Mycobacterium genavense Infection in a Domestic Ferret (Mustela putorius furo)

Mycobacterium genavense infection was diagnosed in an adult ferret with ptosis of the left eye, a proliferative lesion of the conjunctiva of the nictitating membrane, conjunctival swelling, and tumefaction of the periorbital tissues with a watery ocular discharge and the presence of a retrobulbar mass. The diagnosis was based on characteristic cytology of the retrobulbar mass and left mandibular lymph node that revealed granulomatous inflammation. Ziehl-Neelsen staining showed the presence of positive acid-fast bacilli in the cytoplasm of the macrophages. The diagnosis was confirmed by sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene amplified by using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction from a fresh lymph node biopsy. Therapy with marbofloxacin, rifampicin, and clarithromycin was recommended for 6 months and after this period, the veterinarian who was treating the ferret reported the disappearance of clinical signs. Six months after the end of the antibiotic treatment, the symptoms described previously reoccurred. Confirmatory laboratory tests were not performed but a recurrence of M genavense infection was suspected and the veterinarian, in agreement with the owner, euthanized the ferret.     

Priapism in a castrated cat associated with feline infectious peritonitis

This report describes a case of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) in a castrated cat which first presented with the unusual sign of priapism. Laboratory examinations showed increased serum protein content and decreased albumin/globulin ratio. Serum electrophoresis revealed increased alpha 2- and gamma-globulin content. One month after the first examination, the cat died. At necropsy, histopathological evaluation of organs showed inflammatory granulomatous lesions compatible with non-effusive FIP and coronavirus-specific polymerase chain reaction confirmed the diagnosis. FIP antigen was demonstrated immunohistochemically in penile tissue.     

Standardization of canine meningioma grading: Validation of new guidelines for reproducible histopathologic criteria

Canine meningiomas are currently graded using the human grading system. Recently published guidelines have adapted the human grading system for use in dogs. The goal of this study was to validate the new guidelines for canine meningiomas. To evaluate the inter-observer agreement, 5 veterinary surgical pathologists graded 158 canine meningiomas following the human grading system alone or with the new guidelines. The inter-observer agreement for histologic grade and each of the grading criteria (mitotic grade, invasion, spontaneous necrosis, macronucleoli, small cells, hypercellularity, pattern loss and anaplasia) was evaluated using the Fleiss kappa index. The diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity and specificity) was assessed by comparing the diagnoses obtained with the 2 grading systems with a consensus grade (considered the reference classification). The consensus histologic grade was obtained by agreement between 4 experienced veterinary neuropathologists following the guidelines. Compared with the human grading alone, the canine-specific guidelines increased the inter-observer agreement for: histologic grade (κ = 0.52); invasion (κ = 0.67); necrosis (κ = 0.62); small cells (κ = 0.36); pattern loss (κ = 0.49) and anaplasia (κ = 0.55). Mitotic grade agreement remained substantial (κ = 0.63). The guidelines improved the sensitivity in identifying grade 1 (95.6%) and the specificity in identifying grade 2 (96.2%) meningiomas. In conclusion, the new grading guidelines for canine meningiomas are associated with an overall improvement in the inter-observer agreement and higher diagnostic accuracy in diagnosing grade 1 and grade 2 meningiomas.