Background Approximately 30% of Persian cats have a c.10063C > A variant in polycystin 1 ( PKD1 ) homolog causing autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). The variant is lethal in utero when in the homozygous state and is the only ADPKD variant known in cats. Affected cats have a wide range of progression and disease severity. However, cats are an overlooked biomedical model and have not been used to test therapeutics and diets that may support human clinical trials. To reinvigorate the cat as a large animal model for ADPKD, the efficacy of imaging modalities was evaluated and estimates of kidney and fractional cystic volumes (FCV) determined. Methods Three imaging modalities, ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging examined variation in disease presentation and disease progression in 11 felines with ADPKD. Imaging data was compared to well-known biomarkers for chronic kidney disease and glomerular filtration rate. Total kidney volume, total cystic volume, and FCV were determined for the first time in ADPKD cats. Two cats had follow-up examinations to evaluate progression. Results FCV measurements were feasible in cats. CT was a rapid and an efficient modality for evaluating therapeutic effects that cause alterations in kidney volume and/or FCV. Biomarkers, including glomerular filtration rate and creatinine, were not predictive for disease progression in feline ADPKD. The wide variation in cystic presentation suggested genetic modifiers likely influence disease progression in cats. All imaging modalities had comparable resolutions to those acquired for humans, and software used for kidney and cystic volume estimates in humans proved useful for cats. Conclusions Routine imaging protocols used in veterinary medicine are as robust and efficient for evaluating ADPKD in cats as those used in human medicine. Cats can be identified as fast and slow progressors, thus, could assist with genetic modifier discovery. Software to measure kidney and cystic volume in human ADPKD kidney studies is applicable and efficient in cats. The longer life and larger kidney size span than rodents, similar genetics, disease presentation and progression as humans suggest cats are an efficient biomedical model for evaluation of ADPKD therapeutics. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12882-019-1448-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Gallbladder mucocele (GBM) is a common biliary disorder in dogs. Gallbladder hypokinesia has been proposed to contribute to its formation and progression. The specific cause of gallbladder stasis in dogs with GBM as well as viable treatment options to resolve dysmotility remains unknown. Vitamin D deficiency is one of the many potential causes of gallbladder hypokinesia in humans and repletion results in complete resolution of stasis. Improving our understanding of the relationship between serum vitamin D and GBM could help identify dogs as a model for humans with gallbladder hypokinesia. Furthermore, this relationship could provide insight into the pathogenesis of GBM and support the need for future studies to investigate vitamin D as a novel treatment target. Therefore, goals of this study were i) to determine if serum 25-hydroxyvitamin(OH)D concentrations were decreased in dogs with GBM, ii) if serum 25(OH)D concentrations were different in clinical versus dogs subclinical for GBM, and iii) to determine if serum 25(OH)D concentrations could predict the ultrasonographic type of GBM. Sixty-two dogs (clinical, n = 26; subclinical, n = 36) with GBM and 20 healthy control dogs were included in this prospective observational study. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were measured with a competitive chemiluminescence immunoassay. Overall, dogs with GBM had lower serum 25(OH)D concentrations than control dogs (P = 0.004). Subsequent subgroup analysis indicated that this difference was only significant in the subclinical group compared to the control dogs (P = 0.008), and serum 25(OH)D concentrations did not significantly differ between dogs clinical for GBM versus subclinical or control dogs, indicating that inflammatory state in clinical dogs was not the major constituent of the observed findings. Decreasing serum 25(OH)D concentrations, but not clinical status, was associated with a more advanced developmental stage of GBM type determined by ultrasonography. Our results indicate that vitamin D has a role in dogs with GBM. Additional studies are needed to assess if reduced vitamin D in dogs with GBM is a cause or effect of their biliary disease and to investigate if vitamin D supplementation could be beneficial for dogs with GBM.

Radioactive iodine is frequently used for staging of human thyroid carcinomas. Iodine-124 scans performed using position emission tomography (PET) allow for more precise dosimetry of therapeutic radioiodine. The distribution of I-124 has not previously been described in veterinary medicine. The purpose of this prospective, exporatory, descriptive study is to evaluate the whole-body distribution of I-124 in dogs with suspected thyroid carcinoma. Ten dogs with either a cytologic diagnosis of a neuroendocrine neoplasm or biochemical hyperthyroidism were enrolled in a prospective clinical study. Whole-body I-124 PET/CT scans were performed and were evaluated for physiologic and pathologic uptake of I-124. The maximum and mean standardized uptake values (SUVmean) were recorded for several normal and abnormal tissues.Varying degrees of uptake were found in thyroid tumors (SUVmean = 66.37), ectopic thyroid masses (21.44), presumed metastatic lesions in lymph nodes (32.14), and the pulmonary parenchyma (4.50). In most dogs, physiologic uptake above background, measured in maximum SUV, was identified in parotid and mandibular salivary glands (14.00 and 1.57) the urinary tract (1.83), the gastrointestinal tract (19.90 stomach, 6.15 colon), the liver (1.41), and the heart (1.88). Occasionally, uptake was identified in the nasolacrimal duct (3.42), salivary duct (2.73), gallbladder (2.68), and anal gland (2.22). Physiologic uptake was also identified in normal thyroid glands and ectopic thyroid tissue. This study provides a baseline of pathologic and physiologic uptake of I-124 in dogs with thyroid carcinoma, to guide interpretation of future studies.

A 10-year old, castrated male, Bichon Frise with a history of hyperadrenocorticism and intrahepatic portal vein hypoplasia was diagnosed with superficial necrolytic dermatitis (SND). The dog exhibited thick crusts on the chin, muzzle, prepuce, and paws. In addition, the dorsal surfaces of all paws were erythematous while the palmar/plantar surfaces were hyperkeratotic, hardened, and painful. The dog was treated with intravenous amino acid infusions (AAI), raw egg yolks, as well as zinc and omega-3 fatty acid oral supplements. The dog required AAI once every 2-3 weeks because this coincided with recrudescence of painful skin lesions. The dog was subsequently diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. A consult with the Nutrition Service was pursued 220 days after the original SND diagnosis because of concern for feeding raw eggs and for malnutrition since appetite was variable, muscle condition was reduced, and greater than 50% of ingested calories were from foods that were not nutritionally complete. There was also concern regarding the variability of the diet and the impact it would have on the management of diabetes mellitus. The diet was prepared by the dog owner according to a provided recipe and presented twice daily. The diet was rich in high quality protein and fat. All other treatments including medications, supplements, and bathing schedule remained unchanged at the time of diet modification. The dog was subclinical for SND associated clinical signs approximately 3 weeks after the diet modification, which also coincided with the last AAI. The AAI was postponed and was next administered 7 weeks later (i.e., 10 weeks from the previous infusion). The dog remained subclinical for SND related clinical signs and continued to receive AAI once every 10-12 weeks until he was euthanized 718 days later for complications related to severe multi-drug resistant, skin infections. In conclusion, this report highlights a novel role for nutritionally balanced home-made diets designed by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist could substantially increase time interval between AAI and outcome in dogs with SND.

Background Gallbladder mucocele (GBM) is a common biliary disorder in dogs that can be categorized into 6 types, but the value of this classification scheme remains unknown. Cholecystectomy is associated with high death rates and warrants additional interrogation. Objectives Investigate the clinical value of ultrasonographic diagnosis of type of GBM and identify prognostic factors in dogs with GBM undergoing cholecystectomy. Animals Two hundred sixteen dogs. Methods Retrospective cohort study. Dogs with GBM diagnosed from 2014 to 2019 at 6 veterinary referral hospitals in Asia. Ultrasonogram images were reviewed and a GBM type (ie, types I‐VI) assigned. Results Dogs with GBM type V as compared to I (OR, 8.6; 95% CI, 2.6‐27.8; P < .001) and III (OR, 10.0; 95% CI, 2.5‐40.8; P = .001), and dogs with type VI compared to I (OR, 10.5; 95% CI, 1.8‐61.2; P = .009) and III (OR, 12.3; 95% CI, 1.8‐83.9; P = .01) were more likely to exhibit signs of biliary tract disease. Independent predictors of death after cholecystectomy included age (OR, 2.81; 95% CI, 1.41‐5.59; P = .003) and intraoperative systolic blood pressure (SBP) nadir. There was an interaction between SBP nadir and gallbladder rupture; SBP nadir in dogs with (OR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.89‐0.94; P < .001) and without (OR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.82‐0.93; P < .001) gallbladder rupture. Conclusion and Clinical Importance Increasing developmental stage of GBM could be associated with an increased likelihood of biliary tract related clinical signs. Nadir SBP deserves further investigation as a prognostic or potentially modifiable variable, particularly in the presence of gallbladder rupture.

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McNally et al. Methemoglobin Modulation and MRI Contrast moderate change in external jugular vein signal (1.51 ± 0.13 vs. 1.19 ± 0.08, p < 0.001, 1.27 ± 0.07-fold). There were also small but significant differences in ventral spinal arterial signal (2.00 ± 0.12 vs. 1.78 ± 0.10, p = 0.002, 1.13 ± 0.10-fold) but not carotid arteries (2.03 ± 0.17 vs. 1.99 ± 0.17, p = 0.15, 1.02 ± 0.04-fold). Conclusion: Methemoglobin modulation produces intravascular contrast on T1-weighted MRI in vivo. Additional studies are warranted to optimize methemoglobinemia induction, sequence parameters for maximal tissue contrast, and safety parameters prior to clinical implementation.