Corrective Osteotomy of a Metacarpal Deviation Caused by Fracture in a 9-Month-Old German Fleckvieh Heifer.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the surgical treatment of a metacarpal deviation caused by an untreated Salter-Harris type I fracture in a heifer. STUDY DESIGN: Case report. ANIMAL: 9-month-old German Fleckvieh heifer. METHODS: A closing wedge osteotomy was performed to correct deviation of fused metacarpal III and IV. A triangular bone wedge was removed and the proximal and distal fragments of the bone were brought into apposition and stabilized with an 11-hole T-plate. A full-limb cast was applied postoperative. RESULTS: Radiographs were taken at 2, 4, and 6 weeks postoperative. No postoperative complications occurred and the heifer was discharged from the clinic 51 days after surgery. Radiographs taken 6 months after discharge showed periosteal callus formation around the closing wedge osteotomy. At 24 months postoperative, implants were intact and the heifer was in good general condition. CONCLUSION: Closing wedge osteotomy was successfully performed in a heifer with a metacarpal deviation, correcting the malunion after a untreated Salter-Harris type I fracture. Radiographs showed evidence of osteotomy healing and the heifer had full use of the affected leg at 24 months postoperative.

The effect of repeated eye examinations and breeding advice on the prevalence and incidence of cataracts and progressive retinal atrophy in German dachshunds over a 13-year period.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the change in prevalence and incidence of hereditary eye diseases (HED) in dachshunds due to breeding regulations based on biennial examinations performed by the German panel of veterinary ophthalmologists (DOK) from 1998 to 2011. ANIMALS INCLUDED: A total of 12 242 dachshunds examined by the DOK and pedigree data of 318 852 dachshunds provided by the German Dachshund Club (DTK). PROCEDURES: The prevalence of congenital cataract (CC), distichiasis (DIST), hereditary cataract (HC), persistent pupillary membranes (PPMs), persistent hyperplastic tunica vasculosa lentis / persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous (PHTVL/PHPV), progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), retinal dysplasia (RD), and findings such as fiberglass-like cataract (FGC) and prominent suture lines (PSLs) was analyzed. The significance (P), confidence interval (CI), odds ratio (OR), relative risk (RR) and inbreeding coefficients (F) were calculated and P < 0.05 was considered significant. The incidence was evaluated based on affected dogs within birth cohorts from 1993 to 2006. RESULTS: The prevalent conditions studied were as follows: CC 0.5%, DIST 6.7%, HC 3.9%, PPMs 8.4%, PHTVL/PHPV 0.4%, PRA 1.5%, RD 0.2%, FGC 2.2%, and PSL 1.5%. The incidence of PRA decreased significantly from 6.0% to 0.6% for dogs born from 1993 to 2006, while HC showed a decreasing trend from 8.7% to 3.1%. More males than females were diagnosed with HC and PRA. Dachshunds with HEDs had an F that was not significantly higher than that of healthy dachshunds. CONCLUSIONS: The decreasing incidence of PRA and HC in dachshunds supports the use of frequent HED examinations in combination with breeding control.

Neuron-specific enolase antibodies in patients with sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome.

Sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome (SARDS) is a disease characterised by sudden and bilateral vision loss of dogs. Previous studies failed to identify the underlying cause [Mattson, A., Roberts, S.M., Isherwood, J.M.E., 1992. Clinical features suggesting hyperadrenocorticism associated with sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome in a dog. J. Am. Anim. Hosp. Assoc. 28, 199-202; Van der Woerdt, A., Nasisse, M.P., Davidson, M.G., 1991. Sudden acquired retinal degeneration in the dog: clinical and laboratory findings in 36 cases. Prog. Vet. Comp. Ophthamol. 1, 11-18] and earlier investigations about the occurrence of anti-retinal antibodies in SARDS patients showed inconsistent results. To provide a novel approach to those findings we designed a more detailed study. Autoantibodies of SARDS patients and normal controls were tested against the purified autoantigens S-antigen and cellular retinaldehyde binding protein (CRALBP) that play a role in human autoimmune uveitis. Next we tested the autoantibody binding pattern to whole retinal lysate. No difference in the incidence of autoantibodies could be found between SARDS patients and healthy controls while testing the well-known autoantigens S-antigen and CRALBP. Potential novel, yet unknown autoantigens were identified by a screening test using the retinal proteome as an autoantigenic source. In SARDS patients and normal controls, several retinal proteins were bound by IgG antibodies, but one band was strongly marked by SARDS patients. That band was excised, subjected to mass spectrometry (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation-time of flight (MALDI-TOF/TOF)) and identified as neuron-specific enolase. Binding of the IgG autoantibodies of SARDS-affected dogs to this protein was verified using purified NSE, revealing 25% of NSE autoantibody-positive SARDS patients and 0% of negative controls. Our findings indicate that at least some dogs with SARDS have autoantibodies against NSE, although it is unclear whether these play a causative role in SARDS or whether they are the result of retinal destruction by another mechanism.

Neoadjuvant gene delivery of feline granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor using magnetofection for the treatment of feline fibrosarcomas: a phase I trial.

Despite aggressive pre- or postoperative treatment, feline fibrosarcomas have high recurrence rates. Immunostimulatory gene therapy is a promising approach in veterinary oncology. This phase I dose-escalation study was performed to determine toxicity and feasibility of gene therapy with feline granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (feGM-CSF) in cats with fibrosarcomas. Twenty cats were treated with plasmid coding for feGM-CSF attached to magnetic nanoparticles in doses of 50, 250, 750 and 1250 microg. Two preoperative intratumoral injections followed by magnetofection were given. Four control cats received only surgical treatment. Adverse events were recorded and correlated according to the veterinary co-operative oncology group toxicity scale. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to detect plasma feGM-CSF concentrations. No significant treatment related toxicity was observed. Preliminary recurrence results were encouraging as, on day 360, ten of 20 treated cats were recurrence-free. In conclusion, 1250 microg of feGM-CSF plasmid DNA applied by magnetofection is safe and feasible for phase II testing.

Adjuvant immunotherapy of feline fibrosarcoma with recombinant feline interferon-omega.

BACKGROUND: Recombinant feline interferon-omega (rFeIFN-omega) was tested as a treatment option for cats with fibrosarcoma to assess safety and feasibility. HYPOTHESIS: Treatment with rFeIFN-omega in cats with fibrosarcoma is safe and feasible. ANIMALS: Twenty domestic cats. METHODS: In an open-labeled uncontrolled clinical trial 12 injections of 1 x 10(6) U/kg rFeIFN-omega were administered over a 5-week period: the 1st through 4th injections were given intratumorally, and the 5th through 12th injections were administered subcutaneously at the tumor excision site. Wide surgical excision of the tumors was carried out after the 4th injection and before the 5th injection of rFeIFN-omega. A Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) analysis was conducted. Flow cytometry of fibrosarcoma cells after incubation with rFeIFN-omega and recombinant feline interferon-gamma was performed to assess the biological effect of rFeIFN-omega. RESULTS: Changes in blood cell count, increases in serum aspartate-amino-transferase activity, serum bilirubin concentration, serum creatinine and serum electrolyte concentrations, weight loss, anorexia, increased body temperature, and reduced general condition were observed but were mostly minor (grade 1 and 2) and self limiting. Eosinophilia (P = .025), neutropenia (P = .021), and weight loss (P < .001) were statistically correlated with rFeIFN-omega-treatment (analysis of parameters before treatment and after 3 injections of rFeIFN-omega). Flow cytometry of 5 unrelated feline fibrosarcoma cell lines showed increased expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules (P = .026) in response to in vitro incubation with rFeIFN-omega, whereas expression of MHC class II molecules was not affected significantly. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: RFeIFN-omega for the treatment of feline fibrosarcoma is safe, well tolerated, and can be easily performed in practice. To assess the efficacy of the treatment, it should be tested in a placebo-controlled trial.

Effects of human recombinant alpha-2b interferon and feline recombinant omega interferon on in vitro replication of feline herpesvirus-1.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of recombinant human interferon alpha-2b (rHuIFN-alpha2b) and recombinant feline interferon omega (rFeIFN-omega) on in vitro replication of feline herpesvirus (FHV)-1. SAMPLE POPULATION: Cultures of Crandell-Rees feline kidney (CRFK) cells. PROCEDURES: CRFK cells were treated with rFeIFN-omega or rHuIFN-alpha2b at concentrations ranging from 100 to 500,000 U/mL. Cultures were then inoculated with FHV-1. Constant concentrations of interferon products were maintained throughout the study. Reductions in the number and size of plaques were used as indicators of antiviral activity. Six plaque reduction assays were performed in duplicate. A 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay was used to detect cytotoxic effects of interferon. A 1-way ANOVA and Dunnett test were used to determine significant differences. RESULTS: Treatment with rFeIFN-omega at various concentrations resulted in significant reductions in the number of plaques (100,000 U/mL, 54.7%; and 500,000 U/mL, 59.8%) and in plaque size (100,000 U/mL, 47.5%; 250,000 U/mL, 81.0%; and 500,000 U/mL; 70.5%). Treatment with various concentrations of rHuIFN-alpha2b resulted in a significant reduction in plaque size (100,000 U/mL, 56.0%; 250,000 U/mL, 75.7%; and 500,000 U/mL, 69.0%). None of the tested concentrations of interferon caused significant cellular toxicosis. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: At some of the higher concentrations, the antiviral effect of rFeIFN-omega was greater than the antiviral effect of rHuIFN-alpha2b. Reduction in plaque size appeared to be a good indicator of the antiviral activity of interferon against FHV-1.

Effects of topical 0.5% tropicamide on intraocular pressure in normal cats.

The objective of the study was to determine the effect of topical 0.5% tropicamide on intraocular pressure (IOP) in normotensive feline eyes. IOP was measured bilaterally in 70 clinically healthy cats and gonioscopy (and goniophotography) was performed. Thereafter, 50 cats were treated unilaterally with one drop of 0.5% tropicamide. The contralateral, left eye served as a control. In the placebo group consisting of 20 cats, one drop of physiologic saline solution was administered to the right eye. In all cats, IOP of both eyes was measured 30, 60 and 90 min after topical administration. After unilateral tropicamide application, IOP increased significantly both in the right and in the left eye. Maximum average IOP increase was observed at the control measurement performed 90 min after treatment, with an elevation of 3.8 +/- 4.2 mmHg in the right eye and 3.5 +/- 3.6 mmHg in the left eye. Maximum IOP increase after treatment was 18.0 mmHg in the treated eye and 17.0 mmHg in the left eye. Measurements made at 60 min after treatment revealed a significantly higher increase in IOP in the right eye as compared to the left eye (P60 < 0.05), whereas the differences between right and left eye in IOP increase were not significant at 30 and 90 min after mydriatic application (P30 = 0.123; P90 = 0.305). Although tropicamide-induced mydriasis was observed in the treated eye, the contralateral eye did not show any changes in pupillary function at any time. With increasing age of the cats, IOP increase was found to be more moderate, whereas the gender of the cats did not have any significant influence on IOP changes. In the 20 cats in the placebo group, no significant changes in IOP were observed. We conclude that topical 0.5% tropicamide causes a significant elevation of IOP in the treated and untreated eye in normal cats.