LABOKLIN aktuell 2018 – LABOKLIN Europe https://laboklin.com/en/ Laboratory for clinical diagnostics Wed, 24 Jul 2024 10:46:01 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.5 BARF diets – what you need to know https://laboklin.com/en/barf-diets-what-you-need-to-know/ Sun, 01 Jul 2018 10:00:09 +0000 https://staging.laboklin.com/int/en/?p=1316487

An increasing number of dog and cat owners are looking for alternatives to commercial pet foods to feed their animals. The trend in recent years has been toward individually prepared meals, in which BARF diets play an important role.

This type of diet was first proposed by the Australian I. Billinghurst at the beginning of the 1990’s. He wrote a book titled “Give your dog a bone” (1993) in which he claimed that dogs have always been fed with raw meaty bones and high-grade left-overs and have been very healthy. Diseases only arose with the advent of commercial prepared pet foods. He developed the concept of BARF diets. This form of feeding pets has been growing in popularity ever since. While BARF used to take a great deal of time, there are now a wide range of ready-to-use meat mixed and prepared BARF menus available.

Definitions

The term BARF initially referred to both the dog owners that fed according to this principal as well as the diet itself. Originally, the acronym stood for “born again raw feeders”. There are now additional interpretations of this concept. “Bones and raw food” and “biologically appropriate raw food” have also been used. Billinghurst coined this last phrase.

The principles of BARF diets

The basic precept of a BARF diet is the natural diet of a wolf. Rations should contain parts of prey animals.
The diet consists of raw meat, meaty bones, and offal. Vegetables, fruit, oils, nuts, and occasional herbs are also included. The diet is supplemented with cod liver oil and algae. In some cases, carbohydrates are also added, generally cooked potatoes, rice, or noodles. Eggs, fish, and dairy products are sometimes added.

Reasons for feeding a BARF diet

Motivations for owners to feed their pets a BARF diet include a wish to feed a healthy diet, problems with the animal’s health, food intolerance, weight control, and mistrust of the pet food industry (Brown 2009, Michel 2006).

Laboklin: Salmonella in pure culture 

Formulating rations

Mistakes made when formulating rations are an important danger of BARF diets. BARF should provide a varied diet, but that is not always the same as a balanced diet. A balanced diet means that appropriate amounts of all nutrients are included in the food. There are several studies that have looked at mistakes made in formulating rations. Protein, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, and potassium deficits are rarely a problem for dogs fed a BARF diet. Most rations are, however, low on calcium, manganese, iodine, and vitamins A and D. The trace elements copper and zinc are generally only found in very low amounts in our food and are often a problem in BARF rations. The calcium-phosphorus ratio is often imbalanced and can be especially dangerous for puppies and kittens during bone development (Dillitzer et al. 2011, Dobenecker, 1998, Freeman 2013, Paßlack and Zentek 2013).

Lean meat is a protein source and contains low amounts of minerals and trace elements. Pure lean meat is highly digestible, while offal contains a large amount of connective tissue and a low amount of trace elements and vitamins. If the percentage of connective tissue, which is difficult to digest, is too high, undigested protein can make its way into the large intestine, where it can cause clostridial overgrowth of the physiological flora. This can cause flatulence and diarrhoea. Gullet meat should not be fed regularly in overly large amounts, since it can contain portions of the thyroid gland which can cause signs of hyperthyroidism.

Bones contain calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium, as well as copper and zinc. When bones are fed, there is a risk of injury as well as problems with the faeces. In order to avoid splintering, the bones should always be fed raw. If bones are intended to provide calcium, it is advisable to feed them at least every two days, since the body reacts sensitively to changes in the calcium supply.

Vegetables and fruit provide fibre for the diet and can therefore promote the growth of desirable intestinal bacteria. They also contain water soluble vitamins.

Oils should be fed in order to provide essential fatty acids. Because of the different amounts of various fatty acids contained in oils, it is advisable to feed a variety of animal and plant oils.

Deficiencies when feeding exclusively meat and bone-based diets

Adding a vitamin enriched mineral supplement to the diet is usually the safest way to ensure that a pet receives a well-rounded diet. Ingredients should be declared on the vitamin enriched mineral supplement.

  • Bulk elements
    • Calcium (if no bones are fed)
    • Phosphorus
    • Sodium
    • Potassium
    • Magnesium
  • Trace elements
    • Iron
    • Copper
    • Zinc
    • Manganese
    • Iodine (can also be supplemented with algae)
  • Fat soluble vitamins
    • Vitamin A & D (can also be supplemented with cod liver oil)
    • Vitamin E
  • Water soluble vitamins
    • B vitamins (can also be supplemented with brewer’s yeast)

Commercially available mineral supplements have various compositions and it is important to choose the appropriate supplement for a specific ration. Ideally, this should be done when calculating the ration. Mixed herbs, especially in commonly used dosages, cannot provide appropriate amounts of minerals and vitamins.

BARF from a laboratory point of view

In order to avoid mistakes when making up rations, examinations should be carried out before embarking on a BARF diet. A “BARF profile” (ALT, creatinine, protein, albumin, calcium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, iodine, vitamins A, D, E, T4, complete blood count) can provide an initial overview of the health status of the animal. It is important to know about certain diseases in order to adjust the calculation of the ration accordingly.

Abnormal serum values can also provide an indication for imbalances in clinically healthy animals and thereby provide a basis for rebalancing a ration or re-evaluating a ration calculation. Monitoring laboratory parameters is therefore advisable. Food related deficiencies can, however, only be clearly diagnosed based on an exact analysis of the ration. It is also important to note that normal serum values do not guarantee that a diet is balanced. Some blood values only change after an animal has been exposed to an extended or extreme deficiency, since they are kept in the normal range by the body’s homeostasis before that. In animals with normal serum values, it is therefore only possible to determine dietary deficiencies by calculating the ration.

BARF as a source of infection

Strict hygiene is necessary when dealing with raw meat in order to minimize the risk of infection for the animal and the owner. This is especially important in households with risk groups such as pregnant women, children, elderly, or immunosuppressed people. In general, bacteria, parasites, and viruses can be transmitted.

Raw meat can be a source of enteropathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella, Campylobacter, Yersinia, and Listeria. Other bacteria such as Escherichia coli or toxin producing bacteria such as Clostridium botulinum, Bacillus cereus, or Staphylococcus aureus can also be transmitted. These bacteria do not necessarily cause disease in dogs and cats, but pets can be latently infected and shed the bacteria in their faeces. They can therefore be a source of infection for other animals and humans.

Various parasites, including some that are zoonotic, can also be transmitted by raw meat. These include protozoa such as Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, and Sarcosporidia, as well as worms such as Toxocara canis (roundworm) and Echinococcus granulosus (dog tapeworm).

The ESCCAP (European Scientific Council Companion Animal Parasites) recommends freezing meet at sufficiently low temperatures for an extended period of time (-17 to -20 °C for at least 1 week) before feeding it in order to kill any parasites. If this is not done, a faecal sample should be examined parasitologically or the animal should be dewormed every 6 weeks.

Raw pork should never be fed to dogs or cats in order to prevent infection with suid herpesvirus (SHV-1), the cause of Aujeszky’s disease, also known as pseudorabies. The disease is fatal within 1-3 days in dogs and cats. Two cases occurred in dogs in Germany in December 2017, one case was reported in a wild boar this year. Because Aujeszky’s disease is widely disseminated throughout eastern Europe, it is important to be cautious with imported meat or meat from an unknown source.

It is important to note that even strict hygiene cannot fully eliminate the danger of germs. For Salmonella, for example, even dish washer programs with temperatures of 85 °C or cleaning with hot water and detergent followed by soaking in 10% chlorine bleach were insufficient to completely eliminate Salmonella bacteria from food bowls (Weese and Rouseau 2006).

For this reason, it is advisable to regularly determine the infection status of an animal fed a BARF diet using a BARF faecal profile (Salmonella, Yersinia, Campylobacter, Listeria, parasites) in order to rule out enteropathogenic bacteria and parasites.

Prophylactic hygiene measures for BARF feeding

  • Meat should be stored frozen in dedicated containers
  • Do not breach the cold chain during transportation/shipping (always <4 °C)
  • Thaw meat portions in the refrigerator without packaging, discard any runoff
  • Ideally prepare meat with knives without wooden handles; cutting boards and knives should be cleaned afterward in a dish washer at high temperature or by hand in hot water with detergent
  • Cool or dispose of any uneaten food
  • Clean the bowl with hot water and detergent after each meal. Use dedicated sponges
  • Don’t forget to wash your hands afterwards!

Conclusion

  • BARF feeding can provide a balanced diet if done well
  • BARF blood profiles can provide information, but a balanced ration calculation is the corner stone for a balanced diet
  • BARF is a source of infections with bacteria, parasites, and viruses. Strict hygiene is important but does not provide 100% protection. Checking for some of these using a BARF faecal profile is recommended at regular intervals.

BARF diets – what you need to know

]]> Kennel cough and feline respiratory disease complex – how can PCR help with the diagnosis? https://laboklin.com/en/kennel-cough-and-feline-respiratory-disease-comp-ex-how-can-pcr-help-with-the-diagnosis/ Tue, 01 May 2018 10:00:13 +0000 https://staging.laboklin.com/int/en/?p=1316484

There are many methods available for the detection of infectious diseases in animals. It is important to differentiate between detection of the infectious agent (= direct detection of infection) and the detection of antibodies (= indirect detection of infection). Various methods can lead to different results. In many cases, a combination of tests may be useful, especially since no test has 100% sensitivity and specificity.

Antibody detection

There are several reasons that serum antibodies can be present, and antibody detection methods are generally not able to distinguish between a reaction to vaccination, infection, or maternal antibodies. Puppies and kittens can retain maternal antibodies up to 16 weeks of age. This should be considered in positive animals depending on their age. Antibodies are also not produced directly following infection. Antibodies may therefore not be detectable in cases with peracute or acute disease. In cases of acute infections, a 4-fold increase in titre may be detectable in paired serum samples collected 2-4 weeks apart, if the animal has not been vaccinated in between times.

Pathogen detection

The choice of the right sample material is especially important for good diagnostics in direct pathogen detection, and depends on where the pathogen can be expected at the time of sampling (e.g. in the blood or the mucous membranes). The prerequisite is knowing how the pathogen spreads in the body and how it is shed in the environment. Sampling is best done before treatment begins, in order to avoid possible false negative results. For molecular diagnostics via PCR (polymerase chain reaction), it is important to remember that e.g. if live vaccines are used, these can be found in sample material for several weeks after application and can cause false positive results. In general, a positive result shows that a pathogen is present in the sample material and therefore is usually equivalent with an infection. A negative result, on the other hand, does not rule out an infection.

Kennel cough – a multifactorial disease

The canine respiratory disease known as kennel cough (canine infectious tracheobronchitis) is characterized by an acute, extremely harsh and hacking cough.

Viral pathogens, including canine adenovirus type 2 (CAV-2) and canine parainfluenza virus (CPiV) are the most important causes. Influenza viruses, canine distemper virus, canine herpesvirus (CHV) and canine respiratory coronavirus (CRCoV) are less common causes. Primary bacterial pathogens include Bordetella bronchiseptica. Once the respiratory epithelium has been damaged by one or more of these pathogens, other bacteria and mycoplasma can also be causes of severe respiratory disease. E. coli, Pasturella, streptococci, Pseudomonas, and Klebsiella are particularly common.

The initial diagnosis is based on the history (sudden onset of clinical signs, possible exposure to other dogs, not vaccinated, etc.) and the clinical signs.

Multiple pathogens can be detected by PCR, ideally on dry nasal and/or oral swabs or bronchoalveolar lavages, especially at the beginning of the disease. In order to use the speed and sensitivity of the methods to best advantage, it is best to include PCRs for bacterial components such as Bordetella bronchiseptica. It is, however, important to note that it is not possible to obtain an antibiogram based on a PCR. Mycoplasma require special selective media and grow very slowly, so that PCR is also the method of choice for their detection.

Since bacteria are primarily responsible for severe courses of disease, culture of deep oral swabs or tracheal or bronchoalveolar lavages followed by an antibiogram are always especially important in animals with signs other than an unproductive cough with no additional signs of disease.

The detection of antibodies is less useful, since the pathogens involved are widely disseminated in the canine population. It is also not possible to distinguish between antibodies acquired following vaccination, and those acquired following infection (important e.g. for CAV-2, CPiV, and CDV as core vaccines). Only detection of antibodies in paired serum samples can provide information on the presence of an infection, and then generally only in retrospect. Because they can cause latent infections, anti CHV antibody titres sink rapidly following infection and are therefore only conditionally recommended for detection of infection.

Feline respiratory disease complex

Feline respiratory disease complex is a common name for an infectious disease of the respiratory tract and mucous membranes of cats. It is a complex of clinical signs of disease that can be caused by a variety of pathogens and that affect the nose, oral cavity, and eyes. The clinical signs are very variable and therefore cannot generally be clearly attributed to a specific pathogen. They range from mild, serous nasal discharge to deadly systemic disease. Animals develop a cold, conjunctivitis, oral lesions, fever, and pneumonia.

Feline calicivirus (FCV) and feline herpesvirus 1 (FHV-1) are involved in most cases of feline respiratory disease complex. Chlamydia felis, mycoplasma, and Bordetella bronchiseptica are among the primary bacterial pathogens that can be involved. Unspecific bacteria are often also involved as secondary pathogens. As in the case of kennel cough, feline respiratory disease complex is routinely diagnosed via PCR from dry swabs (conjunctiva, oral cavity and/or pharynx). Since chlamydia are intracellular, they cannot be detected using normal bacteriological methods. PCR has also replaced enzyme immunoassays as a fast and sensitive test for routine diagnostics. Compared to dogs, Bordetella bronchiseptica infections are rare in cats. These can also be detected swiftly and sensitively by PCR.

Since bacterial co-infections are common, it is advisable to also submit a swab with medium for bacteriological testing in order to initiate an appropriate local and/or systemic treatment, especially in cases with ophthalmological changes or in cases of chronic respiratory disease.

As for kennel cough, antibody detection methods are generally less helpful for diagnostics, since many cats will have been vaccinated or will have come into contact with the pathogens as kittens.

Kennel cough and feline respiratory disease complex – how can PCR help with the diagnosis?

]]> A, B or C? New genetic tests for feline blood groups https://laboklin.com/en/a-b-or-c-new-genetic-tests-for-feline-blood-groups/ Thu, 01 Mar 2018 11:00:50 +0000 https://staging.laboklin.com/int/en/?p=1316477

Three blood groups are regularly described in cats. The AB blood group system is comparable to the ABO system used in humans. There are, however, only three blood groups: A, B, and AB. Blood group AB has recently been renamed C since it does not occur due to a normal cross between A and B.

Most cats have blood group A. For some breeds, such as Siamese cats, all members have blood group A, for others, up to half of the population are blood group B. Blood group C is very rare, about 0.7% of the animals in Germany have this blood group.

European Shorthair and American Short- and Longhair cats are predominantly blood group A. The percentage of animals with this blood group varies geographically between 74 and 100%. In Germany, the percentage of A cats of these breeds has been reported to be 94%, but is slightly lower in our experience.

The incidence of blood group B is very variable in different breeds of cats. No blood group B animals have ever been described among Siamese cats. Approximately 1-10% of Maine Coon and Norwegian Forest Cats, 11-20% of Abessinians, Somali, Birman, Persian, Scottish Fold, and 20-45% of Exotic Shorthair, British Shorthair, Cornish Rex, and Devon Rex cats are type B cats.

Purebred Turkish Van cats are even 60% type B. (Tab. 1)

Laboklin: Purebred Turkish Van cats are even 60% type B. Laboklin: new genetics tests for feline blood groups

Genetics

Blood groups are generally inherited with two traits by an autosomal dominant pathway in which A is dominant over b. Cats with blood group A can either be homozygous (A/A) or heterozygous (A/b). Animals with blood group B are always homozygous for allele b (b/b). If an animal has two copies of variant aC (aC/aC) or one together with the b allele (aC/b), the cat has blood group C.

The blood group is determined by differences in neuraminic acids on the surface of the erythrocytes, whereby N-gylcolylneuraminic acid is the A antigen and N-acetylneuraminic acid is the B antigen. Cats with blood group C have both neuraminic acids in the erythrocytic membrane.Cats have natural alloantibodies against the heterologous blood group. Cats with blood group B produce high levels of anti-A antibodies. Cats with blood group A, however, have only low anti-B antibody titers (Fig. 1).

Blood transfusion

These alloantibodies are responsible for the occurrence of acute hemolytic transfusion reactions. Cats with blood group A should therefore only receive A blood, cats with blood group B only B blood and cats with blood group C should only receive A or C blood. Transfusion of the wrong blood type can cause blood group incompatibility, which can be lethal, the first time it is carried out. Additional erythrocyte antigens, such as the so called Mik antigen, have also been described recently. There are no tests for this at the moment, but since these can also cause blood transfusion incompatibility, a cross match test (test for possible agglutination = incompatibility by mixing donor erythrocytes with recipient serum and recipient erythrocytes with donor serum) should always be done in the practice even for cats with compatible blood groups.

Neonatal isoerythrolysis

An additional incompatibility reaction that is especially important for breeders is neonatal isoerythrolysis (NI). It occurs when blood group B queens are bred by blood group A toms. Since A is dominant over b, kittens from these couplings are either all (if the tom cat is genetically AA), or to 50% (if the tom cat is Ab) blood group A. These kittens receive anti-A antibodies from the mother in the colostrum, causing erythrocyte lysis, which can lead to the death of the kittens. It is therefore important to determine the blood group of breeding cats, especially for breeds in which blood group B is common. Studies determining the antibody titers of anti-A in B queens have shown that even low titers can cause NI. If cats with these blood groups are bred anyway, the kittens should not be given any colostrum or milk from the mother within the first 36 hours of life.

Blood group determination

A serological determination of the blood group is usually done as the first step. This is also called the phenotypical blood group, i.e. the blood group that should be determined before a transfusion or breeding. This typing has been offered by Laboklin and other laboratories for many years and Laboklin also offers point of care test kits.

The genetic determination of the blood group in cats also allows a genetic differentiation (genotype) of the serologically determined blood group. This method allows the identification of the recessive b allele in A cats, since genetically, A cats can by homozygous AA or heterozygous Ab carriers. If two heterozygous Ab carriers are bred, they could produce homozygous b kittens.

Genetic variations in the CMAH gene were first found to be associated with blood groups A and B in 2007. This finding led to the development of genetic tests to determine the genetic blood group. However, these were repeatedly associated with differences between the genetic variants and the actual blood group. Results were not always reliable, especially for the breeds Turkish Angora and Van, Ragdoll, Siberian, and Neva Masquerade, so that testing was not offered for these breeds by most laboratories.

Laboklin recently carried out a large scale study to address this problem. 450 cats were tested both serologically and genetically. This showed that the genetic variations responsible for blood group B are breed specific. The variant found in Turkish Angora cats, for example, is different from that found in Norwegian Forest cats. By modifying the testing accordingly, it was possible to significantly improve it.

The previous test reliability of about 70% for e.g. Ragdoll, Turkish Angora, and Siberian cats has now been increased to the same level as that of other breeds thanks to the new Laboklin DNA test. This test can therefore now be considered highly reliable for these breeds as well as others. This is an important clinical improvement of the detection methods available.

The genetic cause of the marked presence of blood group C in Ragdolls was also determined in 2016. It is therefore also possible to determine genetic blood group C (previously known as AB) in Ragdolls.

A, B or C? New genetic tests for feline blood groups

]]> Diagnostic testing in cases of leukocytosis https://laboklin.com/en/diagnostic-testing-in-cases-of-leukocytosis/ Thu, 01 Feb 2018 11:00:40 +0000 https://staging.laboklin.com/int/en/?p=1316473

A leukocytosis is defined as an increase in the number of white blood cells (leukocytes) in the blood.
Leukocytoses are relatively unspecific and detection should always be supplemented with a differential haemogram to classify the leukocyte population.

Leukocytoses can be divided according to the following causes:

  • Physiological leukocytosis
  • Stress leukogram
  • Inflammation/infection
  • Leukaemia

Essential components of a correct diagnosis and individual work up include:

  • Detailed history and clinical exam including any previous testing
  • Complete blood count (CBC) including a differential blood count
  • Where applicable a morphological examination by a specialist (haematologist)of a freshly prepared blood smear
  • Follow-up differential blood count (each blood count is only a snapshot)
  • Interpretation in correlation with the clinical signs (“never treat a laboratory result, treat the patient”)

Physiological leukocytosis

The catecholamines adrenalin and noradrenalin trigger a physiological leukocytosis during the fight or flight reaction. Changes in the differential blood count caused by catecholamines are mostly seen in cats, horses, and juvenile animals. They typically involve minimal neutrophilia (mature neutrophils with no left shift) and lymphocytosis. The neutrophilia is caused by a shift of neutrophils from the marginal pool into the circulating pool. The lymphocytosis is caused by release of lymphocytes from the spleen into the peripheral blood. These changes are transitory and generally disappear within 30 minutes (after the animal has calmed down).

Stress leukogram

A stress leukogram is caused by endogenous (acute/chronic, often sick animals, hyperadrenocorticism) or exogenous (treatment) corticosteroids. Common changes are neutrophilia, monocytosis, lymphopenia, and eosinopenia. No every animal will have all of these changes at the same time. The most commonly observed changes are neutrophilia and lymphopenia. Monocytosis is mostly seen in dogs, in individual cases in cats and only rarely in horses and cattle.

As is the case in physiological leukocytoses, neutrophilia is caused by a shift of neutrophils from the marginal to the circulating pool. Additional neutrophils are also released from the bone marrow. Lymphopenia is caused by a variety of mechanisms, e.g. reduced release from lymph nodes as well as increased apoptosis as a result of high steroid concentrations. A stress leukogram is usually also a transient change, but can persist in cases of chronic stress or disease.

Inflammation/Infection

Inflammation is the most common cause of changes in the differential blood count. This is especially true of systemic inflammation and is only rarely seen in local inflammation. The severity of the leukocytosis and the differential blood count vary depending on the source of the inflammation or the infection. Typical changes in the differential are neutrophilia with a left shift. The mature and juvenile (band) neutrophils are released from the bone marrow into the peripheral blood. In general, the higher the proportion of band neutrophils, the stronger the inflammatory stimulus has been. Morphologically, toxic changes (Döhle bodies, foamy/vacuolated/basophilic cytoplasm) may occur.
An increased number of monocytes are often seen in chronic disease or when a disease is abating. Thrombocytosis also often has an inflammatory cause.
Causes of inflammation can be infections with bacteria, viruses, protozoa, or fungi, as well as immune mediated processes, neoplasms, necrosis, or foreign bodies.

Leukaemia

Leukaemia is a malignant disease of the bone marrow characterized by a neoplastic proliferation of myeloid or lymphocytic blood cells and, depending on the form, displacement of physiological haematopoiesis. Treatment is largely dependent on the form and type of leukaemia.

In contrast, a lymphoma is a clonal proliferation of lymphocytic cells that occurs in extramedullary tissues (mostly lymph nodes, lymphatic tissues, outside of the bone marrow). Lymphomas can be divided into stages 1-5.

Neoplastic cell proliferation in the blood can be categorized as follows:

  • According to the clinical course of disease (acute, chronic, lymphoma with leukemic phase)
  • According to the type of cell affected (lymphocytic, myeloid)
  • According to the numbers of malignant cells in the peripheral blood (aleukemic, subleukemic, leukemic)

The most common acute leukaemia in dogs is usually myeloid. Myeloid leukaemias – often caused by the feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) – are also the most common form of acute leukaemias in cats. Horses are equally likely to be affected by lymphocytic and myeloid acute leukaemias.

In contract to acute leukaemias, chronic leukaemias are generally lymphocytic. Chronic myeloid leukaemias are rare in animals.

Cases in which leukaemia is suspected should be worked up in the practice and in the laboratory in the following steps:

  • Detailed history including previous test results
  • CBC including differential blood count
  • Morphological examination by an expert (haematologist) of a blood smear prepared fresh in the practice
  • If applicable, rule out ehrlichiosis, leishmaniosis in dogs and FeLV and FIV in cats
  • If applicable, cytological examination of bone marrow or lymph nodes (depending on the case)
  • In dogs with suspected stage V leukaemia or lymphoma: PARR and flow cytometry on EDTA blood
  • In cats with suspected stage V leukaemia or lymphoma: PARR on EDTA blood
  • In dogs and cats with suspected I-IV lymphoma: PARR on lymph node aspirate or lymphatic tissue.

Diagnostic testing in cases of leukocytosis

]]> Intestinal parasites in rabbits and guinea pigs https://laboklin.com/en/intestinal-parasites-in-rabbits-and-guinea-pigs/ Mon, 01 Jan 2018 11:00:50 +0000 https://staging.laboklin.com/int/en/?p=1316500

Dental disease and inappropriate feeding are common causes of diarrhoea. Parasites, in contrast, play a smaller role in pets. However, some parasites may occur more commonly depending on the type of husbandry and age of the animals (larger collections, breeders, outdoor enclosures, juvenile animals). While young animals often develop clinical signs when they are infested, adults may only develop notable changes in cases of severe parasitism. Parasite infestation can, however, lead to changes and disruptions in the intestinal environment. Increased growth of yeasts (Fig. 1) or bacterial secondary infections (e.g. with Clostridia, E. coli) can be a result and can cause intestinal disease.

Parasites of rabbits

Protozoa

Coccidia
Various Eimeria species can infest the intestine or bile ducts of rabbits. Young rabbits are particularly susceptible to intestinal coccidiosis, and infestation in these animals can be associated with high mortality. Infestations can spread epidemically within collections. Adult animals can be clinically inapparent shedders. In addition to diarrhoea, animals can develop bloat and appear dull and lose their appetite. In bile duct coccidiosis, severe infestation leads to a reduction in liver function. Affected animals are apathetic, lose weight, and are constipated. Some animals may also develop fever and become icteric.

Treatment
Treatment of coccidiosis is carried out with toltrazuril (10 mg/kg once daily per os for 3 days, repeat after 3 days). Sulfonamides such as sulfadimethoxine can also be used, but are often less effective than toltrazuril.

Giardia
Giardia infections are rare in rabbits. The occasional diarrhoea is usually slimy and has a light colouration. Detection via SAF is preferable to the flotation method. Coproantigen ELISAs are even more sensitive.

Treatment
Fenbendazole (20 mg/kg once daily per os) or metronidazole (10-20 mg/kg twice daily per os) can be used in infected rabbits for at least 5 days.

Nematodes

Of the nematodes, Passalurus ambiguus (pinworm) is most common (Fig. 2). Animals often only develop clinical signs (diarrhoea, bloat, colicky abdominal pain, anal itching) if they are severely parasitized. Normal faecal exams can be false negative. In suspected cases it is therefore prudent to prepare a cellophane tape impression of the anus, since eggs are laid on the rectal and anal mucosa and on the surface of faecal pellets.

Stronglyus-type eggs can also be found in the faeces, and can be from Graphidium strigosum or Trichostrongylus retortaeformis. Like Strongyloides spp. and Trichuris leporis, these parasites play a subordinate role in pets. Animals can be infected by feeding greens that have been contaminated by wild rabbits or field hares, or by the use of outdoor enclosures. Young animals are mostly affected with diarrhoea, dullness, and inappentence.

Treatment
Animals with nematode infestations can be treated with (pro-) benzimidazoles like fenbendazole (20 mg/kg once daily per os for 5 days, repeat after 14 days), mebendazole (20 mg/kg once daily per os for 3-5 days, repeat after 14 days), or febantel (10 mg/kg once daily per os for 3 days, repeat after 14 days). Subcutaneous administration of ivermectin (0.3-0.5 mg/kg) or doramectin (0.5 mg/kg) repeating after 7-14 days is also possible.

Cestodes

Tapeworm infestations are rare in wild rabbits, and even rarer in pet rabbits. Tapeworms in the family Anoplocephalidae (Fig. 3) are transmitted by oribatida (moss or beetle mites), which are intermediate hosts. Clinical signs are found mostly in juveniles or in cases of mass infestations.

Treatment
Praziquantel (one treatment with 10 mg/kg per os or subcutaneously, repeat after 10-14 days) can be used to treat tapeworm infestations.

Laboklin: Cyniclomyces guttulatus Laboklin: Passalurus ambiguus Laboklin: Tapeworm egg from the family Anoplocephalidae Laboklin: Parasite detection in rabbits using flotation and SAF methods (n=3746) Laboklin: Paraspidodera uncinata Laboklin: Parasite detection in guinea pigs using flotation and SAF methods (n=689)

Trematodes

Infestations with Fasciola hepatica or Dicrocoelium dendriticum are extremely rare. Transmission is via green fodder or swampy locations or sheep pastures, whereby the metacercariae of Fasciola hepatica adhere directly to the fodder, while the metacercariae of Dicrocoelicum dendriticum are ingested through infested ants. The common liver fluke can cause hepatitis and cholangitis, leading to inappetence, wasting, icterus, and oedema formation. Infestations with the lancet liver fluke generally remain undetected.

Treatment
Treatment with substances such as e.g. closantel (10 mg/kg per os, single dose) for Fasciola hepatica or fenbendazole (100 mg(kg per os) for Dicrocoelium dendriticum have been described.

Incidence of parasites in rabbits

An evaluation of routine submissions (n=3746) showed that parasites were detected in 27.5% of the rabbits, 72.5% of the rabbit samples were negative (Fig. 4).

Parasites of guinea pigs

Protozoa

Trichomonads
Trichomanads are physiological intestinal commensals in the caecum and colon of healthy guinea pigs. They can, however, strongly proliferate and cause disease if the intestinal environment changes or in immunosuppressed animals. Changes in the intestinal environment can be caused e.g. by other parasites, incorrect feeding or dental disease. The resulting chronic diarrhoea is soft and the animals lose weight. Trichomonads can be detected in native smears of fresh faecal material. It is important to determine the cause of the proliferation of flagellates.

Treatment
Metronidazole and dimetridazole (20-50 mg/kg once or twice daily per os) can be used for 7 days to treat trichomonads.

Entamoeba caviae and Balantidium coli
These single celled organisms are also commensal in the caecum and colon. As for trichomonads, they can proliferate and cause disease under various circumstances. An increased detection of Balantidium coli, for example, is an indication of too little structure in the fodder.

Treatment
Metronidazole and dimetridazole can also be used to treat these flagellates.

Cryptosporidia
Cryptospoidium wrairi plays a minor role in pets. Increased rates of infestation have been described in large collections. In suspected cases, a coproantigen ELISA is better for diagnosis than flotation.

Treatment
There are no effective treatment.

Giardia
Giardia are rare in guinea pigs. Affected animals generally do not have diarrhoea. SAF is superior to flotation for detection. Coproantigen ELISAs are even more sensitive.

Treatment
Fenbendazole (20 mg/kg once daily per os) or metronidazole (20-40 mg/kg twice daily per os) for 5 days can be used to treat infected guinea pigs.

Coccidia
Infestation with Eimeria cavia is mostly relevant in groups, such as breeding groups or in the animal trade. Juveniles most commonly develop disease. Affected animals are apathetic, inappetent, lose weight, and have diarrhoea, with high mortality in some cases.

Treatment
The same treatment is used in guinea pigs as in rabbits.

Nematodes

Infestation with Paraspidodera uncinata (pinworm) is mostly found in large collections, outdoor enclosures or in animals with outdoor runs. Clinical signs manifest in cases with severe infestations (Fig. 5).

Trichuris gracilis is found mostly in wild guinea pigs, but has also been described in pet animals in individual cases.

Treatment
Various substances are effective against nematodes. Of the (pro-)benzimidazoles, e.g. fenbendazole (20 mg/kg once daily per os for 5 days, repeat after 14 days), and febantel (10 mg/kg once daily per os for 3 days, repeat after 14 days) can be used. Subcutaneous injection of ivermectin (0.3-0.5 mg/kg) or doramectin (0.5 mg/kg) with a single repeat treatment after 7-14 days are also effective.

Cestodes

Hymenolepis nana or Hymenolepis diminuta can be found in guinea pigs, but are quite rare. Insects are the intermediate hosts. Transmission to guinea pigs is via oral ingestion of these insects (e.g. fleas, flour beetles, mealworms, cockroaches). Hymenolepis nana can also be transmitted by direct oral ingestion of eggs. Infestation is usually clinically inapparent.

Treatment
Infestation is treated with praziquantel (single administration of 5-10 mg/kg per os or subcutaneously, repeat after 10-14 days).

Incidence of parasites in guinea pigs

An evaluation of routine submissions (n=689) showed that parasites were detected in 12.0% of the guinea pigs, 88.0% of the samples were negative (Fig. 6).

Intestinal parasites in rabbits and guinea pigs

]]>