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Hydroxychloroquine is an antimalarial drug used in the treatment of human lupus erythematosus according to its immunomodulatory properties without causing systemic immunosuppression. In veterinary medicine, there are only two reports of its use in dermatology. To the authors knowledge, this is the first report of the use of Hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of the mucocutaneous lupus variant in a dog. A 9-year-old, male, 14kg, neutered, crossbreed dog was evaluated with a 2-year history of progressive pruritic erosive skin lesions around the genitals, perianal, anal, and periocular region as well as dyschezia and dysuria. Skin biopsies were consistent with mucocutaneous lupus erythematosus. 1.5mg/kg/day prednisolone was instituted for 30 days with only a partial response. Oral doxycycline was, therefore, added to the previous treatment, at a dosage of 14mg/kg twice daily and 400IU/day of vitamin E. After 30 days, complete remission was obtained, and the steroid treatment was gradually reduced. Hydroxychloroquine was further added, at a dosage of 7mg/kg/day for a period of 60 days. Doxycycline and prednisolone were eventually discontinued. Vitamin E and hydroxychloroquine were maintained daily with no recurrence observed for more than 6 months. Blood count and serum biochemistry were monitored throughout the treatment, revealing no alterations. In conclusion, the use of Hydroxychloroquine has contributed to the maintenance of clinical remission in this patient with mucocutaneous lupus erythematosus, without the need for immunosuppressant therapy. Further controlled studies are needed to confirm the usefulness of this medication in this condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Otitis externa caused by D. cati without the presence of other skin lesions is uncommon. Furthermore, there is no consensus regarding the most effective treatment for otodemodicosis in cats. Our goal is to report the successful treatment of otodemodicosis in two cats, caused by D. cati, with a single dose of a 250 mg fluralaner based spot-on. In case one, a 3-year-old, neutered male short-haired cat was presented with a three-week history of severe head pruritus. The cat had been diagnosed, two months before, with a neutrophilic nephritis of unknown cause. In case two, a 7-year-old, neutered male, short-haired cat was presented with a two-week history of facial pruritus. This cat was positive for feline immunodeficiency virus. Both cats were diagnosed with otodemodicosis through microscopical examination of samples obtained from the cerumen of both ears which revealed numerous live adult forms of D. cati. The cats were treated with a 250 mg fluralaner spot-on (Bravecto® Spot-on solution for cats, MSD Animal Health) with negative cerumen samples for Demodex mites at one (in case two) and three-month (case one) rechecks. These cases demonstrate that otodemodicosis is a differential diagnosis of head and neck pruritus in the cat, and that a single dose of the spot on fluralaner may represent an attractive option for treating otodemodicosis in feline patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cholesteatoma is an epidermoid keratin cyst originating from the middle ear of dogs with ages ranging from 2 to 12 years. Ceruminous gland carcinoma is a malignant tumor of the ear canal, most reported in cats aged 7 to 13 years. For diagnosis, imaging tests are indicated, although confirmation occurs by histopathological examination. The recommended treatment for both conditions is ablation and lateral bulla osteotomy. An eight-year-old female crossbred dog with difficulty in swallowing, chewing and opening the mouth with a history of purulent unilateral external otitis for 10 months was referred for computed tomography, confirming the presence of hyperintense material on T2-weighted images obliterating the proximal portion of the right external auditory canal and projecting into the tympanic bulla to an extent of approximately 2.0 cm. Videofibroscopy was also performed, observing rupture of the tympanic membrane and the presence of material with a keratinous aspect, referred for histopathological analysis. The histopathological findings showed a morphological profile compatible with the diagnosis of cholesteatoma associated with mixed ceruminous gland carcinoma. After the procedures, oral corticosteroids were prescribed and an auricular solution with fluoroquinolone and corticosteroids was applied. Two weeks after the procedure, the patient returned, with a good clinical response, without external otitis, and was able to eat. The objective of this case report emphasizes the first occurrence of a cholesteatoma associated with otologic squamous cell carcinoma in dogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study investigates short- and long-term effects of infusion of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) on insulin secretion in healthy subjects. Twelve healthy individuals underwent a 24-h Intralipid (10% triglyceride emulsion) infusion at a rate of 0.4 ml/min with a simultaneous infusion of heparin (a bolus of 200 U followed by 0.2 U/min per kg body weight). After an overnight fast (baseline), at 6 and at 24 h of Intralipid infusion and 24 h after Intralipid discontinuation (recovery test), all subjects underwent an intravenous glucose tolerance test (iv-GTT) (25 g of glucose/min). Intralipid infusion caused a threefold rise in plasma NEFA concentrations with no difference between the 6- and the 24-h concentrations. Compared to baseline acute insulin response (AIR) (AIR=63±8 mU/l), short-term (6-h) Intralipid infusion was associated with a significant increase in AIR (86±12 mU/l p<0.01); in contrast, long-term (24-h) Intralipid delivery was associated with inhibition of AIR (31±5 mU/l) compared to baseline ( p<0.001) and to the 6-h ( p<0.03) triglyceride emulsion infusion. Intralipid infusion was associated with a progressive and significant decline in respiratory quotient (RQ). A positive correlation between changes in fasting plasma NEFA concentrations and AIR at the 6-h infusion ( r=0.89 p<0.001) was found. In contrast, at the end of the Intralipid infusion period, changes in plasma NEFA concentrations and AIR were negatively correlated ( r=−0.87 p<0.001). The recovery test showed that fasting plasma NEFA concentrations, RQ and AIR had returned to baseline values. In the control study ( n=8) 0.9% NaCl infusion did not mimick the effect of Intralipid. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that short- and long-term exposures of beta cells to high plasma NEFA concentrations have opposite effects on glucose-induced insulin secretion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]