Andres Montesinos

Independent Researcher

This article describes the use of transcranial ultrasound for confirmation of intracranial neoplasia in two pet rats. The diagnosis was confirmed by means of a contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan in one case, and postmortem examination and histopathol-ogy in the other. Pituitary adenoma is a common condition in rats and, until now, advanced...

En esta segunda parte del estudio retrospectivo que evalúa las causas de morbilidad y mortalidad en 131 anfibios remitidos para estudio histopatológico, se incluyen las enfermedades metabólicas, de depósito, nutricionales, de manejo, neoplásicas y del desarrollo. Destacan la mineralización de tejidos blandos (19/131; 14,5%), incluidos 2 casos de ca...

The diagnosis and treatment of respiratory disease in pet guinea pigs, chinchillas, and degus still face profoundly serious challenges owing to their relatively small size, conspicuous clinical signs, difficulty for sampling, and insufficient scientific evidence to correlate signs and particular pathologies. This article is intended to summarize th...

Fungal disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in avian species; thus, antifungals are the treatment of choice. Despite widely used in clinical practice, terbinafine pharmacokinetic studies are scarce in literature and only cover some avian families, with marked differences between them. This study evaluates the pharmacokinetic behaviou...

Simple Summary: Amphibians are of critical importance among vertebrates. They play a critical role in their ecosystems, are commonly used as environmental health indicators and are also considered as exotic pets throughout the world. Among amphibians, many anuran species are included in active conservation programs as they are listed as endangered...

Early diagnosis of kidney diseases in avian species is limited. Endogenous markers currently used in avian practice are not sensitive enough to identify early kidney failure. Consequently, alternative markers should be evaluated. To be able to evaluate these alternative markers, an accurate marker to estimate the GFR should be validated. This study...

Two pet rabbits were presented with an acute decrease in appetite and activity. Rabbit 1 showed severe hypothermia, bradycardia, arrhythmias, a heart murmur, dyspnea, occlusion of the nares with secretions, icterus, dehydration, and gaseous gastrointestinal dilation. The urine was dark yellow. Rabbit 2 was overweight, apathetic, and dehydrated; thi...

OBJECTIVE To determine the pharmacokinetics of meloxicam in African grey parrots ( Psittacus erithacus ) during administration of multiple doses. ANIMALS 6 healthy African grey parrots. PROCEDURES Meloxicam was administered at each of 3 dosages (1 mg/kg, IM, q 24 h, for 7 days; 1 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h, for 12 days; and 1.6 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h, for 7 days...

This is a retrospective study of 6 cases of spontaneous chondrosarcoma in pet guinea pigs, with a predilection for flat bones and evidence of metastatic disease in three of the patients. Guinea pigs appear to be affected with chondrosarcomas in other exotic mammals, in which this neoplasm is very rare.

Meloxicam is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug commonly used in avian species. In this study, the pharmacokinetic parameters for meloxicam were determined following single intravenous (i.v.), intramuscular (i.m.) and oral (p.o.) administrations of the drug (1 mg/kg·b.w.) in adult African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus; n = 6). Serial plasma...

To date, descriptions of pathologic conditions of the seminal vesicle in rabbits are scarce and limited to the laboratory animals in experimental conditions. The present article describes three cases of strangury, abdominal pain, and anorexia associated with seminal vesiculitis in pet rabbits. Three non-neutered male pet rabbits aged 3.6, 1.5, and...

Two cases of renal klossiellosis were diagnosed by histopathology in pet sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps). In both cases, parasites were associated with tubular dilation and mild interstitial nephritis. Rare schizonts were seen in the proximal convoluted renal tubular epithelium, whereas all other life cycle stageswere found within distal convolu...

Background: The clinical relevance of plasmatic L-lactate concentration (PLLC) is unknown in rabbits. Due to an entirely different metabolism of lactic acid, PLLC in rabbits can reach much higher concentrations than in other species. Objectives: The aim of this study was to establish a reference interval (95% RI) for venous PLLC in pet rabbits a...

In this study we evaluated the effects of meloxicam administered at 0.5 mg/kg IM q12h for 14 days on hematologic and plasma biochemical values and on kidney tissue in 11 healthy African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus). Before treatment with meloxicam, blood samples were collected and renal biopsy samples were obtained from the cranial portion of...

This article describes the clinical signs, laboratory findings and clinical management in two pet miniature pigs presenting with acute neurological signs due to sodium ion and water intoxication syndrome. Both animals suffered from chronic water deprivation until they had access to water and were allowed to drink freely. Particularities of the ther...

Prevalence of hyponatraemia has not been extensively studied in pet rabbits, and the reference data for calculated plasma tonicity and osmolarity are not available. This retrospective clinical study reports the prevalence of hyponatraemia, hyposmolarity and hypotonicity in ill pet rabbits (n=356). The relationship between sodium and glucose levels...

The i-STAT PCA can be used as a blood analyzer in critical avian patients, although single values must be interpreted carefully. The study of the acid-base status in companion birds is still in its infancy. Further research is needed to establish normal reference values in arterial blood gases, compare them with venous blood gas, and to determine i...

This article outlines a practical approach for the use of blood-gas analysis in pet rabbits using the I-STAT analyzer. Sampling techniques and a theoretic approach to diagnosis are described. The following 95% RI were obtained from venous samples of 45 healthy rabbits: pH (7.245-7.533), PCO(2) (28.9-52.9 mm Hg), HCO(3) (17.0-32.5 mmol/L), total CO(...

A multidisciplinary team of university teachers, in collaboration with veterinary clinicians working in private institutions, are developing a series of interactive CDs to support teaching in Anatomy of Exotic Animals. The aim is to provide students with a material which fosters the applied sense of Anatomy, its close relationship with the Clinic,...

Six African grey parrots (Psittacus e erithacus) were diagnosed with cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure based on gross and microscopic findings. Ages ranged from 15 days to 8 years, and 5 of 6 parrots were either neonates or juveniles at the time of diagnosis. Two neonates and 2 juveniles came from the same breeding aviary; the 2 juveniles...

Exotic animal emergencies are attend frequently in small animal practices. Although primary clinical care is similar in both groups of patients, some particular distinctions in the physiology and management of those exotic species must be taken into account when attending emergency cases. Minimal requirements to attend rabbits, psittacines and rept...

From 2002 to 2007, 23 ferrets from Europe and the United States were diagnosed with systemic pyogranulomatous inflammation resembling feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). The average age at the time of diagnosis was 11 months. The disease was progressive in all cases, and average duration of clinical illness was 67 days. Common clinical findings we...

Five callitrichids (three common marmosets -Callithrix jacchus -, a black tufted-eared marmoset -C. penicillata-, and a saddle-back tamarin -Saguinus fuscicollis) were diagnosed with islet hyperplasia by histopathology and immunohistochemistry. All were privately-owned, unrelated callitrichids ranging from 2- to 4-year-old. Relevant findings were a...

Hemograms and plasma chemistry values are presented for six male and six female, adult, clinically normal, captive Spanish imperial eagles (Aquila adalberti). No value was substantially different from that which might be predicted on the basis of work in other related species. This data should prove useful for the interpretation of laboratory findi...

Causes of death and morbidity are reported for 13 free-living great bustards (Otis tarda) from Spain. The main mortality cause for the adult birds and two juveniles was collision with power lines or fences. One wild adult bustard died of Aspergillus fumigatus generalised infection. Other causes of death for juveniles were predation, septicemia, par...

Protein electrophoresis, hematological and cholinesterase values were determined in 32 nestling free-living peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) (15- to 27-days-old) in order to establish normal reference values for this population. The following values (mean +/- SD) were observed: prealbumin 0.31 +/- 0.04 g/dl, albumin 1.25 +/- 0.06 g/dl, alpha1 a...

Protein electrophoresis, hematological and cholinesterase values were determined in 32 nestling free-living peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) (15-to 27-days-old) in order to establish normal reference values for this population. The following values (mean SD) were observed: prealbumin 0.31 0.04 g/dl, albumin 1.25 0.06 g/dl, 1 and 2-globulin 0.23...

Hematological and plasma chemistry parameters were measured in 129 juvenile white storks (Ciconia ciconia), either wild or captive bred, April to June 1994. Wild storks were members of a colony in the Lozoya River Valley, Madrid, Spain. Red blood cells count, packed cell volume and hemoglobin increased significantly with age. White blood cells coun...