The reception office at the Croatian Veterinary Institute plays a crucial role in ensuring the accurate and efficient handling ofsamples and accompanying documentation, and serves as the first point of contact for veterinarians and inspectors regarding samples, or for clients who call by phone. This paper outlines the best practices for managing sample reception, emphasising the importance of proper documentation, the use of technology to streamline processes, and the implementation of quality control measures. Proper documentation is essential for maintaining sample traceability and integrity, which is critical for accurate testing and analysis. The use of technology, such as electronic documentation systems and barcode scanning, can significantly enhance the efficiency and accuracy of the sample reception process. Additionally, implementing quality control measures, including regular audits and staff training, ensures the reliability and consistency of the reception process. By adopting these best practices, theCroatian Veterinary Institute can improve its operational efficiency and reduce the risk of errors, thereby contributing to public health and safety.

Interpreting bovine hematology is essential for diagnosing, monitoring, and prognosing various diseases. One of the most commonly used diagnostic tool is the complete blood count (CBC), which helps identify a wide range of organ and systemic diseases. The purpose of this review article is to provide veterinarians, especially field veterinarians, with as much useful information as possible, about bovine hematological tests. Bovine complete blood count can be of great assistance in diagnosing, further testing and predicting the prognosis of bovine diseases. However, it should be noted that the diagnosis of bovine diseases based solely on a complete blood count is only occasionally possible. In most cases, a complete blood count in bovine serves as an important adjunctive tool in diagnosing diseases. In this paper, we will focus on the specificities of bovine erythrocytes, leukocytes, and thrombocytes.

Raw feeding of dogs and cats is becoming increasingly popular worldwide. The raw material for such feed is muscles, offal and bones from mammals, fish or poultry. The production of such pet food is regulated by the European Commission legislation and should be carried out in a facility approved by the competent authority. Although proponents of such a diet point to the positive effects on the health and condition of the animals, studies have shown that raw pet food often contains pathogenic microorganisms. In the analysis of 28 samples of frozen raw pet food, we detected Salmonella spp. in 21.4% of the samples, Enterobacteriaceae more than 5000 cfu/g in 85.7% of the samples, Listeria monocytogenes more than 10 cfu/g in 39.3% of the samples, while Campylobacter spp. was below the limit of quantification in all samples. Of the eight samples containing poultrymeat, Salmonella spp. was detected in five of them (62.5%), indicating that poultry is a high-risk raw material for Salmonella contamination. Meanwhile, meat from domestic ungulates was identified as a high-risk source for Listeria monocytogenes, with that bacteria detected in 9 out of 20 (45%) of the samples containing this type of meat. The results indicate that hygienein the production of raw pet food is unsatisfactory in most cases, that such food poses a risk to animal health and can be an indirect source of infection for humans via animal excretions and contaminated surfaces.

This paper explores the critical importance of accepting reviewer duties in the scientific community. The primary aim of this paper is to underscore the essential role that peer reviewers play in maintaining the integrity and quality of scholarly publications. By accepting reviewer duties, scientists and researchers contribute to the rigorous evaluation process that ensures the validity and impact of published research. The paper delves into the numerous benefits that reviewers gain from participating in the peer review process, such as staying updated with the latest research, opportunities for professional development, and enhancedreputation within the scientific community. Reviewers who engage actively in the peer review process can broaden their nowledge, refine their critical thinking skills, and establish themselves as experts in their respective fields. Furthermore, this paper highlights the responsibilities that come with being a reviewer, such as providing constructive feedback, maintaining confidentiality, and avoiding conflicts of interest. By fulfilling these responsibilities, reviewers contribute significantly to the advancement of their field, uphold the standards of scientific research, and foster an environment of intellectual rigor and integrity. The paper emphasizes the need for active participation in the peer review process to ensure the continuous improvement and credibility of scientific research. It calls upon researchers to recognize the importance of their role as reviewers and to actively engage in the process to support the growth and development of their scientific community. Through diligent and ethical reviewing practices, reviewers play a pivotal role in shaping the future of scientific knowledge and innovation.

Retained placenta (RP) is a syndrome that affects all species of domestic animals, including bovines. Retained placenta can lead to life-threatening complications and is considered an emergency in theriogenology practice. Various factors underlie the occurrence of RP, including defects in the immunological rejection of the placenta, disorders in myometrial contractions, infections, disorders in the release or function of proteolytic enzymes in the placenta, induction of parturition, preterm birth, abortion, stillbirth, excessive body weight, senility, bacterial andfungal toxins, inbreeding, abnormal hormonal environment at peri-parturition, injuries of the placenta, elective caesarean, environmental stressful conditions, nutritional deficiencies, metabolic disturbances, and breed.Depending on the underlying cause(s), different measures have been suggested to prevent RP, such as feeding a balanced ration, proper immunisation against diseases, supplying a dry and clean environment for parturition,using breeds with a low incidence of dystocia or RP. There are several methods for treating the disease, including manual removal of membranes, injection of collagenase into the umbilical arteries of the retained membranes,uterine lavage, hormone therapy, antibiotic therapy and others. This review highlights the effective means of management of RP in cattle.

Urinary tract infections in dogs are common in veterinary practice and one of the main reasons for the use of antimicrobial drugs. They are mostly caused by bacterial infections, while viral, fungal and parasitic infections account for less than 1% of cases. In practice, treatment usually starts with antimicrobial drugs selected based on existing clinical experience, without knowing the specific pathogen or its sensitivity to a particular drug. The aim of this study was to present the local prevalence andantimicrobial resistance of the most common bacterial pathogens of dog urinary tract infections isolated from samples obtained in the city Split, Croatia and its surrounding areas. From January 2019 to July 2024, 897 urine samples were analysed bacteriologically, of which 307 were positive. Of the total number of bacterial isolates, 194 (62.8%) were Gram-negative bacteria and 115 (37.2%) were Gram-positive. The most frequently isolated bacterial pathogens were E. coli (45%), coagulase-positive Staphylococcus sp. (13.9%), Proteus sp. (10%), beta-haemolytic Streptococcus sp. (9.7%), coagulase-negative Staphylococcus sp. (7.4%), Enterococcus sp. (5.5%), Pseudomonas sp. (4.2%) and Klebsiella sp. (2.6%). Data on local susceptibility and resistance patterns of the most common uropathogens can help clinicians in the selection of antimicrobial drugs and can serve as a basis for antimicrobial resistance monitoring in the coming years.

Most agricultural crops are treated several times with different types of pesticides during cultivation and it is therefore very likely that pesticide residues remain on the treated agricultural crops. Pesticides are therefore a very important group of chemical compounds that need to be controlled, mainly because of their high toxicity and widespread use in the production of agriculturalproducts. The most commonly used herbicide is glyphosate. To ensure a high level of consumer protection, legal limits or maximum residue levels have been set in Regulation (EC) No. 396/2005. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) publishes anannual report that provides an overview of the official monitoring of pesticide residues in the European Union Member States, Iceland and Norway. This paper summarises the data from EFSA's annual reports from 2007 to 2022, referring to data related to the best-selling herbicide glyphosate.

This review paper briefly overviews various methods used to detect and identify Salmonella, a common foodborne zoonotic pathogen in veterinary medicine. Salmonella bacteria is mainly found in food products and, when ingested, causes severe gastrointestinal symptoms. Due to the ongoing presence of pathogenic Salmonella in food production systems, it poses a serious public health threat. Therefore, a constant need remains to enhance identification and detection methods capable of identifying this pathogen and preventing outbreaks. The conventional and widely-used culture-based method can be considered the gold standard. However, it is time-consuming and laborious, as is traditional serotyping by slide agglutination. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) offers faster detection with higher specificity by identifying Salmonella antigens or antibodies. However, some laboratories prefer other methods due to limited sensitivity and the time it takes to establish an immune response. Therefore, methods like subtyping or advanced molecular techniques have evolved over the years: polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods and next-generation sequencing (NGS) provide rapid and accurate identification of Salmonella.Unlike PCR-based methods that target specific genes, NGS provides a sequence of complete genomes. Mass spectrometry andFourier transform infrared spectroscopy are also used, while biosensors are still in the early stages of technological development. This paper discusses the progress of identification and detection approaches for Salmonella, emphasising their basic principles, applications, and performances, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a non-inflammatory disorder characterised by extensive bony proliferation along the axial skeleton. This study evaluates the radiological features of DISH in the lumbar and lumbosacral vertebrae of dogs. Radiographic records from the University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine were analysed for dogs older than one year over a 12-month period. Thirteen cases of DISH were identified, predominantly in large breed dogs, with no cases observed in small breeds. Mixed-breed dogs, Labrador Retrievers, and Boxers were the most frequently affected breeds, and incidence was highest in dogs aged 7–10 years. The hallmark radiographic findings included flowing calcifications along the ventrolateral aspects of at least four contiguous vertebral bodies, with preservation of disc height. The most pronounced changes were observed between the L3 and L4 vertebrae. These findings highlight the importance of recognising DISH as a distinct entity in veterinary practice to avoid misclassification as severe spondylosis.

This paper outlines the results of researching the incidence of mastitis in small ruminants in the Republic of Croatia over a six-year period (2017 to 2022). During this period, microbiological testing was performed on 801 samples of udder secretions from small ruminants in 13 counties and the city of Zagreb, with 178 samples (22.2%) testing positive for mastitis pathogens. Of the total 609 udder secretion samples from goats, mastitis agents were isolated from 150 samples (24.6%), while the 192 udder secretion samples from sheep revealed 28 (14.6%) contained mastitis agents. The highest prevalence of mastitis pathogens in goat udder secretions was found in 2018 (31.8%), and in sheep in 2020 (32.9%). Microbiological testing identified 16 species and genera of bacteria. The most common species were Staphylococcus aureus, isolated from 96 (53.9%) samples, Staphylococcusspp. (46 samples; 25.8%), Streptococcus spp. (7; 3.9%), Klebsiella spp. and Corynebacterium spp. (each 5; 2.8%), Escherichia coli (4; 2.2%), Streptococcus uberis and Proteus spp. (each 3; 1.7%), and Pseudomonas spp. (2; 1.1%). Other species and genera, such as Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus dysgalactiae, Pasteurella spp., Mannheimia haemolytica, Enterococcus spp., Enterobacter and Serratia spp. were isolated sporadically, each from one sample. The isolated bacterial cultures were tested for sensitivity to antimicrobials using the disc-diffusion method to amoxicillin with clavulanic acid, ampicillin, cefaperazone, enrofloxacin, kanamycin, cloxacillin, lincomycin, neomycin, novobiocin, penicillin, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole withtrimethoprim, and tetracycline. Sensitivity of the isolated agents to the antimicrobials was most pronounced towards cefoperazone and enrofloxacin, regardless of the species or genera of the isolated mastitis agent. The odds of isolating a mastitis agent from goat udder secretions was 1.61 times higher than for sheep (P<0.05). This study confirmed that the occurrenceof mastitis in small ruminants in Croatia is comparable to incidences reported in other Mediterranean countries.