1 Author for correspondence

Key words: Mange, sheabutter, efficacy, rabbits, ivermectin.

Twenty-one does of white California breed of rabbit naturally infested with mange were used to evaluate the potency of sheabutter plus salt against scabies of rabbits. The animals were allotted into three treatments 1, 2 and 3 of seven animals each in a completely randomized arrangement. Group 1 was treated with sheabutter plus salt (every 100gm of sheabutter was mixed with 1gm of salt; 100:1) as a thin film over lesions at alternate days for 14 days. Group 2 was treated with ivermectin (IVOMEC^(R)) at a single dose rate of 0.5mg/kg body weight; while Group 3 was the untreated control. The initial and final geometric means of mite counts per cm² were 1.98 and 0.25 for Group 1 against 1.83 and 0 for Group 2. These gave approximate efficacy rating of 90.97% and 100% for treatments 1 and 2 respectively. The efficacy rating was not applicable in the untreated control because the geometric means of mite count continued to increase. The mean recovery response (MRR) of rabbits in Groups 1 and 2 were 3.00 and 4.00 respectively while there was no recovery response in the control. There were slight increases in weight gain per day in treated rabbits. It is concluded that sheabutter plus salt is effective against localized psoroptic mange infection in rabbits.

Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Key Words: Haematology, white Fulani cattle, Management, Intensive, Extensive.

*Author for correspondence

Abstract

Haematological values of the Nigerian white Fulani cattle under the intensive and extensive management systems were determined. The intensively reared cattle showed higher packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cell (RBC), white blood cell (WBC), eosinophil, lymphocyte, monocyte and neutrophil counts but lower erythrocyte osmotic fragility, mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) than those under extensive management. Both groups of cattle however had similar mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and haemoglobin (Hb) concentration.

1Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
²Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology,University of Ibadan, Ibadan Nigeria. ³Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Key words: Leptospirosis, serological survey, epidemiology, dogs.

This work presents serological reactions of vaccinated and unvaccinated dogs in Ibadan, Nigeria to eight leptospirtal serovars. The overall seroprevelence to leptospires was 16.7% while in unvaccinated dogs it was 14.4%. The following seroprevalences were obtained: L. canicola 27.5% L. grippotyphosa 25.5%, L. icterohaemorrhaiage 25.5% L. bratislava 13.7% L. ballum 7.8%. Significantly more vaccinated dogs, than unvaccinated dogs (P < 0.01) were seropositive. Similarly, more male than female dogs were seropositive (P < 0.05). There is need for further research, control strategies and public health awareness of this zoonosis as it is preferably better controlled in reservoir animals.

3 Author for correspondence

Haematological, plasma biochemical and whole blood electrolytes profiles were determined in normal live-captured and rehabilitated adult African grasscutter (Thryonomys swinderianus, Temminck). Data obtained did not show statistical evidence of sexual dimorphism in haematological, plasma and whole blood biochemical parameters of the cane rats, excepting plasma alanine transaminase (ALT) values which were very significantly higher (P < 0.001) in the males than in the females. The haematological plasma biochemical and whole blood clinical chemistry values observed from the African grasscutter (cane rat) were compared with the data reported in the same tropical environment in humans, wild and domestic mammalian species.

1Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, ²Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. University Of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

Key words: Trichuris, baboon, diarrhoea, emaciation, fatal.

A case of fatal trichuriosis in a captive baboon at the zoological garden of the university of Ibadan is reported. The baboon was diarrhoeic, emaciated and had severe haemorrhagic typhilitis. Large numbers of worms identified to be Trichuris trrichuria were found in the caecum. The pathological findings are discussed.

EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES ON HOOKWORM INFECTION: (V) EFFECT OF ANTHELMINTIC THERAPY ON THE LEVEL OF ACQUIRED RESISTANCE IN LOCAL DOGS

Department of Veterinary Medicicne, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

Key words : Anthelmintic therapy, Resistance, Hookworm, Dogs.

Effect of serial anthelmintic therapy on the level of acquired resistance induced by serial hookworm infection of local pups was studied. Typical clinical signs of ancylostomiosis developed earlier and were more severe in the single-treatment group at the primary infection phase than in the multiple—treatment where mild and completely abated in the infection and challenge phase respectively. Similarly, haematological, coprological, live weight and the necropsy worm burden data supported a higher resistance in the multiple-treatment group. This was attributable to the timely anthelmintic removal of the blood—sucking, bloodletting and egg-laying adult worms and the serial replenishment with the equally—immunizing, but non-sucking infective hookworm larvae. These results provided a good justification for the regular anthelmintic treatments of pups in order to boost their resistance to endemic hook worm infection.

Keywords: Coccidiosis, broilers, Lasalocid (Avatec)^R anticoccidial drugs, oocyst production, Eimeria acervulina.

The effect of Lasalocid Avetec^R at a concentration of 75ppm in the feed ration and other currently marketed anticoccidial drugs in Nigerian was studied by monitoring the coccidia, oocyst production in broiler chicken. Five anticoccidial drugs: Lasalocid, halofuginone, monensin, salinomycin, and amprolium were tested against a recently isolated species of Eimeria acervulina in a battery trial utilizing 6 week-old Arbor Acre broiler chickens. There were four replicates of five chickens per replicate for each treatment. Halofuginone offered the best protection against E. acervulina infection as judged by complete blockage of oocyst production followed by Lasalocid, which allowed passage of a few number of oocysts. The remaining anticoccidial drugs failed to give complete control against E. acervulina infection as judged by passage of an appreciable larger number of coccidial oocysts.

Key words: Surgical cases, Nigeria, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, 1985 — 1995.

Case files of out-patients at the University of Nigeria Veterinary Teaching Hospital were used to assess the distribution of surgical cases between January 1985 to December 1995. Five hundred and five operative and orthopaedic procedures were performed on 493 patients during this period. Canine patients accounted for 63% of all cases. Goats, sheep, and cats accounted for 24%, 3% and 2%, respectively. Cases involving species like rabbit, turkey, pig, monkey and gorilla accounted for 8%. Castration dominated all the cases with 54% while soft tissue procedures [excision of transmissible venereal tumour, oral papillomata, reduction of hernia, uterine prolapse, lancing of abscess] constituted 37% and reduction of bone fractures constituted 10%. Records showed that surgical cases decreased from year to year. Nearly all goats were castrated under one year, while caesarian sections in does were carried out between 1-3 years of age. The highest incidence of caesarian sections occurred between May and July of every year. The occurrence of TVT is not seasonal.