Journal of Small Animal Practice最新文献

A reduced sodium: potassium ratio is an uncommon finding in cats, and is typically associated with conditions such as hypoadrenocorticism, severe renal and cardiovascular diseases, cavitary effusion and certain non-parasitic gastrointestinal diseases. This report describes a case of a 1-year-old female Maine Coon cat showing severe hyperkalaemia and hyponatraemia, associated with gastrointestinal signs and Tritrichomonas foetus infection. Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) stimulation testing excluded hypoadrenocorticism. Supportive care combined with antiprotozoal treatment using ronidazole led to long-term clinical resolution and normalisation of the electrolyte abnormalities.

This mini-review describes the pathophysiology of the disrupted hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in dogs, and probably cats, with the MDR1 (ABCB1) mutation, ABCB1-1Δ in dogs and ABCB11930-1931del TC in cats. Clinical consequences in affected animals are discussed and therapeutic interventions to consider are presented.

A 4-month-old male intact domestic shorthair kitten was referred due to acute onset of severe respiratory distress. Aelurostrongylus abstrusus infection was diagnosed by Baermann technique. The kitten showed a fluctuating respiratory status despite anthelmintic and supportive therapy; severe initial distress followed by partial improvement, deterioration by Day 33 and marked recovery by Day 63. Monitoring included clinical examinations, oxygen saturation, faecal analysis, thoracic radiography and lung point-of-care ultrasound on Days 1, 10, 33 and 63. Lung ultrasound and thoracic radiographs consistently revealed diffusely distributed pulmonary disease and pleural involvement. Several pathological lung ultrasound features were identified, such as increased B-lines, subpleural nodules, lung consolidations with and without air-bronchograms, vascular sign and pleural line irregularity. This is the first report comparing lung ultrasound and thoracic radiography in a kitten with Aelurostrongylus abstrusus.

Objectives: To investigate UK pet rabbit owners' knowledge and perceptions surrounding anaesthetic mortality in rabbits.

Materials and methods: A web-based survey was conducted using JISC Online Surveys (version 2) and consisted of 20 multiple choice style questions evaluating respondent demographics, perceptions of anaesthetic risk in rabbits, knowledge of anaesthetic practice and information-seeking behaviour and communication preferences. Responses were downloaded from JISC Online Surveys, then frequency reported, and quantitative data were compared by basic descriptive analysis of raw data. The relationship between categorical variables was examined using the chi-squared test with exact P value. Differences across strata were assessed using the Cochran-Mantel Haenszel test. The respondent's knowledge surrounding the risk of death due to anaesthesia in young, healthy rabbits and older, unhealthy rabbits was analysed by calculating the difference in risk for each respondent using a one-sample t-test. Results were reported as odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals.

Results: In total, 529 responses were analysed to assess frequency of certain responses. The majority of respondents had a rabbit put under anaesthetic for a medical or surgical procedure (92%; n = 489/529), 26.2% (n = 128/489) of which reported complications. Owners who experienced complications were two times more likely to refuse anaesthesia (χ² = 6.14; P = .018); odds ratio (95% confidence intervals) = 2.01 (1.15 to 3.51). There was a difference in the respondents' perceived risk for dogs and cats compared to other small mammals (χ² = 673; P < .001), and a majority thought that the risk of rabbits dying under anaesthesia compared with dogs and cats was higher (90.9%, n = 481/529). Each participant perceived the risk for older rabbits to be roughly 20% to 30% higher than younger rabbits (one-sample t = 30.03, P < .001). Of 527 respondents only (6.5%, n = 34/529) thought that risk of death for young, healthy rabbits was between 0% and 1% and nearly half (48.2%, n = 254) thought this risk laid between 5% and 30%. Approximately, a third (29.3%, n = 155) also thought that communication of the risks of death by the veterinary profession could be improved.

Clinical significance: UK rabbit owners over-estimate the risk of anaesthetic death in rabbits compared with current literature reporting rabbit anaesthetic mortality rates. There is also a need for better communication from the veterinary profession surrounding these risks. This study highlights the potential for the veterinary profession to provide better education and reassurance to rabbit owners prior to anaesthetic procedures to ensure informed consent.

Objectives: To report complications and outcomes associated with the use of temporary tracheostomy tubes in cats. We hypothesised that a temporary tracheostomy tube in cats would be associated with lower complication rates and better outcomes than previously reported.

Materials and methods: This retrospective descriptive study reviewed medical records from three referral centres to identify cats that underwent temporary tracheostomy between January 2004 and December 2020. Inclusion criteria included complete medical records with documentation of complications and short-term outcome of tracheostomy site healing.

Results: Twenty-four cats were included. Inflammatory or infectious laryngitis (8/24; 33%) and laryngeal neoplasia (6/24; 25%) were the most common underlying diseases. Other indications included upper airway obstruction after ventral bulla osteotomy (2/24; 8%); trauma (2/24; 8%); and one of each of laryngeal paralysis, oral mass biopsy and after arytenoid lateralisation. Three cats (13%) had an elective tracheostomy tube placed. 14/24 (58%) cats survived to discharge and 7/24 (29%) were euthanised due to the underlying disease process or complications unrelated to the tracheostomy. Tracheostomy-related complications occurred in 13/24 (54%) cats, of which 9/13 (69%) survived to discharge. Complete tube obstruction (7/24; 29%), partial tube obstruction (6/24; 25%) and tube dislodgement (2/24; 8%) were the most common complications. No cats were euthanised due to tracheostomy tube complications. Management was successful in 21/24 cats (87%). 3/24 (13%) cats died due to cardiopulmonary arrest.

Clinical significance: Complications following temporary tracheostomy in cats were common (54%). However, successful management was possible in most cats (87%) with mortality mainly related to the underlying disease process rather than the tracheostomy tube itself.

Objectives: To report clinical presentation, treatment and outcome of dogs and cats diagnosed with gossypiboma-associated sarcoma.

Materials and methods: Referral centres within the United Kingdom, Europe, North America and Australia were contacted to search medical records for dogs and cats with documented gossypiboma-associated sarcoma and included if comprehensive clinical records, histopathology and follow-up to death were available.

Results: Four dogs and one cat were included. The surgical procedures where the surgical gauze was accidentally retained were ovariohysterectomy (n = 4) and caesarean section (1). Time between this surgery and gossypiboma-associated sarcoma diagnosis ranged from 1054 to 2201 days. Presenting clinical signs included anorexia (n = 5), lethargy (3), vomiting (2) and abdominal pain (2). Preoperative imaging documented an abdominal mass with no evidence of metastases in all cases. Surgical procedures to facilitate mass excision included duodenectomy (n = 1), partial pancreatectomy (1), partial gastrectomy (1), omentectomy (1) and ovariohysterectomy (1). Histopathology results were consistent with gossypiboma-associated fibrosarcoma (n = 2), extraskeletal osteosarcoma (1), hemangiosarcoma (1) and poorly differentiated sarcoma (1), with all demonstrating chronic granulomatous inflammation with intralesional refractile fibre foreign material. One received adjuvant chemotherapy postoperatively. Lesions consistent with metastasis were identified on imaging in three dogs and one cat and suspected in one dog, between 11 and 114 days postoperatively. Survival time from surgery for cases 1 to 5 was 181, 56, 66, 13 and 196 days, respectively.

Clinical significance: Gossypiboma-associated sarcomas are rare and exhibit aggressive clinical behaviour with a generally poor prognosis. Use of radiopaque surgical gauzes, surgical checklists and surgical gauze counts are imperative to prevent such neoplasms.

Dietary management represents the cornerstone of treatment for chronic enteropathy in dogs, with approximately 50% of cases in referral practice responding to dietary intervention alone. Success rates improve significantly when multiple systematic diet trials are implemented. Clinical experience suggests that dogs with suboptimal response to dietary therapy alone should be maintained on their most effective diet while additional therapies are introduced, potentially reducing medication requirements and associated adverse effects. Treatment decisions should prioritise individual patient assessment and thorough documentation of responses to each dietary intervention rather than adherence to arbitrary trial protocols. Currently, the literature lacks unified nutritional recommendations for canine chronic enteropathy management. This review aims to provide evidence-based recommendations for the nutritional management of chronic enteropathy in dogs. Recommendations were derived from review of available studies, supplemented by expert clinical experience where published evidence was insufficient. While individual diet selection remains largely guided by empirical evidence, the recommendations presented herein, based on collective clinical expertise, offer a structured approach to optimise therapeutic outcomes in canine chronic enteropathy.

Objectives: To report the clinicopathological findings, treatment and outcomes of Pugs diagnosed with protein-losing enteropathy using VetCompass primary care clinical data in the UK and to determine if referral or any specific treatments for protein-losing enteropathy were associated with outcome.

Materials and methods: Retrospective VetCompass study of primary care practice records for Pugs with a recorded diagnosis of protein-losing enteropathy. Of the 51 Pugs diagnosed with protein-losing enteropathy between 2017 and 2024 in the UK, clinicopathological results, referral status, treatment and outcome on protein-losing enteropathy were extracted.

Results: Twenty-one of 51 Pugs (41.2%) were referred for protein-losing enteropathy care. Thirty-four (66.7%) were treated with prednisolone, 2 (3.9%) with cyclosporin, 6 (11.8%) with chlorambucil and 14 (27.5%) with clopidogrel. Twenty-two of 51 Pugs (43.1%) died presumed due to their protein-losing enteropathy, with 54.5% of these deaths occurring within 3 months of diagnosis. More Pugs alive at 3 months compared to those that died within 3 months were treated with prednisolone (28/34 alive vs. 5/12 dead; P=.032) and clopidogrel (14/34 alive vs. 0/12 dead; P=.009). There was no difference between referred and non-referred Pugs in their probability of being alive versus those that died due to their protein-losing enteropathy at 3 months (17/34 alive vs. 3/12 dead; P=.183), 1 year (11/24 alive vs. 6/17 dead; P=.539) and 2 years (7/13 alive vs. 8/19 dead; P=.720).

Clinical significance: Studies that account for severity of disease are needed to determine if Pugs with protein-losing enteropathy managed completely in primary care have similar outcomes versus referral. Prednisolone and clopidogrel may increase short-term survival; however, prospective studies are needed to confirm this.