Search

BackgroundThe influence of aldosterone breakthrough (ABT) on proteinuria reduction during renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibition for spontaneous proteinuric chronic kidney disease (CKDP ) has not been determined in dogs.ObjectivesDetermine whether ABT occurs in dogs with CKDP and if it is associated with decreased efficacy in proteinuria reduction during RAS inhibitor treatment.AnimalsFifty-six client-owned dogs with CKDP and 31 healthy client-owned dogs.MethodsProspective, multicenter, open-label clinical trial. Dogs were treated with an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker alone or in combination at the attending clinician's discretion and evaluated at 5 time points over 6 months. Healthy dogs were used to determine the urine aldosterone-to-creatinine ratio cutoff that defined ABT. The relationship of ABT (present at ≥50% of visits) and proteinuria outcome (≥50% reduction in urine protein-to-creatinine ratio from baseline at ≥50% of subsequent visits) was evaluated. Mixed effects logistic regression was used to evaluate the relationship between clinical variables and outcomes (either successful proteinuria reduction or ABT).ResultsThirty-six percent (20/56) of dogs had successful proteinuria reduction. Between 34% and 59% of dogs had ABT, depending on the definition used. Aldosterone breakthrough was not associated with proteinuria outcome. Longer duration in the study was associated with greater likelihood of successful proteinuria reduction (P = .002; odds ratio, 1.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-2.2).Conclusions and clinical importanceAldosterone breakthrough was common in dogs receiving RAS inhibitors for CKDp but was not associated with proteinuria outcome.

Radiotherapy (RT) is increasingly utilised for definitive‐intent treatment of canine genitourinary carcinomas (CGUC). At our institution, the standard approach is to irradiate tomographically abnormal tissues gross tumour volume (GTV) plus a clinical target volume (CTV) expansion of 2 cm. Cystourethroscopy is often incorporated into the treatment planning workflow, though an optimal approach has yet to be defined. This observational study evaluated cystourethroscopy as a tool for identifying gross lesions that can be targeted with RT. We hypothesised that in most cases, addition of cystourethroscopy would result in a larger GTV than would be drawn with computed tomography (CT) alone. Medical records from 54 dogs diagnosed with CGUC between 2013 and 2023 were reviewed; each had been evaluated before RT using CT and cystourethroscopy. The GTV was initially defined as the tomographically evident disease on a post‐contrast sagittal plane CT scan, and then lesions visualised with cystourethroscopy (suspected or confirmed to be tumour) were added. Beyond what was visible on CT, cystourethroscopy extended the GTV by a median of 6.5 cm distally into the urethra (range: 1.5–31.8 cm) and therefore resulted in GTV enlargement in 26 of 54 (48%) cases. Addition of our standard 2 cm CTV expansion to a CT‐defined GTV (without use of data from cystourethroscopy) would have underestimated the extent of grossly abnormal tissue in 35% (19/54) of cases. These results suggest that incorporating cystourethroscopy into treatment planning workflows may improve local tumour control by reducing the risk of a geographic miss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forty‐seven free‐ranging sea turtles (46‐ Chelonia mydas, 1‐ Eretmochelys imbricata) were examined via novel use of an endoscopy combined with a rectal enema to obtain large fecal sample volumes. The cloaca was insufflated using an endoscope, after which the bladder and rectum separated, allowing access to the colon. Environmental conditions and location influenced the performance of the procedure initially, but after several attempts the procedure was successfully initiated. In all cases, fecal samples were obtained, and the animals were released to their respective locations. Fecal sample collection using this approach enhances the ability to obtain diagnostic information and perform other scientific analyses of sea turtles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Galapagos sea lion (Zalophus wollebaeki), an endemic and endangered pinniped, faces an increasing threat due to infectious diseases related to domestic animals. Dirofilaria immitis, the parasite responsible for canine heartworm disease, is one such threat, as canine infections on the archipelago have been documented. We used a canine heartworm antigen test kit to analyze the blood from 25 juvenile Galapagos sea lions for D. immitis. Two (8%) sea lions tested positive for D. immitis antigen. Using morphologic and genetic assessments, we evaluated 20 filarial-like worms collected from within the heart of an adult male Galapagos sea lion during a previous routine postmortem examination. The intracardiac worms were morphologically consistent with adult D. immitis, and sequence analysis of targeted PCR amplicons confirmed their identity. This is the first report of D. immitis infection in Galapagos sea lions, which could become a major health problem for these pinnipeds. Further studies are necessary to confirm the level of threat from this parasite; however, widespread adoption of routine heartworm testing, prevention, and treatment in the canine population, and the control of mosquitos, could potentially reduce the disease impact on this endangered pinniped species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major health condition in cats that can lead to poor quality of life and financial implications for therapy. Currently staging and identification of CKD is limited by diagnostic testing such as creatinine and urine‐specific gravity, which do not change until late in the disease course. Other methods to evaluate CKD would be valuable in the clinical setting. Shear wave elastography is one novel ultrasound method, which has shown promise in identifying increases in tissue stiffness and identifying CKD in people. As CKD is often histologically characterized by tubulointerstitial fibrosis, shear wave elastography has the potential to identify CKD and differentiate between stages of CKD in cats. This prospective observational case‐control study with 78 cats found no difference in shear wave velocities between groups (P = 0.33), a contradictory finding to one prior publication. There was no effect of weight (P = 0.65), nor the presence of mineralization (P = 0.31) or infarction (P = 0.52) on cortical shear wave velocities. There was a significant effect of age on shear wave velocity (P = 0.018) where velocities increased with age. The intraclass correlation coefficient was only moderate (0.62). Possible reasons for the difference in results between our work and that published prior, include differences in methodology and differences in instrumentation. Variability in measurements in our population may be due to the effects of respiratory motion or limitations in shear wave elastography software. As such, shear wave elastography is not currently recommended as a tool to evaluate CKD in cats and further work is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surgical procedures that maintain continence with minimal complication following resection of trigono-urethral urothelial carcinoma (UC) are limited in canines; therefore, palliative options are often pursued. A feasible tumor resection option may improve disease control and survival. The study's objective was to evaluate a continent urine reservoir created from the urinary bladder body and vascularized solely by omentum. We hypothesized that a viable urine reservoir could be created, and staged omentalization would provide improved vascularity. Nine normal female Beagles were randomized to one of three groups. Group A urinary bladders were transected cranial to the ureteral papillae to create a closed bladder vesicle which was concomitantly omentalized. Group B underwent omentalization two weeks prior to vesicle creation. Based on Group A and B results, Group C underwent neoureterocystostomy and omentalization followed by neoreservoir formation and tube cystostomy 2 weeks later. Serial ultrasounds and histopathology confirmed adequate omental neovascularization in Groups B and C with continent Group C neoreservoirs maintained for 2 months. Some pylectasia and ureteral dilation was documented in all Group C dogs at variable timepoints. Progressive hydroureteronephrosis developed in 2/6 kidneys. Transient azotemia was noted in only 1 Group C dog, although all developed treatable urinary tract infections. The sample size is limited, and the efficacy of this technique in providing disease control for UC is unknown. However, this novel option could allow for primary UC resection while providing continence and limiting complications. Postoperative local or systemic adjuvant therapy, ultrasonographic neoreservoir monitoring, and BRAF analysis would be indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A voided urine sample, obtained from a 13-year-old intact male dog residing in a laboratory animal research facility, was observed to contain biflagellate protozoa 5 days following an episode of gross hematuria. The protozoa were identified as belonging to the class Kinetoplastea on the basis of light microscopic observation of Wright–Giemsa-stained urine sediment in which the kinetoplast was observed basal to 2 anterior flagella. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay using primers corresponding with conserved regions within the 18S ribosomal RNA gene of representative kinetoplastid species identified nucleotide sequences with 100% identity to Parabodo caudatus. Parabodo caudatus organisms were unable to be demonstrated cytologically or by means of PCR in samples collected from the dog’s environment. The dog had a history of 50 complete urinalyses performed over the 12-year period preceding detection of P. caudatus, and none of these were noted to contain protozoa. Moreover, the gross hematuria that was documented 5 days prior to detection of P. caudatus had never before been observed in this dog. Over the ensuing 2.5 years of the dog’s life, 16 additional complete urinalyses were performed, none of which revealed the presence of protozoa. Bodonids are commonly found in soil as well as in freshwater and marine environments. However, P. caudatus, in particular, has a 150-year-long, interesting, and largely unresolved history in people as either an inhabitant or contaminant of urine. This historical conundrum is revisited in the current description of P. caudatus as recovered from the urine of a dog. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]