive dogs, with only 48.6% of dogs in this group having reports of hemorrhagic signs. Hemorrhagic signs were approximately twice as prevalent in the vWD positive population compared to the vWD negative population. Although significant associations were found between the bleeding score and the vWD diagnostic profile components, a corresponding pattern was not evident in the raw data. Therefore, these assays cannot be used to predict risk of hemorrhage. The questionnaire sensitivity of 48.6% for the prediction of vWD status was insufficient for a screening tool, however, there is evidence of some discriminatory power for the identification of vWD status. At this time, the most accurate method to identify and characterize canine vWD patients is through a multi-test approach, which can be achieved with the vWD diagnostic profile.