Kate English

DNA Analysis of Pneumocystis Infecting a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) has been identified in humans and other mammalian species as a consequence of an impaired immune status. The majority of canine PCP cases are diagnosed post mortem, although ante mortem diagnosis and treatment with potentiated sulfonamides has led to recovery [3]. There have been reports of molecular analysis of canine Pnewnocystis [l, 21. This is the first report of molecular evidence of co-infection with more than one type of PnewMcystis in canine FCP, although co-infection has been previously reported in rats and ferrets with PCP [6].

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Mast Cell Tumours in Dogs in England

BackgroundMast cell tumour (MCT) appears to be a frequent tumour type in dogs, though there is little published in relation to its frequency in dogs in the UK. The current study aimed to investigate prevalence and risk factors for MCTs in dogs attending English primary-care veterinary practices.MethodsElectronic patient records from practices participating in the VetCompass animal surveillance project between July 2007 and June 2013 were searched for MCT diagnosis. Various search terms and standard diagnostic terms (VeNom codes) identified records containing MCT diagnoses, which were evaluated against clinical criteria for inclusion to the study. MCT prevalence for the entire dataset and specific breed types were calculated. Descriptive statistics characterised MCT cases and multivariable logistic regression methods evaluated risk factors for association with MCT (P < 0.05).ResultsWithin a population of 168,636 dogs, 453 had MCT, yielding a prevalence of 0.27% (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.24% - 0.29%). The highest breed type specific prevalences were for the Boxer at 1.95% (95% CI 1.40% - 2.51%), Golden Retriever at 1.39% (0.98% - 1.81%) and Weimaraner at 0.85% (95% CI 0.17% to 1.53%). Age, insurance status, neuter status, weight and breed type were associated with MCT diagnosis. Of dogs of specific breed type, the Boxer, Pug and Staffordshire Bull Terrier showed greater odds of MCT diagnosis compared with crossbred dogs. Conversely, the German Shepherd Dog, Border Collie, West Highland White Terrier, Springer Spaniel and Cocker Spaniel had reduced odds of MCT diagnosis compared with crossbred dogs. No association was found between MCT diagnosis and sex.Clinical significanceThis study highlights a clinically significant prevalence of MCT and identifies specific breed types with predisposition to MCT, potentially aiding veterinarian awareness and facilitating diagnosis.

Pulmonary cowpox in cats: five cases

Case series summary This case series documents five cases of pneumonia (with pleural effusion in three cases) caused by cowpox virus (CPxV) in domestic cats. Predisposition to pneumonia may have resulted from mixed infections in two cases (feline herpesvirus and Bordetella bronchiseptica in one cat, and Mycoplasma species in the other). Relevance and novel information As well as diagnostic confirmation by previously described methods of virus isolation from skin lesions, and demonstration of pox virions in skin samples using electron microscopy and inclusion bodies in histological preparations, this is the first report of diagnosis by virus isolation from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid or pleural fluid, and demonstration of inclusion bodies in cytological preparations. This is also the first series to report treatment with interferon omega (IFN-ω). Two cats survived, both of which had been treated with IFN-ω. As CPxV represents a serious zoonotic risk it is an important differential diagnosis of pneumonia in cats.

Synaptonemal complexes in the pre-cyst of Pneumocystis carinii

P. curinii from several different hosts has been examined by transmission electron microscopy [ I , 2, 5-71, The organism exists in several forms within infected lungs: the unicellular trophozoite or trophic form, the pre-cyst, the cyst (containing eight intracystic bodies or spores) and the empty or excysted cyst. It is presumed that the trophozoite is haploid and divides by binary fission, but that it also undergoes a con.jugation at the beginning of the sexual stage of its lifecycle 121. The pre-cyst is an intermediate stage between the trophozoite and the cyst. Following a meiotic event in the uninuclear pre-cyst, the function of this stage is the production of eight nuclei in the mature cyst. Evidence for meiosis is the presence of the synaptonemal complex, in which paired homologous chromosomes in a diploid nucleus undergo recombination. Matsumoto and Yoshida reported the presence of the synaptonemal complex in P. carinii in rat alveoli, but to date this is the only report of this structure in P. carinii 151. Their study also detailed the three stages of the pre-cyst: early, intermediate and late. The early pre-cyst is uninuclear and it is in this stage that synaptonemal complexes were observed. Meiosis L and I I occur in the intermediate pre-cyst, producing four haploid nuclei and a post-meiotic mitosis results in the formation of eight nuclei to produce the late pre-cyst. Development of a delimiting membrane in the late pre-cyst produces the eight intracystic bodies in the mature cyst, which ruptures to release intracystic bodies as young trophozoites. We have carried ou t an ultrastructural study of P. carinii using a fixative which well preserved the organisms. Here we present an examplc of synaptonemal complexes in the early pre-cyst, confirming the earlier report of Matsumoto and Yoshida [ 5 ] .

Evaluation of red cell distribution width in dogs with pulmonary hypertension.

OBJECTIVES To compare red cell distribution width (RDW) between dogs with different causes of pulmonary hypertension (PH) and a control dog population to determine whether RDW was correlated with severity of PH as measured by echocardiography. A further aim was to determine the prognostic significance of increased RDW for dogs with PH. ANIMALS Forty-four client-owned dogs with PH and 79 control dogs presented to a single tertiary referral institution. METHODS Signalment, clinical pathological and echocardiographic data were obtained retrospectively from the medical records of dogs with PH, and RDW measured on a Cell-Dyn 3500 was compared between dogs with pre- and post-capillary PH and a control population. Referring veterinary surgeons were contacted for follow-up information and Kaplan-Meier analysis was conducted to investigate differences in survival time between affected dogs with different RDW values. RESULTS The RDW was significantly greater in dogs with pre-capillary PH compared to control dogs. There was no difference in median survival times between dogs with PH divided according to RDW values. The RDW was positively correlated with mean corpuscular volume and haematocrit in dogs with PH, but did not correlate with echocardiographic variables. CONCLUSIONS An association was found between dogs with PH and increased RDW; however there was considerable overlap in values between control dogs and dogs with PH. The RDW was not associated with survival in this study.

Spontaneous Septic Arthritis of Canine Elbows: Twenty-One Cases

OBJECTIVE  This study provides information on clinical features, diagnosis, treatment and associated risk factors of spontaneous septic elbow arthritis in the dog. METHODS Medical records between March 2007 and June 2015 were searched for cases of spontaneous septic elbow arthritis with a diagnosis based on clinical signs, arthrocentesis, cytological and microbiological analysis of elbow joint synovial fluid, radiography and outcome following treatment. RESULTS Twenty-one cases of septic arthritis were identified. Pre-existing osteoarthritis was present in 14/15 elbows for which diagnostic imaging was available. Although all cases had increased neutrophil count on synovial fluid cytology, culture was only positive in 12/21. Despite initial improvement in lameness scores (pre-treatment 9/10 [range: 1-10] versus post-treatment 3/10 [range: 1-5]), 11/12 had residual long-term lameness. Recurrence of infection was noted in 3/12 elbows for which long-term (>8 weeks) follow-up was available. There was an acute mortality rate of 2/21 associated with severe systemic sepsis. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE Septic arthritis, even in the absence of pyrexia, should be considered as a major differential diagnosis in middle aged, large breed dogs, with pre-existing elbow arthritis, that suffer an acute onset lameness, with elbow joint effusion and discomfort. Antibiotic therapy alone was effective for treatment with high initial response rates. Chronic lameness post-treatment was common, and a high rate of recurrence was seen with 3/12 dogs suffering more than one episode.

Aldosterone‐producing adrenocortical carcinoma with myxoid differentiation in a cat

A 10-year-old male neutered Persian cat was presented with an abdominal mass and history of weakness. Blood smear examination found marked elliptocytosis, and serum biochemical analysis revealed hypokalemia, hypochloremia, increased creatine kinase activity, and a high aldosterone concentration. Cytologic examination of the mass revealed neoplastic endocrine cells with moderate criteria of malignancy, favoring adrenocortical neoplasia. The adrenal mass was surgically excised and histologically characterized by lobules of mildly pleomorphic, polygonal neoplastic cells with moderate to abundant, occasionally granular, eosinophilic cytoplasm. Lobules were separated by fine fibrovascular trabeculae, and numerous cystic cavities containing amorphous eosinophilic material that stained positive with Alcian blue and periodic acid-Schiff were seen. Neoplastic cells were multifocally positive for cytochrome P450 aldosterone synthase. Based on clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical findings the present case was diagnosed as an aldosterone-producing adrenocortical carcinoma with myxoid differentiation. While this entity has not been reported in cats, myxoid differentiation of adrenocortical carcinomas has been found in other species and can pose a major diagnostic challenge on microscopic examination.

What is your diagnosis? Lymph node aspirates from a dog with prominent lymphadenomegaly

A 6-year-old male neutered Border Terrier was presented to the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals, Royal Veterinary College, UK, with diabetic ketoacidosis following a 24-hour history of lethargy, vomiting, and inappetence. The dog had been previously diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, chronic allergic skin disease, obesity, and bilateral cruciate ligament rupture, and had recently developed bilateral mature cataracts. Physical examination revealed focal lymphadenomegaly involving both prescapular lymph nodes. An abdominal ultrasonographic examination was consistent with pancreatitis which was the presumptive inciting factor for the development of ketoacidosis. Dermatologic examination revealed moderate erythema of the palmar interdigital skin, and mild erythema of the plantar interdigital skin. Moderate erythema and moderate swelling of the claw fold of digit 4 on each forefoot were noted. The lateral aspect of the claw folds on digit 3 on each forefoot was mildly erythematous. Cytology from the claw fold of digit 4 on each forefoot showed high numbers of Malassezia spp. organisms. Fine-needle aspirates were obtained from the enlarged right and left prescapular lymph nodes and submitted for cytologic examination (Figure 1) to the Diagnostic Laboratories at The Royal Veterinary College, UK. A

Haematology and coagulation profiles in cats with congenital portosystemic shunts

Objectives The objectives of this study were, first, to report the haematological parameters and coagulation times for cats with a congenital portosystemic shunt (CPSS) and the influence of surgical shunt attenuation on these parameters; and, second, to identify any association between prolongation in coagulation profiles and incidence of perioperative haemorrhage. Methods This was a retrospective clinical study using client-owned cats with a CPSS. Signalment, shunt type (extra- or intrahepatic), degree of shunt attenuation (complete or partial), haematological parameters, prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) test results, and occurrence of any perioperative clinical bleeding complications were recorded for cats undergoing surgical treatment of a CPSS at the Royal Veterinary College, UK, between 1994 and 2011. Results Forty-two cats were included. Thirty-six (85.7%) had an extrahepatic CPSS and six (14.3%) had an intrahepatic CPSS. Preoperatively, mean cell volume (MCV) and mean cell haemoglobin (MCH) were below the reference interval (RI) in 32 (76.2%) and 31 (73.8%) cats, respectively. Red blood cell count and mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) were above the RI in 10 (23.8%) and eight (19.1%) cats, respectively. Postoperatively, there were significant increases in haematocrit (P = 0.044), MCV (P = 0.008) and MCH (P = 0.002). Despite the significant increase in MCV postoperatively, the median MCV postoperatively was below the RI, indicating persistence of microcytosis. Preoperatively, PT was above the upper RI in 14 cats (87.5%), and aPTT was above the upper RI in 11 cats (68.8%). No cat demonstrated a perioperative clinical bleeding complication. Conclusions and relevance Cats with a CPSS are likely to present with a microcytosis, but rarely present with anaemia, leukocytosis or thrombocytopenia. Surgical attenuation of the CPSS results in a significant increase in the HCT and MCV. Coagulation profiles in cats with a CPSS are likely to be prolonged, irrespective of shunt type, but do not appear to be associated with an increased risk of clinical bleeding.

Evaluation of red blood cell distribution width in cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is a measurement of variability in circulating erythrocytes size, and has recently been shown to correlate with prognosis in a variety of human diseases, including acute and chronic heart failure. OBJECTIVES To determine if RDW differs between healthy controls, cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) without congestive heart failure (CHF) and cats with HCM and CHF, and to evaluate whether RDW values at presentation can provide useful prognostic information in cats with HCM. ANIMALS Retrospective single-centre study. Seventy-three cats diagnosed with HCM by echocardiography and 30 healthy controls presented to a veterinary teaching hospital between October 2006 and April 2013 were included. Physical examination, haematology and echocardiographic data obtained on one single visit were retrospectively reviewed and compared between three groups: controls, cats with HCM without CHF, and cats with HCM and CHF. Outcome data were obtained from clinical records or referring veterinarians. Univariable and multivariable survival analyses were performed. RESULTS Red blood cell distribution width was significantly greater in cats with HCM and CHF compared with cats with HCM without CHF, and the controls. It was also significantly associated with cardiac mortality in univariable survival analysis, and this association remained significant in multivariable survival analysis after controlling for the effect of CHF, left atrial size, left ventricular systolic function, haematocrit and pro-thrombotic state. CONCLUSIONS A higher RDW may be seen in cats with CHF and is an independent predictor of cardiac death in cats with HCM without concurrent non-cardiac-related illness.