A herd of steers, weighing approximately 700 lbs. and roughly 8 months old, was moved onto a ryegrass/native pasture. After about a month, four steers were found dead while 17 steers exhibited peeling and crusting noses with thickening of ear and eye margins. The animals did not exhibit any clinical signs of illness and were…
One live male guinea fowl was presented to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) for necropsy. History noted the bird was bright and alert, but moved very little, appeared cold and very thin – only weighing 514 grams. Upon evaluation, marked breast muscle atrophy was present. The bird appeared pale and the blood…
Two biopsy specimens from the pinnae of a 6-year-old, domestic shorthair cat from east-central Texas were submitted to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) for histologic examination. This cat was reported to have red, raised, hemorrhagic masses on both pinnae which were removed with surgical excision. Histologically, there were three separate masses identified…
A fine needle aspirate of a mass on the left ear pinnae of a 9-year-old, spayed, female domestic shorthaired cat was submitted to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) cytology service. History stated the lesion began as a small scab about a month before the sample collection, but had grown rapidly to its…
A 6-year-old male-neutered Boxer was presented to its veterinarian for a mass on the right ear pinna. The mass was approximately 2 cm in diameter, slightly ulcerated and limited to the dermis. According to the owner, the mass had been present for approximately 2 weeks and was growing. Fine needle aspiration was performed. Slides were…
A 500 lb. steer from a 30,000 head capacity feedlot was recognized as ill and pulled to a “sick pen”. The steer was from a pen of 45 head that had been on feed for approximately 45 days and appeared normal until recently. The steer was discovered on a routine daily pen check to be…
Samples from a one-year-old Boer goat doe were received at the TVMDL for testing. The doe had displayed neurological signs including unilateral paresis, droopy lip and hypersalivation, torticollis upon stimulation, obtundation, and lateral recumbency. The goat was also febrile. Clinical differentials included listeriosis, polioencephalomalacia, bacterial meningitis, and rabies virus. Treatment consisted of antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs,…
In previous cases of listeriosis in cattle, veterinarians submitting samples to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory have reported profound neurological signs that have caused them to include rabies high on their list of differential diagnoses. The primary organism responsible is Listeria monocytogenes, an organism that is common in the environment both as free-living bacteria as…
Animal drug testing plays a critical role in promoting fairness, animal welfare, and consumer safety at livestock shows and other animal competitions. Similar to testing conducted in horse racing and other performance-based animal events, livestock shows test animals for substances that may enhance phenotypical traits. Samples such as urine, blood, hair, feathers, eyeballs, and feces…
Recently, one dead, female, Cream Legbar chicken was presented to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) in Gonzales for necropsy. The bird had excellent feathering, was in good post-mortem condition, and weighed 1.06 kilograms. Upon gross examination, mild breast muscle atrophy was present.The liver was enlarged approximately five times normal size and contained…