Aetiology and diagnosis of persistent nasal disease in the dog: a retrospective study of 42 cases

Forty-two dogs with a history of persistent nasal disease were evaluated by a combination of clinical examination, thoracic and nasal radiography, retroflexed endoscopy and biopsy, and anterograde rhinoscopy and blind nasal biopsy. A definitive diagnosis was made in 91 per cent of cases. Neoplasia was the most common diagnosis (33 per cent of cases), followed by inflammatory rhinitis (24 per cent). Other diagnoses included periodontal disease (10 per cent), aspergillosis (7 per cent) and foreign bodies (7 per cent). Adenocarcinoma was the most common tumour diagnosed. The clinical findings were found to be too variable to be used as specific diagnostic criteria. Anterograde rhinoscopy and retroflexed endoscopy had higher specificity and sensitivity than radiology for the diagnosis of neoplasia, inflammatory rhinitis, aspergillosis and foreign bodies. With a systematic approach to the investigation of persistent nasal disease, a definitive diagnosis can be successfully obtained in the vast majority of cases.     

Transdermal absorption of a liposome-encapsulated formulation of lidocaine following topical administration in cats

OBJECTIVE: To determine plasma disposition after dermal application of a liposome-encapsulated formulation of lidocaine in cats. ANIMALS: 6 healthy adult cats with a mean (+/- SD) body weight of 4.1 +/- 0.44 kg. PROCEDURE: CBC determination and biochemical analysis of blood samples were performed for all cats. Cats were anesthetized by use of isoflurane, and catheters were placed IV in a central vein. The next day, blood samples were obtained from the catheters before and 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 24 hours after applying a 4% liposome-encapsulated lidocaine cream (15 mg/kg) to a clipped area over the cephalic vein. Plasma concentrations of lidocaine were analyzed with a high-performance liquid chromatography assay. Results-Two cats had minimal transdermal absorption of lidocaine, with lidocaine concentrations below the sensitivity of the assay at all but 1 or 2 time points. In the other 4 cats, the median maximum plasma concentration was 149.5 ng/ml, the median time to maximum plasma concentration was 2 hours, and the median area under the concentration versus time curve from zero to infinity was 1014.5 ng.h/ml. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Maximum plasma concentrations of lidocaine remained substantially below toxic plasma concentrations for cats. On the basis of these data, topical administration of a liposome-encapsulated lidocaine formulation at a dose of 15 mg/kg appears to be safe for use in healthy adult cats.     

Resolution of skin lesions and long-term survival in a dog with superficial necrolytic dermatitis and liver cirrhosis

A nine-year-old, neutered female Shetland sheepdog was presented with crusted, ulcerative skin lesions affecting the footpads, commissures of the lips and the lateral canthi of the eyes. Histopathological examination of skin biopsies revealed changes consistent with superficial necrolytic dermatitis and biochemical analysis demonstrated elevated liver enzymes. Abdominal radiography revealed a small liver which, on ultrasonography, appeared diffusely mottled and showed changes suggestive of periportal fibrosis. On exploratory laparotomy, the pancreas appeared normal, but the liver was small and had multiple nodules throughout the parenchyma. This appearance was confirmed as cirrhosis on histopathological examination. The dog was placed on a hepatic support diet and treated with colchicine, essential fatty acid supplementation and raw egg yolks. After four weeks, the skin lesions had resolved and the dog remained free of clinical signs over a 22-month follow-up period.     

Pharmacogenetics.

Pharmacogenetics, the study of genetic determinants of response to drug therapy, is likely the ultimate way to establish the right drug and dose for each patient, thereby optimizing efficacy and minimizing toxicity. Despite the fact that this branch of pharmacology is still in its infancy as a science, a number of important discoveries have already contributed to improved pharmacotherapy in human and veterinary patients.     

Comparative water use by dryland trees in Parklands in Senegal

Despite the clear evidence of competition for water between trees and crops, there have been very few studies comparing simultaneous water use by differing tree species in drylands. Comparative water use by dryland trees was measured in Senegal using heat balance gauges at the end of the wet season and in the dry season. Significant differences between tree species were found for maximum rates of water use per unit leaf area. Indigenous species may be better adapted to the dry environment than exotic species but the indigenous species Acacia seyal Del. used more water per unit leaf area than all other species. The exotic species Azadirachta indica Adr. Juss. consistently used less water per unit leaf area than most other species. There were significant differences in amounts of water used per unit leaf area by differing provenances of the same tree species. Water use in the dry season varied by a factor of three between two provenances of Acacia aneura F. Muell ex Benth. indicating potential to select provenances for drylands based on their water use characteristics. Absolute rates of water use as well as differences in sapflow between species were greatest when soils were moist suggesting that comparative sapflow studies will be most informative when carried out during the wet season. Water use rankings of the differing tree species were broadly maintained irrespective of season.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Seroprevalence of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) in shelter cats on the island of Newfoundland,Canada

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) are retroviruses found within domestic and wild cat populations. These viruses cause severe illnesses that eventually lead to death. Housing cats communally for long periods of time makes shelters at high risk for virus transmission among cats. We tested 548 cats from 5 different sites across the island of Newfoundland for FIV and FeLV. The overall seroprevalence was 2.2% and 6.2% for FIV and FeLV, respectively. Two sites had significantly higher seroprevalence of FeLV infection than the other 3 sites. Analysis of sequences from the FeLV env gene (envelope gene) from 6 positive cats showed that 4 fell within the FeLV subtype-A, while 2 sequences were most closely related to FeLV subtype-B and endogenous feline leukemia virus (en FeLV). Varying seroprevalence and the variation in sequences at different sites demonstrate that some shelters are at greater risk of FeLV infections and recombination can occur at sites of high seroprevalence.     

Gill-associated virus and its association with decreased production of Penaeus monodon in Australian prawn farms

Gill‐associated virus (GAV) was found to be associated with decreased prawn, Penaeus monodon, production when prawns from three farms (n = 45 ponds, 1800 prawns) were monitored for GAV over the production season using a graded RT‐nPCR. The grading system used was a visualization of either the outer or inner nested PCR products. Prevalence and loading of GAV were associated with disease severity. Ponds with a higher initial prevalence and a larger increase in GAV load over the production period suffered disease outbreaks. Ponds with low initial prevalence of GAV but a larger increase in prevalence and large increase in load over the production period suffered chronic disease with no disease outbreak identified, yet low production. However, the ponds with moderate to low initial prevalence of GAV with a low increase in prevalence and load of GAV over the production period incurred no disease outbreak and comparatively high production. Ponds with GAV prevalence greater than 75% at 1 month post‐stocking should be considered for termination as they have a high probability (95%) of having a disease outbreak. Emergency harvest when a disease outbreak occurs will significantly limit mortality losses.