One Health

Question 1

Describe meat inspection of the alimentary tract.

Answer 1

• Mostly very simple, involving inspection and occasional cutting into lymph nodes
• Further investigation where applicable
• Inspection of liver is more extensive to check for parasites and general conditions
• Spleen – important source of bacteriological investigation
• Kidneys filter the bloodstream so are an important indicator of generalised conditions

Question 2

What are the stages of a systematic assessment in meat inspection?

Answer 2

1. Species
2. Specimen
3. Problem
4. Problems for human and animal health

Question 3

What basic topography differentiates bovine, ovine and porcine GI tracts?

Answer 3

Bovine – green/yellow mesenteric fat. Serosa seems to be smooth, lucid and transparent. Spleen is thin and elongated with a wide transversal section. Kidneys are visibly lobulated. The liver is a rounded shape.

Ovine – small spleen with a palm hand shape. Kidneys are small with a been shape. The liver has a long and pointed caudate lobe.

Porcine – pale layer colour. Spleen is long and thin with a narrow transversal section. The kidneys are flattened and elongated. Liver has 56 lobules/Moroccan leather appearance and a visible lobulation pattern.

Question 4

What is peritonitis of the large intestine?

Answer 4

Indicates an inflammatory process of the serosa present in the abdominal cavity/peritoneum. Can be parietal or visceral. The visceral peritoneum has lost its typical transparent, smooth, lucid aspect. Red features on surface is fibrinous material developed as a result if the inflammatory process.

Question 5

What is severe peritonitis?

Answer 5

Serious and well established inflammatory process. There is a widespread visceral and parietal peritonitis, formation of purulent and necrotic material.

Question 6

What is enteritis?

Answer 6

Most likely to be haemorrhagic enteritis, an inflammatory process of the intestine. Regional lymph nodes are also usually enlarged and haemorrhagic.

Question 7

What is bovine TB?

Answer 7

Bovine mesenteric lymph nodes and bovine liver showing lesions, most likely to be tubercular nodules. The distribution of lesions is what determines at the abattoir whether the whole carcass is discarded. This is zoonotic.

Question 8

What is caseous lymphadenitis?

Answer 8

Ovine mesenteric lymph nodes shown and ovine liver with lesions indicative of caseous lymphadenitis, caused by bacterium that mainly infects sheep and develops in the lymphatic system. Lymph nodes are usually enlarged. Lesions usually have an onion like appearance and have concentric layers. Zoonotic so whole carcass is usually discarded.

Question 9

What is liver fluke?

Answer 9

A trematode with a complex life cycle in the both the environment and animals. Fluke usually in the bile ducts, causing an immune response known as cholangitis. Parasites area typical leaf shape. Can cause huge economic losses due to poor animal production. So farmers are interested in feedback from the abattoir so they can correct this problem.

Question 10

What is a liver tapeworm?

Answer 10

in its intermediate stage is hosted by ruminants. Hydatid cysts present in several organs. If eaten by the dog, it will develop into the final form called echinococcus granuloses. This is a health risk, as if we are in the vicinity of a shedding animal, we could act as an intermediate host and we may develop the same lesions on our lungs. Unfortunately, the lesions take a lot of time to develop, meaning a long incubation period before symptoms get shown.

Question 11

What is rumen fluke?

Answer 11

A ruminant parasite usually found in the rumen or reticulum. It has a chronicle, maggot-like appearance. Attached to the ruminal-reticular epithelium on which they feed. Cattle appears to tolerate large numbers of outward flux. These are usually found in organic animals.

Question 12

What is nermatodes/milk spot liver?

Answer 12

Clear division of different lobes and lobulation is visible. The multifocal round lesions are known as white/milk spots and are caused by the migration of the larvae. More commonly found in pigs. Life cycle completed within the animal. After migration, adulst reproduce in the small intestine.

Question 13

What are spleen abscesses?

Answer 13

Due to the lymphatic properties of the spleen, it must be determined whether the presence of abscesses is due to contact spread or via the bloodstream, which determines whether you then check the abdominal cavity or the kidneys respectively.

Question 14

What can cause spleen enlargement?

Answer 14

Splenomegaly:

• Leukaemia
• Anthrax
• Septicaemia
• Torsion
• Red water fever
• Abscesses, slaughter spleen or haematoma).

Question 15

What are hepatic abscesses?

Answer 15

Bovine liver displaying a prominent abscess, usually caused by bacteria from the rumen. High concentrate/sugar diets tend to cause ruminal acidosis, which can promote the growth of pathogenic bacteria, which can then flow through the blood to the liver to form abscesses.

Question 16

What is actinomycosis?

Answer 16

Usually found in the bovine mandible. Bacterium usually penetrates through an open wound in the mouth. Abscesses form and cause honey comb appearance, animals can lose teeth and eating becomes difficult and painful.

Question 17

What is hydronephrosis?

Answer 17

Blockage of one or both ureters, preventing urine draining to the bladder. Retained fluid and increased hydrostatic pressure lead to destruction and atrophy of the kidney tissue. Usually unilateral.

Question 18

What is pyelonephritis?

Answer 18

Abscesses or pus formation can develop when pyrogenic organism localised in the kidneys via the bloodstream or bladder infection spread to kidneys. Examine the rest of the carcass for systemic infection.

Question 19

What are petechial haemorrhages?

Answer 19

Can be derived from a genralised condition such as septicaemia where there is presence of multiplication of organisms in the bloodstream.

• Ulcers in ileo-caecal valve
• Rash
• Evidence of pneumonia
• Strawberry coloured lymph nodes
• Infarcts in spleen
• Necrotic patches on skin
• Stick marks and tattoos appear black

Question 20

Why can spleen size have variation post-mortem?

Answer 20

Due to the use of barbiturate anesthesia, which can cause increased blood pooling in the spleen.

In greyhounds, due to low body fat, lipophilic compounds like barbiturates are not absorbed as effectively. Causing increased serum concentrates of the drug, splenic engorgement and subsequent toxicity.