Clinical, ultrasonographic and histopathological findings of gastrointestinal disorders in cats

Background: Gastrointestinal disorders are common in cats, and the differentiation between inflammatory and neoplastic disease is essential to determine therapy. Therefore, ultrasonographic evaluation is an important tool for intestinal diagnosis in cats. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical, ultrasonographic and histopathological characteristics of cats with intestinal diseases.Materials, Methods & Results: Forty cats with gastrointestinal clinical signs and abdominal ultrasound findings consistent with inflammatory bowel disease or gastrointestinal neoplasia were studied. Ultrasound evaluated all abdominal organs, with emphasis on the gastrointestinal tract, and parameters included the thickness of gastric and intestinal wall, the variations of its echogenicity, reduced intestinal lumen, mesenteric lymph nodes, involvement of other abdominal organs and presence of abdominal effusion. All cats were referred to exploratory laparotomy, in order to obtain biopsy samples. Mean age was 11.6 years and there were 23 females and 17 males. Clinical signs included weight loss (87.5%), vomiting (82.5%), hyporexia (75%), diarrhea (35%), constipation (10%), polyphagia (5%) and intestinal gases (5%). In abdominal ultrasound, the most common findings were increased thickness of the gastric and/or intestinal wall, decreased echogenicity of the intestinal wall, reduction of the intestinal lumen due to severe wall thickening or presence of obstructive mass, and lymphadenopathy. Histopathology revealed alimentary lymphoma (AL) in 19 cases, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in 10 cases, intestinal adenocarcinoma in 7 cases, mast cell tumor in 2 cases and intestinal hemangiosarcoma in 2 cases.[...](AU)

Clinical, ultrasonographic and histopathological findings of gastrointestinal disorders in cats

Background: Gastrointestinal disorders are common in cats, and the differentiation between inflammatory and neoplastic disease is essential to determine therapy. Therefore, ultrasonographic evaluation is an important tool for intestinal diagnosis in cats. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical, ultrasonographic and histopathological characteristics of cats with intestinal diseases.Materials, Methods & Results: Forty cats with gastrointestinal clinical signs and abdominal ultrasound findings consistent with inflammatory bowel disease or gastrointestinal neoplasia were studied. Ultrasound evaluated all abdominal organs, with emphasis on the gastrointestinal tract, and parameters included the thickness of gastric and intestinal wall, the variations of its echogenicity, reduced intestinal lumen, mesenteric lymph nodes, involvement of other abdominal organs and presence of abdominal effusion. All cats were referred to exploratory laparotomy, in order to obtain biopsy samples. Mean age was 11.6 years and there were 23 females and 17 males. Clinical signs included weight loss (87.5%), vomiting (82.5%), hyporexia (75%), diarrhea (35%), constipation (10%), polyphagia (5%) and intestinal gases (5%). In abdominal ultrasound, the most common findings were increased thickness of the gastric and/or intestinal wall, decreased echogenicity of the intestinal wall, reduction of the intestinal lumen due to severe wall thickening or presence of obstructive mass, and lymphadenopathy. Histopathology revealed alimentary lymphoma (AL) in 19 cases, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in 10 cases, intestinal adenocarcinoma in 7 cases, mast cell tumor in 2 cases and intestinal hemangiosarcoma in 2 cases.[...]

Histoplasmose pulmonar grave em um gato doméstico: tratamento com Anfotericina B e Itraconazol / acute pulmonary histoplasmosis in a domestic cat treated with Amphotericin B and Itraconazole

Background: Histoplasmosis is a systemic mycosis whose etiologic agent is the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. This fungal infection, which is the second most frequent systemic mycotic fungal disease in felines in the United States, has rarely been found in cats in Brazil. This paper reports on a case of acute pulmonary histoplasmosis in a domestic cat treated with oral itraconazole associated with amphotericin B administered subcutaneously. This treatment resulted in clinical remission of the patient’s symptoms, as evidenced by radiographic follow-ups.Case: A domestic cat suffering from acute dyspnea was taken to a veterinary clinic. The animal was subjected to emergency oxygen therapy, and kept at rest through sedation with midazolam. A physical examination revealed normally colored mucosa, 8% dehydration, bristly fur, body condition score 2/9, tachypnea with respiratory rate of 100 breaths per minute and expiratory dyspnea. The radiographic examination showed marked opacification of all the pulmonary fields, with a mixed pattern (interstitial and alveolar) of heterogeneous appearance and diffuse distribution, which are changes consistent with an inflammatory infectious process (pneumonia). A cytological analysis of the pleural fluid revealed round to oval-shaped intracytoplasmic structures, varying in size from 2 to 4 μm, inside foamy macrophages, consistent with Histoplasma capsulatum. Based on the diagnosis of pulmonary histoplasmosis, and in view of the patient’s acute respiratory distress, it was decided to treat the cat using itraconazole associated with amphotericin B. Itraconazole was administered orally at a dose of 100 mg/cat every 24 h, while amphotericin B was administered subcutaneously at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg, combined with 100 mL of sodium chloride 0.9% and 100 mL of 5% glycated serum, with monitoring of serum concentrations of symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA).[...]

Histoplasmose pulmonar grave em um gato doméstico: tratamento com Anfotericina B e Itraconazol / acute pulmonary histoplasmosis in a domestic cat treated with Amphotericin B and Itraconazole

Background: Histoplasmosis is a systemic mycosis whose etiologic agent is the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. This fungal infection, which is the second most frequent systemic mycotic fungal disease in felines in the United States, has rarely been found in cats in Brazil. This paper reports on a case of acute pulmonary histoplasmosis in a domestic cat treated with oral itraconazole associated with amphotericin B administered subcutaneously. This treatment resulted in clinical remission of the patients symptoms, as evidenced by radiographic follow-ups.Case: A domestic cat suffering from acute dyspnea was taken to a veterinary clinic. The animal was subjected to emergency oxygen therapy, and kept at rest through sedation with midazolam. A physical examination revealed normally colored mucosa, 8% dehydration, bristly fur, body condition score 2/9, tachypnea with respiratory rate of 100 breaths per minute and expiratory dyspnea. The radiographic examination showed marked opacification of all the pulmonary fields, with a mixed pattern (interstitial and alveolar) of heterogeneous appearance and diffuse distribution, which are changes consistent with an inflammatory infectious process (pneumonia). A cytological analysis of the pleural fluid revealed round to oval-shaped intracytoplasmic structures, varying in size from 2 to 4 μm, inside foamy macrophages, consistent with Histoplasma capsulatum. Based on the diagnosis of pulmonary histoplasmosis, and in view of the patients acute respiratory distress, it was decided to treat the cat using itraconazole associated with amphotericin B. Itraconazole was administered orally at a dose of 100 mg/cat every 24 h, while amphotericin B was administered subcutaneously at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg, combined with 100 mL of sodium chloride 0.9% and 100 mL of 5% glycated serum, with monitoring of serum concentrations of symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA).[...](AU)

Infecção do trato urinário em gatos com doença renal crônica / Urinary tract infection in cats with chranic kidney disease / Infección del tracto urinaria en gatas con enfermedad renal crónica

A doença renal crônica (ORC) e a infecção do trato urinário (ITU) estão entre as afecções mais comumente encontradas na medicina de pequenos animais, sendo que muitas vezes encontram-se correlacionadas. O desenvolvimento da ITU depende de um desequilíbrio entre o microrganismo infectante e os mecanismos de defesa do hospedeiro. Atualmente está bem estabelecido que a frequência dos patógenos e os padrões de resistência dos agentes aos antibióticos podem variar significativamente de país para país, como também em diferentes hospitais veterinários dentro de um mesmo país. Por isso, a realização de trabalhos de vigilância e identificação dos padrões de prevalência dos microrganismos é essencial como medida preventiva de infecções. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram verificar a frequência da ITU em gatos com ORC, identificar as espécies bacterianas isoladas nesses animais e sua susceptibilidade antimicrobiana.(AU)

Chronic kidney disease (CKO) and urinary tract infection (UTI) are among the most commonly encountered and often correlated disorders in small animal medicine. The development of UTI depends on an imbalance between the infecting organism and the host defense mechanisms. Nowadays, it is well established that the frequency of pathogens and resistance patterns can vary significantly not only from country to country, but also in different veterinary hospitals within the same country. Therefore, monitoring and identification of microorganism prevalence patterns are essential as preventive measures against infections. The aim of this study was to verify the frequency of UTI in cats with CKO, as well as to identify the bacterial species isolated from these animals and their antimicrobial susceptibility.(AU)

La enfermedad renal crónica (ERC) y la infección del tracto urinario (ITU) se encuentran entre las afecciones más comúnmente encontradas en la medicina de pequeños animales, y muchas veces existe una correlación entre ambas. El desarrollo de la ITU depende de un desequilibrio entre el microorganismo infectante y los mecanismos de defensa del huésped. Actualmente se acepta que la frecuencia de los patógenos y los patrones de resistencia de los agentes a los antibióticos pueden variar significativamente de un país a otro, así como también entre los diferentes hospitales veterinarios dentro de un mismo país. Por esta razón, la realización de trabajos de vigilancia e identificación de las tasas de prevalencia de los macroorganismos son esenciales como elementos de medida preventiva de infecciones. Los objetivos del presente trabajo fueron verificar la frecuencia de ITU en gatos con ERC, identificar las especies bacterianas aisladas en esos animales, y su susceptibilidad bacteriana.(AU)

Infecção do trato urinário em gatos com doença renal crônica / Urinary tract infection in cats with chranic kidney disease / Infección del tracto urinaria en gatas con enfermedad renal crónica

A doença renal crônica (ORC) e a infecção do trato urinário (ITU) estão entre as afecções mais comumente encontradas na medicina de pequenos animais, sendo que muitas vezes encontram-se correlacionadas. O desenvolvimento da ITU depende de um desequilíbrio entre o microrganismo infectante e os mecanismos de defesa do hospedeiro. Atualmente está bem estabelecido que a frequência dos patógenos e os padrões de resistência dos agentes aos antibióticos podem variar significativamente de país para país, como também em diferentes hospitais veterinários dentro de um mesmo país. Por isso, a realização de trabalhos de vigilância e identificação dos padrões de prevalência dos microrganismos é essencial como medida preventiva de infecções. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram verificar a frequência da ITU em gatos com ORC, identificar as espécies bacterianas isoladas nesses animais e sua susceptibilidade antimicrobiana.

Chronic kidney disease (CKO) and urinary tract infection (UTI) are among the most commonly encountered and often correlated disorders in small animal medicine. The development of UTI depends on an imbalance between the infecting organism and the host defense mechanisms. Nowadays, it is well established that the frequency of pathogens and resistance patterns can vary significantly not only from country to country, but also in different veterinary hospitals within the same country. Therefore, monitoring and identification of microorganism prevalence patterns are essential as preventive measures against infections. The aim of this study was to verify the frequency of UTI in cats with CKO, as well as to identify the bacterial species isolated from these animals and their antimicrobial susceptibility.

La enfermedad renal crónica (ERC) y la infección del tracto urinario (ITU) se encuentran entre las afecciones más comúnmente encontradas en la medicina de pequeños animales, y muchas veces existe una correlación entre ambas. El desarrollo de la ITU depende de un desequilibrio entre el microorganismo infectante y los mecanismos de defensa del huésped. Actualmente se acepta que la frecuencia de los patógenos y los patrones de resistencia de los agentes a los antibióticos pueden variar significativamente de un país a otro, así como también entre los diferentes hospitales veterinarios dentro de un mismo país. Por esta razón, la realización de trabajos de vigilancia e identificación de las tasas de prevalencia de los macroorganismos son esenciales como elementos de medida preventiva de infecciones. Los objetivos del presente trabajo fueron verificar la frecuencia de ITU en gatos con ERC, identificar las especies bacterianas aisladas en esos animales, y su susceptibilidad bacteriana.