[Protein-losing enteropathy in Rottweilers]. / Protein-losing enteropathy bij de Rottweiler.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the signs, histopathological features, and treatment outcome of a not previously described protein-losing enteropathy (PLE) in Rottweiler dogs. METHODS: A retrospective study involving 17 Rottweilers referred for PLE. Data on sex, age, presenting signs, histopathological diagnosis, and treatment outcome were collected. The canine inflammatory bowel disease activity index (CIBDAI) score was calculated, to quantify disease severity. Endoscopic intestinal biopsies were evaluated according to the guidelines of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) gastrointestinal standardization group. RESULTS: Presenting signs were watery diarrhoea and weight loss. In all dogs with PLE in this study, the abnormalities found were consistent with a form of inflammatory bowel disease. Some of the dogs had a secondary infection with Giardia or Cyniclomyces guttulatus. In 10 dogs (59%) the CIBDAI score was 9 or higher, indicative of severe disease. Histopathological findings revealed lymphoplasmacellular enteritis, with lymphangiectasia in 14 (82%) dogs and eosinophil infiltration in 10 (59%) dogs. Eleven (65%) dogs were euthanized or died because of the intestinal disease. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a median survival time of 5 months, with a 1-year survival rate of 47%. Seven (4%) dogs were disease-free after treatment with immunosuppressants and dietary measures, but some relapsed (median disease-free interval 21 months). CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: In Rottweilers presenting with chronic diarrhoea and weight loss, clinicians should consider the presence of severe PLE, which has a poor prognosis.

Multi-agent chemotherapy for mast cell tumours in the dog.

Seventeen dogs with mast cell tumours received chemotherapy. Fifteen dogs were treated with a vincristine, cyclophosphamide, hydroxyurea, and prednisolone (VCHP) regimen. Seven of these were later switched to doxyrubicin and prednisolone either because they stopped responding or because they did not respond from the start of the treatment. Two dogs received the latter regimen as the primary therapy. All dogs were treated with cimitidine and metoclopramide to minimize the effect of paraneoplastic syndrome associated with histamine release. Ten of the 17 dogs were found to respond (4/17 complete response (CR), 6/17 partial response (PR)). Response duration varied from 39 to 910 days (median 53 days), including 3 dogs with a CR that lasted more than 2 years. Survival time in responders varied from 41 to 910 days (median 97 days) and from 30 to 126 (median 39) in the other 7 dogs. Dogs that became refractory to VCHP did not respond to doxyrubicin and prednisolone. It is concluded that multi-agent chemotherapy has anti-tumour activity in a considerable proportion of dogs with mast cell tumours, but its efficacy is variable. The multivariate analyses showed that significant factors predicting survival in dogs with mast cell tumours were sex (P = 0.009), absence or presence of non-abdominal distant metastases, or abdominal metastases, respectively (P = 0.023), and malignancy grade of the tumours (P = 0.053).

Erythroleukemia of childhood and infancy: a report of two cases.

Two rare de novo cases are presented of pediatric erythroleukemia (EL), AML-M6 in a four-month-old (patient A) and four-year-old (patient B) African-Americans who presented to the Medical College of Georgia from 1989 to 1995. The clinical, morphologic, immunophenotypic and cytogenetic features of both patients are reviewed. The purpose of this study is to correlate the bone marrow morphology with the immunophenotypes and the karyotypes of the neoplastic cells. The patients were both female, presented with flu-like symptoms, and were noted to have hepatosplenomegaly on physical examination. The peripheral blood examination was significant for anemia (Hb 54 (A), 84(B)g/L), and thrombocytopenia (86 (A), 70(B) x 10(9)/L). The bone marrow contained 75 percent (A) and 76.8 percent (B) erythroblasts and showed myelodysplastic changes in the erythroid cell line. Cytochemical analysis was performed, and greater than 10 erythroblasts per 100 cells were periodic acid-Schiff positive. Immunophenotypes of the pretreatment bone marrow showed glycophorin-A, CD71, and CD11b positivity. The karyotypes of both patients contained complex (> 3 per clone) cytogenetic abnormalities. Our data suggest that the initial presentation and course of disease are different in adults and children. However, once the adult form reaches the acute leukemia stage, the laboratory findings are similar to those at initial presentation in pediatric EL.

Polyuria and polydipsia and disturbed vasopressin release in 2 dogs with secondary polycythemia.

In dogs, secondary polycythemia (SP) may be associated with polyuria and polydipsia (PU/PD). The pathogenesis of this PU/PD has not yet been explained. We hypothesized that hyperviscosity and increased blood volume in SP might affect vasopressin (VP) release, resulting in PU/PD. This hypothesis was tested in 2 dogs with SP caused by renal neoplasia and PU/PD. Osmoregulation of VP release was studied by a modified water deprivation test and by investigating the VP response to hypertonic saline infusion. Water deprivation test results were consistent with an inability to produce concentrated urine despite increasing plasma osmolality. During hypertonic saline infusion, the osmotic threshold of VP release was markedly increased in both dogs, resulting in a delayed VP response to increasing plasma osmolality. The sensitivity of VP release was low normal in both dogs. We conclude that blood hyperviscosity and increased blood volume led to impaired VP release and polyuria.