Acute pyelonephritis in cats is frequently caused by Escherichia coli resistant to potentiated penicillins but has a better prognosis than other causes of acute kidney injury.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical findings, microbiological data, treatment, and outcome of a population of cats with suspected acute pyelonephritis (APN). ANIMALS: 32 client-owned cats. CLINICAL PRESENTATION AND PROCEDURES: Retrospective case series from 2 veterinary teaching hospitals between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2020. Cats were included if they had a positive bacterial urine culture and a clinical diagnosis of acute kidney injury. RESULTS: Older female cats with underlying chronic kidney disease have a higher probability to develop bacterial culture-positive acute kidney injury or APN. Escherichia coli was the most commonly cultured bacterial species, and E coli isolates with susceptibility testing were resistant to amoxicillin-clavulanate but susceptible to fluoroquinolones or third-generation cephalosporins. Of the 20 cats with available follow-up information in the medical record, 14 were alive at 3 months after hospital discharge. Markers of renal function including creatinine (P = .008), BUN (P = .005), and phosphorus (P < .001) at the time of presentation were all higher in nonsurvivors compared with survivors. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The survival rate with feline APN is higher than previous reports of acute kidney injury when all etiologies are considered. Nonsurvivors had more pronounced azotemia upon initial presentation. Amoxicillin-clavulanate was a poor empirical antimicrobial in this cohort based on the microbiological data.

Glucocorticoids, Cyclosporine, Azathioprine, Chlorambucil, and Mycophenolate in Dogs and Cats: Clinical Uses, Pharmacology, and Side Effects.

The treatment of immune-mediated disease in dogs and cats continues to evolve as new therapies are adapted from human medicine. Glucocorticoids remain the first-line treatment followed by second-line therapies including cyclosporine, azathioprine (dogs), chlorambucil, or mycophenolate. Second-line therapies are introduced due to the patient's lack of response or intolerable effects to glucocorticoids or may be introduced early in the disease treatment due to the patient's severe life-threatening clinical presentation. The goals of immunosuppressive treatment are to achieve disease remission while minimizing drug side effects. Ultimately, gradual drug tapering to the lowest dose to maintain disease remission or successful drug withdrawal.

Hypocholesterolemia and nonregenerative, suspected immune-mediated, anemia: Report of 3 canine cases.

This report describes hypocholesterolemia in 3 dogs with nonregenerative, suspected immune-mediated anemias. Common causes of hypocholesterolemia were ruled out, raising suspicion for a mechanistic link between anemia and hypocholesterolemia in dogs. As observed in humans with concurrent anemia and hypocholesterolemia, cholesterol concentrations increased to within the reference interval once the dogs' anemia resolved.

Hypocholestérolémie et anémie non régénérative suspectée d'origine immunitaire : rapport de 3 cas canins. Ce rapport décrit l'hypocholestérolémie chez trois chiens atteints d'une anémie non régénérative suspectée d'origine immunitaire. Les causes communes d'hypocholestérolémie ont été écartées, soulevant des doutes pour un lien mécanistique entre l'anémie et l'hypocholestérolémie chez les chiens. Tel qu'il a été observé chez les humains atteints d'anémie et d'hypocholestérolémie concomitante, les concentrations de cholestérol ont augmenté dans l'intervalle de référence une fois que l'anémie des chiens s'est résorbée.(Traduit par Isabelle Vallières).

Clinical performance of a commercial point-of-care urine culture system for identification of bacteriuria in dogs.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical performance of a commercially available compartmentalized urine culture and antimicrobial susceptibility test plate (CCSP) for identification of canine bacteriuria and assessment of isolate antimicrobial susceptibility. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. ANIMALS 71 dogs. PROCEDURES Urine samples (n = 84) were divided into 3 aliquots. One aliquot (reference culture) was plated on culture medium ≤ 1 hour after collection for quantitative culture and testing by standard laboratory methods, another was stored at 4°C for 24 hours (to mimic storage practices at primary care facilities) and then processed by standard methods, and the third was applied to a CCSP ≤ 1 hour after collection to be processed and interpreted according to manufacturer instructions. Results were compared with those for reference culture, which was used as the criterion reference standard. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and agreement between methods was evaluated. RESULTS 43 isolates (25 single and 9 multiple isolates) were identified in 34 reference cultures. All results for stored cultures were identical to those for reference cultures. Overall sensitivity of the CCSP method to detect bacteriuria was 93%, and specificity was 100%. Thirty-three of 43 (77%) and 19 of 33 (58%) CCSP bacterial isolates were correctly identified to the genus and species level, respectively. The CCSP antimicrobial susceptibility results matched those for reference cultures for 13 of 33 (39%) isolates evaluated. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Limitations of the CCSP method included inaccuracy of some antimicrobial susceptibility test results and failure to correctly identify bacteriuria in some dogs.

Concurrent cranial mediastinal Blastomyces granuloma and carcinoma with cranial vena caval syndrome in a dog.

This report describes an unusual progression of blastomycosis in a dog with concurrent mediastinal carcinoma. The dog was evaluated for respiratory distress. Diagnostic results revealed chylothorax and a cranial vena caval thrombus. Histopathology of the cranial mediastinal mass diagnosed mediastinal carcinoma and fungal granuloma. Intercurrent disease may complicate the clinical presentation and clinical course of blastomycosis.

Granulome médiastinal àBlastomyceset carcinome concomitant avec le syndrome d'une veine cave crâniale chez un chien. Ce rapport décrit une progression inusitée d'une blastomycose chez un chien atteint d'un carcinome médiastinal concomitant. Le chien a été évalué pour une détresse respiratoire. Les résultats diagnostiques ont révélé le chylothorax et un thrombus de la veine cave crâniale. L'histopathologie de la masse médiastinale crâniale a révélé un diagnostic de carcinome médiastinal et de granulome fongique. La maladie intercurrente peut compliquer la présentation clinique et l'évolution clinique de la blastomycose.(Traduit par Isabelle Vallières).

Prevalence and clinical outcome of subclinical bacteriuria in female dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of subclinical bacteriuria and its natural clinical course over a 3-month period in healthy female dogs. DESIGN: Observational, prospective, cross-sectional study. ANIMALS: 101 healthy client-owned female dogs. PROCEDURES: In all dogs, screening clinicopathologic tests and bacteriologic culture of urine were performed. In culture-positive dogs, subclinical bacteriuria was confirmed by 2 positive culture results within 2 weeks and dogs were reevaluated at 3 months. RESULTS: The prevalence of subclinical bacteriuria in healthy female dogs was 9 of 101 (8.9%). Three-month follow-up data were available for 8 of 9 dogs with subclinical bacteriuria. Four dogs had persistent bacteriuria, and 4 had transient bacteriuria. No dogs with subclinical bacteriuria developed clinical signs during the 3-month observation period. Subclinical bacteriuria was diagnosed in 6 of 51 (12%) young and middle-aged dogs and 3 of 50 (6.0%) senior and geriatric dogs. No significant difference was found in the prevalence of subclinical bacteriuria with age. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggested that subclinical bacteriuria is a nonprogressive condition in healthy female dogs and can be persistent or transient. No significant difference in the prevalence of subclinical bacteriuria in young and middle-aged dogs versus senior and geriatric dogs was detected. No dogs with subclinical bacteriuria developed clinical signs requiring antimicrobial treatment during the 3-month observation period. Healthy female dogs with subclinical bacteriuria may be a population of dogs in which antimicrobial treatment is unnecessary.

Update on immununosuppressive therapies for dogs and cats.

Treatment of immune-mediated disease in dogs and cats continues to evolve as new therapies are introduced or adapted from human medicine. Glucocorticoids remain the first-line therapy for many of the immune-mediated or inflammatory diseases of cats and dogs. The focus of this article is to provide an update on some of the common immunosuppressive therapies used in small animal veterinary medicine. The goals of therapy are to induce disease remission through the inhibition of inflammation and the modulation of lymphocyte function.

Clinical use of cyclosporine as an adjunctive therapy in the management of feline idiopathic pure red cell aplasia.

The clinical use of cyclosporine is described in a group of client-owned cats diagnosed with idiopathic pure red cell aplasia (PRCA). All 10 cats were treated with combinations of glucocorticoids and cyclosporine. Of the 10 cats, the eight for which follow-up data was available achieved and maintained remission for a median of 31 and 406 days, respectively. Therapy was reduced or discontinued in 7/8 cats; 2/7 maintained remission off therapy and 5/7 cats relapsed. Remission was reinduced in four cats, with 3/4 cats maintained long-term on low dose therapy. Adverse effects associated with cyclosporine therapy were responsive to dose reduction or drug withdrawal. Feline idiopathic PRCA was responsive to combination immunosuppressive therapy with glucocorticoids and cyclosporine. Relapse was common, particularly after drug discontinuation; therefore, most cats required maintenance long-term low dose therapy.

Multiple recurrent pancreatic cysts with associated pancreatic inflammation and atrophy in a cat.

Previous reports of true pancreatic cysts in cats have suggested that pancreatic cysts in cats are benign incidental findings. This case report describes the progressive clinical course and diagnostic findings in a cat with multiple recurrent pancreatic cysts. The presenting clinical signs included diarrhea, intermittent vomiting, polyphagia, and marked weight loss. Pancreatic cysts were identified via abdominal ultrasound and computed tomography (CT). An exploratory celiotomy and lesion histopathology confirmed multiple true pancreatic cysts of unknown etiology. One month after surgery the cat presented for lethargy and decreased appetite. Clinical re-evaluation was diagnostic for diabetes mellitus and an abdominal ultrasound confirmed recurrence of the pancreatic cysts. The recurrent nature of the pancreatic cysts and the concurrent development of diabetes mellitus were suggestive of progressive loss of pancreatic function or insulin resistance. This is the first described case of multiple recurring pancreatic cysts in a cat associated with pancreatic inflammation, atrophy and endocrine dysfunction.