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Intraoral administration of canine interferon alpha (CaIFN-α) has been shown to reduce gingivitis in dogs, but has not been confirmed in cats. Therefore, in this study, a CaIFN-α preparation was used for feline gingivitis, and the degree and duration of its effects were examined. Cats were divided into two groups: one was administered CaIFN-α, and the other was not. They were observed up to 12 months. It was suggested that CaIFN-α have a reducing effect on gingivitis and halitosis for a certain period although may not on plaque or calculus. In addition, the duration of the CaIFN-α gingivitis-reducing effect was suggested to be about three months. The CaIFN-α preparation is considered to be a useful treatment for oral hygiene control.

We investigated the clinical effectiveness of subcutaneous (SC) administration of recombinant feline interferon-omega (rFeIFN-ω) at a dose of 1 M unit (MU)/kg body weight (bw) for the treatment of feline chronic gingivitis-stomatitis (FCGS) in cats infected with feline calicivirus (FCV). Among the 17 cats used in this study, there were 13 FCV-positive cats (FCVI group), which were subcutaneously injected with rFeIFN-ω. The remaining four FCV-positive cats (FCVC group) were treated with SC corticosteroid. SC injection of rFeIFN-ω was given once daily on days 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 14, and 21. Corticosteroid was subcutaneously injected at a dose of 1.0 mg/kg bw, at the same intervals as rFeIFN-ω. Clinical symptoms (salivation, pain at opening the mouth, halitosis, mandibular lymphadenopathy, and all four symptoms combined [defined as “total clinical symptoms”]) and stomatitis (the degree and extent of inflammation, bleeding from the lesion, and all three items combined [defined as “total stomatitis”]) were scored on days 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28. FCV RNAs was quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction and the percent increase in viral copy numbers was calculated using the values on days 0 and 28. In the FCVI group, significant differences were observed in the score for clinical symptom (salivation) score and in the total clinical symptom score within the group (P = 0.018 and 0.008, respectively). Significant differences within the group were also observed in the scores for the degree and extent of inflammation in stomatitis and in the total stomatitis score (P = 0.003, 0.007, and 0.003, respectively). The total score, defined as the clinical score plus the stomatitis score, was on days 7, 14, 21 and 28 than on day 0 (p = 0.006, .0003, 0.002 and 0.002, respectively). In the FCVI group, significant difference was observed between on days 0 and on 21 (p = 0.023). The percentage change in the number of polymerase chain reaction cycles required to amplify the viral RNA was positive (indicating viral reduction) in the FCVI group, but was negative in the FCVC group. These results demonstrate that SC administration of rFeIFN-ω under the current protocol improves stomatitis by inhibiting FCV proliferation in FCV-positive cats with FCGS.

Two dogs, emigrated from Zambia and China to Japan, were diagnosed with Ehrlichia canis infection. Both cases had thrombocytopenia, non-regenerative anemia, and hypergloblinemia with polyclonal gammopathy. Case 1 had ataxia of the hind limbs. Severe meningitis was revealed by magnetic resonance imaging examination. Intracytoplasmic inclusions were observed in mononuclear cells of cerebrospinal fluid. Case 2 had a history of bilateral epistaxis, and severe pancytopenia was noticed in complete blood count. Diagnosis was finally achieved by nested polymerase chain reaction and sequence analysis. Thus, even in non-endemic areas, E. canis infection should be included in the differential diagnosis of clinically ill dogs that emigrated from endemic areas.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the minimum effective dose of recombinant canine interferon-gamma (rCaIFN-gamma) for the treatment of dogs with atopic dermatitis (AD). Thirty-four dogs with AD from 17 animal hospitals in Japan were administered half or one-fifth of the approved rCaIFN-gamma dose of 10 000 units/kg, three times a week for 4 weeks, followed by once weekly for an additional 4 weeks. Pruritus, excoriation, erythema and alopecia were evaluated and scored by the investigators on weeks 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12. The efficacy rate (number of excellent cases + number of good cases/total number of cases) at week 8 in the 2000 units/kg group was 36.4% for pruritus, 36.4% for excoriation, 45.5% for erythema and 36.4% for alopecia. In contrast, in the 5000 units/kg group, the efficacy rate was 64.3% for pruritus, 57.1% for excoriation, 78.6% for erythema and 78.6% for alopecia. The efficacy rate of the 5000 units/kg group was high for all signs evaluated and comparable to that of the 10 000 units/kg group reported in a previous study. The results of this study showed that 2000 units/kg of rCaIFN-gamma is less effective than 5000 units/kg to treat dogs with AD, and the efficacy of the 5000 units/kg dose is comparable to that of 10 000 units/kg at week 8.

An 8-year-old intact female Maltese was presented with anorexia and weight loss. Severe anemia, leukocytosis, and marked thrombocytosis were noticed. Blast cells resembled to megakaryoblasts were observed in peripheral blood smear. Based on bone marrow biopsy and histopathological examination, it was diagnosed as megakaryoblastic leukemia. Canine megakaryoblastic leukemia is very rare, however this is the first case report in Japan.

Primary brain tumors in two dogs were surgically removed followed by postoperative radiation therapy. The two tumors were confirmed histologically to be astrocytoma and meningioma, respectively. After the surgery, the neurological status of each dog improved dramatically and a total dose of 40 Gy was delivered to the surgical site to treat residual tumor tissue. Although the dog with astrocytoma died 6 months after surgery due to unknown causes, the dog with meningioma has lived for over 24 months with a degree of neurological disorder less severe than that before treatment. These results suggested the effectiveness of this type of therapy on brain tumor in dogs and therapeutic modality should be positively planned to treat canine brain tumors.

水腎症, 巨大尿管および尿管嚢腫を併発した異所性尿管の犬に手術を行い, その後良好な経過をとった1症例について報告した。患犬は1歳の体重19kg, 雌のシベリアンスキー種で, 長期間, いつも陰部の周辺をぬらしており, 最近悪臭がひどいとのことで来院した。抗生物質による治療で悪臭は消失したが, 尿でぬれる状態には変化がなかった。尿検査では, E.coliが検出され, かなり重度の尿路感染が疑われた。静脈性尿路造影で左側は巨大尿管と水腎症, 右側は巨大尿管を併発した左右の異所性尿管と診断し, 手術を行った。拡張した左右の尿管は膀胱三角に連絡していたが, その部分では開口せず, 膀胱内に風船状に突出 (尿管嚢腫) していた。嚢腫部分を切開すると尿管はそのまま尿道壁の問を尾側へと伸びていた。左側の腎臓は水腎症を起こしていたため拡大した尿管とともに摘出した。膀胱から尾側へ伸びている尿管は閉鎖し, 右の尿管の切開部は尿管と膀胱の粘膜を単純結節縫合した。右の尿管から膀胱内へ尿が流れ出るのを確認して, あとは型のごとく手術を終了した。術後3ヵ月間はわずかな尿の失禁が続いた。また9ヵ月後に再びE.coliが検出されたが, クロラムフェニコールの投与を続けたところ, その後の経過は良好で1.5年を経過した現在, とくに問題は見られていない。