Abstract
AAFP Conference poster session
A total of seven clinical/research abstracts were accepted for presentation at the poster session held during the 2017 AAFP Conference in Denver, USA, 19–22 October.
Clinical Profile of Cats with Lymphoma in Southern Brazil and its Association with Feline Leukemia Virus Infection
1Department of Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
2Postgraduate Program in Veterinary Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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This retrospective study included 68 cats diagnosed with lymphoma between 2013 and 2016. Data were collected from the cats’ medical history and laboratory findings. Descriptive statistics included age, gender, breed, anatomic classification, lymphoma diagnostic method, and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) status, using Microsoft Excel version 2016.
The mean age was 5.5 years (range 0.7–15). Twenty-six patients (38%) were less than 3 years of age, 17 (25%) were between 3 and 7 years of age and 25 (37%) were 7 years or older. Thirty-two cats (47%) were male and 36 (53%) were female. The majority of cats (88.2%) were mixed breed. Other breeds included Siamese (5.9%), Persian (2.9%) and Turkish Angora (1.5%). The diagnosis was made by cytologic examination in 52 (77%) cases, histopathologic examination in 14 (20%) cases and both examinations in two (3%) cases. The most common lymphoma anatomic classification was mediastinal (54%), followed by multicentric (18%), extranodal (15%) and alimentary (13%). Rapid immunoassay tests (SNAP FIV/FeLV Combo Test; IDEXX Laboratories) revealed that 36 cats (53%) were FeLV positive and 17 (25%) were FeLV negative, and 15 (22%) were not tested. Of those tested, only four (5.8%) were FIV positive. Regarding the 37 cats with mediastinal lymphoma, 28 were FeLV positive. Only one cat with alimentary lymphoma and three with multicentric lymphoma were FeLV positive. One FIV-positive cat had the mediastinal form, another had alimentary and the two other FIV-positive cats had multicentric lymphoma.
The higher frequency of mediastinal lymphoma could be explained by the high prevalence of FeLV-positive cats in Brazil’s population. One possible explanation is that this study was conducted at a veterinary teaching hospital in Brazil, where the majority of cats have low-income owners who do not vaccinate their cats routinely. If all cats in the study were tested, the prevalence of FeLV and mediastinal lymphoma would probably be even higher, approaching the 70% referred to in the literature.
Assessment of Exposure to Topical Drug Residues from Petting Following Repeated Application of a Novel Mirtazapine Transdermal Ointment in Cats
Valentine Williams1,
1Kindred Biosciences, Burlingame, CA, USA
2The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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This was a single group, unmasked, multi-dose study. Eight female domestic shorthair cats received a daily dose of 2 mg mirtazapine transdermal ointment (0.1 ml ointment; 2% mirtazapine) applied to the inner right ear pinna for 14 consecutive days. On day 14, petting strokes of the ear and body were performed with a gloved mannequin hand pre-dose, and 0.5 h, 1 h, 2 h, 4 h, 8 h, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h and 96 h post-last dose. The operator manipulated the mannequin hand to mimic normal petting actions. For each ear petting procedure, the sampler stroked the inner surface of the pinna of the right ear with the mannequin index finger using uniform medium pressure running from the base to the apex of the ear for 20 strokes. For each body petting procedure, the sampler stroked the body surfaces with the palmar surface of the mannequin hand with uniform medium pressure running with the lay of the cat haircoat for 20 strokes, including each side along the ribcage and along the back from the base of the head/neck to the tail.
Mirtazapine residues on the gloves were assayed using a validated high performance liquid chromatography and dual mass spectrometry method. The percent dislodgeable residue (PDR), defined as the percent of the daily applied dose of the drug removed (ie, dislodged) from the cat upon petting, was determined for each sample and averaged for each sampling time point.
PDR at each time point is illustrated in Figure 1 and the mean mirtazapine PDR vs sampling time is shown in the Table.
Mean mirtazapine percent dislodgeable residue (%) vs sampling time: hours 0–12
PDR = percent dislodgeable residue
The results of this study demonstrated that for body petting, dislodgeable residues were very low (lower than 1.0%) from 0.5 h after the last administration. Body petting is unlikely to result in significant human drug exposure. For ear petting, the residues were high (around 20%) at 0.5 h after the last administration, then reduced to 1.2% from 2 h after the last administration.
Cyclooxygenase 2, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 2 and CD31 Expression in Feline Mammary Carcinomas: Evidence of an Antiproliferative Effect of a Cyclooxygenase Inhibitor
1Laboratory of Health of Ecosystems, Faculty of Ecology and Natural Resources-Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
2School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Ecology and Natural Resources-Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
3Laboratory of Biomedicine and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences-Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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Forty-six samples of FMCs and three samples of normal mammary glands were analyzed. Histologic evaluation was performed according to the World Health Organization criteria. Tumor grading was determined according to the Elston and Ellis system and classified as grade I (well differentiated), grade II (moderately differentiated) and grade III (poorly differentiated) carcinomas.
Expression of COX-2 and VEGFR-2 in tumor cells and CD31 in endothelial cells were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. χ2 and Fisher tests were used to determine statistical associations between histologic grades and biomarkers analyzed at P <0.05.
In parallel, three primary cultures derived from FMCs were characterized by clonogenic assay and immunofluorescence. The cells were cultured in the presence of 0-100 μg/ml meloxicam. Cell viability was evaluated after 24 h and 48 h by MTS assay (CellTiter 96 AQueous One Solution Cell Proliferation Assay System; Promega Corporation). ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis followed by post-hoc comparisons were used to determine statistical significance at P <0.05.
Four histologic types of carcinoma were found: tubular (30.43%), cribriform (32.61%), papillary (13.04%) and solid (23.91 %). Of the carcinomas, 6.52% were highly differentiated, 60.87% were moderately differentiated and 32.61% were poorly differentiated. None of the feline healthy mammary glands expressed COX-2. COX-2 and CD31 expression was high in tumors of high histological grades (P = 0.009 and P = 0.001, respectively); however, no associations between COX-2 and VEGFR-2 (P = 1.0) or CD31 (P = 0.15) expression were observed. VEGFR-2 was not differentially expressed according to histologic grades (P = 1.0).
All cell cultures established behaved similarly. For each cell culture, meloxicam reduced cell viability (P <0.05) at all concentrations analyzed. These effects were concentration-dependent.
These results indicate that FMCs are generally moderately to poorly differentiated, expressing elevated levels of COX-2 and CD31, transforming these molecules into potential treatment targets. Meloxicam decreased proliferative cell rate, probably related to COX-2 inhibition, but additional studies are needed to clarify these findings. High concentrations of this drug were used, making it necessary to evaluate the potential effect of meloxicam at regular and achievable in vivo concentrations.
Necrotizing Bacterial Stomatitis in a Feline Immunodeficiency Virus- and Feline Leukemia Virus-Positive Cat
1Department of Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
2 Postgraduate Program in Veterinary Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
3Dog Cat Veterinary Clinic, Porto Alegre, Brazil
4Department of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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Oral necrotic ulcers located on the hard palate
The patient was treated with broad spectrum antibiotics, pain management, dipyrone, filgrastim and general supportive care and nutrition, but did not respond well to treatment. After a week, the owner opted for euthanasia and the cat was sent for necropsy examination.
The oral fragment collected was immediately fixed in buffered saline 10%, routinely processed for histology, paraffin-embedded, cut to 3.0 μm sections and stained using hematoxylin and eosin. Tissue sections were submitted to immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis for Mouse anti-Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (p24 gag) for 40 mins/100°C; 0.01 M citrate buffer pH 6.0, diluted 1:100, LSAB-AP (Dako) was used as a secondary antibody and Permanent Red (Dako) as a chromogen.
The hard palate exhibited intense ulceration, as well as tonsil necrosis (Figure 2). On histologic examination, the lesional area was characterized by intense necrosis of the mucosa and submucosa, with abundant deposits of bacterial colonies on the surface. Immunohistochemical evaluation of these lesions was performed and intense immunostaining was detected in anti-FIV IHC analysis, mainly in the cytoplasm and nuclei of the lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate and occasional macrophages (Figure 3).
The hard palate exhibited intense ulceration, as well as tonsil necrosis
Intense immunostaining was detected in anti-feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis. (A) Oral mucosa, submucosa showing large numbers of positive inflammatory cells. (B) Ulcerated mucosa, submucosa showing large numbers of positive inflammatory cells. (C) Submucosa, higher magnification of inflammatory cells, positive immunostaining in the cytoplasm and nuclei of lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate and occasional macrophages. (D) Detail of inflammatory cells, mainly cytoplasm and some nuclei. IHC anti-FIV, Permanent Red chromogen, hematoxylin counterstaining. Magnification (A,B) × 100, (C) × 200 and (D) × 400
In people, a similar condition is described as a destructive necrotizing disease that affects orofacial tissues, predominantly of malnourished young children, but also related to systemic viral and bacterial infections. It is thought to be caused by anaerobic bacteria, which are commensal in the mouths of healthy individuals but very pathogenic in a debilitated patient. Additionally, it is considered that HIV and herpesvirus infection may play a role in the pathogenesis of this disease in humans.
In this case report, the cat had a history of infectious upper respiratory tract signs, which might have been caused by herpesvirus. Furthermore, FIV and FeLV infection and the severe associated immunosuppression may explain the development of necrotizing bacterial stomatitis, since FIV was detected in the tissue of the oral lesions. This is an unusual clinical presentation of disease related to feline retroviruses and immunosuppression. Clinicians must be prepared to quickly direct efforts to treatment, considering its poor prognosis.
Evaluation of Incubation Time for Microsporum Canis Dermatophyte Cultures and Implications for Resource Savings in Dermatophyte Treatment Programs
1University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
2San Francisco SPCA, San Francisco, CA, USA
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The objectives were: (1) to determine how frequently M canis was isolated after 7, 14 and 21 days post-incubation in cats being treated for confirmed M canis dermatophytosis; and (2) to determine the cost savings for housing and food per cat (animal care costs) if the final treatment culture was finalized at day 14 vs day 21.
This was a descriptive observational cross-sectional study. Toothbrush fungal culture data from 2006–2016 were evaluated for growth of M canis at weekly intervals. Estimated animal care costs were provided from one of the authors (LM) from a 3 year analysis. The estimated animal care cost per care day in treatment was $28.52 per cat.
A total of 4861 dermatophyte treatment cultures were available for review; of these, 1800 had positive M canis growth. Of the 1800, 1743 (96.83%) were culture positive and finalized within 14 days of incubation. Only 57/1800 (3.17%) fungal cultures required up to 21 days for finalization. Reducing the incubation period from 21 to 14 days resulted in a 13% reduction in animal care day costs.
Ten years of retrospective treatment data demonstrate that reducing the incubation period for post-treatment fungal cultures from 21 to 14 days is sufficient to detect clinically significant positive culture results for shelter cats undergoing treatment for M canis dermatophytosis. Releasing cats from treatment quarantine 1 week sooner reduces daily animal care costs by 13%; additional savings can be extrapolated via reduced use of consumable supplies and quarantine-associated staff tasks. Though difficult to quantify, shortened treatment times also confer life-saving benefits to welfare and socialization, helping more shelter cats to reach adoptive homes.
Feline Gastric Diverticula: A Report of Three Cases
Exclusively Cats Veterinary Hospital, Waterford, MI, USA
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Clinical presentation of GD in people varies from asymptomatic to severe. It has been reported that 18–30% of GD are symptomatic. Symptoms may include epigastric pain, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, dyspepsia, dysphagia, weight loss, gastric perforation and gastric or peritoneal hemorrhage. Malignant transformation of GD has been reported. GI comorbidities are common and confound the diagnosis.
GD have not been previously reported in cats. This case series presents three cats with GD diagnosed ante mortem via negative contrast radiography (Figure 1). All cats presented with a history of chronic GI signs including weight loss, vomiting and poor appetite. All cats underwent subsequent surgical resection (Figure 2) and histopathologic examination of the GD. This case series demonstrates that GD should be considered as a differential diagnosis for cats with chronic upper GI disease and highlights the usefulness of negative contrast studies to demonstrate this anomaly.
Negative contrast radiography of gastric diverticula in a 17-year-old male neutered domestic shorthair cat
Surgical example of a gastric diverticula in a 17-year-old male neutered domestic shorthair cat. Solid arrow indicates the diverticulum and the open arrow indicates the normal gastric fundus
Efficacy of a Single Pre-Appointment Dose of Gabapentin on Aggression, Anxiety and Stress-Related Behaviors During Feline Transportation and Veterinary Examination
1University of California–Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, WR Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, Davis, CA, USA
2University of California–Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Epidemiology, Davis, CA, USA
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Gabapentin has been used in feline medicine for decades in the treatment of chronic pain, neuropathic pain and epilepsy. It is an attractive choice due to established pharmacokinetic data in cats, low cost, status as a non-controlled medication in most US states and the availability of both capsule and liquid formulations. Gabapentin also has a mild taste, making administration in soft flavored treats or wet food possible for many feline patients.
Twenty healthy client-owned cats were scheduled for two veterinary visits, 1 week apart, and were randomly assigned to receive either a capsule of 100 mg gabapentin (13–29.4 mg/kg) or identical placebo (lactose) for each visit. Owners administered the assigned capsule 90 mins prior to placing the cat into a carrier and transporting it to the veterinary hospital. A standardized physical examination and blood pressure measurement were performed. The cat stress score (CSS) during transportation and examination was determined by the owner. The cat’s compliance score (CS) was recorded by the veterinarian. Video recordings of the examinations were evaluated by two independent observers to determine each cat’s CSS, CS, aggression score (AS) and sedation score (SS). All observers were blinded to the treatment given.
The CSSs were significantly lower for the gabapentin treatment compared with the placebo treatment, as reported by the owner during transportation (P <0.0001) and veterinary examination (P = 0.0001). The CSs were significantly lower (lower score = better compliance) with the gabapentin treatment compared with the placebo treatment, as reported by the veterinarian (P = 0.002). ASs were significantly lower with the gabapentin treatment compared with the placebo treatment (P = 0.017). SSs were higher with the gabapentin treatment compared with placebo (P = 0.0007), as assessed by the blinded video observers. Physiologic measurements (heart rate and blood pressure) were found not to differ significantly between treatments. Common side effects included sedation and ataxia, which self-resolved within 4–6 h.
Our results show gabapentin is a safe and effective tool to help reduce stress and aggression and increase compliance for travel and veterinary examinations in cats.
