Evaluation of the Amount of Compounded Chemotherapy Drugs: A Comparison Between Nine Compounding Pharmacies.

The use of compounded formulations of chemotherapy in veterinary medicine is common. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the drug amount of two compounded chemotherapeutics (chlorambucil and cyclophosphamide) from multiple veterinary compounding pharmacies, to determine if there was a difference in drug amounts between those that came from 503A versus 503B pharmacies, and finally to determine heterogeneity in drug amounts within each individual pharmacy. Nine veterinary compounding pharmacies (eight 503A, one 503B) were sampled in total, with two different batches sampled from each pharmacy. Each capsule's actual concentration was compared to the intended (prescribed) concentration. Of the 68 total samples obtained, 20 (29%) tested outside the FDA-acceptable discrepancy of ±10%. Of these, 12 (60%) were chlorambucil and 8 (40%) were cyclophosphamide. 503A cyclophosphamide samples had an average discrepancy of 6.6% from the intended dose while samples from the 503B pharmacy had a discrepancy of 1.8%. 503A chlorambucil samples had an average discrepancy of 10.4% from the intended dose while samples from the 503B pharmacy had a discrepancy of 9.6%. Heterogeneity within the same pharmacy and batch ranged from 0.1% to 51% for the 503A pharmacies and 2.6% to 7.5% for the 503B pharmacy. Heterogeneity between different batches within the same pharmacy ranged from 0.4% to 58.3% for the 503A pharmacies and 5% to 14.8% for the 503B pharmacy. Although the drug amounts of compounded cyclophosphamide and chlorambucil manufactured by the 503B compounding pharmacy was more reliably maintained compared to that compounded by the 503A pharmacies, there was ultimately still potential for variability in drug amounts regardless of the pharmacy designation.

The Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from COVID-19-Diagnosed People to Their Pet Dogs and Cats in a Multi-Year Surveillance Project.

Recent emerging zoonotic disease outbreaks, such as that of SARS-CoV-2, have demonstrated the need for wider companion animal disease surveillance. We tested 1000 dogs and cats belonging to employees of a US veterinary hospital network that were exposed to human COVID-19 cases in the household between 1 January 2020 and 10 March 2022 for SARS-CoV-2 and surveyed their owners about clinical signs and risk factors. The seropositivity was 33% for 747 dogs and 27% for 253 cats. Pet seropositivity correlated with the US human case rates over time, exhibiting peaks corresponding with the major COVID-19 surges. Antibodies persisted longer than previously documented (828 days in dogs; 650 days in cats). Increasing age and duration of proximity to infected people were associated with increased seropositivity in dogs but not cats. Cats were more likely to have clinical signs, but an association between seropositivity and the presence of clinical signs was not found in either species.

The MARS PETCARE BIOBANK protocol: establishing a longitudinal study of health and disease in dogs and cats.

BACKGROUND: The veterinary care of cats and dogs is increasingly embracing innovations first applied to human health, including an increased emphasis on preventative care and precision medicine. Large scale human population biobanks have advanced research in these areas; however, few have been established in veterinary medicine. The MARS PETCARE BIOBANK™ (MPB) is a prospective study that aims to build a longitudinal bank of biological samples, with paired medical and lifestyle data, from 20,000 initially healthy cats and dogs (10,000 / species), recruited through veterinary hospitals over a ten-year period. Here, we describe the MPB protocol and discuss its potential as a platform to increase understanding of why and how diseases develop and how to advance personalised veterinary healthcare. METHODS: At regular intervals, extensive diet, health and lifestyle information, electronic medical records, clinicopathology and activity data are collected, genotypes, whole genome sequences and faecal metagenomes analysed, and blood, plasma, serum, and faecal samples stored for future research. DISCUSSION: Proposed areas for research include the early detection and progression of age-related disease, risk factors for common conditions, the influence of the microbiome on health and disease and, through genome wide association studies, the identification of candidate loci for disease associated genetic variants. Genomic data will be open access and research proposals for access to data and samples will be considered. Over the coming years, the MPB will provide the longitudinal data and systematically collected biological samples required to generate important insights into companion animal health, identifying biomarkers of disease, supporting earlier identification of risk, and enabling individually tailored interventions to manage disease.

Evaluation of bexagliflozin in cats with poorly regulated diabetes mellitus.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of bexagliflozin on glycemic control in poorly regulated diabetic cats and to evaluate for adverse events associated with this medication. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors are a newer class of drugs used in the management of humans with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the orally administered drug, bexagliflozin in a group of poorly regulated diabetic cats over a 4-week study period. Five client-owned cats with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus receiving insulin therapy were enrolled. Bexagliflozin was administered once daily. Serum fructosamine, serum biochemistry profile, and 10-hour blood glucose curves were assessed at baseline (Day 0), Day 14, and Day 28. All cats had a significant reduction in insulin dose requirement (P = 0.015) and insulin was discontinued in 2 cats. There was a significant decrease in blood glucose concentration obtained from blood glucose concentration curves during the study period (P = 0.022). Serum fructosamine decreased in 4 of the 5 cats with a median decrease of 152 µmol/L (range: 103 to 241 µmol/L), which was not statistically significant (P = 0.117). No cats had any documented episodes of hypoglycemia. Adverse effects were mild. The addition of bexagliflozin significantly improved diabetic management in this group of cats.

Le but de cette étude était d'étudier l'effet de la bexagliflozine sur la maitrise de la glycémie chez les chats diabétiques mal régulés et d'évaluer les événements indésirables associés à ce médicament. Les inhibiteurs du cotransporteur sodium-glucose 2 sont une nouvelle classe de médicaments utilisés dans la prise en charge des personnes atteintes de diabète de type 2. L'objectif de cette étude était d'évaluer l'effet du médicament administré par voie orale, la bexagliflozine, dans un groupe de chats diabétiques mal régulés sur une période d'étude de 4 semaines. Cinq chats appartenant à des clients atteints de diabète sucré mal maitrisé et recevant une insulinothérapie ont été inclus. La bexagliflozine a été administrée une fois par jour. La fructosamine sérique, le profil biochimique sérique et les courbes de glycémie sur 10 heures ont été évalués au départ (jour 0), au jour 14 et au jour 28. Tous les chats ont présenté une réduction significative de la dose d'insuline requise (P = 0,015) et l'insuline a été interrompue chez deux chats. Il y avait une diminution significative de la concentration de glucose dans le sang obtenue à partir des courbes de concentration de glucose dans le sang au cours de la période d'étude (P = 0,022). La fructosamine sérique a diminué chez 4 des 5 chats avec une diminution médiane de 152 µmol/L (plage : 103 à 241 µmol/L), ce qui n'était pas statistiquement significatif (P = 0,117). Aucun chat n'a eu d'épisodes documentés d'hypoglycémie. Les effets indésirables étaient légers. L'ajout de bexagliflozine a considérablement amélioré la gestion du diabète dans ce groupe de chats.(Traduit par Docteur Serge Messier).

Low incidence of postoperative nausea, vomiting, regurgitation, and aspiration pneumonia in geriatric dogs receiving maropitant, famotidine, and fentanyl as part of an anesthesia protocol.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of and potential risk factors for postoperative regurgitation and vomiting (PORV), postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), and aspiration pneumonia in geriatric dogs using premedication with maropitant and famotidine, intraoperative fentanyl, and postoperative fentanyl as part of an anesthetic protocol. ANIMALS: 105 client-owned geriatric dogs that underwent general anesthesia for a major surgical procedure between January 2019 and March 2020. PROCEDURES: Medical records were reviewed to collect data on signalment, historical gastrointestinal signs, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, indication for surgery, duration of anesthesia and surgery, patient position during surgery, mode of ventilation, and perioperative administration of maropitant, famotidine, anticholinergics, opioids, colloidal support, NSAID, corticosteroids, and appetite stimulants. The incidence of postoperative regurgitation, vomiting, nausea, and aspiration pneumonia was calculated, and variables were each analyzed for their association with these outcomes. RESULTS: 2 of 105 (1.9%) dogs regurgitated, 1 of 105 (1.0%) dogs developed aspiration pneumonia, 4 of 105 (3.8%) dogs exhibited nausea, and no dogs vomited. Identified possible risk factors included older age (≥ 13 years old) for postoperative regurgitation, regurgitation for postoperative aspiration pneumonia, and high ASA score (≥ 4) for both regurgitation and aspiration pneumonia. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The use of an antiemetic protocol including maropitant, famotidine, and fentanyl in geriatric dogs resulted in very low incidences of PORV, PONV, and aspiration pneumonia. Future prospective studies are warranted to further evaluate and mitigate postoperative risks.