The association between gingivitis and oral spirochetes in young cats and dogs.

Although gingivitis frequently occurs in young cats, spirochetes are often found in the early stages of periodontal disease. This study was conducted to determine the association between gingivitis and oral spirochetes in young cats and dogs. The degree of gingivitis was evaluated in a total of 68 cats and 31 dogs under one year of age, and plaques were collected from each carnassial. To detect spirochetes or Porphyromonas gulae in plaque samples, 16S rRNA gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using specific primers. All data were analyzed using Fisher's exact probability test and odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI). The prevalence of gingivitis was significantly higher in young cats (92.6%) than in young dogs (45.2%). The positive rate of spirochetes by PCR in gingivitis cases was 85.4% in young cats and 15.4% in young dogs, and the positive rate of P. gulae was 66.7% in young cats and 15.4% in young dogs. Both results were significantly higher in young cats than in young dogs. In young cats, spirochetes were significantly associated with gingivitis (OR = 7.95; 95% CI = 1.17, 53.83; P < 0.05), but P. gulae was not (OR = 2.44; 95% CI = 0.38, 15.66; P = 0.23). These results suggest that spirochetes may be associated with the early stages of periodontal disease in cats.

Long-term follow-up study after administration of a canine interferon-α preparation for feline gingivitis.

Intraoral administration of canine interferon alpha (CaIFN-α) has been shown to reduce gingivitis in dogs, but has not been confirmed in cats. Therefore, in this study, a CaIFN-α preparation was used for feline gingivitis, and the degree and duration of its effects were examined. Cats were divided into two groups: one was administered CaIFN-α, and the other was not. They were observed up to 12 months. It was suggested that CaIFN-α have a reducing effect on gingivitis and halitosis for a certain period although may not on plaque or calculus. In addition, the duration of the CaIFN-α gingivitis-reducing effect was suggested to be about three months. The CaIFN-α preparation is considered to be a useful treatment for oral hygiene control.

Evaluation of the efficacy of the subcutaneous low recombinant feline interferon-omega administration protocol for feline chronic gingivitis-stomatitis in feline calicivirus-positive cats.

We investigated the clinical effectiveness of subcutaneous (SC) administration of recombinant feline interferon-omega (rFeIFN-ω) at a dose of 1 M unit (MU)/kg body weight (bw) for the treatment of feline chronic gingivitis-stomatitis (FCGS) in cats infected with feline calicivirus (FCV). Among the 17 cats used in this study, there were 13 FCV-positive cats (FCVI group), which were subcutaneously injected with rFeIFN-ω. The remaining four FCV-positive cats (FCVC group) were treated with SC corticosteroid. SC injection of rFeIFN-ω was given once daily on days 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 14, and 21. Corticosteroid was subcutaneously injected at a dose of 1.0 mg/kg bw, at the same intervals as rFeIFN-ω. Clinical symptoms (salivation, pain at opening the mouth, halitosis, mandibular lymphadenopathy, and all four symptoms combined [defined as "total clinical symptoms"]) and stomatitis (the degree and extent of inflammation, bleeding from the lesion, and all three items combined [defined as "total stomatitis"]) were scored on days 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28. FCV RNAs was quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction and the percent increase in viral copy numbers was calculated using the values on days 0 and 28. In the FCVI group, significant differences were observed in the score for clinical symptom (salivation) score and in the total clinical symptom score within the group (P = 0.018 and 0.008, respectively). Significant differences within the group were also observed in the scores for the degree and extent of inflammation in stomatitis and in the total stomatitis score (P = 0.003, 0.007, and 0.003, respectively). The total score, defined as the clinical score plus the stomatitis score, was on days 7, 14, 21 and 28 than on day 0 (p = 0.006, .0003, 0.002 and 0.002, respectively). In the FCVI group, significant difference was observed between on days 0 and on 21 (p = 0.023). The percentage change in the number of polymerase chain reaction cycles required to amplify the viral RNA was positive (indicating viral reduction) in the FCVI group, but was negative in the FCVC group. These results demonstrate that SC administration of rFeIFN-ω under the current protocol improves stomatitis by inhibiting FCV proliferation in FCV-positive cats with FCGS.

Ehrlichia canis infection in two dogs that emigrated from endemic areas.

Two dogs, emigrated from Zambia and China to Japan, were diagnosed with Ehrlichia canis infection. Both cases had thrombocytopenia, non-regenerative anemia, and hypergloblinemia with polyclonal gammopathy. Case 1 had ataxia of the hind limbs. Severe meningitis was revealed by magnetic resonance imaging examination. Intracytoplasmic inclusions were observed in mononuclear cells of cerebrospinal fluid. Case 2 had a history of bilateral epistaxis, and severe pancytopenia was noticed in complete blood count. Diagnosis was finally achieved by nested polymerase chain reaction and sequence analysis. Thus, even in non-endemic areas, E. canis infection should be included in the differential diagnosis of clinically ill dogs that emigrated from endemic areas.

Low-dose recombinant canine interferon-gamma for treatment of canine atopic dermatitis: an open randomized comparative trial of two doses.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the minimum effective dose of recombinant canine interferon-gamma (rCaIFN-gamma) for the treatment of dogs with atopic dermatitis (AD). Thirty-four dogs with AD from 17 animal hospitals in Japan were administered half or one-fifth of the approved rCaIFN-gamma dose of 10 000 units/kg, three times a week for 4 weeks, followed by once weekly for an additional 4 weeks. Pruritus, excoriation, erythema and alopecia were evaluated and scored by the investigators on weeks 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12. The efficacy rate (number of excellent cases + number of good cases/total number of cases) at week 8 in the 2000 units/kg group was 36.4% for pruritus, 36.4% for excoriation, 45.5% for erythema and 36.4% for alopecia. In contrast, in the 5000 units/kg group, the efficacy rate was 64.3% for pruritus, 57.1% for excoriation, 78.6% for erythema and 78.6% for alopecia. The efficacy rate of the 5000 units/kg group was high for all signs evaluated and comparable to that of the 10 000 units/kg group reported in a previous study. The results of this study showed that 2000 units/kg of rCaIFN-gamma is less effective than 5000 units/kg to treat dogs with AD, and the efficacy of the 5000 units/kg dose is comparable to that of 10 000 units/kg at week 8.

The stomal morphology of parasitic females of Strongyloides spp. by scanning electron microscopy.

For the discrimination of the species of the genus Strongyloides, the shape of the stoma in the apical view of parasitic females is the most important feature. Microscopical interpretations divided the shape of the stoma into four groups (simple, angular, complex, and simple but with esophageal teeth); however, the stomas classified in the latter two groups, in particular, remained unclear. In the present study, parasitic females of eight representative Strongyloides spp. with the angular stoma (S. procyonis and S. martis), complex stoma (S. robustus, S. callosciureus, S. planiceps, S. papillosus and S. myopotami), and stoma with esophageal teeth (S. ransomi) were studied by scanning electron microscopy. All species examined in this study having complex stoma or with esophageal teeth possessed at least four linguiform or verruciform projections submarginally in the stomal cavity. Namely, the number, size, shape, and the site of attachment of intra-stomal projections, along with the depth of oral cavity, determine a range of complex images of the stoma such as X-shaped or ornate stomas under light microscopy. Similarly, with the standard examination, which usually uses a lateral view of the head, erroneous interpretations of the number of lobes on the circumoral elevation of parasitic females might occur due to such intra-stomal projections in some Strongyloides spp.