Occipital condylar dysplasia in a Jacob lamb (Ovis aries)
Journal Title: Open Veterinary Journal - Year 2017, Vol 7, Issue 2
Abstract
Jacob sheep (Ovis aries) are a pedigree breed known for their “polycerate†(multihorned) phenotype. We describe a four-horned Jacob lamb that exhibited progressive congenital hindlimb ataxia and paresis, and was euthanased four weeks post-partum. Necropsy and CT-scan revealed deformity and asymmetry of the occipital condyles, causing narrowing of the foramen magnum and spinal cord compression. Histopathology demonstrated Wallerian degeneration of the cervical spinal cord at the level of the foramen magnum. These findings are consistent with occipital condylar dysplasia. This condition has been infrequently reported in the literature as a suspected heritable disease of polycerate Jacob sheep in the USA, and is assumed to arise during selection for the polycerate trait. This is the first reported case in European-bred Jacob sheep. Occipital condylar dysplasia should be considered as a differential diagnosis in polycerate Jacob lambs showing ataxia. It is important to raise awareness of this disease due to its suspected heritability and link to the popular polycerate trait.
Authors and Affiliations
Alison M. Lee| School of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Science Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland, Nicola F. Fletcher| School of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Science Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland, Conor Rowan | School of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Science Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland, Hanne Jahns| School of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Science Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP9417
- DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ovj.v7i2.8
- Views 358
- Downloads 23
Cryptosporidium varanii infection in leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) in Argentina
Cryptosporidiosis is observed in reptiles with high morbidity and considerable mortality. The objective of this study was to achieve the molecular identification of Cryptosporidium spp. in pet leopard geckos (Eublephari...
A case of advanced second-degree atrioventricular block in a ferret secondary to lymphoma
A female ferret was referred as an emergency for severe respiratory distress symptoms. At presentation, the patient was listlessness, dyspnoeic, and hyper-responsive. The clinical examination evidenced dyspnea with cyan...
Assessment of reproductive and growth performances of pig breeds in the peri-urban area of Douala (Equatorial Zone)
The aim of this study was to evaluate the reproductive and growth performances of pig breeds in Douala, Cameroon. The reproductive performance of gilts and multiparous sows (38 per group) from 8 selected farms were moni...
Multilobular tumor of the zygomatic bone in a dog
Multilobular tumor of bone (MTB) (also known as Multilobular Osteochondrosarcoma) is an uncommon bone tumor frequently located on the skull of dogs, rarely on the ribs or pelvis. These neoplasms are slow growing, local...
Isolation and molecular identification of Vibrio spp. by sequencing of 16S rDNA from seafood, meat and meat products in Libya
The genus Vibrio includes several food-borne pathogens that cause a spectrum of clinical conditions including septicemia, cholera and milder forms of gastroenteritis. Several Vibrio spp. are commonly associated with foo...