A retrospective study of 1,098 blood samples with anemia from adult cats: frequency, classification, and association with serum creatinine concentration.

BACKGROUND: Frequency and classification of anemia in terms of regeneration status and erythrocyte indices are not well described in cats. OBJECTIVE: To determine frequency and regenerative status of anemia in samples from adult cats, to assess the sensitivity and specificity of macrocytosis and hypochromasia for detecting regenerative anemia (RA), and to evaluate the association of anemia with increased serum creatinine concentration (SC). STUDY POPULATION: Laboratory records from 30,503 blood samples from cats (2003-2011). METHODS: Clinicopathologic data reviewed retrospectively. Anemia defined as hematocrit (Ht) ≤27%, red blood cell count (RBC) ≤5.5 × 10(6)/µL and hemoglobin (Hb) ≤9.0 g/dL. RA defined by manual absolute reticulocyte count >50 × 10(3)/µL. Macrocytosis was defined as mean corpuscular volume (MCV) >55 fL and hypochromasia as mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) <31 g/dL. Cutoff for increased serum creatinine concentration was 1.6 mg/dL. RESULTS: Overall, 1,098 of 30,503 blood samples (3.6%) from cats fulfilled criteria for anemia, 633 of 1,098 (57.7%) classified as nonregenerative (NRA) and 465 of 1,098 (42.3%) as regenerative. RBC, Ht, and Hb were significantly lower in the RA compared to NRA group (P < .05). Sensitivity and specificity of the combined high MCV and low MCHC to detect samples with RA were 19.5 and 90.7%. SC was increased in 572 of the 1,098 anemic samples (52.1%) and in 11,121 of 29,405 of nonanemic samples (37.8%). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Majority of anemic samples were classified as NRA. Anemia was more severe in cats with RA. Erythrocyte indices were not sensitive indicators of RA.

Efficacy of AST-120 in dogs with chronic idiopathic enteropathies.

BACKGROUND: Chronic idiopathic enteropathies (CIE) in dogs are complex diseases of unknown origin. AST-120 is a spherical carbon adsorbent preparation with a high adsorption ability for low molecular substances. OBJECTIVES: Evaluation of the clinical efficacy of AST-120 in dogs with CIE. ANIMALS: Ten client-owned dogs with mild (n = 7) to moderate (n = 3) CIE. METHODS: Explorative, prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded pilot study. Dogs with chronic diarrhea and no or insufficient response to an elimination diet were included. The dogs received either AST-120 (n = 5) or placebo (n = 5) for a duration of 21 days. The canine inflammatory bowel disease activity index (CIBDAI) was used to assess disease severity at baseline and clinical outcome after 3 weeks of treatment. Furthermore, changes in body weight and the parameters stool consistency and frequency were compared within and between groups. RESULTS: The mean CIBDAI score decreased from 5.6 (SD 1.5) to 2.0 (SD 1.2) in the AST-120 group (P = .125) and from 4.8 (SD .8) to 3.6 (SD 2.3) in the placebo group (P = .688). Compared with baseline, posttreatment CIBDAI scores decreased more than 60% in 4/5 dogs treated with AST-120 and in 1/5 dogs treated with placebo (P = .206). Changes in CIBDAI scores, body weights, stool consistency, and frequency within and between groups did not achieve statistical significance after 3 weeks of treatment. No adverse effects of AST-120 were noted. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: This study investigated potential efficacy of AST-120 as an alternative therapy in dogs with mild-to-moderate CIE.