The purpose of the present study was to explore if blood lactate levels are increased in bitches with pyometra, and if the lactate measurement could be used as a prognostic indicator and to determine outcome. The present study included 16 bitches with pyometra that were admitted to the University Animal Hospital, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden. For comparison, a control group consisting of 14 healthy staffowned bitches was also evaluated. In all bitches, a physical examination was performed and blood samples for analysis of haematological and biochemical parameters were obtained. In all bitches with pyometra, surgical ovariohysterectomy was performed and a uterine sample for bacteriological culture and identification was collected.

Pigs kept for meatproduction are often surgically castrated to prevent aggression and boartainted meat. Castration without analgesia and anesthesia is painful and causes a lot of stress to the pig. There are alternatives such as to surgically castrate the male pigs with analgesia and/or with anesthesia, immunocastrate or keep them as intact males. In Sweden the most common practice is to surgically castrate the pigs before they are seven days old. The impact on the pig is that the incision causes pain and stress, which may lead to changes in behaviour, reduced appetite, reduced growth and a higher risk of infections.

BackgroundDiathermy is the most commonly used surgical instrument in the surgical area today. Diathermy is used in surgery to cut and coagulate tissue. The use of diathermy releases chemical substances in to the environment in the form of diathermy smoke. Research shows that these chemical substances pose health risks to both staff and patient exposed to the smoke. To protect the interdisciplinary, perioperative team from the smoke, smoke evacuation systems can be used.ObjectiveThe purpose of the study is to highlight the work environment of the perioperative team when working with diathermy smoke.MethodThe study is meant to be implemented as an empirical descriptive sample survey.

Aim: The aim of this paper was to investigate whether scientific evidence exists to improve, of students? perceived, insufficient infection control in isolation facilities in companion animal hospitals in Sweden. Material and methods: A question was emailed to the students in the last year of the animal nursing program at SLU in the spring 2012 to get their view of perceived insufficient infection control. A literature study was thereafter preformed using the search engine Web of Knowledge. Results: The students reported several perceived shortcomings which were divided into five categories: basal hygiene, isolation routines, cleaning and disinfection, patient flow and other. Studies supporting that the shortcomings perceived by the students also exist in human health care and to some extent in animal clinics and hospitals were found. Furthermore, scientific evidence that improved hand hygiene, glove procedures and cleaning and disinfection reduces the risk of nosocomial infections in humans was reported. Conclusion: There is not a lot of research performed in the area of infection control in animal nursing.

Active immunization against gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is an alternative to surgical castration of male pigs to avoid boar taint. The aim of this study, including 128 pigs, was to evaluate the effect of a GnRH-vaccine Improvac® on performance and on social and sexual behaviour. Male pigs were assigned to three treatments; surgical castration at four days of age, immunization against GnRH and no castration. Vaccination was performed eight and four weeks before slaughter. Surgically castrated male pigs had significantly lower daily weight gain during the suckling period than entire male pigs (235 vs.

Introduction Every tenth patient in Sweden is affected by nosocomial infections. Among these, urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most frequently occurring within the hospital environment. Nosocomial infections lead to increasing costs for care, more suffering among the patients, increasing use of antibiotics, and longer treatment spells. The Academic hospital have engaged all wards in the so called VRISS-project (?nosocomial infections must be stopped?) in order to reduce the number of nosocomial infections.Aim In connection to the VRISS-project new routines for removal of uretrahl catheters are introduced at ward 70E2 at the Academic hospital.

Neospora caninum is an intracellular parasite that was first recognized in dogs in 1984. The parasite is now one of the most commonly diagnosed infectious causes of abortion in cattle word wide. N. caninum is transmitted to cattle in two ways. They may be infected from eating food contaminated with oocysts from a definitive host or they may be infected in utero from an infected mother. The infection is transmitted efficiently from cow to her offspring and this can occur for generations.

Canine parvovirus is associated with two disorders: enteritis, which is common, and myocarditis, which is rare. Prominent clinical signs of parvovirus enteritis are vomiting, diarrhea and rapid dehydration. Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) is very contagious. When CPV-2 first emerged it had high rates of mortality, but later studies have shown that most infections are self-limiting and do not require veterinary care. Mortality rates vary greatly, and therefore it is important to determine risk factors for developing severe canine parvovirus enteritis.

African swine fever, ASF, was first described 1921, in Kenya. The virus has thereafter spread through many African countries as well as in Europe, Asia, South- and Central America. The virus is spread via three different cycles, of which one is sylvatic and includes warthogs and soft ticks. The other two are between domestic pigs and the one most common one is caused by humans, who not always realize the seriousness of precautions. The infection manifests as hemorrhagic fever, but can also be more or less unnoticed. The aim of this study was to use molecular tools to detect and partly genetically characterize ASFV both in soft ticks and in serum from domestic pigs in Uganda. Comparing viruses detected in ticks with those detected in domestic pigs I also wanted to investigate possible links between the sylvatic and domestic cycle.

It has been observed by both onion producers and a plant protection advisor on Öland (an island off the east coast of Sweden) that basal rot is the largest contributory factor to reduced onion quality and yield. Basal rot is mainly caused by species of Fusarium fungi. The aim of this study was to: a) investigate which species of Fusarium that can be found in onion produced on Öland, b) describe the symptoms caused by the different Fusarium fungi found and c) explore, through interviews with the onion producers on Öland, the mechanisms that may be involved in the observed increase in basal rot.Onion bulbs (Allium cepa) were sampled on two occasions. In total 181 onions from 11 different fields were analysed. In addition, eight onion producers were interviewed.

Infection with intestinal parasites can in many cases be the reason for decreased performance or production. The gastro-intestinal nematode, Ostertagia ostertagi, and the lungworm, Dictyocaulus viviparus, are the most pathogenic nematodes of cattle and severe infection can lead to death. They have both a direct lifecycle and on the pasture the parasites spread as freeliving worms. The parasites are mainly a problem for the first season grazers. They have not developed immunity against the parasites and are therefor more sensitive to parasite infections.

Rotavirus causes diarrhea in young mammals all over the world, including infant humans. The diarrhea leads to severe dehydration that can be fatal if left untreated. The dehydration can be treated with fluid therapy and the infection heals itself. Despite the relatively easy treatment half a million children under the age of five dies every year due to diarrhea caused by rotavirus. Rotavirus sorts into the family Reoviridae and is a double-stranded RNA virus with a segmented genome.

Rotavirus causes diarrhea in young mammals all over the world, including infant humans. The diarrhea leads to severe dehydration that can be fatal if left untreated. The dehydration can be treated with fluid therapy and the infection heals itself. Despite the relatively easy treatment half a million children under the age of five dies every year due to diarrhea caused by rotavirus. Rotavirus sorts into the family Reoviridae and is a double-stranded RNA virus with a segmented genome.

Mulesing is a surgical husbandry procedure performed on lambs in Australia. The reason is toprevent severe fly-strike to the breech area, which otherwise risks to be soiled with faeces.This problem is mainly occurring in sheep of the Merino breed. Their fine wool is in demandworldwide due to high quality. Mulesing has been performed since the 1930?s, and eventhough alternative methods have been discussed nothing is yet generally accepted.

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection. The infection rates have increased in the last decade. During 2008 the trend rates declined in all counties and regions in Sweden. Chlamydia infections have a geographical spatial pattern differences. This is seen from the national surveillance data report from the Swedish Institute for infectious disease control (SMI).