Body Condition Scores in Cats and Associations with Systolic Blood Pressure, Glucose Homeostasis, and Systemic Inflammation.

BACKGROUND: Feline obesity is the most common nutritional disease in cats. This study aimed to investigate the differences between systolic blood pressure (SBP) and circulating concentrations of glucose, fructosamine, and serum amyloid-A (SAA) in ideal-weight, overweight, and obese cats. METHODS: The animals were divided into three groups: ideal-weight (BCS 5, N = 20), overweight (BCS 6, N = 20), and obese cats (BCS ≥ 7, N = 20). SBP, circulating concentrations of glucose, fructosamine, and SAA were evaluated. RESULTS: The SBP values of the ideal-weight, overweight, and obese cats were 140.0 mmHg, 160.0 mmHg, and 160.0 mmHg, respectively. The blood glucose and fructosamine levels for the ideal, overweight, and obese cats were 104.0 mg/dL and 245.0 µmol/L, 123.0 mg/dL and 289.0 µmol/L, and 133.0 mg/dL and 275.0 µmol/L, respectively, for each group. The SAA values were <5 ug/mL in all the groups. The SBP values of the cats with ideal BCS were significantly lower compared to overweight (p = 0.019) and obese (p = 0.001) cats. The blood glucose values of obese cats were higher than those of ideal-weight cats (p = 0.029). There was no statistical difference between the groups for fructosamine and SAA. CONCLUSIONS: Obese cats had significantly higher SBP and blood glucose concentrations than ideal-weight cats, showing the effect of BSC on these parameters.

Spatial Distribution of Off-Host Stages of Tunga penetrans in the Soil within the Home Range of Nine Infected Dogs in An Endemic Tourist Area in Brazil.

Tungiasis is a neglected disease caused by the sand flea Tunga penetrans, and dogs are considered the main reservoirs in Brazil. This study aimed to identify the role of dogs as tungiasis dispersers and to investigate the presence of T. penetrans in the soil of an endemic tourist area. Nine dogs infected by T. penetrans were included in this study and received GPS collars to analyze their movement through the village. Duplicate sand samples were collected in different areas of the community. Those areas were classified as peridomicile (n = 110), open area (n = 110), beach (n = 50), and river (n = 58). The analysis of the points recorded by the collars showed that the dogs roamed throughout the community, potentially facilitating the spread of the disease. Samples contaminated with developmental forms of the parasite were found in the circulation area of three dogs. Adult fleas were found in 3/328 samples. These data emphasize that infected dogs' roaming can influence the fleas' dispersion in the soil. Statistically, none of the study variables had a significant correlation (p > 0.5) with the presence of T. penetrans in the area analyzed. This study was the first to assess infected dogs' role as tungiasis propagators.