The Use of Darbepoetin to Stimulate Erythropoiesis in the Treatment of Anemia of Chronic Kidney Disease in Dogs.

BACKGROUND: Darbepoetin alfa (darbepoetin) is an erythropoiesis-stimulating agent used for the treatment of anemia secondary to chronic kidney disease (CKD) in dogs, but reports describing response are lacking. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of darbepoetin in dogs with anemia secondary to CKD, dosing protocols, and adverse events. ANIMALS: Thirty-three client-owned dogs with naturally occurring CKD, including 26 with comorbidities. METHODS: Multi-institutional retrospective study. RESULTS: The median starting dosage and highest dosage of darbepoetin administered were 0.5 and 0.8 µg/kg SC once weekly, respectively. Response to treatment was defined as achieving a packed cell volume (PCV) ≥30% or an increase in PCV ≥10%. Twenty-eight of 33 dogs (85%) achieved a PCV ≥30% and 22 of 33 (67%) dogs achieved an increase in PCV ≥10%. Median time to achieve a PCV ≥30% was 29 days. A higher starting dosage was associated with achieving an increase in PCV ≥10% (P = .01). No dog sustained a response at a dosing interval >q21d. Potential adverse events included increased blood pressure requiring treatment (n = 12), seizures (n = 5), vomiting (n = 3), diarrhea (n = 3), and possible pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) (n = 2). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Darbepoetin, when combined with treatment of comorbidities, is an effective treatment for anemia secondary to CKD in dogs. A dosing interval >q21d was ineffective at maintaining a response to treatment. PRCA was a possible adverse event in 2 of 33 dogs (6%).

The prevalence of leptospiral antibodies in free roaming cats in Worcester County, Massachusetts.

BACKGROUND: Serosurveys of cats for exposure to or infection with leptospires have been published from other geographic areas, but none for cats in the United States in the past 4 decades. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the prevalence of leptospiral antibodies in a population of free roaming cats in Worcester County, (central) Massachusetts. ANIMALS: Sixty-three free roaming cats presenting to a trap-neuter-return (TNR) program. METHODS: Prospective study. Serum was collected from 63 free roaming cats presented to a university associated TNR. Microagglutination titers to Leptospira interrogans serovars Autumnalis, Hardjo, Bratislava, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Canicola, Pomona, and L kirshneri Grippotyphosa were determined. RESULTS: A total of 3 of 63 cats (4.8%) had a titer of 1 : 100 or greater to one or more serovars, with Autumnalis being the most common. None of the cats were seropositive to Hardjo, Grippotyphosa, or Canicola. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: These results are consistent with previously published seroprevalence rates in feral cats. Additional studies are required to determine the role of leptosporosis in clinical disease in the domestic cat.