Trypanosoma evansi, the agent of surra, is a salivarian trypanosome, originating from Africa. Surra is a major disease in camels, equines and dogs, in which it can often be fatal in the absence of treatment. Animals exhibit nonspecific clinical signs (anaemia, loss of weight and abortion). In the present survey, a blood sample was collected in Sousse (Central Tunisia) from a dog that presented clinical signs of trypanosomiasis. Giemsa-stained blood smears and PCR were performed. ITS1 sequences from blood had 99.8 and 99.5% homology with published T. evansi sequences from cattle and camels, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first report of T. evansi in a Tunisian dog.

During the period from 2014 to 2017, a retrospective study on pesticide poisoning in domestic animals and livestock was compiled and then analyzed. A total of 71 pesticide analyses have been submitted to the Pharmacy and Toxicology Laboratory of the School of Veterinary Medicine of Sidi Thabet in Tunisia. All the cases were first referred either through the clinical and/or pathological departments of the Veterinary School, the private and/or governmental veterinarians or directly by the pet owners. Among the total number of the suspected samples, 21 (29.6%) cases were found positive for various kinds of pesticides. Carbamate insecticides were the most frequently implicated pesticide (52.4% of the total positive cases), followed by organophosphate insecticides (19%), then rodenticides-anticoagulants and rodenticides non-anticoagulants (14.3% each). Therefore, carbamates and organophosphates are the most implicated group of pesticides in intoxications (71.4%). Among the 21 positive cases were 11 dogs, 4 cats, 3 poultry, 2 ruminants, and 1 case of bee poisoning. Partition chromatography (HPLC) has been used to characterize the incriminated pesticides. The aim of this survey was to determine incidence and characteristics of pesticide poisoning in domestic and farm animals in Tunisia. The reported results are useful for epidemiological cartography and medical management of intoxicated animals.

Giant fennel ( Ferula communis L) toxicity has been commonly reported in different species, especially sheep, cattle, pig, horse and human but not in goat. A herd of 30 Damascus goats grazed during two days an area where F communis was very abundant. One week later, most animals presented clinical signs with locomotor disorders, anorexia and fever. Diagnosis of the intoxication was based on haematological parameters, toxicology research, necropsy and botanical investigation. Two goats survived following a treatment with vitamin K ₁ . A total of 13 animals died of which most were young. The present study is the first report providing information about F communis intoxication in goat.

Anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) are important tools for controlling rodent pests, but they also pose a health threat to non-target species. ARs are one of the most common causes of pet poisoning. However, exposure of domestic animals to subclinical doses of ARs is poorly documented. To study the random exposure of dogs and cats to ARs, feces from animals showing no clinical signs of rodenticide poisoning were collected from a network of French and Belgian veterinarians. We analyzed fresh feces from 304 dogs and 289 cats by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. This study showed a limited prevalence of AR exposure in dogs and cats of 2.6 and 4.5% respectively. In both species, access to the outdoors is a risk factor for ARs exposure. In contrast, the sex of the animals did not affect the ARs exposure status. The observation of the ratio of cis and trans isomers suggested primary exposure in dogs, but also in some cats. While primary exposure in dogs appears to be related to the use of ARs as plant protection products, primary exposure in cats may be malicious, as warfarin, an anticoagulant formerly used as a rodenticide and now used only in humans, was found in 4 of 13 exposed cats. Secondary exposure may also occur in cats.Our study showed reduced exposure in dogs and cats, compared to wildlife, which often has high exposure, especially in areas where rodent control is important.