Endoscopy and histopathology in the examination of the nasal cavity in dogs.

Nasal diseases of chronic nature are a common clinical complaint in canine practice. However, precise diagnosis in these cases is often difficult and require the use of various, additional diagnostic methods. The aim of this study was to estimate the occurrence of diseases of the upper respiratory tracts in dogs, and to evaluate the usefulness of endoscopy in the diagnostic process as a method of obtaining a final diagnosis. In the group of dogs in which rhinoscopy was performed, the most common final diagnoses were nonspecific chronic rhinitis, followed by neoplasms and infectious rhinitis. It can be concluded that rhinoscopy should be considered mainly as a preliminary method of inspection of the nasal cavity, helpful in obtaining the most representative tissue specimen/specimens for histopathology. In some cases, especially foreign objects and congenital abnormalities rhinoscopy can give the possibility of obtaining a final diagnosis. However, even in these situations and also when any macroscopic lesion is found during endoscopy, microscopic examination of the mucosa specimen should be performed.

Thrombocytopenia as a characteristic trait in the Polish ogar dog.

The study was undertaken to ascertain if the normal thrombocyte count in Polish ogar dog differs from normal values in other dog breeds. The reason for this study was constatation that during routine blood analysis in healthy Polish ogar dogs, thrombocytopenia, not related to the clinical state of the animals, was frequently encountered. The study was carried out on 38 Polish ogar dogs. The control group consisted of 80 dogs of various breeds. All the animals were clinically healthy. A full hematological analysis was performed. The mean platelet value in all dog breeds without the Polish ogar dogs was 344.4 +/- 6.85, while the mean number of platelets in the Polish ogar dogs amounted to 167 +/- 11.6 G/l. The limited genetic material used to rebuild the Polish ogar breed after its drastic decline during the Second World War could be the reason for various, including hematological, abnormalities that with time became a normal characteristic traits for this breed.

The diagnosis of gastritis and helicobacter-like organisms infection in endoscopic biopsies of the canine gastric mucosa.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of gastric Helicobacter-like organisms (GHLO) and gastritis in the gastric mucosa of dogs with gastric disorders. Tissue samples of the gastric mucosa were obtained from 30 dogs with gastrointestinal symptoms (vomiting, abdominal pain or discomfort, loss of appetite) during endoscopy. Histopathological examinations were performed and occurrence of GHLO infection, gastritis and other mucosal changes were estimated. The GHLO infection and gastritis were identified in 63.3 and 36.6% of dogs respectively; other mucosal changes included fibrosis in the lamina propria, degenerative changes of the gastric glands and hyperplasia of the parietal cells. The present study has revealed that microscopically found gastritis is not frequent in dogs examined by endoscopy. GHLO infection can be responsible for some cases of gastritis and hyperplasia of parietal cells in dogs.

Influence of naturally acquired feline leukemia virus (FeLV) infection on the phagocytic and respiratory burst activity of neutrophils and monocytes of peripheral blood.

The purpose of this study was cytometric evaluation of phagocytic and oxidative burst activity of neutrophils and monocytes in cats naturally infected with FeLV. To conduct the study, the peripheral blood was obtained from 33 cats naturally infected with FeLV. The control group consisted of 30 FeLV-, FIV-, clinically healthy cats. The percentage of phagocytizing neutrophils of peripheral blood was lower in FeLV+ than in FeLV- cats. The percentage of neutrophils and monocytes in which an oxidative burst occurred was lower in FeLV+ than in FeLV-animals. Also an oxidative product formation in neutrophils after E. coli and PMA stimulation was lower in FeLV+ than in FeLV-animals. Obtained results allow to conclude that diminished phagocytic and oxidative burst activity of peripheral blood leukocytes may cause impairment of innate immunity in cats infected with FeLV.

Alpha-fetoprotein in canine multicentric lymphoma.

The concentrations of AFP were evaluated in the sera from groups of healthy dogs and of dogs with multicentric lymphoma, before and while receiving chemotherapy. The concentration of AFP was highest in the affected dogs, especially during the fifth stage of lymphoma. Chemotherapy caused a decrease in AFP serum concentration, during both the induction and the maintenance phases of treatment, when compared to the same animals before therapy. Determination of the concentration of AFP in the serum may be an additional indicator in the evaluation of the stage of lymphoma, and of value in assessing the extent of neoplastic infiltration of the liver.