Kristy L. Dowers

Association of Bartonella species, feline calicivirus, and feline herpesvirus 1 infection with gingivostomatitis in cats.

Feline gingivostomatitis (FGS) is a common syndrome in cats; feline calicivirus (FCV), feline herpesvirus 1 (FHV-1), and Bartonella species are common differential diagnoses. In this study, blood from 70 cats with FGS and 61 healthy control cats was tested for Bartonella species antibodies in serum by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot immunoassay and DNA in blood using a conventional polymerase chain reaction assay. Additionally, fresh oral biopsies from cats with FGS (n=42) and 19 healthy controls were tested for FCV RNA, FHV-1 DNA and Bartonella species DNA. The prevalence rates for Bartonella species antibodies and DNA in the blood and the tissues did not differ between the two groups. FHV-1 DNA was also not significantly different between groups. Only FCV RNA was present in significantly more cats with FGS (40.5%) than control cats (0%). The results suggest that FCV was associated with FGS in some of the cats.

Use of pradofloxacin to treat experimentally induced Mycoplasma hemofelis infection in cats

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of the fluoroquinolone pradofloxacin in the treatment of cats experimentally infected with Mycoplasma hemofelis. ANIMALS 23 young adult specific-pathogen-free cats. PROCEDURES Cats were inoculated with M hemofelis from a chronically infected donor and assigned to 1 of 4 treatment groups: a doxycycline group, a low-dose-pradofloxacin group, a high-dose-pradofloxacin group, and an untreated control group. Treatment was initiated for 14 days when M hemofelis infection was detected via PCR assay and clinical signs of hemoplasmosis were present. Cats that had negative PCR assay results after treatment were administered a glucocorticoid and monitored via PCR assay for an additional 4 weeks. RESULTS All cats yielded positive results for M hemofelis via conventional PCR and quantitative PCR assays and developed anemia. The low-dose-pradofloxacin group had significantly lower M hemofelis copy numbers than the doxycycline group. Six cats treated with pradofloxacin yielded negative results during treatment. Of those cats, 4 yielded negative conventional PCR assay results and all yielded negative quantitative PCR assay results for M hemofelis 1 month after administration of high-dose glucocorticoids. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Pradofloxacin had anti-M hemofelis effects similar to those of doxycycline. In addition, pradofloxacin may be more effective at long-term M hemofelis organism clearance than doxycycline.

Fluid balance, glomerular filtration rate, and urine output in dogs anesthetized for an orthopedic surgical procedure

OBJECTIVE To determine fluid retention, glomerular filtration rate, and urine output in dogs anesthetized for a surgical orthopedic procedure. ANIMALS 23 dogs treated with a tibial plateau leveling osteotomy. PROCEDURES 12 dogs were used as a control group. Cardiac output was measured in 5 dogs, and 6 dogs received carprofen for at least 14 days. Dogs received oxymorphone, atropine, propofol, and isoflurane for anesthesia (duration, 4 hours). Urine and blood samples were obtained for analysis every 30 minutes. Lactated Ringers solution was administered at 10 mL/kg/h. Urine output was measured and glomerular filtration rate was estimated. Fluid retention was measured by use of body weight, fluid balance, and bioimpedance spectroscopy. RESULTS No difference was found among control, cardiac output, or carprofen groups, so data were combined. Median urine output and glomerular filtration rate were 0.46 mL/kg/h and 1.84 mL/kg/min. Dogs retained a large amount of fluids during anesthesia, as indicated by increased body weight, positive fluid balance, increased total body water volume, and increased extracellular fluid volume. The PCV, total protein concentration, and esophageal temperature decreased in a linear manner. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Dogs anesthetized for a tibial plateau leveling osteotomy retained a large amount of fluids, had low urinary output, and had decreased PCV, total protein concentration, and esophageal temperature. Evaluation of urine output alone in anesthetized dogs may not be an adequate indicator of fluid balance.

Marbofloxacin for the Treatment of Experimentally Induced Mycoplasma haemofelis Infection in Cats

BACKGROUND Administration of tetracyclines or fluoroquinolones is associated with improvement in clinical and laboratory abnormalities in cats infected with Mycoplasma haemofelis. No treatment protocol has consistently eliminated the organism, and antimicrobial susceptibility may vary among M. haemofelis isolates. Continued search for effective therapies is warranted. HYPOTHESIS Marbofloxacin administered at the onset of clinical illness will be safe and effective for the treatment of M. haemofelis. ANIMALS Fourteen young adult, laboratory-reared cats housed together in a specific pathogen-free facility. METHODS Twelve cats were inoculated IV with 2.0 mL of blood from 2 M. haemofelis positive cats. Clinical parameters were assessed daily. CBC and hemoplasma polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay were performed before inoculation, weekly for 1-3 weeks postinoculation (PI) and twice weekly 3-6 weeks PI. Treatment with marbofloxacin (2.75 mg/kg PO daily for 14 days) was initiated in 6 randomly selected cats when PCV was <30% or fever was >102.5 degrees F (39.2 degrees C). Cats that were PCR positive on day 7 of therapy were treated for 28 days. Cats that were PCR negative on day 42 PI were treated with 20 mg/kg methylprednisolone acetate IM on day 50 PI. RESULTS Significant differences between groups on some days after inoculation included higher PCV and red blood cell counts, lower mean cell volume, and higher mean cell hemoglobin content in marbofloxacin-treated cats. No differences in PCR assay results were noted between groups. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE Marbofloxacin was safe and resulted in more rapid hematologic improvement in M. haemofelis-infected cats, but did not change clinical scores and did not consistently eliminate infection.

Effect of hospitalization on gastrointestinal motility and pH in dogs

OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of hospitalization on gastrointestinal motility and pH in healthy dogs. DESIGN Experimental study. ANIMALS 12 healthy adult dogs. PROCEDURES A wireless motility capsule (WMC) that measured pressure, transit time, and pH within the gastrointestinal tract was administered orally to dogs in 2 phases. In the first phase, dogs received the WMC at the hospital and then returned to their home to follow their daily routine. In the second phase, dogs were hospitalized, housed individually, had abdominal radiography performed daily, and were leash exercised 4 to 6 times/d until the WMC passed in the feces. All dogs received the same diet twice per day in both phases. Data were compared between phases with the Wilcoxon signed rank test. RESULTS Data were collected from 11 dogs; 1 dog was excluded because the WMC failed to exit the stomach. Median gastric emptying time during hospitalization (71.8 hours; range, 10.7 to 163.0 hours) was significantly longer than at home (17.6 hours; range, 9.7 to 80.8 hours). Values of all other gastric, small bowel, and large bowel parameters (motility index, motility pattern, pH, and transit time) were similar between phases. No change in gastric pH was detected over the hospitalization period. High interdog variability was evident for all measured parameters. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Hospitalization of dogs may result in a prolonged gastric emptying time, which could adversely affect gastric emptying of meals, transit of orally administered drugs, or assessments of underlying motility disorders.

Microscope Use in Clinical Veterinary Practice and Potential Implications for Veterinary School Curricula

Microscopy (skill of using a microscope) and the concepts of cytology (study of cells) and histology (study of tissues) are most often taught in professional veterinary medicine programs through the traditional method of glass slides and light microscopes. Several limiting factors in veterinary training programs are encouraging educators to explore innovative options for teaching microscopy skills and the concepts of cytology and histology. An anonymous online survey was administered through the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association to Colorado veterinarians working in private practice. It was designed to assess their current usage of microscopes for cytological and histological evaluation of specimens and their perceptions of microscope use in their veterinary education. The first part of the survey was answered by 183 veterinarians, with 104 indicating they had an onsite diagnostic lab. Analysis pertaining to the use of the microscope in practice and in veterinary programs was conducted on this subset. Most respondents felt the amount of time spent in the curriculum using a microscope was just right for basic microscope use and using the microscope for viewing and learning about normal and abnormal histological sections and clinical cytology. Participants felt more emphasis could be placed on clinical and diagnostic cytology. Study results suggest that practicing veterinarians frequently use microscopes for a wide variety of cytological diagnostics. However, only two respondents indicated they prepared samples for histological evaluation. Veterinary schools should consider these results against the backdrop of pressure to implement innovative teaching techniques to meet the changing needs of the profession.

Canine bicavitary carcinomatosis with transient needle tract metastasis diagnosed by multiplex immunocytochemistry

A 6-year-old, male castrated, mixed-breed dog was referred to the James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Colorado State University for bicavitary effusion. On examination, the dog was tachycardic and tachypneic with bilaterally decreased lung sounds. Thoracic and abdominal ultrasonic examination revealed pleural and peritoneal effusions, which were aspirated and submitted for fluid analysis and cytology. Both cavity fluids were classified as exudates with a large population of vacuolated mononuclear cells. Multiplex immunocytochemistry (ICC) for cytokeratin and vimentin demonstrated exclusively cytokeratin expression, indicating these cells were of epithelial origin. A full diagnostic evaluation was performed, including CBC, clinical chemistry, a pet-side test for heartworm disease, ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, and anaplasmosis, imaging modalities of thorax, abdomen, and heart, urinalysis, and fine-needle aspirations of spleen, liver, and popliteal lymph nodes. The dog was diagnosed with pleural and peritoneal carcinoma with presumed carcinomatosis. A single dose of intracavitary carboplatin was administered before discharge, and over a period of 2 weeks, 5 thoracocenteses were performed. A subcutaneous mass was noted at a thoracocentesis site one week after initial presentation. Cytology of the mass was consistent with carcinoma, and neoplastic seeding of the tumor cells from the thoracocentesis was suspected. The dog was euthanized 15 days after the first visit, and a necropsy was performed. Findings were consistent with carcinomatosis secondary to anaplastic pulmonary carcinoma with transient subcutaneous seeding of neoplastic cells during routine thoracocentesis. This case demonstrates the utility of multiplex ICC in the clinical setting.

Clinical and Laboratory Effects of Doxycycline and Prednisolone in Ixodes scapularis-Exposed Dogs With Chronic Anaplasma phagocytophilum Infection

ABSTRACT Persistent infection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum (AP) after treatment and immunosuppression has not been studied in dogs infected with AP after Ixodes scapularis infestation. This descriptive pilot study evaluated 6 laboratory‐reared beagles that were persistently positive for AP antibodies after infestation with wild‐caught I. scapularis. After 20 weeks, 3 of 6 dogs were administered doxycycline orally for 28 days, and all 6 dogs were then administered prednisolone at 2.2mg/kg orally for 14 days. Blood was collected from all 6 dogs and evaluated by complete blood count, AP antibodies, and AP DNA at the beginning of the study and on Week 24 through Week 28. Blood was collected from 5 of the dogs on Week 48. No dogs developed recognizable clinical signs of illness or clinically relevant complete blood count abnormalities. During Week 26 through Week 28, all 6 dogs were negative for AP DNA. On Week 48, the 2 doxycycline treated dogs available for testing were negative for AP DNA and antibodies; the 3 untreated dogs were negative for AP DNA but positive for AP antibodies. In this model, the prednisolone protocol used did not activate AP in dogs with chronic, vector‐induced infection. Since PCR evidence of AP infection resolved in both groups of dogs, the effect doxycycline had in eliminating AP infection from I. scapularis‐exposed dogs will require further study.

Stereotactic radiation therapy for the treatment of functional pituitary adenomas associated with feline acromegaly

Background Conventional fractionated radiotherapy has been shown to be partially effective for management of pituitary tumors in cats that cause acromegaly and diabetes mellitus (DM), but, the efficacy and safety of stereotactic radiation therapy (SRT) as a treatment for acromegalic cats has not been described. Hypothesis Stereotactic radiation therapy is an effective and safe treatment for controlling acromegaly associated with pituitary adenomas in cats. Additionally, SRT‐treated acromegalic cats with DM will experience a decrease in insulin requirements after radiation therapy. Animals Fifty‐three client‐owned cats referred to Colorado State University for SRT to treat pituitary tumors causing poorly controlled DM secondary to acromegaly. Methods Retrospective study of cats treated for acromegaly with SRT between 2008 and 2016 at Colorado State University. Diagnosis of acromegaly was based on history, physical examination, laboratory results, and cross‐sectional imaging of the pituitary. Signalment, radiation protocol, insulin requirements over time, adverse effects, and survival were recorded. Results Median survival time was 1072 days. Of the 41 cats for which insulin dosage information was available, 95% (39/41) experienced a decrease in required insulin dose, with 32% (13/41) achieving diabetic remission. Remission was permanent in 62% (8/13) and temporary in 38% (5/13) cats. Median duration to lowest insulin dose was 9.5 months. Of the treated cats, 14% developed hypothyroidism and required supplementation after SRT. Conclusions Stereotactic radiation therapy is safe and effective for treating cats with acromegaly. Cats treated with SRT have improved survival time and control of their DM when compared to previously reported patients treated with non‐SRT.

Minimally invasive wireless motility capsule to study canine gastrointestinal motility and pH

The aim of this study was to describe the feasibility of using a gastrointestinal tract wireless motility capsule (WMC) that measured intraluminal pressure, pH and transit time through the gastrointestinal tract, in dogs in their home environment. Forty-four adult healthy dogs, eating a standard diet, were prospectively enrolled. The WMC was well tolerated by all dogs and provided data from the different sections of the gastrointestinal tract. Median gastric emptying time was 20h (range, 6.3-119h), demonstrating a large range. The gastric pressure pattern and pH depended on the phase of food consumption. The small bowel transit time was 3.1h (range, 1.6-5.4h) with average contraction pressures of 6.5mmHg (range, 1.1-21.4mmHg) and pH 7.8 (range, 7-8.9). The large bowel transit time was 21h (range, 1-69h) with average contractions pressures of 0.9mmHg (range, 0.3-2.7mmHg) and pH 6.4 (range, 5.3-8.2). There was considerable individual variation in motility patterns and transit times between dogs. No difference was observed between the sexes. No relationships between any transit time, bowel pH or pressure pattern and bodyweights were identified. The WMC likely represents movement of a large non-digestible particle rather than normal ingesta. Due to its large size, the WMC should not be use in smaller dogs. The WMC is a promising minimally invasive tool to assess GIT solid phase transit times, pressures and pH. However, further studies are necessary due to the current limitations observed.