The Prevalence of Blood Groups in Domestic Cats in the Saskatoon and Calgary Areas of Saskatchewan and Alberta, Canada.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate blood types of domestic cats in two cities in Western Canada (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and Calgary, Alberta), as well as to determine the risk of mismatched transfusion and neonatal isoerythrolysis. Several cat studies around the world have shown variability in the prevalence of blood types in domestic and pedigree cats. Canadian data based on feline blood types is based out of Montreal. In this study the cohort of cats revealed a higher than anticipated prevalence; of 5% type B and 0.6% AB blood types. In our study, blood typing was performed in 400 domestic cats; 200 in Saskatoon and 200 in Calgary. Blood typing was performed using the gel tube method and the risk of transfusion mismatch (MT) was estimated by adding the risk of a major transfusion reaction and the risk of a minor transfusion reaction. The risk of neonatal isoerythrolysis (NI) was estimated according to the equation (p2)(q2) + 2pq(q2), with q being the b allele frequency and p = 1 - q. There was an identical frequency for feline blood types in both Saskatoon and Calgary cats, with 96% type A, 4% type B, and 0% AB. Based on these percentages, the risks of MT and NI in domestic cats were 7.6 and 4 % respectively. The frequency of type B cats in the population was similar to that in the previous Canadian study. These results demonstrate regional differences in prevalence of type B blood in domestic shorthairs across the world and serve to reinforce recommendations to blood type prior to transfusion or mating.

Successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation following cardiac arrest in a hypoglycemic cat.

This case highlights the successful recovery to discharge of a hypothermic cat in cardiac arrest, with minimal lasting clinical signs. Immediately after resuscitation, the cat was blind and non-ambulatory paraparetic. Within 4 days, the cat became fully ambulatory, but vision loss remains. We believe that the cat's hypothermia likely contributed to this successful outcome. Other factors which may have played a role in the cat's recovery were the administration of mannitol and anti-seizure medications. Key clinical message: We share learning points regarding re-warming rates for hypothermic patients and the use of Doxapram for stimulation of the central respiratory center.

Ressuscitation cardio-pulmonaire réussie suivant un arrêt cardiaque chez un chat hypoglycémique. Le présent cas souligne le succès de la guérison jusqu'au congé d'un chat hypothermique en arrêt cardiaque, avec des signes cliniques permanents minimes. Immédiatement après la ressuscitation, le chat était aveugle et paraparétique non-ambulant. À l'intérieur d'un délai de 4 jours le chat est devenu complètement ambulatoire, mais la perte de vision persistait. Nous sommes d'avis que l'hypothermie du chat aurait contribué à cette conclusion positive. D'autres facteurs qui pourraient avoir joué un rôle dans la guérison du chat étaient l'administration de mannitol et de médicaments anti-convulsions.Message clinique clé :Nous partageons des notions d'apprentissage concernant les vitesses de réchauffement pour les patients hypothermiques et l'utilisation de Doxapram pour la stimulation du centre central de la respiration.(Traduit par Dr Serge Messier).

Red squirrels in the British Isles are infected with leprosy bacilli.

Leprosy, caused by infection with Mycobacterium leprae or the recently discovered Mycobacterium lepromatosis, was once endemic in humans in the British Isles. Red squirrels in Great Britain (Sciurus vulgaris) have increasingly been observed with leprosy-like lesions on the head and limbs. Using genomics, histopathology, and serology, we found M. lepromatosis in squirrels from England, Ireland, and Scotland, and M. leprae in squirrels from Brownsea Island, England. Infection was detected in overtly diseased and seemingly healthy animals. Phylogenetic comparisons of British and Irish M. lepromatosis with two Mexican strains from humans show that they diverged from a common ancestor around 27,000 years ago, whereas the M. leprae strain is closest to one that circulated in Medieval England. Red squirrels are thus a reservoir for leprosy in the British Isles.