Characteristics of canine oral tumors: Insights into prevalence, types, and lesion distribution.

Objective: The escalating prevalence of canine oral tumors has emerged as a considerable health concern. This study examined the prevalence, types, and distributions of lesions linked to canine oral tumors. Material and Methods: The medical records of 526 dogs diagnosed with oral tumors were analyzed to determine the prevalence, types, and distributions. Tumor stages were classified into four categories using the tumor node metastasis system. Results: Among the 526 dogs, there were 118 cases of benign tumors and 408 cases of malignant tumors. Acanthomatous ameloblastoma was the most common benign tumor (43.22%), while melanoma was the most common malignant tumor (51.23%). The gingiva was the most common site for both benign and malignant lesions, accounting for 89.83% and 63.73% of cases, respectively. Melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and fibrosarcoma were primarily located in the gingiva, whereas osteosarcoma was commonly found in the mandible. Most tumors were classified as stage III (ranging from 46.84% to 74.58%). Of the reported cases, 56.08% were males and 43.92% were females, and the most common breed was mixed at 30.41%, followed by Poodle at 14.25% and Shih Tzu at 11.40%. Moreover, patients with malignant oral tumors (11.6 ± 3.1 years) were significantly older than those with benign tumors (8.9 ± 3.4 years, p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Gingiva was the primary site for oral tumors, and mainly classified as stage III. These findings emphasize the increasing occurrence of oral tumors in senior and geriatric dogs and provide insights into the prevalent types and distribution.

Feline Cyst-like Lymphocytic Cholangiohepatitis in a Cat: First Case Report.

A 5-year-old female neutered domestic short-haired cat presented with abdominal enlargement. An abdominal ultrasound revealed that large multiple hepatic cysts with irregular walls, hypoechoic fluid, and internal septations occupied most of the liver parenchyma. Serum liver enzymes, bilirubin, and bile acids concentrations were within normal limits. A fecal examination using simple floatation and formalin-ether sedimentation techniques was negative for liver fluke (Platynosomum fastosum), intestinal protozoa, and other helminth eggs. Praziquantel was prescribed for two distinct courses one month apart without obvious improvement of the hepatic cysts. An abdominal laparotomy and histopathological examination finally enabled diagnosis of cyst-like lymphocytic cholangiohepatitis of the liver tissue. Twelve weeks of oral prednisolone resulted in marked ultrasonographic improvement of the hepatic cysts. The liver parenchyma was heterogeneous and filled with multiple small anechoic cavities. Twenty-three months after ceasing the prednisolone, there was no recurrence of hepatic cysts.

Effects of Chemotherapy on Hematological Parameters and CD4+/CD8+ Ratio in Cats with Mediastinal Lymphoma and Seropositive to Feline Leukemia Virus.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the COP chemotherapeutic protocol on hematological parameters, CD4+/CD8+ ratio, and the mortality of 18 client-owned FeLV-infected cats with mediastinal lymphoma. The complete blood count, creatinine, alanine aminotransferase, and CD4+/CD8+ ratio were measured four times before treating with chemotherapy in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th weeks. The white blood cell (WBC) counts at the 1st week were significantly different from the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th inductions (p = 0.0075, p = <0.0001, and p = 0.0271, respectively). The neutrophils at the 1st week were significantly different from the 2nd and 3rd inductions (p = 0.0179, and p < 0.0001, respectively). The packed cell volume (PCV) at the 1st week was significantly differed from the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th induction times (p = 0.0029, p = 0.0006, and p = 0.0029, respectively. The mean corpuscular volume (MCV) at the 1st week was significantly different from the 4th week (p = 0.0145). We found that chemotherapy did not cause any significant change in the CD4+/CD8+ ratio (p-value 0.7407). The Kaplan-Meier curves showed the median survival time (MST) for the cats with a CD4+/CD8 ratio of less than 1 after the 1st week of chemotherapy was 134 days. This suggested that COP chemotherapy was a safe treatment for FeLV-infected cats with mediastinal lymphoma.

Prevalence and in vitro antifungal susceptibility of commensal yeasts in the external ear canal of cats.

BACKGROUND: Lifestyle factors such as hair length, the frequency of ear cleaning and bathing, age, cat rearing, and sex may contribute to opportunistic yeast infections in the external ear canal of cats. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of commensal yeast organisms in cats' external ear canals, evaluate their predisposing lifestyle factors, and test the susceptibility of Malassezia pachydermatis to antifungal agents. RESULTS: A total of 53 cats (33 male and 20 female) seronegative for feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus were enrolled in this study. Their mean age (± standard deviation) was 6.04 (± 3.49) years. Fungal cultures and polymerase chain reaction tests were performed to identify the yeast species derived from the external ear canal. The association between lifestyle factors and the presence of M. pachydermatis was evaluated using Fisher's exact test. The susceptibility of M. pachydermatis to antifungal agents was also analyzed. M. pachydermatis was the most frequently recovered yeast species, with a prevalence of 50.94 % (95 % confidence interval [CI]: 36.84-64.94 %). There was an association between hair length and a positive culture for M. pachydermatis (p = 0.0001). The odds of a negative culture for M. pachydermatis among short-haired cats was 11.67 (95 % CI, 3.22-42.24) times higher than that among long-haired cats (p = 0.0002). There was also an association between the frequency of ear cleaning and the presence of M. pachydermatis (p = 0.007). The odds of a negative culture for M. pachydermatis in cats that were receiving ear cleaning at intervals of ≤ 2 weeks was 5.78 (95 % CI, 1.67-19.94) times greater than that of cats receiving ear cleaning at intervals greater than 2 weeks or never (p = 0.0055). Ranges of minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum fungicidal concentrations for itraconazole, ketoconazole, miconazole, and terbinafine against M. pachydermatis were ≤ 0.063-4 and ≤ 0.063-≥32, ≤ 0.063-8 and 0.125-≥32, ≤ 0.063-≥32 and 0.5-≥32, and ≤ 0.016-1 and 0.125-8 µg/ml, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: M. pachydermatis was the most commonly identified yeast organism in the external ear canal of healthy cats. Hair length and the frequency of ear cleaning played a role in the colonization of M. pachydermatis. The M. pachydermatis isolates had various MIC levels for common fungicides.

Prevalence of toxoplasmosis in semi-domesticated and pet cats within and around Bangkok, Thailand.

BACKGROUND: Toxoplasmosis is one of the most common parasitic zoonoses worldwide. Cats become infected after ingesting infected tissue cysts. The objective of the present study was to compare the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in pet cats and semi-domesticated cats in the Bangkok metropolitan region. A survey of Toxoplasma infection was conducted in 260 cats (median age [range]: 3 years [10 months-10 years]; 155 females and 105 males) by collecting blood samples from 130 client-owned pet cats and 130 semi-domesticated cats within and around Bangkok during 2016-2017 using indirect fluorescence antibody tests. An IgG antibody to Toxoplasma antigen ratio of ≥1:100 was considered positive for Toxoplasma infection. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of T. gondii in cats was 6.5% (17/260). The prevalence of T. gondii in semi-domesticated cats and pet cats was 11.5 and 1.5%, respectively. Semi-domesticated cats aged 1-5 years (14.9%) had a higher prevalence of infection than domesticated cats (1.3%, p = 0.002) of the same age. The odds (95% confidence interval [CI]) of having T. gondii infection in semi-domesticated cats were 8.34 (1.86-76.29, p = 0.0017) times higher than in pet cats. Interestingly, there was an association between T. gondii infection according to city ​region (p = 0.002). The odds (95% CI) of having T. gondii infection in cats living in the inner city were 4.96 (1.03-47.16, p = 0.023) times higher than cats living in the suburb and the vicinity. CONCLUSIONS: The present study identified a higher prevalence of Toxoplasma infection in semi-domesticated cats compared with pet cats. The semi-domesticated cats could serve as a zoonotic reservoir. Public health regulations should be implemented to prevent toxoplasmosis spread.

Comparison of subclinical dermatophyte infection in short- and long-haired cats.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Long-haired cats may have an increased risk of dermatophytosis due to insufficient grooming and their thick hair coat trapping fungal spores. The prevalence of subclinical dermatophytosis in long-haired cats was evaluated using fungal culture and Wood's lamp test. Hematology and blood chemistry results were compared between cats negative and positive for dermatophytosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 127 cats (median age, 3 years [range, 10 months-10 years]) without feline leukemia virus or feline immunodeficiency virus infection were classified into short-haired (n=64) and long-haired (n=63) groups. Hair samples were cultured on a fungal culture medium (dermatophyte test medium, enhanced sporulation agar, and Sabouraud agar). RESULTS: The prevalence of dermatophytosis in short-haired and long-haired cats was 6.25% (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.15-12.28) and 34.92% (95% CI, 22.94-46.90), respectively. The odds of long-haired cats having dermatophytosis were 8.05 (95% CI, 2.44-33.97) times greater than that in short-haired cats. The number of positive dermatophytosis found in domestic short-haired cats (2/50, 4.0%) was significantly lower than that in Persian cats (17/47, 36.17%; p<0.001) and long-haired mixed breed cats (3/7, 42.86%; p=0.011). The overall sensitivity and specificity of the Wood's lamp test for diagnosing Microsporum canis infection were 37.5% (95% CI, 21.2-57.3%) and 96.1% (95% CI, 90.4-98.5%), respectively. Cats with dermatophytosis had significantly lower hematocrit and serum albumin levels than cats without dermatophytosis. CONCLUSION: Subclinical dermatophytosis was more common in long-haired cats; therefore, dermatophyte examinations should be performed routinely.

Association of gingivitis with dental calculus thickness or dental calculus coverage and subgingival bacteria in feline leukemia virus- and feline immunodeficiency virus-negative cats.

Periodontal disease is the most common oral disease in cats. The objectives of this study were to determine the relationships between gingivitis and dental calculus thickness (DCT), or dental calculus coverage (DCC); determine the association of gingivitis scores and types of oral bacteria; and to evaluate bacterial co-infection in cats with periodontal disease. Twelve cats that were not infected with feline leukemia or feline immunodeficiency viruses were enrolled in the study. Gingivitis, DCT, and DCC were scored and recorded. A Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare scores among canine, 2nd premolar, 3rd premolar, 4th premolar, and 1st molar teeth. The relationship between gingivitis and DCT or DCC scores was determined using the Spearman rank sum test (ρ). Subgingival bacteria were cultured and the association between bacterial species and gingivitis score was evaluated using a Fisher's exact test. The average gingivitis, DCT, and DCC scores for the caudal maxillary teeth were higher for the caudal mandibular teeth and more severe for the 3rd premolar, 4th premolar, and 1st molar teeth than for the canine teeth. A strong relationship between average DCT or DCC score and average gingivitis score was found (ρ = 0.96 and 1, respectively). Aerobic and anaerobic bacterial infections were identified in a large number of cats with periodontal disease (71.1% and 28.9%, respectively). In conclusion, severe gingivitis scores were associated with anaerobic bacterial infection. The caudal teeth are affected with more severe gingivitis, DCT, and DCC than the other teeth. Antibiotic prophylaxis should be prescribed in cats with periodontal disease.

La maladie parodontale est la maladie orale la plus fréquente chez les chats. Les objectifs de la présente étude étaient de déterminer les relations entre la gingivite et l'épaisseur du tartre dentaire (ETD), ou la couverture du tartre dentaire (CTD); déterminer l'association des pointages de gingivite et les types de bactéries orales; et d'évaluer les co-infections bactériennes chez les chats avec maladie parodontale. Douze chats qui n'étaient pas infectés par le virus de la leucémie féline ou le virus de l'immunodéficience féline ont été recrutés pour cette étude. La gingivite, l'ETD, et la CTD ont été évalués et notés. Un test de Kruskal-Wallis a permis de comparer les pointages parmi les dents canines, 2e prémolaires, 3e prémolaires, 4e prémolaires et 1ère molaires. La relation entre la gingivite et les pointages d'ETD ou de CTD a été déterminée à l'aide du test de corrélation de Spearman (ρ). Les bactéries sous-gingivales ont été cultivées et l'association entre les espèces bactériennes et le pointage de gingivite a été évaluée à l'aide du test exact de Fisher. Les pointages moyens de gingivite, d'ETD, et de CTD pour les dents maxillaires caudales étaient plus élevés que pour les dents mandibulaires caudales et plus sévères pour les dents 3e prémolaires, 4e prémolaires, et 1ère molaires que pour les canines. Une forte relation entre les pointages moyens d'ETD et de CTD et les pointages moyens de gingivite a été trouvée (ρ = 0,96 et 1, respectivement). Des infections bactériennes aérobies et anaérobies ont été identifiées chez un grand nombre de chats avec maladie parodontale (71,1 % et 28,9 %, respectivement). En conclusion, des pointages élevés de gingivite étaient associés avec des infections par des bactéries anaérobiques. Les dents caudales étaient plus sévèrement affectées de gingivite, d'ETD, et de CTD que les autres dents. Une antibiothérapie prophylactique devrait être prescrite pour des chats avec maladie parodontale.(Traduit par Docteur Serge Messier).

Development and analytic validation of an electron ionization gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (EI-GC/MS) method for the measurement of 3-bromotyrosine in canine serum.

BACKGROUND: The activation of eosinophils causes the release of eosinophil peroxidase and subsequent production of 3-bromotyrosine (3-BrY), a stable byproduct. In people, 3-BrY is used as a biomarker for eosinophil activation. The method for measuring 3-BrY concentrations in biologic samples from dogs has not previously been described. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to develop and analytically validate an electron ionization gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (EI-GC/MS) method for the measurement of 3-BrY in canine serum samples. METHODS: Pooled canine serum samples were utilized to validate the assay. Serum samples from healthy control dogs (n = 41) were used to evaluate 3-BrY concentrations and establish a reference interval. RESULTS: The analytic validation revealed that the limit of blank and limit of detection were 0.33 and 0.63 µmol/L, respectively. The coefficients of variation for precision and reproducibility for 3-BrY were < 13.9% and < 11.0%, respectively. The means ± SD of observed-to-expected ratios for linearity and accuracy were 109.6 ± 17.2% and 98.7 ± 11.3%, respectively. The reference interval was determined as ≤ 1.12 µmol/L (median [range]: ≤ 0.63 µmol/L [≤ 0.63-1.13]). CONCLUSIONS: The EI-GC/MS assay described here for the measurement of 3-BrY in canine serum samples was precise, reproducible, linear, and accurate. Further studies are underway to determine the diagnostic utilities in canine patients with eosinophilic diseases.