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BackgroundPyothorax, an accumulation of inflammatory fluid in the pleural space, is often caused by foreign body inhalation in dogs, whereas the etiology in cats can be more difficult to discern.ObjectiveCompare clinical, microbiologic findings, and etiology in cats and dogs with pyothorax.AnimalsTwenty-nine cats and 60 dogs.MethodsMedical records of cats and dogs diagnosed with pyothorax from 2010 to 2020 were reviewed. Clinical findings, fluid analysis, and microbiologic results were retrieved.ResultsAntimicrobials had been administered to equal proportions of cats and dogs before fluid sampling (45% and 47%). Groups did not differ in age or total protein concentration or percentage neutrophils in pleural fluid, but effusion cell count was significantly higher in cats than in dogs (P = .01). Neutrophils containing intracellular bacteria were identified in more cats (27/29, 93%) than dogs (44/60, 73%; P = .05). Penetrating damage to the thorax was implicated as the cause of pyothorax in equal percentages of cats (76%) and dogs (75%). Etiology could not be determined in 2 cats and 1 dog. Cats had higher numbers of bacterial isolates per patient (median, 3) than dogs (median, 1; P = .01) and anaerobes were isolated more often in cats (23/29, 73%) than in dogs (27/60, 45%; P = .003).Conclusions and clinical importancePyothorax had similar etiologies in cats and dogs. Cats had higher fluid cell counts, higher numbers of bacterial isolates identified per patient, and intracellular bacteria detected more commonly than did dogs.

Introduction/objectives: We investigated the association of breed, age, weight, duration of therapy, and selected blood and echocardiographic variables with the survival of dogs with congestive heart failure (CHF) due to myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD). We also sought to identify differences in selected echocardiographic and routine blood variables between dogs with stable and unstable CHF and between hospitalized and nonhospitalized patients. Animals, materials and methods: This retrospective study included dogs with a complete cardiovascular workup. Blood analysis and the initial and final echocardiographic results were included. Covariates were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards models. Results: One hundred sixty-five dogs with MMVD were evaluated in this study: 96 stable patients and 69 unstable CHF patients. In total, 107 dogs (64.8%) died, and 58 (35.2%) were censored. The median survival time of the dogs that died was 11.5 months (range 11 days to 4.3 years). Unstable CHF patients had significantly higher neutrophils and lower potassium concentrations than stable CHF patients, and hospitalized patients had higher white blood cell, neutrophil, and monocyte counts, and urea and creatinine concentrations than nonhospitalized patients. Variables negatively associated with survival were older age, unstable CHF, duration of therapy, white blood cell count, urea concentration and left atrium to aorta ratio. Chihuahuas had a lower risk of death. Conclusions: Selected blood and echocardiographic variables distinguish dogs with stable and unstable CHF and predict survival.

Fibrocartilaginous embolism (FCEM) and acute, non-compressive nucleus pulposus extrusion (ANNPE) are non-compressive myelopathies that are difficult to differentiate. The definitive diagnosis is obtained only with histology, but the presumptive diagnosis is made through clinical signs and imaging tests. The aim of this study is to report the imaging tests performed for the diagnosis of a neurological clinical case and discuss the best diagnostic method. After attending the patient, complementary tests were requested. Radiography results showed no change. The computed tomography diagnostic impression indicated distal protrusion between C6-C7, T11-T12, T13-L1 followed by mild spinal cord compression defined by the presence of a ventral hyperattenuating region. Magnetic resonance (RMI), showed a slight T2W hypersignal, well delimited in the gray matter, lateralized to the right, over the cranial third of C7. Concluding that the magnetic resonance is the method that brought more information for the diagnosis, in which the others were not described medullary alterations pertinent to FCEM and ANNPE. With their fair prognosis, the absence of histological diagnosis of these diseases may be a limiting factor in this study and, in relation to the RMI alterations being very similar between FCEM and ANNPE it is not possible to diagnose fully accurately. RESUMO A embolia fibrocartilaginosa (EFC) e a extrusão aguda não compressiva do núcleo pulposo (EANCNP) são mielopatias não compressivas de difícil diferenciação. O diagnóstico definitivo é obtido apenas com a histologia, mas o diagnóstico presuntivo é feito por meio de sinais clínicos e exames de imagem. O objetivo deste trabalho é relatar os exames de imagem realizados para o diagnóstico de um caso clínico neurológico e discutir o melhor método diagnóstico. Após o atendimento do paciente, foram solicitados exames complementares. Os resultados da radiografia não mostraram nenhuma alteração. A impressão diagnóstica da tomografia computadorizada indicou protrusão distal entre C6-C7, T11-T12, T13-L1, seguida de leve compressão medular definida pela presença de região hiperatenuante ventral. À ressonância magnética (RM), apresentava discreto hipersinal em T2W, bem delimitado na substância cinzenta, lateralizado à direita, sobre o terço cranial de C7. Concluiu-se que a ressonância magnética é o método que mais trouxe informações para o diagnóstico, os demais métodos não foram descritos alterações medulares pertinentes à EFC e à EANCNP. Com seu prognóstico favorável, a ausência de diagnóstico histológico dessas doenças pode ser um fator limitante neste estudo. Em relação às alterações do RM serem muito semelhantes entre EFC e EANCNP, não é possível diagnosticar com total precisão.

We present a case of a 51-year-old immunosuppressed man with underlying chronic lymphoproliferative leukaemia (CLL), who presented to us in emergency with breathlessness, hydrophobia, anxiety and restlessness. He had a history of category 3 dog bite 2 months ago and had received a full course of rabies immunoglobulin and antirabies vaccine (ARV) as per the national schedule. As there were frank clinical reports of rabies, the patient was managed according to Milwaukee regimen. The patients died within a week of the appearance of symptoms. The brain autopsy revealed Negri bodies conforming the mortality due to rabies.Immunosuppressed patients, like our patient who had CLL have low antibody formation after rabies prophylaxis. Antibody titres in immunosuppressed patients need to be measured after the 2–4 weeks of the last injection of ARV to decide whether a booster of ARV needs to be administered or not.

Granulosa cell tumors (GCTs) are common ovarian neoplasms in the mare and bitch that can be challenging to diagnose on histopathology. Inhibin has long been the standard immunohistochemical (IHC) marker for GCTs; however, anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) has not been evaluated widely as an IHC marker in the bitch and mare. We compared the efficacy of AMH and inhibin as IHC markers in canine and equine GCTs. We selected retrospectively 18 equine and 15 canine cases. All equine tumors were dominated by a cystic pattern; canine tumors often had solid patterns. Both inhibin and AMH had similar punctate cytoplasmic patterns of immunolabeling, although labeling intensity was variable; distribution and intensity of labeling were unrelated to the histomorphologic pattern. Labeling for AMH occurred in 12 of 15 canine and 18 of 18 equine cases. Labeling for inhibin occurred in 15 of 15 canine and 18 of 18 equine cases. AMH in equine GCTs often had stronger immunolabeling than inhibin, and granulosa cells were labeled more extensively. Inhibin and AMH performed comparably in bitches, but AMH had more diffuse immunolabeling than inhibin in mares.

The ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporter molecule ABCA1 participates in the cholesterol transport within and through cell membranes. We recently demonstrated that in dog spermatozoa, capacitation could be decreased with probucol (PRO), an ABCA1 specific antagonist. In this study, a dose-effect relationship of PRO on dog sperm capacitation, tyrosine phosphorylation and cholesterol efflux from the sperm plasma membrane was investigated. A total of 16 ejaculates from dogs of different breeds, aged 2-4 years were used. Sperm motility and membrane integrity in the main fraction was determined by CASA. Samples were stained with a boron dipyrromethene difluoride (BODIPY) fluorophore (P9672, Sigma- Aldrich, A) diluted in DMSO at a final concentration of 0.4 μM. All samples were divided into 5 aliquots, with 0, 100, 250, 500 and 1000 μM of PRO. After incubation at 37 °C for 2 h, PI was added and flow cytometry performed. All aliquots were examined for capacitation and acrosome reaction by using the CTC assay and tyrosine phosphorylation (TP). Membrane integrity was measured in all aliquots to investigate the effect of PRO on cell membranes. Membrane integrity did not differ between controls (0 μM), and 100, 250 and 500 μM PRO, but decreased with 1000 μM PRO (p 0.05). Increasing PRO concentration decreased the percentage alive cells with cholesterol efflux per PRO group (0 μM: 77.8 ± 10.6%, 100 μM: 63.7 ± 11.7%, 250 μM: 52.1 ± 12.9%, 500 μM: 37.7 ± 11.6%, 1000 μM: 33.1 ± 14.4%; p 0.05), decreased head and entire tail phosphorylated cells (0 μM: 34.6%, 1000 μM: 5.1% p 0.05); and decreased the percentage capacitated cells (maximum with PRO 500 μM: capacitated vs. control: 54.2 ± 17% vs 25 ± 7.7%, p 0.05). Conclusion: PRO decreased the cholesterol efflux, and decreased tyrosine phosphorylation and capacitation in a dose-dependent manner. This suggests a strong involvement of the ABCA1 transporter in different functional aspects of sperm capacitation in dogs.

BackgroundA panel of IgA-based serologic assays might aid in the diagnosis of chronic enteropathy (CE) in dogs, a syndrome encompassing conditions such as food-responsive enteropathy, immunosuppressant-responsive enteropathy, and inflammatory bowel disease (also referred to as chronic inflammatory enteropathy). However, it is unclear whether these biomarkers discriminate between CE and other types of primary intestinal disorders.ObjectivesTo evaluate a diagnostic panel that measures serum concentrations of IgA directed against OmpC (ACA), canine calprotectin (ACNA), and gliadin-derived peptides (AGA) in dogs with well-characterized intestinal diseases.AnimalsFifty-five dogs with primary intestinal disease.MethodsSerum ACA, ACNA, and AGA concentrations were measured in 30 dogs with CE and 25 dogs with other intestinal diseases (non-CE population), including histoplasmosis, parasitism, E. coli-associated granulomatous colitis, and lymphoma. Serum IgA concentrations were compared among populations, and sensitivities and specificities were calculated using laboratory-provided cut-points.ResultsTwenty-six of 30 (87%) CE dogs and 21 of 25 (84%) non-CE dogs had abnormal concentrations (intermediate or high) of at least 2 markers; these proportions were not significantly different (P=.99). A serum ACA concentration ≥15 EU/mL was 86.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 69.3%-96.2%) sensitive and 24.0% (95% CI, 9.4%-45.1%) specific for CE diagnosis. High AGA concentrations were observed in 16 of 25 (64%) non-CE dogs.Conclusions and clinical importanceThe evaluated serologic markers were poorly specific for CE diagnosis, which raises concerns that their use in clinical practice might lead to misdiagnoses and delayed or even detrimental treatments in dogs with non-CE intestinal diseases.

The Turks, who founded the Ottoman Empire at the turn of the 14th century, first established a great superiority against the Byzantine Empire in Anatolia and Rumelia, and then over other Christian states and societies in Eastern and Central Europe. The fear of Turks in Europe, which started with the conquest of Istanbul during the reign of Mehmed the Conqueror, reached its peak during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent. Under the leadership of first the Catholic Church and then Martin Luther, the Protestants tried to keep the anger of the Christians alive against the Turks with propaganda broadcasts and announcements. As a result, a Turkish profile emerged that was cruel, ruthless, and took pleasure in killing and taking life. Beginning from the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, a sense of curiosity began to develop among Europeans besides fear and anxiety towards the Turks. This sense of curiosity led many travelers to visit Turkish lands. During their travels, some of them on official duty, some of their own will, they learned about the characteristics of the Turks beyond what they were told. One of these qualities is compassion towards animals. Almost all travelers have treated the love and compassion that Turks show especially towards cats, dogs and birds in their works with astonishment and amazement., XIV. yüzyıla girerken Osmanlı Devleti’ni kuran Türkler, önce Bizans İmparatorluğu’na karşı Anadolu ve Rumeli’de, daha sonra diğer Hristiyan devlet ve toplumlara karşı Doğu ve Orta Avrupa’da büyük bir üstünlük kurmuştu. Fatih Sultan Mehmed devrinde İstanbul’un fethi ile başlayan Avrupa’daki Türk korkusu Kanuni Sultan Süleyman devrinde zirveye ulaşmıştı. Önce Katolik Kilisesi ardından Martin Luther’in öncülüğünde Protestanlar propaganda amaçlı yayın ve duyurularla Türklere karşı Hristiyanların öfkesini canlı tutmaya çalıştılar. Bunun sonucunda zalim, gaddar, öldürmekten ve cana kıymaktan zevk alan bir Türk profili ortaya çıktı. Kanuni Sultan Süleyman devrinden itibaren Avrupalılar arasında Türklere karşı korku ve endişenin yanında bir de merak duygusu gelişmeye başladı. Bu merak duygusu birçok seyyahın Türk topraklarını ziyaret etmesine yol açtı. Bir kısmı resmî görevle bir kısmı kendi isteğiyle gerçekleştirilen bu seyahatler sırasında Türklerin kendilerine anlatılanların ötesinde vasıflarını öğrendiler. İşte bu vasıflardan biri de hayvanlara karşı gösterilen merhamettir. Hemen hemen tüm seyyahlar Türklerin bilhassa kediler, köpekler ve kuşlara gösterdikleri sevgi ve şefkati hayret ve şaşkınlıkla eserlerinde işlemişlerdir.

Owners are often not aware that some common household products, medications, and plants are toxic to dogs and cats. Six cases of toxicoses due to ingestion of xylitol, amatoxin-containing mushrooms, anticoagulant rodenticide, zinc, vitamin D, and lily are presented with typical clinical and laboratory data findings. Changes in the laboratory data are explained in the context of the mechanism of action of the toxin and the organ systems affected.

A variety of urinary markers of the renal disease show promise for the identification of glomerular and tubular damage and monitoring treatment. Most of the markers are currently not widely available, and all could benefit from further study. This review summarizes recent studies on urinary biomarkers of renal disease in dogs and cats.

Osteosarcomas (OSs) are aggressive bone tumors with many divergent histologic patterns. During pathology review, OSs are subtyped based on the predominant histologic pattern; however, tumors often demonstrate multiple patterns. This high tumor heterogeneity coupled with scarcity of samples compared with other tumor types render histology-based prognosis of OSs challenging. To combat lower case numbers in humans, dogs with spontaneous OSs have been suggested as a model species. Herein, a convolutional neural network was adversarially trained to classify distinct histologic patterns of OS in humans using mostly canine OS data during training. Adversarial training improved domain adaption of a histologic subtype classifier from canines to humans, achieving an average multiclass F1 score of 0.77 (95% CI, 0.74-0.79) and 0.80 (95% CI, 0.78-0.81) when compared with the ground truth in canines and humans, respectively. Finally, this trained model, when used to characterize the histologic landscape of 306 canine OSs, uncovered distinct clusters with markedly different clinical responses to standard-of-care therapy.

Canine and feline transfusions are life-saving procedures that have become increasingly common in veterinary medicine. Laboratory testing plays a vital role in transfusion medicine, particularly in the prevention and diagnosis of transfusion reactions. Laboratory tests should be used to screen donors for their general health and for the presence of any blood-borne pathogens. Pretransfusion blood typing and compatibility testing make immunologic reactions less likely, and commercial typing and crossmatching kits are now available. Appropriate diagnostic tests in the face of a potential transfusion reaction are important to tailor effective therapy.

This article summarizes the current applications of flow cytometry in clinical veterinary medicine, which is largely restricted to the diagnosis of hematopoietic neoplasms (lymphomas and leukemias) of domestic dogs, cats, and horses. A brief background on the technique of flow cytometry and fundamentals of data interpretation are included. Major emphasis is placed on clinical indications for flow cytometry, principles of sample collection and submission, and awareness of diagnostic and prognostic utility. Expectations regarding both the benefits and limitations of flow cytometry in a clinical setting, and its complementary nature with other types of testing, are also reviewed.

Background/Aim: Atlantoaxial subluxation (AAS) is a congenital or traumatic condition that often requires surgical stabilization. Surgery is performed via a ventral or dorsal approach. A ventral approach is challenging in toy breed dogs due to their small-sized bones. Reducing AAS by orthopedic wire via a dorsal approach can cause iatrogenic spinal cord damage. Due to these limitations, a Kishigami atlantoaxial tension band (Kishigami AATB) that remains in the epidural space has been devised. Similar to the Kishigami AATB, the present study developed a modified dorsal wiring method and evaluated it in toy breed dogs with AAS. Materials and Methods: Medical data of toy breed dogs with AAS that underwent surgical stabilization using the modified dorsal wiring method from 2017 to 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Results: A total of 10 dogs were analyzed. Regarding the history of these dogs, six dogs had congenital AAS, and the remaining four dogs had traumatic AAS. Evaluation via computed tomography was available for five dogs, of which two dogs were identified as having incomplete ossification of their atlas. Although four dogs required a revision surgery because of recurrence of clinical signs or fracture of the atlas, final functional improvement was achieved in nine dogs. One dog showed worsened neurological status that led to death. Conclusion: Clinical results with the modified dorsal wiring method were similar to those with the Kishigami AATB. The modified dorsal wiring method is versatile as it could be applied to various shapes of dogs’ atlas. Considering the shape of the atlas, it is recommended to apply the implant as far from the midline of the dorsal arch as possible to avoid fractures. With selection of suitable patients, this modified dorsal wiring method can be applied to dorsal stabilization of AAS in toy breed dogs.

Acute pancreatitis is one of the most common diseases in dogs and cats, but diagnosis is challenging. The gold standard for diagnosis of pancreatitis is pancreatic biopsy, which has many limitations. As such, clinical diagnosis of pancreatitis based on a consistent clinical picture (eg, signalment, clinical signs, physical examination findings), supportive laboratory screening diagnostics, pancreatitis-specific laboratory testing, consistent imaging findings, and thorough diagnostic evaluation ruling out alternate differential diagnoses is most often used in clinical patients. Alternate differential diagnoses in patients presenting with clinical findings that might be consistent with pancreatitis may have secondary reactive pancreatitis, which mimics primary pancreatitis.

Infections related to osseointegrated implants have sparked the interest in studying titanium modification for long-term effective soft tissue sealing. Constructing a silver (Ag)-hydroxyapatite (HA) coating is regarded as an effective strategy for integrating antibiosis with osteanagenesis; however, the outcome for long-term cervical soft tissue sealing

A 7 yr old female spayed mixed-breed dog was presented for a 1 wk history of neck pain and pelvic limb weakness. Examination revealed nonambulatory paraparesis and thoracolumbar hyperesthesia. MRI revealed extensive intramedullary T2-weighted/short tau inversion recovery hyperintensity and diffuse severe T1-post contrast meningeal enhancement of the thoracolumbar spinal cord. An L5-L6 cerebrospinal fluid sample revealed a suppurative pleocytosis (81% neutrophils, total protein 4362.5 mg/dL and nucleated cell count 352,000/μL). While awaiting the results of infectious disease testing, the dog was treated for suspected meningoencephalitis of unknown etiology with corticosteroids, cyclosporine, and a cytarabine arabinoside infusion. The dog neurologically declined and was started on broad-spectrum antibiotics. The dog continued to decline despite antibiotics, and infectious disease titers subsequently revealed serum antibody positivity for blastomycosis. The dog was then referred to a multispecialty referral hospital and was treated with amphotericin B followed by fluconazole. Prednisone was continued at anti-inflammatory doses. Urine blastomycosis antigen testing was submitted for subsequent disease monitoring but was negative. Five months after presentation the dog was clinically doing well with no identifiable neurologic deficits. This case demonstrates that neurologic blastomycosis may have negative urine antigen concentrations in some dogs and that other diagnostic modalities should be pursued when central nervous system fungal disease is suspected.

Dirofilaria immitis is an endemic mosquito-borne pathogen widely spread throughout Europe as well as North and South America. Infection by D. immitis has been reported in domestic ferrets, although little is known about the occurrence and the epidemiological features of this nematode in this species. The aim of the present retrospective study was to assess the prevalence of D. immitis antibodies using an in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay specifically developed for use in ferrets. One hundred and eighty-six serum samples were obtained from the Province of Valencia (Spain), an area endemic for dirofilariosis. Of the 186 serum samples included in the study, 27 (14.51%) were classified as D. immitis seropositive and 159 samples as D. immitis seronegative. The results provide valuable information on the seroprevalence of D. immitis infection in domestic ferrets in an area endemic for this vector-borne pathogen. The presence of seropositive ferrets should be taken into account and preventive measures should be implemented, including the possibility of serological screening for the early detection of Dirofilaria antibodies as a serological marker of exposure. This is the first study that demonstrates the presence of D. immitis exposure in ferrets in Spain. Veterinarians working in endemic areas should be aware of this infection in ferrets and their susceptibility.

The objective of this study was to analyze the eco-epidemiological aspects of Leptospira seroprevalence and seroincidence and its associated factors in two municipalities of northwest Colombia. A prospective study was performed in rural areas of Urabá, Antioquia, Colombia. The study enrolled 597 people between November 2015 and January 2016, of which 274 were followed up 1 year later. Serologic testing was performed by a microscopic agglutination. The outcomes were seroprevalent and seroincident cases, and the primary exposure was an outdoor occupation. A binary and mixed-effect multinomial logistic regression model was used to estimate factors associated with seroprevalent or seroincident cases of Leptospira infection. The overall Leptospira seroprevalence was 27.81% (95% confidence interval: 23.62–32.49), and the overall cumulative seroincidence for Leptospira was 14.60% (95% confidence interval: 10.33–20.23). Multivariable analysis showed that factors associated with L. interrogans serogroups seropositivity were outdoor occupation, male gender, older age, the presence of dirt floor in the household, and the presence of piglets and opossums. It also showed that factors associated with other Leptospira species serogroups were the presence of pit latrines and of turkeys. In addition, the multivariable model of seroincident cases of L. interrogans serogroups evidenced outdoor occupations, the presence of rats, and corn cultivation as risk factors. Likewise, the multivariable model for seroincident cases of other Leptospira species showed that the presence of hunting canines and cassava cultivation were risk factors. We found specific factors associated with the transmission of Leptospira serogroups contribute to the understanding of the epidemiology of Leptospira infection in rural areas of Urabá, Colombia.

The use of cannabis-based products for therapeutic purposes is a reality in the field of animal health. However, although cannabis is considered safe when appropriately used by human patients, cannabis-based products can pose a risk to companion animals such as dogs, depending on their composition or route of administration. Thus, this article discusses aspects of the safety and efficacy of different cannabis-based products in dogs' treatment through an integrative review. The review was systematically performed in Medline (via Pubmed

Inflammation induced by gut microbiota disorder plays an important role in promoting obesity. Inulin has beneficial effects on gut microflora and metabolic endotoxaemia. However, the chain length of inulin determines its different physiological effects. This study aimed to investigate the effect of low polymerization inulin (LPI) and high polymerization inulin (HPI) on inflammation in dogs with obesity induced by a high-fat diet and its potential mechanism. HPI, relative to LPI, significantly reduced the concentrations of LPS, IL-6 and TNF-α in serum and downregulated both the mRNA and protein expression of TLR4, NF-κB, TNF-α and IL-6 in adipose tissue. HPI and LPI intervention reduced adipose tissue fatty accumulation, which improved obesity. Supplementation with LPI and HPI increased gut microbiota diversity and altered specific bacterial populations at both the phylum and genus levels. The relative abundances of Prevotella, Fusobacterium and Enterobacter, which were positively correlated with the serum concentrations of LPS, IL-6 and TNF-α, were reduced. Our results demonstrate that both LPI and HPI can be used as an effective strategy for reducing inflammation and regulating gut microbiota, which can ameliorate obesity in dogs. Moreover, HPI exerts more positive regulation of the inflammatory response and gut microbiota dysfunction than LPI.

Since ancient times, Artemisia annua (A. annua) has been used as a medicinal plant in Traditional Chinese Medicine. In addition, recent studies have investigated the cytotoxic effects of A. annua extracts towards cancer cells. The leading aim of the present research is to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of an hydroalcoholic extract of A. annua on two canine osteosarcoma (OSA) cell lines, OSCA-8 and OSCA-40, focusing on the possible involvement of ferroptosis. The quantitative determination of artemisinin concentration in the extract, culture medium and OSA cells was carried out through the use of an instrumental analytical method based on liquid chromatography coupled with spectrophotometric detection and tandem mass spectrometry (LC-DAD-MS/MS). OSCA-8 and OSCA-40 were exposed to different dilutions of the extract for the EC

The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of 30 days treatment of undenatured type II collagen(UC-II®), compared to cimicoxib and to their combination, in osteoarthritic dogs. Client-owned dogs were enrolled in a clinical, randomized, controlled and prospective study. Posture, lameness, pain, range of motion and x-ray of affected joint(s) were evaluated and scored based on severity (CLINICAL score). The Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs survey was used to score the owner evaluation of dog's mobility (LOAD score and MOBILITY score). Osteoarthritis (OA) stage was defined through the Canine Osteoarthritis Staging tool (COAST). After diagnosis (T0), all patients were randomly assigned to different treatment groups: C group = cimicoxib 2 mg/kg/day orally OS, F group = UC-II® 1 tablet per day OS; C + F group = cimicoxib-UC-II® at the same previous dosages; CTR group = dogs who didn't received any treatment. All treatments were administered for 30 days. Seventy-six dogs completed the study. LOAD score was recorded significant lower after treatment for each group, with a reduction in percentage of 29.5% for C, 31.4% for F, 21.1% for C + F. LOAD score was lower in C(P = 0.04), F(P = 0.001) and C + F(P = 0.009) group at T30 than CTR group. MOBILITY and CLINICAL scores were significantly lower in all groups at T30, when compared to T0. MOBILITY score was lower than CTR in C(P = 0.02) and F(P = 0.01); CLINICAL score was lower in C + F(P = 0.016). The present findings prove that the treatment with UC-II®, cimicoxib and their combination provide significant reduction in clinical signs associated with OA.

Objectives The aim of this study was to report the incidence of transfusion reactions in cats, including acute haemolysis (AH), occurring within 24 h of receiving a xenotransfusion. An additional aim was to determine whether cases with AH could be classified as having an acute haemolytic transfusion reaction (AHTR) as per the definition provided by the Association of Veterinary Haematology and Transfusion Medicine’s Transfusion Reaction Small Animal Consensus Statement. Methods Medical records of cats that received canine packed red blood cells (PRBCs) between July 2018 and September 2020 at a veterinary hospital were reviewed. The incidence of AH, AHTRs, febrile non-haemolytic transfusion reactions (FNHTRs), transfusion-associated circulatory overload and septic transfusion reactions were recorded. Results The medical records of 53 cats were retrospectively evaluated. Twenty-three (43%) cats had transfusion reactions. Thirteen (25%) cats had AH; however, only four (8%) met the definition of an AHTR. Ten (19%) cats were determined to have FNHTRs. Survival to discharge of cats affected by AH was 50% (25% for cases that met the definition of an AHTR). Survival to discharge of cats not suffering from AHTR was 40%. Conclusions and relevance This report indicates that a higher proportion of cats undergo AH (25%) when administered canine PRBCs than previously reported, although many could not be classed as having an AHTR due to an apparently adequate packed cell volume rise. Challenges with sourcing feline blood in emergency situations occasionally necessitates the use of xenotransfusion in transfusion medicine. Clinicians should be aware that haemolysis after xenotransfusion can occur within 24 h and that a repeat feline transfusion may be required sooner than anticipated in some cases.

Skeletal muscle has a robust, inherent ability to regenerate in response to injury from acute to chronic. In severe trauma, however, complete regeneration is not possible, resulting in a permanent loss of skeletal muscle tissue referred to as volumetric muscle loss (VML). There are few consistently reliable therapeutic or surgical options to address VML. A major limitation in investigation of possible therapies is the absence of a well-characterized large animal model. In this study, we present results of a comprehensive transcriptomic, proteomic, and morphologic characterization of wound healing following VML in a novel canine model of VML which we compare to a nine-patient cohort of combat-associated VML. The canine model is translationally relevant as it provides both a regional (spatial) and temporal map of the wound healing processes that occur in human VML. Collectively, these data show the spatiotemporal transcriptomic, proteomic, and morphologic properties of canine VML healing as a framework and model system applicable to future studies investigating novel therapies for human VML. Impact Statement The spatiotemporal transcriptomic, proteomic, and morphologic properties of canine volumetric muscle loss (VML) healing is a translational framework and model system applicable to future studies investigating novel therapies for human VML.

In this article, which is part of the Currents in One Health series, the role of naturally occurring ocular disease in animals is reviewed with emphasis on how the understanding of these ocular diseases contributes to one health initiatives, particularly the pathogenesis and treatment of ocular diseases common to animals and humans. Animals spontaneously develop ocular diseases that closely mimic those in humans, especially dry eye disease, herpes virus infection (cats), fungal keratitis (horses), bacterial keratoconjunctivitis, uveitis, and glaucoma. Both uveitis and glaucoma are common in domestic animals and humans, and many similarities exist in pathogenesis, genetics, and response to therapy. Furthermore, the study of inherited retinal disease in animals has particularly epitomized the one health concept, specifically the collaborative efforts of multiple disciplines working to attain optimal health for people and animals. Through this study of retinal disease in dogs, innovative therapies such as gene therapy have been developed. A unique opportunity exists to study ocular disease in shared environments to better understand the interplay between the environment, genetics, and ocular disease in both animals and humans. The companion Currents in One Health by Gilger, AJVR, December 2022, addresses in more detail recent studies of noninfectious immune-mediated animal ocular disease and their role in advancing ocular health globally.

Open heart surgeries for coronary arterial bypass graft and valve replacements are performed on 400,000 Americans each year. Unexplained hypotension during recovery causes morbidity and mortality through cerebral, kidney, and coronary hypoperfusion. An early detection method that distinguishes between hypovolemia and decreased myocardial function before onset of hypotension is desirable. We hypothesized that admittance measured from a modified pericardial drain can detect changes in left ventricular end-systolic, end-diastolic, and stroke volumes.Admittance was measured from 2 modified pericardial drains placed in 7 adult female dogs using an open chest preparation, each with 8 electrodes. The resistive and capacitive components of the measured admittance signal were used to distinguish blood and muscle components. Admittance measurements were taken from 12 electrode configurations in each experiment. Left ventricular preload was reduced by inferior vena cava occlusion. Physiologic response to vena cava occlusion was measured by aortic pressure, aortic flow, left ventricle diameter, left ventricular wall thickness, and electrocardiogram.Admittance successfully detected a drop in left ventricular end-diastolic volume (P.001), end-systolic volume (P.001), and stroke volume (P.001). Measured left ventricular muscle resistance correlated with crystal-derived left ventricular wall thickness (RAdmittance measured from chest tubes can detect changes in left ventricular end-systolic, end-diastolic, and stroke volumes and may therefore have diagnostic value for unexplained hypotension.

This study investigated the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of enterococci isolated from dogs and cats with urinary tract infections in northwestern Croatia. During this study, the laboratory received 787 urine samples, 651 from dogs and 136 from cats. A total of 260 urine samples (211 from dogs and 49 from cats) were bacteriologically positive. Of these, 29 isolates belonged to Enterococcus spp. ; 22 from dogs and seven from cats. Enterococci isolates were identified by PCR method, 12 of which were Enterococcus faecium and 17 were Enterococcus faecalis species. In dogs, 16 E. faecalis and six E. faecium strains were identified, whereas in cats, six E. faecium and only one E. faecalis strain were identified. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method for nine antimicrobials: penicillin, ampicillin, vancomycin, nitrofurantoin, rifampicin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin. The isolates were tested for high-level resistance to streptomycin and gentamicin. The highest resistance of Enterococcus spp. was observed to rifampicin (86%) and enrofloxacin (83%), followed by tetracycline and ciprofloxacin (69%). Resistance to vancomycin was 28%, and the lowest resistance was to chloramphenicol (17%). Multidrug resistance was found in 76% of enterococci isolates. High-level streptomycin resistance was detected in 17% and high-level gentamicin resistance in 10% of the isolated enterococci. When comparing species susceptibility, E. faecium isolates were significantly more resistant to penicillin, ampicillin, nitrofurantoin, and ciprofloxacin (p < 0.05). Eleven E. faecium isolates (92%) and 12 E. faecalis isolates (76%) were multidrug resistant.

Objective High-frequency spinal cord stimulation (HF-SCS) is a potential method to provide natural and effective inspiratory muscle pacing in patients with ventilator-dependent spinal cord injuries. Experimental data have demonstrated that HF-SCS elicits physiological activation of the diaphragm and inspiratory intercostal muscles via spinal cord pathways. However, the activation thresholds, extent of activation, and optimal electrode configurations (i.e., lead separation, contact spacing, and contact length) to activate these neural elements remain unknown. Therefore, the goal of this study was to use a computational modeling approach to investigate the direct effects of HF-SCS on the spinal cord and to optimize electrode design and stimulation parameters. Materials and methods We developed a computer model of HF-SCS that consisted of two main components: 1) finite element models of the electric field generated during HF-SCS, and 2) multicompartment cable models of axons and motoneurons within the spinal cord. We systematically evaluated the neural recruitment during HF-SCS for several unique electrode designs and stimulation configurations to optimize activation of these neural elements. We then evaluated our predictions by testing two of these lead designs with in vivo canine experiments. Results Our model results suggested that within physiological stimulation amplitudes, HF-SCS activates both axons in the ventrolateral funiculi (VLF) and inspiratory intercostal motoneurons. We used our model to predict a lead design to maximize HF-SCS activation of these neural targets. We evaluated this lead design via in vivo experiments, and our computational model predictions demonstrated excellent agreement with our experimental testing. Conclusions Our computational modeling and experimental results support the potential advantages of a lead design with longer contacts and larger edge-to-edge contact spacing to maximize inspiratory muscle activation during HF-SCS at the T2 spinal level. While these results need to be further validated in future studies, we believe that the results of this study will help improve the efficacy of HF-SCS technologies for inspiratory muscle pacing.

A five-year-old, female-spayed boxer was referred for frequent and medically refractory paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. Diagnostic evaluation found no underlying structural heart or systemic diseases. Three-dimensional electroanatomical mapping and radiofrequency ablation were pursued. Activation mapping of normal sinus rhythm demonstrated the location of the sinus node in the posterolateral region of the right atrium. Activation mapping of the tachyarrhythmia identified a centrifugal activation pattern originating from the right atrium at the posterolateral aspect of the tricuspid valve orifice, suggestive of focal atrial tachycardia. A total of 10 ablation lesions were delivered to the earliest activation site. The dog recovered without complications and no recurrence of supraventricular tachycardia was noted on subsequent follow-ups.

Age-related changes in human vaginal microbiota composition have been reported, and such changes might be influenced by humidity, external stimuli, hormone levels, drug to use, and other factors. However, there is no report about the vaginal microbiota composition of female beagles at different ages. To investigate the effects of aging on the vaginal microbiota independent of other effects, we analyzed the vaginal microbiomes of 23 beagles at a wide range of ages from 1 year to 7 years old (except the 3rd year), 1-2 y were categorized into youth stage (YS), 4-5 y were categorized into middle stage (MS), and 6-7 y were categorized into elderly stage (ES) based on age. Samples were collected by scraping the vaginal mucosa of YS (n = 8), MS (n = 5) and ES (n = 10), and analyzed by 16S-rRNA gene high-throughput-sequencing. The diversity of the vaginal microbiome in female beagles was found to continuously change with age. We also found associations between age and specific members and functions of the vaginal microbiome. The metabolism of terpenoids and polyketide and the cell motility are significantly enhanced with age. Our results suggest that the proportion of Tenericutes might be a biomarker which could distinguish between YS and others.

Hypoglycaemia caused by malignant tumours other than insulinoma is referred to as non-islet cell tumour hypoglycaemia (NICTH), which may be caused by hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and leiomyosarcoma (LMS) in veterinary medicine. However, the pathogenetic mechanism of NICTH remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the gene-expression levels of glucoregulatory factors in canine HCC and LMS accompanied by hypoglycaemia.Four patients (three with HCC and one with LMS) exhibiting hypoglycemia were included in the hypoglycemic (H) group, whereas ten patients not exhibiting hypoglycemia were in the non-hypoglycaemia (NH) group. The preoperative and postoperative blood glucose and serum insulin-like growth factor-2 (IGF-2) levels, as well as the expression of genes involved regulating blood glucose levels were analysed.Compared with the NH group, the H group exhibited significantly decreased blood-glucose levels, which increased to normal values after surgery. Compared with the NH group, the H group exhibited significantly increased gene expression of insulin-like growth factor 1, IGF-2, and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 in the tumours. Conversely, expression of genes encoding glucoregulatory factors including insulin, gastric inhibitory polypeptide and glucagon was not observed. Serum IGF-2 levels were significantly higher in the H group compared with that in the control group (healthy dogs) and NH group. In two cases in the H group, serum IGF-2 levels decreased after tumour resection.These results suggest that NICTH development in dogs with HCC and LMS is mechanistically associated with IGF-2 overexpression and elevated serum IGF-2 levels.

Human inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) and canine inflammatory mammary cancer (IMC) are the most aggressive and lethal types of mammary tumors with specific characteristics such as exacerbated angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis and lymphangiotropism. E-cadherin expression is another specific feature of IBC not previously studied in canine IMC. In this study, the expression of E-cadherin and CADM1 (Cell Adhesion molecule 1) and their possible role as key molecules involved in the pathogenesis of IMC were immunohistochemically analyzed in 19 canine IMC and 15 grade III non-IMC cases. E-cadherin and CADM1 expression was higher in IMC cases (p = 0.002, p = 0.008, respectively). In the IMC group, E-cadherin cytoplasmic immunolabeling was more frequent (p = 0.035) and it was associated to the expression of the angiogenic and lymphangiogenic factors COX-2 (p = 0.009), VEGF-A (p = 0.031) and VEGF-D (p = 0.008). The differential mRNA expression between IMC and non-IMC was studied by microarray analysis in 6 cases. E-cadherin gene (CDH1) was not up-regulated in IMC cases at a transcriptional level; interestingly CADM1 was 7-fold upregulated. The differential expression of E-cadherin protein in IMC suggests a possible role of E-cadherin in the characteristic exacerbated angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis and further support IMC as a natural model for the study of human IBC. Future studies in IBC and IMC including a broad panel of adhesion molecules are necessary to elucidate their role in the metastatic process and angiogenesis.

Continuous Passive Motion (CPM) devices have been used to assist physicians conducting human rehabilitation; however, similar machines specific for canine rehabilitation have not been found in the reviewed literature. This research performed a physical analysis of the hind limb of dogs to design a device for implementing automated CPM exercises. The device proved to comply with the guidelines to perform CPM exercises, allowing a proper setting of parameters to generate rehabilitation routines customized for different rehabilitation requirements. Also, an electromyography acquisition module was incorporated into the system, with surface electrodes to visualize and provide feedback to the user for muscle activation. Limitations were encountered with a range of motion of 80° and an error of approximately 2% for angular position accuracy.

Canine heartworm disease is a potentially deadly cardiopulmonary disease caused by the mosquito-borne filarial nematode Dirofilaria immitis. In Australia, the administration of macrocyclic lactone (ML) drugs has successfully reduced the prevalence of D. immitis infection. However, the recent re-emergence of D. immitis in dogs in Queensland, Australia and the identification of ML-resistant isolates in the USA poses an important question of whether ML-resistance has emerged in this parasite in Australia. The aim of this study was to utilise phenotypic and genotypic approaches to examine the sensitivity to ML drugs in D. immitis in Australia. To do this, we surveyed 45 dogs from Queensland and New South Wales across 3 years (2019-2022) for the presence of D. immitis infection using an antigen test, quantitative Modified Knott's test, and qPCR targeting both D. immitis and the D. immitis symbiont Wolbachia. A phenotype observed by utilising sequential quantification of microfilariae for 23/45 dogs was coupled with genetic testing of filtered microfilariae for SNPs previously associated with ML-resistance in isolates from the USA. Sixteen (16/45) dogs tested positive for D. immitis infection despite reportedly receiving 'rigorous' heartworm prevention for 12 months prior to the study, according to the owners' assessment. The phenotype and genotypic assays in this study did not unequivocally demonstrate the presence of ML-resistant D. immitis in Australia. Although the failure of 16 dogs to reduce microfilaremia by90% after ML treatment was considered a suspect phenotype of ML-resistance, no genotypic evidence was discovered using the genetic SNP analysis. The traditional quantitative Modified Knott's test can be substituted by qPCR targeting D. immitis or associated Wolbachia endosymbiont DNA for a more rapid measurement of microfilariae levels. More definitive phenotypic evidence of resistance is critically needed before the usefulness of SNPs for the detection of ML-resistance in Australia can be properly assessed.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic and relapsing multifactorial inflammatory skin disease that also affects dogs. The oral and gut microbiota are associated with many disorders, including allergy. Few studies have addressed the oral and gut microbiota in dogs, although the skin microbiota has been studied relatively well in these animals. Here, we studied the AD-associated oral and gut microbiota in 16 healthy and 9 AD dogs from a purebred Shiba Inu colony. We found that the diversity of the oral microbiota was significantly different among the dogs, whereas no significant difference was observed in the gut microbiota. Moreover, a differential abundance analysis detected the Family_XIII_AD3011_group (Anaerovoracaceae) in the gut microbiota of AD dogs; however, no bacterial taxa were detected in the oral microbiota. Third, the comparison of the microbial co-occurrence patterns between AD and healthy dogs identified differential networks in which the bacteria in the oral microbiota that were most strongly associated with AD were related to human periodontitis, whereas those in the gut microbiota were related to dysbiosis and gut inflammation. These results suggest that AD can alter the oral and gut microbiota in dogs.

The canine epigastric organs, their locations and visualization of these components are essential for veterinary practice and anatomical research. Despite their importance, conflicts and discrepancies in the published material, to date, still exist, even in a species that has been studied extensively. The aim of this research was to undertake computed tomography, and anatomical sections from differing views and levels in addition to the ultrasound appearance of the main organs of the epigastria region. The epigastric organs, and associated anatomical features and landmarks that affected by stomach fullness were described in relation to their relative positions, visual appearance and general anatomy for both empty and filled stomachs. These features were not only described, but also compared against the published literature.

Canine pituitary-dependent hypercortisolism (PDH) management with trilostane usually demands lifelong therapy. The greater the dose needed, the greater the risk of side effects. Selegiline therapy has been previously described but not commonly used for PDH treatment. The present work aimed to assess the efficacy of selegiline and trilostane combined therapy for canine PDH treatment. Fifteen client-owned dogs diagnosed with spontaneous PDH were enrolled. The patients were treated with trilostane (Tri group, n = 8, initial dose of 0.5 mg/kg, PO, q12h), or with trilostane and selegiline (Tri + Sel group, n = 7, initial trilostane dose of 0.5 mg/kg, PO, q12h and selegiline 1 mg/kg, PO, q24h). Dogs underwent clinical examination, serum biochemical analysis, urinalysis, abdominal ultrasound, and eACTH and post-ACTH cortisol measurements on treatment days zero (D0), 30 (D30), 90 (D90), and 180 (D180). There was a lack of adverse effects due to the combined therapy. Both groups showed a similar clinical response and lower post-ACTH cortisol levels at the study's end. There was no significant difference in trilostane dosage at D180 between groups. There was no documented increase in either right or left adrenal gland thickness in the Tri + Sel group in contrast with patients in the Tri group. However, there was no statistical difference between the groups regarding eACTH at D0 and D180. Patients in the Tri + Sel group achieved better serum triglycerides control at the end of the study. The association of selegiline with trilostane might be a feasible therapy for canine PDH; however, its eventual advantages need larger studies.

The aim of this prospective study was to assess whether the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score could be indicative of outcome (survival to discharge) in dogs with parvoviral enteritis.In 35 naturally infected dogs, the SOFA score and clinical score were calculated and the presence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome was verified on admission and during the first four days of hospitalization.26 dogs survived, and out of the 9 non-survivors, 6 dogs had positive blood cultures. Mean SOFA scores and clinical scores between survivors and non-survivors and between septic and non-septic dogs on admission and on each hospitalization day were significantly different. Trends in SOFA score indicated that in non-survivors and septic dogs there was an increase in SOFA score during the first four days of hospitalization and a decrease occurred in survivors and non-septic dogs. The area under the curve (ROC curve analysis) for SOFA score predicting the outcome was 0.797 and predicting sepsis was 0.834. The best cut-off point of SOFA score for predicting the final outcome was 3.5 and the best cut-off of SOFA score for predicting sepsis was also 3.5.Either single values or trends in SOFA score can assist in suspecting sepsis and reaching prognosis in parvoviral enteritis.

OBJECTIVE To determine diagnostic accuracy of a point-of-care antibody-screening test by determining sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy when compared to reference standard tests for antibody against core vaccine viruses canine adenovirus (CAV), canine parvovirus (CPV), and canine distemper virus (CDV). A further aim was to provide the practitioner with information to guide selection of vaccinal antibody testing methods. SAMPLES Canine sera from across North America were submitted to a fee-for-service titer-testing laboratory. Samples came from healthy pet dogs with known core vaccination history (n = 431) as well as unvaccinated dogs held in isolation (132). This study examined a total of 563 samples for CDV/CPV and 183 for CAV. PROCEDURES Serum virus neutralization assays determined antibody titers for CDV and CAV. Hemagglutination inhibition assay determined antibody titers against CPV. All sera were also tested by point-of-care dot blot ELISA (index test). RESULTS For all 3 viral antigens, the index test provided sensitivity ranging from 96.03% to 96.75% and specificity ranging from 87.50% to 94.33%. Overall accuracy ranged from 93.43% to 95.91%. CLINICAL RELEVANCE The index test correlates well with reference standard tests and is a reliable, rapid screening test for detection of protective vaccinal antibody against CAV, CDV, and CPV in healthy dogs over 20 weeks of age. An accurate assessment of immunity allows clinicians to administer core vaccines appropriately as needed, avoiding unnecessary risk of adverse vaccine events.

Force plates are considered the gold standard for kinetic gait analysis, benefiting from measuring three-dimensional ground reaction forces. Nevertheless, the major disadvantage is that many trials are required during overground locomotion to capture adequate single-limb contacts. Additionally, the dogs slightly change velocities during overground walking, influencing kinetic and kinematic gait parameters. An alternative is using an instrumented treadmill that benefits from capturing many steady-state gait cycles at a constant speed quickly. The goal of this study was (1) to compare overground with treadmill locomotion and (2) to compare the instrumented treadmill with force plates for dogs kinetics measurements. Twelve client-owned dogs were measured during treadmill trotting while the treadmill was placed on force plates. Additionally, the dogs were measured during trotting along an alley over eight force plates. Bland-Altman plots, Pearson's (r), and concordance correlation coefficients (r

Induction of diabetes mellitus by streptozotocin (STZ) in rats at birth is of high mortality and low success rate when male puppies are separated from females, prioritizing females breastfeeding. Cross-parental care of the entire litter and SZT-induced diabetes up to 12 h post-birth become with high success rate, low animal death, and females with glycaemia140 mg/dL on the 90 postnatal day. Cross-parental care is more effective in STZ-induction of diabetes, which is maintained during pregnancy (diabetes in pregnancy), than the conventional protocol of male separation at birth.

The eye (including the cornea) and ear canal are the major sources of Streptococcus canis in companion animal practice. In this study, we aimed to clarify the genotypic and phenotypic features of eye-origin isolates collected in 2021 compared to ear-origin isolates collected in 2021 and eye-origin isolates collected in 2017. Of the 102 isolates in 2021, 9 eye-origin isolates were enrolled. Twenty ear-origin isolates in 2021 and 13 eye-origin isolates in 2017 were included as controls. Genotypic analyses included profiling of virulence-associated genes (VAGs; inl, sagA, slo, scp, lbp, fbp, gbp, ap1, fp1, and brp), S. canis M-like protein (SCM) allele typing, multilocus sequence typing, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genotyping and phenotyping analyses including hemolytic activity (HA) measurement and AMR phenotyping. One 2017-eye-origin isolate displayed high-level HA; the others displayed low-level HA. No association was evident between the 2021-eye-origin population and the detection rate of each VAG. There was no association between the 2021-eye-origin population and the main SCM allele 2. A significant association was evident between the 2021-eye-origin population and the main clonal complex (CC) 46 containing sequence type (ST) 46/ST2. A significant association was also detected between the 2021-eye-origin population and AMR phenotypes/genotypes. Our observations suggest unique microbiological features (CC46 with AMR phenotypes/genotypes) among the 2021-eye-origin population.

Perivascular wall tumors (PWTs) are common well-known canine mesenchymal tumors. The term PWT has not yet been applied to cats; only 2 cases of feline soft tissue hemangiopericytomas (HEPs) are available. In human medicine, sinonasal HEP-like tumor/glomangiopericytoma (SHPCL/GP) and intranasal solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) are well-known mesenchymal tumors with staghorn vasculature and low malignant potential; however, these entities have not been described in small animals. We describe here the pathologic and immunohistochemical features of 2 cases of feline intranasal mesenchymal tumors consistent with PWTs and resembling human SHPCL/GP (case 1), and human intranasal SFT (case 2). Both cats developed intranasal, unilateral, polypoid, expansile neoplasms with a mostly patternless growth of spindle cells, minimal stroma, and prominent staghorn vessels. The stroma was PAS negative, which excludes a glomus tumor. Immunohistochemistry identified diffuse vimentin and PDGFRβ expression. Case 1 was α-SMA positive (as is human SHPCL/GP); case 2 was negative (as is human intranasal SFT). Both tumors were incompletely excised, leading to recurrence in case 1. Case 2 was lost to follow up. To our knowledge, intranasal PWTs have not been reported previously in cats. The frequency of the lesions is not known, but awareness of these entities may assist in their recognition and better characterization in the future.

We report an observational, double-blind study that examined puppies’ behaviors while engaged in solving an experimental food retrieval task (food retrieval task instrument: FRTI). The experimental setting included passive social distractors (i.e., the dog’s owner and a stranger). The focus was on how the social and physical environment shapes puppies’ behaviors according to sex. The dependent variables were the number of tasks solved on an apparatus (Performance Index) and the time required to solve the first task (Speed). Sex and Stress were set as explanatory factors, and Social Interest, FRTI interactions, other behavior, and age as covariates. The main findings were that male puppies solved the first task faster than females. On the other hand, females displayed significantly more social interest and did so more rapidly than males. Males showed delayed task resolution. This study demonstrates sex differences in a problem-solving task in dog puppies for the first time, thus highlighting that sexually dimorphic behavioral differences in problem-solving strategies develop early on during ontogenesis.