Urinary Biomarkers for Acute Kidney Injury in Dogs

Routinely, kidney dysfunction and decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR) are diagnosed by the evaluation of changes in the serum creatinine (SCr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentrations. However, neither of these tests is sensitive or specific enough for the early diagnosis of impaired kidney function because they are both affected by other renal and nonrenal factors. Furthermore, kidney injury can be present in the absence of kidney dysfunction. Renal reserve enables normal GFR even when nephrons are damaged. Renal biomarkers, especially those present in urine, may be useful for the study of both acute and chronic nephropathies. The aim of this review is to describe the current status of urinary biomarkers as diagnostic tools for kidney injury in dogs with particular focus on acute kidney injury (AKI). The International Renal Interest Society (IRIS) canine AKI grading system and the implementation of urinary biomarkers in this system also are discussed. The discovery of novel urinary biomarkers has emerged from hypotheses about the pathophysiology of kidney injury, but few proteomic urine screening approaches have been described in dogs. Lack of standardization of biomarker assays further complicates the comparison of novel canine urinary biomarker validation results among studies. Future research should focus on novel biomarkers of renal origin and evaluate promising biomarkers in different clinical conditions. Validation of selected urinary biomarkers in the diagnosis of canine kidney diseases must include dogs with both renal and nonrenal diseases to evaluate their sensitivity, specificity as well as their negative and positive predictive values.     

Cytokine expression, glucocorticoid and growth hormone changes after porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV-1) infection in vaccinated and unvaccinated naturally exposed pigs

The objective of this paper was to study the changes of some cytokines and neuroendocrine hormones in vaccinated and unvaccinated pigs that were naturally infected by a PRRSV-1 (porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus) heterologous field strain. We analyzed gene expression of pro-inflammatory (TNF-α, IL-1β, MCP-1, IL-6), pro-immune (IFN-γ) and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10) in PBMC, as well as hormonal (GH and cortisol) levels in blood samples of pigs obtained in a field trial previously reported [Martelli P, Gozio S, Ferrari L, Rosina S, De Angelis E, Quintavalla C, et al. Efficacy of a modified-live porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) vaccine in pigs naturally exposed to a heterologous European (Italian cluster) field strain: clinical protection and cell-mediated immunity. Vaccine 2009;27:3788-99]. All vaccinated pigs showed an increase in pro-inflammatory and pro-immune cytokine gene expression with respect to controls and a prompt increase in GH that could be consistently associated with pro-inflammatory cytokines in sustaining innate immunity; moreover, the higher levels of cortisol indicates the activation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response. In contrast, unvaccinated pigs showed down-regulation of the cortisol and GH responses, and the pro-inflammatory and pro-immune cytokines remained at a basal or low level, with an increase of TNF-α and IL-6 in association with a higher level of IL-10 in the late phase of natural infection. The associated trends of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines together with the cortisol level demonstrate that a previous vaccination promotes an early immune responsiveness in pigs and a more efficient control of inflammation in the late phase of infection with a heterologous PRRSV isolate; both events could sustain clinical protection.     

Selected Metabolic and Hormonal Profiles during Maintenance of Spontaneous Ovarian Cysts in Dairy Cows

Information is lacking regarding the relationship between metabolic and hormonal profiles and the maintenance of spontaneous ovarian cyst disease in dairy cows. For this reason, the concentrations of non‐esterified fatty acids (NEFA), insulin‐like growth factor I (IGF‐I) and cortisol (C) were investigated during the spontaneous course of ovarian cyst disease in dairy cows (n = 6) between the 7th and 16th weeks post‐partum (PP). The control group consisted of normally cycling cows (n = 6). Blood samples were collected twice a day, and plasma was analysed using different techniques. Progesterone and 15‐ketodihydro‐PGF_2α plasma profiles were investigated to confirm the ovulatory or anovulatory conditions of the cows. Cortisol plasma levels were not significantly different among sampling times within each group or between the two groups. NEFA plasma levels were significantly higher in cycling cows compared to cystic cows at the 16th week PP (p < 0.01), but with rather low values, indicating by now sparse mobilization of fat stores. Insulin‐like growth factor I plasma concentrations were higher in cystic cows during the 8th, 10th, 11th (p < 0.01) and 16th week PP (p < 0.05), indicating that the presence of ovarian cysts coincides with increased IGF‐I levels. These results suggest no influence of cortisol and NEFA levels in cysts maintenance, while a possible involvement of IGF‐I can be suspected not only in the pathogenesis, as already known, but also in the maintenance of spontaneous cystic ovarian disease in cattle.     

Use of rotational periosteal flaps in primary repair of sinofacial fractures in seven horses

ABSTRACT

Case history: Medical records were reviewed of horses (n?=?7) undergoing surgery for fracture of one or more facial bones extending into the paranasal sinuses that was repaired primarily within 24 hours of the time of injury using a rotational periosteal flap, between April 2009 and May 2017. A kick from another horse was the cause of the injury of three horses, and one horse was injured when it collided with a tree. The cause of the injury of three horses was unknown.

Clinical findings and treatment: Fractures were of the right maxillary bone in two horses, the left maxillary bone in two horses, the left frontal and left nasal bones in two horses, and the right frontal bones in one horse. The fracture of all but one horse was accompanied by an open wound. The fracture of all seven horses was reduced, stabilised, and covered with a rotational, periosteal flap. Surgery was carried out while standing in six horses, and while anesthetised in one horse. All horses had a deficit in the fractured facial bones after the fracture was reduced. Four horses had complications following surgery, but all horses were reported to have excellent cosmetic outcomes and had retuned to their previous level of activity, as reported by their owners.

Clinical relevance: Covering a primarily repaired sinofacial fracture of a horse with a rotational periosteal flap resulted in good cosmetic outcomes, and may be especially beneficial if the fracture is accompanied by loss of bone.     

Cervical injury following a horse kick to the head in two dogs

Two dogs were presented to North Carolina State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital following blunt trauma to the head delivered by a horse kick. On presentation, both dogs had resolving clinical signs directly related to the head trauma, but both also had compromise to their upper airway as a result of indirect injury to the soft tissues of the neck, visible on plain radiographs. One dog made a full recovery following a period of assisted ventilation. The other dog was euthanized at the request of the owner. These injuries illustrate the importance of evaluating the cervical spine and soft tissues of the neck following blunt trauma to the head.