Hereditary anomaly of neutrophil granulation in Birman cats

A hereditary anomaly of neutrophil granulation in purebred Birman cats was described with respect to genetic, electron microscopic, histochemical, and functional characters. The trait was inherited in an autosomal recessive manner and was prevalent in the population studied. Affected cats had fine eosinophilic granules in the cytoplasm of neutrophils. The granules had normal morphology as determined by electron microscopy and did not stain for acid mucopolysaccharide. Bactericidal activity, phagocytosis, and oxidative function of affected neutrophils were not different from those of unaffected neutrophils. The anomaly was concluded to be an alteration in the content of lysosomal granules with increased affinity for acidic dyes.     

Abscess-forming inflammatory granulation tissue with Gram-positive cocci and prominent eosinophil infiltration in cats: possible infection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus

We occasionally encounter feline cervical or mesenteric lesions diagnosed histopathologically as abscess or inflammatory granulation tissue with eosinophil infiltration. Gram-positive cocci accompany the lesions. In the present study, such lesions obtained from 27 cats were examined to evaluate the histopathologic features and the nature of the causative bacteria. The average age was 7.3 +/- 3.5 years. No sex predilection was observed. Most frequent locations of the lesions included the abdominal cavity with/without mesenteric lymph nodes (11/27, 41%) and subcutaneous tissue or lymph nodes of the neck (9/27, 33%). Common clinical presentation was a localized mass. Grossly, the lesions contained abscesses in the center and were surrounded by fibrous tissue. Microscopically, the necrotic zone contained bacterial colonies. Large numbers of eosinophils and macrophages infiltrated the area surrounding the necrotic tissue. The surrounding connective fiber-rich granulation tissue demarcated the eosinophilic abscess. The bacteria were Gram-positive cocci in 23 of the 27 cats and were positive for anti-staphylococcus antiserum in 19 of the 23 cats. In 15 out of 17 lesions, the colonies expressed immunoreactivity to penicillin-binding protein 2', which is a drug-resistance gene product of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus (MRS) species. These findings suggest strongly that MRS causes this type of infectious lesion.     

Management of exuberant granulation tissue

Exuberant granulation tissue is common in large, lower limb wounds of horses, particularly horses of large body size. Methods of control include chemical cautery, cryogenic surgery, and surgical resection. Surgical resection is preferred because it is easy to perform, provides tissue for histologic evaluation, and preserves the epithelial margin. Effective treatments to prevent the formation of granulation tissue include leaving granulating wounds open to the air or, possibly, bandaging with topical steroids. Bandaging or casting may promote exuberant granulation tissue in wounds in which it has already formed, but bandaging and casting are still important in the early management of lower limb or hock wounds in horses. The use of skin grafts or delayed secondary wound closure is frequently necessary to prevent the recurrence of exuberant granulation tissue.     

Tear-film osmolarity in normal cats and cats with conjunctivitis

Objective To compare the tear‐film osmolarity of normal cats and cats with conjunctivitis. Animal studied The population consisted of shelter, research, and privately owned cats. Procedures Cats were classified as normal or having conjunctivitis. An ophthalmic examination including Schirmer tear test (STT), fluorescein staining, tear‐film break‐up time (TFBUT), intraocular pressure (IOP), and slit‐lamp biomicroscopy of the anterior segment was performed. The severity of conjunctivitis was graded and assigned a numerical score. The Tear Lab^TM Osmolarity System was utilized to determine the tear‐film osmolarity. Unpaired t‐tests were used to compare tear‐film osmolarity, TFBUT, IOP, and STT of the two groups. Results A total of 93 cats (186 eyes) were examined. There were 37 normal cats (74 eyes) and 39 conjunctivitis cats (78 eyes). The mean age was 2.34 years. There was no statistical difference (P = 0.2065) between the median tear‐film osmolarity of normal cats (328.5 ± 17.94 mOsms/L) and conjunctivitis cats (325.0 ± 24.84 mOsms/L). Cats with conjunctivitis had an accelerated TFBUT (P < 0.0001) and lower IOPs (P < 0.0001) as compared to normal cats. No statistical difference was found between STT values (P = 0.1304). Conclusions The median tear‐film osmolarity of normal cats was 328.5 mOsms/L. Despite the accelerated TFBUT, conjunctivitis did not cause a statistically significant change in tear‐film osmolarity. The Tear Lab^TM Osmolarity System was easily used and well tolerated by the cats in the study.     

Demodicosis in cats

Feline demodicosis, caused by Demodex cati, may be associated with immunosuppression, as from FeLV infection or diabetes mellitus. Clinical signs include nonpruritic alopecia, scaling, erythema and hyperpigmentation in the facial region. Local topical application of 2.5% lime sulfur solution every 10 days is usually curative in a few weeks or months.     

Neosporosis in cats

Six cats (Nos. 1-6) were inoculated intramuscularly with (1 x 10(6)) and orally (5 x 10(5)) tachyzoites of Neospora caninum. Three (Nos. 1-3) of the six cats were given 40 mg/kg methylprednisolone acetate 7 days before and on the day of inoculation with N. caninum tachyzoites, and three cats (Nos. 4-6) were not given methylprednisolone acetate. Two of the cats (cat Nos. 1 and 2) given methylprednisolone acetate died suddenly. Cat No. 1 died 8 days post-inoculation, and cat No. 2 died 16 days post-inoculation. Cat No. 3 was euthanatized 21 days post-inoculation. Cat No. 1 had lesions of gram-positive bacterial septicemia. Necrotizing encephalitis, myelitis, disseminated skeletal muscle necrosis, hepatic necrosis, interstitial pneumonia, and renal tubular necrosis were the main lesions in cat Nos. 2 and 3. The cats that were not given methylprednisolone acetate remained clinically normal except for slight weight loss in cat No. 6. All three of these cats were euthanatized 55 days post-inoculation. Mild myositis and encephalitis were noted on microscopic examination of tissues from these three cats. Neuromuscular lesions were not seen in six control cats (Nos. 7-12) not inoculated with N. caninum and euthanatized 21 or 22 days after administration of the first two doses of methylprednisolone acetate (40 mg/kg), given at a weekly interval.     

Pharmacokinetics of methimazole in normal cats and cats with hyperthyroidism

The intravenous and oral disposition of the antithyroid drug methimazole was determined in 10 clinically normal cats and nine cats with naturally occurring hyperthyroidism. After intravenous administration of 5 mg methimazole, the mean residence time was significantly (P less than 0.05) shorter in the cats with hyperthyroidism than in the normal cats, but there was no significant difference between the mean values for total body clearance (CL), steady state volume of distribution (Vdss), terminal elimination rate constant (ke), or serum terminal half-life (t1/2) in the two groups of cats. After oral administration, the mean bioavailability of methimazole was high in both the normal cats (77.6 per cent) and cats with hyperthyroidism (79.5 per cent). The values for mean residence time, ke and serum terminal t1/2 after oral dosing were significantly shorter in the cats with hyperthyroidism than in the normal cats. However, after oral administration of methimazole there were no significant differences between the mean values for CL, Vdss, bioavailability and maximum serum concentrations or the time for maximal concentrations to be reached in the two groups of cats. Overall, most pharmacokinetic parameters for methimazole were not altered by the hyperthyroid state. However, the cats with hyperthyroidism did show a trend toward faster elimination of the drug compared with the normal cats, similar to what has been previously described for the antithyroid drug propylthiouracil in cats. These results also indicate that methimazole is well absorbed when administered orally and has a higher bioavailability than that of propylthiouracil in cats with hyperthyroidism.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)