An undernutrition screening score for dogs with protein-losing enteropathy: A prospective multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: The impact of undernutrition in dogs with protein-losing enteropathy (PLE) caused by inflammatory enteritis, intestinal lymphangiectasia, or both and which variables are most predictive of outcome are unknown. OBJECTIVES: Develop an undernutrition screening score (USS) for use at the time of diagnosis of PLE in dogs, which is predictive of outcome. ANIMALS: Fifty-seven dogs with PLE prospectively recruited from 3 referral hospitals in the United Kingdom. METHODS: An USS based on the presence and severity of 5 variables: appetite, weight loss, and body, muscle, and coat condition and scored out of 15, with higher scores reflecting worse undernutrition, was calculated at the time of diagnosis. Follow-up information was obtained for at least 6 months. RESULTS: Dogs that failed to achieve clinical remission within 6 months had higher USS at diagnosis compared with dogs that achieved remission (median, 7.5; range, 2-14 and median, 5; range, 0-14, respectively). The USS at diagnosis gave an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.656 for predicting nonclinical remission within 6 months, whereas a score consisting of just epaxial muscle loss and coat condition resulted in a larger AUC of 0.728. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Of the 5 variables assessed in the USS, a combination of epaxial muscle loss and coat condition was most predictive of not achieving clinical remission within 6 months in dogs with PLE. Additional studies will help determine the effect of changes in USS and the 5 associated variables after diagnosis on outcome variables in these dogs.

Prevalence of ultrasonographic gastrointestinal wall changes in dogs with acute pancreatitis: A retrospective study (2012-2020).

BACKGROUND: Ultrasonographic gastrointestinal wall changes in dogs with acute pancreatitis (AP) are not well characterized in the literature. No detailed studies have described their prevalence, characteristics, distribution, or clinical relevance. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: Describe the prevalence of ultrasonographic gastrointestinal wall changes in a population of dogs with AP and evaluate for associations between the presence of gastrointestinal wall changes and clinical or clinicopathological variables. ANIMALS: Referral population of 66 client-owned dogs with AP. METHODS: Retrospective search of clinical records to identify dogs with AP. Clinical variables, clinicopathological variables and ultrasonographic findings were reported using descriptive statistics. A binary logistic regression model was used to evaluate for associations between the presence of gastrointestinal wall changes and clinical or clinicopathological variables. RESULTS: Sixty-six dogs were included. Forty-seven percent of dogs (95% confidence interval [CI], 35.0%-59.0%; n = 31) with AP had ultrasonographic gastrointestinal wall changes. Gastrointestinal wall changes were most common in the duodenum and identified in 71% (n = 22) of affected dogs. Of dogs with gastrointestinal wall changes, 74.2% (n = 23) had wall thickening, 61.3% (n = 19) had abnormal wall layering, and 35.5% (n = 11) had wall corrugation. In the multivariable model, only heart rate remained an independent predictor of ultrasonographic gastrointestinal wall changes (P = .02). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Ultrasonographic gastrointestinal wall changes in this population of dogs with AP were common. Increased heart rate was the only independent predictor of gastrointestinal wall changes, which might imply more severe disease. Additional studies are required to elucidate whether ultrasonographic gastrointestinal wall changes reflect disease severity in AP.

Evaluation of the Attitudes and Confidence of Veterinary Undergraduates toward Working with Cats in the Veterinary Hospital Environment.

An understanding of feline behavior is required to successfully handle cats in the hospital environment and avoid triggering escalation to fear-aggression due to heightened anxiety. Some veterinary students appear to misinterpret feline behavioral cues, resulting in frustration and poor success when performing basic handling. This article investigates the following in regard to veterinary students and feline handling: (a) attitudes toward working with feline patients in the hospital environment; (b) experience of working with feline patients; (c) satisfaction in acquisition of feline handling and examination skills; and, (d) confidence in feline handling skills; and to explore influencing factors. An electronic questionnaire was circulated to fourth and final year veterinary students (May 2012) and final year students (June 2013) for anonymous voluntary completion. One hundred and seventy-three of 293 students completed the questionnaire. Of final year respondents, 87/115 (75.7%) indicated that they enjoy interacting with cats in veterinary hospitals; 95/115 (82.6%) indicated that they were satisfied with their cat handling skills; 105/115 (91.3%) felt confident handling quiet and wriggly cats; significantly fewer 63/115 (54.8%) felt confident handling unpredictable cats (p < .05). Factors significantly affecting confidence in handling unpredictable cats included: frequency of examination practice during extra-mural studies (p < .05), enjoyment of interacting with cats in veterinary hospitals (p < .05), self-perceived understanding of feline behavior (p < .05), self-perceived ability to interpret cats' behavioral expressions (p < .05), satisfaction with cat handling skills (p < .05), and perception of feline versus canine handling ability (p < .05).

Evaluation of a handheld point-of-care analyser for measurement of creatinine in cats.

Objectives The aim of the study was to evaluate whether a handheld creatinine analyser (StatSensor Xpress; SSXp), available for human patients, can be used to measure creatinine reliably in cats. Methods Analytical performance was evaluated by determining within- and between-run coefficient of variation (CV, %), total error observed (TEobs, %) and sigma metrics. Fifty client-owned cats presenting for investigation of clinical disease had creatinine measured simultaneously, using SSXp (whole blood and plasma) and a reference instrument (Konelab, serum); 48 paired samples were included in the study. Creatinine correlation between methodologies (SSXp vs Konelab) and sample types (SSXpwhole blood vs SSXpplasma) was assessed by Spearman's correlation coefficient and agreement was determined using Bland-Altman difference plots. Each creatinine value was assigned an IRIS stage (1-4); correlation and agreement between Konelab and SSXp IRIS stages were evaluated. Results Within-run CV (4.23-8.85%), between-run CV (8.95-11.72%), TEobs (22.15-34.92%) and sigma metrics (⩽3) did not meet desired analytical requirements. Correlation between sample types was high (SSXpwhole blood vs SSXpplasma; r = 0.89), and between instruments was high (SSXpwhole blood vs Konelabserum; r = 0.85) to very high (SSXpplasma vs Konelabserum; r = 0.91). Konelab and SSXpwhole blood IRIS scores exhibited high correlation ( r = 0.76). Packed cell volume did not significantly affect SSXp determination of creatinine. Bland-Altman difference plots identified a positive bias for the SSXp (7.13 µmol/l SSXpwhole blood; 20.23 µmol/l SSXpplasma) compared with the Konelab. Outliers (1/48 whole blood; 2/48 plasma) occurred exclusively at very high creatinine concentrations. The SSXp failed to identify 2/21 azotaemic cats. Conclusions and relevance Analytical performance of the SSXp in feline patients is not considered acceptable. The SSXp exhibited a high to very high correlation compared with the reference methodology but the two instruments cannot be used interchangeably. Improvements in the SSXp analytical performance are needed before its use can be recommended in feline clinical practice.

Long-term survival and quality of life in dogs with clinical signs associated with a congenital portosystemic shunt after surgical or medical treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To compare long-term survival and quality of life data in dogs with clinical signs associated with a congenital portosystemic shunt (CPSS) that underwent medical or surgical treatment. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. ANIMALS: 124 client-owned dogs with CPSS. PROCEDURES: Dogs received medical or surgical treatment without regard to signalment, clinical signs, or clinicopathologic results. Survival data were analyzed with a Cox regression model. Quality of life information, obtained from owner questionnaires, included frequency of CPSS-associated clinical signs (from which a clinical score was derived), whether owners considered their dog normal, and (for surgically treated dogs) any ongoing medical treatment for CPSS. A Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare mean clinical score data between surgically and medically managed dogs during predetermined follow-up intervals. RESULTS: 97 dogs underwent surgical treatment; 27 were managed medically. Median follow-up time for all dogs was 1,936 days. Forty-five dogs (24 medically managed and 21 surgically managed) died or were euthanized during the follow-up period. Survival rate was significantly improved in dogs that underwent surgical treatment (hazard ratio, 8.11; 95% CI, 4.20 to 15.66) than in those treated medically for CPSS. Neither age at diagnosis nor shunt type affected survival rate. Frequency of clinical signs was lower in surgically versus medically managed dogs for all follow-up intervals, with a significant difference between groups at 4 to 7 years after study entry. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Surgical treatment of CPSS in dogs resulted in significantly improved survival rate and lower frequency of ongoing clinical signs, compared with medical management. Age at diagnosis did not affect survival rate and should not influence treatment choice.