Comparison of direct in-house cerebrospinal fluid cytology with commercial pathology results in dogs.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the correspondence between in-house direct cytological assessment of cerebrospinal fluid and results from a commercial veterinary pathology laboratory. METHODS: Prospective inclusion of samples from dogs that were presented for investigation of suspected neurological disease and had cerebrospinal fluid samples submitted to a commercial pathology laboratory for analysis. A board-certified veterinary pathologist assessed all cerebrospinal fluid samples, and a line smear was assessed in-house by two observers. Nucleated cell count, red blood cell count and differential cell counts were recorded and compared. RESULTS: In-clinic and commercial pathology nucleated cell counts and red blood cell counts were strongly correlated. In-house line smear results were compared with the gold standard of a defined dichotomous rating of 'increased nucleated cell count' provided by the external pathology service. Sensitivity was 93% and specificity 80% for samples with at least two cells per linear field. CLINICAL APPLICATION: Although not a replacement for the assessment of cerebrospinal fluid samples by specialist veterinary pathologists, this method can provide rapid and clinically meaningful information before externally processed sample results are available.

Primary immune-mediated thrombocytopenia and immune-mediated neutropenia suspected in a 21-week-old Maine Coon cat.

CASE REPORT: A 21-week-old Maine Coon cat presented with an acute-onset coagulopathy. Severe concurrent thrombocytopenia and neutropenia were identified on peripheral blood smears and bone marrow cytology supported a peripheral consumptive process. Other than mild superficial haemorrhage, the cat was clinically well and screening for retroviral diseases, abdominal ultrasound examination, thoracic radiography, haematology and biochemistry panels did not identify an underlying disease. There was no historical pharmaceutical or toxicological trigger noted and the cat was from an area without endemic Ehrlichia spp. There was a rapid resolution of both cytopenias following treatment with immunosuppressive doses of prednisolone, though a mild relapse occurred during gradual prednisolone withdrawal and was responsive to a dose increase. CONCLUSIONS: This report describes this combination of diseases for the first time in a cat and presents a younger patient than previously described with feline primary immune-mediated haematological disease.

Nasal cryptococcosis in two dogs in New Zealand.

CASE HISTORY: Two young, large-breed female dogs were presented with an acute onset of sneezing and nasal discharge. One patient had concurrent epistaxis and facial deformity. CLINICAL FINDINGS: Decreased airflow was noted through the left nostril in Case 1, while Case 2 showed facial deformity. Nasal radiographs from Case 1 showed a soft tissue opacity in the left nasal cavity and frontal sinus. Rhinoscopy revealed roughened, erythematous nasal turbinates in both patients, and a mass in the left caudal nasal cavity of Case 1. Cryptococcus spp. were demonstrated histopathologically on a nasal biopsy. Tissue culture and serum antigen titres were positive for Cryptococcus spp. DIAGNOSIS: Chronic rhinitis secondary to Cryptococcus gattii infection in Case 1, and Cryptococcus neoformans infection in Case 2. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These are the first reported cases of Cryptococcus spp. rhinitis in dogs in New Zealand.

Hapten immobilization for antibody sensing using a dynamic modification protocol.

Optical fiber (OF) sensors are often limited by the immobilization technique used to associate a specific sensing ligand with the OF surface. This is particularly true when the ligand is biologically active as, for example, in the case of immobilized haptens or antibodies. The dynamic modification protocol is a regenerable and experimentally simple way to immobilize a variety of sensing molecules on an OF surface. Furthermore, the protocol is immune to hydrolysis and not limited by diffusion through a membrane or sol-gel. In this publication the approach is extended by immobilizing the hydrophobic hapten (octadecyl 6-(2,4 dinitrophenyl)aminohexanoic acid) as a means to prepare an OF sensor for antibodies specific for 2,4 dinitrophenyl (DNP). The LOD for anti-DNP is 0.5 nanomolar and the K(apparent) is 1.0+/-0.2x10(6). Nonspecific antibody adsorption is problematic in this sensing approach and was found to limit the quantitative capabilities of the sensor. However, time discrimination can be used to allow the nonspecific antibody to desorb prior to measurement thus minimizing the influence of nonspecific binding on sensor performance.