R. Ruiz de Gopegui

Determination of renal vascular resistance in dogs with diabetes mellitus and hyperadrenocorticism.

In dogs, diabetes mellitus and hyperadrenocorticism are causes of hypertension associated with increases in vascular peripheral resistance. In human patients, the renal resistive index (ri) and pulsatility index (pi) are related to hypertension and diabetes and are used as indicators of disease severity. In this study the renal vascular resistance was measured in 12 dogs with hyperadrenocorticism, three with diabetes mellitus and four with both conditions, and the possible relationships between the two indices, blood pressure and biochemical parameters were investigated. Hypertension, defined as a systolic blood pressure more than 150 mmHg, was recorded in two of the dogs with hyperadrenocorticism and three of the dogs with hyperadrenocorticism and diabetes. The overall mean values for RI, PI and systolic blood pressure were higher in the diseased group of dogs than in 27 healthy dogs, and both indices were correlated with blood glucose concentration.

Assessment of renal vascular resistance and blood pressure in dogs and cats with renal disease

This study investigated the possible relationships between renal resistive index (RI) or pulsatility index (PI) and systolic blood pressure and biochemical and haematological parameters in dogs and cats with renal disease. The study included 50 dogs and 20 cats with renal disease. RI and PI were significantly higher in both dogs and cats with renal disease than in 27 healthy dogs and 10 healthy cats. In dogs, a significant negative correlation was found between RI and red blood cell count, and a positive correlation was found between PI and serum creatinine. In cats, a positive correlation was found between RI and serum urea, between PI and serum creatinine, and between PI and serum urea. No relationship could be found between either RI or PI and systolic blood pressure.

Normal echoanatomy of the red-eared slider terrapin (Trachemys scripta elegans)

Thirty red-eared slider terrapins (Trachemys scripta elegans) were examined by ultrasound to establish the normal ultrasonographic appearance of their coelomic structures. They were not sedated, and owing to their small size they were examined through the inguinal window of the carapace. High resolution transducers (7.5 and 11 MHz) enhanced the ultrasonographic imaging of the bowel, urinary bladder, liver, gall bladder, heart, kidney and gonads, but the pancreas, adrenal glands, thyroid glands and spleen could not be visualised.

Survey of feline blood types in the Barcelona area of Spain

IN 1981, a blood group system was identified in cats consisting of three blood types (A, B and AB), with type A being by far the most common blood group (Auer and Bell 1981). The proportion of type B cats varies among feline breeds in different geographical regions, and cats with type AB are rare. The titres of anti-A isoagglutinins in virtually all type B cats older than three months are high. Approximately one third of type A cats have weak antibodies to type B cells (macroscopic agglutinins and haemolysins) (Giger and others 1989, Giger and Bucheler 1991). These naturally occurring antibodies are responsible for some undesirable transfusion reactions, including antibody-mediated destruction of transfused red cells. In addition, type A or type AB kittens born to type B queens are at risk of neonatal isoerythrolysis due to the antiA antibodies present in the mothers colostrum. The presence of naturally occurring antibodies to blood group antigens in the cat is clinically significant and may result in ineffective transfusion or severe transfusion reactions (Knottenbelt 2002). There are many reports of the prevalence of feline blood types in the UK, the USA, Germany, France, Italy, Finland, Hungary and many other countries. This short communication describes the distribution ofblood types in a population of non-pedigree cats presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain. The study also looked for the presence of isoagglutinins using a crossmatch reaction that is feasible for use in clinical practice. Blood samples in EDTA were collected from 100 nonpedigree cats (54 males and 46 females) between November 1999 and June 2000 and stored at 4°C until blood typing was performed. None of the cats had previously received a tranfusion. The samples were blood typed using commercial cards (Rapid-Vet-H [feline]; DMS Laboratories) and an autoagglutination control with saline was performed in all samples in order to detect false positive reactions. A major crossmatch reaction was performed following the technique described by Norsworthy (1992) to test for alloantibodies in the recipients plasma against donor cells. The donor erythrocyte sources were one healthy type A male cat and one healthy type B male cat. Erythrocytes were separated from the plasma by centrifugation for 10 minutes at 3000 rpm. After three washes and repeat centrifugation, the red blood cells were resuspended in saline to a concentration of 4 per cent red blood cells. One drop of recipient plasma and one drop of donor red blood cell suspension

Analysis of 2735 canine uroliths in Spain and Portugal. A retrospective study: 2004–2006

The objective of the study was to evaluate epidemiological data derived from 2735 canine uroliths received by Hills Pet Nutrition from Spain and Portugal between January 2004 and December 2006. The results of quantitative analysis from Minnesota Urolith Center (MUC) were compared with that from other countries and interrelations of mineral composition, age, breed, and gender were determined. The most frequent calculus was calcium oxalate (38.1%) followed by struvite (32.9%). Eighty-three breeds plus crossbreeds (25%) were identified. In all of them, but Dalmatians, calcium oxalate and struvite accounted for 71-78%. The mean age of urolith appearance was 7.6 years. There was a significant difference in the frequency of different uroliths composition among the six most common breeds presenting urolithiasis in Spain and Portugal (Yorkshire terrier, Miniature Schnauzer, Cocker Spaniel, Poodle, Shih Tzu and Dalmatian). This is the first report on xanthine urolithiasis found in Spain. Prevalence of cystine calculi was significantly lower (3.2%) than that reported previously in parts of Spain (26%).

Causes of lymphadenopathy in the dog and cat.

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Iron Deficiency Anaemia and Severe Thrombocytosis in a Case of Disseminated Abdominal Canine Cryptococcosis

Abstract: A 7-year-old female cross-breed dog presented with a non-regenerative anaemia. Disseminated intra-abdominal cryptococcosis was diagnosed by ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology. Complete blood count and bone marrow cytology revealed microcytic hypochromic iron-deficiency anaemia and severe thrombocytosis (>1 million platelets/ml). Post-mortem examination and histopathology confirmed the diagnosis and revealed multiple organ involvement. Both gastrointestinal lesions and absence of respiratory tract cryptococcal granulomas suggest an oral instead of nasal infection route.

Biological monitoring of three antithrombotic drugs: single dose therapy

A randomised study using 40 New Zealand White male rabbits was performed to compare the effects of three antithrombotic drugs on eight clinical haemostatic function tests. The animals were divided into four treatment groups. The treatment groups were saline (control), unfractioned heparin (UFH), low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH), and recombinant hirudin (r-hirudin).Blood samples were collected 2 and 12 h after administration of the drugs. The following tests were performed: bleeding time (BT), platelet count, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time (TT), fibrinogen concentration (Fg), antithrombin III (ATIII), and antifactor Xa activity (antiXa activity). Effects attributable to drug treatment for each analyte were determined by comparison with the control group.At 2 h after medication, in the UFH treated group, TT was moderately prolonged (p<0.05) and antiXa activity was significantly higher (p<0.05) than the respective values of the control group. In the LMWH-treated group the antiXa activity was significantly higher (p<0.01) than that of the control group. In the r-hirudin-treated group, the APTT and TT were significantly prolonged (APTT,p<0.01; the TT samples did not clot) when compared to the control group. However, 12 h after administration, no significant differences (p>0.05) between groups were observed for any of the studied analytes. It might be concluded that the antiXa assay has the potential of being a sensitive screen for heparin therapy and that the absence of changes in the bleeding time, antithrombin III, and antiXa assays —with a markedly prolonged thrombin time - indicates that,in vivo, r-hirudin acts as a specific inhibitor of thrombin.