Gastroduodenal ulceration in cats: eight cases and a review of the literature

Gastroduodenal ulceration (GU) and blood loss was diagnosed in eight cats and compared with 25 previously reported cases of feline GU. Cats with GU presented in a critical condition. Clinical signs consistent with gastrointestinal bleeding were infrequently identified although anaemia was a common finding. Non-neoplastic causes of feline GU tended to have a shorter clinical course with ulcers confined to the stomach. Conversely, cats with tumour-associated GU usually had a more protracted clinical course, weight loss, and ulcers located in the stomach for gastric tumours and the duodenum for extra-intestinal tumours. In this series, definitive diagnosis was possible for cats with neoplasia (gastric tumours and gastrinoma), however, it was difficult to precisely identify the underlying aetiology in cats with non-neoplastic GU. Prompt stabilisation with a compatible blood transfusion, surgical debridement or resection, antibiotic and antiulcer therapy, and treatment of the underlying disease, if identified, was successful in the majority of cases. The prognosis for cats with appropriately managed GU depended on the underlying aetiology, but even cats with neoplasia could be successfully palliated for prolonged periods.     

Severe esophageal injuries occurring after general anesthesia in two cats: case report and literature review

Two healthy cats underwent elective surgical procedures under general anesthesia. One developed severe esophagitis leading to esophageal rupture, mediastinitis, and pyothorax. The other cat developed esophageal stricture, diverticulum formation, and suspected iatrogenic perforation. Both cats had signs of dysphagia and regurgitation beginning a few days after anesthesia. The first cat also had severe dyspnea due to septic pleural effusion and pneumomediastinum. In the second cat, endoscopy revealed diffuse esophagitis, an esophageal stricture, and a large esophageal diverticulum. Rupture of the esophageal wall occurred while inflating the esophagus for inspection. Due to the poor prognosis, both cats were euthanized. Necropsy revealed severe esophageal changes. Postanesthetic esophagitis has been previously described in dogs and cats; however, severe life-threatening esophageal injuries rarely occur as a sequel to general anesthesia. To the authors' knowledge, esophageal rupture secondary to perianesthetic reflux has never been reported in cats.     

Meningoencephalomyelitis in domestic cats: 3 cases of Pasteurella multocida infection and literature review

Neurologic diseases are common in domestic cats, and infectious agents are suspected to be the primary cause in 30–45% of cases. Among infectious etiologies, those of bacterial origin are only sporadically characterized in the literature, with few of these reports correlating gross and histologic findings with confirmatory bacteriologic identification. Here, we describe bacterial meningitis and meningoencephalomyelitis associated with Pasteurella multocida in 3 domestic cats. Purulent exudate expanding the cerebral meninges was grossly evident in 2 of the cases. In all 3 cases, histologic changes included multifocal suppurative-to-necrosuppurative meningitis and/or meningoencephalomyelitis of variable severity. Intralesional colonies of gram-negative, short rod-shaped to coccobacillary bacteria were evident histologically in only 1 case. P. multocida was confirmed by routine bacteriologic culture in all cases. Based on our cases, we hypothesize that the upper respiratory system serves as the main portal of entry for P. multocida, leading to invasion of the central nervous system and possible systemic hematogenous dissemination. A case series of meningoencephalomyelitis associated with P. multocida infection in cats has not been reported previously, to our knowledge. We also review briefly other causes of meningoencephalomyelitis in cats.     

Feline relapsing polychondritis: two cases and a review of the literature

Only 11 reports of cats with relapsing polychondritis (RPC) were found in the literature. We describe two additional cases and provide a review of the literature. Predominantly young to middle aged cats are affected (range 1.5 to 14.5 years, median 3 years). There is no sex predilection for feline RPC. In all cats with feline RPC, the ears were affected. The findings in one of our cases and one case in the literature raise the question if other organs such as the joints, the eyes or the heart may be involved in feline RPC. The histological lesions observed in biopsy samples of the ears were similar in all cats. Glucocorticoids were not effective in the treatment of RPC. Dapsone appeared to result in some clinical improvement but side effects were observed in one of four cats. Some cats improved without treatment.     

Canine adrenocortical atrophy: review of literature and a report of two cases

Primary adrenocortical atrophy is reported in a 3-year-old female Gordon Setter and a 2-year-old spayed female German Shepherd dog.
Résumé. On rapporte un cas d'atrophie adréno-corticale primaire chez une chienne Gordon Setter de trois ans et un autre chez une femelle castrée de la ram Berger Allemand, âgée de deux ans.
Zusammenfassung. Primäre adrenocorticale Atrophie wurde bei einer dreijährigen Gordon-Setter Hündin und einer zweijahrigen kastrierten Schaferhündin festgestellt.     

Intussusception in dogs and cats: A review of 36 cases

Intussusception is recognized as a common cause of bowel obstruction in small animals. This study documents the clinical and surgical findings in nine cats and 27 dogs diagnosed as having intussusception. The main purposes of the study were to define the predisposing causes and clinical signs of intussusception and to evaluate various surgical techniques commonly employed in its treatment. No common predisposing cause could be established. Diagnosis of intussusception was based most often on clinical signs of bowel obstruction in association with the palpable abdominal mass. The majority of the intussusceptions involved the enterocolic junction. Formation of adhesions was more frequent in cats. Surgical treatments included simple reduction, manual reduction with plication, intestinal resection/anastomosis, and intestinal resection/anastamosis with plication. There was no statistically significant difference (p>0.05) in the recurrence rate of the intussusceptions when the various surgical techniques were compared. Recurrence of an intussusception was not related to either the bowel segment involved or whether a simple reduction, bowel resection, or intestinal plication was performed at the initial surgery.     

Cutaneous paraneoplastic syndromes in dogs and cats: a review of the literature

Cutaneous paraneoplastic syndromes are a group of noncancerous dermatoses associated with internal malignancy. Their recognition can facilitate detection and timely treatment of underlying cancer. More than 30 such disorders have been identified in the human scientific literature, whereas only a few are described in veterinary medicine. This may reflect a lower incidence in animals than in people or may be the result of failure to recognize an association between certain skin lesions and neoplasia. Establishing a relationship between a cutaneous disorder and neoplasia can be difficult unless the skin lesions are rare and almost always associated with a particular tumour type, as is the case for most recognized veterinary paraneoplastic dermatoses. Among these are feline paraneoplastic alopecia, feline thymoma-associated exfoliative dermatitis, nodular dermatofibrosis, feminization syndrome associated with testicular tumours, superficial necrolytic dermatitis and paraneoplastic pemphigus. The aetiology of most cutaneous paraneoplastic syndromes has remained elusive in both people and animals.     

Spontaneous lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion in cats: literature review and case presentations

Reports on intervertebral disc disease in cats are rare in the veterinary literature. It has been postulated that intervertebral disc protrusion is a frequent finding during necropsy in cats, without having any clinical relevance (King and Smith 1958, King & Smith 1960a, King & Smith 1960b). However, a total of six cases with disc protrusions and clinically significant neurological deficits have been reported over the past decade. (Heavner 1971, Seim & Nafe 1981, Gilmore 1983, Littlewood et al 1984, Sparkes & Skerry 1990, Bagley et al 1995). As in dogs, there are also two types of intervertebral disc disease in cats: Hansen's type I (extrusion), and type II (herniation). Cervical spinal cord involvement was more commonly recognised in cats than the lumbar or the thoraco lumbar area. Cats over 15 years were mainly affected (King & Smith 1958, King & Smith 1960a, King & Smith 1960b). We describe two cats with lumbar intervertebral disc protrusions. Emphasis is placed on differential diagnoses, treatment and follow-up.     

Tuberculosis in cats A report of two cases

Clinical and pathological findings are described in two recent cases of tuberculosis in the cat; the importance of differentiating this disease from lymphosarcoma is emphasized.     

Spinal trauma in dogs and cats: a review of 51 cases

The clinical and radiographical features, and the results of treatment of 41 dogs and 10 cats with traumatic injuries of the spine are reviewed. There was a poor correlation between the degree of vertebral displacement and the neurological condition of the animals. Eighteen cases were treated conservatively, 16 were treated surgically and 17 were destroyed. Surgery was reserved for animals with either severe or progressive neurological dysfunction, and vertebral body plating and hemilaminectomy were the commonest procedures. Of the cases treated conservatively 94.4 per cent showed significant neurological improvement compared with 87.5 per cent of those treated surgically.     

Tracheal collapse in the dog: a review of the literature and report of two new cases

Forty-two cases of tracheal collapse in the dog are reviewed and two new cases are reported. Aspects of the condition studied were age incidence, length of illness, diagnosis and treatment. Diagnosis depends on breed predisposition, long period of respiratory distress, radiography and bronchoscopy. Various surgical treatments are discussed.
Résumé. Quarante-deux cas d'affaissement trachéal sont examinés et deux nouveaux cas sont rapportés. La maladie a été étudiée à la lumière de l'incidence de l'âge, de la durée de la maladie, du diagnostic et du traitement. Le diagnostic dépend de la prédisposition de la race, de la longue période de contrainte éprouvée lors de la respiration, de la radiographie et de la bronchoscopie. Différents traitements chirurgicaux sont examinés.
Zusammenfassung. 42 Fälle von Trachealkollaps beim Hund werden besprochen und zwei neue Fälle werden beschrieben. Die betrachteten Aspekte des Zustands waren die Häufigkeit in Abhängigkeit vom Alter, die Krankheitsdauer, Diagnose und Behandlung. Die Diagnose ist von der Disposition der Hunderasse, einer langen Zeit der Atembeschwerden und radiographischen und bronchoskopischen Ergebnissen abhängig. Verschiedene chirurgische Behandlungsmethoden werden besprochen.     

Canine ocular onchocerciasis in the United States: two new cases and a review of the literature

Since 1991, 53 cases of canine ocular onchocerciasis have been reported in the literature worldwide, 43 of these were from Greece, five from Hungary, and five from the western United States. Information on the histopathologic features of canine ocular onchocerciasis is limited. We describe the histopathologic features of canine ocular onchocerciasis in two dogs from California that presented clinically with firm episcleral nodules and uveitis unilaterally. Pertinent literature and pathogenesis are reviewed; recognizable clinical features and treatment are discussed. The cases presented were diagnosed via histopathology of the enucleated globes and episcleral granulomas at the Comparative Ocular Pathology Laboratory of Wisconsin (COPLOW). Positive identification of adult Onchocerca within episcleral granulomas was made based on light-microscopy features. Histopathologic examination of both globes revealed episcleral parasites surrounded by granulomas containing few to moderate numbers of eosinophils. Other sequelae, in both cases, included lymphoplasmacytic uveitis, preiridal fibrovascular membranes, peripheral anterior synechiae, retinal degeneration, and optic nerve head cupping. Both male and female worms were present, as were in utero microfilariae in both cases. Worms in both cases were tentatively identified as Onchocerca lienalis. Ocular onchocerciasis should be a differential consideration in cases of canine conjunctival nodules or periorbital swelling, particularly in dogs from the western United States.     

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.     

MRI characteristics of suspected acute spinal cord infarction in two cats, and a review of the literature

A 10-year-old neutered male Persian cat and a 4-year-old spayed female domestic shorthair (DSH) cat were evaluated for acute-onset severe lateralising tetraparesis and hemiplegia, respectively. Both cats also had left-sided Horner's syndrome. Neurological examination of the cats localised the lesion to cranial to C5 in the Persian and the left cervical intumescence (C6-T2) in the DSH. Physical examinations were otherwise generally unremarkable. Routine laboratory tests and spinal radiography were normal for the Persian cat and were not performed for the DSH cat. A cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tap was attempted for the Persian cat but aborted because of gross blood contamination, and was not performed for the DSH cat. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the Persian cat revealed a lesion within the spinal parenchyma at segments C1 to C3 (slightly more left-sided) which was iso- to hypointense on T1-weighted scans and hyperintense on T2-weighted scans, and which enhanced slightly with gadolinium. MRI of the DSH cat revealed a lesion within the spinal parenchyma at segment C7 (predominantly left-sided) which was hypointense on T1-weighted scans and hyperintense on T2-weighted gradient echo scans. Contrast was not administered. The MRI findings in both cases were highly suggestive of acute spinal cord infarction, based upon comparison to human cases. Both cats made full neurological recoveries with supportive treatment only. This paper describes two cases of suspected acute spinal cord infarction in the cat, demonstrates the potential diagnostic value of MRI, and discusses the clinical syndrome of this condition with a brief review of published cases.     

Zinc-responsive dermatosis in dogs: 41 cases and literature review

Forty-one cases of zinc-responsive dermatosis in the dog are described. The Siberian husky was the predominant breed affected. Periocular crusts were the most common clinical sign and parakeratosis was noted in the skin biopsy specimens of all dogs. Treatment with oral zinc ameliorated the clinical signs in most dogs, but cases necessitating other treatments such as parenteral zinc or retinoids are reported. The authors recommend a starting dose of 2–3 mg kg⁻¹ elemental zinc per day in the treatment of this disorder.     

Intracranial astrocytomas in eight cats: clinical and pathological findings

Intracranial astrocytomas are rarely diagnosed in cats. Clinical and pathological aspects of these tumors are more often described in humans and dogs. The classification scheme used in human medicine is of important prognostic value. We have analyzed clinical neurological and pathological findings from 8 cats with intracranial astrocytomas. The animals were 10.1 years old in average and presented with a history of tetraparesis (n = 3), epilepsy (n = 2), loss of balance (n = 3) and dyspnoe (n = 1). The latter cat died immediately after the first presentation while the other animals were euthanized because of a progressive course of the symptoms despite therapy. Even though feline astrocytomas, that we could classify into 4 different types in this study, are clinically and pathologically well correlated with those of other species, a prognostically useful classification has never been established before.     

Congenital urinary incontinence in cats: a review of 19 cases.

Nineteen cases of feline congenital urinary incontinence (10 cats with ureteral ectopia and nine with incompetence of the urethral sphincter mechanism) are reviewed. The 10 cats with ureteral ectopia are considered together with 13 from previous reports. There was no apparent breed predisposition. Most of the 23 cats were presented for urinary incontinence but two of them were continent. Thirteen were females and ectopia was unilateral in 13 and bilateral in 10. Twenty-eight of 31 ectopic ureters terminated in the urethra. The commonest complication was hydroureter/hydronephrosis (10 cases). Eighteen of the cats were treated surgically, 13 by ureteral transplantation, four by ureteronephrectomy and one by ligation of the renal blood vessels; 16 of them were cured by surgery. Congenital urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence has not been reported previously in the cat. Nine cases are presented and the urethras of all were markedly hypoplastic. A common concomitant abnormality was vaginal aplasia, with the uterine horns terminating in the dorsum of the bladder. Bacteriuria was more common in this group than in the cats with ureteral ectopia.     

Feline systemic reactive angioendotheliomatosis: eight cases and literature review

A rare, multisystemic intravascular proliferative disorder was identified postmortem in eight cats. The majority of these cats died or were euthanized following episodes of dyspnea, lethargy, and anorexia. Microscopic examination revealed occlusive, intraluminal proliferations of spindle cells within small vessels. The heart was consistently involved, and myocardial dysfunction was the probable cause of illness in all cats. Immunohistochemically, the majority of intravascular cells expressed von Willebrand factor, and a smaller number expressed smooth muscle actin, compatible with a dual population of endothelial cells and pericytes, suggesting a reactive rather than a neoplastic process. Four cases of a similar feline vascular disorder from the veterinary literature are reviewed. The histopathology resembles reactive angioendotheliomatosis in humans, a benign cutaneous intravascular endothelial and pericytic proliferative condition. However, in contrast, this feline disease is multisystemic and fatal. We propose the name "feline systemic reactive angioendotheliomatosis" for this unique, idiopathic disorder of domestic cats.