KATHRYN JENKINSWe recently had a very rare case of suspected plasma cell leukaemia, with an initial clinical finding of marked hyperglobulinemia.Clinical history:After being missing for a week, an 8-year-old cat presented with a jaw mass. In-house biochemistry showed a marked increase in TP (125 g/L; reference interval (RI) 56 – 80 g/L), with a marked […]
REBECCA ALLANA palpable thyroid gland in an elderly cat equals hyperthyroidism, right? Not always!When we think of thyroid issues in adult cats we usually think of hyperthyroidism, however occasionally the opposite problem of hypothyroidism can occur. Coco a 15-year-old Burmese is a case in point.Clinical history:Coco presented to the veterinary clinic with a history of […]
BERNIE VAATSTRAClinical history:An 8-week-old male Domestic Shorthair rescue kitten died overnight three days after being castrated, vaccinated and transported. A post-mortem was conducted and samples collected for histopathology .Laboratory testing:Sections of heart, liver, spleen, pancreas, stomach and small intestine were unremarkable. Examination of the large and small airways of the lung revealed numerous nematode larvae […]
– the season is approaching . . .ROB FAIRLEYEach year significant numbers of acorn poisoning cases are seen in our laboratories and almost always in calves. They often occur when feed is short and animals are driven to consume acorns, or because animals have been put into areas to clean rank grass out – areas […]
– disease summary and testing optionsJENNI DONALDWe have had enquiries about this condition recently and have seen cases in a Miniature Poodle, German Short-haired pointer and a Bulldog. The following is a summary of the disease and the testing options available both here and overseas.Cystinuria is a hereditary renal transport disorder involving cystine and other […]
CATHY HARVEYClinical history:Three-week-old puppies developed clear nasal and ocular discharge, but were still relatively bright and eating. The puppies were from the first litter of a dam that had one vaccination at 6 months of age. Two of the puppies faded and died over the weekend, and the other two were presented for veterinary examination, […]
MICHAEL HARDCASTLEClinical history:A three-year-old Collie cross had a two and a half year history of pruritic skin and ear disease. This included a dominant sternal rash that had been treated with a range of systemic medications, topical medications and dietary manipulation, but had never resolved; it crusted or flared intermittently. At presentation there was a […]
JOHN GILLDoes teat spraying with an iodine based product increase serum iodine in dairy cattle?Fortunately this question was asked and answered by veterinarian Martha Camps of Vetora, Te Awamutu recently.Martha selected a dairy farm that did not currently supplement with or use any iodine based products. Six cows were selected at random, marked and their […]
We present two haematology cases with similar findings.Case 1An 11-year-old Labrador presented with generalised splenic enlargement, pale mucous membranes, decreased appetite and a small amount of weight loss.CBC revealed a marked leukocytosis and moderate non-regenerative anaemia, with haemoglobin 79 g/L, HCT 0.25 L/L and WBC 242 x109L. Neutrophils were only slightly increased (12.1 x109/L) however […]
BERNIE VAATSTRA… the three P’s of broad-spectrum investigation.Calf diarrhoea is a frustrating and economically important disease responsible for more than half of all calf losses to weaning. Outbreaks are often multifactorial, involving interactions between infectious agents, calf and dam nutrition, environment, husbandry, and calf immunity. Successful treatment and prevention therefore require knowledge of the status […]