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Lymphoma is the most common hematopoietic tumor in dogs. The standard diagnostic approach and staging includes detailed clinical history, physical examination and extended laboratory workup including lymph node cytology. Multidrug chemotherapy is the main treatment of the disease. Often, owners are concerned about the side effects of the treatment and the quality of life of their dog during chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to analyze the health related wellbeing of the patients with lymphoma previous, during and at the end of the chemotherapy. Five patients with multicentric lymphoma were monitored in three phases (beginning, middle and end of chemotherapy). The monitoring included clinical examination, laboratory analyses and a questionnaire for the owner. Results revealed significant improvement (p< 0.1) of the basic red blood cells parameters (RBC, PCV and Hb), platelets (PLT) as well as liver enzymes (ALT, AST) and protein status (total protein and globulin). Regarding the life quality assessed by the owners, dogs' appetite, general health compared to each visit and the current quality of life were significantly improved (p

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (App) is one of the most important swine respiratory pathogens that causes porcine pleuropneumonia and massive financial losses in pig industry. The objective of this study was to investigate App infection in five pig herds from North Macedonia experiencing clinical respiratory infections by serological testing and a slaughterhouse pleurisy evaluation system (SPES). In total, 250 blood samples were taken from pigs aged 6, 10, 14, 18, and 22 weeks. Ten animals per age category from each farm were sampled and analyzed for presence of antibodies against App. At the slaughterhouse, 50 lungs per herd from slaughtered age pigs were scored by the SPES for the presence of lesions associated with chronic pleurisy. The overall seroprevalence to App was 65.6%, ranging from 34% to 98% at the farm level. The highest seroprevalence was found in 6-week-old pigs in all farms, while significant differences were observed between farms in the 10-, 14-, 18-, and 22-week-old pig groups. Pleurisy associated with App was found in 26.4% of all examined lungs, with the mean SPES score being 0.75 (0.14 - 1.10). The percentage of SPES scores of 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 in all lungs were 73.4%, 1.6%, 8.8%, 8.4%, and 7.6% respectively. A significant difference in mean SPES score was obtained between two farms. High seroprevalences of App detected on the tested farms were probably due to constant natural infection. The highest seroprevalences, measured in the youngest pigs, could be due to maternally-derived antibodies. Higher seroprevalence against App and lower SPES scores in some farms suggests immunity resulting from infection by corresponding field serotypes.

Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME) is a widespread, tick-borne, canine disease, caused by an obligate intracellular bacterium, Ehrlichia canis. The main vector, a brown-dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, is widely distributed, especially in areas with tropic, subtropic, or Mediterranean climates (Central and South America, Eastern and Western Asia, Africa, Australia and Southern Europe). The study performed in 2012, by Stefanovska et al., determined a seroprevalence of 18.7% of E. canis among the Macedonian dog population. Up to date, the presence of E. canis, using molecular diagnostic methods, has not been investigated in Macedonia. Therefore, this study aimed to confirm the presence of E. canis, in the pet-dog population on the territory of the city of Skopje, North Macedonia, using a highly sensitive multiplex Real-Time PCR method (qPCR). Whole blood samples from 80 dogs of different breeds and ages, with clinical symptoms of CME and positive serology result for the presence of antibodies against E.canis, were collected for analyses. Out of 80 dogs, 36 (45%) were found as positive. The present work reports the first molecular detection of E. canis in pet dogs on the territory of the city of Skopje, Macedonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]