Plasma concentration of thrombopoietin in dogs with immune thrombocytopenia.

Background: Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a common cause of severe thrombocytopenia in dogs. The pathogenesis of nonassociative, primary ITP (pITP) appears complex, with ill-defined thrombopoietic response.

Objectives: Develop an immunoassay to measure plasma canine thrombopoietin (TPO) concentration and characterize TPO concentrations in dogs with pITP.

Rectally obtained fecal samples can be used for fecal occult blood testing in dogs, and fecal immunochemical tests do not detect canine or feline blood.

Objective: The first objective was to determine if the sample collection method (naturally voided vs digital rectal examination collection) affected fecal occult blood test (FOBT) results. The second objective was to assess the ability of human fecal hemoglobin immunochemical tests to detect canine and feline blood.

Animals: 308 privately owned dogs, healthy and sick.

A prospective cohort study to identify clinical diagnostic and prognostic markers of primary immune thrombocytopenia in dogs.

Background: Primary immune thrombocytopenia (pITP) in dogs presents a diagnostic challenge, and clinical markers of severity are lacking.

Objectives: Identify clinicopathologic features that differentiate pITP from secondary ITP (sITP) and markers related to bleeding severity, transfusion, and survival of dogs with pITP.

Animals: Ninety-eight thrombocytopenic dogs (58 pITP and 40 sITP).

Development of a Ratiometric Tension Sensor Exclusively Responding to Integrin Tension Magnitude in Live Cells.

Integrin tensions are critical for cell mechanotransduction. By converting force to fluorescence, molecular tension sensors image integrin tensions in live cells with a high resolution. However, the fluorescence signal intensity results collectively from integrin tension magnitude, tension dwell time, integrin density, sensor accessibility, and so forth, making it highly challenging to specifically monitor the molecular force level of integrin tensions.

Prophylactic use of a lyophilized platelet product for rhinoscopic diagnosis and treatment of sinonasal aspergillosis in a dog with a P2Y12 platelet receptor mutation.

Objective: To describe the periprocedural use of a lyophilized platelet product during rhinoscopic diagnosis and treatment of sinonasal aspergillosis in a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog with a P2Y12 platelet receptor disorder.

Case Summary: After the development of severe epistaxis, a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog was diagnosed with thrombopathia secondary to a P2Y12 receptor gene mutation. Concurrent primary nasal disease was also suspected due to persistent mucopurulent nasal discharge.

Evaluation of coated platelets, a subset of highly procoagulant platelets, in healthy dogs and dogs with neoplasia.

Objective: To determine if dogs with neoplasia produce more coated platelets, a subpopulation of activated platelets generated by dual stimulation with thrombin and convulxin, a glycoprotein VI agonist, than healthy control dogs.

Animals: Client-owned dogs diagnosed with lymphoma (n = 19) or solid tumors (14) and healthy control dogs (14).

Procedures: Platelets were stimulated ex vivo with thrombin and convulxin.

Characterization of post-transfusion anti-FEA 1 alloantibodies in transfusion-naive FEA 1-negative cats.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to characterize anti-feline erythrocyte antigen (FEA) 1 alloantibodies following sensitization of FEA 1-negative cats, including their rate of appearance, agglutination titer over time and immunoglobulin class. A secondary aim was to obtain polyclonal anti-FEA 1 alloantibodies to increase the availability of FEA 1 blood typing. We also describe a case study documenting an acute hemolytic transfusion reaction in a transfusion-naive FEA 1-negative feline patient that received FEA 1-positive blood.

Preliminary evaluation of a flow cytometric assay with microsphere controls for the detection of platelet-bound antibodies in canine immune thrombocytopenia.

Background: Canine immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) ranges from a mild to severe bleeding disorder, and platelet counts do not reliably predict clinical disease course. The detection of platelet autoantibodies may further define the disease phenotype, but variability in assay configurations and a lack of well-characterized controls limit the diagnostic utility of anti-platelet antibody assays.

Objectives: We aimed to develop control reagents to facilitate the characterization of canine platelet surface-associated immunoglobulin (PSAIg) in flow cytometric assays.

β-Cyclodextrin-containing polymer treatment of cutaneous lupus and influenza improves outcomes.

Nucleic acid (NA)-containing damage- and pathogen-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs and PAMPs, respectively) are implicated in numerous pathological conditions from infectious diseases to autoimmune disorders. Nucleic acid-binding polymers, including polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers, have demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties when administered to neutralize DAMPs/PAMPs. The PAMAM G3 variant has been shown to have beneficial effects in a cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) murine model and improve survival of mice challenged with influenza.

Microfluidic chip grafted with integrin tension sensors for evaluating the effects of flowing shear stress and ROCK inhibitor on platelets.

Integrins are key players in platelet adhesion and aggregation. Integrin molecular tensions, the forces transmitted by integrin molecules, are regulated by both mechanical and biochemical cues, and the outside-in and inside-out signaling has been extensively studied. While the mechanical properties of platelets at static status have been studied by atomic force microscopy, traction force microscopy and tension sensors, the biomechanical properties of flowing platelets remain elusive.

Platelet number and function in response to a single intravenous dose of vincristine.

Background: Vincristine might increase circulating platelet numbers but the functional capacity of these newly released platelets is unknown.

Objective: To evaluate and compare the functionality of mature and immature (reticulated) platelets after a single intravenous dose of vincristine in dogs.

Animals: Ten healthy purpose-bred dogs.

Ecological level analysis of primary lung tumors in dogs and cats and environmental radon activity.

Background: Epidemiologic studies suggest residential radon exposure might increase the risk of primary lung cancer in people, but these studies are limited by subject mobility. This limitation might be overcome by evaluating the association in pets.

Hypothesis: Primary pulmonary neoplasia (PPN) rate is higher in dogs and cats residing in counties with a high radon exposure risk (Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] zone 1) compared to zones 2 (moderate radon exposure risk) and 3 (low radon exposure risk).

Lyophilized platelets versus cryopreserved platelets for management of bleeding in thrombocytopenic dogs: A multicenter randomized clinical trial.

Background: Thrombocytopenia in dogs is common in critical care medicine, but availability of fresh platelet concentrates in veterinary medicine can be limiting. Lyophilized platelets have long shelf-lives and can be easily transported, stored, and administered in various settings.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a novel trehalose-stabilized canine lyophilized platelet product in thrombocytopenic dogs with clinically-evident bleeding.

Cell Migration Driven by Self-Generated Integrin Ligand Gradient on Ligand-Labile Surfaces.

Integrin-ligand interaction mediates the adhesion and migration of many metazoan cells. Here, we report a unique mode of cell migration elicited by the lability of integrin ligands. We found that stationary cells spontaneously turn migratory on substrates where integrin ligands are subject to depletion by cellular force.

Neutrophil extracellular traps in stored canine red blood cell units.

Background: Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), webs of DNA and citrullinated histones extruded from activated neutrophils cause transfusion-related acute lung injury. Supernatants of stored red blood cell (RBC) units might promote NETosis in neutrophils from the units or from transfusion recipients.

Hypotheses: (1) NETs form during storage of canine RBC, (2) leukoreduction (LR) before storage of RBC reduces NETosis, and (3) supernatant from stored, nonleukoreduced (NLR) RBC units induces NETosis in healthy canine neutrophils modeling transfusion recipients.

Performance of a Nageotte hemocytometer method and a flow cytometric assay for residual leukocyte quantification in leukoreduced canine packed red blood cells.

Objective: To evaluate the performances of a manual Nageotte hemocytometer method and commercial fluorescent bead-based flow cytometric assay for quantifying [rWBC] in leukoreduced canine packed red blood cell (pRBC) units.

Design: Prospective study. Five, commercially purchased, double leukoreduced canine pRBC units were spiked with canine leukocytes to create 6 pRBC standards with the following [rWBC]: < 0.

Inaccurate point-of-care blood glucose measurement in a dog with secondary erythrocytosis.

Background: Point-of-care (POC) portable blood glucose meters (PBGMs) are convenient and inexpensive tools for assessing patient blood glucose concentrations. They are often used to quickly diagnose hypoglycemia or collect serial glucose readings in diabetic patients. However, POC meters have been previously identified in human and veterinary literature to be inaccurate when utilized in patients with abnormal HCT.

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP): Pathophysiology update and diagnostic dilemmas.

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a common autoimmune bleeding disorder. The understanding of ITP pathogenesis is rapidly evolving. We now recognize ITP as a complex and heterogeneous syndrome that results from a combination of humoral and cell-mediated attacks on platelets peripherally and megakaryocytes in the bone marrow.

Neutrophil-Extracellular Traps, Cell-Free DNA, and Immunothrombosis in Companion Animals: A Review.

Immunothrombosis is a potentially beneficial physiological process that aids innate immunity and host defense against pathogen invasion. However, this process can also be damaging when it occurs to excess or in critical blood vessels. Formation of extracellular traps by leukocytes, particularly neutrophils, is central to our understanding of immunothrombosis.

ACVIM consensus statement on the treatment of immune-mediated hemolytic anemia in dogs.

Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) causes severe anemia in dogs and is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Treatment with various immunosuppressive and antithrombotic drugs has been described anecdotally and in previous studies, but little consensus exists among veterinarians as to the optimal regimen to employ and maintain after diagnosis of the disease. To address this inconsistency and provide evidence-based guidelines for treatment of IMHA in dogs, we identified and extracted data from studies published in the veterinary literature.