Penelope Jayne Watson

Observational study of 14 cases of chronic pancreatitis in dogs

This study reports the clinical, clinicopathological and ultrasonographic findings from dogs with chronic pancreatitis (CP). Fourteen dogs with clinical signs consistent with CP and histological confirmation of the disease were evaluated. Abdominal ultrasound and clinical pathology results were recorded. Sensitivities of pancreatic enzymes for diagnosis of CP were calculated with two different cut-off values. The mean age of affected dogs was 9.1 years. Spaniels were the most common breed with CP, representing seven of the 14 dogs in this study. CP was histologically severe in nine cases. Most dogs showed chronic low-grade gastrointestinal signs and abdominal pain. Five dogs had exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and five dogs had diabetes mellitus. The sensitivity of elevated trypsin-like immunoreactivity for CP was 17 per cent. The sensitivities of canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity, lipase and amylase for CP were 44 to 67 per cent or 14 to 28 per cent depending on the cut-off value used. Cholesterol was elevated in 58 per cent of samples. Liver enzymes were often elevated. The pancreas appeared abnormal on 56 per cent of ultrasound examinations. Ten dogs had died by the end of the study period; only one case was due to CP.

Prevalence of hepatic lesions at post-mortem examination in dogs and association with pancreatitis.

OBJECTIVESnTo assess the prevalence of canine chronic hepatitis (CH) and other liver diseases in first opinion practice and identify associations with concurrent chronic pancreatitis (CP).nnnMETHODSnOne large section of left lateral lobe of liver was taken from 200 unselected canine post-mortem examinations from first opinion practices. Histological changes were categorised based on WSAVA criteria. Prevalence of CH and other liver diseases were calculated. Relative risks (RR) for liver histopathology in association with CP and for CH in different breeds were also calculated.nnnRESULTSnThe prevalence of CH was 12%. Some breeds had an increased RR of CH, although sample sizes were small. Dogs with CP had an increased RR of reactive hepatitis but no significant association with the other liver diseases.nnnCLINICAL SIGNIFICANCEnCH is common in the first opinion dog population but less common than CP. CP was significantly associated with reactive hepatitis but not CH. Possible breed associations mirrored another recent UK study. Some dogs with CP may be erroneously diagnosed clinically as having CH on the basis of increased serum liver enzymes because of concurrent reactive hepatitis if the diagnosis is not confirmed histologically.

Ascites is a Negative Prognostic Indicator in Chronic Hepatitis in Dogs

BACKGROUNDnChronic hepatitis (CH) in dogs is common but little is known about factors associated with survival. Ascites is a well-recognized negative prognostic indicator in humans.nnnHYPOTHESISnAscites is a negative prognostic indicator in CH in dogs.nnnANIMALSnThirty-four dogs with histologically confirmed CH presented to 1 institution between 1996 and 2005.nnnMETHODSnRetrospective observational study. CH was diagnosed by histopathology of liver tissue according to the WSAVA criteria. Ascites was diagnosed by abdominal ultrasound. The association of ascites with survival from diagnosis or onset of owner-reported clinical signs until death from any cause or from liver disease was analyzed. Ascitic and nonascitic groups were further analyzed for differences in treatment and sex.nnnRESULTSnFourteen of 34 dogs had ascites. Survival from diagnosis to death from liver disease was 0.4 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.2-0.6) for ascitic dogs and 24.3 months (CI 11.4-37.1) for nonascitic dogs (P < .001), and from onset of signs to death from liver disease was 2.0 months (CI 0.0-5.6) for ascitic dogs and 33.0 months (CI 8.6-57.4) for nonascitic dogs (P= .0020). Diet and spironolactone use differed between groups.nnnCONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCEnAscites is a significant negative prognostic indicator in dogs with CH. Veterinarians and owners can use this information to aid clinical decision making in affected dogs.

Chronic hepatitis in the English springer spaniel: clinical presentation, histological description and outcome.

Medical records and liver histology of 68 English springer spaniels (ESS) with a histological diagnosis of CH were reviewed retrospectively. PCR was performed on liver tissue for canine adenovirus-1 (CAV-1), canine parvovirus, canine herpesvirus and pathogenic Leptospira species. Follow-up information was obtained to calculate survival times. Median age at presentation was three years seven months (range, seven months to eight years five months) and there were 48 female and 20 male dogs. Clinical signs were non-specific and five dogs were asymptomatic. All dogs had an increase in serum activity of one or more hepatobiliary enzymes. Histopathology demonstrated hepatocyte necrosis and apoptosis with varying amounts of fibrosis. A predominantly lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate throughout the hepatic parenchyma was found in all 68 dogs, but 45 of these dogs also had a neutrophilic component to the inflammatory infiltrate. There was no significant copper accumulation and no aetiological agent was identified by PCR. The median survival time was 189 days (range, 1 to 1211 days), 38 dogs died within three months and 12 dogs survived more than a year following diagnosis.

Breed, age and gender distribution of dogs with chronic hepatitis in the United Kingdom

Standardised histological criteria are now available for the diagnosis of canine chronic hepatitis (CH). CH is common in dogs, but no studies have reported breed, age and gender distributions in the United Kingdom (UK). The objective of this study was to determine which breeds had an increased risk for developing CH in the UK and to report the age and gender distribution for those breeds. The databases of six veterinary histopathology laboratories were searched for cases with a histological diagnosis of CH according to standardised criteria. The breed, age and gender of dogs was recorded and compared to a control population to calculate the odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals for developing CH. A total of 551 cases of CH were identified, consisting of 61 breeds. Nineteen breeds were represented by five or more cases. Breeds with an increased risk for developing CH included the American cocker spaniel, Cairn terrier, Dalmatian, Dobermann pinscher, English cocker spaniel, English springer spaniel, Great Dane, Labrador retriever and Samoyed. The median age at diagnosis for all breeds with CH was 8 years (range 7 months to 16 years). Dalmatians, Dobermann pinschers and English springer spaniels with CH were significantly younger than Cairn terriers, English cocker spaniels and Labrador retrievers with CH. Females were over-represented when all cases were examined together. In conclusion, several breeds in the UK have an increased risk of CH, some of which have not been previously reported.

Canine hepacivirus is not associated with chronic liver disease in dogs

Canine hepacivirus (CHV) has recently been identified in liver and respiratory tract samples from dogs, and comparative phylogenetic analysis has confirmed it to be the closest genetic relative of hepatitis C virus (HCV) described to date. CHV offers great potential as a model system for HCV, but only if the underlying processes of infection and pathogenesis are similar for both viruses. However, it is not yet clear if CHV is hepatotrophic. Canine chronic hepatitis (CH) is a common and usually idiopathic disease that shares similar histological features to that of HCV infection of humans. To date, no study has attempted to determine whether CHV is involved in the aetiology of liver disease in dogs. We employed two nested PCR assays, using primers targeting regions of the helicase domain of CHV NS3, to identify viral nucleic acids in liver samples from 100 dogs with CH of unknown cause in the UK. We also used a sensitive luciferase immunoprecipitation system (LIPS) assay to screen serum samples from these dogs for the presence of anti‐CHV antibodies. Surprisingly, there was no evidence of exposure to, or a carrier state of, CHV in this large cohort, suggesting that the virus is not associated with CH in UK dogs. Future work, including transmission studies, is required to understand the pathogenesis of CHV in canids before it can be proposed as a surrogate model for HCV‐induced liver disease in man.

Pancreatitis in dogs and cats: definitions and pathophysiology.

Pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas, is commonly seen in dogs and cats and presents a spectrum of disease severities from acute to chronic and mild to severe. It is usually sterile, but the causes and pathophysiology remain poorly understood. The acute end of the disease spectrum is associated with a high mortality but the potential for complete recovery of organ structure and function if the animal survives. At the other end of the spectrum, chronic pancreatitis in either species can cause refractory pain and reduce quality of life. It may also result in progressive exocrine and endocrine functional impairment. There is confusion in the veterinary literature about definitions of acute and chronic pancreatitis and there are very few studies on the pathophysiology of naturally occurring pancreatitis in dogs and cats. This article reviews histological and clinical definitions and current understanding of the pathophysiology and causes in small animals by comparison with the much more extensive literature in humans, and suggests many areas that need further study in dogs and cats.

Exceptional longevity and potential determinants of successful ageing in a cohort of 39 Labrador retrievers: results of a prospective longitudinal study

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to describe the longevity and causes of mortality in 39 (12 males, 27 females) pedigree adult neutered Labrador retrievers with a median age of 6.5xa0years at the start of the study and kept under similar housing and management conditions. Body condition score was maintained between two and four on a 5-point scale by varying food allowances quarterly. The impact of change in body weight (BW) and body composition on longevity was analysed using linear mixed models with random slopes and intercepts.ResultsOn 31 July 2014, 10xa0years after study start, dogs were classified into three lifespan groups: 13 (33xa0%) Expected (≥9 toxa0≤12.9xa0years), 15 (39xa0%) Long (≥13 toxa0≤15.5xa0years) and 11 (28xa0%) Exceptional (≥15.6xa0years) with five still alive. Gender and age at neutering were not associated with longevity (Pxa0≥xa00.06). BW increased similarly for all lifespan groups up to age 9, thereafter, from 9 to 13xa0years, Exceptional dogs gained and Long-lifespan dogs lost weight (Pxa0=xa00.007). Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometer scans revealed that absolute fat mass increase was slower to age 13 for Long compared with Expected lifespan dogs (Pxa0=xa00.003) whilst all groups lost a similar amount of absolute lean mass (Pxa0>xa00.05). Percent fat increase and percent lean loss were slower, whilst the change in fat:lean was smaller, in both the Exceptional and Long lifespan compared with Expected dogs to age 13 (Pxa0≤xa00.02). Total bone mineral density was significantly lower for Expected compared to Exceptional and Long lifespan dogs (Pxa0<xa00.04).ConclusionsThis study shows that life-long maintenance of lean body mass and attenuated accumulation of body fat were key factors in achieving a longer lifespan. The results suggest that a combination of a high quality plane of nutrition with appropriate husbandry and healthcare are important in obtaining a greater than expected proportion of Labrador retrievers living well beyond that of the expected breed lifespan: 89.7xa0% (95xa0% CI 74.8–96.7xa0%) dogs were alive at 12xa0years of age and 28.2xa0% (95xa0% CI 15.6–45.1xa0%) reaching an exceptional lifespan ofxa0≥15.6xa0years.

Acute Hepatic Necrosis Caused by Salmonella enterica Serotype I 4,5,12:−:1,2 in a Dog

ABSTRACT Acute hepatic necrosis was diagnosed in a dog. Gram staining and fluorescence in situ hybridization identified Salmonella enterica in the liver, subsequently confirmed as S. enterica serotype I 4,5,12:−:1,2. This is the first report of acute hepatic necrosis with liver failure caused by Salmonella in a dog.

Evidence of longer life; a cohort of 39 labrador retrievers

A panel of veterinary and academic experts reviewed current available evidence on age at death for labradors and reached a consensus that their average/typical lifexa0span was 12u2009years of age.1 A prospective cohort study that described the longevity of 39 pedigree adult neutered labradors, showed that 89.7xa0perxa0cent lived to meet/exceed this typical lifexa0span. The study showed that maintenance of lean body mass and reduced accumulation of body fat were associated with attaining a longer than average lifexa0span while sex and age at neutering were not associated with longevity.1nnThexa0present cohort was derived from 31 litters via 19 known (7 unknown) dams and 12 known (7 unknown) sires enrolled in a prospective longitudinal study at a median age of 6.5u2009years at the start of the study on July 16,xa02004. The last dog died on September 09,xa02015 at the age of 17.1u2009years and the oldest dog, a male, reached 17.9u2009years. The aim of this study was to compare the longevity of the present cohort fed to maintain a body condition score (BCS) between 2 and 4 on a 5-point scale to threexa0historical comparison groups of pedigree labradors taken from previously published studies. The ‘oldest of the old’xa0labradors from thexa0present cohort could hold important clues on how to achieve healthy ageing. Further analysis of the cohort’s clinical data is being undertaken with the objective to develop key strategies to increase the …