Laurent Ognean

Pharmacokinetics of praziquantel and pyrantel pamoate combination following oral administration in cats

Objectives The pharmacokinetics of praziquantel and pyrantel pamoate has never been reported in cats. The present study was designed to establish the plasma concentration–time profile and to derive pharmacokinetic data for a combined formulation of praziquantel and pyrantel in cats, after a single, oral administration. Methods Twenty-two clinically healthy adult cats were used, each receiving a single oral dose of praziquantel (8.5 mg/kg) and pyrantel (100 mg/kg). Blood samples were collected at regular time points up to 48 h post-dosing. Plasma concentrations of praziquantel and pyrantel were measured using a liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry–high-throughput screening method. Results Clinical examination of all cats did not reveal any side effects after oral administration of these medications. The terminal half-life for praziquantel and pyrantel was 1.07 and 1.36 h, respectively. Praziquantel peak concentration (Cmax) was 1140 μg/ml, reached at 1.22 h. The plasma concentrations of pyrantel after oral administration were low with a mean Cmax of 0.11 μg/ml, reached at a Tmax of 1.91 h. Pyrantel showed a very limited absorption as pamoate salt, suggesting permanence and efficacy inside the gastrointestinal tract, where the adult stages of most parasitic nematodes reside. Conclusions and relevance Pyrantel showed a very limited absorption as pamoate salt. Praziquantel was rapidly absorbed following oral administration and the concentrations achieved suggest that praziquantel could be an effective and safe medication in cats. Although some resistance problems are arising as a result of their long use, these anthelminthic products can still play a major role in parasitic control, especially in geographical areas where the high cost of newer treatments or necessity of parenteral administration could decrease the number of treated animals.

Using Crossmatch tests for serological compatibility assessment intra- and interspecific at dogs and cats

Introduction: Selecting compatible blood is essential for the safety and efficiency of transfusion therapy both in cats, which can show preformed alloantibodies, and in canines, which usually do not have such antibodies. Correct performing and repeating Crossmatch tests can prevent both immediate and delayed immune reactions caused by sensitization of patients. In the cats’ case, it is called into question solving low availability of sources of compatible blood donors by using canines, if it would be possible dog-cat xenocompatibility. Aims: The aim of this study is to comparatively analyze serological intraspecific and interspecific compatibility on samples of dogs and cats in order to evaluate the possibility of implementing transfusion therapy with canine blood to feline patients. Materials and Methods: There were conducted Crossmatch tests on blood samples (n=42) collected (on EDTA) from dogs (n=36) and from cats (n=6) from the FMV Cluj-Napoca clinics and from a private veterinary clinic. There were performed 156 Crossmatch tests, predominantly through quick technique on smears (Ognean and Cernea, 2011) and in some cases (15%) the method based on separating the plasma and preparing hematies suspension (5%) from the previously washed red blood cells concentrate. Results: Intraspecific compatibility on dogs was predominantly negative. Remarkable is the case of a canine patient on which we registered all 24 Crossmatch major tests high positive intensity (3+), corresponding to a patient with preformed alloantibodies, without a historical therapy with blood products. Regarding the intraspecific compatibility tests, as we had expected, all 30 xenocompatibility dog-cat tests showed high positive reactions, both for major and minor Crossmatch. (3+/4+). Conclusions: The intraspecific evaluations revealed a high level of blood compatibility in the case of dogs unsensitivized through previous blood transfusions, yet without excluding the possibility of some atypical sensitivization for clinical interest. Having all the interspecific tests exclusively highly positive, we can not sustain a probable xenotransfusion.

Correlative analysis of the freezing point and of the microbial content of milk produced by indigenous cows bred in a sub-Carpathian mountain area

Introduction: Mountainous geo-climatic conditions exert major beneficial influences on the health and welfare of lactating cows and by default on the compositional and microbiological parameters of milk and also on the sensory characteristics of traditional milk products from those areas. Aims: Through research in this paper we propose to analyze new criteria for evaluation of freshness and health of milk obtained in conditions of sub-Carpathian mountain areas, based on the freezing point - TNG (total number of germs) correlation. Materials and methods: During a time of 2 years there were investigated physicochemical (analyzer Ekomilk M) and microbiological (with automatic system Soleris) milk samples commodity from the mountain area Gurghiu Valley. Milk samples were taken from cows of indigenous breed belonging to traditional households (n=650), to microfarms (n=11) and commercial farms (n=2). From each source were analyzed 10 samples of milk each month, having a total of 240 sample/lot or 720 per entire amount of processed milk. According to the followed objectives, the interpretations were mainly focused on development of the freezing point and of TNG. Statistical analysis was focused on the correlations between these parameters and seasonal influences. Results: The evolution of the freezing point was characterized by insignificant statistically differences (p = 0.071) and very close mean values (between - 0.566 0 C and - 0.565 0 C) among 3 samples and by significant statistically differences (p = 0.0001) between winter seasons with the highest values (- 0.560 0 C) and autumn, with the lowest levels (-0.571 0 C). Regarding the evolution of the microbial content of raw milk is important to note the oscillations of TNG, which are influenced by variables: sampled and season. At the level of the lot, TNG has reached higher levels (71.210 CFU/mL) in the case of milk from individual farms. The evolution of the seasonal influences revealed minimal levels (64.300 CFU/mL) in summer and the maximum levels in the autumn (76.720 CFU/mL), with statistically significant differences (p = 0.0001). Conclusions: We believe that seasonal patterns, with statistically significant differences, marked by significant decreases of the freezing point during autumn, associated with minimum values of TNG in summer and maximal in autumn, support the implementation of the freezing point - TNG correlation in the evaluation of the freshness and health of milk obtained in mountainous areas.