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Introduction: Diseases of the digits often occur in cattle on larger cattle mountain pastures. In the late spring 2020, at the time of the ascent of 1554 cattle to 11 high altitude alpine pastures in the Lower Engadine region, lesions in the area of the digits were clinically assessed and documented. 254 cattle were of non-cantonal and 1300 of local origin (Lower Engadine; postal code CH-75XX). Skin lesions in the area of the digits, identified as digital dermatitis (DD; Mortellaro's disease), were further classified according to the DD scoring system. Nonspecific skin lesions with clinical evidence of granulation tissue formation were termed chronic penetrating skin lesions (CPSL). At the end of the alpine pasturing season, in the early fall (descent of cattle from the alpine pastures), the procedure was repeated, and biopsies were taken from randomly selected cattle with CPSL. Digital dermatitis lesions were found in 34 of 1551 cattle at ascent, but no case of CPSL was found at that time. At descent, 19 of 1529 cattle had DD lesions and 88 cattle had CPSL. The clinical appearance of the CPSL was consistent with chronic skin lesions caused by penetrating skin lacerations. Histologically, the majority of the CPSL were classified as chronic hyperplastic dermatitis with granulation tissue formation. In all CPSL biopsies examined by PCR, Fusobacterium necrophorum and Porphyromonas levii, but neither Dichelobacter nodosus nor the tested Treponema species were detected. Fluorescence in situ hybridization revealed a negative result for Treponema species in all biopsies. In the regression analysis, cattle in the age group of 365 to 730 days had an increased risk for the presence of CPSL compared to the age group of 160 to 365 days (odds ratio (OR) = 4,95; confidence interval (CI) = 1,97-12,43). Holstein cattle had an increased risk of developing CPSL compared to Brown cattle (OR = 2,92; CI = 1,46-5,86) and cattle of non-cantonal origin showed a massively higher risk compared to local cattle (OR = 10,59; CI = 5,79 - 19,37). The statistically significant associations found in the present study can be taken into account in the selection of animals for summer pasturing on high altitudes in the future in order to reduce the prevalence of CPSL and consequently reduce the antimicrobial use. Spread of DD during the alpine pasturing season within the cattle groups examined was not found.

Introduction: With every surgical procedure there is a risk of postoperative infection (surgical site infection = SSI). This risk of infection can be influenced by various factors, including perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis. In terms of antibiotic stewardship, antibiotics should only be used if there is a proven benefit for the patient. However, this advantage has not yet been conclusively proven, especially for clean and clean-contaminated surgeries. The aim of our study was to document various relevant influencing factors on the infection rate after clean and clean-contaminated surgeries in dogs and cats. In particular, it was documented to what extent a reduced use of antibiotics affects the infection rate in the context of all influencing factors. Over a period of eleven months, 807 clean and clean-contaminated surgeries in dogs and cats were prospectively analyzed with possible influencing factors (gender, ASA classification, underlying endocrinological diseases, duration of anesthesia, duration of surgery, type of surgery, perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis (POA), duration of hospitalization) affecting the infection rate. After surgery all cases were followed up either 30 or 90 days, if implants were used. The effect of the various factors was evaluated using multivariable logistic regression analysis. SSI was detected in 25/664 clean and 10/143 clean-contaminated surgeries. Longer hospitalization, without antimicrobial prophylaxis, and male animals had a significantly higher risk of SSI. In clean surgeries, SSI occurred in 2,3 % of all cases with POA and 5,3 % without POA. The SSI in clean-contaminated was 3,6 % with POA and 9 % without. This difference resulted mainly from the results of osteosynthesis, gastrointestinal and skin surgeries. However, other types of surgeries, such as castrations, neurological interventions, abdominal and thoracic surgeries, and surgeries in the head and neck region, showed comparable infection rates with and without POA.