Comparison of early posttreatment effects of two steroidal anti-inflammatory ophthalmic drugs on the ocular inflammatory response induced by paracentesis in healthy canine eyes.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the early posttreatment effects of two steroidal anti-inflammatory ophthalmic drugs on blood-aqueous barrier (BAB) breakdown by paracentesis in dogs. ANIMAL STUDIES: We studied 21 healthy beagles with normal eyes. PROCEDURES: Controlled anterior chamber paracentesis (0.5 mL) was performed in one eye of each dog. Control group dogs (n = 7) received no medication, whereas those in the treatment groups received a topical anti-inflammatory medication (difluprednate [DFBA] ophthalmic emulsion 0.05% [n = 7] or betamethasone [BMZ] sodium phosphate ophthalmic solution 0.1% [n = 7]) at 0, 15, 30, and 45 minutes after initial paracentesis in the paracentesed eyes. Secondary aqueous humor (AH) was collected 60 minutes after initial paracentesis. Protein and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 ) concentrations in AH were determined using the bicinchoninic acid assay and commercially available immunoassay kit, respectively. All mean values in the three groups were compared using analysis of variance followed by Tukey's post hoc test. RESULTS: Aqueous protein and PGE2 concentrations were markedly increased at 60 minutes following paracentesis. Both concentrations in the secondary AH of the DFBA group were significantly lower than those of the control group; however, treatment with BMZ had no significant effects. CONCLUSIONS: Early postparacentesis treatment with DFBA was more effective than that with BMZ for reducing aqueous protein and PGE2 contents in dogs with paracentesis-induced BAB breakdown. DFBA may be an appropriate treatment during the early stage of anterior uveitis caused by intraocular surgery in dogs.

Repeated phlebotomies decrease body iron storage in adult dogs.

The aim of the present study was to determine changes in body iron storage in adult dogs following phlebotomy. We performed repeated phlebotomies by removing 1% body weight (approximately 10% of the total blood volume) weekly for a total of 12 times using adult beagle dogs without an iron-restricted diet. After treatment, stored iron was decreased, as demonstrated by gradual reductions in serum ferritin levels and hepatic iron contents. Anemia and abnormalities in blood chemistry analysis were not observed; therefore, this method was considered safe and useful for control of stored iron levels in adult dogs.

Influence of storage conditions on in vitro stability of atrial natriuretic peptide and of anesthesia on plasma atrial natriuretic peptide concentration in cats.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the in vitro stability of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in plasma samples under various storage conditions and the influence of anesthesia on plasma ANP concentration in cats. ANIMALS 1 cat with congestive heart failure and 5 healthy adult mixed-breed cats. PROCEDURES A plasma sample from the cat with heart failure was serially diluted, and dilutional parallelism of ANP concentration was evaluated. Plasma samples containing aprotinin or serum samples from the 5 healthy cats were kept at room temperature (27°C) for ≤ 12 hours. Plasma samples from the same healthy cats were stored at -70°, -20°, or 4°C for ≤ 14 days. Plasma samples were obtained from the healthy cats before and during isoflurane anesthesia. Plasma ANP concentrations were measured at a commercial laboratory by use of a human ANP chemiluminescence assay. RESULTS Intra- and interassay coefficients of variation were 1.5% and 2.5%, respectively, and dilutional parallelism was established. Although ANP concentration decreased by 82.4 ± 13.6% (mean ± SD) after sample storage for 12 hours at room temperature, this decrease was prevented by aprotinin. Plasma ANP concentrations were stable for 7 days at -20°C and for 14 days at -70°C. However, concentrations decreased markedly to 57.6 ± 6.9% at -20°C and to 18.0 ± 3.0% at 4°C after 14 days. Plasma ANP concentration decreased significantly in cats during anesthesia and was correlated with blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results suggested that aprotinin should be added routinely in preparation of plasma samples from cats for measurement of ANP concentration, and those samples, if stored, should be frozen immediately at ≤ -20°C. General anesthesia or systemic blood pressure may affect plasma ANP concentration in cats.

Indirect arterial blood pressure measurement in healthy anesthetized cats using a device that combines oscillometry with photoplethysmography.

We investigated the basic characteristics of indirect arterial blood pressure (ABP) measurement using a device that combines oscillometry and photoplethysmography in cats. Dobutamine was infused intravenously in four anesthetized cats. Direct ABP was measured by a catheter. Indirect ABP was measured from the left forelimb. Dobutamine significantly elevated both systolic arterial pressure (SAP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) in a dose-dependent manner. The indirect SAP, MAP and diastolic arterial pressure (DAP) values were closely correlated with the direct ABP values (r=0.88, 0.89 and 0.83, respectively). The mean bias for SAP, MAP and DAP was 3.4, 0.2 and -2.4 mmHg, respectively. The indirect ABP measured by this device may be used to reliably monitor ABP changes in anesthetized cats.

Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide and N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide concentrations in dogs with right-sided congestive heart failure.

The clinical utility of plasma natriuretic peptide concentrations in dogs with right-sided congestive heart failure (CHF) remains unclear. We investigated whether plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) are useful for assessing the congestive signs of right-sided heart failure in dogs. This retrospective study enrolled 16 healthy dogs and 51 untreated dogs with presence (n=28) or absence (n=23) of right-sided CHF. Medical records of physical examinations, thoracic radiography and echocardiography were reviewed. The plasma concentration of canine ANP was measured with a chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay. Plasma NT-proBNP concentrations were determined using an enzyme immunoassay. Plasma ANP and NT-proBNP concentrations in dogs with right-sided CHF were significantly higher than in healthy controls and those without right-sided CHF. The plasma NT-proBNP concentration >3,003 pmol/l used to identify right-sided CHF had a sensitivity of 88.5% and specificity of 90.3%. An area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.93. The AUC for NT-proBNP was significantly higher than the AUCs for the cardiothoracic ratio, vertebral heart score, ratio of right ventricular end-diastolic internal diameter to body surface area, tricuspid late diastolic flow and ratio of the velocities of tricuspid early to late diastolic flow. These results suggest that plasma ANP and NT-proBNP concentrations increase markedly in dogs with right-sided CHF. Particularly, NT-proBNP is simple and helpful biomarkers to assess the right-sided CHF.

Transcatheter arterial embolization for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma in a cat.

CASE DESCRIPTION: A 16-year-old 6.8-kg (15-lb) castrated male domestic shorthair cat was evaluated because of a 3 × 6-cm mass in the right medial lobe of the liver. CLINICAL FINDINGS: The cat had a history of frequent vomiting and anorexia along with 10% weight loss over the past year. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME: Transcatheter arterial embolization was selected because surgery (standard first-line treatment) was declined and only 1 vessel feeding the tumor was apparent on contrast-enhanced CT. A 4F sheath was placed in the left carotid artery, and a 3.3F guide catheter was advanced into the celiac artery. A 0.014-inch guidewire and 1.7F microcatheter were inserted into the hepatic artery through the guiding catheter and advanced into the feeding vessel. A mixture of polyvinyl alcohol particles and contrast agent was injected for embolization. A hypoechoic area in the tumor was identified on ultrasonography on posttreatment day 6, and necrotic and degenerated cells in the area were identified cytologically. By posttreatment day 71, vomiting had resolved and CT revealed decreased tumor size, but altered attenuation suggested a more solid mass on day 205. No feeding vessel for embolization was found on contrast-enhanced CT, so ultrasonic emulsification to remove the tumor was performed on day 231. No recurrence was seen on contrast-enhanced CT on day 420 or day 721. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Findings suggested that transcatheter arterial embolization may be suitable for treating hepatic tumors in cats, but alternative approaches are needed in cats, compared with dogs, owing to anatomic differences.

Hyperferritinemia is associated with short survival time in dogs with multicentric lymphoma.

In the present study, we examined the relationship between serum ferritin concentration before treatment and survival time in dogs with multicentric lymphoma. Eighteen dogs with multicentric lymphoma were enrolled in the study. When the dogs were classified into high and low ferritin groups on the basis of their serum ferritin concentration (3,000 ng/ml cut-off value), the median survival time of dogs with high concentrations (≥3,000 ng/ml, n=7) was 40 days, whereas it was 360 days among dogs with low concentrations (<3,000 ng/ml, n=11). This difference was statistically significant (P=0.001). This finding suggests that the initial high level of serum ferritin indicates short survival time in dogs with multicentric lymphoma. Large-scale research is necessary to confirm this finding.

Prevalence of intestinal parasites in breeding kennel dogs in Japan.

The present study is the first to show overall prevalences of intestinal parasites among breeding kennel dogs in Japan. A total of 573 fresh fecal samples were collected from dogs at 12 breeding kennels. Giardia-specific coproantigen was examined by ELISA kit (SNAP(®) Giardia, IDEXX Laboratories, Inc., Maine, USA). Other intestinal parasites were determined microscopically using the formalin-ethyl acetate sedimentation technique. Overall prevalences of two genera of protists, Giardia spp. and Cystoisospora spp., were 25.7 and 1.2 %, respectively. The prevalence of helminthes was recorded as: Toxocara canis 0.2 %, Toxascaris leonina 0.9 %, Ancylostoma caninum 0.2 %, Trichuris vulpis 2.1 %, and Spirometra erinacei 0.4 %. According to age categories, Giardia spp., Cystoisospora spp., and T. leonina in <1-year-old dogs were significantly more prevalent than in ≥ 1-year-old dogs (61.0 vs. 19.8 %, P < 0.0001; 7.3 vs. 0.2 %, P < 0.0001; and 4.9 vs. 0.2 %, P < 0.001; respectively). With respect to fecal condition, the prevalences of T. leonina and T. vulpis were significantly higher in unformed stool dogs than in formed ones (2.4 vs. 0 %, P < 0.01, and 4.3 vs. 0.8 %, P < 0.05, respectively). In all of the breeding kennels except for one kennel, intestinal parasite infections were found at the high prevalent, ranging from 16.0 to 70.0 %.

Effect of the phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor tadalafil on pulmonary hemodynamics in a canine model of pulmonary hypertension.

Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors are used for treating pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in dogs. The long-acting PDE5 inhibitor tadalafil was recently approved for treatment of PAH in humans. Basic information related to the pharmacological and hemodynamic effects of tadalafil in dogs is scarce. In this study, the hemodynamic effects of tadalafil after intravenous (IV) and oral administration were investigated in a healthy vasoconstrictive PAH Beagle dog model induced by U46619, a thromboxane A2 mimetic. Six healthy Beagle dogs were anesthetized with propofol and maintained with isoflurane. Fluid-filled catheters were placed into the descending aorta to measure systemic arterial pressure and in the pulmonary artery to measure pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP). U46619 was infused via the cephalic vein to induce PAH. IV infusion of U46619 significantly elevated PAP from baseline in a dose-dependent manner. U46619-elevated PAP and pulmonary vascular resistance was significantly attenuated by the simultaneous infusion of tadalafil at 100 and 200 µg/kg/h. Likewise, oral administration of tadalafil at 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 mg/kg significantly attenuated U46619-elevated PAP in a dose-dependent manner. U46619-elevated systolic and mean PAP decreased significantly 1 h after oral tadalafil administration at 4.0 mg/kg, and this effect was maintained for 6 h. In conclusion, tadalafil had a pharmacological effect in dogs and IV infusion of tadalafil induced pulmonary arterial relaxation, while oral administration of tadalafil decreased PAP. These results suggest that tadalafil may offer a new therapeutic option for treating dogs with PAH.

Molecular detection and characterization of Cryptosporidium species in household dogs, pet shop puppies, and dogs kept in a school of veterinary nursing in Japan.

Members of Cryptosporidium species, which are protozoan parasites, are prevalent worldwide and can cause diarrhoea in both humans and animals, including dogs. In addition, the Cryptosporidium species harboured in dogs have the potential for zoonotic transmission. The purpose of the present study was to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium species infection and perform molecular characterization of isolates in household dogs, pet shop puppies, and dogs kept in a school of veterinary nursing in Japan. Fresh faecal samples were collected once from 529 household dogs (aged from 2 months to 18 years old, from 9 veterinary clinics located in 6 different regions), 471 pet shop puppies (≤ 3 months old, from 4 pet shops located in 2 different regions), and 98 dogs (aged from 2 to 11 years old) kept in a veterinary nursing school. A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting the 18S rRNA gene was employed for the detection of Cryptosporidium species, and 111 random samples of PCR amplicons (approximately 500-bp) were sequenced for the molecular characterization of the isolates. The prevalences of Cryptosporidium species in household dogs, pet shop puppies, and veterinary nursing school dogs were 7.2%, 31.6%, and 18.4%, respectively. In household dogs, no significant correlation was observed between the prevalence of Cryptosporidium species and the age (≤ 6 months vs. >6 months), living conditions (indoor vs. outdoor), faecal conditions (formed vs. unformed), and location of residence. In pet shop puppies, the prevalence of Cryptosporidium species was not related to faecal condition; however, the prevalence significantly differed among the pet shops. All of the 111 sequence samples (26 from household dogs, 75 from pet shop puppies, and 10 from veterinary nursing school dogs) were identified as Cryptosporidium canis. The present study demonstrates a high prevalence of Cryptosporidium species infections in pet shop puppies and dogs of a veterinary nursing school in Japan. However, because Cryptosporidium hominis and Cryptosporidium parvum are the most common causes of human infections, it is likely that the risk of zoonotic transmission of Cryptosporidium species from dogs to humans is low.

Erythrophagocytosis enhances heme-dependent cytotoxicity of antimalarial drugs in canine histiocytic sarcoma cell line DH82.

Antimalarial drugs, dihydroartemisinin (DHA) and artesunate (ATS), exhibit iron-dependent cytotoxicity in tumor cells. We hypothesized that erythrophagocytic uptake of heme-iron enhances the cytotoxicity of DHA and ATS. Erythrophagocytic (EP) treatment of the canine histiocytic sarcoma cell line DH82 markedly increased the cytotoxicity of DHA and ATS compared to controls. Succinyl acetone, an inhibitor of intracellular heme synthesis, decreased the cytotoxicity of DHA and ATS in normal cells, but this change was not observed in EP cells. These results suggest that exogenous heme derived from erythrocytes can enhance the cytotoxicity of DHA and ATS. Furthermore, our study suggests that heme could be a novel component of tumor treatment in veterinary medicine.

Factors influencing measurement of serum iron concentration in dogs: diurnal variation and hyperferritinemia.

We evaluated diurnal variation and hyperferritinemia as factors that influence the values of serum iron concentration in dogs, using the International Committee for Standardization in Hematology (ICSH) colorimetric method. Serum iron levels were significantly higher in the morning than in the evening in 6 clinically healthy beagle dogs, and the maximum decrease in serum iron concentration was 47.3%. Moreover, the change in serum iron concentrations in 22 clinical canine cases with various serum ferritin levels was evaluated by immunoprecipitation of ferritin. The rate of decline in the serum iron concentrations positively correlated with serum ferritin levels (r=0.48, P=0.024). These results show that it is necessary to consider the sampling time and serum ferritin level for accurate interpretation of serum iron concentrations in dogs.

Hyperferritinemia in dogs with splenic hemangiosarcoma.

Serum ferritin concentration increases in dogs in association with various diseases. In this study, we measured serum ferritin levels in dogs with splenic masses, using a sandwich ELISA assay. Eleven dogs with hemangiosarcoma (HSA), six with hematoma, 1 with hemangioma and 3 with lymphoma were enrolled. All dogs with HSA had serum ferritin concentrations above the normal limit (1,357 ng/ml, mean + 2× standard deviation of normal). Increased serum ferritin concentrations have also been observed in few cases of hematoma, hemangioma and lymphoma. Therefore, hyperferritinemia is not specific for splenic HSA, but may have clinical usefulness as a sensitive test for the disease. Further evaluation of serum ferritin concentrations in dogs with splenic HSA is needed.

Change in serum ferritin concentration in experimentally induced anemia of chronic inflammation in dogs.

In veterinary medicine, hyperferritinemia is often observed in dogs with various diseases (e.g., histiocytic sarcoma and immune-mediated hemolytic anemia) without evidence of iron overload. The mechanism underlying hyperferritinemia development is not well understood. Anemia caused by inflammation is termed as anemia of chronic disease (ACD), and experimentally induced ACD is known to cause slight hyperferritinemia. However, almost all these studies were based on short-term acute inflammation. Hepcidin, a protein mainly produced by hepatocytes, is thought to be a key regulator in iron release from reticuloendothelial cells (RECs), and its expression is related to ACD. We hypothesized that in the case of long-term ACD, iron deposition in RECs increases through hepcidin, causing a diachronic increase in serum ferritin levels. In the present study, we used a canine model with repeated subcutaneous administration of turpentine oil every 3 days over a period of 42 days (15 injections) and induced long-term inflammatory conditions; furthermore, we evaluated the change in serum ferritin concentration. Hypoproliferative anemia, bone marrow iron deposition and hypoferremia, which are characteristic of ACD, were observed on administering the turpentine injections. Hepatic iron content, hepatic hepcidin mRNA expression and serum ferritin concentration increased during the early period after turpentine injection, but returned to normal levels later. These results show that experimentally induced long-term ACD caused hypoproliferative anemia without sustained increase in hepcidin expression and did not cause systemic iron overload. Thus, chronic inflammation may not contribute greatly to increase in hyperferritinemia.

Prevalence of intestinal parasites in pet shop kittens in Japan.

The present study examined the prevalence of intestinal parasites in kittens from five pet shops in East Japan. Fresh faecal samples were collected from 555 kittens (aged 1-3 months) on a single occasion. The samples were tested for the presence of Giardia species coproantigen using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Other intestinal parasites were identified microscopically using the formalin-ethyl acetate sedimentation technique. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasites was 27.2%; two genera of protozoa (Giardia species and Cystoisospora species) and one nematode (Toxocara cati) were detected. Faecal condition was not related to intestinal parasite infections. Significant differences among the pet shops were observed in the overall prevalence of intestinal parasites and the presence of Cystoisospora species infections.

Development of a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect and measure serum levels of canine ferritin.

We established a homologous sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure serum levels of canine ferritin. Our assay uses a rabbit anti-canine heart ferritin polyclonal antibody, and canine heart ferritin as a standard. Serum ferritin concentration in healthy dogs (n=163) was 789 ± 284 ng/ml (mean ± standard deviation), a value higher than reported previously. Confidence levels relating to repeatability, dilution and recovery for this method were high. Therefore, we believe our developed sandwich ELISA will be effective in evaluating serum levels of canine ferritin.

Effects of the missense mutations in canine BRCA2 on BRC repeat 3 functions and comparative analyses between canine and human BRC repeat 3.

Mammary tumors are the most common tumor type in both human and canine females. Mutations in the breast cancer susceptibility gene, BRCA2, have been found in most cases of inherited human breast cancer. Similarly, the canine BRCA2 gene locus has been associated with mammary tumors in female dogs. However, deleterious mutations in canine BRCA2 have not been reported, thus far. The BRCA2 protein is involved in homologous recombination repair via its interaction with RAD51 recombinase, an interaction mediated by 8 BRC repeats. These repeats are 26-amino acid, conserved motifs in mammalian BRCA2. Previous structural analyses of cancer-associated mutations affecting the BRC repeats have shown that the weakening of RAD51's affinity for even 1 repeat is sufficient to increase breast cancer susceptibility. In this study, we focused on 2 previously reported canine BRCA2 mutations (T1425P and K1435R) in BRC repeat 3 (BRC3), derived from mammary tumor samples. These mutations affected the interaction of canine BRC3 with RAD51, and were considered deleterious. Two BRC3 mutations (K1440R and K1440E), reported in human breast cancer patients, occur at amino acids corresponding to those of the K1435R mutation in dogs. These mutations affected the interaction of canine BRC3 with RAD51, and may also be considered deleterious. The two BRC3 mutations and a substitution (T1430P), corresponding to T1425P in canine BRCA2, were examined for their effects on human BRC3 function and the results were compared between species. The corresponding mutations and the substitution showed similar results in both human and canine BRC3. Therefore, canine BRCA2 may be a good model for studying human breast cancer caused by BRCA2 mutations.

Matrix metalloproteinase-2 stimulates collagen-I expression through phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase in rat cardiac fibroblasts.

Collagen-I is thought to be the main component of the extracellular matrix in cardiac fibrosis, the accumulation of which occurs with excessive activation of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2). MMP-2 degrades the extracellular matrix; however, the relative importance of MMP-2 to collagen-I synthesis in cardiac fibroblasts remains unclear. We investigated whether extracellular activation of MMP-2 regulates collagen-I synthesis and phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in rat cardiac fibroblasts. Primary cultures of rat cardiac fibroblasts were incubated with purified active MMP-2 to determine whether extracellular MMP-2 affects collagen-I synthesis and FAK phosphorylation in cardiac fibroblasts. Exogenous MMP-2 significantly stimulated FAK (Tyr397) phosphorylation and induced collagen-I expression in a time-dependent manner. Simultaneous treatment with the FAK inhibitor PF573228 abolished exogenous MMP-2-enhanced FAK (Tyr397) phosphorylation and collagen-I expression. Cells were then stimulated with norepinephrine (NE) to investigate whether endogenous MMP-2 could also induce collagen-I expression through FAK (Tyr397) phosphorylation. NE-stimulated endogenous MMP-2 activation in conditioned medium was significantly attenuated by simultaneous treatment with the MMP inhibitor PD166793. Similarly, NE-induced FAK (Tyr397) phosphorylation and collagen-I expression were significantly inhibited by simultaneous treatment with PD166793 or PF573228. Furthermore, MMP-2 knockdown induced by small interfering RNA (siRNA) significantly abolished endogenous MMP-2 expression and activation. MMP-2 siRNA significantly abolished NE-induced FAK (Tyr397) phosphorylation and collagen-I expression. These findings suggest that the extracellular activation of MMP-2 accelerated collagen-I synthesis in rat cardiac fibroblasts and that FAK phosphorylation (Tyr397) plays a pivotal role in MMP-2-stimulated collagen-I synthesis.

Diagnostic utility of NT-proBNP and ANP in a canine model of chronic embolic pulmonary hypertension.

The information needed to diagnose pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in dogs based on N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) levels is unclear. In this study, serial changes in plasma NT-proBNP and ANP concentrations were evaluated in association with the development of chronic embolic pulmonary hypertension (CEPH). Six Beagle dogs underwent percutaneous pulmonary artery catheterization. CEPH was induced by the repeated injection of 300 µm microspheres into the pulmonary artery via the catheter. Measured peak systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (PAPs) was elevated up to 80 mm Hg at 90 days by repeated injection of microspheres. Echocardiographic examination showed significant increase in the main pulmonary artery enlargement, right ventricular dilation, transtricuspid late diastolic flow, and ventricular late diastolic myocardial velocity. Plasma concentrations of NT-proBNP and ANP were significantly increased by microsphere-induced severe CEPH, but not by mild CEPH. Measured PAPs correlated weakly with plasma NT-proBNP and ANP concentrations (r=0.63 and 0.69, respectively) and with several echocardiographic variables. Our results indicated that plasma ANP and NT-proBNP responded to severe PAH, but that they were not sensitive for mild PAH.

Prevalence of intestinal parasites in private-household cats in Japan.

The present study is the first national investigation of intestinal parasites in private-household cats in Japan. A total of 942 faecal samples were collected from private-household cats. Giardia species was assessed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit and other intestinal parasites were identified microscopically. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasites was 10.1%; two protozoan parasites (Giardia species and Cystoisospora species) and five helminths (Toxocara cati, Toxascaris leonina, Ancylostoma tubaeforme, Taenia species and Spirometra erinacei) were detected. The total prevalence of intestinal parasite infection was significantly higher in cats aged ≤ 6 months old than in cats older than 6 months because of a significantly higher prevalence of Cystoisospora species and T cati. The total infection prevalence was higher among outdoor cats as a result of the significantly higher prevalence of T cati and S erinacei. Sex and faecal condition were not related to intestinal parasite infections. Regional differences were observed in Cystoisospora species and A tubaeforme.