Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery最新文献

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of visual weight estimation by veterinary students for free-roaming cats presented in traps during trap-neuter-return (TNR) events and identify variables that predict the percentage difference between estimated and actual weights.MethodsDuring five TNR events, veterinary students, veterinarians and technicians visually estimated weights for 308 cats. Actual cat weights were measured, and the accuracy of visual estimates was evaluated using the percentage of estimates within 10% (PW10) and 20% (PW20) of actual weight. Predictors of percentage difference were analyzed using mixed-effects linear regression. Dosing accuracy of the induction cocktail was assessed by comparing estimate-derived drug doses to the target range.ResultsStudent estimates achieved a PW20 accuracy of 44%, lower than veterinarians (56%) but higher than technicians (35%). Accuracy within 10% (PW10) was limited across all groups, with students achieving 14% compared with veterinarians at 33%. Dosing based on student estimates fell within the target range for 85% of cases, compared with 95-96% for veterinarians, technicians and consensus estimates. Systematic errors included overestimating lighter cats and underestimating heavier cats, with posture and using kilograms vs pounds also affecting accuracy.Conclusions and relevanceAlthough student estimates were less accurate than those by veterinarians, dosing derived from these estimates was clinically acceptable in most cases. Training on systematic biases and leveraging consensus estimates may improve accuracy. Integrating veterinary student weight estimates into TNR programs is feasible with appropriate safeguards, including training on systematic estimate biases, estimate consensus and post-induction monitoring.

ObjectivesFeline intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), historically an uncommonly described problem, is being increasingly documented in the current literature. The objective of this systematic review was to consolidate existing knowledge of feline IVDD, identify possible prognostic factors and assist by offering clearer guidelines when managing a feline spinal patient.MethodsA systematic search of two databases was conducted using keywords related to feline IVDD. Studies with cats diagnosed with IVDD, including treatment and outcome details, were reviewed. Prognostic factors were evaluated for their impact on overall outcomes.ResultsA total of 57 studies with 1113 cats were identified after the reviewing process and 23 studies with 93 cats remained for statistical analysis. Most cats (59%) had lumbar spine involvement, followed by thoracolumbar (31%) and cervical (5%) segments. Intervertebral disc extrusion was the most common diagnosis (65/93), followed by intervertebral disc protrusion (16/93) and acute non-compressive nucleus pulposus extrusion (12/93). Deep pain perception was preserved in 87% of cats. Surgical intervention was performed in 75/93 cats while 17/93 were treated conservatively, with 1/93 being euthanased intraoperatively. Overall, 85% of cats had a positive outcome, 11% had a negative outcome and outcomes were undetermined in 4% of cases. Possible influencing factors analysed included breed, sex, age (in years and life stage), weight, affected spinal segment, number of affected discs, micturition status, treatment choice, deep pain perception and IVDD type. No statistically significant prognostic factors (P >0.05) were identified.Conclusions and relevanceAlthough no specific prognostic factors could be identified, the systematic review suggests that feline IVDD has a predominantly positive prognosis regardless of treatment choice. Given the low evidence level and small sample size, further multicentre, prospective studies with larger cohorts are required to establish reliable prognostic factors for feline IVDD.

ObjectivesTo evaluate the efficacy of oral molnupiravir (MPV; EIDD-2801) in cats with naturally occurring FIP with a subset of cats being administered a known immune stimulant (LTC) orally.MethodsProspective, open-label longitudinal single-center clinical trial. Cats with FIP were enrolled and treated with oral MPV (10-21 mg/kg PO q12h) for 84 days. A subset of cats (41 cats with effusive FIP) was randomized to concurrently be administered the oral immune stimulant. Cats were evaluated at 0, 4, 8 and 12 weeks followed by 12-week observation period.ResultsA total of 78% cats survived to 6 months. The median total bilirubin concentrations were significantly different (p= 0.0007) between the survivors vs non- survivors. Relapses occurred in 12% of the cats (between 9 to 99 days) and all achieved remission during a second course of treatment. Clinicopathologic features associated with FIP normalized during the study period but some cats showed decreased cholesterol levels and lymphocytosis during treatment. No adverse effects necessitated discontinuation of either treatment. No effects of the LTC were apparent in this study.Conclusions and RelevanceMolnupiravir administered at 10 to 20 mg/kg orally q12h for 12 weeks is well tolerated and an effective treatment (78% success) for all forms of naturally occurring FIP with a relapse rate of 12%. These results support those of others showing that molnupiravir is an effective treatment for cats diagnosed with FIP. Additional studies will be required to determine if any benefits might be derived from the LTC treatment.

Objectives: To compare the pharmacokinetics of GS-441524 following intravenous and oral administration of compounded remdesivir (RDV) at 30 mg/kg respectively, in cats with clinical feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), and to determine the bioavailability of GS-441524 following oral administration of compounded RDV in this population.

Methods: Thirteen client-owned cats with a clinical diagnosis of FIP were prospectively recruited. To reflect real-world use, RDV (30 mg/kg) was administered via 20-minute intravenous infusion or orally (rounded up to capsule size). Plasma GS-441524 concentrations were measured at eight time points over 24 h following administration. Pharmacokinetic parameters were determined by non-compartment analysis followed by bioavailability calculation.

Results: Pharmacokinetic analysis of GS-441524 following administration of oral RDV achieved a mean Cmax of 1083.36 ng/mL (SD 634.19; Coefficient of variation (CV): 59%; range 254.18 - 1834.73) at 5.33 h (SD 3.93, range 2 - 12) with a mean elimination t1/2 of 11.4 h (SD 8.00; range 4.58-27.01). In contrast, IV RDV administration produced a higher GS-441524 Cmax of 6262.54 ng/mL (SD 1118.01; CV 18%; range 5193.40-8134.39) at Tmax 0.67 h (SD 0.26; range 0.5 - 1) with elimination t1/2 of 6.8 h (SD 5.55; range 3.18-17.85). The mean relative bioavailability of GS-441524 following oral RDV was 30.13%. Bioavailability (range 12-52%) and time to maximum plasma concentrations (2-12 h) were highly variable.

Conclusions & relevance: The oral bioavailability of the compounded RDV used in this study is low, highly variable and appeared lower in cats with effusive disease, although this difference was not statistically significant. Given the small non-randomised sample, results should be interpreted considering study limitations. Despite the low bioavailability, survival rates in cats treated with oral RDV are comparable to published outcome studies with injectable RDV and oral GS-441524, indicating that oral RDV is a viable treatment option when GS-441524 is not available.

Approximately 10% of cats with diabetes mellitus (diabetes) are euthanized at diagnosis and a further 10% euthanized within the first year of treatment, despite diabetes being a treatable and manageable disease. This review presents a spectrum of veterinary care aimed at providing practitioners with a range of treatment options to discuss with the owner which may assist in preventing euthanasia at diagnosis. Barriers such as owner concerns about lifestyle impact, pet welfare and presence of comorbidities contribute to decisions to euthanize, while financial limitations can significantly restrict access to veterinary care for cats with diabetes. This highlights the urgent need to implement a spectrum of care approach for feline diabetes with the aim of reducing euthanasia rates and improving owner and cat outcomes.The primary costs of diabetes management arise from treatment, monitoring, diet and veterinary care. Substituting a more affordable option in any of these areas can reduce overall expenses, generally without impacting care. By being aware of the available options and their associated costs, veterinarians can offer flexible, individualized and informed treatment plans that address financial and practical barriers - ultimately reducing treatment costs and enhancing prognosis, owner satisfaction and feline wellbeing.

ObjectivesA thyrotropin (TSH) assay using bulk acoustic wave technology (TSH-BAW) was recently developed that allows for more accurate differentiation of euthyroid and hyperthyroid cats compared to the currently available TSH chemiluminescent assay (TSH-CLIA). The TSH-BAW is a highly sensitive and specific test for diagnosing hyperthyroidism; however, the effect of nonthyroidal illness (NTI) on this assay aside from cats with chronic kidney disease has not been evaluated. Primary objectives of this study were to compare serum TSH concentrations using both assays in hyperthyroid cats, cats with NTI, and healthy cats, and to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the TSH-BAW for diagnosing hyperthyroidism.MethodsProspective cross-sectional study comparing the TSH concentration of hyperthyroid, healthy, and euthyroid sick cats using the TSH-CLIA and TSH-BAW assays. The effect of disease severity was evaluated with hyperthyroidism and NTI.ResultsThe sensitivity and specificity of TSH-BAW for detecting hyperthyroidism were 78% [95% CI 62-90%] and 97% [95% CI 84-100%], respectively. The median serum TSH concentration was significantly different between hyperthyroid cats compared to healthy and NTI cats with both assays (P<0.01), but was not different between the latter euthyroid groups (TSH-CLIA P=0.168, TSH-BAW P=0.673). Eight (8/37; 21.6%) hyperthyroid cats had a detectable TSH-BAW but undetectable TSH-CLIA. The TSH-BAW concentrations were not significantly different between severities of NTI (P=0.565).Conclusions and relevanceThe TSH-BAW has a high specificity for detecting hyperthyroidism and is not significantly affected by NTI. While it is a useful assay for diagnosing hyperthyroidism, a normal TSH-BAW result cannot rule it out.

Objectives: The Danish Veterinary Cancer Registry (DVCR) was founded at the University of Copenhagen in 2005 (then the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University) and has collected data from feline neoplastic cases since. So far only canine data has been published. The objective of the current publication was to describe the distribution of neoplasms in Danish cats based on data from the DVCR.

Methods: Feline DVCR data (2005-2023) was extracted in December 2023. Study parameters were age, gender, breed, tumor type, tumor biological behavior, anatomical location and method for obtaining the diagnosis. Standard morbidity ratios (SMRs) were calculated using breed data from the Danish Cat Registry (DCR) as the denominator.

Results: A total of 767 neoplasms were registered. More neoplasms were malignant (561, 73.1%) compared to benign (175, 22.8%). More neoplasms were registered in females (423, 55.8%) than in males (335, 44.2%). The mean cat age was 10.4 years (SD 3.8). Malignant epithelial tumors were the most common type (259, 33.8%), followed by malignant lymphoma (141, 18.4%), benign epithelial (120, 15.6%) and soft tissue sarcomas (79, 10.3%). The most common anatomical location was skin incl. adnexal tissue (213, 27.8%), followed by hemolymphatic tissue (152, 19.48%) and mammary tissue (151, 19.7%). Domestic/European shorthaired cats had a SMR < 1.0, while all purebred cats with more than 15 registrations had SMR > 2.0. The relative risk (RR) for having a mammary tumor was 2.08 for intact vs. neutered females.

Conclusions and relevance: In conclusion, it was shown that Danish cats mainly get malignant tumors, and that skin- and epithelial tumors were most commonly occurring. Overall, the results from the DVCR fits well with data from other recent European publications and will be helpful for informing owners and veterinarians about the occurrence of feline cancer in Denmark and comparable countries.

Fluorescent in-situ hybridisation (FISH) facilitates visualisation of intracellular bacteria in tissues. There is little research looking at the role of intracellular bacteria in inflammatory disease within feline medicine.To determine whether bacteria are present in feline cardiac, hepatic and renal tissues where inflammation has been identified and compare the location of any bacteria with areas of inflammation within those tissues.Study group (SG) cases were selected from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine's pathology archive, 2012-2022. 23 cases fulfilled inclusion requirements. Three sequential sections were assessed by FISH (using eubacterial and non-eubacterial probes) and hematoxylin-eosin staining. Control group (CG) cases were selected from the same archive (n=6) where death was trauma-related; no other disease states were noted; the same three tissues were available for testing. Known bacteria-positive sections were included with each batch of slides processed to confirm successful hybridization.52.12%, CI 30.6-73.2 SG cases demonstrated bacteria within some or all tissues tested. 78.3%, CI 56.3-92.5 demonstrated the presence of inflammatory cells (IC) in one or more tissues. Of the IC-positive SG cases, 61.1%, CI 35.7-82.7 demonstrated bacteria by FISH; the presence of bacteria in either the liver or kidney, was frequently associated with the presence of IC 77.7%, CI 40.0-97.2 cases and 80%, CI 28.4-99.5 cases respectively. In these, IC distribution did not match bacterial distribution. Of CG cases, 83.3%, CI 35.9-99.6 were negative for IC. Notably, in the IC-negative CG cases, two were positive for bacteria by FISH 40%, CI 5.3-85.3. Pearson-Chi2-test demonstrated a Chi2 of 0.71; P=0.40.Despite this pilot study being limited by a small sample size, bacteria were successfully detected within FFPE samples of feline heart, liver and kidney. We demonstrated that bacteria may not co-locate with all instances of inflammation, suggesting the need for greater vigilance for the presence of fastidious bacteria and/or low-grade infection.

ObjectivesThis study investigated the presence of nucleated red blood cells (NRBCs) in the circulation as a prognostic factor in critically ill cats.MethodsCritically ill cats were prospectively included over 11 months if they fulfilled at least 3/4 systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria or if their general condition was severely reduced. All cats underwent a physical examination and blood collection for haematological and clinical chemical parameters, including NRBCs at admission and during hospitalisation. Outcome was defined as survival to 28 days after discharge from hospital. For manual microscopic NRBC count, 300 nucleated cells were examined and recorded as relative NRBC count (rNRBC). Absolute NRBC (aNRBC) numbers were calculated from those values: aNRBC = rNRBC × (white blood cell [WBC]/100).ResultsNRBCs, and most commonly metarubricytes, were detected in 25/94 critically ill cats. Primary underlying diseases were infectious (n = 10), neoplastic (n = 33), metabolic (n = 29), cardiovascular (n = 10), neurological (n = 5) and miscellaneous (n = 7). A positive correlation of absolute NRBCs with corrected WBCs (r = 0.448) was observed. After 28 days, 18 cats were still alive and 76 cats did not survive. Mortality did not differ between NRBC-positive and NRBC-negative cats (P = 0.641). Absolute NRBC count was 0.382 × 10⁹/l (range 0.032-28.990) and did not differ between survivors and non-survivors. Anaemia was not associated with NRBCs. All but one of the six NRBC-positive cats on day 2 did not survive.Conclusions and relevanceNRBCs can be observed in the blood of critically ill cats; however, their occurrence did not have a prognostic value.

ObjectivesThe aim of the present study was to identify the prevalence of corneal injury in cats undergoing general anesthesia (GA) while receiving prophylactic ocular lubrication, identify risk factors for corneal injury and quantify the effect of GA on tear production in cats.MethodsA total of 42 cats undergoing GA for non-ophthalmic procedures were included. Before GA, an ocular examination including a Schirmer tear test-1 (STT-1) and fluorescein stain (FS) was performed. Prophylactic lubrication was administered at the time of anesthetic induction and repeated every 15 mins until extubation. At 1 h after extubation, STT-1 and FS were performed and repeated hourly for 4 h. A Shapiro-Wilk test and paired t-test compared STT-1 results before and after GA. Logistic regression was used to analyze corneal injury and possible risk factors for corneal injury.ResultsNo cats developed FS uptake consistent with corneal ulceration. In total, 14 cats and 23 (27.4%) eyes developed corneal erosion at all time points. There was a significant decrease in tear production at all four time points after GA. Pre-medication opioid choice and corneal exposure were identified as significant risk factors for corneal injury.Conclusions and relevanceCorneal ulceration did not develop after GA in this study. There was a significant decrease in tear production in cats for at least 4 h after GA. Cats appear to have a higher prevalence of corneal injury after GA compared with dogs. Frequent eye lubrication is recommended for feline patients during and after GA.