K. C. Smith

Hypospadias in rams

In an abattoir survey conducted in south-west England, 15 of 6521 rams aged three to 12 months had hypospadias; in 27 others the scrotum was completely or partly divided, but they had no other abnormalities of the urinary or genital systems. The lesions observed in 11 of the rams in the abattoir survey, and in four young rams and one mature ram found during visits to farms, are described in detail. Five of them had periscrotal openings of the urethra and in the other 11 the openings were in a perineal position, close to the anus. In all of them the penis was underdeveloped, the prepuce had failed to fuse and the galea faced in a caudal direction. They all had completely or partially divided scrotums, and signs of urine scalding of the scrotum were visible.

ABATTOIR SURVEY OF CONGENITAL REPRODUCTIVE ABNORMALITIES IN EWES

A survey of abnormalities of the reproductive tract of female sheep was undertaken at two abattoirs in the south west of England over a period of 12 months. During the survey, 9970 reproductive tracts from cull ewes and 23,536 tracts from nulliparous sheep (prime lambs and hoggets) were examined. A total of 655 (6.57 per cent) ewes and 459 (1.95 per cent) nulliparous sheep had abnormalities of the reproductive tract. Of these, congenital abnormalities of the paramesonephric ducts accounted for 2.4 per cent of the ewes and 7.4 per cent of the nulliparous sheep, congenital abnormalities of the ovaries accounted for 2.6 per cent of the ewes and 7.4 per cent of the nulliparous sheep and cystic structures that were considered to have been of congenital origin accounted for 27.2 per cent of the ewes and 52.7 per cent of the nulliparous sheep. The most common lesion was paraovarian cysts (26.6 per cent of ewes and 39.0 per cent of nulliparous sheep), but few of these appeared to have affected the sheeps reproductive function. Several specific conditions were recorded, including some described for the first time in sheep. Uterus unicornis occurred in 20 sheep and other forms of segmental aplasia of parts of the paramesonephric ducts occurred in a further 13 animals. Uterus didelphys occurred in six sheep, and 11 animals were intersex. Intersex sheep had vestigial structures that were derived from the paramesonephric ducts, hypoplastic or masculinised gonads and some had masculinised external genitalia. Ovarian hypoplasia occurred in 34 sheep, and in a further 12 mainly nulliparous animals, the ovaries were fused. Sixty nulliparous animals and two ewes had hydatids of Morgagni.

Morphological, histological and histochemical studies of the gonads of ovine freemartins

Freemartins are XX/XY chimaeras that develop as a result of the fusion of the placental circulation of at least one male and one female fetus. Of 19 freemartin ewes, 13 had testis-like structures, seven of them in an abdominal position and six in an inguinal position. Histologically, their gonads had structures resembling seminiferous tubules and interstitial cells, and grossly, most had structures derived from the mesonephric ducts (vasa deferentia, epididymides and vesicular glands). The other six freemartin ewes had small, undifferentiated gonads that lacked either follicles or seminiferous tubule-like structures. They also lacked any structures derived from the mesonephric ducts. No derivatives of the paramesonephric ducts were detectable in any of the freemartin ewes. The gonads of the male-type freemartins stained immunocytochemically for 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) and histochemically for alkaline phosphatase (AP) in a similar way to, but more extensively and intensely than, the gonads of normal rams, and the staining was confined to interstitial cell-like structures. The staining in the undifferentiated-type freemartins was weak, but both 3β-HSD and AP were present in unidentified cell types.

Abattoir survey of acquired reproductive abnormalities in ewes

Abnormalities of the reproductive tract of female sheep were studied by examining 9970 reproductive tracts from cull ewes and 23,536 tracts from nulliparous sheep (prime lambs) over a period of 12 months in abattoirs in south-west England. Overall, 3.37 per cent of the tracts were pregnant (8.11 per cent of cull ewes, and 1.36 per cent of nulliparous sheep), with a peak incidence between September and December. A total of 655 ewes (6.57 per cent) and 459 nulliparous sheep (1.95 per cent) had acquired abnormalities of the reproductive tract. Within these totals, abnormalities of the ovaries accounted for 3.51 per cent (for the ewes) and 10.68 per cent (for the nulliparous sheep) of all the abnormalities, and abnormalities of the ovarian bursa and uterine tube accounted for 42.1 per cent (for the ewes) and 5.23 per cent (for the nulliparous sheep). In addition, uterine lesions (hydrometra and metritis) accounted for 9.92 per cent (for the ewes) and 13.51 per cent (for the nulliparous sheep); lesions of the cervix and vagina (total of 1.44 per cent) and Cysticercus tenuicollis cysts associated with the reproductive tract (total of 3.05 per cent) were less common. Among the ewes the most common ovarian lesions were ovulation tags, and follicular cysts were the most common in nulliparous animals. Lesions such as bursitis, parametritis and abscesses of the reproductive tract were much more common in cull ewes than in nulliparous sheep, probably having arisen from peripartum infections. Hydrosalpinx and hydrometra, in which the intraluminal fluid was clear, were present at relatively high incidence in nulliparous animals, but not in cull ewes. The proportion of tracts containing macerated fetal remnants (2.14 per cent of all abnormalities in cull ewes) was lower than expected. It was considered that the functional significance of many of the lesions, such as ovulation tags and C tenuicollis cysts, was likely to be low, although in some cases of the latter calcification of the cyst had occluded the uterine tubes. Other lesions, notably hydrosalpinx, bursitis and metritis were likely to have made the affected animals sterile. The acquired abnormalities were therefore more significant in terms of individual animal infertility than as a major cause of infertility in flocks.

Anatomical, cytogenetic and behavioural studies of freemartin ewes.

The external phenotype and reproductive behaviour of 21 freemartin sheep and two male pseudohermaphrodite sheep were recorded with the aim of identifying any characteristics which might be used to predict a failure to breed. The size and shape of the vulva and clitoris, the length of the vagina, the size of the teats, the presence or absence of inguinal gonads, and the ultrasonographic characteristics of the inguinal gonads were recorded. A subjective assessment of the masculinity of each animals body form was also made, and its behavioural responses to a virile ram and to an oestrus ewe were recorded. A number of physical and behavioural abnormalities were detected but the only consistent finding in all 23 animals was a short vagina which varied in length from 3.1 to 7.0 cm, compared with 10 to 14 cm in normal animals.

Pulmonary adenocarcinoma seeding along a fine needle aspiration tract in a dog

TUMOUR seeding is the local spread of viable tumour cells as a direct result of an interventional procedure such as surgery or biopsy. Needle tract seeding is an infrequent but well-recognised occurrence in human beings and animals following image-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA), biopsy or radiofrequency ablation of tumours. A wide variety of tumours have been associated with needle tract seeding in human beings, including transitional cell carcinomas, hepatocellular carcinoma, pancreatic carcinoma and non-small cell lung tumours (Kim and others 2003, Kosugi and others 2004, Stigliano and others 2007). Needle tract seeding in veterinary patients has been most often associated with transitional cell carcinoma (Gilson and Stone 1990, Nyland and others 2002, Vignoli and others 2007). This short communication describes a case of a pulmonary adenocarcinoma seeding along a FNA tract in the thoracic wall of a dog. A seven-year-old female neutered Cairn terrier was referred to the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals for pacemaker implantation to treat sick sinus syndrome. Thoracic radiographs, routine biochemistry and haematology carried out during the course of the investigation and treatment were normal. Six months later, at routine follow-up examination, a mass in the left caudal lung lobe was observed radiographically. This was investigated further by CT (Fig 1) and subsequent ultrasound-guided FNAs. The cytological diagnosis was pulmonary carcinoma. Concurrent abdominal ultrasonography revealed four hepatic nodules, which were biopsied and found on histology to be consistent …

Ovarian hypoplasia in Lleyn ewes

Anti-inflammatory drugs and bovine alveolar macrophages ANTI-INFLAMMATORY drugs have been advocated as adjuncts to antimicrobials for the treatment of bovine respiratory tract dis- ease. The aim is to reduce pulmonary tissue damage associated with the host response. In an in vitro study bovine alveolar macrophages were pretreated for 30, 60 or 120 mins with an anti- inflammatory compound (dexamethasone, flunixin meglumin or phenylbutazone) at several concentrations (0, 1, 10 and 100). The macrophages were then exposed to lipopolysaccharide (Escher- ichia coli 055:B5) in the presence and absence of fetal bovine serum for four hours. None of the drugs modified procoagulant activity expression as measured by a chromogenic assay. If in vivo events mimic the model, it seems unlikely that anti-inflam- matory drugs will reduce the procoagulant activity of bovine alve- olar macrophages and the associated pulmonary fibrosis. OLCHOWY, T. W., DEAN, D. F. & BOCHSLER, P. N. (1996) American Journal of Veterinary Research 57, 659 Use of doramectin to control lungworm in calves A PADDOCK in County Clare with a history of lungworm was divided into two halves each of which was grazed by 12 calves set- stocked for the grazing season. One group was treated at tumout in early May and 54 days later with doramectin subcutaneously at 200 pg/kg, and the other group remained untreated until the signs of parasitic bronchitis appeared towards the end of July; one of them died on July 24 and three others which were slaughtered on the same day were heavily infected. The remaining animals were treated with fenbendazole, and had to be retreated on September 3. The calves treated with doramectin remained healthy until they were housed in late September, when they had gained on average 10.5 kg more weight than the remaining control calves. TALTY, P. J., McSWEENEY, C. & SIMON, A. J. (1966) Irish Veterinary Journal 49, 66f 101

Bilateral Lymphangiomatous Testicular Lesions in a Lamb

Bilateral testicular enlargement was recognized in a young lamb; both gonads were largely replaced by a mass composed of multiple cystic spaces. Positive immunohistochemical staining for factor VIII-related protein indicated that the cysts were lined by endothelial cells. The precise nature and origin of the lesions is unclear; they might represent hamartomas or benign tumours or may be a result of lymphatic obstruction.

MATING PATTERNS AND REPRODUCTIVE WASTAGE IN COMMERCIAL LOWLAND EWES IN WEST SOMERSET

The reproductive performance of 5488 ewes in 34 commercially managed, lowland flocks in west Somerset was assessed by means of a questionnaire survey and flock inspections. The introduction of vasectomised rams before the breeding season (teasing) markedly affected the proportions of ewes mated in the first 16 days after the introduction of fertile rams. In teased flocks, 84.7 per cent (range 37.8 to 100 per cent) of the ewes were mated in the first 16 days, compared with 43-8 per cent (range 2.9 to 100 per cent) in unteased flocks (P<0.0001). Conception rates to first service and the overall percentage of ewes that conceived were similar in the teased and unteased flocks (89.3 per cent vs 92.6 per cent and 99.2 per cent vs 99.4 per cent, respectively). The overall mean (1.59) and range (1.31 to 2.04) litter size, mean (146 per cent) and range (123 to 196 per cent) lambing percentage and mean (94.6 per cent) and range (88.7 to 100 per cent) proportion of live lambs were similar in the teased and unteased flocks. The causes of reproductive failure were anoestrus (0.3 per cent), failure to conceive after multiple matings (0.3 per cent), visible abortion (2.4 per cent) and barren, that is, failing to lamb (3.4 per cent). The total reproductive loss rate was therefore 6.4 per cent of all ewes. Further non-reproductive losses occurred as a result of culling (0.3 per cent) and death during pregnancy (1.5 per cent).

Bilateral Testicular Haemorrhage in a Bleu du Maine Ram: Clinical, Ultrasonographic and Histologic Features

Bilateral testicular haemorrhage was detected in a 5-year-old Bleu du Maine ram in an abattoir survey of male reproductive tracts in sheep; the ultrasonographic and histologic features of the lesions are described.