Dr Meducci vet's blog

A brief conversation with 2 of my classmates

Teng: Rabbit itu kena bacterial infections (That rabbit is having bacterial infections)

Me: Apa bacterial infections? (What bacterial infections?)

Luqman: Arnab tu kepala pusing kebawah sebab penyakit bakteria (That rabbit has twisted neck due to bacterial infections)

Me: Torticollis?

Luqman: Hah! thats it.

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Torticollis (head tilt) in rabbit

Torticollis, or wryneck, is a stiff neck associated with muscle spasm, classically causing lateral flexion contracture of the cervical spine musculature (a condition in which the head is tilted to one side). The muscles affected are principally those supplied by the spinal accessory nerve. Generally it can affect rabbits, guinea pigs, and other rodents species as well.

Possible causes of torticollis

An inner ear infection may have started with an outer ear infection, which remained unnoticed and untreated and gradually worked its way into the inner ear, or with a middle ear infection, which resulted from an upper respiratory infection.

Or it may have arisen from bacteria in the nasal cavity or bloodstream. A radiograph of the head may help determine if the middle ears are affected. Some of the bacteria which have been cultured from ear infections are Staphylococcus sp, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pasteurella multocida, Bordetella bronchiseptica, Proteus mirabilis, Streptoccus epidermidis, Bacteroides spp. and Escherichia coli.

Bacterial infections that occur secondary to ear mite infestations can sometimes track deep into the rabbit's ear canal, resulting in a nasty bacterial ear canal infection termedotitis externa. Provided that these bacterial organisms remain located only in the outerear canal of the rabbit (i.e. the external ear canal situated on the outermost aspect of the rabbit's ear drum), systemic antibiotics and topical antibiotic ear medications (in addition to the mite killing treatments) will often be enough to resolve the problem.

Mite infection with secondary bacterial infections

Occasionally, however, bacterial organisms will manage to eat their way through the ear drum of ear mite infested rabbits, resulting in a nasty bacterial infection of the middle and inner sanctums of the rabbit's ear (termed the middle ear and inner ear, respectively). These middle-ear and inner-ear bacterial infections (termed, respectively, otitis mediaand otitis interna) are not only very difficult to treat and control but they can result in some serious complications of their own.

Damage to the middle and/or inner ear mechanisms can result in deafness of the ear. Damage to the inner ear mechanisms, in particular the vestibular apparatus of the inner ear (a series of specialized fluid canals located deep within the inner ear, which are responsible for normal balance), can result in the rabbit showing severe signs of incoordination and neurological dysfunction. The rabbit will appear off-balance, falling frequently, often with its head twisted around Bacterial infections that occur secondary to ear mite infestations can sometimes track deep into the rabbit's ear canal, resulting in a nasty bacterial ear canal infection termedotitis externa. Provided that these bacterial organisms remain located only in the outerear canal of the rabbit

2. Stroke

Stroke is usually suspected on the basis of physical signs. Imaging to diagnose this problem is available to humans but difficult to arrange for companion rabbits. As in humans, acerbrovascular accident can kill, but if it does not, then the rabbit may initially be left with one side of his face, and perhaps one entire side of his body affected. One side of his face will droop, he may drool, and one eye may not function properly. He may not move normally or may move in circles. Function usually will slowly return over a period of months.

3. Trauma

A "muscle spasm" could cause a temporary head tilt. This situation will resolve itself once the muscle is relaxed.

6. Encephalitozoonosis

Encephalitozoon cuniculi, a protozoan parasite, can cause brain disease (meningooencephalitis and microscopic cysts), and can result in paralysis anywhere in the body, since every part of the body is controlled by a specific part of the brain.

Frequently there are signs preceding a head tilt caused by E.cuniculi such as tripping, dragging of feet, tipping over. These symptoms may have appeared and then vanished weeks or months prior to the head tilt. A blood test for antibodies to E. cuniculi can tell whether your rabbit has been exposed.

E. Canuliculi

7. Cerebral larva migrans

Baylisascaris spp are round worms which live in the intestine of raccoons and skunks. A rabbit may acquire eggs from these works by eating grasses, food, or bedding contaminated by feces. Larvae hatch from the eggs and migrate into the brain, where they live and grow and destroy brain tissue. There is no known cure for this invasion. Ivermectin probably does not penetrate the brain in sufficient quantities to kill the larvae, although it may kill them before they reach the brain.

Worms of Baylisascaris ssp

8. Intoxification

This could be caused by ingestion of lead, found in paints or imported pottery, or ingestion of a toxic plant such as the woolly pod milkweed.

1. Inner ear infection

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Umbilical Hernia

An umbilical hernia is a condition in which abdominal contents protrude through the abdominal wall at the area of the umbilicus. Small hernias are generally not a problem. It is recommended to electively repair a larger hernia due to the risk of intestinal loop strangulation.

The exact cause of an umbilical hernia is unknown although most are thought to be inherited. It is most commonly a congenital malformation caused by flawed embryogenesis. The umbilical opening is normal until birth as it contains blood vessels that pass through from the mother to the fetus. This opening closes at birth in the normal pet and a hernia results if the opening fails to close.

Umbilical hernias are more common in dogs than cats. They occur on the midline of the abdominal wall through the umbilical ring and can be a variety of sizes from very small to very big. The hernia appears as a soft abdominal mass at the area of the umbilicus.

Depending on the size of the opening, abdominal structures such as falciform fat or omentum can float into the opening. This generally does not cause a problem. However, if the opening is large enough, an intestinal loop can become trapped which can become a life-threatening problem. For this reason, it is recommended that larger hernias be closed after diagnosis. This is most often done concurrently with the spay or castration surgery.

Some male dogs with umbilical herniation may also have the concurrent abnormality of a retained testicle, referred to as cryptorchidism.

Since I am going to Department of Veterinary Services for spaying demonstration in cats tomorrow, I think I should have started basic knowledge about cat's neutering technique before we start out surgery class next semester on year 3 :)

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A vet doing neutering in female cat

Neutering, is the removal of an animal's reproductive organ, either all of it or a considerably large part. It is the most drastic surgical procedure with sterilizing purposes.

Spaying or desexing is the surgical removal of a female (queen) cat's internal reproductive structures, including her ovaries (site of ova/egg production), Fallopian tubes, uterine horns (the two long tubes of uterus where the foetal kittens develop and grow) and a section of her uterine body (the part of the uterus where the uterine horns merge and become one body).

Part of female reproductive organ that have been removed via spaying

Basically, the parts of the female reproductive tract that get removed are those which are responsible for egg (ova) production, embryo and fetus development and the secretion of the major female hormones (oestrogen and progesterone being the main ones).

Removal of these structures plays a big role in feline population control; feline genetic disease control; the prevention and/or treatment of various medical disorders and female cat behavioral modification (e.g. estrogen is responsible for many female cat behavioral traits that some owners find problematic - e.g. roaming, calling for males - and spaying, by removing the source of female hormones like estrogen, may help to resolve these issues).

1. Anesthesia

The cat must be anesthetised prior to spay surgery being performed, both so that it will not move whilst the spaying procedure is being performed and also so that it will not experience any pain.

The cat is given a series of injectable sedative and general anesthetic drugs to make it go to sleep (fall unconscious); an endotracheal (ET) tube is placed down its trachea (main airway) to help it to breathe better and to keep its airway free of vomit and other secretions and the cat is maintained under anesthesia by the addition of anesthetic gas vapours to the oxygen that it breathes (the oxygen and anesthetic gas vapors are supplied by an anesthetic machine, which is linked to the cat's endotracheal tube).

2. Shave belly-to remove the fur at the site of spaying

A small incision (usually around 1cm long, but can be up to 3-4 cm long) is made in the cat's skin, approximately 1 inch below the umbilical scar on the abdominal midline.

Just got to know that one of UMK's stray cat (the one I've posted about rectal palpation) died because of feline panleukopenia.

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" Are you sick?? please tell me..hurmm"

awww soo cute :)

Feline panleukopenia (also called feline infectious enteritis, feline "distemper," and feline ataxia or incoordination) is a highly contagious viral disease of cats characterized by its sudden onset, fever, inappetence (loss of appetite), dehydration, depression, vomiting, decreased numbers of circulating white blood cells (leukopenia), and often a high mortality rate. Intrauterine (within the uterus) infection may result in abortions, stillbirths, early neonatal deaths, and cerebellar hypoplasia (underdevelopment of the cerebellum) manifested by incoordination (ataxia) in kittens beginning at two to three weeks of age.

All members of the cat family (Felidae) are susceptible to infection with feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), as are raccoons, coatimundis, and ringtails, in the family Procyoniclae.

Feline panleukopenia virus is a very small and very stable virus classified in the parvovirus group. The genetic material of the virus is composed of a single"strand of DNA. The virus is highly resistant to most disinfectants ether, chloroform, acid, alcohol, and heat (56'C, or 132.8'F, for thirty minutes)but is susceptible to Clorox bleach. Replication (reproduction) of the virus in the host occurs in cells that are themselves actively reproducing. Incubation period is between 5-10 days. Primary site of infection are in the rapidly dividing cells which includes cerebellum, lymphoid tissue and intestine. It may reduce white blood cells number.

Feline leukopenia virus caused by Parvoviridae family

FPV is a severe, highly contagious disease that is oftentimes fatal. Feline panleukopenia occurs worldwide, but is rarely seen as a clinical entity due to the effectiveness of vaccination in preventing the disease. Young, unvaccinated kittens present most commonly with this disease. Unvaccinated feral cat colonies and other wild felids also serve as reservoirs of infection for the domestic cat population.

FPV exposure and infection can occur in several ways. The major route of transmission is direct contact between a susceptible host and an infected animal or its secretions. The virus is shed in all body secretions of infected animals for up to six weeks. Once introduced into the environment, the virus is very hardy and can persist for years.

Treatment of fomites (inantimate objects) and other contaminated materials for ten minutes with bleach, 4% formaldehyde or 1% gluteraldehyde is necessary to inactivate the virus. Fomites, including contaminated instruments, cages and bedding, are also an important route of viral exposure. Mechanical transmission of FPV via arthropod vectors is probable as well. Lastly, this virus also can cross the placenta to infect the fetuses in utero.

The virus usually enters orally, with infection occurring primarily in the lymphoid tissues of the oropharynx (tonsillar area) and intestine. Within twenty-four hours of infection, virus is present in the blood, which distributes it throughout the body. Within two days of infection, nearly every body tissue contains significant amounts of virus. As circulating antibodies appear, the amount of virus present gradually decreases. Small quantities of virus may persist for up to one year in certain tissues, but the strong immune response of the host usually neutralizes the virus as it is shed, so that most persistently infected kittens are not infectious.

The most severely damaged tissues in the infected newborn cat are those undergoing rapid cell division -the thymus (lymph organ in the chest) and the cerebellum (rear of the brain). Cells of the small intestine, which have a slow turnover rate in neonates (newborns), are not damaged, although the virus is present within them. In older kittens, the development of the disease also depends on the reproductive activity of the various tissues within the body. Lymphoid tissues, bone marrow, and the surface cells of the intestine are the most severely affected.

There are several excellent vaccines available to immunize cats against panleukopenia. These vaccines are highly effective and produce long-lasting immunity. Because panleukopenia is an entirely preventable disease, one cannot overemphasize the importance of proper immunization.Immunization should be initiated by the veterinarian when kittens are eight to ten weeks of age. A second vaccination should be given four weeks later.

FPV's Vaccines

In areas where the prevalence of infection is high, and for maximal protection, a third vaccination may be indicated at sixteen weeks of age. if a kitten is twelve weeks of age or older at the time of initial vaccination with a modified live virus vaccine, a booster vaccination need not be given until it is at least one year of age. Immunity produced by FP vaccines is long-lasting, perhaps for life.

Revaccinations every year would not seem to be necessary from a scientific standpoint, but the vaccines are licensed for only 3 years' protection.Immunity acquired from the queen via colostrum (initial breast milk) must be considered when establishing a routine vaccination program. interference by maternally acquired (passive) immunity is the most common cause of vaccine failure. There exists a direct correlation between the FPV antibody level of the queen at the time of birth and the duration of passive immunity in the kitten. This passive immunity, if of sufficient strength, will not only protect the kitten against virulent FPV but will also react with the vaccine virus and interfere with immunization.

Vaccination must be performed after kittens have lost most or all of their maternally derived immunity.The use of FPV antiserum (clear blood liquid containing antibody) to immunize cats passively is indicated if an unvaccinated animal has been exposed to the virus or is likely to be exposed before vaccine induced immune responses can develop. Antiserum is also indicated for colostrum-cleprived or orphaned kittens. The routine use of antiserum in unexposed kittens is not recommended, however; instead, kittens should be vaccinated during their first visit to the veterinarian's office, and revaccinated as indicated.

Sources: Max's house; FPV, Catworld; www.cat-world.com.au, feline panleukopenia, Veterinary clinical pathology clerkship program; FPV