To investigate the effects of prepartum zeolite A administration on the postpartum calcium (Ca) concentration, blood parameters were measured in Holstein cows given zeolite A (400 g/day; n = 27) and fed dietary cation-anion difference adjusted (DCAD) diets (−3.2 mEq/100g; controls, n = 22) from 3 weeks before parturition until calving. There was no difference in the serum Ca concentration on the day of parturition in the treated group (7.3±0.3 mg/dl, mean±SE) compared to the controls (7.1±0.2 mg/dl ). The serum 1,25(OH)₂D concentration on the day of parturition was significantly (P＜0.05) higher in the treated group than in the controls (232.5±35.6 vs. 134.6±23.0 pg/ml ). The serum free fatty acids, total cholesterol, and albumin concentrations were significantly (P＜0.05) lower in the treated group than in the controls during the experimental period. Further, the cows with low serum Ca concentrations (＜7.4 mg/dl ) on the day of parturition recovered to normal levels by the next day in both groups. These results suggest that zeolite A administration for 3 weeks before parturition is as effective at reducing the decrease in blood Ca concentration just after parturition as feeding DCAD-adjusted diets and might be used to prevent periparturient hypocalcemia.

The in vitro antimicrobial activity of lomefloxacin was evaluated against 120 strains of 45 bacterial species isolated from horses with extraocular disease. At the same time, ofloxacin, gentamicin, and chloramphenicol were also tested and compared with lomefloxacin. The minimum inhibitory concentration at which 90% of the strains of lomefloxacin were inhibited was 2 μg/ml for gram-negative bacteria and 4 μg/ml for gram-positive bacteria. Compared with the other three antimicrobial agents, the antimicrobial activity of lomefloxacin against gram-negative bacteria was similar to those of ofloxacin and gentamicin and superior to that of chloramphenicol. The antimicrobial activity of lomefloxacin against gram-positive bacteria was inferior to those of ofloxacin and gentamicin and comparable to that of chloramphenicol. The antimicrobial activity of lomefloxacin seems to be clinically sufficient due to its pharmacokinetics, and is expected to be as effective as or better than the other three antimicrobial agents.

In August 2017, a Japanese Black cattle aborted, in Tokachi, Hokkaido. The placenta tissue of the mother cow showed necrotizing placentitis associated with a fungus that was of a similar shape to Aspergillus. A fungus isolated from the placenta was identified as Scedosporium apiospermum (S. apiospermum ) complex based on the shape and the internal transcribed spacer rDNA sequencing. Therefore, it was diagnosed that the abortion was caused by S. apiospermum complex infection. This fungus, which is found in soil and contaminated water in Japan, is known as one of the causes of severe pneumonia in humans. However, there are few reports of infection with S. apiospermum complex in livestock, and this is the first reported case in which S. apiospermum complex was isolated from the placenta of an aborted cattle in Japan. Genetic analysis was considered essential for diagnosis, in addition to histopathology, because the S. apiospermum complex showed a very similar shape to Aspergillus in the tissue.

A 36-month-old Holstein dairy cow with loss of appetite, abomasum displacement, and ruminal tympany died 7 days after calving at a dairy farm in Nagano prefecture. Autopsy revealed extensive detachment of the rumen mucosa and numerous nodular formations on the detached surface of the mucosa. Histologically, a large number of cysts were found in the ruminal submucosa. Chronic inflammation characterized by angiogenesis was observed around the cyst. The cysts were lined with squamous epithelium and filled with concentrically arranged laminated keratins. In addition, diffuse cell degeneration and necrosis were observed in the liver and kidney. Therefore, this case was diagnosed as multifocal epidermoid cysts accompanied with ruminal tympany in a cow.

We describe a case of a 2‐year-old female hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris) with an irregular, hard mass surrounding most of the left forelimb. Radiographs showed osteolysis of the radius and ulna. The mass showed decreased radiolucency. We amputated the limb from the scapula and performed a pathological examination, which revealed proliferation of polygonal and spindle-shaped tumor cells with severe destruction of the proximal ulna. The tumor cells produced osteoid and were accompanied by stromal tissue that was positive for periodate, positive for Alcian blue, and stained blue with Masson's trichrome. The cells were also positive for vimentin and S-100. Based on these findings, this case was diagnosed as osteosarcoma of the extremity. The postoperative course was uneventful, but on postoperative day 297, X-ray examination revealed lung metastases. The hedgehog died on postoperative day 312, and a pathological autopsy confirmed lung metastasis of osteosarcoma. In this case, a good survival time of 10 months postoperatively was obtained, and we consider that amputation can be an effective treatment for osteosarcoma of the limbs of hedgehogs.

We investigated the relationship between S. Rissen strains isolated from pigs in Niigata prefecture (26 strains) and strains from pigs in other regions (5 strains), strains from humans (10 strains), and a strain from a feed ingredient (1 strain). With respect to the S. Rissen from pigs, the strains in Niigata Prefecture and the strains in other regions are genetically closely related, and it is considered that clones of S. Rissen established in pig farms in other regions subsequently invaded pig farms in Niigata Prefecture. Two groups of S. Rissen from humans were considered to have different origins, one of which was genetically closely related to the strains from pigs and showed an antimicrobial resistance pattern consistent with that of the strains from pigs, suggesting that one of the sources of S. Rissen infection in humans was pork contaminated with S. Rissen from carrier pigs. The strain from the feed ingredient examined in this study was different from the strains from pigs in both PFGE type and antimicrobial resistance pattern, and it is considered that soybean oil residue was unrelated to S. Rissen infections in the tested pigs.