ABSTRACT. Infection with Encephalitozoon cuniculi in rabbits frequently exists as a chronic, latent infection, and only a percentage of infected animals develop clinical disease. This study presents a seroepidemiological study of E. cunicucli infection in 337 pet rabbits collected from 20 prefectures in Japan in 2006 and 2007, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) capable of measuring IgG and IgM antibodies. These rabbits were divided into the following four groups: healthy and isolated rabbits (n=74, group I), healthy and companioned rabbits (n=121, group II), neurologically diseased rabbits (n=105, group III), and other diseased rabbits (n=37, group IV). Using ELISA for IgG antibodies, the highest detection rate, 81%, was seen in group III, the second highest, 75.2%, in group II, and the lowest, 29.7%, in group I, which was significantly different to the other groups except for group IV (43.2%). On the other hand, when ELISA was used for IgM antibody detection, 14-40% of rabbits in the four groups were also observed to have anti-E. cuniculi IgM. This study demonstrated high seroprevalence of E. cuniculi in not only neurologically diseased rabbits but also healthy and other diseased rabbits.

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The present study investigated the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and other intestinal parasites in cats in the Tokachi subprefecture in Japan. A total of 365 household cats were included in the study, and 353 serum and 351 fecal samples were collected and analyzed. T. gondii IgG antibodies were detected in the sera of 16.14% of cats based on Latex agglutination test and ELISA. For ELISA, T. gondii RH strain tachyzoites lysate and T. gondii SAG2 recombinant protein were used as antigens. Low seropositivity was detected in cats younger than one year and older than 11 years; outdoor and hunter cats showed significantly high seropositivities. Neutering either in male or female cats, but not gender, had a considerable effect on seroprevalence. Toxoplasma gondii oocysts were detected in one fecal sample. The overall parasitic infestation in cats was 12.5%. Other detected parasites included Toxocara species, which showed the highest prevalence of 7.7%, followed by Isospora spp. (2%), Taenia spp. (1.7%), and Ancylostoma spp. (0.9%). Spirometra spp. was detected in only one sample. Outdoor cats comprised 50% of all 44 parasite-infested cats. Although T. gondii oocysts were detected in only one sample, the relatively high seroprevalence of T. gondii indicated that it can pose significant risks to the environment. Our findings highlighted the potential of outdoor cats as a source of T. gondii and other parasites.

A 1-year-old neutered male Pekingese was presented for evaluation and further treatment of cluster seizures. The dog had behavioral abnormalities, and a prosencephalic lesion was suspected following neurological examination. The dog showed signs of learning difficulty. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed a remarkably smooth cerebral cortex with a reduced number of gyri, as well as a cystic lesion associated with the quadrigeminal cistern. A diagnosis of lissencephaly, concurrent with a quadrigeminal cisternal cyst, was made. High-dose and multiple anticonvulsants were necessary to control the seizures. This is the first report of lissencephaly in a Pekingese.

The potential contamination of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum oocysts in the human environment is a concern from the public health viewpoint. However, estimation of their seroprevalences in humans cannot be performed in a manner that distinguishes between oocysts and tissue cysts as a source of infection. Rabbits are considered popular pet animals in Japan that can acquire natural infections by the aforementioned parasites only through the ingestion of oocysts. Therefore, this study was conducted to estimate the seroprevalences of T. gondii and N. caninum in pet rabbits in Japan as an indicator of the possible oocyst contamination in the environment surrounding human beings. Serum samples of 337 rabbits were examined by different serological methods. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were performed to measure the titer of IgG and IgM antibodies. Samples revealed to be seropositive by ELISA were further analyzed by a latex agglutination test, Western blotting and an indirect immunofluorescence assay. The rates of seropositivity for T. gondii were 0.89% (3/337) and 0.29% (1/337) in IgG and IgM ELISA, respectively. SAG1 and SAG2 were detected as major antigens by the positive rabbit sera in Western blotting associated with strong staining observed by IFA in T. gondii tachyzoites. Regarding N. caninum, none of the serum samples showed a specific reaction in both Western blotting and the IFA. The results of this study indicate low seroprevalences of toxoplasmosis and neosporosis in pet rabbits in Japan, suggesting low oocyst contamination in the human environment.

ABSTRACT. The purpose of this study was to evaluate seasonal influences on thyroid hormone levels of healthy outdoor dogs in Hokkaido. We surveyed serum basal total thyroxine (tT 4 ), free thyroxine (fT 4 ), and canine thyroid-stimulating hormone (cTSH) levels, and tT 4 levels after administration of TSH for a year. Basal tT 4 levels decreased in January, and increased in August and September. fT 4 levels increased in January and November. No significant seasonal variation was found in cTSH. tT 4 levels after administration of TSH in August and November increased. These results suggested that the thyroid gland may have been activated in November. We should take seasonal variation into consideration when thyroid function is tested. KEY WORDS: canine, season, thyroid hormone.J. Vet. Med. Sci. 63(11): 1241-1243, 2001 Recent progress in the development of hormone assays has made thyroid function testing for dogs more precise [1,8]. Advances in the ability to measure serum free thyroxine (fT 4 ) by dialysis [6,9] and serum canine thyroid-stimulating hormone (cTSH) [9] levels have contributed to this. By using these tests in combination with the thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)-stimulating test [14] and the TSH-stimulating test [5], researchers can now examine in detail the influence of the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis on thyroid function. The above tests make it possible to examine previously undetectable minute physiological changes in thyroid function. Many studies have reported that thyroid function in humans adapts to environmental conditions such as ambient temperature, photoperiod, and season, but the results have not been consistent because more than one parameter may mediate thyroid function [2-4, 10]. Although similar findings were reported in rat [11,13], sheep [15], and dog [12], the only hormones measured were serum total thyroxine (tT 4 ), triiodothyronine (tT 3 ), and TSH. There has been only one report about seasonal changes in thyroid function in the dog [12], but the details of such changes have remained unclear because only tT 4 and tT 3 levels were measured.The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the influence of the season on the thyroid hormone levels of healthy outdoor dogs. We surveyed basal tT 4 , fT 4 , cTSH levels, and tT 4 levels after administration of TSH for a year. Subject dogs -Ten clinically healthy beagles were used, ranging in age from 2 to 7 years and weighing 8.0 to 15.0 kg. There were 7 males and 3 females. The dogs were separated into two groups by sex, and had been raised outdoors since puppyhood, fed a standard commercial dry dog food once daily at 4 p.m., and given water freely at the Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine. Exposure to sunlight was good even though the outdoor runs had roofs. Wind did not blow strongly because of surrounding buildings. The history and results of routine physical examinations and routine laboratory tests (CBC, total cholesterol, ALT, ALP, BUN, and creatinine) wer...

ABSTRACT. Feline chronic progressive polyarthritis is a rare immune-mediated disease that has only previously been reported in male cats. A one-year-old female cat was presented with anorexia, lassitude and lameness. The tarsal, carpal and elbow joints revealed swelling, pain, stiffness, crepitus and regional lymphadenopathy, and fever was present. The cat was clinically diagnosed with chronic progressive polyarthritis based on the fever, swelling of joints, imaging of erosive proliferative periosteal polyarthritis, positivity for antinuclear antibody, synovial fluid analyses and urinalyses. Both feline leukemia virus antigen and feline immunodeficiency virus antibody were positive. Using hair root DNA, polymerase chain reaction amplification targeting the sex-determining region on the Y chromosome gene amplified the fragment of DNA from a normal male cat, but not amplified from a normal female cat or the present cat. Accordingly, the present cat was classified as genetically female. Cyclosporine treatment was started, and the general condition and movement quickly improved and continued for 8 months post-diagnosis. This is the first report of chronic progressive polyarthritis in a female cat.KEY WORDS: chronic progressive polyarthritis, cyclosporine, feline leukemia virus, female feline, immune-mediated disease.J. Vet. Med. Sci. 72(4): 511-514, 2010 Feline polyarthritis is uncommon. Noninfectious polyarthritis in cats has previously been reported as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)-induced polyarthritis, idiopathic polyarthritis, and chronic progressive polyarthritis. Feline chronic progressive polyarthritis is a rare immune-mediated polyarthritis and its pathogenesis may involve exposure to feline syncytium-forming virus (FeSFV) and feline leukemia virus (FeLV). Affected cats show clinical signs that are mainly characterized by limb joint swelling, pain, fever and depression. There are two types of the disease, comprising an erosive proliferative periosteal polyarthritis in young adult cats and a more severe deforming erosive disease in older cats. The disease has been thought to only affect male cats, since there have been no previous reports describing the disease in female cats [1,3,7,10]. The present report is the first to describe chronic progressive polyarthritis in a female cat.A one-year-old female cat, weighing 3.4 kg, was presented to a private animal hospital with anorexia, lassitude and lameness for the duration of one week. Physical examination showed swelling and pain, particularly in the rightside tarsal joint. Since the cat was an outdoor breed, an infectious arthritis was suspected, and antibiotic and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications were initiated. The general condition and lameness improved after these treatments. However, the tarsal, carpal and elbow joints gradually revealed swelling, pain, stiffness, crepitus and regional lymphadenopathy, and fever was detected, indicating that the antibiotic and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications were not effective. Since immunolog...

ObjectivesThe present study was performed to evaluate the usefulness of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) as an acute phase reactive protein in pet rabbits in clinical practice.MethodsThe CRP level using a rabbit CRP ELISA and white blood cell (WBC) count in pet rabbits (30 healthy controls and 62 with various diseases) were measured in the clinical practice setting. The CRP level and WBC count were measured before and after ovariohysterectomy of a healthy rabbit and a rabbit with uterine adenocarcinoma. The association between the CRP level and mortality in rabbits with various diseases was assessed.ResultsThe CRP level in healthy controls was 0.52±0.82 mg/dl (mean±SD). No age and sex-related differences in neither the CRP level nor WBC count were observed in the healthy control rabbits. The CRP levels in rabbits with gastrointestinal disease (n=22, 11.74±22.89 mg/dl), reproductive and urinary system disease (n=20, 21.19±49.68 mg/dl), dental disease (n=6, 4.87±5.47 mg/dl) and musculoskeletal disease (n=4, 85.66±107.28 mg/dl) were significantly higher than those in healthy controls. The CRP levels in rabbits with neurological disease (n=7, 2.55±1.79 mg/dl) and dermatological disease (n=3, 8.84±7.71 mg/dl) were higher than those in healthy controls, but no significant difference was observed. The WBC counts were not significantly different between rabbits with diseases and healthy controls. Serum samples were collected from two rabbits before and after ovariohysterectomy. In both rabbits, the CRP peaked on postoperative day 1, but no obvious WBC peak was observed. The mortality rate increased as the CRP level increased; the mortality rate was significantly higher in rabbits with a CRP level of ≥100 mg/dl than of <10 mg/dl.ConclusionsThis study indicates that the serum CRP level is useful to determine the disease status, monitor the treatment course and evaluate the prognosis in pet rabbits in clinical practice.