The antioxidant lipoic acid (LA) is administered to humans and pets. We described acute toxicity and maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of LA in cats. In progression, 10 healthy adult male cats received orally 60 (high), 30 (low), or 0 mg LA/kg (control). Serum enzyme activities and concentrations of bile acids, ammonia, amino acids (AA), LA and dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) were measured, and tissues examined microscopically. Significant clinical toxicity with changes in ammonia and AA concentrations occurred in all high-dose cats. Oral LA produced hepatocellular toxicity and MTD was < 30 mg/kg in cats.

SummaryConventional laboratory methods were used to screen untreated tumor-bearing dogs for hemostatic abnormalities. Excluded from study were dogs with clinical evidence of bleeding. The primary site for neoplastic disease in 100 dogs studied included hemolymphatic system, skin, bone, thyroid gland, oropharynx, mammary gland, and nasal cavity.Eighty-three percent of the dogs had one or more abnormal coagulation tests. Thrombocytopenia occurred in 36 dogs and 3 had thrombocytosis. Twenty-five dogs had hypofibrinogenemia, and 25 had hyperfibrinogenemia. There were 32 dogs with prolongation of the activated partial thromboplastin time, 10 dogs with shortened prothrombin time, and 6 dogs with prolongation of the thrombin time. Sixteen dogs had positive protamine sulfate (paracoagulation) reaction, and 8% had increased plasma fibrin degradation products. The euglobulin lysis time was accelerated in 24% of the dogs, and 15% had schistocytes on blood film.These data indicate that the majority of dogs with advanced neoplasms are likely to have abnormal coagulation tests.

Most hand-held medical refractometers have internal scales that limit protein measurement to results >/=2.5 g/dL. Tables for conversion of refraction (r) to protein concentration for values as low as 0.1 g/dL were published in the 1960s, but their accuracy for use on body fluids has not been established. The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability of body cavity fluid protein determination by refractometry. We compared the protein concentration of 25 body cavity fluids as determined by 2 Goldberg type hand-held refractometers with results obtained by the biuret method. Published charts converting refraction (r) to protein concentration were used to determine protein concentration in samples with protein <2.5 g/dL. Higher protein values were read directly from the instruments. The range of comparison was limited to >/=0.6 g/dL, the lowest concentration of the biuret method's standard curve. Twenty-one peritoneal fluid, 2 pleural fluid and 2 pericardial fluid samples from 16 horses, 5 cattle, 3 dogs, 2 llamas and 1 cat were tested. The results obtained by the two refractometers were closely and linearly related to biuret results (P<.001), with slopes by linear regression analysis close to 1, and correlation coefficients >0.977. Based on this study, the range for quantification of body cavity fluid protein concentration by refractometry can be extended below 2.5 g/dL, allowing for quantitative assessment of most clinical samples.

Although the effect of antioxidant supplementation on Heinz body anemia in cats was minimal, antioxidants may have subclinical biochemical effects such as GSH sparing that may be important against milder forms of oxidative stress.

Coagulation assays, including platelet counts, antithrombin III, fibrinogen, fibrinogen degradation product levels, prothrombin (PT), activated partial thromboplastin (APTT) and activated clotting times (ACT), were performed on 20 healthy juvenile northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) stranded along the central California coastline from 15 March to 15 April 1994, to establish baseline parameters for this species. Elephant seals appear to have relatively short ACT, PT, and APTT times, while fibrinogen, platelet and antithrombin III levels are similar to domestic species. Based on these mean values in healthy animals, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) was diagnosed in an elephant seal with low plasma fibrinogen and extended ACT, PT and APTT times; this animal had hemorrhages, mixed bacterial suppurative interstitial pneumonia with verminous arteritis, epicarditis, hepatitis and enterocolitis.

Serum biochemical, hemostatic, and hematologic analytes were determined by four laboratories on dog serum or plasmas containing increasing amounts of hemolysate. From the results of testing, interferographs were prepared to aid in decision making and to enhance visualization of the effects of hemolysis on the determination of the analytes. Heniktsus consistently interfered with the analysis of creatinine phosphokinase, lactic dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, lipase, and albumin, all of which appeared to increase with increasing hemolysis. The results for the remainder of the biochemical, hemostatic, and hematologic analytes varied greatly among analyzers or methods, rarely in a predictable manner, indicating that each laboratory should evaluate the effects of hemolysis on each analyzer and for each method used, in order to make informed decisions on the use of hemolyzed but irreplaceable samples.

Lymphocyte blastogenesis increased transiently in group C and D cats. After acetaminophen administration, all groups had transient increases in methemoglobin within 4 hours and mild, brief facial edema; group C had decreased glutathione concentration and increased 8-OH d-guanosine concentration versus controls; and protein carbonyl concentration increased least for group B. Plasma lipoate and dihydrolipoate concentrations peaked by week 10 for groups C and D. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Lipoate, vitamin E, and cysteine did not have synergistic effects. Lipoate supplementation (150 mg/kg [DMB]) did not act as an antioxidant but appeared to enhance oxidant effects of acetaminophen. Vitamin E plus cysteine had protective effects.

Summary Various haemostatic analytes were systematically evaluated for four months pre‐partum and five months post partum in 14 healthy mares. The plasma fibrinogen concentration and both Factor VIII:C and von Willebrand factor activity showed gradual increases from mid‐gestation and reached maximal, or near maximal activity at parturition. These increases were paralleled by an increase in plasma fibronectin concentration, the appearance of fibrinogen degradation products, and a modest rise in antithrombin III concentration. In contrast, the activity of Factor VII and Factor IX, and the one‐stage prothrombin (PT) time and the activated partial thromboplastin (APTT) time remained relatively constant throughout the pre‐ and post parturient period.