Ureteroneocystostomy for treatment of struvite urolithiasis in a ferret.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical outcome of a ferret undergoing a ureteroneocystostomy for treatment of urolithiasis. ANIMAL: A 10-month-old spayed female ferret. CLINICAL PRESENTATION, PROGRESSION, AND PROCEDURES: The ferret was evaluated for straining to urinate and defecate, hematochezia, and a rectal prolapse. Plain radiographs revealed large cystic and ureteral calculi. Clinicopathologic analyses indicated the ferret was anemic with an elevated creatinine concentration. Exploratory laparotomy defined bilateral ureteral calculi that were unable to be successfully moved into the bladder. A cystotomy was performed to remove a large cystic calculus. Serial abdominal ultrasonographic examinations showed progressive hydronephrosis of the left kidney and persistent pyelectasia of the right kidney secondary to bilateral ureteral calculi. This confirmed a left ureteral obstruction secondary to the distal calculus while the right ureter remained patent. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME: A ureteroneocystostomy was performed to allow for left renal decompression. The ferret recovered well despite worsening hydronephrosis of the left kidney in the perioperative period. The ferret was discharged from the hospital 10 days after initial evaluation. At 3-week follow-up, abdominal ultrasonography confirmed resolution of hydronephrosis and ureteral dilation of the left kidney and ureter. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: A ureteroneocystostomy successfully allowed renal decompression and ureteral patency in a ferret with urolithiasis. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first time this procedure has been reported in a ferret for treatment of a ureteral calculus obstruction and may result in good long-term outcome.

The irritant receptor TRPA1 mediates the mosquito repellent effect of catnip.

Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is a common garden herb well known for its euphoric and hallucinogenic effects on domestic cats,1-3 for its medicinal properties,4,5 as well as for its powerful repellent action on insects.6,7 Catnip extracts have been proposed as a natural alternative to synthetic insect repellents, such as N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET),8,9 but how catnip triggers aversion in insects is not known. Here, we show that, both in Drosophila melanogaster flies and Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, the major mediator of catnip repellency is the widely conserved chemical irritant receptor TRPA1. In vitro, both catnip extract and its active ingredient nepetalactone can directly activate fly and mosquito TRPA1. In vivo, D. melanogaster and Ae. aegypti TRPA1 mutants are no longer repelled by catnip and nepetalactone. Interestingly, our data show that some, but not all, fly and mosquito TRPA1 variants are catnip targets. Moreover, unlike the broad TRPA1 agonist allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) (an active ingredient of tear gas and wasabi), catnip does not activate human TRPA1. Our results support the use of catnip and nepetalactone as insect-selective irritants and suggest that, despite TRPA1's broad conservation, insect TRPA1 can be targeted for the development of safe repellents.