Actinobacillus equuli was the cause of peritonitis in 5 horses. In 3 the onset was sudden with intestinal stasis and acute abdominal pain as predominant findings. Two others presented with chronic disease and weight loss. Characteristically the peritoneal fluid had a high nucleated cell count with non-degenerate neutrophils as the predominant cell type. Four horses were treated and recovered.

In this article, the normal kinetics, morphology and other unique characteristics of equine erythrocytes are reviewed, the influence of the spleen on erythrocyte values is discussed, and selected normal reference intervals are presented. In addition, the classification and causes of anemia and polycythemia are reviewed and the appropriate laboratory tests for accurate diagnosis are presented.

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Of 467 cat serums tested for antibody to feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) 120 (26%) were positive. The average age of positive cats was 7.5 years (range 1 to 16 years), and 67% were male. Of 110 serums collected in 1980, 27 (24.5%) were positive. A wide variety of clinical signs including oral cavity disease, anorexia, weight loss, lethargy, depression, fever, respiratory and urinary tract disease, conjunctivitis, abscesses, anaemia and lymphadenopathy were observed in the cats with serum antibody. There was often a history of chronic disease or recurrence of particular or various clinical signs in these cats. FIV was isolated from 4 of 8 FIV antibody positive cats by cocultivation of patient lymphocytes with donor lymphocytes in the presence of interleukin 2.

Abstract. An 8-year-old, male neutered Irish Setter was presented with a 2-week history of pain upon opening the mouth and chronic otitis externa. Computed tomography examination revealed destruction of the left tympanic bulla with a soft-tissue density within the remains of the tympanic cavity. Cytology of aspirates collected from tissue adjacent to the tympanic bulla revealed suppurative inflammation and bacteria. A ventral bulla osteotomy was performed. Histopathology of granulation tissue within the remains of the tympanic cavity was diagnostic of cholesterol granuloma.Key words: Cholesterol granuloma; computed tomography; dogs; histopathology; middle ear; otitis media.Cholesterol granuloma (CG) is a granulomatous lesion containing cholesterol crystals. 4 In humans, CG frequently develops in the middle ear or mastoid region. 3In the middle ear, CG is usually associated with chronic otitis media; however, it may also be associated with adenomatous tumors and endolymphatic sac tumors in this location. 4,13 Cholesterol granulomas have also been reported in the petrous apex, maxillary sinus, frontal sinus, orbit, breast, tunica vaginalis, peritoneum, brain, and kidney of humans. 4,7,9 In domestic animals, there are reports of CG in the brain of the horse, 8 the middle ear, the maxilla and brain of the dog, 2,10,12 and the uterus and brain of the cat. 5,14 This report describes a canine case of CG that is associated with otitis media and destruction of the tympanic bulla.An 8-year-old, 36.6-kg, male neutered Irish Setter was referred with a 2-week history of lethargy, anorexia, difficulty chewing, and pain upon opening the mouth. Additionally, there had been a 2-year history of intermittent otitis externa on the left. Physical examinations by the referring veterinarian in the 2 weeks prior to referral revealed pain and swelling in the left submandibular region, pain upon opening the mouth, and brown exudate in the left horizontal ear canal. A mixed population of bacterial cocci and rods were present on cytologic examination of the exudate. Treatment with oral meloxicam and cephalexin resulted in some clinical improvement, and the dog was referred for further evaluation.On examination at the University of Melbourne Veterinary Clinic and Hospital, there was discomfort upon opening the mouth; however, pain, swelling, atrophy, and asymmetry were not detected upon palpation of the head and masticatory muscles. The left horizontal external ear canal was narrowed and inflamed; a moderate volume of brown exudate in the canal prevented visualization of the tympanic membrane. The rectal temperature was normal, and the remainder of the physical examination was unremarkable. At this time, differential diagnoses for the pain upon opening the mouth included temporomandibular joint disease, masticatory myositis, otitis media, migrating foreign body, and retrobulbar disease.Results of a preanesthetic blood analysis were normal, and the dog was anesthetized for further diagnostic tests. Electromyography was performed on the tempo...