Background and Aim: Chronic wounds are a clinical problem and require intensive standard wound care. However, this is sometimes insufficient to promote healing. Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) can be used as an adjunctive therapy to improve wound healing. Various PBMT devices with different properties and parameter settings as well as different animal species can influence a variety of clinical outcomes. This study aims to assess the use of 830 nm PBMT or simultaneous superpulsed and multiple wavelengths (SPMW; 660, 875, and 905 nm) PBMT on chronic wounds in client-owned dogs. Materials and Methods: This study included 21 client-owned dogs with chronic wounds allocated into three groups: (1) Control group (C) treated with irrigated saline and without PBMT (n=7); (2) L1 group treated with irrigated saline together with the radiation of 830 nm PBMT (n=7); and (3) L2 group treated with irrigated saline together with the radiation of simultaneous SPMW-PBMT (n=7). Wound healing was assessed on the basis of wound size reduction as a percentage of wound area every 2nd day for 15 days using image analysis software (ImageJ software®, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA). Results: A significant difference in the percentage of wound area reduction was noted between the C and PBMT groups (L1 and L2; p<0.05). The average percentages of wound area reduction at the end of the study (15 days) were 42.39±20.58, 56.98±24.82, and 61.81±27.18 in the C, L1, and L2 groups, respectively. A steady decrease in wound size was noted in both PBMT and non-PBMT groups, and coefficients were 7.77, 8.95, and 10.01 in the C, L1, and L2 groups, respectively. The percentage of wound area reduction was found to be significantly different between the PBMT and non-BPMT groups on day 7 (p<0.05). Conclusion: Based on the results of the current study, using either 830 nm PBMT or simultaneous SPMW-PBMT can accelerate the chronic wound healing process in dogs with a significant reduction in wound area. Therefore, it can be used as an adjunctive therapy to improve wound healing in dogs with reduced treatment duration.

Background and Aim: Outbreaks of lumpy skin disease (LSD) have resulted in substantial economic losses to the dairy industry in Thailand. This study aimed to determine the influence of LSD outbreaks on monthly milk production levels. Materials and Methods: Milk production for dairy farms located in Khon Kaen Province, Thailand, belonging to the Khon Kaen Dairy Cooperative, was affected by LSD outbreaks from May to August of 2021. The resulting data were analyzed using general linear mixed models. Results: It was estimated that the LSD outbreak caused economic losses totaling 2,413,000 Thai Baht (68,943 USD) over the outbreak period. The monthly farm milk production level in May differed from the levels in June and August. Dairy farmers experienced losses between 8.23 and 9.96 tons of milk each month, which equated to between 4180 and 14,440 Thai Baht (119.43 and 412.57 USD) in monthly income. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that LSD outbreaks on dairy farms resulted in significant farm milk production losses. Our findings will increase awareness among authorities and stakeholders in the dairy industry of Thailand, as well as to assist in the prevention of future LSD outbreaks and minimize the negative impacts of LSD. Keywords: dairy, lumpy skin disease, milk production, outbreaks, Thailand.

Background and Aim: Recent studies have shown that low-intensity laser therapy (LILT) enhances chronic wound healing, reduces pain, reduces inflammation, and improves post-operative rehabilitation. However, clinical outcomes in the veterinary use of LILT vary between different experimental studies. This is explained by improper laser parameter settings and limits of its penetration depth. This study aimed to investigate the penetration depth of 830 nm LILT on living dog tissue in different operating modes. This entailed continuous wave (CW) versus pulse wave (PW) and with contact versus non-contact techniques of the laser probe at different tissue-laser probe distances. The results can be applied for use in clinical practice. Materials and Methods: Twenty-four dogs that had undergone abdominal surgery were included in this study. The laser parameters were set at 200 mW, fluence of 4 J/cm2 and the laser power output denoted as mean output power (MOP) was measured by a power meter. Results: The MOP of the 830 nm CW laser was significantly higher than the PW laser (p<0.05). The MOP of the contact technique was significantly greater than that of the non-contact technique in both CW and PW modes (p<0.05). The MOP through the skin tissue was between 16.09 and 18.60 mW (8.05-9.30%) for the contact technique and 8.73 and 19.36 mW (4.37-9.68%) for the non-contact technique. In the muscle-skin layer, the MOP was between 0.50 and 1.56 mW (0.25-0.78%) and the MOP was not detected using the non-contact technique with a 5 cm tissue-laser probe distance. Conclusion: Our study indicates that 830 nm LILT (with laser parameter setting at 200 mW, fluence of 4 J/cm2 for both contact and non-contact techniques, and tissue-laser probe distance up to 5 cm) was appropriate for treatments within 14 mm of depth. However, the use of 830 nm LILT for an application in which the target tissue is deeper than 14 mm may limit its positive effect.

Background and Aim: Cattle are the reservoir host of Coxiella burnetii, a causative agent of Q fever. Pooling herd-level prevalence data from individual studies would help determine the global prevalence of C. burnetii in cattle herds. This study aimed to estimate the global herd-level seroprevalence and molecular prevalence of C. burnetii in cattle, explore sources of heterogeneity, and determine trends and cumulative evidence of the pooled prevalence over time. Materials and Methods: Relevant studies were retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science and then screened for possible inclusion. A random-effects model was used for all meta-analyses. Subgroup meta-analysis and meta-regression were used to explore some sources of heterogeneity associated with the pooled prevalence and to determine the trends of C. burnetii in cattle herds over the study years (1961–2020). A cumulative meta-analysis was used to determine the cumulative evidence of the pooled prevalence over the publication years. Results: Of the 1541 citations, 86 studies with 38,057 cattle herds from 42 countries on six continents were included in the meta-analysis. The global herd-level seroprevalence of C. burnetii in cattle was estimated to be 44.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 37.9%–51.1%), with high heterogeneity among the included studies. The herd-level seroprevalence was significantly higher in dairy than in beef cattle herds (49.0% [95% CI: 41.9%–56.2%] vs. 14.5% [95% CI: 5.8%–32.1%], respectively). The global herd-level molecular prevalence of C. burnetii in cattle was estimated to be 32.3% (95% CI: 25.3%–40.01%), with high heterogeneity among the included studies. Herd-level molecular prevalence was significantly different among continents. The herd-level molecular prevalence ranged from 12.8% (95% CI: 7.1%–21.9%) in Asia to 70.0% (95% CI: 36.3%–90.5%) in North America. Regarding trends, the herd-level seroprevalence of C. burnetii in cattle did not change significantly over the study years. Conclusion: The global herd-level seroprevalence and herd-level molecular prevalence of C. burnetii in cattle were high, estimated at 44% and 32%, respectively. The herd-level seroprevalence trend did not significantly change over time. This result indicates that cattle remain a major reservoir host for C. burnetii and pose a potential risk to human health. Keywords: cattle, Coxiella burnetii, herd, prevalence, Q fever.

Background and Aim: The Apgar score is a useful assessment of neonatal viability in dogs. The Apgar score in puppies born by cesarean section can be lower than vaginal delivery because all anesthetic drugs can cross the placenta. Therefore, anesthetic drugs with minimal cardiorespiratory effect and rapid elimination are recommended for cesarean section. The present study aimed to compare Apgar scores in puppies born after the induction of etomidate, alfaxalone or propofol, and those maintained with isoflurane inhalation during cesarean section. Materials and Methods: Thirty-six bitches were equally divided in the three anesthetic drug groups. Modified Apgar scores were assessed at 5, 15, and 60 min after delivery. Intraoperative vital signs and Apgar scores were compared using a linear mixed model and adjusted pairwise comparisons using Bonferroni analysis. Results: A total of 125 puppies were included in this study. Age, body weight, litter size, type of surgery, delivery time, anesthetic and surgical duration, and intraoperative vital signs did not significantly differ between the groups. Puppies in the alfaxalone and propofol groups had significantly higher Apgar scores than the etomidate group in both elective and emergency surgery. In elective surgery, Apgar scores at 5 min after delivery did not differ significantly between groups. At 15 and 60 min after delivery, Apgar scores in the etomidate group were significantly lower than those in the other groups. In emergency surgery, Apgar scores were significantly lower in the etomidate group than in the alfaxalone group at all time points. Conclusion: Induction with alfaxalone and propofol resulted in better outcomes with higher Apgar scores and neonatal viability than etomidate. Therefore, alfaxalone and propofol should be used as anesthetic induction drugs in both elective and emergency cesarean sections. Keywords: anesthesia, Apgar, puppies, viability, vigorous.

Background and Aim: Toxoplasmosis is a zoonosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii. Cats are known to be the definitive hosts that can excrete these environmentally resistant oocysts. Other mammals, avians, and even humans can serve as the intermediate host. T. gondii infection is often asymptomatic in healthy individuals; however, it could result in serious health problems in immunocompromised and pregnant individuals. This study investigated the occurrence of T. gondii infection in cats in Khao Suan Kwang and Mueang Khon Kaen. Materials and Methods: In total, 100 serum samples from cats, that is, 62 owned cats (31 males and 31 females) and 38 adopted stray cats (21 males and 17 females), were examined for antibodies against T. gondii through rapid immunochromatographic tests (ICT). Owners were asked to sign a consent form and answer the questionnaires before sample collection. Demographic information about the cats and their owners was also recorded. Results: The overall seroprevalence of cats positive for T. gondii antibodies was found to be 5%. Notably, the Toxoplasma antibody prevalence was significantly higher in the adopted stray cats (10.53% [4/38]) that roamed the zoo than in the owned cats (1.61% [1/62]) (p > 0.05). No significant difference was observed between male (8.33%) and female (1.92%) cats. The cat owners' questionnaire revealed that more than half had never heard of toxoplasmosis before (67.7%), whereas 30.6% knew nothing about the disease transmission routes. Conclusion: This study presented a low seroprevalence of antibodies to T. gondii in owned cats from the Mueang Khon Kaen District, whereas high seroprevalence was detected in the adopted stray cats from Khao Suan Kwang. Adopted stray cats can have a higher potential for T. gondii infection; thus, they could be a source of toxoplasmosis transmission to humans. Therefore, it is essential to control the number of stray cats, and a screening test for antitoxoplasmosis could be recommended before adoption. Although the total seroprevalence was noted to be low, the zoonotic disease was present. Therefore, raising the community's awareness and knowledge might reduce the disease transmission from animals to humans.