Pulmonary lymphomatoid granulomatosis in a cat.

Pulmonary lymphomatoid granulomatosis was diagnosed in a 9-year-old castrated male domestic shorthair cat with a history of coughing, lethargy, and anorexia. Radiographic examination revealed multiple pulmonary opacities, consolidation of left lung lobes, and enlarged tracheobronchial lymph nodes. Cytologic examination of impression smears of abnormal pulmonary tissue revealed erythrocytes, lymphocytes, and macrophages, with scattered atypical lymphocytes and binucleate cells. Histopathologic evaluation of abnormal lung tissue revealed multiple, coalescing, densely cellular nodules composed of anaplastic and pleomorphic lymphocytes, with scattered binucleate and multinucleate cells. Marked infiltration and effacement of bronchiolar and vascular smooth muscle were present. These features are characteristic of lymphomatoid granulomatosis. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of pulmonary lymphomatoid granulomatosis in a cat.

Treatment of feline giardiasis with metronidazole.

Seven cats from a single household with 17 cats were shedding cysts of Giardia species as detected by a modified zinc sulfate concentration technique. All the cats were housed individually in Horsfal isolation units for the duration of the evaluation, treatment, and follow-up monitoring. Each of the infected cats was treated with metronidazole at a dose of 22 mg per kg of body weight, twice a day, for 5 days. Post-treatment examination of four or five stool samples from each cat during the following 17 days did not reveal the presence of any giardial cysts in the treated cats. After treatment, the diarrhea either ceased or was markedly diminished. Therefore, metronidazole appears to be an effective form of therapy for feline giardiasis.

Esophageal, gastric, and intestinal disorders of young dogs and cats.

Digestive tract disorders are common diagnostic and therapeutic problems among young dogs and cats. Prompt and effective symptomatic therapy is necessary in all cases, and is sufficient in many. Parasitic and protozoal problems require attention to kennel management as well as to individual treatment. Chronic and congenital disorders are often extremely challenging diagnostic dilemmas.

Portosystemic shunts in cats: seven cases (1976-1984).

Congenital portosystemic venous shunt causing signs of hepatic encephalopathy was diagnosed in 7 cats. The left gastric vein served as the shunt in four of these. Increases in blood ammonia and postprandial serum bile acids were the most consistent serum biochemical abnormalities. Excessive variation in red blood cell shape was a common but nonspecific hematologic finding. The jejunal-mesenteric venous injection of contrast material was the preferred method of portography to diagnose portosystemic shunts. Two cats were treated successfully by partial surgical occlusion of their shunts.

Further evaluation of bentiromide in the diagnosis of canine exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the bentiromide test in differentiating between dogs with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) and those with primary intestinal disease (PID). A secondary objective was to correlate the results of the commonly used diagnostic techniques with the results of the bentiromide test. This test consists of the oral administration of a synthetic peptide that is cleaved only by chymotrypsin. A subsequent rise in the plasma concentration of p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) indicates the degree of cleavage, providing an in vivo assessment of chymotrypsin activity. Fourteen dogs with EPI and five dogs with PID were categorized on the basis of clinical signs, laboratory evaluations, and histologic examination of intestinal biopsies. Six normal dogs served as controls. The bentiromide test clearly identified the dogs with EPI and distinguished them from the dogs with PID and the control dogs. The results of the bentiromide test correlated well with the results of the clinical and laboratory evaluations. On the basis of these observations and conclusions, recommendations for the pragmatic application of the bentiromide test are offered.

Nutrition and metabolism of the geriatric dog.

Sixteen 10-12-year-old and eight 1-year-old dogs were studied over a two year period to determine comparative differences in physiological response to 4 diets varying in protein content and percentages of energy contributed by protein. The ability of old dogs to utilize nutrients as supplied by these foods was not significantly different from that of young adult dogs. Except for indices of mitogenic stimulation and serum urea nitrogen (SUN) other physiological parameters studied were not affected by the diet fed. Regardless of diet, old dogs had significantly higher serum levels of cholesterol, phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase and had lower indices of mitogenic stimulation than did young dogs.

Detection of astroviruses in feces of a cat with diarrhea. Brief report.

Astroviruses were detected by electron microscopy in the feces from a 4 month old kitten with diarrhea. The mean diameter of the viral particles was 28.7 nm, and they showed characteristic five- or six-pointed star-shaped surface configurations. The clinical disease manifested by the cat and the observed morphology of the viral particles are consistent with previous reports on astroviruses of other species.

Protein-losing enteropathy secondary to intestinal lymphangiectasia in a dog.

Protein-losing enteropathy secondary to intestinal lymphangiectasia was diagnosed in a 1 1/2 -year-old female Doberman Pinscher. Poor growth rate, intermittent diarrhea, ascites, edema, hypoproteinemia, grossly dilated intestinal lymphatics, and impaired fat absorption characterized the disease. There was histopathologic evidence of dilatation of lacteals and excessive chromium (51Cr)-labeled human albumin in the feces following its intravenous administration. Sixteen weeks of a special diet (high in carbohydrates and medium-chain triglycerides; low in long-chain triglycerides) led to remission of clinical signs. Serum albumin increased over its initial value of 1.09 to 1.7 g/dl, while serum globulin increased from 1.71 to 1.9 g/dl. Following 9 months of dietary therapy, serum albumin increased to 2.1 g/dl and serum globulin increased to 2.6 g/dl.