Magnetic resonance imaging appearance of hypertensive encephalopathy in a dog.

A 16-year-old female spayed English Staffordshire terrier was presented for evaluation of a 10-month history of intermittent myoclonic episodes, and a one weeks history of short episodes of altered mentation, ataxia and collapse. Magnetic resonance imaging identified subcortical oedema, predominately in the parietal and temporal lobes and multiple cerebral microbleeds. Serum biochemistry, indirect blood pressure measurements and magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities were consistent with hypertensive encephalopathy secondary to chronic kidney disease.

Frequent detection of papillomavirus DNA in clinically normal skin of cats infected and noninfected with feline immunodeficiency virus.

Feline cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) often contain felis domesticus papillomavirus type 2 (FdPV-2) DNA. While this may suggest FdPV-2 causes feline SCC development, the proportion of cats that are asymptomatically infected by this PV is unknown. Infection by feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is associated with high rates of cutaneous SCC development, possibly due to increased PV infection. This study examines the frequency of cutaneous asymptomatic FdPV-2 infections in cats and compares the rate of FdPV-2 infection in 22 FIV-positive cats with that in 22 FIV-negative cats. FdPV-2 sequences were detected in 39% of skin swabs. One or both swabs contained FdPV-2 DNA from 52% of the cats. FIV status, age or sex of the cat did not significantly influence FdPV-2 infection. Cats that shared a household with a PV-infected cat could remain uninfected suggesting infection depends more on host factors than exposure to the PV. These results indicate that asymptomatic FdPV-2 infections are common in cats, but do not provide evidence that FdPV-2 causes feline SCC development.

Emergence of nasal chondrosarcoma in a dog with nasal polyposis.

Whilst the malignant transformation of nasal polyps or secondary development of nasal neoplasia after chronic inflammation is likely to be relatively rare, this potential complication should be considered, and the clinician should be vigilant for evidence of malignant transformation.