Feline urinary tract pathogens in western Canada: Prevalence of bacterial species and antimicrobial resistance from 2012 to 2018.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the bacterial population and antimicrobial resistance of bacteria isolated from feline urine from 2012 to 2018 in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. Animals and procedure: IDEXX Reference Laboratories provided data from urine samples submitted from Alberta and British Columbia for aerobic culture and susceptibility testing from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2018. The analysis included 8084 bacterial isolates from 7522 cystocentesis samples, with at least 1000 colony-forming units per mL. Results: Escherichia coli, Enterococcus species, and Staphylococcus species were the most commonly isolated bacteria, at 60.0%, 22.7%, and 11.8%, respectively. The proportions did not vary significantly throughout the study period or between British Columbia and Alberta. Apart from an increase in the resistance of Staphylococcus species to clindamycin, there was minimal change in the antimicrobial susceptibility of the 3 most commonly isolated bacteria over the study period. More than 85% of Gram-positive organisms were susceptible to amoxicillin with or without clavulanic acid, and > 85% of Gram-negative organisms were susceptible to amoxicillin with clavulanic acid and trimethoprim with sulfamethoxazole. Conclusion and clinical relevance: Treatment with amoxicillin, with or without clavulanic acid, may be considered for bacterial feline lower urinary tract disease in Alberta and British Columbia while awaiting culture results.

Agents pathogènes des voies urinaires félines dans l'Ouest canadien: prévalence des espèces bactériennes et résistance aux antimicrobiens de 2012 à 2018. Objectif: Le but de cette étude était d'étudier la population bactérienne et la résistance antimicrobienne des bactéries isolées de l'urine féline de 2012 à 2018 dans les provinces canadiennes de l'Alberta et de la Colombie-Britannique. Animaux et procédure: Les Laboratoires de référence IDEXX ont fourni des données à partir d'échantillons d'urine soumis par l'Alberta et la Colombie-Britannique pour une culture aérobie et des tests de sensibilité du 1er janvier 2012 au 31 décembre 2018. L'analyse comprenait 8084 isolats bactériens provenant de 7522 échantillons d'urine obtenus par cystocentèse, avec au moins 1000 unités formant des colonies/mL. Résultats: Escherichia coli, les espèces appartenant aux genres Enterococcus et Staphylococcus étaient les bactéries les plus couramment isolées, à 60,0 %, 22,7 % et 11,8 %, respectivement. Les proportions n'ont pas varié de manière significative tout au long de la période d'étude ni entre la Colombie-Britannique et l'Alberta. Hormis une augmentation de la résistance des espèces de Staphylococcus à la clindamycine, il y a eu un changement minime de la sensibilité aux antimicrobiens des 3 bactéries les plus couramment isolées au cours de la période d'étude. Plus de 85 % des organismes à Gram positif étaient sensibles à l'amoxicilline avec ou sans acide clavulanique, et > 85 % des organismes à Gram négatif étaient sensibles à l'amoxicilline avec acide clavulanique et à la combinaison triméthoprime-sulfaméthoxazole. Conclusion et pertinence clinique: Un traitement à l'amoxicilline, avec ou sans acide clavulanique, peut être envisagé pour les infections bactérienne urinaires félines en Alberta et en Colombie-Britannique en attendant les résultats de la culture.(Traduit par Dr Serge Messier).

Parasitic Nematode and Protozoa Status of Working Sheepdogs on the North Island of New Zealand.

Working farm dogs in New Zealand may have a high parasitic challenge because of access to raw meat and close contact with other dogs. This cross-sectional study aimed to estimate the percentage of dogs with gastrointestinal nematode and protozoan parasite lifecycle stages present in their feces and to identify factors associated with the presence of parasites. A single researcher collected information about the dogs and their management via a questionnaire, body condition scored (BCS) the dogs, and collected fecal samples to determine the parasite burden. Fecal samples were collected from 171 dogs and 40% (95% CI 33.0% to 47.7%) contained parasite ova or (oo)cysts. There was no association between BCS and the presence of nematodes and parasites (p = 0.74) in the feces. The percentage of dogs with parasites present in their feces was not associated with BCS or the frequency with which anthelmintic drugs were reportedly administered (p = 0.61). The high percentage of dogs with parasites are of concern for the health of the dogs and their owners, given the zoonotic potential of some parasites. Further, research should also focus on understanding why reporting giving anthelmintic drugs at least every three months did not eliminate the infection.

Trans-pinnal movement of methimazole: an in vitro study showing that methimazole can cross from the inner to outer pinna of cats.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to determine if methimazole applied in a transdermal formulation to the internal pinna will cross to the external pinna in an in vitro Franz cell model. METHODS: The ears from six cats were harvested soon after death. Whole ears were mounted onto Franz-type diffusion cells with the stratum corneum of the inner pinnae uppermost. A commercial transdermal preparation containing methimazole (0.1 ml/10 mg) was applied to the inner pinnae. At 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 18, 24 and 30 h, a 200 µl sample of reservoir solution was removed to determine the methimazole concentration by high-performance liquid chromatography. The ears were then dissected, separating the internal pinna from the cartilage and the external pinna, before the methimazole concentration was measured at each site. The thickness of the different regions of the ear was measured on paraffin histology sections. RESULTS: Mean ± SD methimazole concentrations at 30 h for the right and left ear, respectively, were: inner ear, 1.25 ± 0.53 mg/g, 0.39 ± 0.26 mg/g; cartilage, 1.36 ± 0.47 mg/g, 0.33 ± 0.20 mg/g; and outer ear, 1.0 ± 0.32 mg/g, 0.33 ± 0.14 mg/g. There was a difference between the left and right ears (P <0.001). Minimal methimazole concentrations were detected in the receptor fluid. The mean methimazole concentration absorbed by the skin after application of 10 mg was, for the right ear, 3.65 ± 1.27 mg/g and, for the left, 1.08 ± 0.27 mg/g. There was no correlation between methimazole concentrations and thickness of each region of the ear. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Methimazole in a lipophilic vehicle applied to the inner pinna will penetrate to the outer pinna of cats in an in vitro model, which may have safety implications for humans associated with cats treated with transdermal methimazole. Substantial inter-individual variation was found. Further research is required in the area of transdermal penetration of drugs in cats.

Secretion of sex hormones in dogs with adrenal dysfunction.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate adrenal sex hormone concentrations in response to ACTH stimulation in healthy dogs, dogs with adrenal tumors, and dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH). DESIGN: Prospective study. ANIMALS: 11 healthy control dogs, 9 dogs with adrenal-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (adenocarcinoma [ACA] or other tumor); 11 dogs with PDH, and 6 dogs with noncortisol-secreting adrenal tumors (ATs). PROCEDURE: Hyperadrenocorticism was diagnosed on the basis of clinical signs; physical examination findings; and results of ACTH stimulation test, low-dose dexamethasone suppression test, or both. Dogs with noncortisol-secreting ATs did not have hyperadrenocorticism but had ultrasonographic evidence of an AT. Concentrations of cortisol, androstenedione, estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, and 17-hydroxyprogesterone were measured before and 1 hour after i.m. administration of 0.25 mg of synthetic ACTH. RESULTS: All dogs with ACA, 10 dogs with PDH, and 4 dogs with ATs had 1 or more sex hormone concentrations greater than the reference range after ACTH stimulation. The absolute difference for progesterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, and testosterone concentrations (value obtained after ACTH administration minus value obtained before ACTH administration) was significantly greater for dogs with ACA, compared with the other 3 groups. The absolute difference for androstenedione was significantly greater for dogs with ACA, compared with dogs with AT and healthy control dogs. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Dogs with ACA secrete increased concentrations of adrenal sex hormones, compared with dogs with PDH, noncortisol-secreting ATs, and healthy dogs. Dogs with noncortisol-secreting ATs also have increased concentrations of sex hormones. There is great interdog variability in sex hormone concentrations in dogs with ACA after stimulation with ACTH.