Features, management, and long-term outcome in dogs with pancreatitis and bile duct obstruction treated medically and surgically: 41 dogs (2015-2021).

OBJECTIVE: Pancreatitis resulting in extrahepatic biliary obstruction (EHBO) can cause substantial morbidity and mortality. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is utilized for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in humans; however, this is not available in veterinary medicine. Treatment options include medical management and biliary drainage procedures. The aim of this study was to describe the management of EHBO secondary to pancreatitis in dogs, treated medically and surgically and to determine whether the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) differ between the treatment groups. ANIMALS: 41 dogs treated for EHBO secondary to pancreatitis during the period of May 2015 to November 2021. METHODS: Records from 41 dogs diagnosed with EHBO secondary to pancreatitis were reviewed, and information extracted included clinical signs, ultrasound findings, NLR, PLR, histopathology, treatment, and outcomes. RESULTS: 18 of 19 (95%) surgical patients survived, while 12 of 21 (57%) medical patients survived. There was no difference in the length of hospitalization or time to return to adequate function between the groups; however, there was a significant difference in the 2- and 12-month survival between those treated surgically and medically. There was no difference in the NLR or PLR between surgically versus medically treated dogs or between survivors and nonsurvivors. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The mortality rate of surgery for EHBO secondary to pancreatitis may be lower than previously described, and in this cohort of dogs, those treated surgically had improved survival at 2 and 12 months compared to those treated medically.

Feline permethrin toxicity: retrospective study of 42 cases.

Forty-two cases of feline permethrin toxicity treated at a referral hospital in Sydney, Australia were retrospectively reviewed. In most cases canine permethrin spot-on (PSO) flea products had been directly applied to affected cats. Most presented during summer and there was an increase in cases during the 2007/2008 period. Clinical signs included; tremors/muscle fasciculations (86%), twitches (41%), hyperaesthesia (41%), seizures (33%), pyrexia (29%), ptyalism (24%), ataxia (24%), mydriasis (19%) and temporary blindness (12%). Treatment involved decontamination, anticonvulsants and supportive care. Methocarbamol was not used. Complications occurred in 33% of cats and included: hypothermia (29%), electrolyte abnormalities (26%), aspiration pneumonia (12%), hypoproteinaemia (12%), anaemia (5%), apnoea (7%), respiratory arrest (5%), cardiorespiratory arrest (2%), pleural effusion (2%), urinary tract infection (2%) and corneal ulceration (2%). One cat was euthanased. Feline permethrin toxicity may result in severe clinical signs requiring intensive treatment. Despite prominent label warnings, cases of feline permethrin toxicity continue to occur in Australia and may be fatal.

DLA-DRB1, DQA1, and DQB1 alleles and haplotypes in North American Gray Wolves.

The canine major histocompatibility complex contains highly polymorphic genes, many of which are critical in regulating immune response. Since domestic dogs evolved from Gray Wolves (Canis lupus), common DLA class II alleles should exist. Sequencing was used to characterize 175 Gray Wolves for DLA class II alleles, and data from 1856 dogs, covering 85 different breeds of mostly European origin, were available for comparison. Within wolves, 28 new alleles were identified, all occurring in at least 2 individuals. Three DLA-DRB1, 8 DLA-DQA1, and 6 DLA-DQB1 alleles also identified in dogs were present. Twenty-eight haplotypes were identified, of which 2 three-locus haplotypes, and many DLA-DQA1/DQB1 haplotypes, are also found in dogs. The wolves studied had relatively few dog DLA alleles and may therefore represent a remnant population descended from Asian wolves. The single European wolf included carried a haplotype found in both these North American wolves and in many dog breeds. Furthermore, one wolf DQB1 allele has been found in Shih Tzu, a breed of Asian origin. These data suggest that the wolf ancestors of Asian and European dogs may have had different gene pools, currently reflected in the DLA alleles present in dog breeds.

Hypertrophic osteodystrophy in the Weimaraner dog: lack of association between DQA1 alleles of the canine MHC and hypertrophic osteodystrophy.

Hypertrophic osteodystrophy (HOD) is a canine bone disease that affects mainly large breed dogs, including the Weimaraner, and studies have shown a link between recent vaccination with a modified live virus and the onset of HOD in this breed. In humans, it has been suggested that human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles can influence antibody response to vaccination. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is an association between the development of HOD in Weimaraners and MHC alleles at the DLA-DQA1 locus in a group of 33 unrelated dogs. The DQA1 allele and genotype frequencies were determined by sequence-based typing. Although clinical signs developed within six weeks of vaccination in all 12 dogs for which information was available, no association was found between DQA1 alleles and HOD in this population of Weimaraner dogs. A role for other immune-response genes in the pathogenesis of HOD should not however be ruled out. Whereas recent vaccination may be a trigger for the disease, it was concluded that there is no specific vaccine that is most responsible for the expression of the disease.