Evaluation of two diets in the nutritional management of cats with naturally occurring chronic diarrhea

Feeding either a highly digestible, moderate-carbohydrate diet or a highly digestible, high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet resulted in significant (P < .05) improvements in fecal scores in 71% of cats with chronic, nonspecific diarrhea. Approximately 58% of the cats improved on either diet, with no significant differences between the two diets regarding the percentage of cats responding or the degree of response. These results suggest that dietary management may be helpful in cats with chronic diarrhea. If cats do not respond within 1 month, an alternative diet should be considered.     

Outcome of cats with diarrhea and Tritrichomonas foetus infection

OBJECTIVE: To determine the long-term outcome of cats infected with Tritrichomonas foetus and identify treatment and management strategies influencing resolution of infection or associated diarrhea. DESIGN: Prospective study. SAMPLE POPULATION: 26 cats with T. foetus-associated diarrhea at least 22 months prior to the study. PROCEDURE: A standardized survey regarding clinical course and management was administered to owners of cats with T. foetus infection and associated diarrhea. Fecal samples were obtained from each cat; the presence of T. foetus was assessed via microscopic examination of smears, culture in commercial media, and polymerase chain reaction amplification of T. foetus rDNA involving species-specific primers. RESULTS: Survey responses were obtained from owners of all 26 cats. Twenty-three cats had complete resolution of diarrhea a median of 9 months after onset. Analysis of fecal samples obtained from 22 cats revealed persistent T. foetus infection in 12, with a median of 39 months after resolution of diarrhea. History of implementation of a dietary change, treatment with paromomycin, or higher numbers of cats in the household was associated with significantly longer duration of time to resolution of diarrhea. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggested chronic T. foetus-associated diarrhea in most cats is likely to resolve spontaneously within 2 years of onset. Chronic infection with T. foetus (without clinical signs) after resolution of diarrhea appears to be common. Although often temporarily effective in decreasing severity of diarrhea, attempts to treat cats with T. foetus infection may result in prolongation of time to resolution of diarrhea.     

Effect of the probiotic Enterococcus faecium SF68 on presence of diarrhea in cats and dogs housed in an animal shelter

Background: Beneficial effects of probiotics have never been analyzed in an animal shelter. Hypothesis: Dogs and cats housed in an animal shelter and administered a probiotic are less likely to have diarrhea of ≥2 days duration than untreated controls. Animals: Two hundred and seventeen cats and 182 dogs. Methods: Double blinded and placebo controlled. Shelter dogs and cats were housed in 2 separate rooms for each species. For 4 weeks, animals in 1 room for each species was fed Enterococcus faecium SF68 while animals in the other room were fed a placebo. After a 1‐week washout period, the treatments by room were switched and the study continued an additional 4 weeks. A standardized fecal score system was applied to feces from each animal every day by a blinded individual. Feces of animals with and without diarrhea were evaluated for enteric parasites. Data were analyzed by a generalized linear mixed model using a binomial distribution with treatment being a fixed effect and the room being a random effect. Results: The percentage of cats with diarrhea ≥2 days was significantly lower (P= .0297) in the probiotic group (7.4%) when compared with the placebo group (20.7%). Statistical differences between groups of dogs were not detected but diarrhea was uncommon in both groups of dogs during the study. Conclusion and Clinical Importance: Cats fed SF68 had fewer episodes of diarrhea of ≥2 days when compared with controls suggests the probiotic may have beneficial effects on the gastrointestinal tract.     

Food sensitivity in cats with chronic idiopathic gastrointestinal problems

The objectives of this study were to investigate the prevalence of food sensitivity in cats with chronic idiopathic gastrointestinal problems, to identify the food ingredients responsible, and to characterize the clinical features. Seventy cats that presented for chronic gastrointestinal signs underwent diagnostic investigation. Fifty-five cats had idiopathic problems and were entered into the study. Diagnosis of food sensitivity was made by dietary elimination-challenge studies by using commercial selected-protein diets as the elimination diet. Sixteen (29%) of the 55 cats with chronic idiopathic gastrointestinal problems were diagnosed as food sensitive. The clinical signs of another 11 cats (20%) resolved on the elimination diet but did not recur after challenge with their previous diet. The foods or food ingredients responsible for the clinical signs were dietary staples. Fifty percent of affected cats were sensitive to more than 1 food ingredient. The clinical feature most suggestive of food sensitivity was concurrent occurrence of gastrointestinal and dermatological signs. Weight loss occurred in 11 of the affected cats, and large-bowel diarrhea was more common than small-bowel diarrhea. Assay of serum antigen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) had limited value as a screening test, and gastroscopic food sensitivity testing was not helpful. In conclusion, adverse reactions to dietary staples were common in this population of cats, and they responded well to selected-protein diets. Diagnosis requires dietary elimination-challenge trials and cannot be made on the basis of clinical signs, routine clinicopathological data, serum antigen-specific IgE assay, gastroscopic food sensitivity testing, or gastrointestinal biopsy.     

Fiber fermentability effects on energy and macronutrient digestibility, fecal traits, postprandial metabolite responses, and colon histology of overweight cats

Considering the different potential benefits of divergent fiber ingredients, the effect of 3 fiber sources on energy and macronutrient digestibility, fermentation product formation, postprandial metabolite responses, and colon histology of overweight cats (Felis catus) fed kibble diets was compared. Twenty-four healthy adult cats were assigned in a complete randomized block design to 2 groups of 12 animals, and 3 animals from each group were fed 1 of 4 of the following kibble diets: control (CO; 11.5% dietary fiber), beet pulp (BP; 26% dietary fiber), wheat bran (WB; 24% dietary fiber), and sugarcane fiber (SF; 28% dietary fiber). Digestibility was measured by the total collection of feces. After 16 d of diet adaptation and an overnight period without food, blood glucose, cholesterol, and triglyceride postprandial responses were evaluated for 16 h after continued exposure to food. On d 20, colon biopsies of the cats were collected under general anesthesia. Fiber addition reduced food energy and nutrient digestibility. Of all the fiber sources, SF had the least dietary fiber digestibility (P < 0.05), causing the largest reduction of dietary energy digestibility (P < 0.05). The greater fermentability of BP resulted in reduced fecal DM and pH, greater fecal production [g/(cat × d); as-is], and greater fecal concentration of acetate, propionate, and lactate (P < 0.05). For most fecal variables, WB was intermediate between BP and SF, and SF was similar to the control diet except for an increased fecal DM and firmer feces production for the SF diet (P < 0.05). Postprandial evaluations indicated reduced mean glucose concentration and area under the glucose curve in cats fed the SF diet (P < 0.05). Colon mucosa thickness, crypt area, lamina propria area, goblet cell area, crypt mean size, and crypt in bifurcation did not vary among the diets. According to the fiber solubility and fermentation rates, fiber sources can induce different physiological responses in cats, reduce energy digestibility, and favor glucose metabolism (SF), or improve gut health (BP).     

Inflammation and wound healing in cats with chronic gingivitis/stomatitis after extraction of all premolars and molars were not affected by feeding of two diets with different omega‐6/omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratios

Feline chronic gingivitis/stomatitis (FCGS) is a painful inflammatory disease in cats. Extraction of teeth, including all premolars and molars, has been shown to be the therapy of choice in cats not responding sufficiently to home care (e.g. tooth brushing) and/or medical treatment (corticosteroids and/or antibiotics). In this study, we hypothesize that a cat food with an omega‐6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (ω6 PUFA) to ω3 PUFA ratio of 10:1 reduces inflammation of the FCGS and accelerates soft tissue wound healing of the gingiva after dental extractions, compared to a cat food with a ω6:ω3 PUFA ratio of 40:1. The cats were fed diets with chicken fat and fish oil as sources of fatty acids. In one diet, part of the fish oil was replaced by safflower oil, resulting in two diets with ω6:ω3 PUFA ratios of 10:1 and 40:1. This double‐blinded study in two groups of seven cats revealed that dietary fatty acids influence the composition of plasma cholesteryl esters and plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines. The diet with the 10:1 ratio lowered PGD₂, PGE₂ and LTB₄ plasma levels significantly, compared to the diet with the 40:1 ratio (p = 0.05, p = 0.04, and p = 0.02 respectively). However, feeding diets with dietary ω6:ω3 PUFA ratios of 10:1 and 40:1, given to cats with FCGS for 4 weeks after extraction of all premolars and molars, did not alter the degree of inflammation or wound healing.     

A Clinical Index for Disease Activity in Cats with Chronic Enteropathy

Background: There is a need for a clinically useful, quantitative index for measurement of disease activity in cats with chronic enteropathy (CE). Objective: To develop a numerical activity index that is of practical value to clinicians treating CE in cats. Animals: Eighty‐two cats with CE. Methods: Retrospective case review of 59 cats diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Prospective validation study of 23 cats having either IBD or food‐responsive enteropathy (FRE). Multivariate regression analysis was used to identify which combination of clinical and laboratory variables were best associated with intestinal inflammation of IBD. This combination of variables was expressed in a score that was used as an activity index for the prospective assessment of disease activity and of the effect of treatment in cats with IBD or FRE. Results: The combination of gastrointestinal signs, endoscopic abnormalities, serum total protein, serum alanine transaminase/alkaline phosphatase activity, and serum phosphorous concentration had the best correlation with histopathologic inflammation and comprise the feline chronic enteropathy activity index (FCEAI). Positive treatment responses in cats with CE were accompanied by significant (P < .05) reductions in FCEAI scores after treatment. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: The FCEAI is a simple numerical measure of inflammatory activity in cats with CE. The scoring index can be reliably used in the initial assessment of disease severity for both IBD and FRE and as a measure of clinical response to treatment for these disorders.     

Impact of macronutrient composition and palatability in wet diets on food selection in cats

Cats are obligate carnivores adapted to high‐protein diets, but are commonly fed diets rich in carbohydrate. The aim of this study was to examine the food intake choices of cats when diets with different protein and carbohydrate contents were offered. Thirty‐nine cats participated in voluntary dietary intake studies. Four foods were formulated to provide between 24% and 53% of metabolizable energy as protein, between 43% and 11% as carbohydrate and holding dietary fat constant with a contribution of approximately 36%. Foods were offered either singly to evaluate voluntary food intake or in pairs to compare food intake between pairs of diets. Cats regulated their macronutrient intake to attain an overall diet composition that provided 53% of metabolizable energy as protein, 11% as carbohydrate and 36% as fat. The protein contribution corresponded to approximately 6 g of protein/kg body weight/day. High‐protein/low‐carbohydrate diets were always eaten preferentially over low‐protein/high‐carbohydrate foods. When low‐protein/high‐carbohydrate diets were offered, cats limited their food intake to limit daily carbohydrate intake to less than 3 g of carbohydrate/kg body weight. This carbohydrate ceiling may limit protein and even energy intake when only low‐protein/high‐carbohydrate diets were offered. The inclusion of palatability enhancer in the diets increased food intake but did not change protein or carbohydrate intake patterns, indicating that macronutrient intake can be regulated regardless of the use of palatability enhancers in cats. We conclude that cats can discriminate between diets based on macronutrient composition and regulate their intake to maintain maximal protein intake but limit carbohydrate intake.     

Fecal Microbiota of Cats with Naturally Occurring Chronic Diarrhea Assessed Using 16S rRNA Gene 454‐Pyrosequencing before and after Dietary Treatment

Background

The gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota has a strong impact on the health of cats and these populations can be altered in GI disease. Little research has been done to associate improvement in diarrhea with changes in GI microbiota.

Objective

To evaluate GI microbiota changes associated with diet change and related improvement in diarrhea in cats with chronic naturally occurring diarrhea.

Animals

Fifteen adult Domestic Shorthair cats with naturally occurring chronic diarrhea.

Methods

Controlled crossover dietary trial for management of diarrhea. Fecal microbiome was assessed using 454‐pyrosequencing. Relationships among fecal score (FS), diet, and microbiome were explored using partial least square method, partial least square method – discriminant analysis, and orthogonal partial least square method with discriminant analysis (OPLS‐DA).

Results

Dominant bacterial phyla included the Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, followed by Fusobacteria, Proteobacteria, Tenericutes, and Actinobacteria. Orthogonal partial least squares (OPLS‐DA) clustering showed significant microbial differences within cats when fed Diet X versus Diet Y, and with Diet Y versus baseline. Significant correlations were found between the microbiome and FSs. Those bacteria with the strongest correlation with FS included Coriobacteriaceae Slackia spp., Campylobacter upsaliensis, Enterobacteriaceae Raoultella spp., Coriobacteriaceae Collinsella spp., and bacteria of unidentified genera within the families of Clostridiales Lachnospiracea and Aeromonadales Succinivibrionacease, suggesting that increased numbers of these organisms may be important to gut health.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Alterations in intestinal microbiota were associated with improvement in diarrhea, but, from our data we cannot conclude if changes in the microbiome caused the improvement in diarrhea, or vice versa.     

Open-label trial of a multi-strain synbiotic in cats with chronic diarrhea

This study was designed to test the hypothesis that in cats with chronic diarrhea the daily administration of a proprietary synbiotic (Proviable-DC) would result in an improvement in stool character, as assessed by the owner. Adult cats with chronic diarrhea were recruited for the study and screened for systemic diseases. Fecal flotation, wet mount, immunofluorescence assay (IFA) for Giardia and Cryptosporidium species, and Tritrichomonas species polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) were used to screen for intestinal parasitism. The synbiotic was administered for 21 days; otherwise, no changes were made to ongoing treatment(s) or diet. The severity of the diarrhea was assessed using a standardized fecal scoring system and the owner's subjective perception before, and after, supplementation. The mean fecal score for the 53 cats completing the study decreased from 6.0 to 4.4, representing a significantly (P <0.001) firmer stool character. Seventy-two percent of owners perceived an improvement in their cat's diarrhea following a 21-day course of synbiotic supplementation.     

Pathogenesis of feline enteric coronavirus infection

Fifty-one specific pathogen-free (SPF) cats 10 weeks to 13 years of age were infected with a cat-to-cat fecal-oral passed strain of feline enteric coronavirus (FECV). Clinical signs ranged from unapparent to a mild and self-limiting diarrhea. Twenty-nine of these cats were FECV na?ve before infection and followed sequentially for fecal virus shedding and antibody responses over a period of 8-48 months. Fecal shedding, as determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from rectal swabs, appeared within a week and was significantly higher in kittens than older cats. FECV shedding remained at high levels for 2-10 months before eventually evolving into one of three excretion patterns. Eleven cats shed the virus persistently at varying levels over an observation period of 9-24 months. Eleven cats appeared to have periods of virus shedding interlaced with periods of non-shedding (intermittent or recurrent shedders), and seven cats ceased shedding after 5-19 months (average 12 months). There was no change in the patterns of virus shedding among cats that were excreting FECV at the time of a secondary challenge exposure. Four cats, which had ceased shedding, re-manifested a primary type infection when secondarily infected. Cats with higher feline coronavirus (FCoV) antibody titers were significantly more likely to shed virus, while cats with lower titers were significantly less likely to be shedding. Twenty-two kittens born to experimentally infected project queens began shedding virus spontaneously, but never before 9-10 weeks of age. Natural kittenhood infections appeared to be low grade and abortive. However, a characteristic primary type infection occurred following experimental infection with FECV at 12-15 weeks of age. Pregnancy, parturition and lactation had no influence on fecal shedding by queens. Methylprednisolone acetate treatment did not induce non-shedders to shed and shedders to increase shedding.     

Experimental infection of cats with Tritrichomonas foetus.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether infection with Tritrichomonas foetus causes diarrhea in specific-pathogen-free or Cryptosporidium coinfected cats. ANIMALS: 4 cats with subclinical cryptosporidiosis (group 1) and 4 specific-pathogen-free cats (group 2). PROCEDURE: Cats were infected orogastrically with an axenic culture of T. foetus isolated from a kitten with diarrhea. Direct microscopy and protozoal culture of feces, fecal character, serial colonic mucosal biopsy specimens, and response to treatment with nitazoxanide (NTZ; group 1) or prednisolone (groups 1 and 2) were assessed. RESULTS: Infection with T. foetus persisted in all cats for the entire 203-day study and resulted in diarrhea that resolved after 7 weeks. Group-1 cats had an earlier onset, more severe diarrhea, and increased number of trichomonads on direct fecal examination, compared with group-2 cats. Use of NTZ eliminated shedding of T. foetus and Cryptosporidium oocysts, but diarrhea consisting of trichomonad-containing feces recurred when treatment was discontinued. Prednisolone did not have an effect on infection with T. foetus but resulted in reappearance of Cryptosporidium oocysts in the feces of 2 of 4 cats. During necropsy, T. foetus was isolated from contents of the ileum, cecum, and colon. Tritrichomonas foetus organisms and antigen were detected on surface epithelia and within superficial detritus of the cecal and colonic mucosa. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: After experimental inoculation in cats, T. foetus organisms colonize the ileum, cecum, and colon, reside in close contact with the epithelium, and are associated with transient diarrhea that is exacerbated by coexisting cryptosporidiosis but not treatment with prednisolone.     

Effect of a novel animal milk oligosaccharide biosimilar on macronutrient digestibility and gastrointestinal tolerance,fecal metabolites,and fecal microbiota of healthy adult cats

GNU100 is a novel animal milk oligosaccharide (AMO) biosimilar. In a recent in vitro fermentation study, GNU100 was shown to be fermentable by feline gastrointestinal microbiota and lead to increased short-chain fatty acid production. Our objectives herein were to evaluate the palatability, safety, and gastrointestinal tolerance of GNU100 in healthy adult cats. Exploratory end-points were measured to assess utility. In study 1, 20 adult cats were used to test the palatability of diets containing 0% or 1% GNU100. In study 2, 32 (mean age = 1.9 yr; mean body weight = 4.6 kg) male (n = 12) and female (n = 20) adult cats were used in a completely randomized design. After a 2-wk baseline, cats were assigned to one of the following treatment groups and fed for 26 wk: control (CT, no GNU100), low dose (LD, 0.5% GNU100), medium dose (MD, 1.0% GNU100), and high dose (HD, 1.5% GNU100). On weeks 2, 4, and 26, fresh fecal samples were collected for the measurement of stool quality and immune and inflammatory markers and on weeks 2 and 4 for microbiota and metabolites. On week 4, total feces were collected to measure apparent total tract macronutrient digestibility. On weeks 2, 4, and 26, blood samples were collected for serum chemistry, hematology, and inflammatory marker measurement. The palatability test showed that 1% GNU100 was strongly preferred (P < 0.05), with GNU100 having a 17.6:1 consumption ratio compared with control. In the long-term study, all cats remained healthy, without any signs of gastrointestinal intolerance or illness. All diets were well accepted, resulting in similar (P > 0.05) food intake, fecal characteristics, immunoglobulin A, and calprotectin, and dry matter, organic matter, fat, and crude protein digestibilities. Fecal butyrate was greater (P = 0.02) in cats fed HD than cats fed LD or MD. Fecal indole was lower (P = 0.02) in cats fed HD than cats fed LD. Cats fed CT had a higher (P = 0.003) relative abundance of Actinobacteria than cats fed LD. The relative abundance of Peptococcus was impacted by diet and time. At 4 wk, Campylobacter was lower in fecal samples of cats fed HD. Overall, the data suggest that dietary GNU100 supplementation was highly palatable, well tolerated, did not cause detrimental effects on fecal quality or nutrient digestibility, increased fecal butyrate concentrations, and reduced fecal indole concentrations, supporting the safety of GNU100 for inclusion in feline diets and suggesting potential benefits on gastrointestinal health of cats.     

Idiopathic hypercalcemia in cats

Unexplained hypercalcemia has been increasingly recognized in cats since 1990. In some instances, hypercalcemia has been associated with calcium oxalate urolithiasis, and some affected cats have been fed acidifying diets. We studied the laboratory findings, clinical course, and treatment of 20 cats with idiopathic hypercalcemia. Eight (40%) of the cats were longhaired and all 14 cats for which adequate dietary history was available had been fed acidifying diets. Clinical signs included vomiting (6 cats), weight loss (4 cats), dysuria (4 cats), anorexia (3 cats), and inappropriate urinations (3 cats). Hypercalcemia was mild to moderate in severity. and serum parathyroid hormone concentrations were normal or low. Serum concentrations of phosphorus, parathyroid hormone-related peptide, 25-hydroxycholecalciferol, and calcitriol were within the reference range in most cats. Diseases commonly associated with hypercalcemia (eg, neoplasia, primary hyperparathyroidism) were not identified despite thorough medical evaluations and long-term clinical follow-up. Azotemia either did not develop (10 cats) or developed after the onset of hypercalcemia (3 cats), suggesting that renal failure was not the cause of hypercalcemia in affected cats. Seven of 20 cats (35%) had urolithiasis, and in 2 cats uroliths were composed of calcium oxalate. Subtotal parathyroidectomy in 2 cats and dietary modification in 11 cats did not result in resolution of hypercalcemia. Treatment with prednisone resulted in complete resolution of hypercalcemia in 4 cats.     

The Feline Acute Patient Physiologic and Laboratory Evaluation (Feline APPLE) Score: a severity of illness stratification system for hospitalized cats

Background: Scores allowing objective stratification of illness severity are available for dogs and horses, but not cats. Validated illness severity scores facilitate the risk‐adjusted analysis of results in clinical research, and also have applications in triage and therapeutic protocols. Objective: To develop and validate an accurate, user‐friendly score to stratify illness severity in hospitalized cats. Animals: Six hundred cats admitted consecutively to a teaching hospital intensive care unit. Methods: This observational cohort study enrolled all cats admitted over a 32‐month period. Data on interventional, physiological, and biochemical variables were collected over 24 hours after admission. Patient mortality outcome at hospital discharge was recorded. After random division, 450 cats were used for logistic regression model construction, and data from 150 cats for validation. Results: Patient mortality was 25.8%. Five‐ and 8‐variable scores were developed. The 8‐variable score contained mentation score, temperature, mean arterial pressure (MAP), lactate, PCV, urea, chloride, and body cavity fluid score. Area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUROC) on the construction cohort was 0.91 (95% CI, 0.87–0.94), and 0.88 (95% CI, 0.84–0.96) on the validation cohort. The 5‐variable score contained mentation score, temperature, MAP, lactate, and PCV. AUROC on the construction cohort was 0.83 (95% CI, 0.79–0.86), and 0.76 (95% CI, 0.72–0.84) on the validation cohort. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Two scores are presented enabling allocation of an accurate and user‐friendly illness severity measure to hospitalized cats. Scores are calculated from data obtained over the 1st 24 hours after admission, and are diagnosis‐independent. The 8‐variable score predicts outcome significantly better than does the 5‐variable score.     

Evaluation of the immunogenicity of dietary proteins in cats and the influence of the canning process

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the antigen-specific immune response to dietary proteins in cats and evaluate whether there was a qualitative or quantitative difference between the responses to dietary proteins when those proteins were fed unprocessed or as part of a canned diet. ANIMALS: 14 healthy domestic shorthair cats. PROCEDURE: Cats were fed 2 dietary proteins (soy and casein) either as unprocessed aqueous suspensions or as part of canned diets for 21 days. Serum IgG and IgA and salivary IgA were assayed by indirect ELISA, and antigen-specific proliferation of mesenteric lymph node-derived lymphocytes was determined. RESULTS: Robust serum IgG and IgA responses to dietary proteins were elicited, irrespective of the form in which they were fed. Salivary IgA responses to unprocessed proteins were not detected. However, a significant salivary IgA response to the protein isolated from the canned casein diet was observed in cats fed canned casein but not in those fed unprocessed casein. Lymphocyte proliferation to the antigens was slight, and there were no significant differences between groups. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results indicated that cats develop robust serum IgG and IgA responses to dietary proteins when fed as either aqueous suspensions or as part of canned diets. For certain proteins, there may be an increase and a qualitative difference in the immunogenicity of canned diets, compared with unprocessed proteins. Canned diets may not be ideal for management of cats with enteritis.     

Recurrent demyelination and remyelination in 37 young Bengal cats with polyneuropathy

Background: With the exception of diabetic neuropathy, polyneuropathy associated with hyperchylomicronemia, and a few inherited polyneuropathies, peripheral neuropathies are poorly characterized in cats. A chronic polyneuropathy is described in a cohort of young Bengal cats. Objective: To characterize the clinical and histopathological features of a chronic‐relapsing peripheral neuropathy in young Bengal cats. Animals: Thirty‐seven young Bengal cats with clinical weakness consistent with peripheral neuropathy. Methods: Bengal cats were included in this study after a diagnosis of polyneuropathy was confirmed by muscle and peripheral nerve biopsy specimens. Pathological changes were characterized at the light and electron microscopic level and by morphometry. Clinical information and long‐term outcome from case records of Bengal cats with histologically confirmed peripheral neuropathy were then assessed. Results: Nerve fiber loss within distal intramuscular nerve branches was a consistent finding in young Bengal cats with polyneuropathy. The most common abnormalities in peripheral nerve biopsies included inappropriately thin myelin sheaths and thinly myelinated fibers surrounded by supernumerary Schwann cell processes, indicative of repeated cycles of demyelination and remyelination. Recovery was common. Response to treatment could not be determined. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: A chronic‐relapsing form of polyneuropathy associated primarily with episodes of demyelination and remyelination was identified in young Bengal cats. The prognosis for recovery is good, although relapses are possible and there can be residual motor deficits.     

Efficacy of Giardia vaccination in the treatment of giardiasis in cats

OBJECTIVE: To assess efficacy of Giardia vaccination as a treatment for giardiasis in experimentally infected cats. DESIGN: Original study. ANIMALS: 16 young-adult cats. PROCEDURE: Cats were experimentally infected by orogastric administration of Giardia cysts. On weeks 4, 6, and 10, cats in the treatment group (n = 8) were given Giardia vaccine SC. For the first 28 weeks after infection, 3 fecal samples from each cat were examined weekly for Giardia cysts, and cyst numbers were counted. Fecal consistency was scored daily for the duration of the study. Results from vaccinated and unvaccinated cats were compared by logistic regression. RESULTS: All cats became infected and were shedding Giardia cysts by the end of week 2. Throughout the study, diarrhea was rare and was mild and transient when it did occur. By week 28, 5 of 8 vaccinated cats and 7 of 8 control cats had patent Giardia infections. Magnitude of infection, based on number of fecal samples with cysts and number of cysts per sample, decreased progressively in both groups over time. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Administration of 3 doses of a Giardia vaccine did not completely eliminate the organism from experimentally infected cats in the study period. Since clinical signs were minimal in both groups of cats, it could not be determined whether vaccination lessened severity of clinical disease. Results may have been negatively influenced by the large inoculation dose. Whether Giardia vaccination is an effective treatment for giardiasis in naturally infected cats remains to be determined.     

Nutritional support of hospitalised dogs and cats

SUMMARY Nutritional support of hospitalised dogs and cats improves recovery from illness, reduces mortality, and improves responses to trauma and stress. The primary goal of nutritional support is to prevent use of tissue protein. This is accomplished by the provision of sufficient calories and dietary protein in optimal proportions. For nutritional support, calorie intake is adjusted according to the patient's metabolic rate so that the animal may be fed above or below its usual intake. Nutritional support should always be started gradually, no matter what the final calorie goal may be. For many sick dogs fed enterally, diets provide about 30% of calories from fat and at least 27% of calories from protein. Carbohydrates in nutritional support diets should not include maize, wheat or, especially, soy. Sick cats fed enterally should receive at least 30% of calories from both fat and protein.