Biancaurora Gugliucci

Association Between Canine Malignant Lymphoma, Living in Industrial Areas, and Use of Chemicals by Dog Owners

A case-control study was carried out to determine whether residential exposure to environmental pollutants increased risk for canine lymphoma in pet dogs. One hundred one cases with cytologically or histologically confirmed lymphoma diagnosed at a veterinary teaching hospital between the middle of 1996 and the middle of 1998 were examined. Controls were obtained by choosing twice the number of dogs without neoplastic disease, with overlapping distributions of province of residence, age, sex, and breed. Information regarding animal management, residence type, professional or hobby use of chemicals by owners, and treatment with herbicides or other pesticides in the area frequently visited by the dogs was obtained with a multiple-choice questionnaire by telephone interview. Two variables were positively and independently associated with the disease, namely residency in industrial areas (odds ratio [OR]; = 8.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.3-30.9) and use of chemicals by owners, specifically paints or solvents (OR = 4.6; 95% CI, 1.7-12.6). A significantly lower value of the mean age of disease onset was found in the group of dogs at risk in comparison with the group of all other dogs (6.1 +/- 0.4 years, n = 36 versus 7.5 +/- 0.4 years, n = 65, respectively; P = .008). Variables describing animal care and pesticide use were either not associated with the disease or were uninformative. We suggest that canine lymphoma may be considered a sentinel of potentially hazardous situations for humans, because of the relatively short latency between exposure and disease onset.

Retrospective survey of malignant lymphoma cases in the dog: clinical, therapeutical and prognostic features

ABSTRACT Retrospective survey of malignant lymphoma casesin the dog: clinical, therapeutical and prognostic features A. Gavazza & G. Lubas & E. Valori & B. Gugliucci Published online: 14 August 2008 # Springer Science + Business Media B.V. 2008 Keywords Chemotherapy.Clinicalfeatures.Dog.Lymphoma.PrognosticfactorsAbbreviationsaPTT activated partial thromboplastin timeEMI erythroid maturation indexIFAT immuno-fluorescent antibody testI/Me myeloerythroid indexM/E myeloid erythroid ratioPT prothrombin timeSPE serum protein electrophoresisIntroductionCanine lymphoma is the most commonly reported neoplastic haematological disorder.During the preliminary diagnosis of this disease it is important to plan a standard diagnosticapproach in order to appropriately identify the disease, to formulate a correct prognosticjudgement, and to undertake an adequate therapeutic protocol. In particular, the use ofcorticosteroids as single agents for the treatment of lymphoma is unadvised, as a negativeassociation with the remission time following multidrug therapy has been demonstrated(Price et al., 1991). Moreover, an involvement of corticosteroids in the resistance tochemotherapeutic agents has been hypothesized.

Haematological Alterations Observed in Equine Routine Complete Blood Counts. A Retrospective Investigation

Abstract: Results on more than 1000 complete blood counts (CBC) performed on hot-blooded horses, including Thoroughbred, Standardbred, and Arabian, have been reviewed. All the data were processed and stored at the Laboratory of Haematology, Department Veterinary Clinic, University of Pisa, over the last 2 years, and involved samples withdrawn from both inpatients and outpatients of the clinic. The CBC is routinely requested as a part of a complete clinical evaluation of horses as well as during the course of disease or as a routine check during the training process. The CBC, using K3-EDTA blood samples, included a three cell population count performed on an electronic impedance cell counter (Genius, SEAC, Calenzano, Fi, Italy), and the microscopic evaluation of a stained blood smear. In addition, the refractometric assessment of total plasma proteins and fibrinogen (by the heat precipitation method) was also performed using EDTA plasma. The incidence of haematological changes in red blood cells (RBCs), subtyped as polycythaemia and anaemia, were 16.2%. Anaemia totalled 15.1%, including mild (packed cell volume (PCV) 31–26%) at 10.2%, moderate (PCV 25–17%) at 4.1%, and severe (PCV <16%) at 0.8%. The incidence of white blood cell (WBC) changes, subtyped as leucocytosis and leucopenia, was 38.4%. Leucocytosis totalled 30.5%, including mild (WBC 10–15 000/ml) at 22.5%, moderate (WBC 15–20 000/ml) at 7.7%, and severe (WBC >20 000/ml) at 0.3%. The incidence of leucopenia was 7.9% (WBC <5500/ml). Interpretation of the full leucogram (including variation on several leucocyte types and fibrinogen values) gave an incidence of physiological leucocytosis at 9.9%, stress leucocytosis at 5.3%, and inflammatory leucocytosis at 37.3%. Thrombocytopenia was frequently observed at 7.2%, whereas thrombocytosis was observed in only 0.3% of cases. Horse CBCs display less characteristic blood pictures in comparison to other species due to their particular haemopoietic system, such as the long half-life of RBCs, the occurrence of a non-sinusoid spleen, the fate and distribution of WBCs, and the rather high clumping phenomena of horse platelets in EDTA glass vials.

Canine Erythrocyte Morphology: Observations of a New Pattern, the “Quatrefoil” Erythrocyte

The “quatrefoil” erythrocyte pattern may be observed during erythrocyte morphology evaluation in canine complete blood counts (CBCs). “Quatrefoil” red blood cells (RBCs) have been documented in blood smears using both optical and scanning electron microscopy. In our examination of 3,958 CBCs, we found a prevalence of 3.89 % “quatrefoil” RBCs. These RBCs mostly occurred between the body and feathered edge of the blood smears. This pattern was not statistically related to the breed or sex, but to the age of the dog (older dogs; p < 0.0001). “Quatrefoil” RBCs are not significantly associated with other morphological erythrocyte changes. However, compared with populations of dogs without “quatrefoil” RBCs, dogs with this RBC pattern are significantly more likely to exhibit lower total leukocyte and neutrophil counts. Hypotheses describing the origin of “quatrefoil” RBCs include artifact effects, dacryocyte overlapping, and the effect of adhesion forces between two circulating RBCs in the blood stream (i.e., tank-trading and/or tumbling).

Retrospective and Prospective Investigations about “Quatrefoil” Erythrocytes in Canine Blood Smears

The presence of unusual two RBCs patterns (so-called “quatrefoil RBCs,” qRBCs) on canine blood smears at Optical Microscope (OM) was seen during routine evaluation of CBCs. Two consecutive retrospective investigations were arranged including about 7,000 CBCs and clinical records and laboratory data from dogs showing qRBCs. Few samples with qRBCs were prepared for Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). qRBCs were found in 6.89% (139 of 2016) and 8.47% (133 of 1569) of dogs and in 3.89% (154 of 3,958) and 4.47% (138 of 3,081) of CBCs (some dogs were tested more than once). Statistical analysis was significant for age groups (Chi squared, P < 0.0001), decreased total leukocyte and neutrophil counts (ANOVA, P < 0.0001), RBCs anisocytosis, polychromasia, and Howell-Jolly bodies (ANOVA, P < 0.018, <0.005, and <0.003, respectively). qRBCs were distributed in the area of feathered edge and at the smear side of body-feathered edge area in blood films. SEM ruled out the possibility of an optical illusion or an accidental overlap. qRBCs are associated with ageing of dogs, total leukocyte and neutrophil counts, and RBC anisocytosis, polychromasia, and Howell-Jolly bodies. Few hypotheses were discussed to explain the origin and meaning of this RBC arrangement.

Investigations about canine erythrocyte morphology: observation of a new modification, the ‘quatrefoil’ erythrocytes

LXV Meeting of the Italian Society for Veterinary Sciences (SISVet), Tropea-Drapia 2011—selected papers Full papers will be available in Pugliese A, Ferlazzo A, Gaiti A, Boiti C (2013) Trends in Veterinary Sciences—Current Aspects in Veterinary Morphophysiology, Biochemistry, Animal Production, Food Hygiene and Clinical Sciences. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg Antonio Pugliese & Adriana Ferlazzo & Alberto Gaiti & Cristiano Boiti BIOLOGY & REPRODUCTION Seasonal effect on hematological and innate immune parameters in Sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax Pascoli F*, Negrato E, Poltronieri C, Radaelli G, Bertotto D Dipartimento di Scienze Sperimentali Veterinarie, Facolta di Medicina Veterinaria, Universita degli Studi di Padova. *Correspondence: francesco.pascoli@unipd.it

Feasibility of homeopathy in a flock of Zerasca sheep

Feasibility of homeopathy in a flock of Zerasca sheep M. N. Benvenuti, F. Pisseri, J. Goracci, L. Giuliotti, B. Gugliucci, F. Macchioni, A. Gavazza and G. Guidi Dipartimento Produzioni Animali, Viale delle Piagge, 2 56124 Pisa, Medico veterinario omeopata Scuola CIMI-Koinè, Dipartimento Clinica Veterinaria, Via Livornese, S. Piero a Grado and Dipartimento Patologia Animale, Profilassi e Igiene degli Alimenti, Viale delle Piagge, 2 56124, Pisa