Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery最新文献

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to describe the clinical, laboratory, and thyroid imaging features of 17 adult cats with spontaneous hypothyroidism diagnosed over a 4-year period in four countries.MethodsThis multicenter case series included cats diagnosed with spontaneous hypothyroidism between 2021 and 2025. We collected data on cats' signalment, clinical signs, results of physical examination, routine laboratory and thyroid hormone testing, and thyroid imaging (scintigraphy, ultrasonography, or computed tomography). We also reviewed treatment data, including levothyroxine dosage, changes in serum thyroid hormone and creatinine concentrations, clinical progression, and follow-up scintigraphy.ResultsCats ranged in age from 2 to 14 years, with no breed predilection; 10 (58.8%) were male and 7 (41.2%) female. Common clinical signs included lethargy, dermatologic signs (unkempt haircoat, increased shedding, dandruff, hair thinning), weight gain or obesity, and palpable goiter. The most common laboratory findings included azotemia (5 cats), anemia (3 cats), and worsening of pre-existing diabetes mellitus (2 cats). Thirteen (76.5%) cats had low serum thyroxine (T4), whereas all cats had high thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations. Thyroid imaging confirmed undetectable or atrophic thyroid tissue in 10 cats (58.8%) and bilateral thyroid enlargement in 7 (41.2%). After levothyroxine treatment (median, 133 µg/cat/day) in 15 cats, serum total T4 concentration increased and TSH fell. Treated cats became more alert and active, goiter resolved, azotemia resolved or improved, and 2 achieved remission of concurrent diabetes mellitus.Conclusions and relevanceThis study broadens current knowledge of spontaneous hypothyroidism in adult cats, a condition that remains underrecognized in clinical practice. Atrophic hypothyroidism appears more common than previously recognized, although goitrous hypothyroidism was identified in >40% of cats. Spontaneous hypothyroidism should be considered in cats with unexplained azotemia and in diabetic cats with worsening glycemic control. Levothyroxine supplementation reliably improved or resolved clinical signs in all treated cats.

A retrospective, unicenter case series describes five cats with primary portal vein hypoplasia (PVH). This case series outlines clinical signs, diagnostics, treatments, and prognosis in cats diagnosed with primary PVH based on histopathology. Pathology records from cats that underwent liver biopsies were retrospectively searched to identify cats with histologic features of portal vein hypoperfusion. Patients with concurrent hepatic conditions such as portosystemic shunts (PSS), portal vein obstruction, arteriovenous fistulas, and other hepatic conditions which complicate vasculature were excluded, leaving five cases for inclusion. In this case series, three of five cats were asymptomatic, with abnormalities detected on biochemistry or abdominal ultrasound, one cat presented with lethargy, and one cat presented with gastrointestinal signs associated with a foreign body. Four out of five cats in this series underwent treatment with follow-up biochemistry profiles. One cat in this study was a well-controlled diabetic and hyperthyroid while one cat was newly diagnosed with hyperthyroidism following biopsies which complicated liver enzyme interpretation. Treatment protocols were variable and encompassed management of concurrent metabolic disorders, use of hepatoprotective medications, hepatic encephalopathy therapy, antimicrobial treatment, copper chelation, and immunosuppressive therapy. A larger case series or a prospective study is necessary to establish the optimal treatment plan, as there were no established standards for managing this condition for this cohort. Four cats with confirmed follow-up had an average survival time of 878.5 days after diagnosis, indicating a favorable prognosis.

ObjectivesArthroscopy is a well-established diagnostic and therapeutic method for canine stifle pathology; however, its use in cats remains underreported. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the efficacy and safety of conventional arthroscopy (CA) and needle arthroscopy (NA) in feline stifles.MethodsPaired stifles from 20 feline cadavers without clinical or radiographic stifle pathology were randomly assigned to two groups: CA (1.9 mm, 30°) and NA (1.9 mm, 0°). Arthroscopy was performed by a board-certified surgeon using a three-portal method and predefined evaluation sequence, ending with medial meniscus assessment. In 10 randomly selected stifles from each group, an extra-articular distractor was applied before medial meniscus evaluation. Procedure duration, visualization quality, surgical difficulty, and cartilage lesions were recorded. Periarticular and iatrogenic articular cartilage injuries (IACIs) were assessed via dissection and India ink staining.ResultsNA yielded a lower mean surgical difficulty score, shorter mean arthroscopy duration, and a higher rate of complete medial meniscus visualization than CA. No significant differences were found in absolute IACI (CA with distraction [CA-D]: 4.4 ± 2.8 mm²; CA without distraction [CA-nD]: 5.4 ± 2.4 mm²; NA with distraction [NA-D]: 3.9 ± 2.0 mm²; NA without distraction [NA-nD] 3.6 ± 2.4 mm²) or in percent surface area affected (CA-D: 1.0 ± 0.6%; CA-nD: 1.3 ± 0.6%; NA-D 0.9 ± 0.4%; NA-nD 0.9 ± 0.6%).Conclusions and relevanceStifle arthroscopy was feasible using both conventional and needle arthroscopes in feline cadavers without stifle pathology and may be considered a minimally invasive tool for diagnosing feline stifle disease. NA in smaller patients may offer advantages over CA in terms of feasibility and procedure duration. Although not statistically significant, NA tended to result in fewer IACIs. IACIs per joint were comparable to values reported in dogs.

Objectives: To evaluate selected acute phase proteins (APPs) in 61 cats (mainly stray, domestic shorthair aged 2 months to 17 years, 39 males and 22 females) presented with acute trauma at the university teaching hospital of XXX.

Methods: Serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin (Hp), ceruloplasmin (Cp) and albumin were compared to APPs in a population of healthy cats with similar demographic data and in cats with trauma considering demographic data, trauma type and localization (craniofacial and/or vertebral and/or appendicular, thoracic, abdominal and localized, multiple or polytrauma), anti-inflammatory treatment, outcome (survival to discharge or death). APPs were correlated to age, rectal temperature, body-weight, total leukocyte, neutrophil, band neutrophil and lymphocyte count, total protein, albumin/globulin ratio, base excess and hospitalization duration.

Results: In cats with acute trauma, SAA and Hp median concentrations were significantly higher than in healthy control cats (90.5 versus 0.6 mg/mL and 130.7 versus 58.8 mg/dL, respectively, P<0.0001) and showed, respectively, a median 150-fold increase and 2.2-fold increase with respect to healthy cats. Albumin was significantly lower in cats with trauma compared to healthy cats (3.4 versus 3.8 g/dL, respectively, P<0.0001) and in cats with vertebral trauma compared to cats with other trauma localizations. SAA showed a significantly positive correlation with length of hospitalization (r=0.488, P=0.0003) in 50 surviving cats, while albumin showed a significantly negative correlation (r=-0.426, P=0.0020) in addition to a negative correlation with band neutrophils (r=-0.329, P=0.0097). In 15 cats with trauma in which APPs were also evaluated at discharge, SAA was significantly lower than at admission.

Conclusion and relevance: Acute trauma in cats is associated with significant increases in SAA and Hp and decreases in albumin. Testing SAA and albumin in cats with acute trauma may provide a useful prognostic indicator of length of hospitalization, but no evaluated APPs are of prognostic value for survival.

Objectives: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of a modified perineal urethrostomy (PU) technique using preputial mucosa in male cats with recurrent urethral obstruction, and to assess the associated learning curve based on surgical proficiency and complication trends.

Methods: Thirty male cats with recurrent urethral obstruction treated between 2019 and 2024 were retrospectively reviewed. The modified PU involved reconstruction of the urethral stoma using preputial mucosa with partial dorsal skin anastomosis to enhance tissue stability. Postoperative urinary function and complications were assessed at 10, 21, and 60 days, and up to 3 years in selected cases. Surgical proficiency was analysed through a cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis of operative time and complication incidence.

Results: All cats resumed voluntary urination within 48 hours of surgery, and none exhibited persistent dysuria or urinary incontinence. Minor wound dehiscence occurred in two cats (6.7%), and one cat (3.3%) developed a stomal stricture that resolved with balloon dilation; however, no revision surgeries were required. No cases of peristomal dermatitis or increased bacterial cystitis were detected. The median surgical time decreased from 71 minutes in early cases to 54 minutes in later procedures, and the CUSUM curve demonstrated a consistent decline in complication frequency, indicating progressive procedural mastery. Compared with previously reported stricture rates of 7%-9% for conventional Wilson-type PU techniques, our findings suggest that this modified technique results in lower complication rates and enhanced reproducibility, even in primary care settings.

Conclusions and relevance: This modified PU technique incorporating preputial mucosa provides stable urinary patency, low complication rates, and favourable cosmetic results. By minimising direct mucocutaneous tension and preserving mucosal integrity, this approach may reduce the risk of stomal stenosis and postoperative infection. The procedure demonstrates a short learning curve and appears to be a reliable, anatomically sound alternative for managing recurrent urethral obstruction in cats.

ObjectivesChronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with accumulation of uremic tox-ins such as indoxyl sulfate (IS) in blood and tubular epithelial cells which contributes to progression of CKD. Aim of this prospective, randomized, two-center clinical pilot study was to evaluate the effect of oral spherical carbonaceous adsorbent renaltec (PorusOne, Porus) on IS plasma concentration, progression of CKD, parameters of calcium/phosphate homeostasis (tCa, phosphorus, FGF-23), urine protein:creatinine ratio (UPC) and fecal dysbiosis index (FDI) in cats with stable CKD IRIS stage 2 and 3 over a 6 months period.MethodsNineteen cats with CKD were randomly assigned to the renaltec group (n = 10, 8 stage 2, 2 stage 3) or control group (n = 9, 8 stage 2, 1 stage 3). All cats received standard of care treatment according to IRIS Guidelines. Cats of the renaltec group received in addi-tion 500 mg renaltec administered mixed with food or a liquid cat treat q24h. All cats were examined on day 0 (t0), after 3 months (t1) and after 6 months (t2). Statistical analysis was performed using generalized linear mixed models.ResultsOn t0, renaltec group cats had significantly lower tCa (P = 0.026) than control group cats. On t1, there were no differences between groups, while on t2, renaltec group cats had significantly lower IS (P = 0.045) and UPC (P = 0.001) than cats of the control group. Progression of CKD was noted in 2 cats of each group. Renaltec group cats had a significantly lower FDI on t2 compared to t1 (P = 0.023) and t0 (P = 0.009).Conclusion and relevanceAdministration of renaltec over 6 months mitigated parame-ters associated with CKD progression. Given the pilot nature of the study, the results should be interpreted cautiously and explored further in subsequent research.

Objectives: While Leptospira spp. infections can be associated with intraocular inflammation in dogs and horses, there is limited information regarding the role these agents play in feline uveitis. The primary objective of this study was to report the prevalence of Leptospira spp. antibodies and DNA in samples from cats with endogenous uveitis. The secondary objective was to assess for co-infections by Bartonella spp., Toxoplasma gondii, and eubacteria.

Methods: Serum and aqueous humor (AH) from 37 cats diagnosed with endogenous uveitis that had been stored at -80°C were selected for this study based on sample availability. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for Leptospira spp., T. gondii, Bartonella spp., and 16S eubacterial DNA were performed on AH. Sera were evaluated for antibodies against Leptospira spp. (microscopic agglutination test; MAT), Bartonella spp. (IgG ELISA), and T. gondii (IgM and IgG ELISA).

Results: While sera from two cats (5.4%; 2/37) were positive for antibodies against Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona by MAT (1:100 titers), all AH samples were negative for DNA of Leptospira spp. One AH sample was positive for DNA of a Streptococcus spp. but all were negative for DNA of T. gondii and Bartonella spp. Serum antibodies against Bartonella spp. (56.8%; 21/37), T. gondii (18.9%; 7/37), or multiple agents (13.5%; 5/37) were common.

Conclusions and relevance: While results of this study cannot be used to prove or deny Leptospira spp. as a cause of endogenous uveitis in cats, the detection of specific antibodies against Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona in the sera of two cats suggests that a larger cohort of cats should be tested to further evaluate the hypothesis. One cat had AH positive DNA for a Streptococcus spp. and future studies should investigate if post-Streptococcus uveitis syndrome also can be found in cats.

The management of diabetes mellitus (DM) in cats can benefit from an integration of medical and nutritional management, based on an understanding of the dynamic nature of the disease, together with an appreciation of interrelationships between nutritional status and clinical status. In this context, a new classification system for feline DM is proposed, comprising three clinical status categories: those at risk of developing DM, those with clinical DM and those in diabetic remission. The influence of individual dietary components (carbohydrate, protein, fat, and water fractions) on clinical outcomes is discussed, followed by overarching principles for the dietary management of diabetic cats, based on both the limited scientific evidence and the clinical experience of the authors. Key aspects of nutritional assessment, the principles of therapeutic weight reduction and feeding practices are covered. Using a proposed classification framework, recommendations for nutritional management are proposed for cats at risk of development of DM, cats with clinical DM and also those in clinical remission. Successful implementation of these recommendations can be achieved by using a relationship-centred approach, where owner concerns are addressed and goals for management are agreed in partnership. It is hoped that these perspectives will help guide veterinary professionals in their clinical management decisions, thereby improving health outcomes in cats in all three DM categories.

ObjectivesThe goal of this study was to describe the incidence of surgical site infections (SSIs) in a large feline population undergoing gastrointestinal (GI) surgery and to identify factors associated with the development of SSIs specific to GI surgeries in cats, with a special focus on the usage of peri- and postoperative antibiotic treatmentMethodsMedical records of cats undergoing GI surgeries were retrospective analysed. Data collected included demographic data, type of surgery, indication, data from the anaesthesia protocol, antibiotic use and postoperative outcome. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify factors associated with SSI.ResultsOut of the 188 included patients undergoing GI surgery, 20 (10.6%) developed an SSI. Of these, 11 (55%) were classified as superficial incisional infection, 4 (20%) as deep incisional infection and 5 (25%) as organ/space infections. The absence of perioperative prophylactic antibiotic (PPA) administration was associated with the highest SSI rate (52.4%, 11/21), whereas significantly lower rates were observed in patients receiving PPA alone (6.7%, 7/105), extended PPA (7.1%, 1/14), or PPA followed by continued antibiotic treatment (2.1%, 1/48). Prolonged antibiotic use after surgery in otherwise healthy animals showed no additional benefit in reducing SSI rates.Conclusions and relevanceWe found that PPA administration was associated with significantly lower incidence of SSI in cats undergoing GI surgery, while extended PPA use was not associated with an additional benefit. These findings provide important guidance for evidence-based antibiotic use in feline soft tissue surgery and support efforts to minimize unnecessary antibiotic administration.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate species-specific attitudes among veterinary professionals by comparing preferences, confidence, professional and personal experiences, and education related to cats and dogs, identifying disparities and potential contributing factors.

Materials/methods: A 60-item survey was distributed electronically to members of an American veterinary medical college. Five key categories were assessed to compare cats with dogs: Confidence, Preference, Professional Experience, Personal Experience, and Education. Responses were rated on a 1-10 scale. Data from 287 participants (faculty, staff, and students) were analyzed using paired and independent samples t-tests to compare attitudes between species, and potential influencing factors.

Results: Dogs were rated significantly higher than cats across all five categories. Confidence in working with cats (Mean=8.17) was lower than with dogs (M=8.76, p<0.001). Confidence with cats increased with experience, while confidence decreased with experience with dogs. Preference for cats (M=4.80) was significantly lower than for dogs (M=7.22, p<0.001). Personal and professional experiences, as well as education regarding cats, were also rated significantly lower (all p<0.001). Cat allergies were associated with reduced preference for cats, while dog allergies corresponded to increased confidence and experience with cats.

Conclusions: Veterinary professionals exhibit overall less favorable attitudes toward cats compared to dogs, particularly in confidence, preference, and educational exposure. These disparities may negatively impact feline welfare. Professional experience with cats is correlated with increased confidence, suggesting that these opportunities should be increased in veterinary training. Allergy status may also have a role in determination of attitudes and confidence with small animal species.

Relevance: Recognition of species-specific biases and understanding of potential contributing factors are critical for improving veterinary education and feline welfare.