Contents page of the issue February 2008




EQUINE

Cs. Jakab, S. Veres, S. Izing, Gy. Szabó: Occurrence of neoplastic and non-neoplastic skin changes in horses. Part 2. Immunohistochemical examinations on sarcoid samples / 67

BOVINE
Gy. Szemerédi, L. Kocsis, I. Kovács: Significance of stable specific protection in the decrease of loss caused by claw disorders (dermatitis digitalis) / 75

POULTRY
Cs. Nemes, D. Szalay, K. Ursu, V. Palya, R. Glávits: Turkey coronavirus enteritis in Hungary. Part 1. Literature review / 80

RABBIT
A. Bónai, Zs. Szendrő, Zs. Matics, H. Fébel, R. Pósa, G. Tornyos, P. Horn, F. Kovács, M. Kovács: Effect of Bacillus cereus var. toyoi (Toyocerin®) on caecal microflora and fermentation in rabbits / 87

SMALL ANIMALS
S. Gy. Fekete: Etiology, evaluation and dietary treatment of overweight and obesity. Literature review / 96
B. Rösch: Autoimmune, subepidermal, vesicular dermatosis in cat – Case report / 106
G. Abraham, F. R. Ungemach: Medical treatment of chronic cardiac failure in dogs and cats / 110

ZOONOSIS
H. J. Tietz, R. Hämmerling: Zoophil dermatophytae on humans and antropophil dermatophytae on animals / 121

STATEMENT
Statement on situation of the state veterinary service operating within the framework of Agricultural Special Administrative Office (L. Fodor, B. Harrach, S. Mile, L. Solti, J. Varga) / 126

IN MEMORIAM
László Czebe (1932–2007) (I. Varga) / 128

Cs. Jakab – S. Veres – S. Izing – Gy. Szabó:
OCCURRENCE OF NEOPLASTIC AND NON-NEOPLASTIC SKIN CHANGES IN HORSES. PART 2. IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL EXAMINATIONS ON SARCOID SAMPLES

The authors briefly summarize the basic principals of immunohistochemical (IHC) methods. They describe the results of the IHC examination of twelve equine sarcoid samples, using KI-67 proliferation marker, anti-vimentin, anti-desmin, anti-melan-A and anti-S-100 protein. The proliferation index detected with KI-67 marker was 8.53% in the examined biopsies. Applying anti-vimentin the tumorous fibroblast cells of the sarcoid showed intensive strong positive reaction in the cytoplasm. The anti-desmin tests ended negatively in the sarcoids, but the erector muscles of the furs and the smooth muscle cells positioned in the tunica media of the small arteries in the intact skin tissue gave positive cytoplasmic reaction. With the anti-melan-A reaction the authors found positive reaction both in the epithelial layer of the sarcoids and in the pigment cells of the basal layer of the overlapping intact superficial and follicular epithelium. The reaction with the anti-S-100 protein was negative in the sarcoids, but Schwann cells of the periferial nerves in the chorium and the subcutis were positive.
According to the results of the IHC tests, the authors suggest to use, as an internal control, the erector muscles of the furs and the smooth muscle cells positioned in the tunica media of the small arteries in the intact skin tissue for the desmin, the basal melanocytes for the Melan-A, and Schwann cells of the periferial nerves in the chorium and the subcutis for the S-100 protein during the evaluation of the IHC results of equine skin samples.

Gy. Szemerédi – L. Kocsis – Cs. Csorba – I. Kovács:
SIGNIFICANCE OF STABLE SPECIFIC PROTECTION IN THE DECREASE OF LOSS CAUSED BY CLAW DISORDERS (DERMATITIS DIGITALIS)

The authors examined on a cattle holding of 1000 dairy cows one of the claw disorders causing the highest economic loss, mainly on large scale holdings, and its aetiology. Dermatitis digitalis caused 25–28% loss a year on the holding.
In 39 samples from 59 diseased cows (66.1%) bacteria of Bacteriodes genus and in 6 samples (10.1%) fusobacteria were isolated.
On the basis of the examinations, they prepared inactivated farm specific vaccines adsorbed to aluminium-hydroxide gel from the two anaerobe bacterium strains. They vaccinated 25 healthy pregnant heifers 6 weeks before the presumed calving twice with a 3 week interval. Heifers of the same number remained as control. During the one year observation period 19 animals from the vaccinated ones (76.1%) remained healthy. From the unvaccinated animals 10 animals (40%) remained healthy during the one year observation period.
The vaccination was also carried out on 25 animals suffering from claw disorders. They found no difference between the vaccinated and unvaccinated animals.
On the basis of the examinations it can be stated that the vaccine against claw disorders gives cc. 75% protection for a year.
Vaccination of diseased animals with the farm specific vaccine gave no results.

Cs. Nemes – D. Szalay – K. Ursu – V. Palya – R. Glávits:
TURKEY CORONAVIRUS ENTERITIS IN HUNGARY. PART 1. LITERATURE REVIEW

Turkey coronavirus enteritis has been a well known disease in the scientific literature since 1951. The presence of this disease in Hungary has been suspected for long, but occurence has not been proven, yet. The first part of the publication focuses on the most important characteristics of the pathogen agent, pathogenesis and diagnosis of the disease. The second part offers an insight into the occurence of the disease in Hungary and the outcomes of the authors’ own research.

A. Bónai – Zs. Szendrő – Zs. Matics – H. Fébel – R. Pósa – G. Tornyos – P. Horn – F. Kovács – M. Kovács:
EFFECT OF BACILLUS CEREUS VAR. TOYOI (TOYOCERIN®) ON CAECAL MICROFLORA AND FERMENTATION IN RABBITS

In commercial rabbit meat production, a major part of the breeding loss results from diseases of the digestive system, occuring mainly (about 25%) around weaning (between days 18 to 50). Beside economic losses, this disease has a negative influence on animal welfare, as well. Antibiotics are still widely used to reduce mortality of the growing rabbit, although there is an increasing human health and food safety concern about drug residues in meat products. As an alternative to in-feed antibiotics, the effect of a probiotic, i.e. Bacillus cereus var. toyoi was examined in rabbits. One group of Pannon White does (Group T) was fed on a diet containing 200 ppm Toyocerin (2x105 B. c. spores/g feed), while the other group (Group K) received an antibiotic free diet with the same chemical composition. Kids consumed the same diet as their mothers (K and T) until weaning. After weaning at age of 28 days, all litters were divided into two groups, one fed on the same diet as before (KK, n=37 and TT, n=46), while the diet of the other two groups was changed (KT, n=38 and TK, n=44). Supplementation of the does’ diet significantly improved the weight gain of the kids. The weight of K rabbits (389±8 g) was significantly (P<0.05) lower at 3 weeks of age compared to treated (T) animals (462±12 g). This could be presumably due to the better milk production of the does. The difference in body weight between the two groups was still marked on week 4. During the whole experimental period (4 to 6 weeks) body weight gain (54 g/day) and feed conversion (2.0 g/g) proved to be the best in group KT. Morbidity and mortality was lower in animals fed on supplemented diet after weaning. The most impressive change was observed in the number of coliform bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. Caecal chyme of K rabbits contained significantly higher coliform germ count on day 21 (5.9 CFU log10/g chyme). On week 5 adding Toyocerin into the diet significantly decreased the bacterial count in groups KT and TT (2.0 CFU log10/g chyme). For coliforms the count of 103–104 bacteria/g chyme in group TK could be considered as physiological, but the count of 105 in KK rabbits is considered to be of high risk from the animal’s health point of view. Total volatile fatty acid concentration was around 66–80 mmol/kg after weaning in all groups, though in the TK and TT groups it was temporarily raised above 100 mmol/kg in the 4th week.

Gy. S. Fekete:
ETIOLOGY, EVALUATION AND DIETARY TREATMENT OF OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY. LITERATURE REVIEW

During urban way of living the balance of the three maintaining factors of the normal live weight, namely the intensity of basal metabolism, physical activity and energy intake gets upset, and the animal grows fat. The degree of overweight, besides weighing can be evaluated by condition scoring and if possible, by the evaluation of the total body composition, using body mass index or DXA-measurement. The generally accepted design of the slimming diet is of cyclic-periodic nature. First a target body weight should be set, according to the breed standard. Calculating the maintenance energy requirement of this target live weight (LW), is calculated, and the 60% of it is given for two-three weeks. This reduced daily energy needs can be calculated using the following equations: 0.523x0.6=0.314 MJ ME/W0.75 for dogs and 0.285x0.6= 0.171 MJ ME/kg of LW for cats. The corresponding amount of feed is given for 2 weeks and, for the purpose of liver regeneration, the feed appropriate to 100% for the next 2 weeks. It may last even for half a year but the chance of hepatic lipidosis is decreased. For the diet the best is dog or cat food from which many are commercially available. Veterinary supervision is essential. After reaching the optimal condition the task is keeping it. For this purpose the author gives the following advices: keeping the daily proportion accurately, giving feed of high ballast ratio. At the end the author briefly present the available therapeutic opportunities.