Background: In the investigations of dogs with chronic small intestinal diarrhea collection of ileal biopsies lengthens procedural time and has been of uncertain value.Objectives: To evaluate whether there was agreement between histologic changes present in samples of duodenal and ileal mucosa, and hence to provide initial information in the process of determining whether collection of ileal biopsies is clinically justified.Animals: 40 dogs with chronic small and large intestinal diarrhea from which endoscopic (in 30 cases) or surgical (in 10 cases) duodenal and ileal biopsies had been collected.Methods: Samples were reviewed concurrently by two observers (MJD and MDW) using the scoring system developed by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) Gastrointestinal Standardization Group. Comparisons were made by kappa analysis.Results: Microscopic pathology was observed in 30 cases. Only eight out of this 30 (27%) had the same histopathologic diagnosis in both the duodenum and the ileum. This dropped to 3 out of 30 (10%) if different disease severity was also considered as disagreement. Microscopic pathology would have been found in 60% and 80% of the 30 cases, if only duodenal or ileal biopsies respectively, had been available.Conclusions and clinical importance: There was poor agreement between histopathological findings from duodenal versus ileal biopsies with abnormalities sometimes being more readily detected in the ileum. Routine collection of ileal plus duodenal samples appears warranted when concurrent small and large intestinal diarrhea is present.

All serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) results obtained between 2002 and 2009 from clinical cases presented to the University of Bristol Feline Centre were examined retrospectively. One hundred and fifty-five results met the inclusion criteria. Signalment and final diagnoses were obtained from the case records. Clinical cases were classified as having normal or abnormal SPE results by comparison to reference intervals for SPE created using 77 clinically normal cats. Abnormal results were then further divided according to the specific SPE abnormality. Cases were also categorised, according to the final diagnosis, using the DAMNITV classification system. Of the 155 cases, 136 (87.7%) had abnormal SPE results, most commonly due to a polyclonal increase in gamma globulins. A monoclonal gammopathy occurred in four cats; one with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), one with lymphoma and two cases of splenic plasmacytoma (one suspected, one confirmed). The most common DAMNITV classification associated with SPE abnormalities was infectious/inflammatory disease (80/136; 58.8%), including 39 cats diagnosed with FIP.

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BackgroundCanine idiopathic eosinophilic lung disease (ELD) is sparsely documented in the literature.MethodsClinical presentation and outcome of dogs diagnosed with ELD (eosinophilic bronchitis or eosinophilic bronchopneumonia) were reviewed. Subgroups were made based on chronicity of clinical signs and findings of thoracic imaging: NCI (no changes in thoracic imaging), BRON (bronchial/peribronchial pattern), INT (bronchointerstitial/interstitial/alveolar).ResultsSeventy cases were included. There were more young to adult, crossbreed and female dogs. Compared with the other two groups NCI dogs showed lower bronchoalveolar lavage fluid eosinophilic pleocytosis and absence of circulating eosinophilia, bronchiectasis or death due to respiratory disease. All dogs responded clinically to corticosteroids. Median treatment duration was four months. Remission (no clinical signs after treatment discontinuation for >one month) and long-term remission (>six months) was achieved in 60 per cent, and 51 per cent of patients, respectively. Relapse occurred in 26 per cent of cases after remission but was rare (3 per cent) after long-term remission. The one-year, two-year and four-year survival to death due to respiratory disease was 98 per cent, 97 per cent and 91 per cent, respectively.ConclusionPrognosis and initial clinical response for ELD was generally good although achievement of long-term remission was only seen in 51 per cent of dogs. Different outcomes based on chronicity of signs, corticosteroid dose, thoracic imaging abnormalities and other clinical variables were not appreciated.

N-terminal proB-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) may be a useful marker in canine leishmaniosis (CanL). The aim was to compare NT-proBNP in dogs at different LeishVet stages of CanL and with idiopathic chronic kidney disease (CKD). Dogs diagnosed with CanL or CKD and a group of healthy dogs were included (group A, five normal dogs; group B, six dogs LeishVet 1–2; group C, 13 dogs LeishVet 3–4; group D, six dogs with CKD). NT-proBNP was higher (P<0.001) in group C (7.616 pmol/l, interquartile range (IQR) 3537–10,000 pmol/l) than in group A (293 pmol/l, IQR 257–373), group B (388.5 pmol/l, IQR 324–793) and group D (740 pmol/l, IQR 557–962 pmol/l). International Renal Interest Society (IRIS) kidney stage was not different between groups C and D or between groups A and B, but was different within all the rest of the group comparisons (P<0.001). In group C all dogs had echocardiographic increase in left ventricular mass index. NT-proBNP had negative correlation with haematocrit (P<0.001, r=0.749) and positive correlation with systemic blood pressure (P<0.001, r=0.728). NT-proBNP is consistently elevated in dogs with advanced CanL and is strongly correlated with the degree of systemic hypertension and anaemia. Moreover, dogs with advanced CanL exhibit increase in left ventricular mass. NT-proBNP may however be a less desirable cardiac marker as unlike cardiac troponin I it is often not elevated at earlier stages of CanL.

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Background: The association between myocardial parasitic load (MPL) and cardiac biomarkers in Canine Leishmaniasis (CanL) has not been studied. Methods: Dogs with advanced CanL were prospectively recruited and were included if they were euthanised. Prior to euthanasia these variables were assessed: hematocrit, globulin, creatinine, N‐terminal‐pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP), cardiac troponin I (cTnI), blood pressure, urine protein/creatinine ratio and echocardiographic parameters. A left ventricular (LV) sample was taken for histopathology and MPL evaluation by quantitative PCR. Correlation of MPL with all variables was analysed. Dogs with lower and higher histopathology scores were compared. Results: Ten dogs were included. NT‐proBNP was 6946 pmol/ (interquartile range [IQR] 3751–9268 pmol/L) and cTnI 4.56 ng/mL (IQR 0.46–13.1 ng/mL). In all dogs, echocardiography showed an increase in LV thickening, and histopathology revealed moderate to severe lympho‐plasmocytic myocarditis and/or myocardial cell degeneration. MPL was 215.53 parasites/gram (IQR 21.2–1372.63 parasites/gram). A strong correlation (p < 0.001; R = 0.90; R20.81) with cTnI was observed but correlation with any of the other variables or differences between the two histopathological scores, were not detected. Conclusions: MPL in dogs with advanced CanL shows variable but generally high levels. A strong association between MPL and cTnI was observed, which encourages the exploration of cTnI as a marker in CanL.