Mycobacterial disease in cats in Great Britain: I. Culture results, geographical distribution and clinical presentation of 339 cases

This study investigated 339 cases of feline mycobacterial disease from cats with cutaneous lesions or masses found at exploratory laparotomy. Tissue samples were submitted to the Veterinary Laboratories Agency for mycobacterial culture over a 4-year period to December 2008. The study assessed which species of culturable mycobacteria were involved, where the cats lived, and their clinical presentation (physical findings, serum biochemistry, radiography, feline leukaemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus status). Mycobacterium microti was cultured from 19%, Mycobacterium bovis 15%, Mycobacterium avium 7%, non-M avium non-tuberculous mycobacteria 6%, with no growth in 53% of samples. M microti, M bovis and M avium were found in almost mutually exclusive clusters within Great Britain (GB) (ie, M bovis in South-West England/Wales/Welsh Border, M avium in eastern England and M microti south of London and in South-West Scotland). While differences were seen in the clinical presentation and distribution of lesions caused by the different infections, these were not sufficiently different to be diagnostic. Cats commonly presented with single or multiple cutaneous lesions (74%), which were sometimes ulcerated or discharging, located most frequently on the head (54%). Lymph nodes were usually involved (47%); typically the submandibular nodes. Systemic or pulmonary signs were rarely seen (10-16%). When a cat is suspected of having mycobacteriosis, accurate identification of the species involved helps to determine appropriate action. Our findings show that knowing the cat's geographic location can be helpful, while the nature of the clinical presentation is less useful. Most cases of feline mycobacterial disease in GB are cutaneous.     

Naturally-occurring chronic renal disease in Australian cats: a prospective study of 184 cases

OBJECTIVE: To describe cases of naturally occurring feline chronic renal disease (CRD) in a defined population of Sydney. DESIGN: Prospective case series. METHODS: The inclusion criteria were the presence of a serum creatinine concentration above the reference range with either inadequately concentrated urine (urine specific gravity < or = 1.035), necropsy findings consistent with CRD, renal proteinuria or persistent azotaemia despite rehydration. Cats were excluded if a specific aetiology was identified ante or post mortem. Patients were divided into two categories (renal insufficiency or renal failure) on the basis of history, physical findings and serum creatinine concentration. The gender and age of cats with CRD was compared to an estimated Australian urban pet cat population. The breeds of cats with CRD were compared to the breeds of cats visiting the respective veterinary hospital where possible. Breed and gender comparisons were made using Fisher's exact tests. Age comparisons were made using Mann-Whitney U tests. The age at which cats were diagnosed with CRD was compared between veterinary hospitals using a Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS: One hundred and eighty-four (99 female; 85 male) cats fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Amongst cats with CRD, males (median 12 years) were significantly younger than females (median 15 years; p = 0.001). The overall proportion of male and female cats with CRD was similar to that of the reference urban cat population (p = 0.41), however, between the ages of 9 and 11 years, male cats with CRD were over-represented (p = 0.038). Patients diagnosed with renal insufficiency (123 cats; median age 15 years) were significantly older than patients diagnosed with renal failure (61 cats; median age 11 years; p = 0.0001).The age at diagnosis of cats with CRD differed significantly between veterinary hospitals (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Male cats with CRD were significantly younger than female cats with CRD. Younger cats were more likely to be diagnosed at an advanced stage of disease than older cats. The age at which cats were diagnosed with CRD was influenced by the clinic the cats attended. Whether these differences reflect differences in the aetiology of CRD or in the rate of disease progression warrants further investigation. Breed did not appear to play a significant role in the development of CRD in this survey.     

Primary myocardial disease of cats in Britain: pathological findings in twelve cases

The importance of cardiomyopathy as a cause of heart disease in the cat has been well-documented in the U.S.A., but has had little attention in the British literature. This paper records the pathological changes in 12 cats which were identified as cases of feline primary myocardial disease. The main lesions were dilatation of ventricles or atria, and degeneration and fibrosis in the myocardium. Of the 12 cats, three had been diagnosed as having iliac thromboembolism, shown on autopsy to be secondary to cardiomyopathy and atrial thrombosis. In the other cats signs were often vague, cardiac disease had not been suspected and varied clinical and symptomatic diagnoses had been considered.     

Redundant arytenoid mucosa: clinical presentation,treatment and outcome in three cats

Three cats showing chronic, intermittent respiratory distress associated with increased noise on inspiration were examined. Head, neck and thoracic radiographs were unremarkable and laboratory findings were within normal ranges. In all three cats direct laryngoscopy revealed bilateral redundant arytenoid mucosa, which collapsed into the supraglottic and glottis airways during inspiration. Temporary tracheostomy and endoscopic diode laser excision of the excessive mucosa resolved symptoms in all three cats. Redundant arytenoid mucosa is a rare condition that may cause signs similar to laryngeal paralysis or laryngeal mass in cats. According to our results, diode laser surgery in association with temporary tracheostomy appears an appropriate mode of therapy.     

Aetiology and outcome in 90 cats presenting with dyspnoea in a referral population

O bjectives : Dyspnoea is an unspecific severe presenting sign, which can be life threatening and requires prompt treatment. Dyspnoeic cats often have significant underlying disease. Underlying aetiologies in cats that presented with dyspnoea were reviewed, and associations with patient signalment and outcome were investigated.
M ethods : The case records of 90 dyspnoeic cats were retrospectively reviewed and separated into different groups depending on aetiology (cardiac, respiratory, neoplastic and trauma). Duration of clinical signs, presentation, hospitalisation length and survival were analysed.
R esults : Cardiac (38 per cent), respiratory (32 per cent) and neoplastic (20 per cent) diseases were common causes of feline dyspnoea. Cats with respiratory causes had longer duration of clinical signs (P<0·001) before presentation. Cats with neoplasia were significantly older (P<0·001). No significant difference in respiratory rates was present between the groups (P = 0·154). High heart rates (P<0·001) and abnormalities on cardiac auscultation were more likely in the cardiac group.
Clinical Significance: Frequent causes of dyspnoea in cats were cardiac disease followed by respiratory causes and neoplastic conditions. Heart rate on presentation and presence of heart murmurs or gallops are useful to identify cardiac causes. Improved proportion surviving was found in the respiratory group (P = 0·027), whereas cats with neoplasia had the worst outcome.     

Liver fluke in Great Britain: a survey of affected livers.

Over a period of 15 months data were collected from abattoirs in Great Britain on 213,082 cattle and 362,838 sheep livers to determine the distribution and prevalence of damage by Fasciola hepatica. The stock came from 8239 farms, and from livestock markets in 81 counties. 53 per cent of the farms had sent affected stock, with significant percentages in eastern as well as the western counties of England and Scotland. 21 per cent of all cattle and 7 per cent of all sheep livers examined were affected. In both species, the percentage of adult stock affected was more than double that of young stock. The condemnation rate in cattle was relatively constant throughout the year. The effects of infestation are more widely distributed than has been generally recognised. Greater emphasis should be placed on the control of chronic fascioliasis in cattle.     

Combination chemotherapy in feline lymphoma: treatment outcome, tolerability, and duration in 23 cats

BACKGROUND: Different chemotherapy regimes have been described for feline lymphoma with varying outcomes. HYPOTHESIS: In cats with lymphoma, a long-term, multiagent chemotherapy protocol will be effective and carry acceptable toxicity. ANIMALS: Twenty-three cats with histologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of lymphoma. METHODS: Prospective, single-arm clinical trial in which cats were treated with a chemotherapy protocol consisting of a cyclic combination of l-asparaginase, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, methotrexate, and prednisolone with a planned total treatment time of 122 weeks. RESULTS: Complete remission (CR) rate was 74% (n = 17). Fourteen percent of cats attained partial remission (PR). Median duration of first CR was 264 days (range, 45-2,485 days). Six-month, 1-, and 2-5-year remission rates were 75, 50, and 34%, respectively. Duration of PR ranged between 23 and 63 days. Median survival in cats with CR was 296 days (range, 50-2,520 days). Six-month, 1-, 2-, and 3-5-year survival rates in cats with CR were 82, 47, 34, and 27%, respectively. Survival of cats achieving PR ranged between 38 and 120 days. Of the analyzed variables, only anatomical location had a significant influence on remission duration (P=.022). Actual median treatment time in cats with CR was 128 days (18 weeks). Hematologic and gastrointestinal toxicosis was infrequent and mostly low grade. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: In this population of cats with lymphoma, chemotherapy was effective. With infrequent and mostly low-grade toxicosis, tolerability of the protocol may be considered good.     

Candida spp. urinary tract infections in 13 dogs and seven cats: predisposing factors,treatment, and outcome

Records from 20 animals (13 dogs, seven cats) with Candida spp. urinary tract infections were reviewed. Six Candida spp. were isolated; Candida albicans was the most common isolate. Concurrent diseases or nonantifungal drugs administered within 1 month of isolation included antibiotics (n=16), corticosteroids (n=6), diabetes mellitus (n=4), nonurogenital neoplasia (n=3), and noncandidal urogenital disease (n=14). All animals had sources of local or systemic immune compromise that likely predisposed to infection. Of five animals with resolution of infection, three did not receive specific antifungal treatment. The authors conclude that correction of predisposing conditions is likely critical for management of Candida spp. urinary tract infection.     

Serological studies of transmissible gastroenteritis in Great Britain, using a competitive ELISA.

A competitive ELISA which differentiates between transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) and porcine respiratory coronavirus (PRCV) was used to detect non-neutralising antibodies to the peplomer protein of TGEV in porcine sera. The test was shown to be TGEV specific, having a relative specificity of 100 per cent, and to have a relative sensitivity of 94.9 per cent when compared with the virus neutralisation test. The prevalence of TGEV in Great Britain is low; only 0.6 per cent of sows sampled in 1990 were seropositive to TGEV. Seroconversion to the virus neutralisation test occurred in a closed herd in 1984, with no apparent spread, but later testing by the ELISA did not detect any blocking antibodies. The possibility of the existence of a less contagious strain of PRCV is discussed. All British isolates of TGEV tested by the indirect fluorescent antibody test were recognised by the monoclonal antibody 1D.B12, the indicator antibody in the ELISA.     

The surgical treatment of cholelithiasis in cats: a study of nine cases

Nine cats that had surgical treatment for obstructive cholelithiasis were reviewed to evaluate clinical signs, diagnostic test results, and outcome after surgery. Common clinical signs included progressive vomiting (9/9), dehydration (9/9), anorexia (6/9), icterus (5/9), and lethargy (4/9). Five cats had a cholecystectomy performed, one cat had a cholecystotomy, and three cats had a biliary diversion procedure. Four of the cats that had a cholecystectomy had no recurrence of vomiting or anorexia. The majority of cats (7/9) had multiple choleliths, which were radiopaque and most commonly composed of calcium carbonate. Seven cats were diagnosed with cholangiohepatitis, and four of these cats did not need long-term medical therapy. Most cats (7/9) survived long term postsurgery (mean, 21 months; median, 24 months) without additional medical therapy, while the two cats with concurrent hepatic lipidosis died. Cholecystectomy appeared to have low morbidity with good clinical success.     

Hypereosinophilic syndrome in cats: a report of three cases.

The clinical, clinicopathological and pathological findings in three cats with hypereosinophilic syndrome are described. The cats chosen for the study had marked eosinophilia and evidence of tissue infiltration by eosinophils. Necropsies were performed on two cats, biopsy and blood samples were provided for the third cat. At necropsy, there was diffuse reddening of femoral bone marrow with ulceration and thickening of the duodenum. The livers had an enhanced lobular pattern with multiple, white, 1-3 mm nodules throughout the parenchyma. One cat had splenomegaly and the other had several enlarged, white, firm lymph nodes. Histopathologically, there was eosinophil infiltration of intestine, lymph nodes, liver, spleen, adrenal medulla and beneath the endocardium. Ultrastructurally, the eosinophils from lymph node and bone marrow of cat II were morphologically normal. The rigid criteria for eosinophilic leukemia were not fulfilled by these cases and the etiology of the eosinophilia in each case is not known. Possible pathogenic mechanisms are discussed.     

Descriptive epidemiology of the 2001 foot-and-mouth disease epidemic in Great Britain: the first five months.

In February 2001, foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) was confirmed in Great Britain. A major epidemic developed, which peaked around 50 cases a day in late March, declining to under 10 a day by May. By mid-July, 1849 cases had been detected. The main control measures employed were livestock movement restrictions and the rapid slaughter of infected and exposed livestock. The first detected case was in south-east England; infection was traced to a farm in north-east England to which all other cases were linked. The epidemic was large as a result of a combination of events, including a delay in the diagnosis of the index case, the movement of infected sheep to market before FMD was first diagnosed, and the time of year. Virus was introduced at a time when there were many sheep movements around the country and weather conditions supported survival of the virus. The consequence was multiple, effectively primary, introductions of FMD virus into major sheep-keeping areas. Subsequent local spread from these introductions accounted for the majority of cases. The largest local epidemics were in areas with dense sheep populations and livestock dealers who were active during the key period. Most affected farms kept both sheep and cattle. At the time of writing the epidemic was still ongoing; however, this paper provides a basis for scientific discussion of the first five months.     

Temporal and geographical distribution of cases of foot-and-mouth disease during the early weeks of the 2001 epidemic in Great Britain

Estimates of the likely dates of infection of the early cases of the 2001 foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) epidemic indicate that at least 57 premises in 16 counties in Great Britain were infected before the first case was disclosed. Nationwide animal movement controls were imposed within three days of the first case being confirmed on February 20, when FMD was only known to be in two counties, and these controls limited its geographical spread. After the first few cases were confirmed, new cases were rapidly discovered, and the epidemic curve for the daily number of confirmed cases peaked five weeks later, 11 days later than the peak of the curve based on the estimated dates of infection. In the peak week, both curves showed an average daily number of 43 new cases. The estimated dates of infection are believed to be relatively unbiased for the early cases, for which they were derived from a known contact with infection. However, for the later cases they were estimated mainly from the age of the clinical signs of the disease, and were biased by species and other factors, a bias which would probably have made the estimated dates later than was in fact the case.     

Cytauxzoonosis in domestic cats: report of two cases in Oklahoma, with a review and discussion of the disease

In 2 cases of cytauxzoonosis in domestic cats in Oklahoma, the clinical features, gross lesions, and microscopic findings were of similar nature and degree to those previously reported by others, both in the naturally occurring and experimentally induced disease. Intraerythrocytic forms of Cytauxzoon felis organisms were demonstrated in stained blood smears from one cat. Blood from the other cat was not examined. The diagnosis was established by the finding of schizonts in endothelial-associated macrophages within vascular channels in tissues from both cats.