Nektarios Soubasis

Evaluation of a proposed therapeutic protocol in 12 dogs with tentative degenerative myelopathy

The objective of this work was to evaluate the long-term efficacy of a proposed therapeutic protocol in 12 dogs with a tentative diagnosis of degenerative myelopathy, followed-up for a 6-month period. Twelve dogs fulfilling the antemortem inclusion criteria (breed, age, adequate vaccination, history of progressive posterior ataxia and/or paraparesis, no radiographic and myelographic abnormalities in the spinal cord and vertebral column) were allocated. All these dogs presented signs of thoracolumbar syndrome (T3-L3), scored as grade I (mild to moderate ataxia and paraparesis) in 10 and grade II (severe ataxia and ambulatory paraparesis) in 2 cases. Treatment included the use of epsilon-aminocaproic acid and N-acetylcysteine, supplemented with vitamins B, C and E. Prednisolone was given for the first two weeks and upon worsening of neurological signs. Daily exercise, performed as walking or swimming, was strongly recommended. Clinicopathological evaluation was normal in all 12 dogs, and survey radiographs and myelograms did not show spinal cord compression. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), performed only in 4 dogs, did not disclose compressive disorders or intramedullary lesions. Neurological signs were progressively worsening in all 12 animals, eventually resulting in severe paraparesis (grade III) or paraplegia (grade IV). The applied medications do not appear to be an attractive alternative to conservative management (physiotherapy) or euthanasia in canine degenerative myelopathy, irrespective of its chronicity.

Monocyte chemotactic protein-1 in a randomized placebo controlled study of canine plasmacytic-lymphocytic colitis.

The purpose of this study was to determine serum and colonic monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) concentration in dogs with plasmacytic-lymphocytic (PL) colitis, as well as to demonstrate if the concentration of MCP-1 may be an accurate diagnostic and prognostic marker for PL colitis in dogs receiving three different therapeutic protocols. Serum and colonic MCP-1 concentration were measured in 18 dogs with PL colitis and in 6 controls. Dogs with PL colitis were randomly divided in 3 groups and for a period of 30 days received the following: Group 1, sulfasalazine, prednisone and placebo; Group 2, placebo and Ω3/Ω6 fatty acids, and Group 3, sulfasalazine, prednisone and Ω3/Ω6 fatty acids. Colonic and serum MCP-1 concentration were determined at the beginning and at the end of this period. Serum MCP-1 concentrations at the beginning were not significantly increased in dogs with PL colitis compared to the controls. On the contrary, colonic tissue MCP-1 concentrations at the beginning were significantly increased in the same dogs compared to the controls. Moreover, the colonic tissue MCP-1 concentration in the dogs of group 3 was significantly decreased (P<0.001) at the end of the experiment. The same observations were obtained from dogs of groups 1 and 2, in which the colonic MCP-1 concentration also significantly decreased (P<0.01). These data demonstrate that in canine PL colitis, colonic MCP-1 concentration is increased in comparison to those of controls and suggest that the colonic MCP-1 concentration may aid in the diagnosis of canine PL colitis.

Serum and liver iron concentration in dogs with experimentally induced hepatopathy

Background and Aim:  Iron (Fe) status is altered in human and experimental animal hepatopathies. In dogs limited data are available. The aim of this study was to investigate serum iron (SI), total iron binding capacity (TIBC), percentage transferrin saturation (SAT) and Fe status in the liver of dogs with experimentally induced hepatopathy.

Recurrent intraluminal eosinophilic tracheal granuloma in a Siberian husky

Recurrent intraluminal eosinophilic tracheal granuloma in a Siberian husky Katerina K. Adamama-Moraitou, Nektarios Soubasis, Dimitra Pardali*, Dimitra Psalla, Lysimachos G. Papazoglou, Nikitas N. Prassinos, Tilemachos L. Anagnostou and Timoleon S. Rallis Companion Animal Clinic (Medicine Unit), Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, St. Voutira 11 str., 54627, Thessaloniki, Greece; Diagnostic Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, St. Voutira 11 str., 54627, Thessaloniki, Greece; Laboratory of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, St. Voutira 11 str., 54627, Thessaloniki, Greece; Companion Animal Clinic (Surgery and Obstetrics Unit), School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, St. Voutira 11 str., 54627, Thessaloniki, Greece; Companion Animal Clinic (Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Unit), School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, St. Voutira 11 str., 54627, Thessaloniki, Greece

Validation, reference intervals and overlap performance of a new commercially available automated capillary electrophoresis assay for the determination of the major fraction of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) in dogs

Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), the major fraction of glycated haemoglobin, is widely used for the diagnosis and monitoring of diabetes mellitus in human beings. However, there is a paucity of literature on the most reliable methods available for measurement of canine HbA1c. The aim of this study was to validate a new automated capillary electrophoresis assay for canine HbA1c, to generate a reference interval and to assess the overlap performance of the assay for the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. Eighty-three blood samples treated with EDTA were included in the study, comprising 63 from healthy dogs and 20 from diabetic dogs. Linearity was assessed by mixing canine samples of known HbA1c percentage in different proportions, precision was assessed by repeated (n=8) measurement of five canine samples, and stability was assessed by measuring canine samples stored at 4°C for 96h and -20°C for 4 weeks. The robust method was used to determine the reference interval. The assay was demonstrated to be linear (R2=0.943). Intra-assay and inter-assay coefficients of variation (CVs) were 4.8% and 7.0%, respectively. CVs for blood samples stored at 4°C and -20°C were 7.2% and 11.2%, respectively. The reference interval was 0.6-2.7%. Dogs with diabetes mellitus had significantly (P<0.001) higher mean HbA1c (5.24±0.88%) compared to the reference population (1.64±0.55%), with no overlap between results. A HbA1c cut-off of 3.3% clearly differentiated diabetic from healthy dogs. The capillary electrophoresis assay was properly validated for canine HbA1c and the reference interval was determined, while the overlap performance of the assay was excellent.

Multidetector computed tomographic pulmonary angiography in a cat with fatal heartworm disease

A 17-month-old neutered male domestic shorthair cat was referred for a computed tomographic (CT) study of the thorax due to respiratory distress. Multidetector CT angiography showed a multifocal interstitial ground glass opacity, tortuous and blunted pulmonary arteries consistent with thromboembolism with perivascular lung infiltration and hypoventilation in multiple lung lobes. A blood antigen test was positive for Dirofilaria immitis. The cats clinical condition rapidly declined and the owners elected euthanasia. The histopathologic examination confirmed heartworm disease with parasitic pulmonary thromboembolism.

First report of canine systemic cryptococcosis owing to Cryptococcus gattii in Europe

We would like to report the first autochthonous case of systemic canine cryptococcosis caused by Cryptococcus gattii in Europe. Two species of the genus Cryptococcus most commonly cause disease: Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii . C. gattii is endemic in the environment, humans and small ruminants of certain parts of Europe (Hagen et al. 2012 ), but clinical manifestation of systemic cryptococcosis due to C. gattii in a dog has not been previously reported in these areas. A three-year-old intact female German shepherd dog from the region of Thessaloniki in Northern Greece was referred with a history of chronic blindness, persistent mild thrombocytopaenia and azotaemia, disorientation and gradual loss of appetite of 1-week duration. The dog had recently been diagnosed with ehrlichiosis and uveitis and treated accordingly. Physical and ophthalmic examination revealed lethargy, poor body condition, tachycardia, mild enlargement of the popliteal lymph nodes, abdominal pain and severe bilateral uveitis. Diagnostic tests (complete blood count, serum biochemistry, chest radiographs and abdominal ultrasound) resulted in nonspecific findings. There was no evidence of canine haemoparasites on Giemsa-stained buffy coat smears. Leishmania infantum antibody tests were negative. Popliteal lymph node (Fig 1 ), lung and kidney aspiration cytology revealed numerous round yeast forms with clear capsules and basophilic internal structures, witnessed individually or in small clusters or phagocytised by macrophages. The above-described yeast forms were consistent with Cryptococcus species (Raskin 2016 ). Cytological examination of urine sediment, cerebrospinal fluid and bone marrow was unremarkable. Samples of popliteal lymph node were heat-macerated and examined microscopically. Characteristic encapsulated yeast cells were identified by India ink direct microscopy and Fontana-Masson stain. Fresh clinical material including blood, cerebrospinal fluid, popliteal lymph node and bone marrow cultured on nigerseed ( Guizotia abyssinica ) showed colonies exhibiting the brown colour effect. The isolate was characterised as C. gattii following standard conventional and molecular procedures (Velegraki et al. 2001 , Klein et al. 2009 ) and was deposited in the University of Athens/Hellenic Collection for Pathogenic Fungi-UOA/HCPF ( http://www.eccosite.org/memberdata/?mid=81 ) with the accession number 15285. The dog developed horizontal nystagmus, left head tilt, dyspnoea and melaena despite itraconazole therapy and was euthanased 5 days after treatment was started. Consent for necropsy was denied. Importantly, C. gattii was isolated from all soil, tree and treedecomposing organic matter specimens in the dog ’ s immediate environment, in accordance with recent environmental findings in the Mediterranean region (Cogliati et al. 2016 ). All C. gattii environmental isolates were deposited to the UOA/HCPF. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of canine systemic cryptococcosis associated with C. gattii in Europe. Although extremely rare, cryptococcosis due to C. gattii might arise in companion animals in Europe. Small animal practitioners should maintain a clinical suspicion for the disease, because of the emergence of C. gattii as a dog pathogen (Lester et al. 2011 ).

Urinary Aldosterone/Creatinine Ratio After Fludrocortisone Suppression Consistent with PHA in a Cat.

A 9 yr old cat was presented with clinical signs and laboratory abnormalities attributed to arterial hypertension (mean systolic arterial pressure, 290 mm Hg). Plasma aldosterone concentration was increased at the time of admission (651 pmol/L), but serum creatinine and potassium concentrations were within the reference range. A second increased aldosterone (879 pmol/L) and normal plasma renin activity (1.85 ng/mL/hr) resulted in an increased aldosterone/renin ratio, which was suggestive of primary hyperaldosteronism (PHA). To further support the diagnosis of PHA, the urinary aldosterone/creatinine ratio was calculated both before and after oral administration of fludrocortisone acetate (0.05 mg/kg q 12 hr for 4 consecutive days). The urinary aldosterone/creatinine ratio was 92.6 × 10(-9) before fludrocortisone administration and 155.8 × 10(-9) 4 days later. Absence of suppression was typical of PHA. The cat had a limited response to antihypertensive medication and died before treatment for PHA could be instituted. A necropsy was not permitted by the owner.

Pharmacokinetics and tolerability of aminosidine after repeated administrations using an optimal dose regimen in healthy dogs and in dogs with leishmaniosis

Optimisation of dose schedules of aminoglycosides is required in order to increase efficacy and prevent their toxicity. The objective of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetic profile and the safety of aminosidine in dogs with naturally occurring leishmaniosis and in healthy dogs after once daily administration. Six young-adult, male, healthy, Beagle dogs and 12 dogs with clinical signs of canine leishmaniosis without azotemia and proteinuria were included in the study. Diagnosis of the disease was confirmed by serology, parasitology and molecular techniques. Pharmacokinetics and evaluation of renal function after repeated (once daily for 21 consecutive days) subcutaneous administration of aminosidine, at the dose of 15 mg/kg b.w. in both the healthy and the diseased animals were compared. Concentrations of aminosidine were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography and pharmacokinetic analysis was performed by the non-compartmental method. No significant differences were observed between healthy and diseased dogs considering all pharmacokinetic parameters. In general, mean Cmax ranged between 46.41 and 54.32 μg/mL and between 38.69 and 40.73 μg/mL in healthy dogs and in dogs with canine leishmaniosis, respectively. No accumulation of the drug was observed in either group since total elimination of aminosidine and half-life lambda z were not modified throughout the administration period. Aminosidine was well tolerated in all dogs with no clinical and clinicopathological signs of nephrotoxicity. Once daily administration of high dose of aminoglycosides, resulted in effective serum concentrations and absence of nephrotoxicity.

Presumptive histiocytic neoplasm with unusual immunophenotype in a cat

True histiocytic proliferative diseases have been infrequently documented in the cat, with progressive histiocytosis and histiocytic sarcoma representing the bulk of the reported cases. A 5-year-old, neutered male domestic shorthair cat presented with a 1-month history of anorexia, depression, mucosal pallor and persistent non regenerative anemia. On admission, the cat appeared depressed, icteric, dyspneic and had moderate splenomegaly. The cat had a severe, temporarily regenerative anemia, and a blood smear evaluation revealed numerous neutrophil- and monocyte-phagocytosed erythrocytes. Splenic and bone marrow aspirate smears were predominated by a monomorphic population of individual or aggregated round-to-oval cells, likely of histiocytic origin that often phagocytosed erythrocytes and leukocytes. A comprehensive immunocytochemical staining panel failed to definitively identify the neoplastic cells. This report emphasizes the clinical course, the sequential hematological abnormalities, the cytology and the unusual immunophenotype of a presumptive histiocytic sarcoma in a cat.