Kenya Veterinarian

Lip histology of the adult farmed African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus)

2014-04-23T12:42:43+00:00

The lip histology of the adult farmed African catfish was investigated to fill the knowledge gap in available literature especially those from commercial concrete tanks. This microanatomy is important as the lip is the principal organ involved in prehension. The lip epidermis was lined by stratified squamous epithelium containing PAS and AB positive mucous cells, and occasional eosinophilic club cells. Some melanocytes were seen at the basal epithelial layer and subepithelium. Pectinate ligament of dense regular connective tissue was seen attaching the epithelium to the deep dermal dense regular connective tissue. This deep dense regular connective tissue was seen ventral to the subepithelial loose areolar connective tissue. In the lower lip, the core contained skeletal muscle fibres in varying directions, elastic cartilage, and bone. This core provides anchorage for the horny pad teeth. Abundant nerve fibres were observed in the deep connective tissue layers. No taste bud was observed. This microanatomical observation suggests an organ involved in prehension and tearing of feed; protractibility, protection but no gustatory function.

Keywords: Pectinate ligament, mucous cells, club cells, Histology, lip.

Comparative serum biochemistry of captive mugger crocodiles (Crocodylus palustris)

2014-04-23T12:42:43+00:00

Standard serum biochemical parameters were determined for 28 mugger crocodiles (Crocodylus palustris) using Supra-occipital plexus technique and/or Cardiocentesis technique at the Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Vandalur, Chennai, Guindy Snake Park Trust and Amaravathy Crocodile farm, Tamilnadu, India (13° 0´ N; 77° 0´ E) from November 2006 to January 2007. The serum biochemical analysis revealed an overall mean value of 10.58 0.38 (mg/dl) for calcium, 4.22 0.10 (mg/dl) for phosphorus and 47.29 0.66 9IU/L) for ALP in apparently healthy mugger crocodiles. Similarly, the overall mean values for uric acid, total protein, albumin, globulin, A/G ratio, triglycerides, glucose, total cholesterol, BUN, creatinine, total bilirubin, AST, ALT, Na, K and C13° 0´ N l were also documented in apparently healthy mugger crocodiles. This report will be useful to develop and evaluate health profiles of these reptilian species under various ecological conditions.

Key words: Blood, Biochemistry, India, Crocodylus palustris, Mugger crocodile.

Seasonality and occurrence of canine babesiosis in Nairobi and its environs in changing climatic patterns

2014-04-23T12:42:45+00:00

Canine babesiosis caused by different babesia species is a protozoal tick-borne disease with worldwide distribution and global significance. This study was carried out to establish the seasonality and occurrence of canine babesiosis in dogs as observed in Nairobi area using data from the Small Animal Clinic, University of Nairobi over a period of twenty years (1989 – 2009). Thespatio-temporal distribution of the disease is also presented in relationship to age, sex and breeds affected. The warm and humid season played a key role in the occurrence and spread of the disease.The rainy (wet) season recorded a high incidence 54.90%compared to the dry season 45.10%. In the rainy season the occurrence of the disease was in the long rains (April to June) and short rains (October to December) at 52% and 48% respectively.
This study concludes that high cases of babesiosis occur throughout all the seasons in the tropical and sub-tropical regions and therefore recommend good tick control strategies in all the seasons to reduce incidences.

Keywords: Epidemiology, Babesiosis, Rains, Tropics

Prevalence of Mastitis and Effectiveness of Mastitis Control in Dairy Cattle in Mathira Constituency, Nyeri County, Kenya.

2014-04-23T12:42:46+00:00

This study assessed prevalence of mastitis and effectiveness of mastitis control in dairy cattle in Mathira constituency. Data regarding occurrence of mastitis, farmers' current practices in mastitis control, and administering a questionnaire to 76 smallholder farmers collected their knowledge about dairy cow mastitis. Quarter milk samples were collected from randomly selected lactating cows and screened for mastitis using the California Mastitis Test. Milk samples that tested positive on screening were cultured for isolation of pathogens. A total of 202 lactating cows were sampled. The prevalence of mastitis at quarter level was 87.4% (n=808) with contagious bacteria pathogens being responsible for 52.2% (n=508) of all the isolates recovered. Most of these contagious isolates were coagulase positive Staphylococcus aureus, (98.5%), the rest being Streptococcus agalactiae. Normal teat flora, opportunist and environmental pathogens were responsible for 32.7%, 7.3% and 4.5% of all the isolates respectively. Stimulation (93.4%), prompt and adequate treatment of clinical cases(77.6%) and sanitation(69.7%) were the only control measures noted to have been embraced adequately. Sanitation, use of individual towel, and stimulation were ranked as the most effective having been scored by 39, 24 and 23 respondents respectively. It is concluded that concerted effort by all stakeholders is paramount if the war against mastitis in Mathira Constituency is to be won.

Major causes of poultry mortality in Nairobi and its environs established from autopsie

2014-04-23T12:42:47+00:00

This study was undertaken to determine the causes of mortalities in broiler and layer chicken in Nairobi and its environs during a 20 years period (1990-2010) and the trends of identified important disease between 2006 and 2010 among birds of different age groups. Data used was obtained from post-mortem examination reports in the Department of Veterinary Pathology, Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Nairobi. Records for a total of 1479 (577 broilers and 902 layers) chicken were analysed. The investigation showed that mortalities were highest in the 0 to 14 day old broiler chicks category at 44% (245), followed by 15 to 28 days old (29%), 29 to 42 days old (20%) and the lowest was in mature broiler chicken that were older than 42 days at 8.8% . The main causes of mortality among the broilers were omphalitis 23% (133/577), bacterial septicaemia 15.9% (92),
Gumboro disease 14.7% (85), coccidiosis 11.8% (68) and ascites 9.4% (54). However, in the recent 5 years (2006-2010), ascites had caused the highest mortality among the broiler chicks. In the layer chicken, the highest mortality recorded was in birds between 0- 2 months at 42.8%(386/902) and the conditions causing significant mortality included Gumboro disease (23%), coccidiosis (15%), egg peritonitis (11%), bacterial septicaemia (11%) and omphalities (10%). Egg peritonitis was found to have been the highest cause of deaths in layers over the recent 5 years (2006-2010), mostly for birds older than 6 months. From this study it can be concluded that Gumboro disease, coccidiosis, bacterial septicaemia and Omphalitis were common diseases affecting broiler and layer chicken causing substantial losses due to mortalities. Additionally, ascites among broiler chicken and egg peritonitis among the layers caused high deaths.

Management of Bovine Papillomatosis using an Autogenous Vaccine: A case study in Bukura Agricultural College, Western Kenya

2014-04-23T12:42:48+00:00

No Abstract