A retrospective survey was performed on the presenting conditions of 205 live grey seal pups (Halichoerus grypus) admitted to the Cornish Seal Sanctuary in Gweek, United Kingdom between May 2005 and March 2011. The purpose of the survey was to examine the prevalence of various presenting signs at the sanctuary. The presenting signs were classified into nine non-mutually exclusive categories: ocular disorders, nasal disorders, oral disorders, respiratory disorders, orthopaedic disorders, puncture wounds, abrasions, netting injuries, and onychia. The sex ratio of seal pups in this study was 1.35 males per female. Of the 205 examined for rehabilitation, 22 (10.73%) did not survive to release. 68.78% of grey seal pups presented with puncture wounds, 47.80% with respiratory disorders, 46.34% with ocular disorders, 42.63% malnourished, 36.59% with abrasions, 25.37% with oral disorders, 23.90% with nasal disorders, 11.71% with orthopaedic disorders, 9.27% with onychia, and 3.41% presented with netting injuries. 52% were normothermic, 42% were hyperthermic, and 5% were hypothermic. Associations between gender, outcome of rehabilitation, hospitalisation time and presenting disorders were examined. In addition, admissions rates were found to display seasonality. The results of this study will aid in future preparation of grey seal rehabilitation facilities.

A 4-yr-old male captive hooded seal (Cystophora cristata), previously diagnosed as hypothyroid, died after a 3-wk period of lethargy and inappetance despite treatment that included intramuscular administration of antibiotics and multivitamins. Gross pathologic findings included extensive muscle necrosis over the left flank, an underlying necrotic iliac lymph node, two necrotic pulmonary masses and a necrotic bronchial lymph node. Routine cultures yielded a number of bacterial isolates and a heavy pure fungal growth from the necrotic iliac lymph node; wet preparations of which revealed sporangiophores typical of Mucor sp. Histopathology of necrotic muscle, pulmonary lesions and bronchial and iliac lymph nodes revealed necrosis with a marked pyogranulomatous and eosinophilic inflammatory cell infiltrate and fungal hyphae consistent with a Zygomycete species. This is believed to be the first report of systemic mucormycosis in a pinniped likely to have originated from an injection site reaction.

Mycobacterial disease has been reported in both free-ranging and captive southern hemisphere pinnipeds in australasia, South america and europe. although isolates in cases published prior to 2001 had biochemical characteristics which suggested Mycobacterium bovis, genetic analyses revealed differences and cousins and others (2003) demonstrated that these isolates were phenotypically and genetically distinct from M bovis and belonged to a unique member of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, given the name Mycobacterium pinnipedii. M pinnipedii has since been isolated from other southern hemisphere pinnipeds, for example, Kriz and others (2011). this paper describes the isolation and identification of what is believed to be the first confirmed case of M bovis in a pinniped. it was isolated from a grey seal pup (Halichoerus grypus) undergoing rehabilitation.the seal was found on the south coast of cornwall in January 2012. it was estimated to be four months of age and weighed 26 kg. the seal was hospitalised in a facility which rehabilitated up to 50 grey seal pups a year and also held a variety of indigenous and nonindigenous pinniped species, otters, penguins, ponies, goats and sheep. on examination, the most significant findings were one 5 cm long open infected wound on the perineum, puncture wounds over both hocks and a tear in the webbing of the right hind flipper. a two-week course of amoxycillin/clavulanic acid was given (Noroclav, initially at 8.75 mg/kg intramuscular, then at 12.5 mg/kg orally, Norbrook, UK). the wounds healed, but due to persistent neutrophilia (initially 22.95×10 9 /l, increasing to 72.25×10 9 /l; reference range: 2-12×10 9 /l; barnett and robinson 2003) and failure to gain weight consistently, a two-week course of enrofloxacin (enrox, 5 mg/kg orally, Virbac, UK) and one injection of long-acting oxytetracycline (alamycin la, 20 mg/kg intramuscular, Norbrook, UK) were then given. over the next month, the seal developed granulomas on the fore and hind flippers consistent with parapoxvirus infection and a second injection of long-acting oxytetracycline was given to reduce the risk of secondary bacterial infection. two months after admission, a diffuse swelling was noticed on the caudal abdomen and ventral perineum. cellulitis was suspected and a one-week course of amoxycillin/clavulanic acid was administered, followed by amoxycillin/clavulanic acid with clindamycin (clinacin, 11 mg/kg orally, chanelle Vet UK, UK) due to the possibility of deep anaerobic infection. two weeks after the swelling was first noticed, the pup was sedated for radiographs to investigate possible osteomyelitis of the pelvis, but no evidence was found. at this time, inspissated pus was aggressively curetted through a surgical wound, which was flushed and left open to drain. the neutrophilia persisted (60.03×10 9 /l) and antibiotics were changed to enrofloxacin with clindamycin. two sequential swabs submitted from the wound for culture did not produce any significant bacterial growth on columbia blood agar and Macc...

Abberant thyroid nodules in the larynx are mentioned in standard textbooks (Price, 1941), but a study of the literature reveals that they are rare, and Joll (1932) in his book on diseases of the thyroid gland does not describe a British case. Aberrant thyroid tissue may be formed in three ways: (1) during the process of differentiation in the foetus small fragments of primitive thyroid may be enclosed in the respiratory tract (von Bruns, 1914); (2) the developing thyroid may penetrate the wall of the larynx or trachea at some weak spot and subsequently develop in the new site (Paltauf, 1891); and (3) it is claimed that aberrant tissues may be formed as the result of neoplastic invasion of low grade malignancy. Willis (1948) considers that " lateral aberrant thyroids " should be regarded as metastatic deposits, but does not comment on central or intratracheal thyroids. He does, however, make the significant point that in the lateral examples the corresponding thyroid lobe is enlarged. Although enlargement was present in the case to be described no proof of malignancy was found and a developmental anomaly was the probable cause. This theory of origin is supported by Meyer's (1910) case in an infant at an age when thyroid neoplasm is improbable. The first case recorded seems to be that of von Ziemssen, 1875 (quoted by Joll), in a woman 18 years old. (The majority of examples have been in women.) Dom's (1919) case in a man, which was associated with vocal cord paralysis and occurred after local removal, would seem to illustrate Willis's (1948) contention that at least some aberrant thyroids are in fact neoplastic. Godel (1921) published details of the case of a woman aged 39 in whom there was thyroid tissue inside the trachea joined to a hypertrophied thyroid outside the trachea. Maier (1922) collected 28 cases, and estimated that one out of every 15 intratracheal tumours are of thyroid origin. His patient had obstructive symptoms related to pregnancy. Bundschuh (1925) met with two instances, both in women; operation for removal undertaken on account of acute occlusion of the airway in pregnancy was successful. Vacher and Denis (1927) describe a woman who gave a six years' history of respiratory distress, worse in each of four successive pregnancies. In the fourth month of the last of these she sought advice. Laryngoscopy showed a submucous tumour below the larynx and, although the Wassermann test was negative, anti-syphilitic treatment was begun but was unsuccessful. It was followed by 20 exposures to deep x-ray therapy, but the copyright.

No abstract