American journal of veterinary research最新文献

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of medical and veterinary pathogens in invading Asian longhorned tick (ALT; Haemaphysalis longicornis) populations in 2 adjoining states, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study to test ALTs collected through active (probability-based) surveillance in Pennsylvania and active or passive (opportunistic) surveillance in Ohio for medical and veterinary pathogens using PCR.

Results: We collected 563 nymphs and adult females from 2021 through 2025 from the environment and domestic cows. We detected DNA of Anaplasma phagocytophilum (3 of 563 [0.53%]; 95% CI, 0.11 to 1.55). A subsample of ticks from both states was tested for Babesia spp. The DNA of Babesia spp was detected in Ohio (20 of 61 [32.79%]; 95% CI, 21.31 to 46.00;), and sequence data (from 8 samples) identified 4 detections of Babesia odocoilei and 4 detections of Theileria orientalis Ikeda. The DNA of Babesia spp was also detected in Pennsylvania (6 of 41 [14.63%]; 95% CI, 5.57 to 29.17); however, we were unable to retrieve any sequence data.

Conclusions: Our findings, albeit partially based on opportunistic sampling, suggest that the epidemiology of ALT-associated pathogens is evolving as we detected medical and veterinary pathogens of concern, primarily in Ohio. Surveillance can help guide veterinary and public health professionals to inform management.

Clinical relevance: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported detection of B odocoilei from host-seeking ALTs anywhere in the US and the first reported detection of T orientalis Ikeda from host-seeking ALTs in Ohio.

Objective: To develop and validate an owner-reported health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) questionnaire in cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods: This was a noninterventional, international study. Initial draft items were identified through qualitative literature and social media reviews. Concept elicitation and cognitive debriefing interviews were conducted with owners of cats with International Renal Interest Society-staged CKD in the US and United Kingdom to further inform item development. A 2-time point observational study was then conducted in a Greek sample of owners of cats with stable CKD to allow for psychometric analysis. Expert veterinarian input was incorporated throughout. Participants were recruited using purposive convenience sampling.

Results: Owners of 10 cats participated in interviews, and owners of 208 cats were included in the psychometric evaluation. An initial 20-item questionnaire was debriefed and refined across 2 rounds of interviews, resulting in a 21-item version for psychometric evaluation. The final questionnaire comprised 13 items assessing observable HRQoL impacts of feline CKD. Psychometric analyses confirmed a unidimensional structure, with high internal consistency (Cronbach α coefficient = 0.92; McDonald ω coefficient = 0.93), moderate to good test-retest reliability (≥ 0.72), and strong convergent validity. Questionnaire responses discriminated between early and late International Renal Interest Society stages and varying levels of overall HRQoL as reported by owners and veterinarians.

Conclusions: This research presents a novel, disease-specific, psychometrically validated questionnaire assessing HRQoL in feline CKD.

Clinical relevance: The questionnaire is fit for purpose for use in feline CKD both in clinical trials and veterinary practice.

Objective: To evaluate the agreement of automation tools with expert evaluators in identifying cases meeting inclusion and exclusion criteria for retrospective veterinary studies.

Methods: The review of medical records took place from December 16, 2024, through July 2, 2025. Medical records from 3 study populations (100 trauma dogs, 86 stent patients, and 100 cholecystectomy dogs) were assessed by 3 expert reviewers and were compared with automation tools, including AI applications (Gemini 2.5 Pro and NotebookLM) and a keyword search algorithm using Python, using standardized prompts for each study's criteria. Processing time and agreement with experts were compared.

Results: Gemini 2.5 Pro most closely matched expert selections across all initial studies, with high case detection accuracy (99% to 100%) and fast processing times (90 to 390 seconds). NotebookLM was comparable for the stent dataset but less accurate for the others. Python tools had variable performance throughout the different studies.

Conclusions: The study provides early evidence that AI is an effective tool for identifying cases using inclusion and exclusion criteria, which can accelerate the development of large retrospective studies. This approach has a multitude of other potential applications in both research and clinical practice.

Clinical relevance: Generative AI models, particularly Gemini 2.5 Pro, can enhance the speed and scalability of veterinary retrospective studies. While promising, AI-generated selections should be verified by investigators to ensure the appropriate application of inclusion criteria before final data enrollment.

Objective: To determine the effect of phenylpropanolamine (PPA; Proin) on intraocular pressure (IOP) and Schirmer tear test-I (STT-I) values in dogs.

Methods: Following baseline ophthalmic examinations, including IOP and STT-I measurements, 6 healthy, purpose-bred intact female Beagles aged 7.5 to 10 months were orally administered PPA at 2 mg/kg twice daily over a 4-week period. Intraocular pressure was measured twice weekly at 8:00 am, 12:00 pm, and 4:00 pm. Schirmer tear test-I was measured once weekly. A complete ophthalmic examination was conducted every 2 weeks. Intraocular pressure measurement continued once weekly for a 2-month period following discontinuation of PPA. Descriptive data are presented as mean ± SE of the mean.

Results: Compared with pretreatment IOPs (20.8 ± 0.5 mm Hg), values showed a statistically significant increase (23.0 ± 0.3 mm Hg and 21.9 ± 0.3 mm Hg during and after administration, respectively), whereas STT-I values in the right eye showed a statistically significant decrease during PPA administration. Although none of these changes were clinically relevant, dogs with high baseline IOPs exhibited greater fluctuation with elevated IOPs following PPA administration.

Conclusions: PPA administration induced an increase in IOP and exacerbated IOP fluctuation in dogs with high baseline IOP. Phenylpropanolamine should be prescribed with caution in patients with elevated baseline IOP or those predisposed to glaucoma.

Clinical relevance: These findings highlight the importance of monitoring IOP in dogs receiving PPA, particularly those with ocular hypertension or a predisposition to glaucoma, to ensure safe clinical use.

Objective: To identify risk factors for carbapenemase-producing, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CP-CRE) acquisition in dogs and cats during hospitalization.

Methods: A retrospective case-control study evaluating risk factors for acquiring CP-CRE during hospitalization in dogs and cats admitted from June 1, 2021, through September 30, 2023, was performed. Cases consisted of patients testing negative for CP-CRE at admission and positive prior to discharge. Control patients testing negative at admission and throughout hospitalization were matched to cases with a 3:1 ratio by species, managing service, and date and number of hospitalized days of CP-CRE testing. Patient demographics and characteristics were extracted from the electronic medical record. Conditional logistic regression modeling was performed to assess the association between these variables and being a case.

Results: 46 case dogs and 4 case cats were investigated. Due to the small number of cats, risk factors were only analyzed for dogs. On multivariable analysis, the odds of CP-CRE acquisition were significantly greater for dogs receiving a β-lactam antimicrobial (OR, 4.71; 95% CI, 1.32 to 16.82) or metronidazole (OR, 6.38; 95% CI, 1.71 to 23.74). All 4 case cats had received a β-lactam antimicrobial, and the majority (3 of 4 case cats) had received acid suppressants, were admitted from the emergency service, and had a central venous catheter or peripheral sampling line.

Conclusions: Receiving a β-lactam antimicrobial or metronidazole was an independent risk factor for CP-CRE acquisition in hospitalized dogs.

Clinical relevance: These findings highlight the importance of antimicrobial stewardship.

Objective: To investigate the hemodynamic consequences of carotid sectioning, as performed in religious slaughter, on cerebral blood flow (CBF) and pressure in cattle. Religious slaughter typically does not allow preslaughter stunning, which has led to scrutiny over concerns that blood flow from intact vertebral arteries or vascular occlusions could delay loss of consciousness and potentially result in unnecessary pain and suffering.

Methods: A numerical model of the bovine cerebrovascular system was developed using COMSOL Multiphysics, incorporating anatomical and physiological parameters. Simulations were conducted across pre, immediate, and postcarotid sectioning states and scenarios involving vessel occlusions.

Results: The simulation revealed a near-instantaneous loss of approximately 99% of CBF and pressure immediately following carotid sectioning. Vertebral artery flow is redirected away from the brain, via the vertebral-occipital anastomosis, toward the severed carotids. Simulated carotid occlusions did not meaningfully alter cerebral hemodynamics or delay the loss of blood flow and pressure.

Conclusions: Carotid sectioning causes an almost complete and immediate cessation of cerebral perfusion, with vertebral artery flow and carotid occlusions exerting negligible influence. The results support the conclusion that religious slaughter methods, such as shechita and halal, in which the major blood vessels are severed, induce rapid loss of CBF and pressure and therefore rapid loss of consciousness.

Clinical relevance: This work underscores the value of numerical modeling in providing objective insights into the hemodynamics of religious slaughter without causing undue harm to any animals and confirms prior findings of a precipitous drop in blood pressure and flow following the incision.

Objective: To assess the role of CT in detecting canine renal neoplasms and describe their imaging features.

Methods: 32 dogs with histologically and cytologically confirmed renal tumors were included. Computed tomography scans were reviewed for qualitative parameters: lesions number, size, margins, enhancement pattern, mineralization, laterality, intrarenal location, hemorrhage, lymphadenopathy, pulmonary metastases and collateral vessels. Quantitative parameters included lesion diameter and pre- and postcontrast attenuation. Data distribution was tested with the Shapiro-Wilk test, and intergroup differences were evaluated using the Fisher exact test.

Results: Diagnoses comprised primary renal tumors-renal cell carcinoma (RCC; 12 of 32), sarcoma (2 of 32), hemangiosarcoma (1 of 32), primary lymphoma (1 of 32), and cystic adenoma (1 of 32)-as well as multicentric lymphoma (ML; 5 of 32) and metastatic lesions (10 of 32). Primary tumors were mainly unilateral masses, whereas ML and metastases appeared as bilateral nodules. Collateral vessels were significantly more frequent in RCC than in ML or metastases and were also associated with mass lesions rather than nodular lesions. Multicentric lymphoma showed more homogeneous postcontrast enhancement than primary tumors.

Conclusions: CT provides key information to differentiate canine renal tumor types. Collateral vessels may indicate RCC and are more prevalent in mass lesions; therefore, they should be considered in surgical planning. Canine lymphoma showed CT features consistent with human reports, although overlap among tumor subtypes reduced specificity.

Clinical relevance: This study describes novel tomographic features of canine renal neoplasia and comprehensively summarizes their CT characteristics, aiding diagnosis and treatment planning.

Objective: To evaluate whether adding vatinoxan to an α2-adrenoceptor agonist-based anesthetic protocol would attenuate cardiovascular depression or influence anesthetic depth in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) anesthetized with medetomidine and tiletamine/zolazepam.

Methods: In a masked crossover design, 9 healthy adult female white-tailed deer were anesthetized from February 24 through March 14, 2025, with IM medetomidine (0.075 mg/kg) and tiletamine/zolazepam (4 mg/kg). Once anesthetized and monitored, each deer received either IM vatinoxan (1.5 mg/kg) or an equivalent volume of saline solution. Subjects were monitored for 45 minutes after treatment administration, after which anesthesia was reversed with IM atipamezole (0.35 mg/kg). Vital signs, serial arterial blood gas values, sedation score, and recovery scores were analyzed for significant differences.

Results: Vatinoxan administration resulted in significantly higher heart rates and lower mean arterial pressure, rectal temperature, and PaCO2. Hypotension was noted in 1 animal following vatinoxan administration. No significant differences were found in oxygen saturation, sedation scores, recovery times, or the total amount of additional anesthetic supplementation required.

Conclusions: Vatinoxan provided cardiac-sparing effects in white-tailed deer without compromising anesthetic depth. Further studies are warranted to investigate its impact on tissue perfusion in the absence of oxygen supplementation and to determine the minimum effective dose in this setting.

Clinical relevance: Vatinoxan, administered IM at 20 times the medetomidine dose, may be considered as an adjunct to medetomidine-tiletamine-zolazepam anesthetic protocols for short procedures to mitigate peripheral vasoconstriction and bradycardia.

Objective: To describe the clinical, cytologic, and radiographic features of inflammatory arthritis associated with blastomycosis in dogs.

Methods: This study included 12 dogs with blastomycosis and cytologic evidence of inflammation in at least 1 joint identified at a tertiary referral center over a 25-year period. Median age of presentation was 5.0 (1.1 to 9.0) years, and 4 of 12 cases were Labrador Retrievers. Musculoskeletal signs were the primary complaint for 10 dogs, while the other 2 presented for respiratory concerns. All dogs were lame upon evaluation, and 10 of 12 had palpable joint swelling. All dogs had evidence of blastomycosis in at least 1 other body system.

Results: Of 25 joint fluid cytologies, interpretations consisted of inflammatory arthritis in 21 joints (12 dogs), degenerative joint disease in 1 joint (1 dog), and unremarkable in 3 joints (2 dogs). The inflammation was categorized as suppurative (17 joints, 11 dogs) or pyogranulomatous (4 joints, 1 dog). Intra-articular Blastomyces organisms were observed in 10 joints (6 dogs). Eight of 9 joints (7 of 8 dogs) imaged had at least 1 radiographic abnormality, including 5 joints with osteolytic lesions. All bony lesions were periarticular. Ten dogs received oral antifungal drugs. Three dogs died within 1 month of evaluation; all 6 dogs with long-term follow-up achieved blastomycosis remission, but 2 required surgical arthrodesis of affected joints.

Conclusions: Not all dogs with blastomycosis-associated arthritis have cytologically detectable organisms in their joint fluid.

Clinical relevance: Unlike other sampling sites where pyogranulomatous inflammation predominates, suppurative inflammation is most common in the joints.

Objective: To identify the factors critical for establishing a successful environmental enrichment (EE) program in laboratory animal research facilities in South Korea, where EE legislation and guidelines have been recently introduced.

Methods: Using a cross-sectional/observational design, surveys were conducted in 2022 and 2023 among researchers and employees involved with laboratory animals in South Korea. Of the 945 responses received, 631 were analyzed per the eligibility criteria: no knowledge of whether the institution had an attending veterinarian (AV) and animal care personnel, no knowledge about EE, a job unrelated to animal research, and EE knowledge acquired through nonspecific channels.

Results: The EE achievement group reported higher satisfaction with institutional financial support (4.09 ± 0.884 vs 3.32 ± 1.016) and human resource support (3.72 ± 1.066 vs 3.10 ± 1.067). This group also felt strongly that government support for laboratory animal research ethics education should be strengthened (4.32 ± 0.793 vs 4.18 ± 0.849). Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that institutional financial support (OR, 2.014), need for government-supported education (OR, 1.447), presence of an AV (OR, 2.052), and acquiring EE knowledge through in-house training (OR, 3.163) had a positive effect on EE achievement.

Conclusions: Institutional financial and government-supported education, AV employment, and training programs are needed to realize EE in laboratory animals.

Clinical relevance: This study offers guidance for designing successful EE programs in laboratory animal research institutions.