1,720,995 research outputs found
Pericardial lymphoma in seven cats
No full textA presumed primary pericardial lymphoma was diagnosed in seven cats. Clinical findings at presentation included poor body condition, dehydration and dyspnoea. Thoracic diagnostic imaging was performed in six cases and revealed pleural effusion and a diffuse thickening of the pericardium. A cytological diagnosis of lymphoma was obtained in six cases; in four cases the diagnosis was confirmed at necropsy. Immunophenotyping was performed in six cases: three cases were classified as T-cell and three as B-cell lymphoma. Four cats did not receive any treatment. One cat received only prednisone and two cats received chemotherapy. Six cats lived 7-11 days, except for one cat that received a multi-drug chemotherapy protocol and was still alive at the time of writing (750 days after diagnosis). Primary pericardial lymphoma is a rare extranodal feline lymphoma that has never been described previously
Evaluation of C-reactive protein (CRP) as clinical biomarker in naturally heartworm infected dogs : field study
No full textC-reactive protein (CRP) is a protein found in the blood, the levels of which rise in response to inflammation and is considered an acute-phase protein. Its physiological role is to bind to phosphocholine expressed on the surface of dead or dying cells (and some types of bacteria) in order to activate the complement system via the C1Q complex. CRP is synthesized by the liver and his increment is due to a rise in the plasma concentration of cytokines such as interleukin-6 ( IL-6), which is produced predominantly by macrophages as well as adipocytes and Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF α). The acute phase response develops in a wide range of acute and chronic inflammatory conditions like infections; and other inflammatory diseases; malignancy; and tissue injury or necrosis. These conditions cause release of interleukin-6 and other cytokines that trigger the synthesis of CRP and fibrinogen by the liver. During the acute phase response, levels of CRP rapidly increase and with resolution of the acute phase response, CRP declines with a relatively short half-life. Measuring CRP level is a screen for a wide range of diseases. Rapid, marked increases in CRP occur with inflammation, infection, trauma and tissue necrosis, malignancies, and autoimmune disorders. Because there are a large number of disparate conditions that can increase CRP production, an elevated CRP level does not diagnose a specific disease. The physiological role of CRP is to bind to phosphocholine expressed on the surface of dead or dying cells (and some types of bacteria) in order to activate the complement system. CRP binds to phosphocholine on microbes and damaged cells and enhances phagocytosis by macrophages. Thus, CRP participates in the clearance of necrotic and apoptotic cells. Arterial damage results from white blood cell invasion and inflammation within the wall may create an increasing of CRP such as in deep vein thrombosis in human beings. The aim of this study was to investigate if CRP measuring (once or sequential) may have a diagnostic or prognostic value in Heartworm disease or if it may use for staging and monitoring the disease in dogs, and to discover if increasing of CRP is related to worm burden or lung or arterial damage.
Sera for evaluating CRP values were collected from different groups of dogs:
- Normal dogs heartworm free.
- Dogs , heartworm free , with congenital or acquired cardiac disease affecting lungs blood circulation.
- Dogs Heartworm infected in different stages of the disease.
- Dogs Heartworm naturally infected randomly chosen from a population with different severity of symptoms related to the infection.
Results shows that CRP levels increase in Heartworm infected dogs and that the level of increasing seems to be mainly correlated to the severity of pulmonary arterial damage or thromboembolism .
Measuring CRP levels could therefore be considered a useful, cheap and simple Biomarker for staging the disease , monitoring therapy or decide in clinical trials which kind of therapy has advantage
Comparison between optical coherence biometric method and the ultrasonic biometric method
No full textEvaluation of C-reactive protein (CRP) as a clinical biomarker in naturally heartworm infected dogs : a field study
No full textCanine heartworm disease caused by Dirofilaria immitis is considered a pulmonary disease, which leads to pulmonary hypertension, and in the late stage, may induce right cardiac insufficiency. Adult worms are localized in the pulmonary arteries, which undergo endothelial damage (proliferative endoarteritis), the severity of which depends on the duration of infection and the worm burden. C-reactive protein (CRP) is a major canine acute-phase protein that rapidly increases in a wide range of inflammatory conditions and rapidly decreases when inflammation resolves. CRP is therefore considered a sensitive but nonspecific marker of inflammation. Pulmonary arterial damage in canine heartworm may induce an increase in CRP concentrations similar to what occurs in humans with endoarteritis. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether CRP may be a diagnostic and/or prognostic marker in canine heartworm, whether it may be used for staging and monitoring canine heartworm, and whether its concentration depends on worm burden or on pulmonary arterial damage. Serum CRP concentrations were determined in 57 dogs with heartworm disease, 47 of which were grouped according to parasite burden (low: n=11; high: n = 10) or on severity of pulmonary hypertension (mild: n = 16; severe: n =10). An additional 23 heartworm-free cardiopathic dogs were grouped on the absence of pulmonary hypertension (n = 8), presence of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) (n = 6), or presence of cardiomyopathy and pulmonary hypertension (n = 3) due to previous heartworm disease that had been treated (n = 6). Twenty control dogs also were sampled for CRP concentrations. Results show that CRP was significantly increased (p29.8 mg/L). In conclusion, CRP can be used as a marker of endothelial arteritis and pulmonary hypertension in dogs with heartworm
Efficacy of long-term monthly administration of ivermectin on the progress of naturally acquired heartworm infections in dogs
No full textThis study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of prolonged monthly ivermectin treatment against Dirofilaria immitis in client-owned dogs with naturally acquired infections and to clinically monitor the animal's response to the slow killing of heartworms, with death of the worms distributed over a period of up to 2 years. A total of 17 male and female dogs of different breeds and ages were used. Prior to treatment, all of the dogs tested positive for heartworm antigen (Ag) and all but two had microfilariae (mf). The dogs were randomly allocated to one group of seven dogs which received a commercial formulation of ivermectin (minimum, 6 mcg IVM/kg) plus pyrantel (minimum, 5 mg PP/kg) (Heartgard PlusTM Chewables, Merial, Ltd.), another group of seven dogs which received a commercial formulation of IVM (min, 6 mcg/kg) (Heartgard ® Chewables, Merial Ltd.), and a group of three dogs which served as an untreated controls. All dogs were evaluated prior to initiation of treatment and thereafter at 3- to 5-month-intervals for mf, Ag, and radiographic and echocardiographic findings. All of the 17 dogs, with the exception of two dogs in the IVM group, had circulating mf of D. immitis prior to the 1st monthly dose, and a few also had mf of Dirofilaria repens. After 4 monthly doses, only one dog in the IVM/PP group and two dogs in the IVM group had a patent heartworm infection, and no heartworm mf were seen in the 14 treated dogs thereafter. After 10 monthly doses, the number of Ag-positive dogs in both of the treated groups decreased gradually. Efficacy, based on the reduction in number of Ag-positive dogs, was similar for the IVM/PP and IVM groups, with overall efficacy scores for the 14 dogs of 21, 21, 43, and 71% after 10, 14, 19, and 24 monthly doses, respectively. Two of the seven dogs treated with IVM/PP, one of the seven treated with IVM, and two of the three untreated controls showed echocardiographic evidence of a parasitic burden prior to treatment, and all of these scores had decreased by the end of the study. Only one dog (IVM/PP group) had a cardiovascular pattern of heartworm disease by echocardiography prior to treatment, but this dog's score increased to two and the scores of two additional dogs increased from zero to two (IVM group) or three (IVM/PP group) by the end of the study. Only 1 (IVM/PP group) of the 17 dogs showed a pulmonary pattern of heartworm disease by radiography prior to treatment, but this dog's score increased to three by the end of the study. The radiographic scores of two additional dogs in the treated groups increased from zero to three (IVM/PP) or two (IVM) by the end of the study. Thus, monthly administration of IVM to dogs with clinical, radiographic or echocardiographic evidence of heartworm disease is ill-advised and such treatment of even the asymptomatic dog should be done only with much caution and frequent monitoring by the veterinarian
Comparison of two echocardiographic views for evaluating the right pulmonary artery distensibility index in dogs.
Full text linkEchocardiographic evaluation of the right pulmonary artery distensibility
index (RPAD index) was recently described as a valuable
method for early detection and severity evaluation of
pulmonary arterial hypertension in dogs. RPAD index is calculated
as the percentage change in diameter of the right pulmonary
artery (RPA) between systole and diastole, obtained by M-mode
echocardiography from the right parasternal long axis view. The
aim of this study was to compare the RPAD index obtained by 2
different echocardiographic views in dogs. The study design was a
prospective, multicenter, observational study. Forty-five clientowned
dogs from different breeds were included: 31 dogs with
heart disease and 14 healthy dogs. Two different right parasternal
views, long axis (RPLA) and short axis (RPSA), were used to
measure the RPAD index. From the RPLA view (method 1) and
RPSA view (method 2) a short axis and a long axis image were
respectively optimized for the right pulmonary artery. The RPAD
index was calculated by M-mode as the percentage change in
diameter of the right pulmonary artery: [(systolic diameter - diastolic
diameter)/ systolic diameter]*100. Measurements were done
off-line as an average of 5 consecutive cardiac cycles by a single
investigator blinded to the dogs’ diagnosis. A Pearson and a
Bland-Altman test were used to assess correlation and agreement
between the 2 methods, respectively. Intra- and inter-observer
measurement variability was quantified by average coefficient of
variation (CV). Level of significance was set at P < 0.05. M-mode
evaluation of the RPAD index was satisfactorily obtained by both
methods in all dogs. Pearson test showed a strong positive linear
correlation between the values of RPAD index obtained from both
methods (r2 = 0.9346, P < 0.0001). Bland-Altman test showed a
good agreement between the 2 methods in estimating RPAD index
(bias = 0.51%, SD = 2.96%, 95% limits of agreement = 5.30,
6.33%). The mean difference between the 2 methods was 0.51%
(95% confidence interval = 0.35; 1.35). Intra- and inter-observer
measurement variability was clinically acceptable (CV<10%).The
study showed a good agreement between short axis and long axis
M-mode evaluation of RPA. Both methods can be used interchangeably
to evaluate RPAD index. Further studies are needed
to evaluate the RPAD index in a larger population of healthy dogs
and the diagnostic and prognostic role of this echocardiographic
parameter in dogs with different types of pulmonary hypertension
Feline dirofilariosis : antibody response to antigenic fractions containing specific 20 to 30 kDa polypeptides from the adult Dirofilaria immitis somatic antigen
No full textFractions from the adult somatic antigen (SA) Dirofilaria immitis complex, containing polypeptides from 20 to 30kDa, previously identified as molecular markers of feline dirofilariosis are isolated by sequential application of gel filtration and anion exchange chromatography. Indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, employing these fractions (20-26kDa/ELISAF1 and 30kDa/ELISAF7) show multivalent diagnostic capacities: they were able to detect pre-patent infections 2 months after infection, infections in clinical phase, and the fall of antibodies after the worms were removed from the heart, or the application of a ivermectin treatment. The results obtained by the two tests correlated well, in spite of the fact that ELISAF1 was most useful to detect antibodies in sera from cats in the clinical phase, while ELISAF7 has more sensitivity for the early detection of the infections. Both ELISAs were useful in the detection of the decrease of antibodies after the worms were removed by surgery or pharmacological treatment
Ruolo dell'ecografia nella clinica degli animali d'affezione: l'addome acuto
No full textIl piano di studi della laurea specialistica in Medicina Veterinaria, sia per la formazione di primo livello che per quella di secondo livello, non contempla la specializzazione per organi o apparati (es. cardiologia, neurologia, ortopedia, ecc.) né per specifiche competenze (es. radiologia). Attualmente la clinica degli animali d’affezione (soprattutto cani e gatti) ha comunque raggiunto livelli eccellenti tali che, pur continuando ad attingere idee e protocolli dalla medicina umana, sempre più frequentemente è in grado di confrontarsi con essa a livelli paritetici. La formazione del medico veterinario, che può essere correttamente considerata una formazione “generalista” ed estremamente trasversale, la limitata collaboratività dei nostri pazienti e soprattutto il fatto che il carico economico dell’assistenza veterinaria è completamente a carico del proprietario dell’animale, ha fatto sì che nella clinica degli animali d’affezione siano stati particolarmente sviluppati quei protocolli diagnostici che consentissero di raggiungere diagnosi più precise possibili, nel minor tempo possibile con il massimo contenimento dei costi.
In questo senso l’ecografia rappresenta forse la massima sintesi dei principi sopra esposti e oggi trova applicazione nell’ iter diagnostico differenziale delle patologie più complesse, sia di carattere gastroenterologico, urologico, pneumologico, cardiologico, endocrinologico, oculistico, vascolare ed ultimamente anche ortopedico e dermatologico.
Scopo di questa relazione è quello di illustrare il ruolo dell’ecografia nell’addome acuto del cane e del gatto, ma soprattutto quello di illustrare l’approccio del medico veterinario al proprio paziente. Tale approccio parte sempre dal sintomo principale (P.O.A.: Problem Oriented Approach) ed attraverso un percorso step-by-step porta progressivamente prima alla esclusione della maggior parte delle varie cause possibili e poi alla conferma eziologica della diagnosi. In questo percorso l’ecografia, con la sua capacità di evidenziare rapidamente, in modo innocuo per il paziente, ripetibile ed economico la maggior parte delle alterazioni morfologiche e spesso anche funzionali degli organi interni, rappresenta uno strumento diagnostico insostituibile.
Verranno presentati alcuni casi esemplificativi (Budd-Chiari syndrome, rotture spleniche, peritoniti settiche da perforazione intestinale, occlusioni intestinali da corpo estraneo, pancreatiti acute, ascessi pancreatici, idronefrosi, uroperitoneo, ascessi prostatici, ecc.) in cui l’ecografia, di per sé o come guida per prelievi mirati dalla lesioni, oltre ad aver giocato un ruolo determinate nella diagnosi, è risultata spesso fondamentale nella scelta dellapproccio terapeutico
Feline heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) infection : a statistical elaboration of the duration of the infection and life expectancy in asymptomatic cats
No full textA study was conducted to assess the duration and the outcome (self-cure or death)
of feline heartworm infection and the life expectancy of infected cats. To be
included in the study, cats had to be positive for heartworm antibody (Ab) and
heartworm antigen (Ag) and had to demonstrate the presence of worms by
echocardiography. Self-cure was defined as (1) negative for heartworm Ag and (2)
no further visualization of worms by echocardiography. Of the 1962 eligible cats,
364 (18.5%) were positive for heartworm Ag and 131 were positive for heartworm Ag
and for echocardiography diagnosis (prevalence 6.7%). None of the cats was
microfilaremic. Of 43 asymptomatic cats included into the follow-up study with
owners' consent, 34 (79%) self-cured and nine (21%) died. Eleven (26%) cats
remained asymptomatic and self cured within 21-48 months, 23 (53%) showed
symptoms but self-cured within 18-49 months, 6 (14%) died within 8-41 months of
follow-up and 3 (7%) suddenly died after 38-40 months, which was related to
heartworm infection. The probability for death or sudden death increased
significantly with age at diagnosis, but no difference was detected by gender,
survival time after diagnosis, or the presence or absence of symptoms. The
presence/absence of symptoms showed significant interaction with the age at
diagnosis (i.e., symptomatic cats showed increasing duration of heartworm
infection along with age at diagnosis compared to that for asymptomatic cats.
Heartworm-infected cats survived significantly longer than heartworm-negative
cats affected by hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, chronic renal failure, or
neoplastic diseases
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