Evaluation of the Efficacy of Atovaquone Alone or in Combination with Azithromycin against Acute Murine Toxoplasmosis

Mice were infected intraperitoneally with 10 000 tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii (RH) strain and, 24 h later, were treated orally for 10 days with atovaquone and azithromycin, either alone or in combination. Evaluation of the efficacy of the drugs was performed by microscopic examination of smears prepared from the organs of the mice, and by subinoculation of visceral and brain suspensions from surviving mice into healthy mice at the end of the experiments. It was found that 58%, 83% and 100% of the mice survived after administration of 75, 150 or 200 mg/kg per day of azithromycin, respectively. Moreover, 8%, 17% and 25% of the mice survived after treatment with atovaquone at 20, 50 or 100 mg/kg per day, respectively. No synergistic or additive effects of combinations of atovaquone and azithromycin were observed. However, azithromycin did not eradicate the parasite from the brain and viscera of the infected mice, whereas atovaquone at 20, 50 and 100 mg/kg per day removed the parasite from viscera and at 100 mg/kg per day eradicated the parasite from the brain of infected mice. The combinations of atovaquone and azithromycin failed to completely eradicate the parasite from the brain and viscera of infected mice.     

Re-emergence of Babesia conradae and effective treatment of infected dogs with atovaquone and azithromycin

Babesia conradae (B. conradae) causes hemolytic anemia in dogs. This organism has not been reported clinically since it was originally described in southern California in 1991. To date, no anti-protozoal therapies have been associated with clearance of B. conradae. This report describes the use of atovaquone and azithromycin for the treatment of dogs naturally infected with B. conradae and report the re-emergence of B. conradae in southern California. Twelve dogs naturally infected with B. conradae were identified by practicing veterinarians and public health officials in southern California. Treatments consisted of a 10 day course of atovaquone (13.3mg/kg PO q 8h) and azithromycin (10-12.5mg/kg PO q 24h). Four dogs were treated in a randomized blinded placebo-controlled fashion, four additional cases were treated in a non-random, non-blinded fashion and one dog received no treatment. All dogs were tested for B. conradae DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) initially and then once or 3 times post treatment (60-210 days). B. conradae infected dogs that received treatment did not have any detectable Babesia DNA by PCR after treatment. In contrast, dogs receiving placebo had detectable Babesia DNA by PCR throughout the study period. Combination therapy with atovaquone and azithromycin appears to be effective for acute and chronic babesiosis caused by B. conradae.     

A phase I clinical trial evaluating imatinib mesylate (Gleevec) in tumor-bearing cats

A phase I clinical trial evaluating the toxicity of orally-administered imatinib mesylate was performed in 9 tumor-bearing cats. Imatinib is a small molecule, tyrosine kinase inhibitor, which selectively blocks the function of overexpressed proteins associated with various malignancies. Cats included in the study had diagnoses of fibrosarcoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and mast cell tumor, and each cat was staged using CBC and serum biochemistry; urinalysis, thoracic radiographs, and abdominal ultrasonography were performed in some cats. Most cats were treated previously by surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or some combination of these treatments. None of the cats received any concurrent chemotherapy. Six cats were treated with imatinib mesylate at 1-2 mg/kg PO q24h. Dose escalations were made to 2, 4, and 10 mg/kg PO q24h in 5 cats. Two cats started therapy at 10 mg/kg PO q24h, and 1 cat started therapy at 15 mg/kg PO q24h; all 3 cats remained at these dosages. No signs of toxicity, as evaluated by CBC and serum biochemistry, were noted in 8 of the 9 cats, and minimal gastrointestinal toxicity was observed. Due to the low frequency of adverse effects, further evaluation of imatinib is ongoing at a dosage of 10 mg/kg PO q24h.     

Control of urine marking by use of long-term treatment with fluoxetine or clomipramine in cats

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether clomipramine differs from fluoxetine in reducing feline urine marking; whether reduction of marking continues in cats treated >8 weeks; whether recurrence of marking, after abrupt drug withdrawal, is less in cats treated >8 weeks; and whether cats that are successfully treated but resume marking after drug withdrawal can be successfully treated again with the same drug regimen. DESIGN: Positive-controlled, double-masked clinical trial. ANIMALS: 22 neutered cats (2 females, 20 males) > or =1 year old with objectionable urine marking. PROCEDURE: Cats that marked vertically > or =3 times/wk were treated with fluoxetine (1 mg/kg [0.45 mg/lb], q 24 h, PO) or clomipramine (0.5 mg/kg [0.23 mg/lb], q 24 h, PO) for 16 weeks, and efficacy was compared. Recurrence of marking was determined after abrupt withdrawal of fluoxetine at 16 or 32 weeks. Reduction in marking in cats treated with fluoxetine for 8 weeks after returning to marking following drug withdrawal was compared with the initial 8 weeks of successful treatment. RESULTS: Efficacy of fluoxetine and clomipramine was similar. Treatment >8 weeks revealed increasing efficacy in reduction of marking. Return of marking after termination of fluoxetine administration occurred in most cats. Cats successfully treated initially with fluoxetine responded similarly to repeated treatment. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Clomipramine and fluoxetine were equivalent in treating urine marking. Longer treatment increased efficacy. Most cats return to marking after abrupt drug withdrawal. A second course of treatment can be expected to be as effective as the first.     

Inoculation of two genotypes of Hemobartonella felis (California and Ohio variants) to induce infection in cats and the response to treatment with azithromycin

OBJECTIVES: To describe clinical and laboratory findings associated with cats experimentally infected by inoculation with the 2 recognized genotypes of Hemobartonella felis (small variant, Hfsm; large variant, Hflg) and to determine the response of cats to treatment with azithromycin. ANIMALS: 18 young adult domestic shorthair cats of both sexes. PROCEDURES: Cats were inoculated with H felis and monitored weekly, using CBC counts and a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) designed to detect both genetic variants of H felis. Beginning 26 days after inoculation, 11 cats were administered azithromycin (15 mg/kg of body weight, PO, q 12 h, for 7 days). RESULTS: Inoculation resulted in coinfection with Hflg and Hfsm, and both variants were detected by PCR. Clinical abnormalities and anemia were most severe in Hflg- and dual-infected cats. Results of PCR and CBC were positive for H felis in 112/112 (100%) and 42/112 (37.5%), respectively, samples collected after inoculation. Administration of azithromycin had little effect on clinical variables, including anemia. All cats, regardless of treatment with azithromycin, had positive results for the PCR at the end of the study period. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In these cats, Hflg was more pathogenic than Hfsm, and coinfection with both variants was detected. Results of the PCR were superior to results of CBC for detecting infection with H felis. Azithromycin administered at the dose and duration reported here was not efficacious for the treatment of cats with hemobartonellosis.     

Efficacy of ronidazole for treatment of feline Tritrichomonas foetus infection

OBJECTIVES: To determine the efficacy of ronidazole (RDZ), tinidazole (TDZ), and metronidazole (MDZ) against Tritrichomonas foetus in vitro and of RDZ for treatment of feline naturally occurring or experimentally induced T. foetus infection. ANIMALS: A cat naturally infected with T. foetus infection and diarrhea. Ten specific-pathogen-free (SPF) kittens. PROCEDURE: RDZ, TDZ, and MDZ were tested for activity against 3 different feline isolates of T. foetus in vitro. RDZ then was administered to a naturally infected cat at 10 mg/kg PO q24h for 10 days. SPF kittens were infected orogastrically with feline T. foetus and treated with either placebo or RDZ (10 mg/kg PO q12h for 14 days). Cats with relapsing infection or those receiving placebo were treated subsequently with RDZ (either 30 or 50 mg/kg PO q12h for 14 days). Feces were examined for T. foetus by direct microscopy, culture, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing weekly. RESULTS: Both RDZ and TDZ killed T. foetus at concentrations >0.1 microg/mL in vitro. In the naturally infected cat, RDZ abolished diarrhea and T. foetus infection for 85 days after treatment, at which time infection and diarrhea relapsed. Retreatment with RDZ eradicated diarrhea and T. foetus infection for over 407 days. In experimentally induced infection, RDZ at 10 mg/kg caused initial improvement, but infection relapsed in all 5 cats 2 to 20 weeks after treatment. At 30 or 50 mg/kg, 10/10 cats were negative for T. foetus infection for follow-up durations of 21 to 30 weeks after treatment. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Oral administration of RDZ at 30 to 50 mg/kg q12h for 14 days resolved diarrhea and eradicated infection (on the basis of polymerase chain reaction [PCR] testing) in 1 naturally infected cat and 10 experimentally inoculated cats receiving a different isolate of T. foetus.     

Pharmacokinetics of tacrolimus after multidose oral administration and efficacy in the prevention of allograft rejection in cats with renal transplants

OBJECTIVE: To describe pharmacokinetics of multi-dose oral administration of tacrolimus in healthy cats and evaluate the efficacy of tacrolimus in the prevention of allograft rejection in cats with renal transplants. ANIMALS: 6 healthy research cats. PROCEDURE: Cats received tacrolimus (0.375 mg/kg, PO, q 12 h) for 14 days. Blood tacrolimus concentrations were measured by a high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry assay. Each cat received an immunogenically mismatched renal allograft and native kidney nephrectomy. Tacrolimus dosage was modified to maintain a target blood concentration of 5 to 10 ng/mL. Cats were euthanatized if plasma creatinine concentration exceeded 7 mg/dL, body weight loss exceeded 20%, or on day 50 after surgery. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were plotted for 6 cats treated with tacrolimus and for 8 cats with renal transplants that did not receive immunosuppressive treatment. RESULTS: Mean (+/- SD) values of elimination half-life, time to maximum concentration, maximum blood concentration, and area under the concentration versus time curve from the last dose of tacrolimus to 12 hours later were 20.5 +/- 9.8 hours, 0.77 +/- 0.37 hours, 27.5 +/- 31.8 ng/mL, and 161 +/- 168 hours x ng/mL, respectively. Tacrolimus treated cats survived longer (median, 44 days; range, 24 to 52 days) than untreated cats (median, 23 days; range, 8 to 34 days). On histologic evaluation, 3 cats had evidence of acute-active rejection, 1 cat had necrotizing vasculitis, and 2 cats euthanatized at study termination had normal appearing allografts. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Tacrolimus may be an effective immunosuppressive agent for renal transplantation in cats.     

Septic pleuritis and abdominal abscess formation caused by Rhodococcus equi in a foal

A 3-month-old female Arabian horse was evaluated because of fever, respiratory distress, lethargy, and decreased appetite of 5 days' duration. Pleural effusion was diagnosed on the basis of ultrasonographic and radiographic examinations. Cytologic examination of pleural fluid collected via thoracocentesis revealed septic inflammation; bacteriologic culture of a sample of that fluid yielded Rhodococcus equi. A large intra-abdominal mass adjacent to the body wall was identified ultrasonographically. A specimen of the mass was collected via aspiration; the specimen was identified cytologically as purulent exudate that contained large numbers of rod-shaped bacteria, which confirmed abdominal abscess formation. Bacteriologic culture of a sample of the exudate also yielded R. equi. The foal was treated with azithromycin (10 mg/kg [4.5 mg/lb], PO, q 24 h for 5 days then q 48 h) and rifampin (5 mg/kg [2.3 mg/lb], PO, q 12 h) for 8 weeks and metronidazole (15 mg/kg [6.8 mg/lb], PO, q 8 h) for 3 weeks. Clinically, the foal responded to antimicrobial treatment within 2 weeks. At 8 weeks after the initial evaluation, ultrasonographic examination of the foal revealed resolution of the pleural effusion and abdominal abscess. In foals, R. equi infection typically results in pyogranulomatous pneumonia, and pleural effusion is an uncommon clinical sign. The combination of azithromycin and rifampin appears to be an effective treatment for R. equi infection in foals.     

Ketoconazole for treatment of dermatophytosis in cats.

Twelve cats with generalized dermatophytosis were treated with ketoconazole (10 mg/kg of body weight, PO, with food, q 24 h). This treatment was successful in 8 cats, with resolution of lesions and negative findings on mycologic evaluation after 2 to 10 weeks (median duration, 6 weeks). One additional cat failed to improve initially, but complete resolution was achieved after the dosage of ketoconazole was doubled. Adverse effects in 3 cats included anorexia, weight loss, vomiting, and diarrhea.     

Ultrasonographic evaluation of the effects of azithromycin on antral motility and gastric emptying in healthy cats

BackgroundErythromycin, a macrolide antibiotic with motilin agonist properties, shortens gastric emptying (GE) time in healthy cats. Azithromycin, another macrolide antibiotic, is effective for treatment of gastric paresis in people.ObjectivesTo evaluate the effects of azithromycin on GE and gastric motility in healthy cats in comparison with erythromycin (positive control) and placebo.AnimalsEight healthy purpose‐bred cats.MethodsProspective, blinded, crossover study. Cats received either azithromycin (3.5 mg/kg PO q24h), erythromycin (1 mg/kg PO q8h), or placebo for 24 hours before and during evaluation of GE. A validated method using ultrasound for sequential measurements of antral area as well as amplitude and frequency of contractions was used to assess GE and evaluate gastric antral motility postprandially over an 8‐hour period.ResultsGE was significantly faster (P < .05) after administration of azithromycin and erythromycin when compared to placebo in the late phase of fractional emptying from 75% (mean ± SD: 327 ± 51 minutes, 327 ± 22 minutes, and 367 ± 29 minutes, respectively), to 95% fractional emptying (399 ± 52 minutes, 404 ± 11 minutes, and 444 ± 24 minutes, respectively). The drugs had no significant effect on antral motility variables at any time point.Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceAzithromycin and erythromycin shorten GE time in a comparable manner in healthy cats. Evaluation of their efficacy in cats with gastric dysmotility is warranted.     

Ocular and systemic manifestations after oral administration of a high dose of enrofloxacin in cats

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the effects of oral administration of a high dose of enrofloxacin to cats. ANIMALS: 24 (12 male and 12 female) young healthy cats. PROCEDURES: Cats were allocated on the basis of sex into 2 groups (4 males and 4 females/ group) from which 3 subgroups for 3 durations (3, 5, or 7 days) of enrofloxacin (50 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h) or control solution (1 mL of water, PO, q 24 h) administration that began on day -1 were created. Funduscopic examinations were performed daily. Electroretinography (ERG) was performed before and every 2 to 3 days after the start of oral administration. Four cats/study group were euthanized on days 3, 5, and 7, and eyes were collected for light and electron microscopic evaluations. RESULTS: Neurologic, funduscopic, and ERG abnormalities were evident only in cats administered enrofloxacin. Funduscopic changes (granular appearance or graying of the area centralis) were noticed on or before day 3 (after only 3 days of enrofloxacin administration), with subsequent similar changes along the visual streak. Vascular attenuation (between days 2 and 4) and generalized tapetal hyperreflectivity (between days 5 and 7) followed. Reduction in b-wave ERG amplitude preceded funduscopic changes. Morphologic changes in the photoreceptor layers correlated with duration of enrofloxacin administration, with generalized degenerative changes evident after 3 doses. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The study indicated that a high dose of enrofloxacin (50 mg/kg/d, PO) induced retinal and systemic changes. Enrofloxacin at 10 times the recommended dosage is acutely toxic to the outer retina of clinically normal cats.     

Efficacy of tinidazole for treatment of cats experimentally infected with Tritrichomonas foetus

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of tinidazole for treatment of cats with experimentally induced Tritrichomonas foetus infection. ANIMALS: 8 specific-pathogen-free kittens. PROCEDURES: Tinidazole was tested for activity against a feline isolate of T foetus in vitro. Kittens were infected orogastrically with the same isolate and treated or not with tinidazole (30 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h for 14 days). Amoxicillin was administered 28 weeks after completion of tinidazole administration to induce diarrhea. Feces were repeatedly tested for T foetus by use of PCR assay and microbial culture for 33 weeks. RESULTS: Tinidazole killed T foetus at concentrations >or= 10 microg/mL in vitro. In experimentally induced infection, tinidazole administered at 30 mg/kg decreased T foetus below the limit of molecular detection in 2 of 4 cats. Recrudescent shedding of T foetus, as elicited by amoxicillin-induced diarrhea, was diminished in cats that received prior treatment with tinidazole. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although tinidazole decreased the detection of T foetus and treated cats were resistant to later efforts to incite the infection, inability of tinidazole to eradicate infection in many cats poses a serious impediment to the drug's effectiveness in practice.     

Chronic oral therapy with enalapril in normal ponies

Enalapril is an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor that is frequently used in human, feline and canine patients with cardiac disease. Its use has been associated with impotence in human patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if enalapril (0.5 mg/kg PO, q24h) is likely to alter behavior in stallions and to assess its effect on ACE activity at the standard dose used in dogs and cats. Twelve pony stallions were evaluated by physical examination and echocardiography followed by treatment with enalapril (n = 6) or placebo (n = 6) for 2 months. After one month, blood was drawn and stored to evaluate ACE activity in the 2 groups. At the end of the study, repeat physical examination and echocardiography were performed. Physical examination, echocardiographic indices, and reproductive performance were unchanged and there was no suppression of ACE activity. Results of this study suggest that enalapril (0.5 mg/kg PO, q24h) is either poorly absorbed in the horse or is inadequately converted to the active form of the drug, enalaprilat.     

Tolerability and efficacy of benazepril in cats with chronic kidney disease

The objective of the study was to test the effect of the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) benazepril in cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD). A total of 192 cats with CKD with an initial plasma creatinine concentration > or = 2 mg/dL (> or = 177 micromol/L) and urine specific gravity < or = 1.025 were recruited into a double-blind, parallel-group, prospective, randomized clinical trial. Cats received daily (q24h) PO placebo (n = 96) or benazepril x HCl at a dosage of 0.5-1.0 mg/kg (n = 96) for up to 1,119 days. Most cats were fed exclusively a diet containing low amounts of phosphate, protein, and sodium. Benazepril produced a significant reduction in proteinuria, assessed by the urine protein-to-creatinine ratio (UPC, P = .005). This effect of benazepril was present in all subgroups tested, including cats with UPC <0.2, although the effect was largest in cats with higher UPCs. Plasma protein was maintained at higher concentrations with benazepril as compared with placebo during treatment in cats with initial UPC <1 (P = .038 versus P = .079 for all cats). There was no difference in renal survival time between the 2 groups when all 192 cats were compared. Mean +/- SD renal survival times were 637 +/- 480 days with benazepril and 520 +/- 323 days with placebo (P = .47). Mean +/- SD renal survival times in the 13 cats with initial UPC > or = 1 were 402 +/- 202 days with benazepril and 149 +/- 90 days with placebo (P = .27). Cats with initial UPC > or = 1 treated with benazepril had better appetite (P = .017) as compared with those treated with placebo. Benazepril was well tolerated. In conclusion, benazepril decreased proteinuria in cats with CKD.     

Efficacy of pradofloxacin in cats with feline upper respiratory tract disease due to Chlamydophila felis or Mycoplasma infections

BACKGROUND: Upper respiratory tract disease (URTD) of cats is caused by a number of pathogens, including Chlamydophila felis and Mycoplasma spp. For effective treatment of both infections, doxycycline and enrofloxacin are recommended, but adverse effects limit their use in cats. HYPOTHESIS: That the fluoroquinolone pradofloxacin is effective against C. felis and Mycoplasma infection in cats with URTD or conjunctivitis. ANIMALS: Thirty-nine cats with signs of URTD or conjunctivitis. METHODS: Placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial. Cats were randomly entered into 1 of 2 treatment groups: treated PO with either 5 mg/kg pradofloxacin q24h or 5 mg/kg doxycycline q12h for 42 consecutive days. Changes in health status and clinical scores were evaluated. The presence of C. felis and Mycoplasma spp. was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and nested PCR of conjunctival swabs, respectively. RESULTS: At the beginning of the study, C. felis and Mycoplasma spp. were detected in 23 and 20 cats, respectively. Cats of both groups responded rapidly with a marked improvement in clinical signs within the 1st week. During treatment with either drug, C. felis DNA copy number declined quickly. Complete elimination of Mycoplasma spp. was achieved in both groups; however, whereas all cats receiving doxycycline eliminated C. felis, 4 cats treated with pradofloxacin remained PCR-positive. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: This study demonstrates that both pradofloxacin and doxycycline have good efficacy against C. felis and Mycoplasma spp., resulting in a marked improvement of clinical signs. However, C. felis DNA remained in some cats after treatment with pradofloxacin, suggesting that infection might not have been eliminated.     

Comparison of the efficacy of enrofloxacin, imidocarb, and oxytetracycline for clearance of persistent Anaplasma marginale infections in cattle

This study compared enrofloxacin and imidocarb dipropionate treatments with an oxytetracycline regimen proposed by the World Organization for Animal Health for elimination of persistent Anaplasma marginale infections in cattle. The effect of therapy on competitive ELISA and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) reactivity was also assessed. Twelve A. marginale-infected carrier calves were randomly assigned to groups receiving either enrofloxacin (5 mg/kg IV q24h for 5 days), imidocarb (5 mg/kg IM twice, 7 days apart), or oxytetracycline (22 mg/kg IV q24h for 5 days). One calf infected with an Oklahoma isolate in the imidocarb group and one infected with a Virginia isolate in the oxytetracycline group failed to infect a splenectomized calf following blood subinoculation. Both became competitive ELISA negative by 44 days after treatment, but the imidocarb-treated calf remained PCR positive. None of the tested treatments reliably eliminated persistent A. marginale infections in all cattle. Furthermore, PCR was not a reliable means of determining the success of chemosterilization in calves.     

The effect of dosing interval on the efficacy of misoprostol in the prevention of aspirin-induced gastric injury

The effect of twice-daily administration of misoprostol on aspirin-induced gastric injury was evaluated. Twenty-four random-source dogs were divided into groups that received aspirin and misoprostol as follows: group I, aspirin 25 mg/kg PO q8h and placebo PO q8h; group II, aspirin 25 mg/kg PO q8h and misoprostol 3 microg/kg PO q8h; group III, aspirin 25 mg/kg PO q8h, misoprostol 3 microg/kg PO q12h, and placebo PO q24h; and group IV, aspirin 25 mg/kg PO q8h, misoprostol 3 microg/kg PO q24h, and placebo PO q12h for 28 days. Gastroscopy was performed on days -9, 5, 14, and 28. Visible lesions were scored on a scale of 1 (mucosal hemorrhage) to 11 (perforating ulcer). No difference in total score was identified between groups I and IV on any day. Median total scores for groups II and III were significantly (P < or = .05) lower compared to groups I and IV on day 5. Group III had a significantly lower score (P < or = .05) than groups I, II, and IV on day 28. This study suggests that misoprostol 3 microg/kg PO q12h is as effective as misoprostol 3 microg/kg PO q8h in preventing aspirin-induced gastric injury in this model. However, misoprostol 3 microg/ kg PO q8h was less effective in preventing aspirin-induced gastric injury on days 14 and 28 than in previous studies. No difference among numbers of dog-days of vomiting, diarrhea, or anorexia was detected among groups.     

Evaluation of treatment with doxorubicin and piroxicam or doxorubicin alone for multicentric lymphoma in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the antitumor and toxic effects of treatment with doxorubicin combined with piroxicam or doxorubicin alone for multicentric lymphoma in dogs. DESIGN: Nonrandomized clinical trial. ANIMALS: 75 dogs with multicentric lymphoma. PROCEDURE: 33 dogs were treated with doxorubicin (30 mg/m2, IV, q 21 d, for 3 doses) and piroxicam (0.3 mg/kg [0.14 mg/lb], PO, q 24 h); results were compared with a historical control group of 42 dogs treated with doxorubicin (30 mg/M2, IV, q 21 d, for 3 doses) alone. Results-The percentages of dogs that had remission with doxorubicin-piroxicam treatment (79%) or doxorubicin treatment alone (74%) were not significantly different. Median duration of first remission was 130 days with doxorubicin-piroxicam and 147 days with doxorubicin alone; these values were not significantly different. Severe toxicosis was observed in 22% of dogs treated with doxorubicin-piroxicam and 17% of dogs treated with doxorubicin alone. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Both treatment protocols were efficacious and well tolerated. The doxorubicin-piroxicam treatment was no more effective regarding response rate, remission duration, or survival duration, compared with the control group treated with doxorubicin alone.     

Comparison of oral and subcutaneous administration of buprenorphine and meloxicam for preemptive analgesia in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of preoperative PO and SC administration of buprenorphine and meloxicam for prevention of postoperative pain-associated behaviors in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy. DESIGN: Randomized controlled study. ANIMALS: 51 female cats (4 to 60 months old; weight range, 1.41 to 4.73 kg [3.1 to 10.4 lb]). PROCEDURE: Cats received 1 of 5 treatments at the time of anesthetic induction: buprenorphine PO (0.01 mg/kg [0.0045 mg/lb]; n = 10), buprenorphine SC (0.01 mg/kg; 10), meloxicam SC (0.3 mg/kg 10.14 mg/lb]; 10), meloxicam PO (0.3 mg/kg; 10), or 0.3 mL of sterile saline (0.9% NaCI) solution SC (control group; 11). Sedation scores and visual analog scale and interactive visual analog scale (IVAS) pain-associated behavior scores were assigned to each cat 2 hours before and at intervals until 20 hours after surgery. RESULTS: Cats receiving meloxicam PO or SC had significantly lower IVAS scores (2.91 and 2.02, respectively), compared with IVAS scores for cats receiving buprenorphine PO (755). Pain-associated behavior scores for cats administered buprenorphine or meloxicam PO or SC preoperatively did not differ significantly from control group scores. Rescue analgesia was not required by any of the cats receiving meloxicam, whereas 3 of 10 cats receiving buprenorphine PO, 2 of 10 cats receiving buprenorphine SC, and 1 of 11 cats receiving the control treatment required rescue analgesia. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: On the basis of pain-associated behavior scores, cats receiving meloxicam PO or SC before ovariohysterectomy appeared to have less pain after surgery than those receiving buprenorphine PO preoperatively.     

Effect of interferon or Propionibacterium acnes on the course of experimentally induced feline infectious peritonitis in specific-pathogen-free and random-source cats

Seventy-four cats (52 treated and 22 untreated) were evaluated in efficacy studies of interferon (IFN), Propionibacterium acnes, or a combination of these drugs against experimentally induced feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). Cats were given doses of recombinant human leukocyte (alpha) IFN (rHuIFN-alpha), feline fibroblastic (beta) IFN (FIFN-beta) or P acnes at regular intervals before and after inoculation of virulent FIP virus (FIPV). Prophylactic and therapeutic administration of high doses (10(6) U/kg of body weight) or moderate doses (10(4) U/kg) of rHuIFN-alpha, FIFN-beta (10(3) u/kg), or P acnes (0.4 or 4 mg) did not significantly reduce mortality in treated vs untreated cats. However, the mean survival time in cats treated with 10(6) U of rHuIFN-alpha-/kg alone or combined with doses of P acnes was significantly (P = 0.03) increased after inoculation of highly lethal amounts (200 LD100) of FIPV vs survival time in untreated cats. Although P acnes alone was ineffective, there was some indication that a combination of P acnes and high doses of rHuIFN-alpha was more effective than rHuIFN-alpha alone. Seemingly, the efficacy of rHuIFn-alpha treatment was improved in cats challenge-exposed with less FIPV; in 1 trial, 4 of 5 cats (80%) treated with high doses of rHuIFN-alpha survived after inoculation of minimal lethal amounts (0.6 LD100) of FIPV, whereas only 2 of 5 untreated cats (40%) survived. Pretreatment of cats with 10(6) U of rHuIFN-alpha/kg resulted in detectable serum IFN activity 24 hours later; serum IFN activity was not detected in cats pretreated with P acnes, FIFN-beta, or 10(4) U of rHuIFn-alpha/kg.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)