Prolonged activated prothromboplastin time and breed specific variation in haemostatic analytes in healthy adult Bernese Mountain dogs

Coagulation tests are often performed in dogs suspected of haemostatic dysfunction and are interpreted according to validated laboratory reference intervals (RIs). Breed specific RIs for haematological and biochemical analytes have previously been identified in Bernese Mountain dogs, but it remains to be determined if breed specific RIs are necessary for haemostasis tests. Activated prothromboplastin time (aPTT), prothrombin time (PT), selected coagulation factors, D-dimers, fibrinogen, von Willebrand factor and thromboelastography (TEG) were analyzed in healthy Bernese Mountain dogs using the CLSI model. Three analytes (aPTT, TEG [MA] and TEG [G]) were different according to the CLSI model. For aPTT the new RI was markedly different (0-100s). Whereas the new intervals for TEG (MA) and TEG (G) may be due to breed related biological variation, the cause of the prolonged RI for aPTT is at present uncertain.     

Dermatophytes in clinically healthy dogs and cats

The hair and skin of 300 clinically healthy animals, 268 dogs and 32 cats, were examined mycologically. The method described by Mariat and Tapia (1966) was used for the examination, along with square pieces of the fitted carpet Kovral. The dermatophytes were isolated in 12 samples, all from the material taken from dogs. Trichophyton mentagrophytes was isolated six times, Microsporum canis four times, Trichophyton gallinae once, Trichophyton rubrum once. The origin of the dermatophyte Trichophyton gallinae, found in a village dog, was not determined. In one case of occurrence of the dermatophyte Trichophyton mentagrophytes in a dog the dermatophyte was probably transmitted from man to the dog. Microsporum canis was not proved to be the most frequent dermatophyte in dogs or cats in this country.     

Selected biochemical values of clinically healthy dogs

Twenty-six parameters of clinical biochemical properties were determined in 72 clinically healthy German Shepherd dogs. The standard values were determined for total protein, protein spectrum, albuminoglobulin quotient, enzymic activities for AST, ALT, LD, LD-1, and ALP, for sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, inorganic phosphorus, and chlorides, complete prameters of the acid-base balance of the blood, and the values of glucose, urea, lactic acid, and creatinin. For determining these standards, dogs were selected at the age of 6.5 months to 7 years. All the statistically processed results are obtained from a number of animals which would secure 95% reliability and accuracy of the results, which would allow for sufficient generalization. Differences concerning the influence of age were not demonstrated in any of the determined biochemical values. The results are regarded as representative standards which can be used for clinical and laboratory diagnostics and prognostics in veterinary cynology and for clinical physiology of the German Shepherd dog breed.     

Electrocardiographic parameters in the clinically healthy Zamorano-leones donkey

Limited information exists regarding electrocardiographic parameters in clinically healthy donkeys. The study was carried out in 75 healthy adult animals (40 females and 35 males) using the Einthoven standard II and base-apex leads. The P wave showed usually a bifid shape deflection. The QRS complex of the donkeys appeared in several forms: QR and R were the most frequent in limb lead II, and QS and QR in the base-apex lead. Most T waves presented a simple negative configuration in lead II and biphasic shape in the base-apex one. Mean heart rate value was 52 beats per minute. The direction of the QRS vector in lead II had a mean value of 91.4°. We observed a lack of detected arrhythmias. Statistically significant differences were observed between sexes for several parameters. The electrocardiogram of Zamorano-leones donkey differs in several duration, amplitude and morphologic parameters from that of several breeds of horses and donkeys. This fact justifies obtaining values for a specific breed against which to compare values for the same breed.     

Formation of monoethylglycinexylidide (MEGX) in clinically healthy dogs

Liver function tests help to investigate actual liver function. In dogs, only a few tests are available. We evaluated the formation of monoethylglycinexylidide (MEGX) in clinically healthy dogs to assess the usefulness of this liver function test in dogs. Twenty-five healthy dogs were used in this study. The MEGX test was done according to human protocols. The results of our study showed that dogs synthesize MEGX after the administration of lidocaine. There was no age dependence of this test in dogs and no significant difference between measurements obtained at 15 and 30 min after administration of lidocaine. Female dogs had significantly (P < 0.05) higher concentrations of MEGX 15 min after administration. The reference interval for dogs after 15 min is 34 to 79 μg/L and after 30 min 39 to 89 μg/L. In conclusion, the MEGX test may be an additional liver function test in dogs.     

Effects of isoflurane on echocardiographic parameters in healthy dogs

Objective To study the echocardiographic effects of isoflurane at an end‐tidal concentration approximating 1.0 times the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) in healthy unpremedicated dogs. Study design Prospective experimental trial. Animals Sixteen mature mongrel dogs of either sex weighing 11.06 ± 2.72 kg. Methods After performing a baseline echocardiogram in the awake animal, anesthesia was induced with increasing inspired concentrations of isoflurane via a face mask until tracheal intubation was possible. Following intubation, the end‐tidal concentration was decreased to 1.4% for the rest of the anesthetic period. Serial echocardiograms were recorded at 25, 40, and 55 minutes after the end‐tidal concentration was reached. Results No changes were observed in heart rate. However, significant decreases were seen in left ventricular end‐diastolic diameter (Mean maximal change: 13.8%), interventricular septal thickness during systole (15.2%), interventricular septal thickening fraction (72.2%), left ventricular free wall thickening fraction (63.5%), ejection fraction (39.9%), and fractional shortening (46.7%). In addition, peak flow velocities across mitral, pulmonic, and aortic valves were significantly lower than baseline values. Decreases were also observed in end‐diastolic left ventricular volume index (approximately 32.1% from the awake value), stroke index (58.2%), and cardiac index (55.3%) when compared with awake measurements. Conclusions and clinical relevance Our results indicate that 1 × MAC isoflurane caused significant myocardial depression in healthy dogs. These changes in myocardial function need to be considered carefully when isoflurane is to be used in dogs with poor cardiovascular reserve.     

Glomerular lesions associated with proteinuria in clinically healthy dogs.

Spontaneous proteinuria in otherwise clinically normal adult Beagles 4-6 years old was studied for 2 years. Eighteen dogs, representing a population of 218 Beagles, were placed into three groups: group I, nonproteinuric; group II, intermittently proteinuric; group III, persistently proteinuric. The groups were alike on the basis of laboratory tests, except urinary protein loss. Proteinuria was persistent in most affected dogs but not progressive during the 2 years. The loss of proteins with high molecular weight, including alpha-, beta-, and gamma-globulins, suggested the proteinuria was of glomerular origin. There were glomerular lesions but no other significant change in the kidneys and urogenital system. Lesions were generalized and characterized by prominent, local or diffuse mesangial proliferation and by thickening, wrinkling, and splitting of the glomerular basement membrane. The subendothelial space was often widened and contained electron-dense deposits. Similar electron-dense deposits, as well as lipid and mineral, were in the mesangium. Alterations in visceral epithelial cells and endothelium were prominent. Periglomerular sclerosis was present but tended not to correlate with the severity of mesangial change in any given renal corpuscle. The severity of both mesangial and periglomerular changes increased with increasing proteinuria. Immunofluoescence studies demonstrated granular discontinuous localization of IgG and betaIC-globulins in the glomerular capillaries and mesangium. Similar localization was seen but to a lesser extent in nonproteinuric dogs. The glomerular lesions seen in these clinically healthy, proteinuric dogs are similar to those described in various canind diseases associated with terminal renal failure.     

Echocardiographic values in clinically healthy adult dogue de Bordeaux dogs

Objectives : To assess the influence of body surface area, age and gender on echocardiographic parameters and to establish echocardiographic reference values for dogue de Bordeaux dogs. Methods : Thirty‐nine healthy dogue de Bordeaux dogs of both sexes, older than one year, were recruited and 31 of these were included in the study. The classic linear regression model proved to be the best way to analyse the data. The reference limits of the echocardiographic measurements were calculated using the regression equations. The difference between the mean values of body surface area in both gender groups was evaluated by using one‐way ANOVA. Results : A significant correlation was seen between several echocardiographic parameters and body surface area or body surface area and age, and high coefficients of determination (R2) were found. No effect of gender was detected on echocardiographic variables, except for the thickness of the left ventricular posterior wall at end diastole. Clinical Significance : The echocardiographic parameters related to body surface area, in the absence of correlation with other independent variables (gender and age) should be interpreted with caution because their variation could be significant for the presence of heart disease. The proposed statistical model allows estimation of echocardiographic parameters in dogue de Bordeaux dogs with different body surface areas and ages.     

Study of haemostatic disorders in experimentally induced leishmaniasis in Beagle dogs

Haemostatic alterations in dogs experimentally infected with Leishmania infantumwere studied before and after therapy with meglumine antimonate. Haemostatic function tests including platelet count, collagen-induced platelet aggregation, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, thrombin time, plasma fibrinogen determination, and serum fibrinogen/fibrin degradation products concentration were performed. In the course of infection and before treatment, moderate thrombocytopenia (P<0·00001) decreased collagen induced platelet aggregation (P=0·0003), prolonged thrombin time (P=0·0117) and increased fibrinogen/fibrin degradation products were observed. Statistically significant differences of plasma fibrinogen concentration, prothrombin time, and activated partial thromboplastin time were not encountered. Haemostatic parameters returned to normal values after therapy. The results indicate that Leishmania infection may impair haemostasis suggesting induction of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), and that treating dogs in an early stage of infection may potentially avoid the possibility of developing an uncompensated DIC.     

The immunophenotype of peripheral blood lymphocytes in clinically healthy dogs and dogs with lymphoma in remission

Lymphoma is a common cancer of dogs that frequently is treated with chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Response to therapy is variable and currently available diagnostic tests do not reliably predict response to therapy. Treatment for lymphoma often results in lymphopenia, but it is unknown whether the changes in circulating lymphocytes result from generalized or specific reduction of lymphocytes. In this study, blood lymphocytes from 12 clinically healthy dogs, 10 dogs in remission because of treatment for B-cell lymphoma, and 8 dogs in remission from T-cell lymphoma were analyzed by flow cytometry by using a panel of 20 antibodies reactive with canine leukocyte antigens. Results identified similar lymphocyte parameters in treated dogs regardless of the type of lymphoma. Treated dogs had >50% reduction in blood lymphocyte concentration, and an absolute decrease in most subsets of lymphocytes. Both groups of treated dogs had relative increases in the proportion of CD3+, T-cell receptor (TCR)αβ+, and CD90+ lymphocytes, and a decreased proportion of CD45RA+ cells. In addition, dogs with T-cell lymphoma in remission had a significant increase in the proportion of CD49d+ lymphocytes. These findings were interpreted as representing likely suppression of lymphocyte regeneration by chemotherapy, with a relative increase in the proportion of memory over naïve lymphocytes. Lack of correlation with the T- or B-cell origin of the initial lymphoma suggested that, by using flow cytometric methods, residual circulating neoplastic cells could not be detected. However, the changes in the lymphocyte profile of dogs treated with chemotherapy may have relevance to their immunocompetence.     

Effects of long-term oral administration of ketoprofen in clinically healthy beagle dogs

To investigate the adverse effects of long-term administration of ketoprofen in dogs, ketoprofen (1 mg/kg) was administered to five clinically healthy beagle dogs (ketoprofen group) and gelatin capsules (control group) were administered to four clinically healthy beagle dogs for 30 days. We monitored the dogs through periodic physical examination, blood analyses, endoscopic examinations, fecal occult blood tests, renal function tests, urinalysis, urinary enzyme indices and cuticle bleeding time analysis. The lesions in the stomach, especially in the pyloric antrum, and fecal occult blood progressively worsened in the ketoprofen group. However, the differences between the ketoprofen group and the control group were not statistically significant. One dog in the ketoprofen group temporarily exhibited a decrease in renal plasma flow and two dogs exhibited enzymuria. However, these changes did not persist and the other examinations showed no significant difference between premedication and postmedication in the ketoprofen group. Therefore, the adverse effects of long-term administration of ketoprofen observed in this study were not clinically important in healthy dogs. Nevertheless, further investigation of adverse renal effects from long-term administration of ketoprofen is necessary in the dogs with subclinical renal disease.     

Co-oximetry in clinically healthy dogs and effects of time of post sampling on measurements

Objectives : Co‐oximetry is a complex and valuable laboratory method that measures haemoglobin species and oxygenation status by multi‐wavelength spectrophotometry. The purpose of this study was to establish reference intervals for clinically healthy dogs and to determine the effect of time of analyses and sex of animals on the accuracy of results. Methods : Blood was collected from 27 healthy adult dogs of various breeds and sex. Co‐oximetry was performed on a CCX co‐oximeter that measures eight haemoglobin and oxygen transport related parameters: carboxyhaemoglobin (COHb), deoxyhaemoglobin (HHb), oxyhaemoglobin (O₂Hb), methaemoglobin (MetHb), total haemoglobin (tHb), oxygen saturation (SO₂%), oxygen content (O₂Ct) and oxygen capacity (O₂Cap). Results : Results obtained after 2 and 4 hours were not significantly different from those obtained immediately after sampling. But after 48 hours, the results for total haemoglobin, oxygen saturation, oxyhaemoglobin, oxygen content and oxygen capacity were significantly lower, and carboxyhaemoglobin and deoxyhaemoglobin values were significantly higher than determination immediately after sampling. Gender had no significant impact on co‐oximetry values. Clinical Significance : Co‐oximetry offers several advantages compared with other methods, including ease of use, increased accuracy and greater differentiation among haemoglobin species.     

The effects of diminazene aceturate on systemic blood pressure in clinically healthy adult dogs

Diminazene aceturate is a commonly used antibabesial agent. It has been postulated that diminazine may induce a decrease in blood pressure and exacerbate the hypotension presented in dogs with babesiosis. This study was undertaken to assess the effect of diminazine aceturate on the blood pressure of healthy dogs. Six healthy German shepherd dogs between 18 and 24 months of age with a mean weight of 30.4 +/- 2.75 kg were used. Blood pressure was directly measured at the following time intervals: -5, 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 50, 60, 90 and 120 minutes after treatment with diminazine aceturate (4.2 mg/kg) intramuscularly. No statistical difference (P > 0.05) was found in blood pressure between any of the time intervals. An increase in heart rate was seen 5 minutes after the administration of diminazine aceturate but no change in blood pressure was evident. This study concluded that diminazene aceturate in its current formulation with antipyrine does not alter blood pressure in healthy adult dogs.     

Echocardiographic parameters and indices in 23 healthy Maltese dogs

BackgroundEchocardiography is a primary tool used by veterinarians to evaluate heart diseases. In recent years, various studies have targeted standard echocardiographic values for different breeds. Reference data are currently lacking in Maltese dogs and it is important to fill this gap as this breed is predisposed to myxomatous mitral valve disease, which is a volume overload disease.ObjectivesTo establish the normal echocardiographic parameters for Maltese dogs.MethodsIn total, 23 healthy Maltese dogs were involved in this study. Blood pressure measurements, thoracic radiography, and complete transthoracic echocardiography were performed. The effects of body weight, age and sex were evaluated, and the correlations between weight and linear and volumetric dimensions were calculated by regression analysis.ResultsThe mean vertebral heart size was 9.1 ± 0.4. Aside from the ejection fraction, fractional shortening, and the left atrial to aorta root ratio, all the other echocardiographic parameters were significantly correlated with weight.ConclusionThis study describes normal echocardiographic parameters that may be useful in the echocardiographic evaluation of Maltese dogs.     

Characterization of certain inflammatory variables in the peripheral blood of clinically healthy dogs

Many laboratory techniques have been developed to study and quantify the inflammatory response, including the release of acid hydrolase enzymes, leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)) production, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and complement conversion studies. Although extensively studied in human health and disease, the relevance of such tests in the dog is largely unknown. After isolation of the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) and polymorphonuclear cell (PMN) fractions from the peripheral blood of 38 clinically healthy dogs, values for ROS production were similar for both cell fractions when measured by luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence (17,853+/-9,695 U/10(6) cells versus 19,138+/-14,569 U/10(6) cells for the PBMC (n=38) and PMN (n=18) fractions, respectively). However, the mean time taken to reach maximum chemiluminescence was noticeably shorter in the PBMC fraction (5.1+/-3.3 versus 10.7+/-2.5 min for PBMCs (n=36) and PMNs (n=18), respectively). Intracellular concentrations of beta-glucuronidase, beta-galactosidase and N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase were assayed by spectrofluorometry. Mean values for all three enzymes were higher in PBMCs (n=31-35) than in PMNs (n=10-14). Both cell fractions released 20% of the intracellular enzyme concentration when stimulated with opsonized zymosan. Following incubation with A23187 (1 microM), mean LTB(4) production was higher in PBMCs (4.45+/-2.92 ng/10(6) cells; n=27) than in PMNs (0.96+/-2.22 ng/10(6) cells; n=13) using a validated high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay. Immunoprecipitation studies revealed that the mean percentage conversion of C3 to C3b following stimulation with opsonized zymosan was 57.3+/-13.4% (n=36). The results provide normal values for clinically healthy dogs that may subsequently be used in future studies investigating dogs with various inflammatory disorders.