Summary M-mode and two-dimensional echocardiographic measurements were made from the right sternal border of 50 healthy Beagles (25 males and 25 females) approximately 7 months old. The dogs were conscious and standing during the investigation.The following parameters, in systole and diastole, were measured on the echocardiographic images: left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVWT); intraventricular septum thickness (1ST); left ventricular internal dimension (LVID); and circumference (LVC). Fractional shortening (FS) and ejection fraction (EF) were also calculated.Mean, standard deviation, range and coefficient of variation are reported for each echocardiographic parameter and for body weight. Males and females were considered separately and together. Each parameter was analysed statistically to check for differences between the sexes and for correlations with body weight. A statistically significant difference between the sexes was only observed for L VWT in systole and diastole. A linear regression with body weight was obtained only for LVID in systole and in diastole. The results show that morphofunctional cardiac homogeneity is independent of size in dogs of this breed and age.

Stray cat colonies in urban and rural areas of Lombardy, northern Italy, were surveyed for seroprevalence of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) antibodies, feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) antigen and Toxoplasma gondii IgG. Of 316 cats tested, 6.6% were positive for FIV and 3.8% were positive for FeLV infection; 203 cats were tested for T gondii IgG antibodies and a prevalence of 30.5% was detected. Statistical analysis tested the influence of provenience, age, gender, health status and laboratory results on seroprevalence and found male gender and adult age were risk factors for FIV infection. FIV-infected cats were more likely to have a decreased red blood cell count than FIV seronegative cats. No predictors were significantly associated with FeLV and T gondii seropositivity. Colony cats in this study posed a limited risk for retrovirus infection to pet cats allowed outdoors, whereas toxoplasmosis exposure was comparable with the worldwide data.

The prevalence of AFRs in the study population was higher than most reported values. Further studies are warranted to investigate the true prevalence of AFR and its possible association with perianal fistula and other potential markers.

When blood-typing cats of breeds with a relatively high frequency of blood types B and AB, methods that use monoclonal antibodies for detection of blood types B and AB are recommended. Alternatively, blood type can be confirmed by more sensitive supplemental testing, such as back-typing. The high frequency of blood type A in DSH cats in northern Italy was comparable to previously reported frequencies in Italy and world-wide.

This study investigated the prevalence of feline haemoplasma infections in a number of stray cat colonies in Milan, Northern Italy. Blood samples from 260 stray cats were evaluated, with conventional PCR, for the presence of DNA associated with Mycoplasma haemofelis (Mhf) and “Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum” (CMhm). Odd ratios (OR) were calculated to identify risk factors for haemoplasma infections. PCR was positive in 86 out of 260 subjects (33.1%), with a prevalence of 10.8% (28/260 cats) for Mhf and 22.3% (58/260 cats) for CMhm. No coinfections were registered. There were significant associations between infections and season of sampling, that is, a negative association between winter sampling and a haemoplasma positive status (OR = 0.29, P = 0.001), or CMhm positive status (OR = 0.29, P = 0.01). Haemoplasma infections are common in stray cats in Milan. Thus, domestic cats with outdoor access should be routinely monitored and treated for ectoparasites to minimize risks of disease acquisition. Moreover, as these infections are transmitted via blood, feline blood donors from this area should be screened by PCR and preferably be drawn from a population of indoor cats regularly treated for fleas.