Rhinoscopic diagnosis of Eucoleus boehmi infection in a dog.

A dog presenting for chronic purulent nasal discharge was diagnosed with an Eucoleus boehmi infection based upon rhinoscopic appearance of the nasal worms in situ, identification of the adult parasites in rhinoscopic nasal biopsies, and ova in the feces. The dog was successfully treated with a 2 wk course of fenbendazole and measures preventing reinfection through coprophagia. Patients with chronic nasal discharge should have a fecal examination performed to rule out infection with E. boehmi.

Use of a unique method for removal of a foreign body from the trachea of a cat.

CASE DESCRIPTION: A 2.96-kg (6.5-lb) 9-month-old spayed female domestic longhair cat was admitted for removal of a tracheal foreign body. CLINICAL FINDINGS: The cat had moderate respiratory distress but otherwise appeared to be healthy. Thoracic radiography revealed a foreign body in the trachea. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME: The cat was anesthetized and endoscopy of the trachea was performed in an attempt to retrieve the foreign body. Endoscopic removal was unsuccessful because of the shape and smooth texture of the foreign body. Surgical removal of the foreign body was not considered ideal because of its location and the risks associated with tracheotomy. Fluoroscopic-guided placement of an over-the-wire balloon catheter caudal to the foreign body was followed by inflation of the balloon and gradual traction in an orad direction, which resulted in successful removal of the foreign body (identified as a piece of landscaping gravel). The cat required supplemental oxygen and supportive care following removal of the foreign body. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: A fluoroscopic technique was used as a minimally invasive alternative to endoscopy or open-chest surgery for removal of a foreign body from the trachea of a cat. Use of this technique allowed uninterrupted ventilation of the cat throughout the procedure.

Treatment options for hyperphosphatemia in feline CKD: what's out there?

PRACTICAL RELEVANCE: Phosphorus is retained in chronic kidney disease (CKD), promoting renal secondary hyperparathyroidism and eventually resulting in hyperphosphatemia. Most agree that phosphate retention is a major contributor to the progression of CKD in many species and it is well known that hyperphosphatemia is associated with a significant mortality risk in humans with end-stage renal disease. PATIENT GROUP: Chronic kidney disease is a common ailment of geriatric cats. EVIDENCE BASE: There is evidence in cats suggesting that the use of a phosphate-restricted diet in IRIS stage 2-3 disease has a beneficial effect on clinical outcome. However, despite the fact that intestinal phosphate binders are commonly used in veterinary practice for patients with CKD, there have been few published reports focusing on the safety and efficacy of these products in veterinary medicine. No phosphorus binders are licensed as medications for dogs or cats. This article draws on data from clinical trials in humans and studies in cats to discuss treatment goals and options for phosphate retention and hyperphosphatemia in feline CKD. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: With careful monitoring of serum phosphate and parathyroid hormone, and implementation of phosphate-restricted dietary management and intestinal phosphate binders, progression of CKD and the degree of hyperparathyroidism in cats may be reduced. AUDIENCE: Companion animal and feline practitioners are at the forefront in the management of CKD in cats.

Feline dysautonomia in the Midwestern United States: a retrospective study of nine cases.

Dysautonomia of domestic animals is pathologically characterized by chromatolytic degeneration of the neurons in the autonomic nervous ganglia that results in clinical signs related to dysfunction or failure of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The exact cause is unknown. It has a poor prognosis among all species reported and no definitive treatment is available currently. To date, most reported feline cases have occurred in the United Kingdom and Scandinavia. The cases reported here highlight the clinical signs, physical examination findings, and results of autonomic nervous system function testing in nine cats with dysautonomia in the US. Feline dysautonomia is uncommon in the US, but may have a regional prevalence, as is seen in dogs with most cases reported in Missouri and Kansas.

ATP-sensitive potassium channel (KATP channel) expression in the normal canine pancreas and in canine insulinomas.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic beta cells express ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels that are needed for normal insulin secretion and are targets for drugs that modulate insulin secretion. The KATP channel is composed of two subunits: a sulfonylurea receptor (SUR 1) and an inward rectifying potassium channel (Kir6.2). KATP channel activity is influenced by the metabolic state of the cell and initiates the ionic events that precede insulin exocytosis. Although drugs that target the KATP channel have the expected effects on insulin secretion in dogs, little is known about molecular aspects of this potassium channel. To learn more about canine beta cell KATP channels, we studied KATP channel expression by the normal canine pancreas and by insulin-secreting tumors of dogs. RESULTS: Pancreatic tissue from normal dogs and tumor tissue from three dogs with histologically-confirmed insulinomas was examined for expression of KATP channel subunits (SUR1 and Kir6.2) using RT-PCR. Normal canine pancreas expressed SUR1 and Kir6.2 subunits of the KATP channel. The partial nucleotide sequences for SUR1 and Kir6.2 obtained from the normal pancreas showed a high degree of homology to published sequences for other mammalian species. SUR1 and Kir6.2 expression was observed in each of the three canine insulinomas examined. Comparison of short sequences from insulinomas with those obtained from normal pancreas did not reveal any mutations in either SUR1 or Kir6.2 in any of the insulinomas. CONCLUSION: Canine pancreatic KATP channels have the same subunit composition as those found in the endocrine pancreases of humans, rats, and mice, suggesting that the canine channel is regulated in a similar fashion as in other species. SUR1 and Kir6.2 expression was found in the three insulinomas examined indicating that unregulated insulin secretion by these tumors does not result from failure to express one or both KATP channel subunits.