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Objectives To review the clinical findings and outcome in dogs diagnosed with insulinoma, and to assess which factors are predictors of overall survival. Additionally, to describe the neurological manifestations of this population and their correlation with survival. Materials and methods Retrospective multicentric study of canine insulinoma cases (2009 to 2020). Signalment, clinical history, neurological examination, diagnostic findings, treatment and outcome were obtained from clinical records. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to compare the overall survival. Results One hundred and sixteen cases were included. Median duration of clinical signs before presentation was 1.5 months. The most common presenting clinical signs were weakness (59.5%), epileptic seizures (33.6%) and changes in consciousness or behaviour (27.6%). Three dogs were suspected to have paroxysmal dyskinesia. Thirty-two dogs had an abnormal neurological examination, most commonly showing obtundation (28.1%), decreased withdrawal reflexes (21.9%) and absent menace response (18.8%). Overall survival for dogs undergoing surgery (20 months) was significantly longer than in medically treated (8 months; adjusted hazard ratio: 0.33; 95% confidence interval: 0.18, 0.59). Presence of metastases was the only other variable associated with prognosis (adjusted hazard ratio 1.72; 95% confidence interval: 1.02, 2.91). Clinical significance Clinical signs of canine insulinoma are vague and non-specific. Weakness, epileptic seizures and changes in mentation or behaviour were the most commonly reported. Obtunded mentation and forebrain neurolocalisation were the main neurological manifestations. Dogs undergoing surgery had a longer overall survival compared to medically treated cases, and dogs with metastasis had a shorter overall survival regardless of treatment modality. Abnormalities in the neurological examination did not correlate with prognosis.

Objectives The presence of Bartonella spp. was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in dogs from Spain with blood culture-negative endocarditis. The aim of this study is to add information about canine infectious endocarditis in Europe. Animals Thirty dogs with naturally occurring blood culture-negative endocarditis were examined from 2010 to 2017 at three veterinary referral hospitals, located in northwest, northeast, and southeast of Spain. Methods It is a retrospective study. Medical records were reviewed to extract relevant data. Frozen or paraffin-embedded cardiac valve tissue and/or ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid blood samples were evaluated by PCR for the presence of Bartonella DNA. Positive results were sequenced to confirm the species. Results Polymerase chain reaction was positive for eight out of 30 dogs included (26.6%). Bartonella rochalimae, Bartonella vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii, and Bartonella koehlerae were detected in valve tissue or blood. Conclusions Bartonella could be an important cause of blood culture-negative infectious endocarditis in dogs from Spain. The outcome for those dogs affected with Bartonella spp. was grave. Prompt empirical treatment with amoxicillin-clavulanate plus fluoroquinolones could be of value in cases of blood culture-negative endocarditis.

To investigate evidence for selected vector-borne pathogen infections in dogs with pericardial effusion living in a Mediterranean area in which several canine vector-borne diseases are endemic.Archived EDTA blood (n=68) and pericardial fluid samples (n=58) from dogs with pericardial effusion (n=68) were included. Dogs without pericardial effusion examined for other reasons were included as controls (n=60). Pericardial effusion was classified as neoplastic in 40 dogs, idiopathic in 23 dogs and of unknown aetiology in 5 dogs. Real-time PCR was performed for Leishmania infantum, Ehrlichia/Anaplasma species, Hepatozoon canis, Babesia species, Rickettsia species and Bartonella species, and sequencing of PCR products from positive samples was used to confirm species specificity.Vector-borne pathogens were found in 18 dogs: 16 of 68 dogs with pericardial effusion (23·5%) and two of 60 control dogs (3·3%). Positive dogs demonstrated DNA of Leishmania infantum (n=7), Anaplasma platys (n=2, one dog coinfected with Leishmania infantum), Babesia canis (n=5), Babesia gibsoni (n=3) and Hepatozoon canis (n=2). Vector-borne pathogens were more commonly detected among dogs with pericardial effusion than controls (P=0·001). There was no relationship between aetiology of the pericardial effusion and evidence of vector-borne pathogens (P=0·932).Vector-borne pathogens are often detected in dogs with pericardial effusion and require further investigation, especially in dogs with idiopathic pericardial effusion. PCR can provide additional information about the potential role of vector-borne pathogens in dogs with pericardial effusion living in endemic areas.

Generalised pyogranulomatous disease and hyperviscosity syndrome associated with a presumed monoclonal gammopathy was diagnosed in a three-year-old intact female Pomeranian. The Bartonella henselae antibody titer was 1:64 and Bartonella species DNA was amplified from the splenic tissue. Monoclonal gammopathies in dogs are typically associated with plasma cell and lymphoid dyscrasias and other inflammatory or infectious diseases such as ehrlichiosis and leishmaniosis. Based on this case report, infection with Bartonella species should also be added to the differential diagnoses for gammopathy in dogs. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of molecular evidence of Bartonella species infection in a sick dog in Spain.

The objective of this study was to describe the adverse effects of allopurinol on the urinary system during treatment of canine leishmaniasis.Retrospective case series of 42 dogs that developed xanthinuria while receiving allopurinol treatment for leishmaniasis.Of 320 dogs diagnosed with leishmaniasis, 42 (13%) developed adverse urinary effects. Thirteen (of 42) dogs (31%) developed xanthinuria, renal mineralisation and urolithiasis; 11 (26·2%) showed xanthinuria with renal mineralisation; 9 (21·4%) had xanthinuria with urolithiasis and 9 (21·4%) developed xanthinuria alone. Urinary clinical signs developed in 19 dogs (45·2%).This study demonstrates that urolithiasis and renal mineralisation can occur in dogs receiving allopurinol therapy. Dogs receiving therapy should be monitored for the development of urinary adverse effects from the beginning of treatment.

Objectives In an endemic area for leishmaniosis and filariasis, coinfection can occur and the immunomodulation triggered by Wolbachia infection might influence the clinical signs and progression of both diseases. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of Wolbachia in dogs infected with Dirofilaria immitis and other filarial nematodes, to evaluate the prevalence of coinfection of Leishmania infantum, filariae and Wolbachia and their association with clinical presentation. Methods Polymerase chain reaction assays were performed to detect filarial species, Wolbachia species and Leishmania in 118 samples of dogs from southeastern Spain with leishmaniosis and/or filariasis. Results Ninety-eight dogs were infected with Leishmania and 49 had filarial infection (29 were coinfected with both). Wolbachia DNA was detected in 30·6% of filariae-positive dogs (15/49). Dogs coinfected with Leishmania and filaria had more severe clinical signs. Wolbachia infection was significantly (P=0·026) more frequent in dogs that were not infected with Leishmania. There was no correlation between outcome and coinfection with these pathogens. Clinical Significance This study highlights the increased sensitivity of polymerase chain reaction in the diagnosis of filariasis, confirms the presence of Wolbachia in dogs from the Mediterranean basin, shows the increased severity of clinical signs when Leishmania-filarial coinfection is present and suggests a protective role of Wolbachia in leishmaniosis.

Objectives: Risk for transmission of Leishmania infantum from blood products has been largely demonstrated in human and veterinary literature. Appropriate screening of canine blood donors is important especially in an endemic area such as Barcelona (Spain). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the presence of L infantum DNA parasites by real-time quantitative PCR in our canine blood bank. Methods: Samples from blood products obtained from 92 canine blood donors were assayed for L infantum by means of real-time PCR amplification and quantification. Results: The prevalence of quantitative PCR-positive blood samples among healthy seronegative blood donors was 19·6 per cent. Clinical Significance: The results of this study show that L infantum infection is common in canine blood donors and their blood products in an endemic area, despite a negative commercial serological screening for infectious diseases. Therefore, screening by PCR should be included in an integrated approach to evaluate L infantum infection among potential blood donors.