Acute phase proteins and biomarkers of oxidative status in feline spontaneous malignant mammary tumours.

Acute phase proteins (APP) and biomarkers of oxidative status change in human and canine mammary tumours, however, they have not been studied in feline mammary tumours. The aims of this study were to investigate the APP and antioxidant responses in feline malignant mammary tumours, to evaluate their relation with tumour features, and to assess their prognostic value. Serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin (Hp), albumin, butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), insulin-like growth factor1 (IGF1), paraoxonase1 (PON1), total serum thiols (Thiol), glutathione peroxidase (GPox) and total antioxidant capacity determined by different assays, including trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity assessed by two different methodologies (TEAC1/2), ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), and cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), were determined in serum of 50 queens with spontaneous mammary carcinomas and of 12 healthy female cats. At diagnosis, diseased queens presented significantly higher SAA and Hp, and lower albumin, BChE, GPox, TEAC1, TEAC2 and CUPRAC than controls. Different tumour features influenced concentrations of APP and antioxidants. Increases in serum Hp, and decreases in albumin, Thiol and FRAP were significantly associated with neoplastic vascular emboli, metastasis in regional lymph nodes and/or in distant organs. Distant metastasis development during the course of the disease was associated with increases in SAA and TEAC1. At diagnosis, decreased albumin was associated with a longer survival, and BChE <1.15 µmoL/mL.minute was associated with a shorter survival time on multivariate analysis. Feline malignant mammary tumours are associated with an APP response and oxidative stress, and different tumour features influence the inflammatory response and the oxidative damage. Furthermore, some of these analytes proved to have prognostic value.

Cataracts in Labrador Retriever and Jack Russell Terrier From the United Kingdom: A Two-Year Retrospective Study.

Cataracts are among the most common ocular diseases, and are a leading cause of vision loss in humans and dogs. Jack Russell Terriers (JRT) and Labrador Retrievers (LR) are among the most popular canine breeds in the United Kingdom, and also among the most affected by cataracts. This study aimed to analyze the clinical features and the surgical outcome of cataracts in JRT and LR in an ophthalmologic reference Veterinary Hospital in the United Kingdom. For that purpose, medical records from JRT and LR diagnosed with cataracts between January 2015 and December 2016 were retrospectively evaluated. Data related to identification, clinical history, preoperative features, and surgical outcomes were analyzed. Forty-four dogs (81 eyes), including 26 JRT and 18 LR, were enrolled in the study. Mean ages were 10.2 ± 3.2 years in JRT and 8.5 ± 3.7 years in LR. Twenty-eight (63.6%) were females and 16 (36.4%) were males. Most dogs (84.1%) presented with bilateral cataracts. Nuclear and cortical cataracts were the most prevalent type in both breeds (JRT: n = 30, 61.2%; LR: n = 16, 50.0%), although subcapsular cataracts were also frequent in LR (n = 10, 31.3%). Significant differences in cataract location within the lens were detected between the two breeds (P = .002). Senile in JRT (n = 7) and genetic in LR (n = 7) were the most common etiologies. Concomitant ocular lesions were more frequent in dogs presented with cataracts in advanced stages, and included lens (n = 18; JRT: n = 15; LR: n = 3) and retinal alterations (n = 8; JRT: n = 2; LR: n = 6), and glaucoma (n = 6; JRT: n = 5; LR: n = 1). Thirty-three animals (75.0%, 51 eyes) were submitted to phacoemulsification with intraocular lens placement. Of these, 28 eyes (54.9%; JRT: n = 21; LR: n = 7) were visual, 19 eyes (37.3%; JRT: n = 11; LR: n = 8) presented impaired vision and four eyes (7.8%; JRT: n = 0; LR: n = 4) were blind at last clinical record. Postoperative complications were detected in 11 eyes (21.6%), and were more frequent in dogs presented with cataracts in advanced stages. These results and the multifactorial nature of cataracts call for further studies to identify and characterize the variables in a broader assessment, including other breeds and influencing factors.