Hepatic parenchymal hypoattenuation in dogs with diabetes mellitus on computed tomography consistent with hepatic steatosis.

Hypoattenuation of the liver, consistent with hepatic steatosis or lipidosis, has been reported in veterinary patients. In people, measuring CT hepatic attenuation is diagnostic for hepatic steatosis, and hypoattenuation of the liver is defined as absolute if less than 40 HU or relative if the liver is 10 HU less than the spleen. The purpose of this study is to describe hepatic parenchymal attenuation in dogs with diabetes mellitus with or without diabetic ketosis (DK) or diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), using the above categorization for absolute and relative hypoattenuation, as with humans.

Resident Selection Criteria in Veterinary Medicine.

With the continued rise of interest and need for veterinary specialists, information regarding optimal selection criteria for successful residency candidates has been lacking in veterinary medicine. A 28-question online survey was developed to determine prioritized resident selection criteria, the importance of formal interviews, and residency supervisor satisfaction with the current selection process. This survey was sent to all programs listed by the Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program (VIRMP) for the 2019-2020 program year.

Examination of Motivational Influences on Clinical-Year Veterinary Students' Career Decisions.

The purpose of this study was to identify motivations for fourth-year veterinary students to choose future career paths based on post-graduation employment or post-graduation education. Approximately 500 students from four institutions were invited to participate in an online survey. Surveys were based on the cognitive evaluation theory, a minitheory within the self-determination macrotheory framework developed by Deci and Ryan.

Complete Blood Counts and Blood Smear Analyses in 312 Diabetic Dogs (2007-2017).

Diabetes mellitus is a common endocrinopathy in dogs that has been associated with various biochemical changes and comorbid diseases, but hematologic abnormalities have been rarely reported. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate complete blood count and blood smear alterations and to describe their relationship with, and incidence of comorbid diseases in, diabetic dogs. Three-hundred twelve diabetic dogs, 286 dogs diagnosed with systemic, nondiabetic illnesses, and 506 healthy dogs were identified during the study period.

Interleukin-6 and thrombopoietin concentrations in dogs with carcinoma with and without thrombocytosis.

Background: Carcinoma-associated thrombocytosis involves tumor production of mediators such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and thrombopoietin (TPO) that increase thrombopoiesis and may play a role in tumor evasion and metastasis. Carcinoma-associated thrombocytosis is described in people, but has not been described in dogs.

Hypothesis/objectives: Evaluate the concentrations of IL-6 and TPO in dogs diagnosed with carcinoma with or without thrombocytosis.

Development and validation of a flow cytometric assay for detecting reactive oxygen species in the erythrocytes of healthy dogs.

Objective: To validate the use of a flow cytometric assay that uses 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) to measure reactive oxygen species in the erythrocytes of healthy dogs.

Animals: 50 healthy adult dogs.

Procedures: Erythrocytes were incubated with DCFH-DA or a vehicle control (dimethyl sulfoxide), then incubated with (stimulated) or without (unstimulated) hydrogen peroxide.

Validation of a flow cytometric assay to detect intraerythrocytic reactive oxygen species in horses.

Background: Oxidative stress refers to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Most assays for ROS detection are costly, laborious, and usually use indirect markers. The use of 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) is a possible alternative.

Reactive oxygen species, glutathione, and vitamin E concentrations in dogs with hemolytic or nonhemolytic anemia.

Background: Red blood cells (RBC) are uniquely susceptible to oxidative injury. Oxidative stress is both a cause for, and effect, of anemia in people but this has been minimally documented in dogs.

Objective: To describe direct and indirect markers of oxidative stress in anemic dogs.

Effects of administration of ascorbic acid and low-dose hydrocortisone after infusion of sublethal doses of lipopolysaccharide to horses.

Background: Sepsis is associated with ascorbic acid (AA) depletion and critical illness-related corticosteroid insufficiency (CIRCI) in humans.

Hypotheses: Intravenous infusion of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) would (a) decrease endogneous AA concentrations, (b) induce CIRCI and (c) administration of a combination of AA and hydrocortisone (HC) would have decreased indices of inflammation compared to either drug alone.

Animals: Thirty-two healthy horses.

Assessment of urinary 15-F -isoprostanes in dogs with urothelial carcinoma of the urinary bladder and other lower urinary tract diseases.

Background: The 15-F -isoprostanes are by-products of oxidative stress and are increased in the urine of people with lower urinary tract diseases (LUTD), especially urinary neoplasia. Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is the most common urinary neoplasm in dogs. Earlier detection of UC by noninvasive means could lead to improved outcomes.

Feline urinary F-isoprostanes measured by enzyme-linked immunoassay and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy are poorly correlated.

15-F-isoprostanes are byproducts of lipid peroxidation and were determined to be the best marker of oxidative injury in a rodent model of oxidative stress. A previous study compared methods for measurement of urinary F-isoprostanes (gas chromatography and negative ion chemical ionization-mass spectrometry, GC-NICI-MS; and ELISA) and found poor agreement in dogs, horses, and cows. Surprisingly, fair agreement between these methods was identified in a small population of cats.

Full-Time Employment or Post-Graduate Education: A Means-Ends Investigation of Fourth-Year Veterinary Students.

The purpose of this article is to identify the motivations for fourth-year veterinary students to pursue either full-time employment or post-graduate education. Twenty-one fourth-year veterinary students were interviewed using a means-ends investigation style. Interviews were analyzed using a qualitative method in the context of the self-determination theory pillars of intrinsic motivation (autonomy, competence, and relatedness).

Diagnosis and management of a case of retroperitoneal eosinophilic sclerosing fibroplasia in a cat.

Case Summary: A 4-year-old neutered male cat was presented with a 2-month history of intermittent constipation that progressed to obstipation. Primary clinical findings included a large, multi lobulated mass in the caudodorsal abdomen, peripheral eosinophilia and hyperglobulinemia. Abdominal imaging revealed a multilobulated, cavitated mass in the sublumbar region.

Comparison of metabolomics and platelet aggregometry between Plavix and generic clopidogrel in cats: a pilot study.

Objectives: This pilot study sought to assess the metabolism of Plavix (Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi) and generic clopidogrel in cats, using a novel assay for the measurement of clopidogrel, clopidogrel carboxylic acid (CCA) and clopidogrel active metabolite (CAM-D).

Methods: This was a prospective, randomized, double-blind study. Four healthy, skeletally mature cats were enrolled into the study.

Analysis of Small Animal Rotating Internship Applicants' Personal Statements.

The primary purpose of this study was to identify themes that are consistent across veterinary internship applicants' personal statements and that are correlated with the statements' perceived overall quality. A secondary purpose was to investigate the reliability in personal statement quality scoring among six experienced internship candidate evaluators. One hundred applications to the University of Georgia Small Animal Rotating Internship program were evaluated.

Assessing Academic Self-Efficacy, Knowledge, and Attitudes in Undergraduate Physiology Students.

Academic self-efficacy affects the success of students in the sciences. Our goals were to develop an instrument to assess the self-efficacy and attitudes toward science of students in an undergraduate physiology course. We hypothesized 1) that our instrument would demonstrate that students taking this course would exhibit greater self-efficacy and more positive attitudes toward science than students in a non-science undergraduate course, and 2) that the physiology students' self-efficacy and attitudes would improve after completing the course.

Evaluation of baseline cortisol concentration to monitor efficacy of twice-daily administration of trilostane to dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism: 22 cases (2008-2012).

Objective: To evaluate use of cortisol concentration prior to ACTH stimulation (baseline) to monitor efficacy of twice-daily administration of trilostane to dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH).

Design: Retrospective case series.

Animals: 22 dogs with PDH.

Treatment of canine meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown aetiology with mycophenolate mofetil and corticosteroids: 25 cases (2007-2012).

The use of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) for a variety of immune-mediated diseases in veterinary medicine has been described. However, there is only a small number of cases documenting its use in dogs with meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown aetiology (MUE). We hypothesized that the use of MMF and corticosteroids in dogs with MUE results in comparable survival data to other published treatment protocols and is associated with limited adverse effects.

Successful treatment of a cat with primary hypoadrenocorticism and severe hyponatremia with desoxycorticosterone pivalate (DOCP).

A 6-year-old, castrated male Siamese cat was diagnosed with primary hypoadrenocorticism, confirmed by an adrenocorticotopic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test documenting both hypocortisolism and hypoaldosteronism. The cat was successfully treated using a combination of prednisolone and desoxycorticosterone pivalate (DOCP). This case demonstrates that DOCP can be used successfully as mineralocorticoid supplementation in cats with hypoadrenocorticism and may have a longer therapeutic duration than that in dogs.