Confirmed cases of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome in companion cats with a history of tick exposure in the Republic of Korea.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a zoonotic disease, and its clinical information and prevalence are important. This study was conducted on 22 feline patients from the Republic of Korea (ROK), suspected to suffer from a tick-borne disease. Four cats were positive for SFTS, and genotypes B-1, B-3, D, and F were identified. Clinical symptoms, such as anorexia, jaundice, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, and hyperbilirubinemia, were detected. This is the first report of SFTS virus genotypes B-1, D, and F from cats in the ROK. Moreover, our results suggest that jaundice may be an indicator of SFTS in cats.

IMAGING DIAGNOSIS-ENDOMETRIAL MINERALIZATION IN A DOG.

A 9-year-old intact female mixed breed dog was presented for mammary gland tumor surgery, and preoperative radiographs showed a tubular soft tissue opacity mass with multifocal mineralization in the caudoventral abdominal cavity. Subsequent ultrasonography demonstrated uterine dilation with echogenic fluid and endometrial acoustic shadowing consistent with mineralization. Resection of mammary gland tumors and ovariohysterectomy were performed. Pyometra was diagnosed on cytologic examination of uterine fluid. Histopathology of the uterine tissue confirmed a diagnosis of cystic endometrial hyperplasia with uterine mineralization.

Time-dependent low-field MRI characteristics of canine blood: an in vitro study.

This study was conducted to assess time-sensitive magnetic resonance (MR) changes in canine blood using low-field MR. Arterial and venous blood samples were collected from eight healthy beagle dogs. Samples were placed in 5-mL tubes and imaged within 3 hours of collection at 1 day intervals from day 1 to day 30. The following sequences were used: T1-weighted (T1W), T2-weighted (T2W), fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), short tau inversion recovery (STIR), and T2-star gradient-echo (T2(*)-GRE). Visual comparison of the images revealed that four relatively homogenous blood clots and twelve heterogeneous blood clots developed. The margination of the clot and plasma changed significantly on day 2 and day 13. On day 2, heterogeneous blood clots were differentiated into 2 to 3 signal layers in the T2W, T1W, and especially the STIR images. Hypointense signal layers were also detected in the blood clots in STIR images, which have T2 hypo, FLAIR hypo, and T1 hyper intense signals. In all images, these signal layers remained relatively unchanged until day 13. Overall, the results suggest that hematomas are complex on low-field MRI. Accordingly, it may not be feasible to accurately characterize hemorrhages and predict clot age based on low-field MRI.

Diagnostic imaging features of normal anal sacs in dogs and cats.

This study was conducted to provide normal reference features for canine and feline anal sacs using ultrasound, low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and radiograph contrast as diagnostic imaging tools. A total of ten clinically normal beagle dogs and eight clinically normally cats were included. General radiography with contrast, ultrasonography and low-field MRI scans were performed. The visualization of anal sacs, which are located at distinct sites in dogs and cats, is possible with a contrast study on radiography. Most surfaces of the anal sacs tissue, occasionally appearing as a hyperechoic thin line, were surrounded by the hypoechoic external sphincter muscle on ultrasonography. The normal anal sac contents of dogs and cats had variable echogenicity. Signals of anal sac contents on low-field MRI varied in cats and dogs, and contrast medium using T1-weighted images enhanced the anal sac walls more obviously than that on ultrasonography. In conclusion, this study provides the normal features of anal sacs from dogs and cats on diagnostic imaging. Further studies including anal sac evaluation are expected to investigate disease conditions.