Prevalence of positive urine culture in the presence of inactive urine sediment in 1049 urine samples from dogs.

BACKGROUND: Urinalysis (UA) is often used to screen for bacterial cystitis, regardless of sediment results, and followed up by quantitative urine culture (UC) for definitive diagnosis. OBJECTIVES: Determine prevalence of positive UCs in dogs with inactive urine sediments on routine UA. ANIMALS: A total of 1049 urine samples with inactive urine sediments and UCs collected from dogs presented to a veterinary specialty hospital between January 2018 and February 2020. METHODS: Retrospective study of dogs with an inactive urine sediment on routine UA and follow-up UCs. Signalment, UA findings, proteinuria, and UC results were recorded. Associations among these findings were assessed using multivariate logistic regression carried out using a backward stepwise method. RESULTS: Overall prevalence of positive UC was 3.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.4-4.8). Escherichia coli was the most commonly isolated bacteria. Only naturally voided samples were associated with increased prevalence of positive culture when compared to collection by cystocentesis or a non-specified method. No statistically significant association with culture positivity was found for urine protein-to-creatinine ratio, urine specific gravity, urine pH, breed, age, or sex. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Based on the low prevalence (3.4%) of positive culture in urine samples from dogs with inactive sediment on routine UA and the relatively high cost of UC and sensitivity, cost-benefit analysis including clinical suspicion of lower urinary tract disease should inform testing decisions, rather than routinely performing cultures on urine samples without active sediments.

Endoparasitism of Golden Retrievers: Prevalence, risk factors, and associated clinicopathologic changes.

Endoparasitism is a common disease in dogs throughout their lifetime despite the widespread availability of inexpensive diagnostic tests and effective treatments. The consequences of host parasite interactions in otherwise apparently healthy dogs remains largely unknown. This cross-sectional study used complete blood count, serum biochemistry, and fecal flotation data collected from 3,018 young dogs (<3 years of age) enrolled within the Morris Animal Foundation Golden Retriever Lifetime Study (GRLS) to determine the prevalence of endoparasitism and compare bloodwork values of parasite positive and negative participants using logistic regression. Variables including age, gender, reproductive status, and geographic region at the time of evaluation were assessed to identify potential associations. To the authors' knowledge, a comprehensive assessment of clinicopathological changes associated with endoparasite infection in a large cohort has not been completed in the recent decade. The overall prevalence of endoparasitism was 6.99% (211/3018). Dogs who were parasite positive had statistically lower albumin (P = 0.004), lower RBC count (P = 0.01), higher neutrophil count (P = 0.002), and higher platelet count (P <0.001) as compared to parasite negative dogs. It was also concluded that dogs living in rural areas were more likely to have endoparasites than those living in suburban areas. Epidemiological data is crucial for the design and monitoring of prevention and control strategies. Identification of endoparasites by fecal testing is an essential tool to identify susceptible and resistant animals that can act as spreaders and reservoirs of intestinal parasites thereby enabling appropriate therapy and reducing the risk of new infection to animals and humans. Further epidemiological studies are needed to prevent, monitor, and develop new strategies to control endoparasites.

Veterinary hemodialysis: advances in management and technology.

Hemodialysis (HD) is a renal replacement therapy that can enable recovery of patients in acute kidney failure and prolong survival for patients with end-stage kidney failure. HD is also uniquely suited for management of refractory volume overload and removal of certain toxins from the bloodstream. Over the last decade, veterinary experience with HD has deepened and refined and its geographic availability has increased. As awareness of the usefulness and availability of dialytic therapy increases among veterinarians and pet owners and the number of veterinary dialysis facilities increases, dialytic management will become the standard of advanced care for animals with severe intractable uremia.

Cystic thyroid and parathyroid lesions in cats.

Reports of cystic thyroid and parathyroid masses in cats are uncommon. Herein, the authors describe a series of four cats with cystic ventral cervical lesions, among them thyroid cyst (n=1), thyroid cystadenoma (n=2), and parathyroid adenocarcinoma (n=1). Presentations ranged from completely asymptomatic cervical swellings to signs related to local compression of adjacent structures (e.g., trachea). Ultrasonographic evaluation was helpful in localization of the mass in two cases. Hormone analysis and concentration of cystic fluid were performed in one cat. Surgical excision was performed successfully in three cases. Histopathological examination was performed in all four cases. Long-term prognosis was excellent for those cases in which follow-up was available.

Urethral pressure profile and hemodynamic effects of phenoxybenzamine and prazosin in non-sedated male beagle dogs.

Prazosin is a readily available alpha-adrenergic antagonist that may be useful in the management of functional urethral obstruction in companion animals. This study used urethral pressure profilometry to evaluate the urethral effects of prazosin and phenoxybenzamine in healthy, non-sedated, male Beagle dogs. Heart rate, indirect systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressures were measured, and saline perfusion urethral pressure profilometry was performed at 0, 10, 20, and 40 min following intravenous administration of prazosin (0.025 mg/kg), phenoxybenzamine (0.2 mg/kg), or placebo. Maximal urethral pressure, maximal urethral closure pressure, post peak nadir, and all blood pressure parameters decreased significantly at nearly all treatment intervals following administration of prazosin compared with placebo. Less consistently significant reductions were observed following phenoxybenzamine administration. Maximal decreases in urethral pressure parameters were observed 20 min following the injection of prazosin; maximal blood pressure decreases were evident by 10 min postinjection. In this non-sedated dog model, urethral pressure profilometry was a sensitive method of detecting urethral effects of alpha antagonists. Repeatable reductions in urethral pressure measurements were observed, with prazosin effecting more consistently significant changes than phenoxybenzamine. Significant decreases in systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial blood pressures were seen with prazosin, but not phenoxybenzamine or placebo. Further study of selective alpha-1 antagonists in dogs is needed to determine appropriate oral dosing protocols that will produce maximal urethral effects with minimal hemodynamic effects, and to demonstrate clinical efficacy in dogs with functional urethral obstruction.

Dysautonomia in a family of German shorthaired pointers.

Four, 5-week-old German shorthaired pointers from a litter of five puppies were presented for evaluation of vomiting and diarrhea. The dam was euthanized for suspected dysautonomia, and the fifth puppy died 1 day prior to presentation. On presentation, two puppies had vomiting and diarrhea, and the other two appeared healthy. The results of testing supported the diagnosis of dysautonomia in the two affected puppies but not in the healthy puppies. On day 5 of hospitalization, one apparently healthy puppy developed vomiting and diarrhea and had supportive testing for dysautonomia. Dysautonomia was confirmed at necropsy in affected dogs.

Concurrent administration of water-soluble vitamin E can increase the oral bioavailability of cyclosporine a in healthy dogs.

Randomized crossover studies were performed to determine the effect of coadministration of d-alpha-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1,000 succinate (vitamin E TPGS) on the oral bioavailability of cyclosporine A (CsA) formulated as either Sandimmune (Novartis Pharmaceuticals) or Neoral (Novartis Pharmaceuticals). Healthy dogs were given a single oral dose of each cyclosporine formulation with and without vitamin E TPGS. Blood samples were collected from each dog before and at various intervals for 24 hours after drug administration. Whole-blood CsA concentrations were determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Noncompartmental pharmacokinetic analysis showed that coadministration of vitamin E TPGS increased the oral bioavailability of Sandimmune. The bioavailability of Neoral was greater than that of cyclosporine. Concurrent administration of vitamin E TPGS had no consistent effect on the bioavailability of Neoral.