Case Report: Adult Female Bald Eagle

Winner, Abstracts and Cases
Chelsea Anderson, Cornell University

Signalment: Adult Bald Eagle, Female

 

Common problems: Bald eagles do not commonly present to the Wildlife Health Center but most cases have been fractures secondary to trauma or lead toxicity.

 

History and clinical presentation:

This Bald Eagle presented to the Wildlife Health Center on 02/05/2011 after being brought in by a rehabilitator. The eagle was seen walking sternally with its wings folded, down an embankment and across a two-lane road into a bush. Upon presentation the eagle was quiet, alert and responsive and sternally recumbent. On initial evaluation of the legs, the bird was not moving and seemed to have no deep pain when stimulated by hemostats. The cloaca did not have any tone when palpated with forceps. When pressure was applied to the right metatarsal region, the bird reacted appropriately by flapping her wings and moving away from the stimulus. A small wound was seen near the uropygial gland but otherwise the integument was normal. The left leg was slightly abducted away from the body. A small amount of blood was seen in her mouth and on inspection was coagulated in the oral cavity, with a few drops in her glottis. She was weighed at 5.55 kg.

 

Presenting problems:

• Pelvic fracture (left most significant)

• Paraparesis

• Inability to urinate/defecate voluntarily (spinal trauma)

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Case Report: Cow with necrotic ear tips of unknown origin

Honorable Mention, Cases and Abstracts Category
Hailey Harroun, Colorado State University

SIGNALMENT:
Species: Bovine
Breed: Angus
Age: 8yr
Sex: Female
Reproductive Status: open, 4mo calf at side
Presenting Complaint: Bloody, crusted ear tips, with hair loss and tissue loss

HISTORY:
Only cow in a herd of 30 displaying signs of hair loss on both ear tips with necrosis and loss of tissue. Remaining tissue is thickened and crusted with blood. Ears do not seem particularly painful or pruritic. Cow is currently nursing 4 month old calf, on a diet of alfalfa-mix hay, current on all vaccinations (IBR, BVD, PI3, BRSV, Clostridium). It is currently the end of December, but weather has not been cold enough to indicate frostbite. This condition has been present for two weeks duration, and seems to be progressing, with more necrosis and shortening of ear tips.

PREVIOUS HISTORY OF ILLNESS: none

PHYSICAL EXAM:
Body Weight: 1500lb
Temp: 101F
Heart Rate: 60bpm
Respiration: 25

Skin:normal, except ears
Musculoskeletal:normal
Circulatory:normal
Mucous Membranes:normal
Respiratory:normal clear lung sounds
Digestive:normal rumen and intestinal sounds
Genital/Urinary:normal
Eyes/Ears:eyes normal; ears crusted, bloody, appears to be loss of tissue on the tips
Neurologic:normal
Lymph Nodes:normal

Affected ears
DIFFERENTIALS:

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Abstract: Granulomatous colitis in French Bulldogs

Winner, Cases and Abstracts category
Alison Manchester, Cornell University

GRANULOMATOUS COLITIS IN FRENCH BULLDOGS IS ASSOCIATED WITH INVASIVE E. COLI AND CLINICAL RESPONSE TO FLUOROQUINOLONE ANTIBIOTICS.

A Manchester1, S Hill2, B Sabatino3, R Armentano4, B Kessler1, M Miller1, B Dogan1, SP McDonough1, KW Simpson1. 1. College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. 2. Veterinary Specialty Hospital, San Diego, CA. 3. College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN. 4. College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.

   French bulldogs have been reported to develop a form of inflammatory bowel disease that is histopathologically similar to granulomatous colitis of Boxer dogs (GCB). GCB is associated with mucosally invasive E. coli, whose eradication correlates with clinical remission. We sought to determine the clinical features, presence or absence of intramucosal bacteria and E. coli in colonic biopsies, and response to fluoroquinolone antibiotics in French bulldogs with GC.
 FISH staining to identify multifocal accumulations of intramucosal E. coli in colonic biopsies
   Five French bulldogs (4M, 1F; median age 10mo, range 5-12mo) with a histological diagnosis of GC were studied. Bacterial colonization was evaluated using eubacterial (EUB-338) and E. coli-specific FISH probes. E. coli were isolated and antimicrobial resistance was determined by broth microdilution MIC from available fresh biopsies. Response to fluoroquinolone antibiotics was determined by monitoring clinical signs.

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Case Abstract

Paige Mackey
Oklahoma State University, '13

IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL EXPRESSION OF C-KIT PROTEIN IN CANINE CUTANEOUS PLASMACYTOMAS

*Paige E. Mackey (1), Catherine G. Lamm (2), and Gregory A. Campbell (3)

1 Department of Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater OK; 2 Veterinary Pathological Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK 3 Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK.

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c-KIT is proto-oncogene that encodes a tyrosine kinase receptor, KIT, that is expressed by normal cells as well as various neoplasms in both humans and animals. Most notably, c-KIT expression is used for diagnosis and grading of canine mast cell tumors. In this study, immunohistochemistry was used to determine if c-KIT expression occurs in canine plasmacytomas...

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Precision, Variability, and Accuracy of Femoral Varus Measurement

Alexander C. Robb

Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University

Precision, Variability, and Accuracy of Femoral Varus Measurement Using Radiographic and Computed Tomographic Imaging in Clinically Abnormal Femora

INTRODUCTION:  Many skeletal abnormalities have been associated with medial patellar luxation (MPL), and recent focus has centered on femoral malalignment, specifically excessive femoral varus, quantified by measurement of the anatomic lateral distal femoral angle (aLDFA).1,2  In cases with excessive varus, a distal femoral osteotomy can be performed; however, this invasive procedure requires accurate measurement of aLDFA.  Recent studies have reported conflicting evidence regarding the ability to measure distal femoral varus in clinically normal bones using both radiographic and computed tomographic (CT) methods.1,3  The purpose of this study was to establish the precision, variability, and accuracy of aLDFA measurement using radiographic and CT imaging, compared to the reference standard of digital photographs of anatomic specimens, in clinically abnormal femora.  Our hypothesis was that CT would be more precise, less variable, and more accurate than radiographs for aLDFA measurement.

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