A case filed by ‘Mawbima Lanka Foundation’ against low quality milk powder

It is learnt that imported milk food items like Anchor, Rakthi, Nespray, Lakspray and Maliban milk powder do not contain the ideal ingredients conducive to one’s health. These companies during the manufacturing processes have removed the fat contents in them and crept through our Sri Lanka Bureau of Standards institution by substituting with animal and vegetable oils.

In terms of investigation inspection reports, in the year 2009 the ‘Mawbima Lanka foundation’ had filed a case in courts against the ‘Fontera’ and ‘Neslays’ companies for disclosure of these deficiencies after investigations at the Colombo Magistrate Courts. The case was taken up for hearing at the Colombo Magistrate courts the other day. The defendants at the case called for a settlement through reconciliation. The two companies brought motions to courts to request the ‘Mawbima Lanka Foundation’, to refrain from disclosing and publicizing these deficiencies to the public. However the two companies have filed action against the ‘Mawbima Lanka Foundation, in 4 separate cases. (LankaCNews)

Strategies to Control of Salmonellosis in Poultry Breeder Farms in Sri Lanka

 Grandparent farms, commercial layer and broiler operations, poultry meat processing factories and animal feed production establishments are the key of components of the poultry production chain in Sri Lanka.

Salmonella infection has been one of the major economically important disease issue in poultry production in the country for a significant period. It has been contributory to high cost of production as well as hampering the productivity. Salmonellosis is also a critical public health issue.

In addition to the current National control program in breeder farms, as a temporary measure, the Department of Animal Production and Health has decided to allow live attenuated vaccine against salmonellosis in poultry breeder farms in the country, only for a period of two years. Poultry breeder farms which do not intend vaccination should follow the self–testing, verification and bio-security measures recommended by the Department of Animal Production and Health. Grandparent farms should strictly adhere to the current National Control program for salmonellosis.

 Vaccine will be issued under the user permits based on the verification and sampling for identification of salmonella organism by relevant Veterinary Investigation Officers (VIOO). The usage of vaccine and follow up activities will be monitored strictly by the monitoring team of the Department of Animal Production and Health.

The farms which use the vaccine should be completely free of salmonellosis by improving bio-security at the end of two years and user permits would not be granted afterwards. In order to follow up the efficacy of the salmonella control program in vaccinated and Non- vaccinated flocks, following steps to be adopted.

  

I. Monitoring of Non-vaccinated poultry breeder farms

A. Screening of breeder flocks

v  All the Breeder flocks will be screened at the age of 16 weeks by whole blood agglutination test   by the farm authority.

v All the positive reactors to be removed and disposed immediately by the owner.

v Test results will be notified to the relevant VIO.

v If the flock having < 1% reactors,  screening should  be repeated at 6-8 week interval until  the positive reactor rate is reduced < 1%

v Verification of salmonella status.

 If the flock is having < 1% positive reactors, verification of the status has to be done by the relevant VIO.

    B. Bi-annual testing

v Verification will be done by the VIO at six months interval for the same batch.

    C.  Procedure for monitoring of hatcheries

v Hatchery will be tested once a month by obtaining appropriate samples by the owner under the supervision of VIO.

v Verification of hatchery will be done by VIOO once in three months.

v If any hatchery sample is positive for salmonella organism, hatchery operation to be suspended immediately and control measures to be taken.

II. Monitoring of vaccinated poultry breeder farms

A. Monitoring of flocks for recommendation of vaccination.

 o   Assessment of the salmonella status of the farm to be done by the relevant VIO for all batches aged 6 weeks & over in the farm.

o   All the positive reactors must be removed and disposed immediately by the owner.

o   Screening should be repeated until the positive reactor rate is reduced to < 1% and this level must be achieved before recommending vaccination.o   Only healthy flocks are permitted vaccination.

Spirocercosis in Dogs

Spirocerca lupi, also known as the esophageal worm, is a red or bright pinkish worm and ranging in size from 4 to 7 cm long. They generally are located within nodules in the esophageal, gastric, or aortic walls. These nodules in an infected host can inhibit swallowing, breathing, and blood circulation. This worm can prove fatal in dogs.

 

Life Cycle & Transmission

The disease is transmitted via infected dung beetles. The dogs eat infected dung beetles in the feces or leftover food in which the beetle lives. Dogs can also be infected if they eat an animal that has eaten an infected dung beetle, for example: bird, mouse, lizard, and so on.

The egg, containing the infective first stage-larva, is passed in the feces and eaten by a dung beetle, in which the larva develops to the infective third stage larva. When the dog eats these beetles, the larva penetrates through the stomach wall, and migrates in the arteries, eventually reaching the thoracic aorta in about 3 weeks. After about 10 to 12 weeks in the aorta the larva will migrate to the esophagus where it forms a cystic nodule which is connected by a fistula to the lumen of the esophagus. Here it develops to the adult stage. Eggs are laid in the cyst, pass out to the lumen of the esophagus and pass out with the feces. The prepatent period is between 5 and 6 months.  With time a granuloma forms around the cyst and eventually develops into a sarcoma of the esophagus. A mature worm can penetrate the trachea, lungs, stomach, kidneys, muscle sheath, and under the skin.

Damage caused

Larvae damage: In their travels, larvae can damage blood vessels and tissue, which often results in internal bleeding.

Worm damage: The worms can cause aorta and spinal column injury. Once encysted, the worm can cause various forms of tumors.

Symptoms

• Loss of appetite
• Difficulty of swallowing
• Cough
• Difficulty of breathing
• Salivation
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Weight loss
• Sudden death due massive internal bleeding
• Symptoms of the disease can vary, sometimes, there are no symptoms at all

Diagnosis

• Fecal flotation test to detect eggs in feces
• Contrast radiography to see the nodules in oesophagus
• Oesophageal endoscopy to direct visualization of the granuloma

Treatment

• Treatment by injection with ivomectin or doramectin 3 doses at 2 week intervals is given after diagnosis of infection to destroy the larvae or mature worms in the body of the dog. 
• Prednisolone - orally, 0.5 mg/kg BW, every 12 h, for a total of 3 weeks.

Prevention

• Dogs are exposed to Spirocerca lupi infection daily, while walking in parks, around cow sheds, grassy areas, open fields and cattle farms.
• Have your dogs vaccinated by your veterinarian every 3 months with Ivomec or Dormectin to kill any parasites that might be in the system before they can cause damage. 
• Walk your dogs with a muzzle  if they tend to eat everything. 
• Don’t allow your dogs to wander freely without a leash.
• Prevent your dogs from eating stool or grass where the dung beetles may be present. 
• Collect your dogs' stool in public areas and throw it into garbage cans, thus helping to reduce the number of infected animals.

Nana, Meet the world's smartest Border collie

From footstalls, to walking front paw handstands, to running backwards, Nana does it all.

All of Nana's training has done exclusively with the use of positive reinforcement and clicker training. Nana chooses to do all the behaviors in this video, and when she performs a trick, she is rewarded with lots of praise, toys, and treats. She loves what she does, and to her, "training" is all just a big game we play together!

This video shows the world that anything can be achieved with Positive Reinforcement! Remember always to use positive training methods with your dog.

Nana just likes to perform her tricks fast, and she really is walking backwards.

Nana knows many other tricks that are not included in this video. Be sure to check out her other videos for more amazing dog tricks.

Tonik, A Dog with a human face needs a home

Tonik is a poodle-Shih Tzu cross bred dog which has an "eerily humanoid" face. This dog is available for adoption from an Indiana animal welfare agency.

This dog came to the Homeward Bound Animal Welfare Group from a kill shelter in Kentucky. Jen Schwartz, the owner of Homeward Bound, said the shelter had recently taken in dogs that required dental work and had illnesses that required expensive treatments.

It's totally horrible that any animals have to die because nobody wants them. Here's hoping that Tonik finds an awesome home.

Funny Dancing Cat

This cat likes to dance all day

Demodectic mange in Dogs

Demodectic mange is a skin disease caused by a tiny mite called Demodex canis, which cannot be seen with the naked eye. This parasite lives in the hair follicles of dogs. Demodectic mange, sometimes just called "red mange", is the most common form of mange in dogs. Dogs with demodectic mange usually do not itch severely, even though it loses hair in patches.

Cause

Nearly all dogs acquire mange mites from their mother during the first few days of life. These mites are considered normal skin fauna when present in small numbers.

Mites produce this disease only when an abnormal immune system allows their numbers to get out of control. This occurs primarily in puppies and in adult dogs with lowered immunity.

Transmission

Demodectic mange is not contagious to other animals or humans. Demodex mites are transmitted to puppies from their mother during the first few days of life. Since the mite is found on virtually all dogs, exposure of a normal dog to one with demodectic mange is not dangerous.

Demodectic mange has two forms;

• Localized Demodectic Mange
• Generalized Demodectic Mange

Localized Demodectic Mange

This disease occurs in dogs under 1 year of age. The appearance of the skin is similar to that of ringworm. The principal sign is thinning hair around the eyelids, lips, and corners of the mouth, and occasionally on the trunk, the legs, and the feet. The thinning progresses to patches of ragged hair loss about 1 inch in diameter. In some cases the skin becomes red, scaly, and infected.

Generalized Demodectic Mange

Dogs with the generalized disease develop patches of hair loss on the head, legs, and trunk. The hair follicles become plugged with mites and skin scales. The skin breaks down to form sores, crusts, and draining tracts, presenting a most disabling problem. Some cases are a continuation of localized mange; others develop spontaneously in older dogs.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis is made by taking multiple skin scrapings and looking for the mites. Demodectic mites are usually easy to find. Under the microscope, this mite is shaped like a cigar with eight legs.

Treatment

• Localized Demodectic Mange can be treated with a topical ointment containing either benzoyl peroxide gel, or a mild topical preparation used to treat ear mites. It can be massaged into affected areas once a day.
• Generalized demodectic mange must be treated under close veterinary supervision. It involves the use of medicated shampoos and dips to remove surface scales and kill mites. Shave or clip hair from all affected areas to facilitate access to the skin.
• The treatment protocol involves first bathing the dog with a medicated benzoyl peroxide shampoo to remove skin scales. Allow the shampoo to remain on the dog for 10 minutes before rinsing it off.
• Completely dry the dog.
• Amitraz currently is the only miticide which is effective in treating demodectic mange in dogs.
• Be sure to treat the dog in a well-ventilated area and wear rubber or plastic gloves to keep the chemical off your skin.
• Sponge on the dip over a 10-minute period, allowing the dog’s feet to soak in the rinse. Allow the dip to dry on the dog.
• Repeat every two weeks, or as directed by your veterinarian.
• Secondary skin infections should be treated with antibiotics,
• Antihistamines can be used to control severe itching.

Side effects of Amitraz;

• Drowsiness
• Lethargy
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Staggering gait

Puppies are more susceptible than adults to these effects. If such a reaction occurs, immediately remove the miticide by thoroughly rinsing the coat and skin.

Toxoplasmosis in Cats

Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by a single-celled intracellular parasite called Toxoplasma gondii. It is a protozoan parasite which can infects multiple of warm blooded animals including humans, livestock, birds and especially cats. However, cats are the definitive hosts in which the parasite is only able to sexually reproduce in cats.

Causes

The life cycle of Toxoplasma gondii has two hosts;

• Definitive host - cats
• Intermediate host – other domestic animals & humans

Parasite can only produce eggs when infecting a cat. When a cat ingests an infected prey or infected raw meat the parasite is released into the cat's digestive tract. The organisms then multiply in the wall of the small intestine and produce eggs. These eggs are then excreted in large numbers in the cat's stool.

Symptoms

• Loss of appetite
• Lethargy
• Weight loss
• Abdominal Pain
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Depression
• Fever
• Shortness of breath
• Uncoordinated gait
• Seizures
• Tremors
• Muscular weakness
• Partial or complete paralysis
• Jaundice
• Inflammation of tonsils - tonsillitis
• Inflammation of retina - retinitis
• Inflammation of middle part of the eye including iris - uveitis
• Inflammation of the cornea – keratitis

Symptoms are most severe in kittens infected while in the womb. These kittens may be stillborn or die before weaning. Those which survive may show lack of appetite, fever, difficulty in breathing, and jaundice

Diagnosis

Based on;  

* History

* Clinical signs

* Laboratory tests: Determine the   levels         of antibodies againt Toxoplasma gondii in the blood

      

      Treatments

Most cats that have toxoplasmosis can recover with treatment. Treatments usually involves a course of an antibiotic called Clindamycin. Other drugs that are used include pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine, which act together to inhibit T. gondii reproduction.

Transmission to Humans

Contact with egg-contaminated soil is the major means by which many different species-rodents, ground-feeding birds, sheep, goats, pigs, and cattle, as well as humans living in developing countries-are exposed to Toxoplasma gondii.

People also become infected by eating unwashed fruits, vegetables and undercooked infected meat particularly lamb and pork. The organism can sometimes be present in some unpasteurized dairy products, such as goat's milk. Toxoplasma gondii can also be transmitted directly from pregnant woman to unborn child when the mother becomes infected during pregnancy.

There are two populations at high risk for infection with Toxoplasma gondii; pregnant women and immune-deficient individuals. Congenital infection is of greatest concern in humans. About one-third to one-half of human infants born to mothers who have acquired Toxoplasma during that pregnancy is infected. The vast majority of women infected during pregnancy have no symptoms of the infection themselves. The majority of infected infants will show no symptoms of toxoplasmosis at birth, but many are likely to develop signs of infection later in life. Loss of vision, mental retardation, loss of hearing, and death in severe cases, are the symptoms of toxoplasmosis in congenitally infected children.

Prevention

There are several general sanitation and food safety steps to reduce the chances of becoming infected with Toxoplasma:

• Do not eat raw or under-cooked meat. Meat should be cooked to a temperature of at least 160°F for 20 minutes.
• Do not drink unpasteurized milk.
• Do not eat unwashed fruits and vegetables.
• Wash hands and food preparation surfaces with warm soapy water after handling raw meat.
• Wear gloves when gardening. Wash hands after gardening
• Wash hands before eating
• Keep children's sandboxes covered
• Do not drink water from the environment unless it is boiled
• Do not feed raw meat or under-cooked meat to cats. Also, do not give them unpasteurized milk
• Do not allow cats to hunt or roam
• Do not allow cats to use a garden or children's play area as their litter box
• Remove feces from the litter box daily and clean with boiling or scalding water
• Pregnant women, and persons with suppressed immune systems, should not clean the litter box
• Control rodent populations and other potential intermediate hosts

Milk Fever of Cows - Hypocalcemia

Milk fever, also known as Parturient paresis, is an acute and afebrile disease of mature cows, occurring a few days before, or mostly just after calving. It is common in imported high yielding dairy cows, especially Jersey and Friesian. Milk fever is not commonly reported in the indigenous stock.

Beginning of lactation of a cow results in the sudden loss of calcium into milk. Serum calcium levels decline from a normal of 10-12 mg/dL to 2-7 mg/dL. The nutritional status of the cow in the dry period is known to influence the risk of the disease. Diets low in dry matter such as lush pastures and diets with high calcium during dry period can predispose the cow to milk fever. Low magnesium in the diet hinders absorption of calcium and hence is predisposing to milk fever. The disease is more risky in cows after third calving and is rare in calving heifers.

Signs

• The first sign of the disease is loss in appetite followed by slight drop in temperature.
• Milk fever usually occurs within 72 hr of parturition. 
• The disease can contribute to dystocia, uterine prolapse, retained fetal membranes, metritis, abomasal displacement, and mastitis.

There are 3 stages of milk fever;

Stage 1; Cows are able to walk, but show signs of hypersensitivity and excitability. They may be mildly lacking coordination and have fine tremors over the flanks and triceps, and display ear twitching and head bobbing. Cows may appear restless, shuffling their rear feet and bellowing. Dull eyes and shivering, constipation is a common feature and sometimes a goose-stepping gait is seen.

Stage 2; Cows are unable to stand but can maintain sternal recumbence. Cows are anorectic, and have a dry muzzle, subnormal body temperature, and cold extremities. Auscultation reveals an abnormally fast resting heart rate and decreased intensity of heart sounds. Peripheral pulses are weak. Smooth muscle paralysis leads to gastrointestinal stasis, which can manifest as bloat, failure to defecate, and loss of anal sphincter tone. An inability to urinate may manifest as a distended bladder on rectal examination. Cows often tuck their heads into their flanks, or if the head is extended, an S-shaped curve to the neck may be noted.

Stage 3; Cows lose consciousness progressively to the point of coma. They are unable to maintain sternal recumbency, have muscle flaccidity, unresponsive to stimuli, and can suffer severe bloat. As cardiac output worsens, heart rate can approach 120 bpm, and peripheral pulses may be undetectable. If untreated, cows in stage 3 may survive only a few hours.

Treatment

 If the cow is found to be lying on her side or lateral recumbence, she should be immediately propped on to her chest–sternal recumbence. Otherwise she is liable to get bloat or inhale stomach content with the risk of developing aspiration pneumonia.

Slow intravenous infusion of 400 ml of 20% calcium borogluconate should be administered as soon as possible while cardiac auscultation is performed as Calcium is cardiotoxic. If it is impossible, try the same volume by subcutaneous injection. If any disturbance or abnormality in a normal rhythmic pattern of heart rate develops, administration should be stopped until the heart rhythm has returned to normal. Give in several sites and massage the sites of injection to disperse the solution.

Response to treatment is seen by the cow belching, snapping and opening her  eyelids, breathing deeply, passing dung and sitting up. Even if the cow appears to be unconscious give intravenous calcium. Even cases which look hopeless can recover. The calf should be removed and the cow not milked for 24 hours. If the calf is allowed to access the cow or milking is carried out, the cow may well go down again.

On day two milk half the estimated volume from each quarter and feed this to the calf, and  following  day three  milk normally.

Cow with Milk fever & Big Calf

Prevention and Control

• Feed the cow with the correct levels of nutrients from the late pregnancy to peak lactation.
• Feed diets with the right dry matter content such as offering additional hay in combination with lush pasture.
• Feed balanced mineral supplement which appreciates the inter-relationship between calcium and magnesium. Oral administration of 50g of soluble calcium results in 4g calcium being absorbed into the circulation.
• Administration of vitamin D3 and its metabolites is effective in preventing milk fever. Large doses of vitamin D  given in the feed for 5-7 days before parturition, reduces the incidence.