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Inflammaging, the chronic, progressive proinflammatory state associated with aging, has been associated with multiple negative health outcomes in humans. The pathophysiology of inflammaging is complex; however, it is often characterized by high serum concentrations of inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, and C-reactive protein (CRP). Few studies have evaluated the effects of age on inflammatory cytokines in companion dogs, and most of these studies included dogs of a single breed. In this cross-sectional study, we measured multiple circulating inflammatory markers and hematological parameters in banked serum samples from 47 healthy companion dogs of various breeds enrolled in the Dog Aging Project. Using univariate linear models, we investigated the association of each of these markers with age, sex, body weight, and body condition score (BCS), a measure of obesity in the dog. Serum IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α concentrations were all positively associated with age. Lymphocyte count was negatively associated with age. Platelet count had a negative association with body weight. IL-2, albumin, cholesterol, triglyceride, bilirubin, S100A12, and NMH concentrations were not associated with age, weight, BCS, or sex after adjustment for multiple comparisons. Our findings replicate previous findings in humans, including increases in IL-6 and TNF-α with age, giving more evidence to the strength of the companion dog as a model for human aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current advances in geroscience are due in part to the discovery of biomarkers with high predictive ability in short-lived laboratory animals such as flies and mice. These model species, however, do not always adequately reflect human physiology and disease, highlighting the need for a more comprehensive and relevant model of human aging. Domestic dogs offer a solution to this obstacle, as they share many aspects not only of the physiological and pathological trajectories of their human counterpart, but also of their environment. Furthermore, they age at a considerably faster rate. Studying aging in the companion dog provides an opportunity to better understand the biological and environmental determinants of healthy lifespan in our pets, and to translate those findings to human aging. Biobanking, the systematic collection, processing, storage, and distribution of biological material and associated data has contributed to basic, clinical, and translational research by streamlining the management of high-quality biospecimens for biomarker discovery and validation. In this review, we discuss how veterinary biobanks can support research on aging, particularly when integrated into large-scale longitudinal studies. As an example of this concept, we introduce the Dog Aging Project Biobank. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Dog Aging Project is a long-term longitudinal study of ageing in tens of thousands of companion dogs. The domestic dog is among the most variable mammal species in terms of morphology, behaviour, risk of age-related disease and life expectancy. Given that dogs share the human environment and have a sophisticated healthcare system but are much shorter-lived than people, they offer a unique opportunity to identify the genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors associated with healthy lifespan. To take advantage of this opportunity, the Dog Aging Project will collect extensive survey data, environmental information, electronic veterinary medical records, genome-wide sequence information, clinicopathology and molecular phenotypes derived from blood cells, plasma and faecal samples. Here, we describe the specific goals and design of the Dog Aging Project and discuss the potential for this open-data, community science study to greatly enhance understanding of ageing in a genetically variable, socially relevant species living in a complex environment.The Dog Aging Project is an open-data, community science study to identify genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors associated with canine healthy lifespan, generating knowledge that could readily translate to human ageing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine if inflammatory markers are associated with antithrombin activity in cats. Methods: For a retrospective population of 231 cats admitted to a referral hospital, antithrombin activity was classified as decreased (n = 77), intermediate (n = 97) or in the upper quartile (n = 57). Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated for an association between decreased or upper quartile activity and hypoalbuminemia, hyperfibrinogenemia, band neutrophilia and toxic change. Multiple logistic regression was performed to determine if an association between band neutrophilia and decreased antithrombin activity was independent of decreased hepatic synthesis, consumptive coagulopathy or protein loss. Results: Cats with decreased antithrombin activity were more likely than cats with intermediate-to-upper quartile activity to have band neutrophilia (OR 2.85, P = 0.0050), hypoalbuminemia (OR 12.1, P <0.0001) or toxic neutrophils (OR 4.47, P <0.0001). Cats with antithrombin activity in the upper quartile were less likely than those with intermediate-to-low activity to have hypoalbuminemia (OR 0.31, P = 0.0023) or toxic neutrophils (OR 0.44, P = 0.033). In a regression model that included other mechanisms for decreased antithrombin, band neutrophilia remained associated with decreased antithrombin activity (adjusted OR 2.62, P = 0.013). Conclusions and relevance: Contrary to previous studies suggesting antithrombin is a feline positive acute phase protein, this study demonstrates an association between decreased antithrombin activity and inflammation. Further studies are needed to determine the mechanistic basis of this association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare viscoelastic test results from samples collected from a jugular vein using a 20 G needle and a medial saphenous vein using a 22 G needle in cats presenting for elective ovariohysterectomy (OHE) or castration. Methods: Forty apparently healthy cats (20 males and 20 females) presenting for elective OHE or castration were included in a prospective study observing viscoelastic test results from central and peripherally collected whole blood. Cats were anesthetized during blood collection with a standardized protocol including buprenorphine, ketamine, dexmedetomidine and isoflurane. Blood samples from jugular and saphenous veins were collected near simultaneously. Viscoelastic evaluations of whole blood were performed using a point-of-care device measuring clot time (CT), clot formation time (CFT), alpha angle (α), maximum clot formation (MCF), and amplitude at 10 and 20 mins (A10 and A20, respectively). Viscoelastometry continued post-clot time to determine a lysis index at 30 and 45 mins (LI30 and LI45, respectively) to assess fibrinolysis. Results: Studied cats had a median age of 18 months (range 5 months to 5 years) and a median weight of 3.6 kg (range 2.7–5.9 kg). A total of 80 samples were available for analysis. While lysis indices were not different, viscoelastic measures of coagulation differed between sampling sites (CT, P <0.005; CFT, P = 0.01; α, P <0.05; MCF, P <0.0005; A10, P <0.0005; A20, P <0.0005). Conclusions and relevance: Viscoelastic results from jugular venous blood samples appear to be more hypercoagulable than those collected from the medial saphenous vein, suggesting that the same site should be used consistently for serial monitoring or for collecting study data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aims of this study were to determine if there is increased risk of intraoperative bleeding in pregnant cats undergoing elective ovariohysterectomy (OHE), and to compare coagulation in queens in various stages of estrus and pregnancy subjected to elective OHE using a whole-blood viscoelastic assay. Methods: Intraoperative blood loss was compared between non-pregnant and pregnant cats undergoing elective OHE. Viscoelastic evaluations of whole blood drawn pre- and postoperatively were performed using a point-of-care device measuring clot time (CT), clot formation time (CFT), alpha angle, maximum clot formation (MCF), amplitude at 10 and 20 mins (A10 and A20, respectively), and lysis index at 30 and 45 mins after MCF (LI30 and LI45, respectively). Results: One hundred and ninety-three cats underwent OHE by a ventral midline approach. Median blood loss was greater for pregnant cats (2.0 ml, range <0.5–13 ml) than non-pregnant cats (<0.5 ml, range <0.5–15 ml; P <0.0001). Preoperatively, pregnant cats had a shorter median CFT (165 s vs 190.5 s), increased median A10 (31 from 25.5 VCM units) and A20 (38 from 35 VCM units), and a lower median LI45 (99% from 100%) than non-pregnant cats. Postoperatively, A10 and A20 increased, and LI30 and LI45 decreased in both non-pregnant and pregnant queens. In pregnant queens, mean CT also increased postoperatively. Conclusions and relevance: Pregnant cats were relatively hypercoagulable and had an increased rate of clot lysis than non-pregnant cats. Intraoperative blood loss was increased in pregnant vs non-pregnant cats, but no clinically relevant bleeding conditions occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systemic mastocytosis, characterized by infiltration of multiple organs by neoplastic mast cells, is a well-described entity in human medicine with specific criteria for diagnosis, but is ill defined in veterinary literature. Hemostatic disorders are reported in humans affected by systemic mastocytosis but have not been well described in veterinary literature. A 5-y-old, spayed female Greyhound dog had a 1-mo history of progressive ventral cutaneous edema, hemorrhage, and pain. Cytology of an antemortem aspirate from the subcutis of the ventral abdomen was suggestive of mast cell neoplasia, but no discrete mass was present. The dog was euthanized and submitted for autopsy; marked subcutaneous edema and hemorrhage were confirmed. The ventral abdominal panniculus and dermis superficial to the panniculus carnosus were infiltrated by a dense sheet of neoplastic mast cells. The neoplastic cells contained toluidine blue–positive granules and formed aggregates within the bone marrow and several visceral organs, including the liver, spleen, heart, and kidney. Diffuse edema and hemorrhage is an unusual presentation of mast cell tumors in dogs. Antemortem tests, including complete blood count, coagulation profile, and viscoelastic coagulation testing, were suggestive of a primary hemostatic defect. We discuss here the diagnostic criteria used in humans, how these can be applied to veterinary patients, and the limitations of the current diagnostic framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Point‐of‐care (POC) portable blood glucose meters (PBGMs) are convenient and inexpensive tools for assessing patient blood glucose concentrations. They are often used to quickly diagnose hypoglycemia or collect serial glucose readings in diabetic patients. However, POC meters have been previously identified in human and veterinary literature to be inaccurate when utilized in patients with abnormal HCT. This problem may not be reflected in manufacturer guidelines referenced by practitioners in the POC setting. Key Findings: A 1.5‐year‐old dog, previously diagnosed with multiple congenital cardiac malformations, right‐to‐left cardiac shunting and secondary erythrocytosis, presented to a veterinary emergency center minimally responsive and without detectable pulses. PBGM measurement identified hypoglycemia. Following stabilization of the dog, serial glucose assessments showed discordant results between PBGMs and the reference laboratory biochemistry analyzer. A pathological cause for hypoglycemia was not identified and PBGM readings were determined to be erroneously low due to the dog's abnormally high HCT. Significance: This case demonstrates the limitations of using PBGMs to assess blood glucose in a dog with secondary erythrocytosis. The report emphasizes the need for judicious use of PBGMs in critically ill patients and that these glucometers may not be reliable in patients with abnormal HCT values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunothrombosis is a potentially beneficial physiological process that aids innate immunity and host defense against pathogen invasion. However, this process can also be damaging when it occurs to excess or in critical blood vessels. Formation of extracellular traps by leukocytes, particularly neutrophils, is central to our understanding of immunothrombosis. In addition to degranulation and phagocytosis, extracellular traps are the third mechanism by which neutrophils combat potential pathogens. These traps consist of extracellular DNA decorated with bactericidal cellular proteins, including elastase, myeloperoxidase, and cathepsins. Neutrophils can release these structures as part of a controlled cell-death process or via a process termed vital NETosis that enables the cells to extrude DNA but remain viable. There is accumulating evidence that NETosis occurs in companion animals, including dogs, horses, and cats, and that it actively contributes to pathogenesis. Numerous studies have been published detailing various methods for identification and quantification of extracellular trap formation, including cell-free DNA, measurements of histones and proteins such as high-mobility group box–1, and techniques involving microscopy and flow cytometry. Here, we outline the present understanding of these phenomena and the mechanisms of extracellular trap formation. We critically review the data regarding measurement of NETosis in companion animals, summarize the existing literature on NETosis in veterinary species, and speculate on what therapeutic options these insights might present to clinicians in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For all assays, the laboratory should provide information to clients electronically, in written materials (such as a laboratory services manual, special information sheets, journal or newsletter articles), and/or by telephone (if the software is capable, telephone communications should be recorded in the laboratory information software) regarding: Even if a sample is deemed reportable (or if the client requests the test be run regardless of laboratory-recommended rejection), comments concerning the likely effects of suboptimal specimen quality on test results should be communicated to the client in the laboratory report. Communication between laboratory personnel and clients should be timely and courteous regarding preanalytical factors influencing laboratory test results (e.g., inappropriate test choice for the clinical scenario, incomplete submission form/container labeling, inappropriate sample type or sample handling, poor sample quality, etc.). For laboratories serving in-house clients or accepting hand delivered specimens, all laboratory personnel should be aware that coagulation testing is often requested to guide therapeutic decisions in critically ill animals and results are frequently time sensitive. General quality assurance and quality control principles should be followed for protein electrophoretic evaluations, including the establishment of a clearly defined and laboratory validated QA/QC protocol. [Extracted from the article]

Autoimmune diseases increase the risk of thrombosis. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are webs of DNA and protein that may mediate thrombosis in autoimmune diseases. Human and murine studies show NET-releasing neutrophils within a thrombus promote its growth, but it is unclear to what extent NET fragments released into circulation during inflammation are prothrombotic. This study hypothesized that canine NETs promote clot formation and impair lysis even in the absence of neutrophils. NETs were prepared from PMA-stimulated neutrophils and added to fibrinogen and thrombin or to recalcified pooled canine platelet-poor plasma, tissue factor, and tissue plasminogen activator. Clot formation and lysis were measured spectrophotometrically. NETs did not alter fibrin clot formation, but NETs increased maximum clot formation velocity (P = .001) and delayed lysis (P = .009) of plasma clots compared with supernatants from nonstimulated neutrophils. DNase digestion of NETs reduced their effect on clot lysis but not maximum clot formation velocity. This suggested impaired lysis was principally mediated by DNA within NETs but that NET proteins were principally responsible for increased speed of clot formation. Previous reports suggested elastase or histones might be responsible for the effect of NETs on clot formation. Elastase activity was greatly reduced by plasma, and addition of histones to plasma did not increase formation velocity, suggesting these proteins were not responsible for increasing maximum formation velocity. This study showed that NETs enhanced clot formation and impaired clot lysis in canine platelet-poor plasma. These in vitro findings suggest both NET proteins and DNA may contribute to thrombosis in inflammatory disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A list of authors and their affiliations appears online. Correction to: I Scientific Reports i https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-15837-9, published online 25 August 2022 The original version of this Article contained errors in the Dog Aging Project Consortium list, where the following authors were omitted: Joshua M. Akey, Brooke Benton, Elhanan Borenstein, Marta G. Castelhano, Amanda E. Coleman, Kyle Crowder, Matthew D. Dunbar, Virginia R. Fajt, Annette L. Fitzpatrick, Unity Jeffrey, Erica C. Jonlin, Elinor K. Karlsson, Kathleen F. Kerr, Jonathan M. Levine, Jing Ma, Robyn L. McClelland, Stephen M. Schwartz, Sandi Shrager, Noah Snyder-Mackler, M. Katherine Tolbert, Silvan R. Urfer, Benjamin S. Wilfond. [Extracted from the article]