ABSTRACT
An 8-year-old, male neutered Irish Setter was presented with a 2-week history of pain upon opening the mouth and chronic otitis externa. Computed tomography examination revealed destruction of the left tympanic bulla with a soft-tissue density within the remains of the tympanic cavity. Cytology of aspirates collected from tissue adjacent to the tympanic bulla revealed suppurative inflammation and bacteria. A ventral bulla osteotomy was performed. Histopathology of granulation tissue within the remains of the tympanic cavity was diagnostic of cholesterol granuloma.
Subject(s)
Cholesterol/metabolism , Dog Diseases/pathology , Ear, Middle/pathology , Granuloma/veterinary , Otitis Media/veterinary , Animals , Dog Diseases/diagnosis , Dogs , Granuloma/complications , Granuloma/metabolism , Granuloma/pathology , Male , Otitis Media/complications , Otitis Media/diagnosis , Otitis Media/pathologyABSTRACT
Of 467 cat serums tested for antibody to feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) 120 (26%) were positive. The average age of positive cats was 7.5 years (range 1 to 16 years), and 67% were male. Of 110 serums collected in 1980, 27 (24.5%) were positive. A wide variety of clinical signs including oral cavity disease, anorexia, weight loss, lethargy, depression, fever, respiratory and urinary tract disease, conjunctivitis, abscesses, anaemia and lymphadenopathy were observed in the cats with serum antibody. There was often a history of chronic disease or recurrence of particular or various clinical signs in these cats. FIV was isolated from 4 of 8 FIV antibody positive cats by cocultivation of patient lymphocytes with donor lymphocytes in the presence of interleukin 2.
Subject(s)
Cat Diseases/epidemiology , Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes/veterinary , Retroviridae Infections/veterinary , Retroviridae/isolation & purification , Animals , Antibodies, Viral/analysis , Cats , Cells, Cultured , Female , Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes/complications , Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes/epidemiology , Lymphocytes/microbiology , Male , Orchiectomy/veterinary , Prevalence , Retroviridae/immunology , Retroviridae/ultrastructure , Retroviridae Infections/complications , Retroviridae Infections/epidemiology , Sex Factors , Specific Pathogen-Free OrganismsABSTRACT
An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect autoantibodies to thyroglobulin in dogs with and without clinical evidence of thyroid disease. Autoantibodies were found in 59% of 34 clinically hypothyroid dogs, 43% of 65 dogs with nonthyroidal endocrine diseases, 47% of 64 healthy dogs closely related to antibody-positive canine hospital patients, and 13% of 1,057 canine hospital patients without endocrine disorders. Dogs with bacterial skin disease and alopecia of unknown causes had an increased prevalence of autoantibodies compared with the prevalence of autoantibodies in healthy dogs and dogs with other diseases. Three breeds of dogs, Great Danes, Irish Setters, and Old English Sheepdogs, had an increased occurrence of autoantibodies compared with that in other breeds and dogs of mixed breeding. A familial tendency to thyroid autoimmunity was demonstrated in a group of Great Dane dogs. The occurrence of autoantibodies was not influenced by age or sex. Thyroid function, as assessed by total thyroxine estimation, was depressed in hospitalized dogs compared with the thyroid function in healthy dogs, irrespective of thyroglobulin-antibody status. Two of 11 autoantibody-positive dogs monitored for an 18-month period developed low thyroxine concentration and depressed thyroid responsiveness to exogeneous thyrotropin stimulation.
Subject(s)
Autoantibodies/analysis , Dog Diseases/immunology , Hypothyroidism/veterinary , Thyroglobulin/immunology , Adrenal Insufficiency/veterinary , Adrenocortical Hyperfunction/immunology , Adrenocortical Hyperfunction/veterinary , Animals , Diabetes Mellitus/immunology , Diabetes Mellitus/veterinary , Dogs , Female , Hypothyroidism/immunology , Male , PedigreeABSTRACT
Autoantibodies to thyroid antigens in serums from 34 clinically hypothyroid dogs were detected by various methods. Antibodies to thyroglobulin were detectable by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 59%, by chromic chloride hemagglutination in 53% and by indirect immunofluorescence on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded, trypsin-digested thyroid tissue in 73% of samples. Antibody to thyroid microsomal antigen was detectable by ELISA in 29% of serums. Indirect immunofluorescence showed cytoplasmic fluorescence of thyroid follicular cells in several serums, however, this could not be confirmed as specific for microsomal antigen by absorption trials. Hemagglutination tests using commercially available tanned red cells coated with human antigens and indirect immunofluorescence assays on formalin-fixed tissue without trypsin digestion, on Bouin's fixed tissue, or on cryostat, methanol-fixed sections, were insensitive. Cryostat sections without methanol fixation were unsuitable due to tissue fragility. No method was recommended for routine diagnostic use. The ELISA test, because of its convenience, may be useful as a screening aid or adjunct to the diagnosis of thyroid disease.
Subject(s)
Antigens/immunology , Autoantibodies/analysis , Thyroid Gland/immunology , Animals , Dog Diseases/diagnosis , Dogs , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/veterinary , Fluorescent Antibody Technique/veterinary , Hemagglutination Tests/veterinary , Hypothyroidism/diagnosis , Hypothyroidism/veterinaryABSTRACT
Actinobacillus equuli was the cause of peritonitis in 5 horses. In 3 the onset was sudden with intestinal stasis and acute abdominal pain as predominant findings. Two others presented with chronic disease and weight loss. Characteristically the peritoneal fluid had a high nucleated cell count with non-degenerate neutrophils as the predominant cell type. Four horses were treated and recovered.
