Susceptibility of cats to equine morbillivirus

Objective To assess the susceptibility of cats to equine morbillivirus (EMV) by direct administration of the virus by subcutaneous, intra-nasal or oral routes, and following exposure to infected cats.
Design A disease transmission study, with controls, using ten cats.
Procedure Groups of cats were given the virus by the designated methods and assessed for evidence of infection by clinical examination, plus pathological and virological tests.
Results All cats administered the virus by subcutaneous, intra-nasal or oral routes became infected and developed the disease within 4 to 8 days. One of two cats in contact with affected cats also developed the disease, but two cats kept near to affected cats did not become infected. The virus was isolated from a range of tissues collected from the infected cats, and the lesions observed in affected cats were similar to those previously observed in horses naturally and experimentally infected with the virus.
Conclusion This is the first demonstration that animals can be infected with EMV by non-parenteral means, that the virus can transmit naturally between animals and confirms other reports of the similarity of EMV disease in horses and cats.     

The growth of the canine glioblastoma cell line D‐GBM and the canine histiocytic sarcoma cell line DH82 is inhibited by the resveratrol oligomers hopeaphenol and r2‐viniferin

Vineatrol^®30 is a grapevine‐shoot extract, which contains resveratrol as well as considerable amounts of so‐called resveratrol oligomers such as hopeaphenol and r2‐viniferin. In this study, we analysed whether the two above‐mentioned resveratrol oligomers were able to inhibit the growth of the canine glioblastoma cell line D‐GBM and the canine histiocytic sarcoma cell line DH82, compared their potency to inhibit tumour cell growth with that of resveratrol and determined whether the induction of apoptosis via caspase 9 and 3/7 activation underlies the tumour cell growth‐inhibiting effect of hopeaphenol and r2‐viniferin. Vineatrol^®30, resveratrol, hopeaphenol and r2‐viniferin inhibited the growth of D‐GBM and DH82 cells in a concentration‐dependent manner, whereby hopeaphenol and r2‐viniferin were more potent than resveratrol itself in inhibiting the growth of the canine tumour cell lines. Moreover, the anti‐proliferative effect of both resveratrol oligomers in D‐GBM cells is based on their capacity to induce caspase 9 and 3/7 activation.     

Acute idiopathic polyneuropathy in the dog

From among a large group of dogs with acute tetraparesis, we identified 10 dogs with a distinct peripheral nerve disorder. Prior to the onset of signs, all of the dogs had been healthy, and none was known to have been exposed to a neurotoxin or raccoon bite. Weakness, with hypoactive or absent segmental reflexes, became progressively worse for 1 to 21 days. Results of electromyography and nerve conduction studies invariably were compatible with a diagnosis of polyneuropathy that predominantly affected proximal nerve segments. Appearance of nerve biopsy specimens and the short time course for functional recovery suggested a demyelinative component to the disorder. The extent of recovery was variable but often rapid and complete in dogs that did not succumb to complications in the early period. Corticosteroid therapy did not demonstrably influence the outcome. This acute idiopathic polyneuropathy in the dog shares many clinical and pathologic features with idiopathic polyradiculoneuritis (Coonhound paralysis).     

The effect of the maturity and prior breeding activity of rams and body condition score of ewe hoggets on the reproductive performance of ewe hoggets

Abstract

AIM: To determine the effect of age and prior use of mature rams at a given ram-to-ewe ratio, and the effect of body condition on breeding performance and pregnancy rate of ewe hoggets.

METHODS: Ewe hoggets (n=733) aged 7–8 months were weighed and their body condition scored, then randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups (Day 0) and joined with either four two-tooth rams (20 months of age) not used previously (n=244; Two-tooth), four mixed-aged mature rams that had not been used earlier in the season (n=244; Mature-fresh), or four mixed-aged mature rams that had been used with mature ewes immediately prior to joining with hoggets (n=245; Mature-used). The breeding period was 34 days. Ewe hoggets were identified as having been marked during the first 17 days only, during both 17-day periods, during the second 17 days only, or not marked. Hoggets were re-weighed on Day 34, and pregnancy status determined using ultrasound on Day 92. The breeding soundness of the rams was assessed on Days ?34 and ?1.

RESULTS: Semen samples obtained from the rams did not differ significantly in any of the parameters measured (p>0.05). Ewe hoggets joined with Mature-fresh rams were less likely (p<0.05) to be marked in the second 17 days of breeding only than those joined with either Two-tooth or Mature-used rams. No other breeding parameters were affected by breeding group (p>0.05). Hoggets marked in the first 17 days only were heavier (p<0.05) at Day 0 than those marked in the second 17 days only or not marked. Hoggets diagnosed as twin-bearing were heavier (p<0.05) than non-pregnant or single-bearing hoggets. Those hoggets marked in the first 17 days only had a greater (p<0.05) body condition score (BCS) than those marked in the second 17 days only or not marked at all. These differences were no longer apparent after correction for liveweight (LW).Correction for LW at Day 0 or change in LW during the breeding period did not affect the results for breeding performance.

CONCLUSIONS: Under the conditions of this study, two-tooth rams and mature rams that had been used previously were just as suitable as mature rams that had not been used previously for breeding with ewe hoggets. Further studies are warranted to verify this result. The re-use of rams without reducing breeding performance would reduce breeding costs and may make breeding hoggets a more viable option for farmers. The BCS of ewe hoggets affected breeding performance, and can thus be used to identify those animals most suitable for breeding.     

What is your diagnosis? Cervical mass in a cat

An 8-year-old female spayed domestic shorthair cat was presented for several months of weight loss, decreased appetite, and 2 bilateral, ventral cervical masses. Initial cytologic samples were interpreted as reactive lymphoid hyperplasia. Evaluation of subsequent mass aspirates revealed small numbers of large binucleated and multinucleated cells resembling Reed-Sternberg cells admixed with more numerous small and intermediate-sized lymphocytes. In histopathologic sections, the normal architecture of the lymph node was largely effaced by a slightly heterogeneous mass composed of round cells arranged in densely cellular sheets with a minor population of large (25-mum diameter) mononuclear cells and a few very large (30-40-mum diameter) binucleated or multinucleated cells interpreted as Reed-Sternberg-like cells. Immunohistochemically, the large neoplastic (Reed-Sternberg-like) cells were negative for CD18, CD3, CD20, and CD79a while the background population consisted of about 70% T cells and 30% B cells. This pattern of immunohistochemical staining along with cytologic and histopathologic findings supported a diagnosis of Hodgkin's-like lymphoma, specifically, the lymphocyte-rich subtype. Hodgkin's-like lymphoma has been reported previously in cats and should be suspected when Reed-Sternberg-like cells are observed in cytologic preparations of lymph node aspirates. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry are necessary for a definitive diagnosis.     

Subclinical lumbar polyradiculopathy in aged domestic, laboratory, and exotic mammalian species--a light and selected electron microscopic study

Lumbar polyradiculopathy, characterized by ballooning myelin sheaths and axonal distortion, was documented in multiple, aged, domestic, laboratory, and exotic mammalian species. Animals studied that exhibited this nerve rootlet change included the goat, sheep, pig, white-tailed deer, gerbil, vole, ferret, beaver, hedgehog, chinchilla, North Chinese leopard, lion, cheetah, mountain lion, llama, East African eland, Uganda giraffe, polar bear, and drill. Ultrastructurally, lumbar nerve rootlets from the North Chinese leopard revealed prominent and often multiple lamellar separations in the area of myelin bubbling. Clefts in myelin sheaths contained macrophages with engulfed fragments of myelin. Axons were sometimes variously attenuated, and the axoplasm contained densely packed neurofilaments. In all species, the lesion was subclinical and considered an incidental age-related finding.     

Feline intracranial neoplasia: retrospective review of 160 cases (1985-2001)

The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of different tumor types within a large cohort of cats with intracranial neoplasia and to attempt to correlate signalment, tumor size and location, and survival time for each tumor. Medical records of 160 cats with confirmed intracranial neoplasia evaluated between 1985 and 2001 were reviewed. Parameters evaluated included age, sex, breed, FeLV/FIV status, clinical signs, duration of signs, number of tumors, tumor location(s), imaging results, treatment, survival times, and histopathologic diagnosis. Most of the cats were older (11.3 +/- 3.8 years). Primary tumors accounted for 70.6% of cases. Metastasis and direct extension of secondary tumors accounted for only 5.6 and 3.8% of cases, respectively. Twelve cats (7.5%) had 2 or more discrete tumors of the same type, whereas 16 cats (10.0%) had 2 different types of intracranial tumors. The most common tumor types were meningioma (n = 93, 58.1%), lymphoma (n = 23, 14.4%), pituitary tumors (n = 14, 8.8%), and gliomas (n = 12, 7.5%). The most common neurological signs were altered consciousness (n = 42, 26.2%), circling (n = 36, 22.5%), and seizures (n = 36, 22.5%). Cats without specific neurological signs were common (n = 34, 21.2%). The tumor was considered an incidental finding in 30 (18.8%) cats. In addition to expected relationships (eg, meninges and meningioma, pituitary and pituitary tumors), we found that lesion location was predictive of tumor type with diffuse cerebral or brainstem involvement predictive of lymphoma and third ventricle involvement predictive of meningioma.