A retrospective study based on a questionnaire of thoroughbred breeders in Hokkaido was performed to reveal which developmental orthopedic diseases (DOD) have influenced management and racing performance. A variety of DOD were reported to us, and in particular wobbler syndrome, osteochondritis dissecans in the proximal joint, physitis, axial/flexural limb deformities, and subchondral cystic lesions had a negative influence on the prognosis of young horses. The first race for horses with a clinical history of sesamoiditis, tendonitis, or colic surgery was significantly delayed compared with that of horses with no history. On the other hand, few answers reported serious problems as a result of orthopedic lesions in the distal joint, which are frequently observed in pre-purchase examinations, thus we suspected that these lesions would not show critical symptoms in the training phase.

A goat with clinical signs of cough and dysstasia on a goat-breeding farm in Okinawa Prefecture that had bred 12 goats was examined. At the necropsy, hyperemia and swelling of the lungs, retention of pericardial fluid, and bleeding and swelling of the mesenteric lymph nodes were observed. Histopathological examinations revealed lymphoid follicular hyperplasia around the bronchus, suppurative bronchial pneumonia and interstitial pneumonia with hyperplasia of the bronchial mucosa. Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae and Bibersteinia trehalosi were isolated from the lung lesions. Rabbit immune serum against M. ovipneumoniae was prepared using the isolate from the present case. In the metabolic inhibition test, the titer was estimated to be 1,280. Immunohistochemically, M. ovipneumoniae antigens were detected in the lesional areas of the lung. Based on these findings, the case was diagnosed as mixed infections of M. ovipneumoniae and B. trehalosi.

A farrow-to-finish operation with 160 sows had periodic outbreaks of diarrhea. During the outbreaks, which recurred every 2 to 4 weeks, only suckling piglets that were 1 to 3 days old developed diarrhea. All the piglets that developed diarrhea were treated symptomatically and recovered in 3 to 5 days. Barely any negative effects on mortality and daily gain were observed on the farm. Necropsies of the piglets revealed thinning of the small intestinal wall. Histopathological examinations revealed atrophy of the intestinal villi and vacuolization of the mucosal epithelial cells of the small intestine. Only the piglets that developed diarrhea were positive for group C rotavirus (RVC) by RT-PCR, which suggests that the outbreaks of diarrhea were associated with RVC infection.

A study of 56 dogs with oronasal fistulas revealed that a high proportion of the animals presented with nasal symptoms such as sneezing and nasal discharge. The maxillary canines were most frequently affected. The average age of onset for oronasal fistula was higher than that for severe periodontitis in a group of 100 dogs with severe periodontitis. Miniature dachshunds exhibited a greater predilection for oronasal fistula than severe periodontitis. Dogs treated with extraction of the affected teeth, flap elevation, and fistula closure showed a favorable outcome, while most cases treated with the aim of preserving the affected teeth experienced recurrence.

A 4-month-old female American Curl kitten was evaluated for right renomegaly. A diagnostic imaging series revealed structural abnormalities in the right kidney, indicating severe hydronephrosis or a cystic kidney. During an exploratory laparotomy, a retrocaval ureter was noted, but no calculi, masses or any other causes of ureteral obstruction were found. A nephrectomy of the enlarged right kidney was performed. The histopathological diagnosis was right hydronephrosis with perirenal pseudocysts.