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- Author or Editor: Alfred M. Legendre x
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Objective
To describe owner experiences with gastrostomy tubes used at home.
Design
Telephone survey.
Animals
20 cats and 5 dogs.
Procedure
Owner's opinions obtained by phone interview.
Results
Although 32% (8/25) of owners were initially reluctant to feed their cat or dog through the gastrostomy tube, 92% (22/24) of owners became comfortable with the procedure. Eighty-four percent (21/25) of owners were able to feed their dog or cat unassisted; 16% (4/25) required another person to help. Median time required for feeding was 19.8 minutes. Ninety-six percent (24/25) of owners believed their dog or cat was comfortable with the procedure. Eighty-four percent (21/25) of owners experienced complications or difficulties. Most problems involved bandage maintenance, administration of food through the syringe and tube, or acquisition of syringes and special foods. Ninety-six percent (22/23) of owners would be willing to use a gastrostomy tube again.
Clinical Implications
Most owners had positive experiences with the feeding experience and would be willing to use gastrostomy tube feeding again. Difficulties encountered by owners were not serious and could be avoided by specific client instruction. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 1998;212:1576–1578)
Summary
The sensitivity and specificity of 4 commercial FeLV elisa kits, using blood, were compared with results of virus isolation from blood and immunofluorescent antibody (ifa) testing on blood. Significant differences were not found among the 4 elisa kits. Marked decrease in sensitivity of the elisa kits was detected when virus isolation was used as the standard of positivity rather than the ifa test. Virus isolation was a more sensitive indicator of early infection, with marked discrepancy among results obtained by virus isolation, elisa, and the ifa test. Results became progressively more concordant as infection became fully established. Cats FeLV-positive by virus isolation alone were more likely to eliminate viremia. All cats FeLV-positive by ifa testing remained persistently viremic. Virus isolation, elisa, and ifa testing appear to differ in their prognostic value. The use of blood rather than serum for the elisa resulted in several discordant results. Six cats were FeLV-positive by elisa when blood was tested but were FeLV-negative when serum was tested. Positive elisa results were obtained for 4 of these cats when serum was tested, using extended incubation to increase sensitivity. It is possible that blood may actually be more sensitive than serum for use of the elisa method.
Summary
Pharmacokinetics and toxicity of a single dose of doxorubicin, at dosages of 30 mg/m2 of body surface area and 1 mg/kg of body weight, were compared in 17 dogs. Effects of doxorubicin on complete blood cell count, platelet count, and the dogs' clinical condition were evaluated for 14 days. Cluster analysis, on the basis of clinical signs of doxorubicin toxicosis at the 30- mg/m2 dosage, revealed that 6 of 7 small dogs (≤ 10 kg) became ill, whereas 7 of 10 large dogs (> 10 kg) remained clinically normal. Small dogs that received doxorubicin at a dosage of 30 mg/m2 had higher peak plasma concentrations, greater area under the curve for plasma drug concentration vs time, longer drug elimination half - lives, greater volumes of distribution, and more clinical signs of toxicosis than had large dogs (P ≤ 0.05). Five of 9 small dogs that received doxorubicin at a dosage of 30 mg/m2 developed severe myelosuppression (<1 × 103 granulocytes/μl). In contrast to the toxicoses with body surface area - based dosing, myelosuppression was not induced in small dogs that received doxorubicin at a dosage of 1 mg/kg. In small and large dogs given doxorubicin at a dosage of 1 mg/kg, pharmacokinetic characteristics and clinical signs of toxicosis were similar. Mean wbc counts and granulocyte counts for all dogs were lower on day 7 with 30 mg of doxorubicin/m2 (n = 17), compared with that for 1 mg of doxorubicin/kg (n = 14; P ≤ 0.01).This study indicated that a body weight - based (milligram per kilogram) dosing regimen may result in more uniform therapeutic and toxic responses in dogs. Limited toxicosis was observed in dogs weighing > 10 kg treated with doxorubicin with either dosing scheme; however, differences in pharmacokinetic profiles suggested that 1 mg/kg may be an inappropriately low dosage.
Summary
Forty-seven kittens were exposed for 31 weeks to 12 FeLV-positive carrier cats. The carrier cats were infected with 2 laboratory strains of FeLV and at least 2 strains of street virus. Eleven nonvaccinated control kittens and 12 vaccinated kittens were allotted to 3 groups. After 31 weeks of exposure, the following kittens were persistently blood FeLV positive by elisa and immunofluorescence antibody (ifa) testing: 7 of the 11 control kittens, 0 of 12 kittens inoculated with vaccine A, 5 of 12 kittens inoculated with vaccine B, and 6 of 12 kittens inoculated with vaccine C. Only the kittens inoculated with vaccine A were significantly (P < 0.05) different from the control group. After 23 weeks of exposure, culture was done to identify FeLV in the bone marrow of the kittens. Feline leukemia virus was isolated from the bone marrow of 9 of 11 control kittens. Virus was isolated from the bone marrow of 5 of 12 kittens inoculated with vaccine A, 11 of 12 kittens inoculated with vaccine B, and 10 of 12 kittens inoculated with vaccine C. Of the 17 cats that had FeLV isolated only from culture of bone marrow (negative results of blood virus isolation, elisa, and ifa testing), 13 eliminated the virus from the bone marrow by week 31 of exposure. After 31 weeks of exposure, FeLV was isolated from the bone marrow of 8 of 11 control kittens, O of 12 kittens inoculated with vaccine A, 7 of 12 kittens inoculated with vaccine B, and 7 of 12 kittens inoculated with vaccine C.
Summary
Protein (western) blot analysis and virus-neutralization assay were used to evaluate the antibody response of specific-pathogen-free kittens to FeLV vaccination and followed by natural exposure. Several kittens had barely detectable reactions to specific FeLV antigens prior to vaccination or exposure. Correlation was not found between protection against persistent viremia and antibody response after vaccination as measured by western blot analysis or virus neutralization assay. A statistically significant (P < 0.01) difference in the antibody response against p27 antigen after natural exposure to FeLV was observed between persistently viremic kittens and transiently viremic or aviremic kittens. Measurable (P < 0.05) virus neutralizing antibody titer after FeLV exposure was found only in a small number of kittens that were protected against persistent viremia. Lack of association between humoral response and vaccination-induced protection against persistent FeLV infection suggests an important role for cell-mediated immunity in such protection.
Abstract
Case Descriptions—A 4-year-old spayed female Golden Retriever (dog 1) was examined because of acute edema and erythema in the left hind limb and an inguinal mass, and a 5-year-old female Jack Russell Terrier (dog 2) was examined because of a recurring retro-peritoneal mass.
Clinical Findings—Dog 1 had an edematous, hyperemic left hind limb with a fixed inguinal mass. Monocytic neutrophilic leukocytosis and hypoalbuminemia were detected. Diagnostic imaging revealed abnormal tissue surrounding the larger vessels and ureters and complete occlusion of the left limb veins. Surgery resulted in incomplete removal of the mass. Histologic examination revealed fibrosing pyogranulomatous inflammation. Results of a Histoplasma antigen test were positive, and reanalysis of the tissues revealed yeast cells indicative of Histoplasma capsulatum. Dog 2 had incomplete removal of a retroperitoneal mass. Histologic examination revealed fibrosing pyogranulomatous inflammation. The mass recurred 8 months later in dog 2; exploratory abdominal surgery at that time resulted in substantial hemorrhage from the adhered caudal aorta. Histologic examination of tissue sections from the second surgery revealed yeast cells consistent with Blastomyces dermatitidis.
Treatment and Outcome—Both dogs had temporary improvement after surgery. Full clinical resolution required treatment for fungal disease. Dog 1 was treated with itraconazole, then fluconazole (total treatment time, 23 weeks). Dog 2 was treated with fluconazole for 36 weeks.
Clinical Relevance—Retroperitoneal pyogranulomatous fibrosis caused by fungal infections has not been reported in veterinary medicine. There was substantial morbidity, but the prognosis can be good when this abnormality is recognized and antifungal medications are administered.
Abstract
Objective—To determine proportions of cats in which feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) was diagnosed on an annual, monthly, and regional basis and identify unique characteristics of cats with FIP.
Design—Case-control study.
Sample Population—Records of all feline accessions to veterinary medical teaching hospitals (VMTH) recorded in the Veterinary Medical Data Base between January 1986 and December 1995 and of all feline accessions for necropsy or histologic examination at 4 veterinary diagnostic laboratories.
Procedure—Proportions of total and new feline accessions for which a diagnosis of FIP was recorded were calculated. To identify characteristics of cats with FIP, cats with FIP were compared with the next cat examined at the same institution (control cats).
Results—Approximately 1 of every 200 new feline and 1 of every 300 total feline accessions at VMTH in North America and approximately 1 of every 100 accessions at the diagnostic laboratories represented cats with FIP. Cats with FIP were significantly more likely to be young, purebred, and sexually intact males and significantly less likely to be spayed females and discharged alive than were control cats. The proportion of new accessions for which a diagnosis of FIP was recorded did not vary significantly among years, months, or regions of the country.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results indicated that FIP continues to be a clinically important disease in North America and that sexually intact male cats may be at increased risk, and spayed females at reduced risk, for FIP. The high prevalence of FIP and lack of effective treatment emphasizes the importance of preventive programs, especially in catteries. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2001;218:1111–1115)
