Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the measurement of acute phase proteins (APPs) as a diagnostic tool to differentiate between feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) and other diseases in cats with body cavity effusions. Methods Cats with pleural, abdominal or pericardial effusion were prospectively enrolled. Cats were classified as having or not having FIP based on immunohistochemistry (if available) or a sophisticated statistical method using machine learning methodology with concepts from game theory. Cats without FIP were further subdivided into three subgroups: cardiac disease, neoplasia and other diseases. Serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin (Hp) and α-acid glycoprotein (AGP) were measured in serum and effusion, using assays previously validated in cats. Results Serum and effusion samples were available for the measurement of APPs from 88 and 67 cats, respectively. Concentrations of the APPs in serum and effusion were significantly different in cats with and without FIP ( P <0.001 for all three APPs). The best APP to distinguish between cats with and without FIP was AGP in the effusion; a cut-off value of 1550 µg/ml had a sensitivity and specificity of 93% each for diagnosing FIP. Conclusions and relevance AGP, particularly if measured in effusion, was found to be useful in differentiating between FIP and other diseases, while SAA and Hp were not. The concentration of all three APPs in some diseases (eg, septic processes, disseminated neoplasia) was as high as in cats with FIP; therefore, none of these can be recommended as a single diagnostic test for FIP.

Current pet diabetes mellitus (DM) treatment necessitates the active daily involvement of owners and can be costly. The current study aimed to investigate the owner population which opts for euthanasia instead of DM treatment. A survey was designed using multiple feedback steps and made available online to veterinarians world-wide. A total of 1192 veterinarians completed the survey and suggested a median one in 10 diabetic pets are euthanased at diagnosis; a further median one in 10 within one year because of lack of success or compliance. Perceived most important motivating factors included “presence concurrent disease” (45% respondents); “costs” (44%); “animal age” (37%); “problems obtaining adequate control” (35%); “pet welfare” (35%); and “impact owner’s lifestyle” (32%). Cats in Canadian (odds ratio (OR) 2.7), Australian (OR 2.3), rural (OR 1.6) and mixed (OR 1.7) practices were more likely to be euthanased because of DM diagnosis, while cats presented to referral/university were less likely to be euthanased (OR 0.6). Dogs were more likely to be euthanased because of DM in Canadian (OR 1.8), rural (OR 1.8) and mixed (OR 1.6) practices. The survey results suggest that benefit exists in improved DM education with emphasis on offering a choice of treatment styles ranging from intense and expensive to hands-off and cheap.

The prevalence of GH-secreting pituitary tumors in domestic cats (Felis catus) is 10-fold greater than in humans. The predominant inhibitory receptors of GH-secreting pituitary tumors are somatostatin receptors (SSTRs) and D2 dopamine receptor (DRD2). The expression of these receptors is associated with the response to somatostatin analog and dopamine agonist treatment in human patients with acromegaly. The aim of this study was to describe pathological features of pituitaries from domestic cats with acromegaly, pituitary receptor expression, and investigate correlates with clinical data, including pituitary volume, time since diagnosis of diabetes, insulin requirement, and serum IGF1 concentration. Loss of reticulin structure was identified in 15 of 21 pituitaries, of which 10 of 15 exhibited acinar hyperplasia. SSTR1, SSTR2, SSTR5, and DRD2 mRNA were identified in the feline pituitary whereas SSTR3 and SSTR4 were not. Expression of SSTR1, SSTR2, and SSTR5 was greater in acromegalic cats compared with controls. A negative correlation was identified between DRD2 mRNA expression and pituitary volume. The loss of DRD2 expression should be investigated as a mechanism allowing the development of larger pituitary tumors.

Background: Hypersomatotropism (HST) is an increasingly recognized endocrinopathy in cats and is mostly described associated with diabetes mellitus (DM). Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of transsphenoidal hypophysectomy in treating HST and DM in cats. Animals: Sixty-eight client-owned cats with HST and DM treated by transsphenoidal hypophysectomy. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Medical records were reviewed for glycemic control and serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) concentrations. Postoperative complications, death within 4 weeks, and proportion achieving diabetic remission were recorded. Survival times and DM-free intervals were calculated. Results: Fifty-eight cats (85.3%) were alive 4 weeks postoperatively with 10 (15%) postoperative deaths. Complications included hypoglycemia (n = 9), electrolyte imbalance (n = 9), and transient congestive heart failure (n = 5). Fifty-five cats (95% of 58 surviving cats [81% of all cats undergoing surgery]) had improved control of diabetes. Diabetic remission occurred in 41 cats (71% of 58 surviving cats [60% of all cats]) with insulin administration discontinued after a median of 9 days (range, 2-120). Postoperative 4-week serum IGF-1 concentration nadir was significantly lower in cats achieving diabetic remission (median 20 ng/mL [15-708] than those that did not (324 ng/mL [15-1955]; P = .03). All cats received long-term levothyroxine and hydrocortisone PO, alongside desmopressin (conjunctival) in 38 of 53 cats (72%). Recurrence of DM occurred in 5 of 41 cats (12%) after a median of 248 days (range, 84-1232). Median survival time of all cats was 853 days (range, 1-1740). Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Transsphenoidal hypophysectomy is an effective treatment for cats with HST and DM, with a long-term outcome that compares favorably to existing options.