Background Listeriosis is a rare disease in cats with naturally occurring cases usually being identified in individual animals. Listerial mesenteric lymphadenitis has not been described previously in cats. Objectives To describe the clinical and histological features of listerial mesenteric lymphadenitis in cats as well as treatment outcome. Animals Listerial mesenteric lymphadenitis was confirmed in 3 cats by histology, immunohistochemistry, and bacterial culture. Results The affected cats were young to middle aged and were examined for various clinical signs. On both palpation and abdominal ultrasound examination, all cats had marked mesenteric lymphadenomegaly. Survival was prolonged in all 3 cases. Two of the 3 cats were fed a raw meat‐based diet before they developed clinical illness. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Lymphadenitis caused by listeriosis has a protracted time course and should be a differential diagnosis for abdominal lymphadenopathy in young to middle‐aged cats. Feeding of a raw meat‐based diet may be a contributing factor for development of listeriosis in cats.

Traditionally, control of phosphorus in the body has been considered secondary to the tighter control of calcium by parathyroid hormone and vitamin D. However, over the past decade, substantial advances have been made in understanding the control of phosphorus by the so-called phosphatonin system, the lynchpin of which is fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23). FGF23 binds to the klotho/FGFR1c receptor complex in renal tubular epithelial cells, leading to upregulation of Na/P i cotransporters and subsequent excretion of phosphorus from the body. In addition, FGF23 inhibits parathyroid hormone and the renal 1a-hydroxylase enzyme, while it stimulates 24-hydroxylase, leading to decreased 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 . FGF23 is intimately involved in the pathogenesis of a number of diseases, particularly the hereditary hypophosphatemic rickets group and chronic kidney disease, and is a target for the development of new treatments in human medicine. Little work has been done on FGF23 or the other phosphatonins in veterinary medicine, but increases in FGF23 are seen with chronic kidney disease in cats, and increased FGF23 expression has been found in soft tissue sarcomas in dogs.Keywords fibroblast growth factor 23, phosphatonin, phosphorus metabolism disorders, rickets, chronic renal failure, chronic kidney disease Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is a recently recognized hormone that plays an intrinsic role in calcium and phosphorus metabolism, both in health and disease. Studies have shown that in humans, FGF23 is implicated in multiple inherited bone diseases, paraneoplastic bone disease (tumor-induced osteomalacia), and complications of chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease. In animals, a handful of studies have already recognized potential roles for FGF23 as a biomarker of disease and perhaps as a therapeutic agent. This review details the manner in which FGF23 joins established players in calciumphosphorus metabolism, current knowledge of its role in disease in humans and animals, and future avenues for research and use of this hormone.

AimsTo retrospectively determine the relative frequency of feline hepatobiliary diseases from biopsy specimens submitted to a single laboratory across a 10-year period and to establish whether age, sex or breed associations exist.MethodsHistopathological data from 154 liver biopsies of New Zealand cats sampled between 2008 and 2018 were analysed. The samples were allocated to primary, secondary and tertiary disease categories using criteria established by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association. Breed associations were derived using ORs and 95% CIs. Gender and age associations were also evaluated.ResultsThe most frequently diagnosed hepatobiliary diseases were lymphocytic cholangitis (20 per cent), hepatitis (16.9 per cent), reversible hepatocellular injury (16.4 per cent), neutrophilic cholangitis (9.7 per cent), haematopoietic neoplasia (9.7 per cent), hepatocellular neoplasia (5.6 per cent) and cholangiocellular neoplasia (4.1 per cent). Burmese cats were found to be at significantly increased risk of both biliary and parenchymal diseases and Birman cats to be at significantly increased risk of parenchymal disease. Domestic longhair cats were at significantly increased risk of hepatobiliary neoplasia. Birman cats were at significantly increased risk of hepatitis while domestic shorthair cats were at significantly decreased risk of neutrophilic cholangitis, reversible hepatocellular injury and hepatitis.ConclusionsThis study is the first retrospective examination of the relative frequency of hepatobiliary disease in biopsy specimens from New Zealand cats. Some breeds were associated with specific histopathology.

Death was attributed to peracute pulmonary edema associated with cardiac abnormalities and airway obstruction from laryngoplasty failure. Morphologic changes in the muscular process indicate gradual progression toward laryngoplasty failure, possibly associated with suture-induced pressure necrosis and/or microscopic low-grade postoperative infection.

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