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This material is part of the cycle of continuing education courses dedicated to fellow veterinarians within SNEC / 2024. The definition, classification and evolution of the legislation in the field of biocides are presented, tips and recommendations for the efficient and safe use of biocides as well as what we should remember in terms of sanitation and biocidal disinfectants. The second part presents some examples of biocidal substances/groups used in the veterinary field, as well as different mechanisms of action attributed to classical and modern pesticides (e.g. Repellents, Insect sterilization, Pheromones (attractants), Chitin-inhibitors, Insecticidal bacteria, Baculoviruses, Insecticide synergists, Fermentation products, Phenylpyrazoles. The mechanisms of the evolution of pesticide resistance are also presented.

Antibiotics have transformed medicine, enabling effective treatments for infections that were once fatal and supporting significant advancements such as surgery and organ transplants. However, the growing spread of resistance reduces their effectiveness, making the discovery of new drugs crucial in the ongoing battle against human pathogens. Antibiotic resistance represents one of the greatest challenges of modern medicine, having a significant impact on the treatment of bacterial infections. The development of antibiotic resistance renders standard treatments ineffective, putting patients' lives at risk and limiting available therapeutic options. In the face of this global crisis, recent research is opening new directions in combating antibiotic resistance, focusing on the discovery of innovative antibiotics, alternative solutions, and strategies to prevent the spread of resistance. These advances are essential for addressing future health challenges.

Probiotics play an essential role in fish nutrition, significantly contributing to their health and growth in aquaculture. By incorporating beneficial bacterial strains such as Lactobacillus and Bacillus subtilis into feed, the nutritional value of the feed is enhanced, enzymatic digestion is optimized, and pathogenic microorganisms are inhibited. Probiotics stimulate the immune response, increase intestinal microbial diversity, and have anti-mutagenic and anti-carcinogenic effects. Modern administration methods include bioencapsulation and the use of live foods, thus ensuring the probiotics' survival and effective colonization in the fish's digestive tract. Therefore, using probiotics in fish nutrition not only improves growth performance and health but also promotes sustainable and ecologically efficient aquaculture.

Antimicrobial resistance is a public and animal health problem, with global dimensions, due to the use of antimicrobial agents in human, and veterinary medicine and in the phytosanitary area. In this sense, the human, animal and plant domains have a common responsibility to prevent, or reduce to a minimum, the selective pressure that favors and amplifies the antimicrobial resistance of both pathogens that affect humans, and those that affect other species. This material presents the economic reality and important aspects related to the evolution of antibiotic resistance in animal populations in Romania, with correlations between the data from our country and the E.U. The present material was presented in its PPT form at events organized in Romania based on this topic, but the importance of the subject requires that this fact also be reported in the Association's publication. This material is based on scientific studies from the last decade, books, expert opinions and the author's personal experience. Of course, as part of a continuous updating process, this (personal) point of view must be periodically adapted to the latest scientific knowledge obtained on this topic.

Over the past decade, understanding the presence and dynamics of Escherichia coli in Europe's wild bird species has emerged as a critical area of research. This article synthesizes a comprehensive analysis of E. coli prevalence among wild bird populations across Europe from 2011 to 2022. Beginning with an overview of E. coli research in wild birds from 1997 to 2024, the review explores the evolution of scientific interest in this topic and highlights trends in publication frequency. A focused examination of publications reveals a surge in research activity, reflecting growing concerns about antimicrobial resistance and environmental health. Furthermore, the review presents a detailed analysis of E. coli isolates from wild birds, examining the annual distribution of cases and identifying patterns across different European countries. Additionally, the review identifies the top five bird species most frequently studied in relation to E. coli presence, providing insights into the focal points of research efforts. By synthesizing a decade's worth of data, this review contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the epidemiology and dynamics of E. coli infections in Europe's wild bird populations.

Este prezentată monografia trilingvă ”Influența schimbărilor climatice asupra vectorilor și bolilor vectoriale”, ”The influence of climatic factors on vectors and vectorborne diseases”,”L’influence du changement climatique sur les vecteurs et les maladies vectorielles”. Lucrarea este compusă din cinci capitole Construcția acestei monografii respectă întrutotul conceptul One Health, concepția autorilor fiind orientată, prin profilul și expertiza științifică a acestora, atât pe sănătatea omului și animalelor, cât și a sănătății mediului înconjurător.

The Medicamentul Veterinar / Veterinary Drug Journal is presented at 17 years of age.

Obituary - Dr. Aurel Mihai GHERDAN (24.05.1933 - 26.06.2024) is presented

The Atlas is presented

Prescription by veterinarians of narcotic and psychotropic substances and preparations regulated by Law no. 339/2005 regarding the legal regime of narcotic and psychotropic plants, substances, and preparations, as well as those that fall under Law no. 143/2000 on the prevention and combating of drug trafficking and illicit drug consumption is done exclusively on the formulation with a special regime. In addition, national legislation through Order 128/2021 (Prescription with the special regime) and Joint Order 1328/56/2022 regulates the way of issuing prescriptions in community pharmacies of medicines for human use on veterinary prescriptions, with the aim of being used in animals. For a wider dissemination, in this paper the essential ideas presented in the SNEC-2022 continuing education courses, by the author, are presented

Plasmids are a form of communication between bacteria using genetic information. They allow the horizontal transfer, in the same generation, of genetic information encoding pathogenic traits and environmental resistance, promoting rapid evolution and adaptability to a variety of environments. Plasmids are mostly found in bacteria, but they are also present in multicellular organisms. Plasmids usually contain at least one gene and are not considered independent life forms, even if they possess separate genes from their hosts. Independent strands of DNA were first found in bacterial cells in the late 1940s by researchers investigating how bacteria become resistant to antibiotics and how traits are passed onto offspring by phages (viruses of bacteria) and DNA structures, other than chromosomes. Some plasmids have a determining role in microbial antibiotic resistance, but their mechanisms are not yet fully understood.

Water and soil were considered for a long time to be renewable resources, but currently, the opposite is demonstrated and water and soil pollution represent an important factor in causing ecological imbalances that can have serious consequences for the biosphere. The main pollution generating process has become industrialization and technologicalization. The objective of this study was to investigate through a field study the physico-chemical parameters of the Jiu river from 15 specific locations, determining the values of pH, hardness, and dissolved oxygen, for two years (2016/2017). The water samples were collected in special containers and stored in the refrigerator at 4 °C until the determinations were made. To determine the physico-chemical parameters, the portable spectrophotometer model DR 1900 (Hach, Romania) was used and the following physico-chemical determinations were performed: pH; hardness; conductivity; dissolved oxygen. For the water samples collected from the Jiu river on the territory of Gorj county, pH values were obtained between 7.0 - 9.2 in 2016 and between 7.4-8.5 in 2017. The water samples collected from the territory of Dolj county were obtained pH values between 6.0 - 9.2 / 2016 and between 7.0 - 9.0 / 2017. The pH value was higher in January and July in 2016 compared to the values obtained in the same months of 2017. The oxygen concentration in the water samples taken from the Jiu river, both in Gorj and Dolj county was increased in both 2016 and 2017, classifying the Jiu River in ecological class 1 (very good), according to Order 161/2006. The values of the amount of O2 (mg / L) were higher in 2016, both in January and July, compared to the same period of 2017. The value of O2 concentration was lower in the samples taken downstream compared to the samples taken upstream.

Peptic ulcer is a chronic disease that affects up to 10% of the world's population. The appearance of peptic ulcer is dependent on the presence of gastric juice and its pH and the decrease of the mucosal defense. Two major factors recognized as disruptors of mucosal resistance are nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. The main conventional treatments for peptic ulcer, such as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and histamine-2 (H2) receptor antagonists, are associated with side effects, recurrences and various drug interactions. On the other hand, medicinal plants and their chemical compounds are useful in the prevention and treatment of many diseases. Therefore, this article presents some medicinal herbs that can be used for the treatment or prevention of peptic ulcers.

For over 5,000 years, various crops have used these herbal oils for a variety of health problems. The history of the use of essential oils has its roots in antiquity in countries such as Persia, India, Egypt, China. Essential oils are generally formed during the flowering period of plants and accumulate in flowers, fruits, leaves, roots or bark. The chemical composition of an essential oil obtained from a plant differs depending on the parts of the plant from which it was extracted. This paper lists information about Thuja shrubs which includes 5 species of trees, two of which are native to North America (Thuja occidentalis, Thuja plicata) and three from Western Asia (Thuja koraiensis, Thuja standishii, Thuja sutchuenensis). It presents taxonomy, chemical composition, pharmacological properties and notions about Thuja essential oils. The research part presents the identification of volatile compounds in thuja essential oil by GC-MS method and testing the antimicrobial effect of thuja essential oil.

The various techniques of physiotherapy in animals are increasingly known and used in animals being considered therapeutic adjuvants, highly valued recently in veterinary clinics. This review represents, in a nutshell, the reiteration of several base elements of physiotherapy used more and more frequently in animals (chiropractic, electrotherapy, ultrasound, laser therapy, magnetotherapy, moxibustion, hydrotherapy). We mention that this material appeared at the request of those interested in this field and is an integral part of the work Elements of alternative and complementary therapy in veterinary medicine, authors Eugenia Dumitrescu and Romeo T. Cristina, published in 2015 at Solness Publishing House in Timisoara.

The abundance of scientific evidence has shown that many synthetic drugs can cause serious adverse effects in patients. Lately, the search for natural therapeutic agents with low adverse effects has attracted much attention. Considerable interest has been focused on edible and medicinal plants, which play an important role in human and animal diet and have been used for the treatment of diseases since ancient times. Crataegus monogyna Jacq. (hawthorn) is one of the most important edible plants of the Rosaceae family and is used in traditional medicine. Increasing evidence has shown that this plant has various interesting physiological and pharmacological activities due to the presence of different bioactive natural compounds. Moreover, scientific evidence suggests that hail toxicity is negligible. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to provide a review of the available scientific literature on pharmacological activities, as well as the botanical, phytochemical, and clinical impact of C. monogyna.

Propolis, along with honey, royal jelly, pollen, pasture, is a product whose prophylactic and therapeutic properties are known and used in folk medicine since ancient times. Propolis is actually the generic name for the resinous substance collected by honey bees from various plant sources. It is made by bees to defend the colony physically, chemically and biologically. The objectives of the research were: Determination of total polyphenols by UV-VIS spectrometry, Determination of the total flavonoid content by colorimetric method and Identification of individual polyphenols in propolis extract. LC-MS analysis of propolis extract was performed within the Interdisciplinary Research Platform

Doxicycline is a structural isomer who meets the European reference standard (Ph.Eur. III 1997:0272) and respect EU Regulations for M.R.L. The good solubility permits high tissular absorption and distribution after administration in drinking water. The aim was to ascertain the clinical effects and tolerance consecutive to risen doses administration, as a part of safety study for this antibiotic in poultry in the respect of current drug testing methodology. The safety study revealed: good local and general tolerance to therapeutic doses (10 mg x kgb.w.-1) and to x2 dose, diarrhoea in lots which received x3 and x5 the therapeutic dose. Comparatively with the Control lot, haemoleucogram doesn’t suffer evident changes the registered values being between the references limits (exception of leucocitary formula). Also it was found an increased creatinin concentration consecutively to x3 and x5 greater doses administration and marked increasing of ASAT level and limited for ALAT’s, comparatively to control lot in the case of E4 lot, but light to reference values. Macro and microscopy revealed for the liver samples: hepatomegaly, diffuse hepatic degenerescence, nuclear heterochromatinization, vacuolar degenerescence; renal changes in nefrons and renal corpuscles, light splenomegaly, caecal sacs distension and brown-yellowish gaseous content to lots E3 and E4.

The aim of study is a therapeutic assessment of doxicycline’s hyclate efficacy, a wide spectrum antibiotic (efficient in majority of bacterial Gram-positive and Gram-negative infections and mycoplasmas, frequently isolated in poultry) in a colisepticemia outbreak in a 3,000 chicken farm. Disease started at the broiler’s age of 20 days and mortality rate reached 32.5%. The behaviour to antibiotics of isolated bacterial strains was tested and antibiogram (Sanofi) was used, doxicycline revealing a very good antibiotic activity. The treatments (with the dose of 10 mg x kg.b.w.-1) were done individually for five days, clinical evolution being observed until day ten of the experiment. Analyzing evolutions after treatments it was observed that the mortality diminished progressively from 14.2% in the first day, to 8.3% - 5.9% - 2.5% - 1.7% and respectively 0.8% in the sixth treatments day, in days seven, eight, nine, and ten of the study not being registered any mortality cases. In our opinion the favorable clinical evolution was recorded after the third treatment day, at the end of experiment from 120 remaining live 80 chickens (representing 66.7%) proving the fact that doxicycline was efficient, confirmed also by the average daily weight gain for the remaining live chickens.

This paper supports alternative medicine as well as phytotherapy, which in recent decades has seen an increase in prestige due to the fact that, on the one hand, the increasingly acute resistance to certain antibiotics or antifungal molecules and, on the other hand, the growth of the current traditionalist consumer medicine in both human and veterinary medicine. So, this paper aims to present a plant less known in Romania, but very popular in Japan, South Korea, China and the biological activity of Ashitaba (Angelica keiskei), already established in the countries mentioned above and with possible applications, as an auxiliary or supportive treatment in veterinary medicine.

Fungal infections are an important part of infectious pathology, their incidence increasing considerably, as a result of the widespread use of antibiotics, corticosteroids, cytostatics and immunosuppressive drugs. In this synthesis paper are presented the main structures used in veterinary medicine: Systemic antifungals: antibiotics, polyenes, macrolides, azoles: Imidazoles and triazoles, allylamines and thiocarbamates, echinocandins, benzimidazoles: thiabendazole, antimetabolitics: flucitosine, and respectively the Topical drugs: azoles, imidazoles, polyenes. To all these structures are presented: mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, spectrum, use, interactions and adverse reactions.

This material is intended to convey the main elements of Regulation (EU) 2019/6 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11.12.2018 on veterinary medicinal products and repealing Directive 2001/82 / EC. The needs of the veterinary sector differ substantially from those of the human sector in terms of medicines. This U.E. lays down rules for: manufacture, placing on the market, import, export, making available, distribution, pharmacovigilance, control and use of veterinary medicinal products. The main issues covered were: sale: wholesale, retail and online, use of veterinary medicinal products, veterinary prescription and records, waiting period for a.u.v. products, advertising and controls in light of the new regulations.

For the effective treatment of pain in the musculoskeletal system, modern management must be considered, which includes a series of pharmacological agents with action at different sites, to obtain superior analgesic effects, using low doses of drugs and minimizing side effects. This material describes some essential active substances in the therapy of locomotor system pain listing analgesics and adjuvants used in the treatment of pain in dogs.

Behavioral changes are signs of pain in animals. Understanding the physiological mechanisms of pain is essential for the development of new drugs. Currently, analgesia is obtained through systemic techniques associated with peripheral analgesia techniques. Pain is monitored by evaluating hemodynamic and respiratory parameters but especially by clinical parameters. Thus it remains an extremely subjective assessment. Adequate analgesia improves the clinical and biological condition of patients, inefficiency of pain control can often delay the healing process. In this paper are presented the main entities associated with the phenomenon of pain in the musculoskeletal system and veterinary therapeutic techniques for recovery in dogs.

This article is conceived as a mini-course designed as an update and application for veterinarians practicing, the main aspects of antimicrobial resistance being revealed. As selected bibliographic sources, when writing this article, passages from the courses posted by the first author on the resources of the net on this topic were cited in full or in part. The first article introduces the reader in the topic of anti-infective resistance, with the presentation of the main data related to: the definition of the phenomenon, the evolution, and classification of the anti-infective group (antibiotics, sulfamide, antifungals).

The widespread use of antimicrobials in both human and veterinary medicine has intensified, leading to an acceleration in the emergence and spread of AMR. On average, animals in European farms consume more antibiotics than humans. According to studies, pork has the highest concentration of antibiotics. According to estimates in the literature, the amount of antibiotic for veterinary use consumed worldwide by livestock is almost double that for human use. This article presents with recent data the effects of antimicrobial use, the economic as well as the social impact of resistance.

The administration of antibiotics must be complementary to good management practices, many disease conditions can be avoided or minimized by: using management practices that significantly reduce exposure to disease-causing bacteria; optimizing the animal environment, including good hygiene, nutrition and coherent vaccination programs. Animal health is the result of a wide range of factors grouped into: animal-related factors, breeding and management system. The article presents some new means and strategies against the phenomenon of AMR.

Antibiotic resistance is reported all over the world, it compromises the treatment of infectious diseases and is one of the biggest threats to global health. There are two ways in which pathogenic bacteria can develop resistance to antibiotics: vertically, by accumulating genetic changes during the natural process of copying its genome, and horizontally, by changing resistant genes from one microbe to another. The article shows the difference between resistant and anti-infective bacteria, the ways and manifestations, the phases and types of resistance and all the mechanisms related to antibiotics, antifungals and sulfamide.

Antibiotic resistance has emerged mainly through the use of antibiotics as biostimulators, in the preservation of animal foods or most often through the administration of antibiotics irrationally, without a prescription and antibiogram. The article presents the ways to install antimicrobial resistance and evaluates the effectiveness of antimicrobials (antibiotics and antifungals). The main ways of spreading and installing resistance as well as its consequences globally, the mechanisms of transmission of resistance in nature and tests to evaluate the effectiveness of anti-infectives (biological, physicochemical, in vitro, molecular techniques, etc.) are presented.

The present study investigated the antimicrobial activity, total phenolic content, and proanthocyanidin concentration of ethanolic extracts from fresh leaves of Sempervivum tectorum L. The extracts were phytochemically analyzed and evaluated for antimicrobial activity. The broth microdilution method was used to assess antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria isolated from ear swabs taken from dogs with otitis externa. Many compounds were present in the ethanolic aqueous extracts, which exhibited a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity. They showed strong antibacterial activity against standard clinical Gram-positive strains such as S. aureus and Gram-negative strains such as P. aeruginosa. In our study, the obtained quantity of total phenolic compounds in the ethanol:water extract of leaves was 126.17 mg GAE/g. The proanthocyanidin concentration in the tested Sempervivum tectorum L. extracts was 15.39 mg PAC/g material. The high contents of total phenolics and proanthocyanidin indicated that these compounds contribute to antimicrobial activity. The antimicrobial activity of the tested S. tectorum L. extracts ranged from 1.47 to 63.75 µg/mL, starting with 1.47 µg/mL and 1.75 µg/mL against S. aureus ATCC 25923 and P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853 strains, respectively. Likewise, S. tectorum L. ethanol extract demonstrated a bacteriostatic effect against S. aureus clinical isolate with a median MIC of 23.25 µg/mL and MBC of 37.23 µg/mL; and bactericidal against S. aureus ATCC 25923 with the median MIC of 20.33 µg/mL and MBC of 37.29 µg/mL. In the Gram-negative P. aeruginosa clinical and standard strains, the expressed MIC and MBC values were 24.234 and 20.53 µg/mL for MIC, and 37.30 and 37.02 µg/mL for MBC, respectively.

In the case of reptiles, the recommendations and dosages of medicines are based mainly on the clinical experience accumulated in the cabinets than on the pharmacokinetic studies. Many doses have been derived from mammals, but they have not yet been perfectly adapted to the significant body and metabolism variations that occur specifically in reptiles. That is why, the reports in the literature are often different, even contradictory. Also, generalizations between reptile classes have often been proven wrong. Due to the fact that reptiles are ectothermic, the environment or body temperature have a special significance in the rate of absorption, excretion or toxicity of the drugs administered. From the desire to provide as much useful data as possible, the list presented is updated and comes from various sources that deal with this topic of the reptiles’ therapy (but often contradictory doses recommended by the authors of the sources are presented in some medicines or associations). For this reason, the personal experience of clinicians in exotic animal diseases is often decisive and priceless.

The attraction that reptiles exert on people cannot be explained too easily, but the fact that terrariums with various reptiles are increasingly present in our homes proves that the interest in these lives is certain, in the last decade being in great growth in our country. For this reason, the need for information on reptile needs, such as their multiplication, is of interest, not only to breeders, but especially to Romanian veterinarians, who do not yet benefit from an accumulated faculty base and, with the exception of Internet resources, a vast bibliographic base in Romanian language that can be called upon if needed. It is understandable then, why the specialized works on this subject are appreciated by those interested.

The environmental risk analysis for veterinary medicinal products is an assessment of their possible evolution, exposures, and effects and is structured according to the VICH GL6 (Phase I) and GL38 (Phase II) guides. The environmental risk assessment, an integral part of the veterinary medicinal product authorizations, interpreted and harmonized under the VICH guidelines, ensures the predictability and transparency of the results obtained. The route of distribution and the evolution in the environment are important factors for the concentration of the final exposure. Predicted No-Effect Concentration (PNEC) is the concentration of a substance in an environment below which adverse effects will most likely not occur during a long term or short term exposure. In environmental risk assessment, PNECs will be compared to predicted environmental concentration (PEC) to determine if the risk of a substance is acceptable or not. If PEC/PNECs

Cancer treatment is usually a polymorphic one, which includes: surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy or any combination of these. In order to choose a correct and appropriate therapeutic procedure for each patient, the following should be noted: the result of the histological examination, the malignancy status, the patient's medical history and the financial possibilities of the owner. In this regard, a minimum database on the health/illness of the patient is required, which is obtained by a blood test (biochemistry and hematology) and a urine test. For proper staging and correct prognosis, X-rays (simple or/and contrast), ultrasound or CT scan (CT) will be performed. Once the diagnosis is made, it is important to define the goals and expectations of the treatment applied. Tumor growth presents an exponential development phase, and then quickly enters a plateau phase. Response to chemotherapy depends on where it is on the development curve (if there are few cells in the division then the fraction destroyed by chemotherapeutics will be small). In conclusion, small tumors with high growth fraction are more sensitive to chemotherapeutics because they have a larger number of cells in the proliferative phase. In this bibliographic reference are presented the main elements of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in animals.

Staphylococcal infection treatment in dogs is frequently associated with adverse side effects, high costs, prolonged treatment, and resistant strain selection. Staphylococcus aureus is the most frequently isolated staphylococci in cases of canine superficial pyoderma. The number of Staphylococcus strains to exhibit primary resistance to various drugs in vitro is increasing. Propolis has a diverse chemical composition and well-known therapeutic properties against bacterial infections. The current investigation evaluated in vitro the antimicrobial activity of the commercial allopathic antimicrobials, Romanian propolis ethanolic extracts, against clinical Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from superficial dermatitis clinical samples in dogs and two reference strains: Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 43300, as the MSSA and MRSA positive controls, respectively, in western Romania. We used the microdilution broth technique to evaluate the susceptibility profile of the bacteria. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the Romanian propolis ethanolic extract ranged from 6 to 10 μg/mL for all isolates, determined by the broth microdilution method. The MICs of ethanolic Romanian propolis extracts had a pronounced antibacterial activity. These results indicate that propolis can potentially be used and recommended for in vivo experiments as a promising therapeutic agent against Staphylococcus aureus infections in superficial dermatitis of dogs.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence, pathogenic potential and antimicrobial susceptibility profile of Escherichia coli isolated from raw milk cheese, traditionally produced by farmers and marketed directly to the consumer in Banat region, Romania. A total of 81.1% (43/53) of the processed samples expressed positive results for E. coli, with a distribution of 83.8% (31/37), and 75.0% (12/16) in the cow- and sheep-milk-origin assortments, respectively. Overall, 69.8% (30/43) of the specimens had a contamination level ≤10 CFU/g. Molecular tests showed that, from the total number of E. coli isolates, 9.3% (4/43) harbored the stx2, and 2.3% (1/43), the stx1 virulence genes. The E. coli O157 (including H7) biovariety was identified in 7% (3/43) of the samples by the Vidas equipment. From the 27 antimicrobials tested with the Vitek2 automated system, the E. coli isolates displayed resistance to enrofloxacin (100%, 15 out of 15 tested isolates), ampicillin (39.5%, 17/43), norfloxacin (28.6%, 8/28), fosfomycin (25%, 7/28), amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (23.3%, 10/43), cefalexin (20%, 3/15), cefalotin (13.3%, 2/15), tetracycline (13.3%, 2/15), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (9.3%, 4/43), piperacillin-tazobactam (7.1%, 2/28), cefotaxime (7.1%, 2/28), cefepime (7.1%, 2/28), ticarcillin/clavulanic acid (6.7%, 1/15), florfenicol (6.7%, 1/15), ceftazidime (3.6%, 1/28), and ertapenem (3.6%, 1/28). Ten (23.3%) strains were multidrug-resistant. The obtained preliminary results indicated hygienic–sanitary deficiencies throughout the cheese production process, and demonstrated that these products can harbor virulent and multidrug-resistant E. coli strains, which constitute a public health risk. However, future investigations, processing a higher number of samples, are still necessary to draw comprehensive conclusions.

Osteoarthritis in the dog is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders that has become a medical and financial problem for the owners. A big problem is treating of the dogs suffering from the side effects that arise as a consequence of OA pain therapy. In the present study, 19 dogs of different races with definite diagnoses of osteoarthritis (OA) and / or hip dysplasia (DSC) were included. In pursuit of the condition of healing / amelioration of osteoarthritis conditions in dogs, two objectives were followed: a) the chronic pain monitoring of acupuncture dogs, via a well-established questionnaire, a multifactorial descriptive scale; b) Influence of acupuncture on blood parameters in chronic pain in the dogs. Dogs grouping was based on the previous use of analgesics and on the Helsinki Chronic Pain Index (HCPI). The dogs were randomly divided into two lots: a group that received acupuncture and antalgic treatments and a placebo (control) not treated. Initially the animals in the study were subjected to exploratory radiographs, and blood samples were collected to determine prolactin and serotonin values. The results revealed that both serotonin and prolactin did not undergo significant quantitative changes during the study in both dogs groups, receiving acupuncture and those in the control group. The questionnaire used is a valid tool for assessing chronic locomotor pain in dogs and we recommend it for the clinical trials.

Canine osteoarthritis (OA), along with hip dysplasia (DSC) and elbow dysplasia (CDC) are diseases commonly found in veterinary practice in pet animals. Due to the fact that these conditions persist throughout life, it degenerates rather than improve, so it is extremely important that these dogs be treated in osteoarticular algia in dogs. OA is also one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders in humans that has become a medical and financial problem. Moreover, an even bigger problem is treating people suffering from the side effects that appear as a consequence of pain therapy in OA. As a result, recommendations have been made to use more natural agents in modifying the effects of the disease in the management of human OA pain, to the detriment of much more commonly used non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). To this end, we are also investigating in college to find less harmful drugs and treatments to replace the long-term administration of NSAIDs or regenerative injections with corticosteroids, which today are still the best treatment options used, although they are not ideal because of the risk of side effects. This bibliographic report wishes to bring some valuable information to those interested.

The environmental risk analysis for veterinary medicinal products is an assessment of their possible evolution, exposures and effects and is structured according to the VICH GL6 (Phase I) and GL38 (Phase II) guides. The environmental risk assessment, an integral part of the veterinary medicinal product authorizations, interpreted and harmonized under the VICH guidelines, ensures the predictability and transparency of the results obtained. The route of distribution and the evolution in the environment are important factors for the concentration of the final exposure. The risk quotient (RQ) is defined as the ratio between the predicted environmental concentration (PEC) and the predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC). The risk quotients indicate the likelihood of adverse effects occurring. For the determination of PECs, soil, water, sediment, environmental exposure for the product, its active substances and other ingredients is considered, taking into account target species, mode of administration, and physicochemical characteristics. Calculation of the predicted active substance concentration in the soil (PECsol) is based on the total residue approach. The calculation of the concentration of the active substance in groundwater (PECgroundwater) is based on the solid sorption equilibrium approach, modeled by the organic water-carbon distribution coefficient (Koc). The predicted concentration of the active substance in surface water (PEC surface water) is considered to be 1/3 of the groundwater concentration and in the sediment is calculated according to the sediment-water partition coefficient (Ksed-water). The paper presents an algorithm for calculating predictable concentrations for environmental factors: soil, water, sediment required for environmental risk assessment of veterinary medicinal products. Based on this calculation algorithm, a specialized interactive software has been developed to allow rapid and convenient determination of predictable PEC concentrations for environmental factors: soil, water, sediment for veterinary medicinal products. It is a very useful tool for environmental risk assessment specialists.

In recent years, tarantulas have become increasingly popular in terrariums because they are easy to maintain, do not require much space and because of their beauty. Venom from spiders, snakes, fish, snails and scorpions contain an advanced pharmacopoeia of natural toxins that target membrane receptors and ion channels to produce shock, paralysis, pain or death. Tarantula venoms represent one of the largest collections of chemical compound combinations in the world. They have been developed selectively to ultimately generate some extremely powerful, selective bioactive structures that have undergone a natural optimization process through millions of years of natural selection. The study of various types of venom has become, in recent years, a priority for medical sciences and biology. In this sense, veterinarians are called to know the tarantula as beings, their way of life, feeding, breeding, as well as how to obtain, preserve, analyze and use. The work brings information about the life of tarantula, the way of contention and especially about how to harvest and store the venom from this species.

This report is based on scientific studies from the last decade, books, experts’ oppinions and based on personal experience. Of course, as part of a process of continuous updating, this view must be regularly adjusted to the latest scientific knowledge gained on this topic. Are provided Important information about the: conditions that cause the antibiotic resistance; types of resistance and mechanisms, resistance installation phases, are analyzed the trends in resistance, economic, social and development of the phenomenon, the importance of the waiting period to drugs or measures recommended for resistance combating.

An up-to-date presentation is made of the evolution and achievements of the journal Medicul Veterinar / Veterinary drug, 15 years after the continuous publication in the landscape of specialized works.

The present study was undertaken to investigate the presence of Salmonella spp. in the faeces of client-owned cats in urban areas and to evaluate the risk that is posed to public health. Fresh faecal samples were collected directly from the rectums from 53 diarrhoeic and 32 non-diarrhoeic cats. The samples were individually screened for the presence of Salmonella spp. using standard methods and, in the case of positive findings, the resulting typical colonies were then biochemically confirmed using the VITEK®2 automated system. Subsequently, all of the Salmonella spp. isolates were molecularly tested for the presence of the invA gene. All of the isolates were serotyped using the slide agglutination technique according to the White–Kauffmann–Le Minor scheme. The phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility profile of the isolated strains was obtained from the VITEK®2 system using specific cards from the Gram-negative bacteria. A total of 16 of the samples (18.82%) tested positive for Salmonella spp. according to conventional and molecular testing methods. Serotyping of the Salmonella isolates showed the presence of three serotypes, namely S. enteritidis (n = 9; 56.3%), S. typhimurium (n = 4; 25%), and S. kentucky (n = 3; 18.8%). All of the tested strains showed strong resistance towards cefazolin, cefepime, ceftazidime, and ceftriaxone. Additionally, resistance (listed in descending order of strength) was observed to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (11/16; 68.8%), ampicillin (10/16; 62.5%), ampicillin/sulbactam (9/16; 56.3%), gentamicin (9/16; 56.3%), nitrofurantoin (8/16; 50.0%), and amikacin (5/16; 31.3%). No resistance was expressed against ciprofloxacin, ertapenem, imipenem, levofloxacin, piperacillin/tazobactam, and tobramycin. The results of this study highlight a substantial public health issue and medical concern, especially in vulnerable people, such as children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals.

Treating infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa is increasingly difficult due to high antibiotic resistance, materialized through the presence of multiple resistance strains, as well as due to rapid development of resistance throughout treatment. The present survey was conducted to investigate the antibiotic susceptibility profile of Pseudomonas aeruginosa pathogens in two University Veterinary hospitals from different geographical regions of Romania (i.e., Southwest Timișoara county and Northeast Iași county) involved in superficial canine infections. A total of 142 swab specimens were collected from dogs with superficial infections (superficial skin infections, otitis externa, and perianal abscess) to assess the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, based on phenotypic and molecular characterization. According to their confirmed morphological and molecular features, 58 samples (40.84%; 58/142) were positive for Pseudomonas aeruginosa (according to their confirmed morphological and molecular features). Antibiotic susceptibility testing for 12 antibiotics was conducted using the Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method. Drug resistance was observed in the case of all tested antibiotics. The susceptibility rate of P. aeruginosa strains that were tested in this study was in the following order: ceftazidime (53.44%; 31/58), followed by aztreonam (51.72%; 30/58), amikacin (44.82%; 26/58), azithromycin (41.37%; 24/58), gentamicin (37.93%; 22/58), cefepime (36.20%; 21/58), meropenem (25.86%; 13/58), piperacillin-tazobactam (25.86%; 13/58), imipenem (22.41%; 13/158), ciprofloxacin (17.24%; 10/58), tobramycin (8.62; 5/58), and polymyxin B (1.72; 1/58). The results highlight the importance of antibiotic susceptibility testing in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from dogs with superficial infections to use an adequate treatment plan to manage the skin condition and other pathologies (otitis externa and perianal abscesses).

The purpose of determining serum cortisol level is to reflect the activity of stress axis, ethological alterations, acute and chronic pain, life quality, or psychogenic stress. Although it is stated that stress can produce a measurable influence on the cortisol level, a certified value of this pain biomarker in dogs was not generally accepted yet. This study aimed to investigate if serum cortisol measured follows allopathic treatments only, or it is associated with physiotherapy, point out pain level in dogs with orthopedic disease, which could reveal the healing progress. The diagnostic identified: hip dysplasia, cranial cruciate ligament rupture, or intervertebral disc disease. Ortolani and Barden tests, together with clinical examination, drawer sign, and tibia compression test, were done in dogs exhibiting postures, and motion alteration, and X-Ray confirmed. A total of 30 dogs were grouped in healthy (n = 10) and pain groups (n = 20), the blood sampling is done at the beginning of the investigation, and after ten days of the study. Dogs were handled in two ways: G1—treated with Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) only and respectively, G2—by therapy and physiotherapy. The analysis was performed on a Roche Cobas Analyzer (Roche, USA), serum cortisol being determined by Electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA), and statistics using ANOVA, following Tukey’s Multiple Comparison Test. The results revealed that, out of ten specimens in the Control group, nine were within the normal limits: 5–65 ng × mL−1 (24.76 ± 19.48678), and one sample under the set limit. In G1, it was observed that the plasmatic P1 values were below the levels of P2, in six situations. In G2, although the status of all subjects improved radically with the removal or evident reduction of pain, confirmed clinically and imagistically, the P2 values in five dogs were higher than the initial P1 values, and in contradiction with the observed clinical reality. Comparing results, the mean difference in G1 was 0.41, and in G2 = 2.54, with an SD for G1 = 13.38, and G2 = 16.66, registering moderate development. Standard deviation illustrated that the values of treated groups were highly spread throughout the interval, and the serum cortisol assay did not generate significant statistical differences between groups in our case. This inferred the doubt whether the used detection method or values registered correctly indicates the pain levels in dog species.

Soil and water ecotoxicity is one of the major concerns with important implications for human and animal life’s quality. Consequently, there were appeared many methods to determine the level of environmental pollution, which in the last decade have seen a tremendous development, with the implementation of European and national legislations. The present review is intended to familiarize readers with some indicators of water pollution and soil testing; testing that zebra fish and earthworm bodies recognized as viable and sensitive indicators of pollution.It describes the testing methodology known: acute and chronic toxicity on fish; determining pollution by using earthworms (OECD Protocol 207). In addition, analytical methodology chapter establishing eco-toxicity is summarized soil and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and applications in determining the degree of environmental pollution, and the last chapter is presented legislation manure management in the EU and Romanian legislation related.

Instructions for aurhors section

The time elapsed since the establishment of the Medicamentul Veterinar / Veterinary Drug Journal has so far, revealed that the efforts made by the editorial staff have been inspired, as a result of his passion and work. This is why the Journal will continue its journalistic activity in the field of veterinary and zoo-technical sciences. The year 2018 is assessed with the main achievements and failures of the Veterinary Medicine / Veterinary Drug Magazine as well as the guidelines for the next period.

In memoriam

The impact of exogenic testosterone (T): 1.5 and 3.0 mg/kg.bw) and 19-nortestosterone 17-decanoate (ND): 1.5 and 7.5 mg/kg.bw) in castrated male rats was evaluated based on: (a) weight increase of the androgen target tissues, respecting the Hershberger methodology; (b) the 17α and β-testosterone, 17 α and β-estradiol and 17 α and β-nortestosterone levels using the GC-MS/MS technique; and (c) observation of the serum free thyroxine levels (T4). Results revealed that T and ND significantly increased the weight of androgen target tissues as follows: ND was more influential on seminal vesicles, levator ani-bulbocavernosus muscle (LABC) and Cowper's glands and T (at a dose of 3.0 mg/kg.bw) influenced the weight of the ventral prostate and glans penis. Serum samples analyzed for steroid hormone levels showed the presence of 17β-testosterone, 17β-estradiol and 17β-nor-testosterone, in castrated male rats injected with testosterone and nortestosterone, but no significant differences were found between thyroid responses and thyroid hormone levels. The results of this research proved the disrupting activity of T and ND when administered in high doses and the useful application of the Hershberger bioassay in the case of ND.