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THIS MONTH

• · Reptiles and Salmonella
• · Beware Bird Tables can Kill
• · BSAVA 2000 Congress
• · Clin Path Club Notice 
• · Which is the best thyroid test?
• · Clin Path Club: report of last meeting
• · Cytology CPD brochure available
• · Tail End: 130 mph Falcon

Reptiles and Salmonella

Bird Tables Dangers

A popular bird table can attract thousands of birds a day. Faecal contamination of the tables is inevitable and food is constantly replenished. Most bird tables are never cleaned or disinfected. Mortality may be due to a number of conditions but Salmonellosis is one of the most common causes of death. Reports suggest that Salmonella typhimurium is the most common isolate. There was a major epizootic reported in North America in the winter of 1997/98. Salmonella typhimurium phage type 40 was responsible for this mortality. It was reported that in Canada phage type 40 is almost exclusively recovered from songbirds.

Earlier this year we received a submission of three greenfinches that had been found dead within the vicinity of a heavily used bird table. microbiology investigation recovered Salmonella pullorum from all three carcases. Although S. pullorum has been recovered from wild birds it is uncertain whether it was the cause of death in these birds.

Pennycott et al questioned the wisdom of attracting large numbers of birds with feeding stations into areas, which can quickly become contaminated with potentially pathogenic organisms. He also speculated that the stress of competing for food at the feeders could be a contributory factor, by increasing a bird's susceptibility to infection. 

As it seems unlikely that the general public will be dissuaded from feeding wild birds in their gardens, the only alternative is to advise a programme of cleaning and disinfection to reduce the risk of infection. Bird table owners should also be aware of the potential risk of infection to humans whilst cleaning and disinfecting their bird tables. 

Advice is to use hanging feeders, which protect the food from contamination and to move them around so that the ground beneath them does not become contaminated.

Pennycott, T. W., et al. Veterinary Record (1998) 143, 155-158

BSAVA 2000 Congress

We hope you can find us on stand 138 on the gallery overlooking the main reception area. 
Please pay us a visit and collect your special gift and enter the draw for a £100 book voucher. We look forward to see you.

Which thyroid test is best?

Quick Answer
The quick answer is Total T4 (tT4). However, Dogs with marginal results and cats with palpable thyroids and a normal or marginal tT4 should be tested for Free T4 by equilibrium dialysis (FT4D). 

Gold Standard
In North America the FT4D has been considered the Gold Standard test for thyroid disease for some time but for some reason the test has never really had the same acceptance in the UK. There could be a simple reason for this. Until April last year there was no UK lab offering the test. We introduced the test at the 1999 BSAVA congress since when we have done an increasing number of tests but it still is not considered the first choice test by UK veterinary surgeons. Possibly because they still do not know where to get it done. 

Why choose FT4D?
The test measures Free T4 after the serum sample has been dialysed to remove most of the interfering proteins. The Free T4 is then assayed using a very sensitive radio-immunoassay (RIA) technique. 

Is it Accurate?
Because it is less affected by interference FT4D is more accurate than other tests on offer. It has been reported that some sick but not hyperthyroid cats may give false positive results. But these cats are unlikely to show other evidence of thyroid disease such as a palpable thyroid. Dogs on glucocorticoids or with "sick euthyroid" influences may show suppression of FT4D values but dogs in this category should also have a full haematology and biochemistry work up as well.

How long does it take to do?
Total T4 every day, at the moment the FT4D assay is run once a week although frequency should increased quite soon. 
 

Code	FT4D
Test Name	Free T4 by Equilibrium Dialysis
Sample	Serum 0.5ml min
Cost	£25.00

Improve your Cytology

10th May - Oxford Belfrey Hotel, Milton Common.
14th June - Courtyard Marriot hotel Leeds/Bradford.
30th June - The Manor House Hotel, Moretonhampstead, Exeter.

Clin Path Club

The next meeting will be on 
Thursday 11th May 2000 
At Ribby Hall Conference Centre,
Ribby Road, Kirkham.
Starting at 8.00 pm, finish approx 10.00 pm 
Tea, coffee and biscuits will be available from 7.30pm.

· We are awaiting confirmation of the speaker for the evening.
· Case Book Forum
· Open discussion

If you have an interesting case you would like to present to the meeting please contact Geraldine HaleMRCVS on the above number.

The Clin Path Club is open to all Veterinary Surgeons, you do not have to be an NWL client. The CPC is an informal gathering for the exchange of information and expertise. So far meetings have attracted around 25 veterinary surgeons from throughout the North West. Please come along and participate.

Clin Path Club Report

A warning that a well grown African Grey could have your finger off resulted in a lack of volunteers to learn the "towel" capture technique.

Siunas' second presentation, well illustrated with slides and overheads was on the subject of feather problems in parrots. The feather plucking bird is probably the most common problem to confront the general practitioner.

She covered the disease associated feather problems. Particularly the connection between early mortality and feather disease in reared parrots associated with Parrot Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD). PBFD is an immuno-suppressant viral infection that can underlay a number of other infections. She emphasised the importance of testing all young parrots showing signs of illness. She emphasised that not all feather problems are related to disease or infection. It was important to  consider nutritional, environmental and behavioural factors in the diagnosis
Shauna and her husband are proficient parrot breeders and this first hand experience was reflected in the quality of the information and depth of knowledge that Shauna was able to provide. The audience were clearly impressed.

Jane Miller reported on the case of Bones the thin Boxer with a total white cell count of 183 x109 /l as these were 90% mature neutrophils this was a leukaemoid response. Further investigation revealed a renal abscess. Following removal of the affected kidney bones made a slow but uneventful recovery.

Stuart Ellis presented an unusual case of blindness in a dog due to lipidosis of the aqueous humour. This rare condition was thought to be idiopathic.

Tail End

The latest observation is of interest to scientists, because the gyrfalcon's speed was lower than the theoretical maximum, calculated with aerodynamic measurements for long, steep dives. 

Mr Tucker has subsequently timed a wild peregrine falcon at 156 mph in a dive, but stresses that these are preliminary measurements.

The cheetah still comfortably leads the pack for the title of the fastest land animal, capable of a measured 64 mph. And Prof Alexander believes a dolphin chasing a lure in Hawaii at 25 mph is still the fastest reliably recorded animal in water. 

At the other end of the scale, the tortoise (0.23 mph) has evolved a defensive shell to make speed unnecessary in evolutionary terms. "And of course, it eats vegetation, which is not going to require chasing," said Prof Alexander. Even slower is the South American giant sloth (0.12 mph), while the snail (0.03 mph) may be at the speed limit its own brand of movement can attain. But then, it is not being chased by a gyrfalcon. 

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