Western College of Veterinary Medicine
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Item Radiation safety practices among Canadian equine veterinary workers during diagnostic procedures with portable X-ray equipment(Canadian Veterinary Journal, 2020) Belotta, Alexandra F.; Mayer, Monique N.; Waldner, Cheryl L.; Robinson, Kate; Sidhu, Narinder; Carmalt, James; Bell, Chris D.; Koehncke, Niels K.Item 2021 Videocast by Dr. Hiroo Suami: Anatomical Studies of the Lymphatic System - Comparative Anatomy between Canine and Humans(University of Saskatchewan Pressbooks, 2021-08-24) Suami, HirooItem Contouring the canine optic apparatus using the optic plane(2022) Walther, EricItem Contouring the canine optic apparatus using the optic plane(2022) Walther, Eric; Mayer, MoniqueItem New approaches to teaching the art and science of veterinary medicine(AVMA Publications, 2022-12-01) Muir, Gillian; MacDonald, MyrnaItem From bees and bison to vaccines and medical imaging(AVMA Publications, 2022-12-28) Muir, Gillian; MacDonald, MyrnaItem Supplemental Table 1(2023) Williams, Alison; Mayer, Monique; Sukut, Sally; Dickinson, Ryan; MacDonald, Valerie; Gagnon, JeromeItem Participant Consent Form(2023) Monique, MayerItem A neglected and emerging antimicrobial resistance gene encodes for a serine-dependent macrolide esterase(PNAS, 2023-02) Dhindwal, Poonam; Thompson, Charis; Kos, Daniel; Planedin, Koa; Jain, Richa; Jelinski, Murray; Ruzzini, AntonioThe accumulation of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) in specific environments, and eventually in pathogens, challenges the utility of antibiotics. Thousands of ARGs and resistance-conferring mutations are known and accessible in curated databases. Nevertheless, our catalog of ARGs is incomplete. Blind spots—novel and unreported ARGs—pose unknown risks to human health, animal wellness, and the sustainability of agriculture. A novel and unreported ARG is one that cannot be identified by homology-based inference. These unknown genes are absent from the ARG databases that serve antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance programs intended to inform clinical practice. Growing concerns related to antimicrobial use and efficacy prompted us to evaluate watering bowls as sentinel systems for ARG detection at a beef cattle feedlot. The identification and functional characterization of a neglected ARG that resulted form the basis of this report.Item Insight into antimicrobial resistance at a new beef cattle feedlot in western Canada(AMS Journals, 2023-10) Kos, Daniel; Schreiner, Brittany; Thiessen, Stuart; McAllister, Tim; Jelinski, Murray; Ruzzini, AntonioIn North America, beef production relies on the administration of antimicrobials to manage disease. Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is the most significant disease of beef cattle, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to conventional therapies presents an existential risk to animal welfare and food production. While AMR surveillance programs are poised to help facilitate antimicrobial stewardship and decision making at feedlots, monitoring strategies for large numbers of animals at an individual or group level are time consuming and costly. Accordingly, we completed a pilot investigation of feedlot water bowls, which is an understudied interface between cattle and bacteria. By performing cultivation-dependent and cultivation-independent studies, we demonstrate that water bowl-dwelling bacteria can act as sentinel organisms for clinically relevant antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) and that cattle have an impact on the microbial communities in the bowls. Moreover, by sampling water at a feedlot site before animal arrival, we detected resistance to two antibiotics: florfenicol and tulathromycin. After just 4 weeks of operation, multidrug-resistant bacteria were routinely found in most water bowls. A comparison of ARGs encoded by five water bowl bacterial isolates along with previously reported source and wastewater metagenomes to those found in BRD pathogens confirmed the utility of using water samples for AMR surveillance.Item Variety is the hallmark of a regional college's research program(AVMA Publications, 2023-11-15) Muir, Gillian; MacDonald, MyrnaItem Avulsion of the lateral origin of the gastrocnemius muscle mimicking cranial cruciate ligament deficiency in a dog(Vet Record Case Reports, 2023-12) Zadeh, Abedin Shaban; Boston, Sarah ElizabethAvulsion of the lateral head of the gastrocnemius is an uncommon diagnosis. Nonetheless, it is a possible cause of lameness in dogs, and it could be misdiagnosed as a cranial cruciate ligament injury if a systematic approach to clinical case management is not followed. The treatment of choice for avulsion of the gastrocnemius is surgical stabilisation. The proximity to the peroneal nerve and scarcity of bone for purchase for stabilisation are surgical challenges. However, the stabilisation by a spiked washer and screw can yield an excellent outcome for return to function.Item Course Notes - Veterinary Bacteriology and Mycology(2024) Rubin, Joseph EWelcome to microbiology! In this 3-credit unit course we will cover the microbiology of bacterial and fungal organisms of importance to veterinary medicine. This content of this course lies somewhere in between basic microbiology and clinical infectious disease; although we will discuss some fundamental microbiological concepts, material will be presented from the clinician’s perspective where possible.Item Laboratory Procedures Manual(2024-03-01) Madalagama Appuhamilage, Roshan Priyantha; Rubin, Joseph E.The development of this laboratory manual was a collaboration between Drs. M.A.R. Priyantha and J.E. Rubin. This manual is intended to serve as a foundational guide to the microbiological techniques and principles required for diagnostic and research microbiology. These materials were developed specifically for the regional labs within the Department of Animal Production and Health and the Veterinary Research Institute of Sri Lanka.Item Antimicrobial Disc Diffusion Testing - A Visual Guide(2024-05-29) Rubin, Joseph E; Weerasooriya, Gayani; Madalagama Appuhamilage, Roshan PriyanthaItem Identification of genetic markers of resistance to macrolide class antibiotics in Mannheimia haemolytica isolates from a Saskatchewan feedlot(American Society for Microbiology [Society Publisher], 2024-06-12) Deschner, Darien; Voordouw, Maarten J.; Fernando, Champika; Campbell, John; Waldner, Cheryl L.; Hill, Janet E.Mannheimia haemolytica is a major contributor to bovine respiratory disease (BRD), which causes substantial economic losses to the beef industry, and there is an urgent need for rapid and accurate diagnostic tests to provide evidence for treatment decisions and support antimicrobial stewardship. Diagnostic sequencing can provide information about antimicrobial resistance genes in M. haemolytica more rapidly than conventional diagnostics. Realizing the full potential of diagnostic sequencing requires a comprehensive understanding of the genetic markers of antimicrobial resistance. We identified genetic markers of resistance in M. haemolytica to macrolide class antibiotics commonly used for control of BRD. Genome sequences were determined for 99 M. haemolytica isolates with six different susceptibility phenotypes collected over 2 years from a feedlot in Saskatchewan, Canada. Known macrolide resistance genes estT, msr(E), and mph(E) were identified in most resistant isolates within predicted integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs). ICE sequences lacking antibiotic resistance genes were detected in 10 of 47 susceptible isolates. No resistance-associated polymorphisms were detected in ribosomal RNA genes, although previously unreported mutations in the L22 and L23 ribosomal proteins were identified in 12 and 27 resistant isolates, respectively. Pangenome analysis led to the identification of 79 genes associated with resistance to gamithromycin, of which 95% (75 of 79) had no functional annotation. Most of the observed phenotypic resistance was explained by previously identified antibiotic resistance genes, although resistance to the macrolides gamithromycin and tulathromycin was not explained in 39 of 47 isolates, demonstrating the need for continued surveillance for novel determinants of macrolide resistance.Item Outcomes of surgically treated sialoceles in 21 cats: A multi-institutional retrospective study (2010–2021)(Wiley, 2024-07-31) Marti, Laura G.; Del Carpio, Laura-Isabela; Goldschmidt, Stephanie; Gagnon, Dominique; Shmon, Cindy; Sterman, Allyson A.; Scharf, Valery F.; MacPhail, Catriona M.; Maki, Lynn; Arzi, BoazAbstract Objective: To report the outcomes of cats that underwent surgical correction for sialoceles. Study design: Multi-institutional retrospective cohort study. Animals: Twenty-one client-owned cats. Methods: Medical records were examined of cats diagnosed with sialocele, which underwent surgical intervention over an 11-year period at one of10 referral hospitals. The data collected included signalment, clinical signs, diagnostic imaging, histopathology, surgical procedures performed, and post-operative complications. Results: The most common presenting complaints for cats with sialocele included dysphagia and ptyalism. Only two cats had a recent history of trauma, and one was diagnosed with a concurrent sialolith. Most displayed visible tis-sue swelling, with ranulae being most common. Surgical treatment consisted of sialoadenectomy and/or marsupialization. Intraoperative complications occurred in three cats, and postoperative complications in five cats. No recurrence or development of contralateral sialoceles were reported during the follow-up period (30–968 days). Conclusion: The majority of cats did not have a clear underlying cause for developing a sialocele. The sublingual and mandibular salivary glands were presumed to be the most commonly affected. Mandibular and sublingual sialoadenectomy and/or marsupialization provided resolution of clinical signs to the 21 cats that underwent these procedures. Clinical significance: Sialocele, although rare, should remain a differential diagnosis when managing cats with relevant clinical signs. Surgical intervention appears to offer resolution of signs with apparently low over-all risk of complication or short-term recurrence. In cats it is necessary to evaluate whether sialoadenectomy is necessary, or whether marsupialization alone should be attempted as a less invasive first-line surgical intervention.Item Rearing pigs with play opportunities: the effects on disease resilience in pigs experimentally inoculated with PRRSV(Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2024-09) Steinerová, Karolína; Harding, John C. S.; Parker, Sarah E.; Wilson, Heather L.; Finatto, Arthur Nery; Seddon, Yolande M.Positive emotions can reduce disease susceptibility during infectious challenges in humans, and emerging evidence suggests similar effects in farm animals. Because play behaviour may support a positive emotional state in pigs, this study investigates whether rearing pigs with regular intermittent play opportunities enhances disease resilience when challenged with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). Litters were assigned to either play (PLY; n = 5 L) or control (CON; n = 4 L) treatments at birth. In PLY, play was promoted with extra space and enrichment items for three hours daily from five days of age (doa). At weaning (25 ± 2 doa; mean ± SD), 28 pigs (14/treatment) were selected for a disease challenge, based on weight, sex, and sow. The pigs were transported to a disease containment facility and at 43 ± 2 doa (day 0 post-inoculation, DPI) inoculated with PRRSV. Skin lesions, blood, rectal temperature, clinical signs, body weight, and behaviour were collected pre- and post-inoculation. Play opportunities for PLY continued every other day until euthanasia of all pigs at 65 ± 2 doa (22 DPI). PLY pigs exhibited fewer skin lesions following transport and throughout the infection compared to CON. Although the viral load did not differ between treatments, PLY pigs had a lower probability of experiencing moderate and severe respiratory distress, with a shorter duration. PLY also performed better throughout the infection, showing higher ADG and greater feed efficiency. The immune response differed as well. PLY pigs had fewer monocytes on 8 DPI than CON, with levels returning to baseline by 21 DPI, whereas CON levels exceeded baseline. Regardless of day of infection, lymphocyte counts tended to be lower in PLY than in CON, and white blood cells and neutrophils were also lower, but only in slow-growing pigs. PLY pigs continued to play during the infection, demonstrating less sickness behaviour and emphasizing the rewarding properties of play. Results suggest that PLY pigs were less affected by PRRSV and developed increased resilience to PRRSV compared to CON. This study demonstrates that rearing pigs in an environment supporting positive experiences through provision of play opportunities can enhance resilience against common modern production challenges, underscoring the value of positive welfare in intensive pig farming.Item Rearing pigs with play opportunities: the effects on disease resilience in pigs experimentally inoculated with PRRSV(Frontiers, 2024-09-17) Steinerová, Karolína; Harding, John; Parker, Sarah Elizabeth; Wilson, Heather; Nery Finatto, Arthur; Seddon, YolandePositive emotions can reduce disease susceptibility during infectious challenges in humans, and emerging evidence suggests similar effects in farm animals. Because play behaviour may support a positive emotional state in pigs, this study investigates whether rearing pigs with regular intermittent play opportunities enhances disease resilience when challenged with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). Litters were assigned to either play (PLY; n = 5 L) or control (CON; n = 4 L) treatments at birth. In PLY, play was promoted with extra space and enrichment items for three hours daily from five days of age (doa). At weaning (25 ± 2 doa; mean ± SD), 28 pigs (14/treatment) were selected for a disease challenge, based on weight, sex, and sow. The pigs were transported to a disease containment facility and at 43 ± 2 doa (day 0 post-inoculation, DPI) inoculated with PRRSV. Skin lesions, blood, rectal temperature, clinical signs, body weight, and behaviour were collected pre- and post-inoculation. Play opportunities for PLY continued every other day until euthanasia of all pigs at 65 ± 2 doa (22 DPI). PLY pigs exhibited fewer skin lesions following transport and throughout the infection compared to CON. Although the viral load did not differ between treatments, PLY pigs had a lower probability of experiencing moderate and severe respiratory distress, with a shorter duration. PLY also performed better throughout the infection, showing higher ADG and greater feed efficiency. The immune response differed as well. PLY pigs had fewer monocytes on 8 DPI than CON, with levels returning to baseline by 21 DPI, whereas CON levels exceeded baseline. Regardless of day of infection, lymphocyte counts tended to be lower in PLY than in CON, and white blood cells and neutrophils were also lower, but only in slow-growing pigs. PLY pigs continued to play during the infection, demonstrating less sickness behaviour and emphasizing the rewarding properties of play. Results suggest that PLY pigs were less affected by PRRSV and developed increased resilience to PRRSV compared to CON. This study demonstrates that rearing pigs in an environment supporting positive experiences through provision of play opportunities can enhance resilience against common modern production challenges, underscoring the value of positive welfare in intensive pig farming.