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Advances in Companion Animal Disease Diagnosis and Treatment

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A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Veterinary Clinical Studies".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2022) | Viewed by 37420

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Hirotaka Igarashi

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Guest Editor

Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Sagamihara 252-0231, Japan
Interests: radiobiology; inherited disorders; tumor internal medicine; natural immunity; intestinal bacteria; urinary organ; digester; internal medicine; cat; dog

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

To date, many researchers have reported their data relating to novel diagnostic or therapeutic approaches with regards to malignant diseases in companion animals. However, the amount of this evidence is not sufficient when compared with that in human medicine. Therefore, the more clinical evidence in small animal practice is required to accelerate the progress of clinical veterinary science, which will help clinicians as well as disease-suffering animals to conquer malignant diseases.

We encourage you to submit a manuscript about novel, promising, or challenging data on the advances in disease diagnosis and treatment in companion animals. Areas of interest in this Issue include a variety of topics, focusing on diagnostic procedures or therapeutic approaches in companion animals. Systematic reviews, prospective or retrospective studies will be reviewed and considered for publication in this Issue.

Dr. Hirotaka Igarashi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

companion animal
disease diagnosis
treatment
therapeutic approaches

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 2014 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Potential of Bemegride as an Activation Agent in Electroencephalography in Dogs

by Junya Hirashima, Miyoko Saito and Minoru Yokomori

Animals 2022, 12(22), 3210; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12223210 - 19 Nov 2022

Viewed by 1563

Abstract

The present study investigated the potential of bemegride as a pharmacological activation agent that elicits epileptiform discharges (EDs) in interictal electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings in dogs. Four laboratory dogs with idiopathic epilepsy and four without epilepsy were included. The dogs were anesthetized using sevoflurane during EEG recordings. Bemegride was administered intravenously and repeatedly until EDs were enhanced or induced, or until the maximum dose (20 mg/kg) had been administered. Bemegride activated EDs in all dogs with epilepsy. These EDs predominantly occurred in each dog’s spontaneous irritative zones, which were identified without the administration of bemegride. EDs occurred after the administration of bemegride in 50% of dogs without epilepsy. The dose required for activation was significantly lower in dogs with epilepsy (median; 7.3 mg/kg) than in those without (median; 19.7 mg/kg) (p = 0.0294). The only suspected adverse effect associated with the administration of bemegride was vomiting in two dogs after awakening from anesthesia. There were no other adverse effects, including seizures. The present results demonstrated the potential of bemegride as a safe and effective pharmacological activation agent of EDs in anesthetized dogs with epilepsy and provided more options for the diagnosis and therapeutic planning of epilepsy, including presurgical evaluations, in dogs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Companion Animal Disease Diagnosis and Treatment)

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11 pages, 1515 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Outcome of Acquired Fanconi Syndrome Associated with Ingestion of Jerky Treats in 30 Dogs

by Stinna Nybroe, Charlotte R. Bjørnvad, Camilla F. H. Hansen, Tenna S. L. Andersen and Ida N. Kieler

Animals 2022, 12(22), 3192; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12223192 - 18 Nov 2022

Viewed by 8306

Abstract

Acquired canine proximal renal tubulopathy (Fanconi syndrome) related to excessive ingestion of jerky treats has been recognized since 2007. This study aimed to improve knowledge about the syndrome’s characteristics, especially long-term outcome. By reaching out to veterinarians and dog owners, dogs suspected of jerky induced Fanconi syndrome were identified. The dog’s medical records were reviewed, and owners interviewed. Data was analyzed using linear mixed models (p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant) and descriptive statistics are reported. Thirty dogs, median body weight 6.8 (range 1.2–59) kg and age 6.5 (0.5–14) years, were enrolled as suspected cases based on history of jerkey ingestion and confirmed normoglycemic/hypoglycemic glycosuria. Clinical signs included polydipsia (23/30), polyuria (21/30), lethargy (19/30), weight loss (15/30), hyporexia (11/30), vomiting (7/30), diarrhea (7/30) and no clinical signs (2/30). Para-clinical findings included azotemia (6/28), hypophosphatemia (9/25), metabolic acidosis (3/8), hypokalemia (6/20), proteinuria (13/26), aminoaciduria (4/4), hematuria (22/29) and ketonuria (7/27). Clinical signs resolved in 22/28 within 11 (0.3–52) weeks and glycosuria resolved in 28/30 within 6.5 (1–31) weeks. There were no associations between serum creatinine and urea and the amount/duration of jerky ingestion. Serum symmetric dimethylarginine concentrations were only available for a few dogs, therefore no conclusion was achieved on a possible association with duration of jerky ingestion. Apart from a larger percentage of dogs achieving complete recovery, the current findings are in agreement with previous reports. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Companion Animal Disease Diagnosis and Treatment)

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11 pages, 1204 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Complete Blood Count-Derived Inflammatory Markers Changes in Dogs with Chronic Inflammatory Enteropathy Treated with Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells

by José Ignacio Cristóbal, Francisco Javier Duque, Jesús Usón-Casaús, Rafael Barrera, Esther López and Eva María Pérez-Merino

Animals 2022, 12(20), 2798; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202798 - 17 Oct 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1777

Abstract

Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (Ad-MSCs) exhibit anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) have been reported as novel biomarkers of the inflammatory state; however, they have never been examined in dogs with chronic inflammatory enteropathy (CIE) treated with Ad-MSCs. This study aimed to compare the clinical evolution and the changes in the NLR, PLR, and SII in dogs with CIE before and after cell therapy. Sixteen dogs with CIE were administered a single intravenous dose of Ad-MSCs. The canine chronic enteropathy clinical activity index (CCECAI), NLR, PLR, and SII were assessed before treatment (T0) and at 2 (T2) and 9 (T9) months post-treatment and compared over time and with the reference values obtained from a group of healthy dogs. NLR, PLR, and SII were significantly increased at T0 compared to the reference values, decreasing significantly over time. At T9, the NLR and SII did not differ from the reference values, but PLR remained above the reference values. A correlation was observed between CCECAI and the three markers. These findings show that the clinical improvement of dogs with CIE treated with Ad-MSCs is accompanied by a normalization of the inflammatory status. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Companion Animal Disease Diagnosis and Treatment)

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10 pages, 1576 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Vaccination against Leptospira on Shelter Asymptomatic Dogs Following a Long-Term Study

by Ricardo Sant’Anna da Costa, Maria Isabel N. Di Azevedo, Ana Luiza dos Santos Baptista Borges, Luíza Aymée, Gabriel Martins and Walter Lilenbaum

Animals 2022, 12(14), 1788; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12141788 - 12 Jul 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2186

Abstract

(1) Background: Vaccination of dogs against leptospirosis is of paramount importance, as they ideally must provide not only long-term protection, but also against the renal carrier state of leptospires. This study assessed the post-vaccine humoral response against Leptospira in naturally exposed dogs and effects on renal carrier status. (2) Methods: A total of 118 dogs were studied for 365 days, separated into Group A (vaccinated, n = 94) and Group B (non-vaccinated, n = 24). Group A was subdivided into three groups: A1 with 32 dogs immunized with the vaccine #1; A2 by 32 dogs with #2; and A3 30 dogs with #3. Serology (MAT and IgG-ELISA) and urinary PCR were conducted. (3) Results: Seroreactivity increased at D15 post-vaccination and, regardless of vaccine brand, remained high up to D180, with antibody switch to IgG after D30. A total of 46.8% of animals from Group A were PCR-positive at least once, in contrast to 75% in Group B, regardless of vaccine brand (p < 0.05; OR: 0.3). (4) Conclusions: All commercial vaccines succeeded at eliciting a long-term IgG-based response and were partially effective at protecting against kidney infection. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Companion Animal Disease Diagnosis and Treatment)

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12 pages, 2320 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Computed Tomography-Guided Fine Needle Biopsies of Vertebral and Paravertebral Lesions in Small Animals

by Patricia Laborda-Vidal, Myriam Martín, Marc Orts-Porcar, Laura Vilalta, Antonio Melendez-Lazo, Alejandra García de Carellán and Carlos Ros

Animals 2022, 12(13), 1688; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12131688 - 30 Jun 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1718

Abstract

Fine needle biopsy (FNB) is an effective, minimally invasive and inexpensive diagnostic technique. Under computed tomography (CT)-guidance, lesions that have a difficult approach can be sampled to reach a diagnosis. The aim of this study is to describe the use of CT-guidance to obtain FNB from vertebral and paravertebral lesions in small animals. Ten dogs and one ferret that had undergone CT-guided FNB of vertebral and paravertebral lesions and had a cytological or a histological diagnosis were included in this retrospective study. The FNB samples were taken in four cases from the vertebra, in two cases from the intervertebral disc and in five cases from the intervertebral foramen. Two infectious and nine neoplastic lesions were diagnosed. The percentage of successful FNB was 91%. The percentage of samples with a cytological diagnosis was 80%. The percentage of complications was 9%. Limitations were the small number of animals in the study, the lacking complementary percutaneous biopsies for comparison, the lacking final histological diagnoses in some cases and the intervention of multiple operators. Computed tomography-guided FNB is a useful and safe technique for the diagnosis of vertebral and paravertebral lesions in small animals. However, a degree of expertise is important. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Companion Animal Disease Diagnosis and Treatment)

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12 pages, 1250 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Combination of the Modified Loop Technique and De Vega Annuloplasty in Dogs with Mitral Regurgitation

by Takuma Aoki, Takashi Miyamoto, Naoyuki Fukamachi, Seiya Niimi, Yao Jingya and Yoshito Wakao

Animals 2022, 12(13), 1653; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12131653 - 27 Jun 2022

Viewed by 1695

Abstract

Background: Detailed surgical techniques for treating canine mitral regurgitation have not been previously reported. Method: This case series included six consecutive client-owned dogs with mitral regurgitation. All dogs underwent a combined protocol, including the modified loop technique and De Vega annuloplasty (MODEL surgery), in 2021. Artificial loops covering 80% of the length of the strut chordae tendineae were used for chordal replacement. Mitral annuloplasty was subjectively performed, targeting the circumference of the septal leaflet. Results: The breeds were Chihuahua-mixed breed, Spitz, Pomeranian, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, and Chihuahua, with average ages and weights of 11.4 ± 2.3 years and 5.49 ± 2.98 kg, respectively. The aortic cross-clamp, pumping, and surgery times were 64.0 ± 7.5 min, 168.5 ± 39.1 min, and 321.0 ± 53.1 min, respectively. After MODEL surgery, left atrial-to-aortic ratios significantly decreased from 2.20 ± 0.18 to 1.26 ± 0.22 (p < 0.01), and left ventricular end-diastolic internal diameter normalized to body weight significantly decreased from 2.03 ± 0.26 to 1.48 ± 0.20 (p < 0.01). In all cases, the clinical signs disappeared or improved significantly. Conclusions: MODEL surgery increased mitral valve coaptation, normalized heart sizes, and significantly improved clinical signs in dogs with mitral regurgitation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Companion Animal Disease Diagnosis and Treatment)

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9 pages, 1565 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of Nasal Structure Using CT Imaging of Brachycephalic Dog Breeds

by Ryo Oshita, Sakie Katayose, Eiichi Kanai and Satoshi Takagi

Animals 2022, 12(13), 1636; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12131636 - 25 Jun 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2283

Abstract

The response to treatment of brachycephalic airway syndrome (BAS) varies among brachycephalic dog breeds. We hypothesized that variations in nasal structure are one of the factors responsible for this difference. To confirm this variation, we measured the ratio of the airway cross-sectional area to the total nasal cavity area (AA/NC) in three brachycephalic dog breeds. Head CT images of French bulldogs, shih tzus, and pugs were retrospectively collected. Four specific transverse planes were used to calculate AA/NC ratios. Fifty brachycephalic dogs were included in the study: French bulldogs (n = 20), shih tzus (n = 20), and pugs (n = 10). The AA/NC ratio of Shih Tzus was larger in the rostral nasal cavity and smaller toward the caudal area, whereas the other two breeds showed an inverse tendency. The results obtained from the current research indicate that the AA/NC ratio can be used to evaluate the structure of the nasal cavity. Moreover, analyzing the point with the smallest AA/NC ratio can be useful in quantifying nasal airway obstruction and the severity of BAS. These results will be useful in understanding the complexity of BAS pathophysiology and in the implementation of treatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Companion Animal Disease Diagnosis and Treatment)

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11 pages, 712 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pathology and Prevalence of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria: A Study of 398 Pet Reptiles

by Romeo T. Cristina, Rudolf Kocsis, János Dégi, Florin Muselin, Eugenia Dumitrescu, Emil Tirziu, Viorel Herman, Aurel P. Darău and Ion Oprescu

Animals 2022, 12(10), 1279; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12101279 - 17 May 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2478

Abstract

Reptiles are potential reservoirs of bacteria that could be transmitted, thus becoming a zoonotic hazard. (1) Background: This three-year investigation surveyed the pathological status of 398 pet reptiles: chelonians, snakes (venomous/non-venomous), and lizards. The main pathological entities found were related to the skin, the sensory organs, the digestive system, the respiratory system, the cardiovascular system, the urinary system, the genitalia, the osteo–muscular tract, surgical issues, tumors, and intoxications. (2) Methods: In 25 individuals treated with antibiotics, no clinical healing was recorded, for this reason, an antimicrobial resistance profile analysis of the 43 samples gathered was processed. An antibiogram was performed using the VITEK^®2 ID-GP (bio-Mérieux, Marcy l’Etoile, France) automated platform, with 22 bacterial strains being isolated. (3) Results: The statistics (ANOVA) revealed that the most common disease category was diseases of the digestive system, followed by diseases of the skin, respiratory system, nervous system, and reproductive system. A significant correlation (p < 0.01) between disease incidence and reptile species was reported, with correlations found between all species and diseases diagnosed. The most common bacteria isolated were Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Stenotrophomas (Xanthomonas) maltophilia, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella oxytoca, and Salmonella spp., but Beta-hemolytic Streptococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, Citrobacter spp., and Proteus spp. were also identified. (4) Conclusions: These microorganisms revealed degrees of resistance against penicillins, cephalosporins, macrolides, lincosamides, aminoglycosides, and tetracyclines. The animals can be categorized according to their sensitivity to diseases in the following order (most sensitive to least sensitive): chelonians, venomous snakes, non-venomous snakes, and lizards. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Companion Animal Disease Diagnosis and Treatment)

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13 pages, 1297 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Renal Blood Flow in Dogs during Short-Term Human-Dose Epoprostenol Administration Using Pulsed Doppler and Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasonography

by Kiwamu Hanazono, Takaharu Itami, Ikuto Hayasaka, Kenjiro Miyoshi, Ai Hori, Keiko Kato and Daiji Endoh

Animals 2022, 12(9), 1175; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12091175 - 4 May 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2065

Abstract

Prostacyclin is an in vivo bioactive substance that regulates renal blood flow (RBF). Information regarding how epoprostenol, a prostacyclin preparation, affects RBF in dogs is lacking. We investigated the effects of short-term epoprostenol administration on RBF in six healthy dogs under anesthesia by administering it intravenously at human doses—2, 5, and 10 ng/kg/min for 20 min. RBF was evaluated before and during epoprostenol administration using pulsed Doppler ultrasonography, and renal perfusion was evaluated using contrast-enhanced ultrasonography. Effects on renal and systemic circulation were evaluated by measuring systolic arterial, mean arterial, diastolic arterial, pulmonary arterial, mean right atrial, and pulmonary capillary wedge pressures; heart rate; and cardiac output. Kruskal–Wallis and Bonferroni multiple comparison tests and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient were used for statistical analyses. As epoprostenol dosage increased, the peak systolic and end diastolic velocity of the renal artery, maximum and minimum venous flow velocities of the interlobular and renal veins, and heart rate all tended to increase, although not significantly. Our results indicate that human-dose epoprostenol administration in dogs does not cause significant changes in renal or systemic circulation. However, the human doses used may have been too low to produce a clinical effect in dogs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Companion Animal Disease Diagnosis and Treatment)

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9 pages, 2227 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Repeated-Dose Pharmacodynamics of Pimobendan in Healthy Cats

by Keisuke Sugimoto, Kazutoshi Sugita, Kensuke Orito and Yoko Fujii

Animals 2022, 12(8), 981; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12080981 - 11 Apr 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2472

Abstract

The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of repeated and multiple-dose pimobendan on cardiac systolic function and the correlations between changes in cardiac systolic function and plasma concentrations of pimobendan and O-desmethylpimobendan (ODMP). Five clinically healthy cats were subjected to four different medication protocols for 14 days, with a washout period of at least 1 month between each protocol. The protocols were pimobendan 0.5 mg/kg q12h (high dosage [HD] group); pimobendan 0.25 mg/kg q12h (standard dosage [SD] group); pimobendan 0.125 mg/kg q12h (low dosage group); and Biofermin R, one tablet q12h (placebo group). Echocardiography and measurement of plasma concentrations of pimobendan and ODMP were performed prior to medication administration (baseline) and 20, 40, 60, 120, 240, 360, and 480 min after administration, and the correlation between the changes in cardiac systolic function and plasma concentration of pimobendan, ODMP, or the sum of both were examined. The cardiac systolic function increased in the HD and SD groups, and there were significant correlations between the lateral peak systolic myocardial velocity (S′) changes and plasma pimobendan, plasma ODMP, and the sum of both. Repeated doses of pimobendan in healthy cats increased cardiac systolic function, and there were significant correlations between cardiac function and plasma concentrations of pimobendan and ODMP. The results of this study highlight the effectiveness of a higher dose of pimobendan. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Companion Animal Disease Diagnosis and Treatment)

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11 pages, 2085 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Detection of Canine Urothelial Carcinoma Cells in Urine Using 5-Aminolevulinic Acid

by Kenjiro Kaji, Tomohiro Yonezawa, Yasuyuki Momoi and Shingo Maeda

Animals 2022, 12(4), 485; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12040485 - 16 Feb 2022

Viewed by 3369

Abstract

This study aimed to establish a method to detect canine urothelial carcinoma cells in urine using 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) and to evaluate its diagnostic accuracy. Urine samples were collected from 21 dogs diagnosed with urothelial carcinoma and three urothelial carcinoma cell lines were used. Urine samples obtained from seven healthy dogs were used as controls. Cells in the urine sediment, or urothelial carcinoma cell lines, were cultured with 5-ALA and then observed under a fluorescence microscope. Moreover, we examined the relationship between fluorescence intensity and the presence of metastasis as well as tumor invasion into the bladder wall in cases of urothelial carcinoma. Urine-derived cells from urothelial carcinoma and urothelial carcinoma cell lines showed clearer red fluorescence with the addition of 5-ALA compared to that exhibited by the cells from healthy dogs. The sensitivity and specificity of the diagnosis of urothelial carcinoma were 90% and 86%, respectively. Significant associations were found between fluorescence intensity and tumor metastasis and bladder wall invasion. This study showed that 5-ALA can be used to detect urothelial carcinoma cells in dogs with relatively high diagnostic accuracy. Further, the fluorescence intensity of tumor cells caused by 5-ALA correlated with the clinical condition of urothelial carcinoma cases, which suggested that 5-ALA could be used as a prognostic marker for canine urothelial carcinoma. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Companion Animal Disease Diagnosis and Treatment)

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Review

Jump to: Research

15 pages, 981 KiB

Open AccessReview

C-Reactive Protein as a Diagnostic Marker in Dogs: A Review

by Katarzyna Malin and Olga Witkowska-Piłaszewicz

Animals 2022, 12(20), 2888; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202888 - 21 Oct 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5812

Abstract

Acute phase response is a nonspecific reaction to disturbances in homeostasis during which the production of some Acute Phase Proteins (APPs) is stimulated; they are sensitive but nonspecific markers of systemic inflammatory processes. The major positive APP in dogs is the C-reactive protein (CRP). The dynamic of its concentration changes fast, rising and decreasing rapidly with the onset and removal of the inflammatory stimulus. It increases within the first 4–24 h after the stimulus and reaches up to a 50–100-fold increase of the baseline level. It has been documented that this APP’s concentration is elevated during several diseases, such as pyometra, panniculitis, acute pancreatitis, polyarthritis, sepsis, immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, and neoplasia in dogs. In clinical practice, canine CRP is mostly measured to detect and monitor systemic inflammatory activity and the efficacy of treatments, because it is a more sensitive marker than shifts in leukocyte counts. Blood serum CRP concentration is becoming a part of routine biochemistry panels in many countries. In this article, changes in CRP concentration and its clinical application in healthy and diseased dogs are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Companion Animal Disease Diagnosis and Treatment)

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