Prevalence and Diversity of Haemotropic Mycoplasma Species in Cats and Their Ectoparasites (Fleas and Ticks).

Mycoplasma spp. pathogens frequently cause chronic and acute diseases in cats. The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence and genetic diversity of Mycoplasma spp. in cats and their ectoparasites using PCR and sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene. Blood samples were collected from 541 domestic and stray cats in Lithuania. Ectoparasites (153 fleas and 321 ticks) were collected from owned domestic cats that live both outdoors and indoors. Mycoplasma spp. were detected in 7.2% of cat blood samples and 4.4% of Ctenocephalides felis fleas. The sequence analysis revealed the presence of Mycoplasma haemofelis in 1.1% of cats and 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haematominutum' in 4.8% of cats. Ct. felis fleas harboured M. haemofelis. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report on the prevalence and molecular characterisation of Mycoplasma bacteria in cats in Lithuania and cat fleas in the Baltic States.

Successful early diagnosis and surgical treatment of congenital caval foramen hernia in an 8-month-old mixed breed cat.

An 8-month-old neutered female domestic mixed breed cat was presented to Dr. L. Kriauceliunas Small Animal Clinic due to coughing that persisted for 2 weeks. Lateral and dorsoventral chest radiographs revealed an unusual dome-shaped soft tissue opacity mass that had contact with the cranial part of the diaphragm. Together with heart and abdominal ultrasound findings, we decided that one of the differential diagnoses was a diaphragmatic hernia. During the diagnostic celiotomy, a vertical 4 cm in length diaphragmatic deficit was visualized. Left medial and lateral liver lobes were herniated, yet healthy-looking. Adhesions between the liver lobes and the pericardium sac were visualized and dissected. The pericardium was sutured with simple interrupted suture pattern. A herniorrhaphy was performed suturing the diaphragm with the continuous suture pattern. Successful surgical treatment resulted in fully resolved clinical symptoms.

Um gato doméstico, fêmea, castrada de oito meses de idade, sem raça definida, foi apresentada à Clínica de Pequenos Animais do Dr. L. Kriauceliunas devido a uma tosse que persistiu por duas semanas. As radiografias lateral e dorsoventral do tórax revelaram uma massa incomum de opacidade de tecidos moles em forma de cúpula que tinha contato com a parte cranial do diafragma. Juntamente com os achados da ultrassonografia abdominal e cardíaca, decidimos que um dos diagnósticos diferenciais era uma hérnia diafragmática. Durante a celiotomia diagnóstica, foi visualizado um déficit diafragmático vertical de 4 cm de comprimento. Os lobos hepáticos medial e lateral esquerdos estavam herniados, mas com aparência saudável. As aderências entre os lobos hepáticos e o saco pericárdico foram visualizadas e dissecadas. O pericárdio foi suturado com padrão de sutura interrompida simples. Foi realizada herniorrafia suturando o diafragma com o padrão de sutura contínua. O tratamento cirúrgico bem-sucedido resultou em sintomas clínicos totalmente resolvidos.