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This paper gives the first estimate of the prevalence and distribution of foot lesions in finishing pigs in the south-west of England for 33 years. It was based on the examination of 4038 finishing pigs from 21 units. There were 3727 out of 3974 (93.8 per cent) pigs with at least one foot lesion. The prevalence of different lesions was: toe erosion (33.0 per cent), sole erosion (62.1 per cent), heel erosion (13.0 per cent), heel flaps (14.4 per cent), white line lesions (55.4 per cent), false sand cracks (23.9 per cent) and wall separation (11.5 per cent). The hind feet were more commonly affected than the front feet, and on each foot the lateral digits were significantly more frequently affected than the medial digits. Sole erosions, heel flaps, wall separation and false sand cracks were more frequently observed on the lateral than the medial digit. Digits with sole erosions were significantly more likely to have heel flaps, white line lesions or false sand cracks than those without sole erosions. Furthermore, there was a within digit association between overgrown hooves and toe erosion. The effects of weightbearing, gait and environment on the development of foot lesions is discussed.

A prospective longitudinal study of diseases of lambs born in December and January and housed through to slaughter was carried out on three flocks (A, B and C) between 1989 and 1991. In the first year of the investigation (1989-90) three cohorts of approximately 80 lambs were examined in detail on a regular (weekly or fortnightly) basis. This involved over 2000 examinations and at least one clinical abnormality was observed in each lamb. In the second year (1990-1) the farmers were asked to present sick lambs for treatment on the farm. Farmers from flocks A and B participated in this part of the study; a total of 97/1295 lambs that were slaughtered received at least one treatment. The carcases and visceral organs of lambs from each flock were observed after slaughter. There was no association between the abnormalities observed during routine examination of the cohort lambs (year 1) and those observed at post mortem meat inspection. However, in year 2, in lambs from flock A, there was a significant association between lambs treated for arthritis or pneumonia on the farm and the presence of arthritic or pleuritic lesions, respectively, post mortem. In both years of the study lambs which were older when slaughtered were significantly more likely to have pleuritic, pneumonic or arthritic lesions at meat inspection. It was concluded that routine examination of groups of lambs is an inefficient and possibly ineffective method to identify lambs with lesions at slaughter. However, lambs which have been treated for disease, and the older lambs in a flock, had an increased prevalence of lesions post mortem and hence more detailed inspection of these animals would increase the efficiency of meat inspection.

A study of the effects of iron dextran supplementation on anaemia in indoor lambs was carried out on one commercial flock of 525 lambs from January to June 1993. The lambs were randomly allocated into two groups, one of which was given a parenteral injection of 300 mg iron dextran and the other was left untreated. Blood was collected from 22 12-day-old lambs and 106 24-day-old lambs, in each case half treated and half untreated. The supplemented lambs had significantly improved haematological values than the unsupplemented lambs. There were also significant differences in the total serum iron concentration, the unsaturated iron binding capacity and the percentage serum saturation with iron between the treated and untreated lambs. At 12 days, the untreated lambs had a total serum iron below the accepted normal range for sheep whereas the treated lambs had values within the normal range. At weaning, lambs injected with iron dextran were significantly heavier (1.0 kg) than those not injected. The daily liveweight gain to slaughter was greater and the proportion of deaths was lower in the treated lambs but these differences were not statistically significant.

During a three-year study, 54 cows with toxic mastitis were allocated randomly to one of three treatment groups (A, B and C). Each cow was re-examined within 24 hours of the initial examination, and, during this time, group A received fluid therapy (45 liters of intravenous isotonic electrolyte solution) and flunixin meglumine (2000 mg), group B received fluid therapy only, and group C received flunixin meglumine only. In addition all the cases were treated with parenteral and intramammary tetracyclines, oxytocin and calcium boroglucoanate. There was no significant difference in the rate of survival between the treatment groups and 29 of the cows (53.7 per cent, 95 per cent confidence interval of 39 to 67 per cent) survived.

A greater knowledge of the effect of management factors is required to investigate the ontogeny of abnormal behaviour in the stabled horse. A postal survey of racehorse (flat) trainers yielded information about 22 yard and management factors. The relationship of the factors to the prevalence of abnormal behaviour was analysed by logistic regression. Management factors related to the time spent in the stable showed the strongest associations with stereotypic behaviour. The risk of horses performing abnormal behaviour increased: 1) as the amount of forage fell below 6.8 kg/day, 2) when bedding types other than straw were used, 3) when the total number of horses on the yard was fewer than 75, 4) in association with box designs that minimised contact between neighbouring horses, 5) when hay, rather than other types of forage, was used.

Anaemia was detected in housed lambs by clinical and haematological investigation. Conjunctival pallor was used as a clinical test for anaemia and the results indicate that this has high specificity (91 per cent to 95 per cent) and low sensitivity (53 per cent to 55 per cent). The haematological results indicated a non-regenerative anaemia with low packed cell volume, red blood cell count and haemoglobin. In a subset of lambs examined biochemically, anaemia was associated with low serum iron concentration and low serum iron binding: cobalt levels were within normal ranges and blood copper levels were slightly raised. At present it is unclear whether this is a primary or secondary iron deficiency.

Three hundred and thirty-six B-mode ultrasound examinations of the retroperitoneal region were performed on 179 patients with Hodgkin's disease or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; histological confirmation was available in 56 patients. Ultrasonography was correct in predicting retroperitoneal periaortic lymph node involvement in 87.5% of cases. Node size was correctly predicted 98.2% of the time, and nodes 2 cm or larger in diameter were detectable. Ultrasound was more accurate than physical examination, and as accurate as gallium-67 imaging and lymphography in disease detection. The combination of ultrasound and gallium imaging gave the best accuracy of detection (97%).

We describe a patient who was admitted with acute onset of dyspnea and pleuritic chest pain. The patient was in acute hypoxic respiratory failure documented by arterial blood gas levels. The severe hypoxemia was refractory to 100 percent O2 administration. The cause of the patient's sudden deterioration was a pulmonary embolus documented by angiography. The patient was managed successfully with heparin therapy. A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask corrected the severe hypoxemia, which otherwise would have required a more invasive method of respiratory support.