Prairie Dog Pals

Dedicated to the Preservation of Prairie Dogs and their Habitat

Amyloid-producing Odontoameloblastoma in a Black-tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus)

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A 6-year-old female black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) was presented with a space-occupying lesion in the left submandibular region. On computed tomography, a low attenuating, poorly circumscribed mass infiltrated the left mandibular bone, with osteolytic change. Microscopically, the lesion was composed of odontogenic epithelium proliferating in nests and embedded in abundant dental papilla-like ectomesenchyme, including dentine and enamel. Multifocal amyloid deposition was observed. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic epithelial cells were positive for cytokeratin (CK) AE1/AE3, CK14 and p63. Some epithelial cells were positive for amelogenin and some adjacent to the amyloid deposits co-expressed S100. The ectomesenchymal cells expressed vimentin and strong S100 immunoreactivity was observed in odontoblast-like cells. The amyloid was immunolabelled with amelogenin. The tumour was diagnosed as amyloid-producing odontoameloblastoma.

Read more: Odontoama

Medieval diseases are making a grim comeback

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The Black Death was little short of a bacterial apocalypse. The outbreak of bubonic plague, imported along the Silk Road, is thought to have killed between 25m and 50m people as it rampaged through 14th-century Europe. The disease thence resurfaced sporadically: the Great Plague of London, for example, felled a fifth of city dwellers in the 1660s.

While the plague seems to us a medieval affliction, it has never fully disappeared. On average, about 500 cases are documented globally each year, mostly in Africa, South America and India. The infection is treatable with antibiotics if caught early.

Read More:  Plague

Duggan: Prairie dogs score a victory in Fort Collins

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Prairie dogs have scored a victory in Fort Collins, or at least their advocates have.

The City Council on Tuesday gave initial approval to a set of changes to the city’s Land Use Code aimed at giving prairie dogs more protection from development than they have enjoyed during the last 20 years.

Read More:  Fort Collins

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Larimer County works with advocates on possible prairie dog relocation

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As Larimer County officials work to start construction on the new county building at First Street and Denver Avenue in Loveland, some residents are advocating that the prairie dogs on site be relocated first.

For months, the Larimer County commissioners and the Loveland City Council members have been receiving emails from prairie dog advocates asking that the animals on site be located to another area, rather than poisoned and killed.

While prairie dogs are not considered a protected species, advocates argued that relocation provides many benefits.

Read More: Relocation