Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) Evaluation of Canine Prostatic Hyperplasia before and after Osaterone Acetate Therapy: Preliminary Results.

The prostate is the only sexual gland of the male dog, and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) regulates its growth. In intact dogs, constant DHT stimulation results in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) that can be treated with osaterone acetate (OSA). This study describes the effects of OSA treatment, detected by contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS), highlighting prostatic vascularization with a contrast agent composed of gas microbubbles. Fifteen dogs (2-8 years) of different sizes and breeds (4-30 kg) diagnosed with BPH are involved in the study. Before treatment (D0), CPSE is measured (294.05 ± 115.97 ng/mL), and a B-mode ultrasound is performed (Vratio = 2.80 ± 1.85), confirming BPH. CEUS highlights the length of the wash-in (11.93 ± 2.08 s) and wash-out (42.20 ± 6.99 s) phases of the contrast agent in the prostate and the presence of cysts and parenchymal alteration. Dogs are treated with OSA (0.5 mg/kg for 7 days) and reassessed after 21 days (D1): CPSE and prostate volume are significantly (p < 0.001) reduced. The length of the wash-in (14.73 ± 2.54 s) and wash-out (51.13 ± 6.03 s) phases are significantly (p < 0.001) increased. The results confirm the effectiveness of the treatment, particularly the reduction in prostatic perfusion, confirmed by the increase in diffusion times of the contrast. Although preliminary, these findings are promising for the use of CEUS in monitoring dogs with BPH.

Ultrasound, Histomorphologic, and Immunohistochemical Analysis of a Cardiac Tumor with Increased Purkinje Cells Detected in a Canine Fetus 42 Days into Pregnancy.

A seven-year-old healthy female Chow Chow was referred for pregnancy monitoring. Ultrasonography was used to evaluate all pregnancy and fetus parameters, and they were found to be normal. During the examination of the 42 day pregnant bitch, an unusual mass was seen in a fetus's heart. This fetus had a cardiac frequency of 273-300 beats, while the others had heart rates of 220-240 beats. Natural vaginal birth occurred at 63 days pregnant: the first two puppies were stillborn but perfectly formed, and the other three were alive and had optimal APGAR. In one of two deceased puppies, an unusual, reddish, smooth mass occupying the space in the heart was found through necroscopy. The organ was submitted for histological examination. Histopathology, immunohistochemical, and histochemical analyses all indicated a cardiac tumor with increased Purkinje cells. This type of tumor has been described in infants, swine, bearded seals, and deer but never in fetuses and neonates of dogs. To our knowledge, this is the first such case reported in veterinary medicine.

Prediction of Parturition in Ferrets Using Ultrasonographic Fetal Measurements.

The gestation period in ferrets lasts 42 days (range 38-42). Numerous cases of maternal and paternal cannibalism have been reported, so it is important for breeders to know the exact date of parturition in order to separate the mother from the other ferrets in the herd. Fetal ultrasonographic biometry and specific formulae for assessing fetal growth have not yet been developed in ferrets as they have been in dogs and cats. The aim of this study was to develop a formula, similar to those available for other domestic species, that could be used in ferrets to date the birth of a litter to within one day. Among the different ultrasonographic parameters, the biparietal diameter (BP) gave a very accurate prediction and showed a significant relationship with days before parturition. The formula developed could allow better planning of care before, during and after parturition, thus helping to reduce neonatal mortality.

Effect of the GnRH stimulation test on Canine Prostatic-Specific Esterase (CPSE).

The gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation test is used to investigate testicular production of testosterone (T) when performing a breeding soundness examination. In male dogs with fertility problems, the prostate should also be investigated as prostatic conditions may frequently lower semen quality. Serum concentrations of canine prostatic-specific esterase (CPSE) increase in dogs with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). When performing a breeding soundness examination in a male dog, GnRH administration is frequently done at the beginning of the process and then both T and CPSE are assayed on the same serum sample collected 1 h following the GnRH injection. The aim of this study was to assess whether or not the administration of GnRH may alter CPSE concentrations in dogs with a healthy prostate. Twenty-eight client-owned intact adult male dogs were included in the study. Following a 7-day sexual rest all male dogs underwent a clinical examination and an ultrasonographic examination of the prostatic gland. Prostatic size and parenchyma of every tested dog were evaluated by ultrasonography to assess prostatic conditions. Two different GnRH stimulation protocols were used, A = gonadorelin 50µg/dog SC (n = 15) and B = buserelin 0.12 µg/kg IV (n = 13). T and CPSE concentrations were measured before and 1 h after GnRH administration by a laser-induced fluorescence analysis. Buserelin and gonadorelin were equally effective in causing a significant increase in serum T concentrations in the post GnRH sample. When considering the 28 dogs together, CPSE concentrations did not change following the stimulation test with either GnRH compound; however, in 4/28 cases, the post GnRH value was markedly increased to values compatible with a diagnosis of BPH. There was no difference in the action of buserelin or gonadorelin in causing an increase in serum T concentrations. CPSE secretion was increased in approximately 15% of dogs treated with either buserelin or gonadorelin. Therefore, whenever performing diagnostic testing in intact male dogs, CPSE should not be assayed on a post-GnRH serum sample.

Effect of a subcutaneous implant of deslorelin acetate on serum testosterone concentrations in male Hermann's (Testudo hermanni sp.) and Greek (Testudo graeca sp.) tortoises.

Deslorelin acetate is a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist formulated in a controlled-release subcutaneous implant and designed for reversible suppression of testosterone production in dogs. It has also been demonstrated to be effective in other animal species, but no data on its effectiveness in male land tortoises are available. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a 4.7-mg deslorelin acetate implant on serum testosterone concentrations in male Hermann's (Testudo hermanni sp.) and Greek (Testudo graeca sp.) tortoises. Twenty adult male tortoises housed under the same environmental conditions were enrolled for the study and randomly assigned to a treatment (D, n = 10) or a control (C, n = 10) group. Starting in May, males from the D group were implanted with a 4.7-mg deslorelin acetate device, whereas males from the C group did not receive any treatment. Blood samples were collected once immediately before implant application (S0-May) and at 15 days (S1-June), 2 (S2-July), and 5 (S3-October) months after application. Serum testosterone at each sampling time was measured through a solid-phase, enzyme-labeled, competitive chemiluminescent immunoassay. Median serum testosterone concentrations were not significantly different between the two groups in all sampling times, and no interaction between treatment and sampling time was observed. The present study, therefore, suggests that a single treatment with a 4.7-mg deslorelin acetate implant has no effect on testosterone circulation in male Hermann's and Greek tortoises during the following 5 months.

Treatment of a Recurrent Pyometra by Surgical Uterine Drainage in a Main Coon Cat.

Pyometra is a uterine disease typical of the luteal phase of the estrus cycle. For selected patients, such as breeding subjects, ovariohysterectomy is not a valid resolutive option. Medical treatments involving cloprostenol and aglepristone have been developed for the cats, but they can be ineffective in rare cases. Transcervical drainage and flushing have been described for the dogs, as well as for large wild cats. However, to the author's knowledge, there are no report of uterine drainage in cats. The present case describes an alternative treatment of pyometra in a 3-year-old Main Coon previously treated with aglepristone. The patient underwent a laparotomy: the uterus was exposed, and a sterile urinary catheter was inserted into each horn, through the wall of the uterus, to allow the drainage of pathological collection and a subsequent lavage with lukewarm sterile saline. Medical treatment with aglepristone and marbofloxacin was associated. After treatment, no recurrence was reported, and the cat had an uneventful pregnancy. Although it is a unique case report, the results presented are promising, as the technique appears to have provided healing and preserved fertility. Further studies are needed to confirm its efficacy in the long-term prevention of recurrence.

Effectiveness of a Modified Administration Protocol for the Medical Treatment of Feline Pyometra.

Pyometra is a common uterine disease of dogs and cats, typical of the luteal phase. Traditionally, ovariohysterectomy was considered the elective treatment for pyometra, but in some cases, such as breeding subjects or patients with a high anesthesiologic risk, medical treatment is preferred. Aglepristone is a progesterone receptor blocker and its use proved to be effective for the medical treatment of pyometra in bitches and queens. The aim of this work is to report the effectiveness, in the feline species, of a modified aglepristone administration protocol. Five intact queens were referred to veterinary care centers for pyometra. Aglepristone (15 mg/kg) was administered at D0, D2, D5, and D8, as described by Contri and collaborators for dogs. An antibiotic treatment (marbofloxacin, 3 mg/kg) was associated, and uterine conditions were checked with regular ultrasonographic exams. The uterus returned to its normal condition 10 days after starting the treatment and no adverse effects were reported. After treatment, three queens had an uneventful pregnancy. Even if the treated group was restricted and homogeneous, the proposed modified protocol proved to be useful and promising for the medical treatment of pyometra in cats; further studies are planned to verify its effectiveness in the long-term prevention of recurrence.

Penile Varicose Vein in Akita inu, 7-Year-Old Dog: A Clinico-Pathological Study.

Penile varicose veins are a rare lesion described in human medicine. A seven-year-old intact Akita inu male dog presented with a red penile neoformation. It was further referred for a specialist andrological examination. During the visit, ultrasonography of genital apparatus and cytology of the penile lesion were performed. A suspected neoformation of vascular origin was observed on ultrasonography. Cytology was inconclusive as composition of the sample revealed blood elements only. The neoformation was surgically removed and the excised sample was submitted for the histological examination, which revealed an anomalous varicose dilatation of the venous vascular structures. In human medicine, varicose veins are part of the spectrum of chronic venous disease and include spider telangiectasia, reticular veins, and true varicosities. Reports of penile localization of varicose veins is rare in human medicine and, to the best of our knowledge, it has never been reported in veterinary medicine.

Fertility outcome after medically treated pyometra in dogs.

Cystic endometrial hyperplasia-pyometra complex (CEH/P) is a challenge in canine reproduction. Present study aimed to assess fertility after medical treatment. One-hundred-seventy-four bitches affected by CEH/P received aglepristone on days 1, 2, 8, then every 7 days until blood progesterone < 1.2 ng/mL; cloprostenol was administered on days 3 to 5. Records were grouped according to bodyweight (BW): small (< 10 kg, n = 33), medium (10 ≥ BW < 25 kg, n = 44), large (25 ≥ BW < 40 kg, n = 52), and giant bitches (BW ≥ 40 kg, n = 45). Age; success rate; aglepristone treatments number; relapse, pregnancy rates; diagnosis-relapse, -first, -last litter intervals; litters number after treatment, and LS were analyzed by ANOVA. Overall age was 5.14 ± 1.75 years, without difference among groups. Treatment was 100% successful, without difference in treatments number (4.75 ± 1.18), relapse (15/174, 8.62%) and pregnancy (129/140 litters, 92.14%) rates, intervals diagnosis-relapse (409.63 ± 254.9 days) or -last litter (418.62 ± 129.03 days). The interval diagnosis-first litter was significantly shorter (163.52 ± 51.47 days) and longer (225.17 ± 90.97 days) in small and giant bitches, respectively. Overall, 1.47 ± 0.65 litters were born after treatment. Expected LS was achieved in each group, as shown by ΔLS (actual-expected LS by breed, overall -0.40 ± 1.62) without differences among groups. Concluding, CEH/P affects younger dogs than previously described. Relapses were rarer than previously reported. Medical treatment with aglepristone+cloprostenol is effective and safe, preserving subsequent fertility, as demonstrated by negligible changes in LS.

Hypospermia Improvement in Dogs Fed on a Nutraceutical Diet.

Male dog infertility may represent a serious concern in the canine breeding market. The aim of this clinical evaluation was to test the efficacy of a commercially available nutraceutical diet, enriched with Lepidium meyenii, Tribulus terrestris, L-carnitine, zinc, omega-3 (N-3) fatty acids, beta-carotene, vitamin E, and folic acid, in 28 male dogs suffering from infertility associated with hypospermia. All dogs received the diet over a period of 100 days. At the end of the evaluation period, no adverse effects, including head and tail anomalies percentage onset, were reported. Interestingly, motility percentage, semen volume and concentration, and total number of sperms per ejaculation significantly increased. Further investigations on a wider cohort of dogs might be useful to better correlate the presence of oxytetracycline in pet's diet and the onset of infertility and clearly assess the action mechanism of an oxytetracycline-free nutraceutical diet.

Mammary fibroadenomatous hyperplasia in a male cat.

CASE SUMMARY: Mammary fibroadenomatous hyperplasia (MFH) is a benign pathology characterised by extensive proliferation of the ductal epithelium and mammary stroma. It typically occurs in young female cats, and seems to result from hypersensitivity to progesterone. A 2-year-old entire male European Shorthair cat presented to the veterinary clinic with enlargement of several mammary glands, which had developed within the previous 10 days. There was no prior administration of progestin in the cat's medical history. Diagnostic tests were performed to assess the basal progesterone concentration and the concentration after stimulation with gonadotropin-releasing hormone, which ruled out the presence of functional ovarian tissue. Histological examination of the testes excluded hormone-secreting testicular tumours. Histological examination of the mammary gland confirmed the diagnosis of MFH. Treatment was started with aglepristone, a selective competitor for progesterone receptors, administered subcutaneously at 15 mg/kg at days 1, 2, 8 and 15. A reduction in the size of the mammary glands was evident 6 days after the first administration, with complete remission observed after 4 weeks. RELEVANCE AND NOVEL INFORMATION: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first full report of MFH in a male cat. Although the origin of the progestins responsible for MFH in this case could not be confirmed, in the light of the diagnostic tests performed and the results obtained, accidental contact with hormone-like substances seems to be the only plausible explanation for the cat's clinical signs. Inhibitor therapy was successful.

Usefulness of an injectable anaesthetic protocol for semen collection through urethral catheterisation in domestic cats.

Objectives Although less often requested in comparison with dogs, the collection of semen in cats can be necessary for artificial insemination, for semen evaluation in tom cats used for breeding and for semen storage. Urethral catheterisation after pharmacological induction with medetomidine has proved to be useful for the collection of semen in domestic cats. However, most of the previously used protocols require the administration of high doses of medetomidine that can increase the risk of side effects, especially on the cardiovascular system. In routine clinical practice, one safe and useful injectable anaesthetic protocol for short-term clinical investigations or surgery in cats involves premedication with low intramuscular doses of dexmedetomidine with methadone, followed by intravenous propofol bolus injection. We aimed to assess the usefulness of this injectable anaesthetic protocol for semen collection, via urethral catheterisation, in domestic cats. Methods The study was performed on 38 purebred, adult cats, during the breeding season, and semen was collected via urethral catheterisation using an injectable anaesthesia protocol with methadone (0.2 mg/kg) and dexmedetomidine (5 µg/kg) premedication, followed by induction with propofol. Results The anaesthetic protocol used in the present study allowed the collection of large-volume semen samples, characterised by good parameters and without side effects. Conclusions and relevance The results from the present study suggest that the injectable anaesthetic protocol using methadone and dexmedetomidine premedication, followed by induction with propofol, could be suitable and safe for the collection of a good-quality semen sample, via urethral catheterisation, in domestic cats. It can therefore be used as an alternative to previous medetomidine-based sedation protocols.

Effectiveness of deslorelin acetate subcutaneous implantation in a domestic queen with after-spaying urinary incontinence.

A 2-year-old female ovariectomised Norwegian Forest cat with a history of post-spaying urinary incontinence was diagnosed with acquired urinary sphincter mechanism incompetence (USMI) after complete clinical and laboratory examination. Although there is no literature regarding the treatment of post-spaying USMI in cats, deslorelin acetate is successful in the treatment of post-spaying USMI in dogs. Deslorelin acetate implants have been shown previously to be effective for contraception and oestrus suppression in queens, and suppression of reproductive function in tomcats. Therefore, deslorelin acetate implant treatment was chosen for treatment of post-spaying USMI in this queen. Follow-up examinations were performed on days 8, 15 and 30 after deslorelin implant insertion. Urinary continence was restored about 25 days after implantation and maintained for at least 15 months, without treatment-related negative effects. In the present case report, the post-spaying urinary incontinence related to the acquired USMI was successfully treated with a deslorelin acetate implant. In addition, safe implantation was easy in cats and the single injection resulted in long-lasting efficacy. Further studies are needed to confirm the usefulness of deslorelin acetate treatment for post-spaying USMI in queens and to better delineate the duration of efficacy.