An Official Outbreak Investigation of Acute Haemorrhagic Diarrhoea in Dogs in Norway Points to Providencia alcalifaciens as a Likely Cause

Jørgensen, Hannah Joan; Valheim, Mette; Sekse, Camilla; Bergsjø, Bjarne; Wisløff, Helene; Nørstebø, Simen Foyn; Skancke, Ellen; Lagesen, Karin; Haaland, Anita Haug; Rodriguez‐Campos, Sabrina; Sjurseth, Siri K.; Hofshagen, Merete; Jarp, J.; Tronerud, Ole-Herman; Johannessen, Gro S.; Heggelund, Monica; Rygg, Sasja; Christensen, Ellen Margrethe; Boye, Mette; Gjerset, Britt; Sandvik, Morten; Soltvedt, Eiril Moen; Wolff, Cecilia

doi:10.3390/ani11113201

Cited by 8 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 25 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…2 weeks after the video scoring, the students applied their QBA skills by scoring during direct observations of dogs in a local shelter. However, the shelter was subsequently closed for intake of new dogs due to an outbreak of acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea of dogs in Norway [14]. For biosecurity reasons, the scoring sessions could therefore not continue.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Can shelter dog observers score behavioural expressions consistently over time?

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

A substantial number of dogs live in animal shelters worldwide. Stressors within the shelter environment can compromise their welfare, and scientific evaluations of feasible welfare assessment methods are therefore needed. Qualitative Behaviour Assessment (QBA) is a “whole-animal” approach used to assess welfare by observing animals’ expressive behaviour. To investigate whether observers can score dogs’ behavioural expressions consistently over time, this study replicated and extended previous research, by evaluating intra- and inter-observer reliability of QBA based on video recordings of shelter dogs. In Part I, nine veterinary nurse students received theoretical and practical training, and then scored 12 2 min video recordings of shelter dogs using a fixed list of behavioural descriptors. Three of the students undertook further practice and calibration using direct observations of dog behaviour in a local shelter. In Part II, the videos from Part I were scored by these three observers a second time, 15 months later. QBA data were analysed using principal component analysis (PCA), and reliability was assessed using Kendall’s coefficient of concordance (W). In Part I, the inter-observer reliability was high for both components (0.78 for PC1 and 0.85 for PC2). In Part II, the inter-observer reliability was very high and moderate for PC1 and PC2, respectively (0.90 for PC1 and 0.65 for PC2). The intra-observer reliability was high for both components (W ≥ 0.86). Our results indicate that the fixed list of behavioural descriptors for shelter dogs can be used reliably when assessing videos, and that observers can score dogs’ behavioural expressions consistently after a break of 15 months following the initial assessment. Nevertheless, the reduction in inter-observer-reliability of PC2 in Part II can indicate that some retraining and calibration may be required to avoid observer drift.

show abstract

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Can shelter dog observers score behavioural expressions consistently over time?

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Providencia alcalifaciens has been associated with a recent outbreak of AHDS in Norway affecting over 50 dogs with a significant number of deaths (Jorgensen and others 2021). Previously, it had only been reported very rarely (Mohr and others 2002).…”

Section: Putative Causesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dealing with haemorrhagic diarrhoea in dogs

Hall

2023

In Practice

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Canine acute diarrhoea is a common presentation in small animal practice, but most cases are self‐limiting and require no treatment except correction of any dehydration. However, the presence of bloody diarrhoea indicates the condition is more severe and may require diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. The syndrome haemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE) has been renamed as acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome (AHDS), but its cause is still debated, and indeed there are numerous potential causes of haemorrhagic diarrhoea other than the idiopathic HGE/AHDS syndrome.Aim of the article: This article will explore the potential causes and the treatment of haemorrhagic diarrhoea and the emerging evidence that antimicrobials are not necessarily indicated.

show abstract

“…In the autumn of 2019, there was an outbreak of acute hemorrhagic diarrhea syndrome in dogs in Norway. Providencia alcalifaciens was identified as a possible cause of the outbreak ( 1 ). To determine whether P. alcalifaciens could stem from a common source, isolates from diseased dogs were sequenced.…”

Section: Announcementmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To determine whether P. alcalifaciens could stem from a common source, isolates from diseased dogs were sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that several isolates clustered closely together, thus suggesting a common origin ( 1 ). P. alcalifaciens has previously been associated with cases of enteritis in dogs ( 2 , 3 ), but a possible role of this pathogen in causing acute hemorrhagic diarrhea in dogs is not well documented.…”

Section: Announcementmentioning

confidence: 99%