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Background: Relapse is a clinical concern in dogs diagnosed with immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA), thrombocytopenia (ITP), or polyarthritis (IMPA). The average time to relapse is unknown, and evidence that vaccination is associated with disease relapse is lacking., Hypothesis/objectives: Compare the incidence of relapse in groups of dogs with IMHA, ITP, or IMPA over a 24-month period after diagnosis and compare proportions of dogs that received vaccines in those dogs that did and did not relapse., Animals: One hundred sixty client-owned dogs (73 with IMHA, 55 with ITP, 32 with IMPA)., Methods: Medical records of dogs were reviewed with the goal of following cases for a minimum of 2 years. Incidence of relapse was calculated for each disease, and relapse rates in dogs that were or were not vaccinated after diagnosis were compared., Results: Relapse rates at 12 months differed significantly among disease groups (P = .02), with a higher rate for IMPA (35%) compared to IMHA (11%) or ITP (11%). Relapse rate at 24 months was 41% for IMPA, 18% for IMHA, and 23% for ITP. Ninety percent of IMPA relapses occurred in the first 12 months after diagnosis, compared with 56% for IMHA and 50% for ITP. Vaccine administration after diagnosis was not associated with relapse (P = .78)., Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Risk of disease relapse in IMPA is highest in the first year after diagnosis, with a higher relapse rate compared with IMHA and ITP. The role of vaccination in disease relapse remains unclear., (© 2024 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.)

Background: Thrombocytopenia is a common laboratory abnormality in dogs, and numerous diseases have been associated with its development. Estimates for the sensitivity and specificity of the degree of reduction of platelet concentration for the diagnosis of primary immune-mediated thrombocytopenia (pITP) have not been reported., Objectives: To report the prevalence of different causes of thrombocytopenia in dogs in the United Kingdom and to investigate the utility of platelet concentration to differentiate causes of thrombocytopenia., Methods: Medical records of 762 dogs with thrombocytopenia presented to seven referral hospitals from January 2017 to December 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Cases were assigned into the following categories: pITP, infectious diseases, neoplasia, inflammatory/other immune-mediated disorders and miscellaneous causes. The prevalence of the different categories was estimated, and platelet concentrations were compared. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to investigate the utility of platelet concentration to differentiate between causes of thrombocytopenia., Results: The most common disease category associated with thrombocytopenia was neoplasia (27.3%), followed by miscellaneous causes (26.9%), pITP (18.8%), inflammatory/immune-mediated disorders (14.4%) and infectious diseases (12.6%). Dogs with pITP had significantly lower platelet concentrations (median 8 × 10 9 /L, range: 0-70 × 10 9 /L) than dogs in the other four categories. Platelet concentration was useful for distinguishing pITP from other causes of thrombocytopenia (area under ROC curve = 0.89, 95% confidence interval 0.87, 0.92), with a platelet concentration ≤12 × 10 9 /L being 60% sensitive and 90% specific., Conclusions: Severe thrombocytopenia was highly specific for a diagnosis of pITP, which was more prevalent in this UK population of thrombocytopenic dogs compared with previous epidemiological studies. Conversely, the proportion of dogs with infectious diseases was lower than in previous reports from other locations., (© 2023 The Authors. Veterinary Medicine and Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Current reports about the use of splenectomy for the management of immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) or immune-mediated thrombocytopenia (ITP) or both in dogs are limited., Objectives: To retrospectively describe the use of splenectomy as part of the management for IMHA, ITP, and concurrent IMHA and severe thrombocytopenia (CIST) in dogs. It was hypothesized that splenectomy would be beneficial in allowing for reduction of dose of immunosuppressive drugs or discontinuation in 1 or more of these groups., Animals: Seventeen client-owned dogs (7 with IMHA, 7 with ITP, and 3 with CIST) were identified across 7 UK-based referral hospitals from a study period of 2005 to 2016., Methods: Data were collected retrospectively via questionnaires and included information about diagnosis, management and treatment response before and after splenectomy. Based on clinical outcome, treatment with splenectomy as part of the management protocol was classified as either successful or unsuccessful., Results: Six of 7 dogs with ITP were managed successfully with splenectomy as part of their management protocol (3 complete and 3 partial responses), although 1 subsequently developed suspected IMHA. Of the 7 dogs with IMHA, splenectomy was part of a successful management protocol in 4 dogs (2 complete and 2 partial responses). In the CIST group, 1 case (1/3) responded completely to management with splenectomy as part of the management protocol., Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Splenectomy was considered successful and well tolerated in most cases of isolated ITP. Whether there is a benefit of splenectomy in cases of IMHA and CIST could not be determined in the current study., (© 2022 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.)

Background: In spring 2021 increasing numbers of cats presenting with severe pancytopenia were noted in United Kingdom (UK). Objective: To describe process and outcome of the investigation performed into the outbreak of pancytopenia in cats. Animals: Five hundred and eighty client owned cats that presented with severe bi‐ or pancytopenia of unknown cause. Methods: Real‐time data collection was performed by an online registration forum available to all veterinary surgeons in UK. Data collected included demographics, clinicopathological findings, diagnostic testing, dietary and drug history, outcome and COVID household status. Mycotoxicological feed analysis was performed on feed samples of 3 diets frequently mentioned in the database and 3 control diets. Results: Five hundred and eighty cats presented to 378 veterinary practices were included for analysis. Case fatality rate was 63.3%. Dietary history was available for 544 (93.8%) cats, of which 500 (86%) were fed 1 of 3 diets (which were recalled midinvestigation). 54 (9.3%) cats were not fed a recalled product, with diet information unknown in 26 (4.5%) cats. Analysis of feed samples revealed concentrations of hematotoxic trichothecene T‐2/HT‐2 mycotoxins greater than recommended by the European Commission in 5/7 recalled diet samples but in none of control diet samples. The trichothecene mycotoxin diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS) was detectable in all recalled diet samples but not in any of control samples. Conclusion and Clinical Importance: Contaminated‐feed induced trichothecene mycotoxicosis should be considered as a differential diagnosis for pancytopenia in cats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: After a strong epidemiological link to diet was established in an outbreak of pancytopenia in cats in spring 2021 in the United Kingdom, 3 dry diets were recalled. Concentrations of the hemato‐ and myelotoxic mycotoxins T‐2, HT‐2 and diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS) greater than the European Commission guidance for dry cat foods were detected in the recalled diets. Objectives: To describe clinical and clinicopathological findings in cats diagnosed with suspected diet induced pancytopenia. Animals: Fifty cats presenting with pancytopenia after exposure to a recalled diet. Methods: Multicenter retrospective case series study. Cats with known exposure to 1 of the recalled diets were included if presented with bi‐ or pancytopenia and underwent bone marrow examination. Results: Case fatality rate was 78%. Bone marrow aspirates and biopsy examination results were available in 23 cats; 19 cats had a bone marrow aspirate, and 8 cats had a biopsy core, available for examination. Bone marrow hypo to aplasia—often affecting all cell lines—was the main feature in all 31 available core specimens. A disproportionately pronounced effect on myeloid and megakaryocytic cells was observed in 19 cats. Myelofibrosis or bone marrow necrosis was not a feature. Conclusion and Clinical Importance: Mycotoxin induced pancytopenia should be considered as differential diagnosis in otherwise healthy cats presenting with bi‐ or pancytopenia and bone marrow hypo‐ to aplasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]