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Importance: Feline calicivirus (FCV)-associated viral systemic disease (VSD) is a severe systemic disease caused by virulent FCV strains and has a very poor prognosis. Objective: To evaluate the clinical characteristics of a nosocomial FCV-VSD outbreak involving 18 cats in Korea. Methods: Medical records of cats diagnosed with FCV-VSD from March to September 2018 at a referral veterinary hospital were reviewed. The patient's signalment, history, clinical features, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis were evaluated. Results: Two outbreaks involving 18 cats diagnosed with FCV-VSD occurred over a 6-month period at a referral hospital in Korea. Anorexia, lethargy, fever, and limb edema were the most commonly observed clinical symptoms. Lymphopenia and macrothrombocytopenia were the most common hematological findings, and hyperbilirubinemia and increased levels of aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase, and serum amyloid A were the most frequent results of serum biochemistry. FCV was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in 11 patients and the remaining 7 were suspected with FCV-VSD. The overall mortality rate was 72.2%. The hospital was closed and disinfected twice, and no additional outbreaks have occurred since the last patient. Conclusions and Relevance: The clinical and diagnostic characteristics and outcomes of FCV-VSD described in this study can be used to recognize and contain infectious diseases through quick action. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of a nosocomial outbreak of FCV-VSD in Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cold atmospheric plasma is a novel innovative approach for wound care, and it is currently underrepresented in veterinary medicine. Objectives: To investigate the efficacy and safety of using cold atmospheric microwave plasma (CAMP) as an adjunct therapy for wound healing in dogs and cats. Methods: Wound healing outcomes were retrospectively analyzed using clinical records of client-owned dogs and cats who were first managed through standard wound care alone (pre-CAMP period) and subsequently via CAMP therapy (CAMP period). The degree of wound healing was estimated based on wound size and a modified wound scoring system. Results: Of the 27 acute and chronic wounds included in the analysis, 81.48% showed complete healing after the administration of CAMP as an adjunct therapy to standard care. Most wounds achieved complete healing in < 5 weeks. Compared with the pre-CAMP period, the rate of wound healing significantly increased every week in the CAMP period in terms of in wound size (first week, p < 0.001; second week, p = 0.012; third week, p < 0.001) and wound score (first week, p < 0.001; second week, p < 0.001; third week, p = 0.001). No adverse events were noted except for mild discomfort and transient erythema. Conclusions: CAMP is a well-tolerated therapeutic option with immense potential to support the treatment of wounds of diverse etiology in small animal practice. Further research is warranted to establish specific criteria for CAMP treatment according to wound characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A12-year-old spayed female mixed-bred dog presented with nasal bleeding of 2 days duration and a skin nodule in the left flank. No abnormalities were found in coagulation profiles and blood pressure. Cytological evaluation of the nodule revealed numerous characteristic round organisms having a nucleus and a bar within macrophages and in the background, consistent with leishmaniasis. In vitro culture was unsuccessful but PCR of the nodular aspirate identified the organisms as Leishmania infantum, and the final diagnosis was canine leishmaniasis. No history of travel to endemic countries was noted. Because the dog had received a blood transfusion 2 years before the illness, serological screening tests were performed in all donor dogs of the commercial blood bank using the commercial Leishmania ELISA test kit, and there were no positive results. Additional 113 dogs with hyperglobulinemia from Seoul were also screened with the same kits but no positive results were obtained. To the best of the author's knowledge this is the first autochthonous case of canine leishmaniasis in Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study on the genotyping of Malassezia Pachydermatis isolates from canine skin and lesional skin of atopic dermatitis in Taiwan, Korea and Japan. It mentions the major groups of the yeast Malassezia according to molecules, the homology relationships between the IGS1 region of a reference strain of Malassezia and the production of allergens.

In humans, skin barrier dysfunction is thought to be responsible for enhanced penetration of allergens. Similar to conditions seen in humans, canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) is characterized by derangement of corneocytes and disorganization of intercellular lipids in the stratum corenum (SC) with decreased ceramide levels. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of a moisturizer containing ceramide on dogs with CAD. Dogs (n = 20, 3~8 years old) with mild to moderate clinical signs were recruited and applied a moisturizer containing ceramide for 4 weeks. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin hydration, pruritus index for canine atopic dermatitis (PICAD) scores, and canine atopic dermatitis extent and severity index (CADESI) scores of all dogs were evaluated. Skin samples from five dogs were also examined with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) using ruthenium tetroxide. TEWL, PICAD, and CADESI values decreased (p < 0.05) and skin hydration increased dramatically over time (p < 0.05). Electron micrographs showed that the skin barrier of all five dogs was partially restored (p < 0.05). In conclusion, these results demonstrated that moisturizer containing ceramide was effective for treating skin barrier dysfunction and CAD symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

topical spray containing 0.0584% hydrocortisone aceponate (HCA) on canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) and to evaluate the skin barrier function during the treatment of CAD. Twenty-one dogs that fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for CAD were included in this study. The HCA spray was applied once a day to the lesions of all dogs for 7 or 14 days. Clinical assessment was performed before (day 0) and after treatment (day 14), and clinical responses were correlated with changes in skin barrier function. CAD severity significantly decreased after 14 days of HCA treatment based on the lesion scores (p < 0.0001), which were determined using the CAD extent and severity index (CADESI-03) and pruritus scores (p < 0.0001) calculated using a pruritus visual analog scale. Transepidermal water loss, a biomarker of skin barrier function, was significantly reduced compared to baseline (day 0) measurements (p = 0.0011). HCA spray was shown to be effective for significantly improving the condition of dogs suffering from CAD. This treatment also significantly improved cutaneous hydration and skin barrier function in the animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to demonstrate and assess C-reactive protein (CRP) changes in dogs with induced bacterial cystitis with or without antibiotics. We also evaluated availability of CRP levels to serve as an indicator for monitoring or diagnosing bacterial cystitis. Serial CRP concentrations in dogs with induced bacterial cystitis were higher than those of controls (p < 0.001). CRP concentrations peaked on day 7 and gradually decreased thereafter. In the treatment group, CRP concentrations decreased after medication compared to the untreated group (p = 0.032). CRP levels had a linear correlation with urine white blood cell counts among all groups (r = 0.837, p < 0.001, n = 140). Compared to the negative urine culture group, dogs with positive urine culture results had higher CRP concentrations (median 43.8 mg/L vs. 5.9 mg/L; p < 0.001). Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.955; when cut-off value was 12.2 mg/L, CRP measurements were found to have a sensitivity of 92.3% and specificity of 86.4%. This result indicates that rapid increases of CRP occurred after inducing bacterial cystitis and CRP may be a useful indicator for monitoring or diagnosing canine bacterial cystitis together with sediment urinalysis and urine bacterial culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study on the relapses of the central nervous system (CNS) in three dogs with B-cell lymphoma. It mentions that the clinical signs and cytology of the cerebrospinal fluid were used to make the diagnosis. It examines the risk factors, clinical features of the dogs, and treatment options.

The article provides information on a study which developed a monoclonal antibody to canine S100 calcium binding protein A8 to determine the association between the disease severity of canine atopic dermatitis and S100A8. Serum S100A8 concentrations were examined in dogs with canine atopic dermatitis and healthy dogs. The Canine Atopic Dermatitis Extent and Severity Index score was used to assess the severity of the dermatitis and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure serum S100A8 concentrations. Results show a positive correlation between S100A8 levels and canine atopic dermatitis patients and suggest that S100A8 is actively involved in the pathogenesis of canine atopic dermatitis.

Seventeen dogs were treated with L-ornithin-L-aspartate (LOLA; experimental group). Three dogs were treated with lactulose recognized therapy (control group). Following LOLA administration, 15 dogs experienced a significant decrease in ammonia level (p < 0.05) and showed clinical signs of improvement. However, there were no clinical signs of improvement in two dogs, even though the ammonia level decreased. Conversely, the clinical signs of the control group also improved and the ammonia level decreased, although these changes were not significant (p > 0.05). These results suggest that LOLA is an effective drug to treat hyperammonemia in veterinary medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discovery of Helicobacter (H.) pylori has led to a fundamental change in our understanding of gastric diseases in humans. Previous studies have found various Helicobacter spp. in dogs and cats, and pets have been questioned as a zoonotic carrier. The present study surveyed the Helicobacter infections and investigated the presence of H. felis and H. pylori infections in domestic and feral cats in Korea. Sixty-four domestic cats and 101 feral cats were selected from an animal shelter. Saliva and feces were evaluated by Helicobacter genus-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Genus-specific PCR positive samples were further evaluated for H. felis and H. pylori using specific primer pairs. Thirty-six of 64 (56.3%) samples from domestic cats and 92 of 101 (91.1%) samples from feral cats were PCR positive; the positive rate of feces samples was higher than that of saliva samples in both groups. H. felis and H. pylori species-specific PCR was uniformly negative. The prevalence of Helicobacter spp. in feral cats was approximately two-fold higher than that of domestic cats. The fecal-oral route may be more a common transmission route not only between cats but also in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the therapeutic potential of gene therapy for neuronal injury, many studies of neurotrophic factors, vectors, and animal models have been performed. The presumed dog β-nerve growth factor (pdβ-NGF) was generated and cloned and its expression was confirmed in CHO cells. The recombinant pdβ-NGF protein reacted with a human β-NGF antibody and showed bioactivity in PC12 cells. The pdβ-NGF was shown to have similar bioactivity to the dog β-NGF. The recombinant pdβ-NGF plasmid was administrated into the intrathecal space in the gene therapy group. Twenty-four hours after the vector inoculation, the gene therapy group and the positive control group were intoxicated with excess pyridoxine for seven days. Each morning throughout the test period, the dogs' body weight was taken and postural reaction assessments were made. Electrophysiological recordings were performed twice, once before the experiment and once after the test period. After the experimental period, histological analysis was performed. Dogs in the gene therapy group had no weight change and were normal in postural reaction assessments. Electrophysiological recordings were also normal for the gene therapy group. Histological analysis showed that neither the axons nor the myelin of the dorsal funiculus of L4 were severely damaged in the gene therapy group. In addition, the dorsal root ganglia of L4 and the peripheral nerves (sciatic nerve) did not experience severe degenerative changes in the gene therapy group. This study is the first to show the protective effect of NGF gene therapy in a dog model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To construct a sensory neuropathy model, excess pyridoxine (150 mg/kg s.i.d.) was injected subcutaneously in dogs over a period of 7 days. During the administrations period, the dogs experienced body weight reduction and proprioceptive loss involving the hindquarters. After pyridoxine administration was completed, electrophysiological recordings showed that the M wave remained at a normal state, but the H-reflex of the treated dogs disappeared at 7 days. The dorsal funiculus of L4 was disrupted irregularly in the axons and myelin with vacuolation. The dorsal root ganglia of L4, and sciatic and tibial nerves showed degenerative changes and vacuolation. However, the lateral and ventral funiculi of L4 showed a normal histopathologic pattern. Although this subcutaneous administration method did not cause systemic toxicity and effectively induced sensory neuropathy, this study confirmed the possibility of producing a pyridoxine-induced sensory neuropathy model in dogs with short-term administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research of p53 is being conducted to find the mechanisms of tumorigenesis and to treat various cancers. Homeodomain-interacting protein kinase2 (HIPK2) is an important factor to regulate p53 and to increase the stability of p53. Activation of HIPK2 leads to the selective phosphorylation of p53, resulting in growth arrest and the enhancement of apoptosis. In this study, the canine HIPK2 cDNA fragments were obtained, and their overlapping regions were aligned to give a total sequence of 3489 bp. The canine HIPK2 cDNA (GenBank accession number; AY800385) shares 93% and 90% sequence identity with those of human and mouse HIPK2, respectively. The canine HIPK2 cDNA contains an open reading frame encoding 1163 amino acid residues and the predicted amino acid sequence has 98% and 96% identity with those of human and mouse, respectively. The deduced amino acid sequence of canine HIPK2 has also all domains' sites compared with human and mouse HIPK2. Therefore, these structural similarities suggested that the canine HIPK2 shares the basic biological functions that HIPK2 exhibit in other species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blood, saliva, and nail samples were collected from 54 dogs and 151 cats and analyzed for the presence of Bartonella henselae with a novel nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Bartonella (B.) henselae was detected in feral cat blood (41.8%), saliva (44.1%), and nail (42.7%) samples. B. henselae was also detected in pet cat blood (33.3%), saliva (43.5%), and nail (29.5%) samples and in pet dog blood (16.6%), saliva (18.5%), and nail (29.6%) samples. Nine samples were infected with B. clarridgeiae and 2 were co-infected with B. henselae and B. clarridgeiae of blood samples of dogs. This report is the first to investigate the prevalence of B. henselae and B. clarridgeiae in dogs and cats in Korea, and suggests that dogs and cats may serve as potential Bartonella reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An 8-month old intact male Turkish Angora cat was referred to the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH), Seoul National University, for an evaluation of anorexia and severe dyspnea. The thoracic radiographs revealed significant pleural effusion. A cytology evaluation of the pleural fluid strongly suggested a lymphoma containing variable sized lymphocytes with frequent mitotic figures and prominent nucleoli. The feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus tests were negative. The cat was euthanized at his owner's request and a necropsy was performed. A mass was detected on the mediastinum and lung lobes. A histopathology evaluation confirmed the mass to be a lymphoma. Immunohistochemistry revealed the mass to be CD3 positive. In conclusion, the cat was diagnosed as a T-cell mediastinal lymphoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A seven-year-old castrated male Yorkshire terrier dog was presented for a recurrent skin disease. Erythematous skin during the first visit progressed from multiple plaques to patch lesions and exudative erosion in the oral mucosa membrane. Biopsy samples were taken from erythematous skin and were diagnosed with epitheliotropic T cell cutaneous lymphoma by histopathology and immunochemical stain. In serum chemistry, the dog had a hypercalcemia (15.7 mg/dl) and mild increased alkaline phosphatase (417 U/l). Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTH-rP) in epitheliotropic cutaneous lymphoma tissues but the neoplastic cells were not labeled with anti-PTH-rP antibodies. The patient was treated with prednisolone and isotretinoin. However, the dog died unexpectedly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]