Acute phase proteins in dogs and cats: current knowledge and future perspectives

The acute phase response is a nonspecific inflammatory reaction of the host that occurs shortly after any tissue injury. The response includes changes in the concentration of plasma proteins called acute phase proteins (APPs), some of which decrease in concentration (negative APPs), such as albumin or transferrin, and others of which increase in concentration (positive APPs), such as C-reactive protein, serum amyloid A, haptoglobin, alpha-1-acid glycoprotein, and ceruloplasmin. Most positive APPs are glycoproteins synthesized mainly by hepatocytes upon stimulation by proinflammatory cytokines and released into the bloodstream. The acute phase response and clinical application of monitoring APPs in dogs and cats are reviewed in this article, including biochemical characteristics, assays developed for each individual APP, and preanalytic and analytic factors influencing APP results that should be taken into account for proper and adequate clinical interpretation. In addition, the diagnostic use of APPs and their possible application in monitoring treatment, which can be considered one of the most interesting and promising practical applications of these proteins, will be discussed. Finally, challenges and future developments of APPs in dogs and cats will be considered, because it is expected that new and cheaper automated assays for determination of the main APPs in small animals will contribute to a wider use of these proteins as biomarkers of infection and inflammatory lesions.     

Studies on the use of Coulter Chemistry in the veterinary laboratory: day-to day reproducibility and the effects of storage, hemolysis, lipemia, hyperbilirubinemia and anticoagulants on test results.

A study was done to determine the variations in clinical chemistry test results that might be due to day-to-day changes in laboratory testing conditions or to variations in specimens submitted. Laboratory precision and specimen storage conditions had relatively little effect on the test results, except for a few specific instances. Other variables, such as the presence of anticoagulants in the specimen and sample discoloration due to hemolysis, hyperbilirubinemia or lipemia were more often responsible for inconsistencies in test results.     

Recommendations for designing and conducting veterinary clinical pathology biologic variation studies

The recent creation of a veterinary clinical pathology biologic variation website has highlighted the need to provide recommendations for future studies of biologic variation in animals in order to help standardize and improve the quality of published information and to facilitate review and selection of publications as standard references. The following recommendations are provided in the format and order commonly found in veterinary publications. A checklist is provided to aid in planning, implementing, and evaluating veterinary studies on biologic variation (Appendix  S1 ). These recommendations provide a valuable resource for clinicians, laboratorians, and researchers interested in conducting studies of biologic variation and in determining the quality of studies of biologic variation in veterinary laboratory testing.     

Clinical pathology and sample collection in the laboratory rodent.

Common laboratory rodents have always been a favorite choice as a pet. Although diagnostic clinical pathology has not been viewed as practical for the rodent patient, current advances in technology make processing of small samples possible. Cultivation of the technical skills necessary for rodent sample collection has the potential to improve the standard of rodent veterinary care. This article provides an overview of rodent sample collection techniques, hematology, clinical biochemistry, serology, and clinical pathology of other tissues and fluids for laboratory rodents. General principles of clinical pathology can be applied across species. This article emphasizes the subtleties of the different rodent species which may impact diagnostic interpretation.     

Diagnosis and medical treatment of otitis externa in the dog and cat

Otitis externa is no longer viewed as an isolated disease of the ear canal, but is a syndrome that is often a reflection of underlying dermatological disease. Causes are classified as predisposing (increase the risk of otitis); primary (directly induce otitis), secondary (contribute to otitis only in an abnormal ear or in conjunction with predisposing factors) and perpetuating (result from inflammation and pathology in ear, prevent resolution of otitis). Common primary causes include foreign bodies, hypersensitivity (particularly atopy and food allergy), keratinisation disorders (most commonly primary idiopathic seborrhoea and hypothyroidism) and earmites, particularly in cats. A systematic diagnostic procedure is required to identify causes and contributing factors. This should include history, clinical examination, otoscopy and cytology in all cases and culture and sensitivity as well as otitis media assessment and biopsy in severe and recurrent cases. Ancillary tests may be required depending on the underlying cause. Treatment consists of identifying and addressing predisposing and primary factors; cleaning the ear canal; topical therapy; systemic therapy where necessary; client education; follow-up; and preventive and maintenance therapy as required.     

Otitis externa — the place for polypharmacy

The aetiology of otitis externa is complex and several factors are involved, either as primary initiating causes or as secondary complications. In many cases, the condition is brought about by a combination of events, resulting in dynamic changes in the physiological, anatomical and microbiological state of the ear. Thus, identification of the cause in a particular case is very often impossible, impractical, or too time-consuming. Furthermore, the expense of bacteriological investigations may not be justified because the findings can be very difficult to interpret. Therefore, there are many occasions when a combination of therapeutic agents in one preparation — polypharmacy — would be advantageous as a first-line treatment. It is important, indeed fundamental, that such a medicament should be effective against all the common aetiological factors. Ideally, an antibiotic, an antifungal, a parasiticidal and an anti-inflammatory agent should be included. The results obtained in a clinical trial with a combined preparation that met the above requirements have shown that this approach to therapy is efficacious.     

Clinical pathology of amphibians: a review

Amphibian declines and extinctions have worsened in the last 2 decades. Partly because one of the main causes of the declines is infectious disease, veterinary professionals have increasingly become involved in amphibian research, captive husbandry, and management. Health evaluation of amphibians, free‐living or captive, can benefit from employing the tools of clinical pathology, something that is commonly used in veterinary medicine of other vertebrates. The present review compiles what is known of amphibian clinical pathology emphasizing knowledge that may assist with the interpretation of laboratory results, provides diagnostic recommendations for common amphibian diseases, and includes RIs for a few amphibian species estimated based on peer‐reviewed studies. We hope to encourage the incorporation of clinical pathology in amphibian practice and research, and to highlight the importance of applying veterinary medicine principles in furthering our knowledge of amphibian pathophysiology.     

Malignant catarrhal fever in Switzerland: 2. Evaluation of the diagnosis]

Malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) is a mostly fatal lymphoproliferative disease of cattle. In 1995 a PCR based method was introduced for the detection of the ovine herpesvirus 2 (OvHV-2), which is regarded as the causative agent of the sheep-associated form of the disease. This PCR can be regarded as a gold standard for the in vivo diagnosis of sheep-associated MCF in cattle (Müller-Doblies et al., 1998). This semi-nested PCR was now used as a reference test for the reassessment of diagnostic criteria in the clinical and post mortem diagnosis that could previously not be quantitated. Based on 83 suspected cases with a complete clinical record the clinical signs were weighted and grouped according to their sensitivity and specificity into lead signs indicative of MCF and frequently accompanying signs supportive for the diagnosis of MCF and general clinical signs that were less reliable for the diagnosis. Differential diagnoses are discussed, which are of particular significance due to their status as OIE list A diseases e.g. foot-and-mouth disease or rinderpest. 38 PCR confirmed cattle with MCF served for the quantitative analysis of organ lesions. For the post mortem diagnosis an essential set of organ samples is defined to permit a reliable histological diagnosis, as the gross pathology often did not give any indication for the diagnosis. These criteria should help to improve the diagnostic efficiency and to select the appropriate laboratory diagnostic procedures for MCF-suspected cattle.     

Diagnosis of canine viral infections

The diagnosis of canine viral infections frequently requires the correlation of clinical, hematologic, pathologic, and laboratory findings. When laboratory diagnostics are utilized, appropriate specimens must be collected. In addition, correct timing of specimen collection and the proper handling and transport of these specimens are essential. Whenever possible, the practitioner should not rely on any one laboratory procedure for making a diagnosis; rather, a combination of techniques should be used. Submission of tissue for histopathology, virus isolation, and antigen detection techniques (FAT), serum for serologic analysis, and feces whenever enteric infections are investigated will maximize the chances of making a successful diagnosis.     

The Small Animal Operative Practice Laboratory

The small animal operative practice laboratory is the technical component of the fundamentals of surgery lecture course and should give students the basic skills necessary to actively participate in the operative and anesthetic management of client's animals in the teaching hospital. The surgery faculty is challenged with structuring a laboratory that will maximize use of available resources, including clinical and morphologic pathology faculty, for the benefit of the student. The laboratory can be structured as a small animal practice to give students the responsibility and equipment for preoperative, operative, and postoperative care of their animals. The keys to the educational success of the laboratory are the attitude and enthusiasm of the surgery faculty.     

Interpretation of canine and feline blood smears by emergency room personnel

Background: Interpretation of blood smears is commonly used to provide rapid laboratory evaluation of animals in veterinary emergency practice, but the accuracy of results of blood smear interpretation by emergency room personnel (ERP) compared with evaluation by trained veterinary clinical pathology personnel is unknown. Objective: The goal of this study was to compare blood smear evaluation by ERP with that of clinical pathology personnel. Methods: All animals that had a CBC determined by a diagnostic laboratory and had blood smears evaluated by personnel at the Foster Hospital for Small Animals Emergency Room between September 2008 and July 2009 were eligible for study inclusion. ERP who evaluated blood smears completed standardized forms with estimates of the WBC and platelet counts and evaluation of RBC and WBC morphology. Results from point‐of‐care assessment were compared with automated or manual results reported by the veterinary diagnostic laboratory. Results: One hundred and fifty‐five blood smears were evaluated. There was moderate agreement (κ value, 0.63; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.52, 0.74) between estimated platelet counts by ERP and automated counts. Poor agreement was found between estimated WBC counts by ERP and automated counts (κ value, 0.48; 95% CI: 0.37, 0.60). Specific abnormalities with a high likelihood of clinical significance, eg, toxic change, nucleated RBCs, spherocytes, hemoparasites, and lymphoblasts, were not predictably identified by ERP. Conclusions: ERP interpretation of canine and feline blood smears should be used cautiously and should not replace evaluation by a veterinary diagnostic laboratory.     

Best practices for veterinary toxicologic clinical pathology,with emphasis on the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries

The purpose of this paper by the Regulatory Affairs Committee (RAC) of the American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology (ASVCP) is to review the current regulatory guidances (eg, guidelines) and published recommendations for best practices in veterinary toxicologic clinical pathology, particularly in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, and to utilize the combined experience of ASVCP RAC to provide updated recommendations. Discussion points include (1) instrumentation, validation, and sample collection, (2) routine laboratory variables, (3) cytologic laboratory variables, (4) data interpretation and reporting (including peer review, reference intervals and statistics), and (5) roles and responsibilities of clinical pathologists and laboratory personnel. Revision and improvement of current practices should be in alignment with evolving regulatory guidance documents, new technology, and expanding understanding and utility of clinical pathology. These recommendations provide a contemporary guide for the refinement of veterinary toxicologic clinical pathology best practices.     

Equine emergency upper airway management

Respiratory distress due to acute upper respiratory tract obstruction is an uncommon emergency in equine practice. However, clinicians should be confident with the approach to this truly life-threatening scenario. Clinical signs are obvious at rest and include increased respiratory effort, loud respiratory noise and recumbency as asphyxiation progresses. Many cases of upper respiratory tract obstruction involve the pharynx or larynx, though obstruction in other regions of the upper respiratory tract and other causes of respiratory distress should be considered. Generally, the obstruction can be bypassed by placing a nasotracheal tube under endoscopic guidance or by making a temporary tracheotomy to ensure a patent airway. Following this stabilisation, further investigation into the cause of airway obstruction can be performed. Endoscopy is usually the most valuable diagnostic tool, though other imaging modalities can be useful. Further empirical treatment is often required, though the specific management will vary depending on the pathology present.     

Analyte comparisons on the Coulter Dacos and Kodak Ektachem DT-60 clinical chemistry analyzers

Eighteen analytes were compared using the Coulter Dacos and Kodak Ektachem DT-60 chemistry analyzers. All analytes were significantly linearly related. Correlations were excellent for fifteen analytes (r > 0.95); the correlations for sodium, chloride, and total protein were less than 0.95 but greater than 0.90. Several analytes had slopes significantly different from unity which was likely related to methodological differences. Regression equations are presented for the conversion of data generated using the Kodak Ektachem DT-60 to Coulter Dacos values so that, in the University of Guelph clinical pathology laboratory, one set of reference intervals serves both instruments. These data are directly applicable only in the laboratory in which they were developed. They should not be utilized directly in other laboratories, but can be used as general guidelines until confirmatory studies are done.     

Infectious disease factors in poultry

The increased importance of multicausal diseases of poultry in the present time is due to a better control and prevention of the monocausal diseases and epidemics predominant in the past. This development is supported by the intensive methods of modern poultry husbandry, the high stocking densities and the improved performance of the poultry by genetic selection. Opportunistic as well as pathogenic organisms can be involved in the development of infectious factorial diseases. A variety of clinical signs can be observed. Above all immunosuppression accompanied by mixed infections and other factors causes health problems of great economical importance. Frequently series of events take place in the development of infectious factorial diseases, in the course of which a preceding disturbance acts as factor of further diseases. Some examples of diseases and syndroms are given to substantiate the multiple involvement of different factors and infections in the development of series of events.     

Non-skeletal scintigraphy of the horse: indications and validity

Gamma scintigraphy is an established imaging modality in the horse and is principally utilised to investigate skeletal disease using bone-seeking radiopharmaceuticals. However, depending on the radiopharmaceutical and imaging sequence, scintigraphy can be used to investigate disease in virtually any organ system. In this article the indications and validity of scintigraphy as a clinical diagnostic tool to investigate non-skeletal disease in the horse are reviewed. These indications include: investigation of dental disease, identification of inflammatory foci, vascular lesions, muscle and tendon pathology, assessment of physiological function of the lungs, gastrointestinal tract and other organs. Some of the techniques described for use in the horse have not been validated fully and as a result non-skeletal scintigraphy requires further investigation and validation using well-designed prospective studies. Such information can be used by clinicians to make informed decisions regarding the clinical and economic issues associated with a specific scintigraphic technique and may help when interpreting the results.     

Microparticles in Health and Disease

Microparticles (MPs), small membrane‐derived vesicles, are derived from many cell types and released into the circulation. Microparticles can express antigens, and contain cell surface proteins, cytoplasmic contents, and nuclear components from their cell of origin that determines their composition, characterization, and transfer of biologic information. Certain prompts for this release include shear stress, complement activation, proapoptotic stimulation, cellular damage, or agonist interaction with cell surface receptors. Release can be physiologic or pathologic and is associated with proinflammatory and procoagulant effects and has been implicated in thrombotic states. Microparticles also contribute to systemic inflammation and cardiovascular, hematologic, and oncologic disease states. The study of MPs in human medicine is rapidly advancing and extends into the physiology of health, the pathophysiology of disease, and the role of MPs in transfusion medicine. In veterinary medicine, published work on MPs has been limited to the area of inherited disorders, blood storage, and leukoreduction (LR). Microparticle research is still in its infancy, and this review should be seen as a snapshot of what is currently known. As research continues important limitations, including variations in preanalytic variables such as collection, storage, or centrifugation, and limitations of quantitation are coming to the forefront. Correlation of quantitation of MPs with assays of activity will hopefully shed light on the true nature of MPs in health and disease. This review will focus on the role of cellular exocytic vesiculation in health, disease, and transfusion medicine.     

Exotic mammal renal disease: diagnosis and treatment.

Knowledge of the renal anatomy and clinical pathology associated with renal disease can help the practitioner with interpretation of imaging procedures and urine, blood, and serum biochemical values.This article discusses specimen collection techniques, along with species variables in several clinical pathology parameters. Diagnostic tools and interpretations are discussed for the more common renal maladies affecting exotic mammals. Treatment guidelines are offered for general as well as specific exotic mammal renal diseases.     

动物饲养试验应考虑参试动物间血缘关系

进行动物科学试验时必须考虑到全部有较大效应的因素,只有那些远远小于处理效应的因素才可以通过"随机化"归入试验误差。对于"大效因素",无论是否随机化,都不能消除它们对试验结果的影响。现代家畜品种内变异常常很大,不同家系间遗传效应的差异常常超过试验因素的效应。所以进行动物试验时,包括动物饲养试验、消化代谢试验、饲养管理试验等,都需要考虑参试个体间的血缘关系。