Retrospective evaluation of the effect of acid suppressant drugs on leukocyte ratios in dogs with mast cell tumors.

BACKGROUND: Acid suppressant drugs (ASDs) are commonly used to decrease gastric acid production, but some evidence exists that ASDs exert immunomodulatory effects. Such an effect has not been investigated in dogs for which ASDs are routinely prescribed. HYPOTHESIS: Compared to naïve subjects, dogs treated with ASDs will exhibit differences in leukocyte ratios after treatment. ANIMALS: Fifty-one dogs with mast cell tumors (MCTs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dogs with MCT that were either AS naïve or treated with ASDs (i.e., histamine-2-receptor antagonists [H2RA] or proton pump inhibitors [PPI]) were included in this retrospective study. Subjects were categorized into 3 treatment groups (AS naïve, H2RA treated, and PPI treated), and leukocyte ratios (neutrophil:eosinophil, lymphocyte:monocyte, and neutrophil:lymphocyte [NLR]) were calculated before and after treatment. A mixed effects analysis of variance on ranks was used to assess differences in ratios between treatments, between pre- and post-treatment time points, and between pre- and post-time points for each treatment. Concurrent administration of antihistamines, corticosteroids, and chemotherapeutic drugs was assessed as a confounding factor. RESULTS: Famotidine (n = 14/14) and omeprazole (n = 12/12) were the only H2RA and PPI used, respectively. Dogs receiving famotidine had a significant increase in median NLR from pre- to post-treatment (3.429; range, 1.417-15 to 5.631; range, 2.654-92; P < 0.01) compared to PPI treated or AS naïve dogs. No differences existed in chemotherapeutic drug or corticosteroid use between groups. CONCLUSIONS: A significant difference in NLR was identified in famotidine treated dogs compared with omeprazole treated or AS naïve dogs.

Biochemical, functional, and histopathologic characterization of lomustine-induced liver injury in dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the biochemical, functional, and histopathologic changes associated with lomustine-induced liver injury in dogs. ANIMALS: I0 healthy purpose-bred sexually intact female hounds. PROCEDURES: Dogs were randomly assigned to receive lomustine (approx 75 mg/m2, PO, q 21 d for 5 doses) alone (n = 5) or with prednisone (approx 1.5 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h for 12 weeks; 5). For each dog, a CBC, serum biochemical analysis, liver function testing, urinalysis, and ultrasonographic examination of the liver with acquisition of liver biopsy specimens were performed before and at predetermined times during and after lomustine administration. Results were compared between dogs that did and did not receive prednisone. RESULTS: 7 of the I0 dogs developed clinical signs of liver failure. For all dogs, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities, bile acid concentrations, and liver histologic score increased and hepatic reduced glutathione content decreased over time. Peak serum ALT (r = 0.79) and ALP (r = 0.90) activities and bile acid concentration (r = 0.68) were positively correlated with the final histologic score. Prednisone did not appear to have a protective effect on histologic score. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In dogs, liver enzyme activities, particularly ALT and ALP activities, should be closely monitored during lomustine treatment and acute increases in those activities may warrant discontinuation of lomustine to mitigate liver injury. Nonspecific ultrasonographic findings and abnormal increases in liver function tests were not detected until the onset of clinical liver failure. Glutathione depletion may have a role in lomustine-induced hepatopathy and warrants further investigation.

Myxosarcoma Associated with the Kidney in a Cat: Case Report.

A 12 yr old spayed female domestic shorthair with a history of lethargy, anorexia, and a pendulous abdomen was referred after a cranial abdominal mass was palpated on physical examination. Thoracic radiographs and an abdominal ultrasound revealed a mass associated with the kidney and moderate hemoperitoneum. Exploratory laparotomy revealed abdominal hemorrhage originating from a right renal mass that was adhered to the caudal vena cava. Following a right nephrectomy, histopathology diagnosed the mass as a perirenal/renal myxosarcoma. Based upon thoracic radiographs and abdominal ultrasound, the patient remains disease free at 14 mo postoperatively.

Evaluation of the agreement between a point-of-care lactate meter and a handheld laboratory analyzer in cats treated in emergency practice.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine if there was agreement between a new point-of-care (POC) lactate analyzer and a handheld laboratory analyzer when measuring blood lactate concentration in cats. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: University veterinary teaching hospital. ANIMALS: Fifty-four cats that presented to an emergency service. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Lactate concentrations as measured by the handheld laboratory analyzer ranged from 0.3 to 15.4 mmol/L. Agreement analysis of the handheld laboratory analyzer and the POC lactate meter demonstrated a bias, -0.06 and limits of agreement ranging from -0.87 to 0.99 mmol/L. Regression analysis demonstrated a coefficient of determination (R2 ) of 0.98. CONCLUSION: Results of the present study indicate that the POC lactate meter provided results that are in agreement with a handheld laboratory analyzer when measuring lactate in clinically ill patients.

Opportunistic Fungal Infections in Small Animals.

Opportunistic fungal infections have long been recognized as rare causes of disease in immunocompetent dogs and cats. Recently, the escalating use of multiagent immunosuppression protocols (especially those that include cyclosporine) has resulted in an increased number of patients with opportunistic fungal infection encountered by small animal practitioners and has altered the typical case phenotype. Based on histologic and cytologic features such as pigmentation, hyphal diameter, and distribution in tissue, these opportunistic mycoses can be placed into categories such as phaeohyphomycosis, hyalohyphomycosis, and eumycotic mycetoma. This review aims to summarize the clinical presentations, methods for diagnosis, treatment recommendations, and prognosis for both immunocompetent and immunosuppressed patients with opportunistic fungal infections. An example case description is included to illustrate the most common current clinical presentation.

Long-term clinical control of feline pancreatic carcinoma with toceranib phosphate.

An 11-year-old, spayed female, domestic shorthair cat was presented with a non-resectable abdominal mass diagnosed as carcinomatosis of pancreatic origin. Treatment with toceranib phosphate was started. Abdominal ultrasound approximately 1 year after diagnosis revealed progressive disease. The cat was humanely euthanized approximately 792 days after initial presentation due to progressive clinical signs.

Contrôle clinique à long terme du carcinome pancréatique félin avec le tocéranib phosphate. Un chatte commune domestique stérilisée âgée de 11 ans a été présentée avec une masse abdominale non résécable diagnostiquée comme une carcinomatose d'origine pancréatique. Le tocéranib phosphate a été administré. L'échographie abdominale environ 1 an après le diagnostic a révélé une maladie progressive. La chatte a été euthanasiée sans cruauté environ 792 jours après la présentation initiale en raison de signes cliniques progressifs.(Traduit par Isabelle Vallières).