Variability among four refractometers for the measurement of urine specific gravity and comparison with urine osmolality in dogs.

Background: Refractometry is often used in clinical veterinary medicine to estimate urine concentration. Variability among commonly-used refractometers has not been critically evaluated.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the variability of urine specific gravity (USG) among four refractometers and compare results of USG measurements with those of urine osmolality (U ), the gold standard for determining urine concentrations.

Variability of first morning urine specific gravity in 103 healthy dogs.

Background: Urine specific gravity (USG) is an integral part of the urinalysis and a key component of many clinical decisions, and fluctuations in USG have the potential to impact case management.

Objectives: To determine the intraindividual variability of first morning USG results in healthy dogs.

Animals: One hundred three healthy client-owned dogs.

A Quick Reference on Hyponatremia.

The article focuses on causes of hyponatremia, including hypovolemia, diabetes mellitus and others. Hypovolemia is a major cause of hyponatremia in veterinary medicine. Hypovolemia causes a decrease in effective circulating volume, triggering antidiuretic hormone (ADH) secretion and free water retention, and develops after gastrointestinal losses, renal losses, hemorrhagic shock, hypoadrenocorticism, and other causes of hypovolemia.

A Quick Reference on Hypernatremia.

Hypernatremia most commonly is associated with water loss in excess of sodium or salt gain (typically associated with restriction of access to water). Most of the signs of hypernatremia arise from the central nervous system; the more rapid the development of hypernatremia, the more severe the neurologic signs are likely to be. Anorexia, lethargy, vomiting, muscular weakness, behavioral changes, disorientation, ataxia, seizures, coma, and death have been identified in dogs and cats with hypernatremia and hypertonicity.

Disorders of Sodium and Water Homeostasis.

This review article discusses normal and abnormal sodium balance in small animals. The terms and concepts central to understanding normal sodium and water balance are presented as well as of the physiology of body fluid compartments and the movement of fluid between those compartments. As dysnatremia is a very common disorder across the spectrum of critically ill patients, the main focus of the article is to present several clinical examples of both acute and chronic hypernatremia and hyponatremia and their practical, clinical management.

What's in a Name? Classification of Diabetes Mellitus in Veterinary Medicine and Why It Matters.

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a syndrome caused by various etiologies. The clinical manifestations of DM are not indicative of the cause of the disease, but might be indicative of the stage and severity of the disease process. Accurately diagnosing and classifying diabetic dogs and cats by the underlying disease process is essential for current and future studies on early detection, prevention, and treatment of underlying disease.

Treatment of ionized hypercalcemia in 12 cats (2006-2008) using PO-administered alendronate.

Background: Long-term treatment of cats with ionized hypercalcemia using alendronate has not been evaluated.

Hypothesis/objectives: Alendronate is well tolerated in treatment of ionized hypercalcemia in cats.

Animals: A total of 12 cats with ionized hypercalcemia.

Routes of allergic sensitization and myeloid cell IKKβ differentially regulate antibody responses and allergic airway inflammation in male and female mice.

Gender influences the incidence and/or the severity of several diseases and evidence suggests a higher rate of allergy and asthma among women. Most experimental models of allergy use mice sensitized via the parenteral route despite the fact that the mucosal tissues of the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts are major sites of allergic sensitization and/or allergic responses. We analyzed allergen-specific Ab responses in mice sensitized either by gavage or intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin together with cholera toxin as adjuvant, as well as allergic inflammation and lung functions following subsequent nasal challenge with the allergen.

Arterial blood pressure, proteinuria, and renal histopathology in clinically healthy retired racing greyhounds.

Background: Physiologic peculiarities of Greyhounds as compared to other dogs make interpretation of laboratory results in this breed challenging for veterinarians. Hypertension in retired racing Greyhounds (RRG) can contribute to microalbuminuria (MA), overt proteinuria, and renal histologic lesions.

Objectives: To evaluate clinicopathologic findings, hemodynamic status, and renal histology in a population of healthy RRG.

Case study in planning revisions to a veterinary professional curriculum: opportunity, motive, and means.

The Ohio State University (OSU) recently responded to a mandate from the state to convert from a quarter-based to a semester-based academic calendar. The OSU College of Veterinary Medicine took this opportunity to review and revise the curriculum leading to the DVM degree. This mandate occurred at a time when the college was motivated to act on recommendations that had been made during a recent reaccreditation process, some of which had been under discussion for several years, and had the personnel in place to initiate the change process.

Comparison of signalment, clinicopathologic findings, histologic diagnosis, and prognosis in dogs with glomerular disease with or without nephrotic syndrome.

Background: Nephrotic syndrome (NS) develops most commonly in people with glomerular diseases associated with marked albuminuria. Hypernatremia, hypertension, and progressive renal failure are more prevalent in nephrotic than nonnephrotic human patients.

Hypothesis/objectives: Dogs with NS have higher serum cholesterol, triglyceride, and sodium concentrations, higher urine protein:creatinine ratios (UPC) and systolic blood pressure, and lower serum albumin concentrations than dogs with nonnephrotic glomerular disease (NNGD).

Acid-base and hormonal abnormalities in dogs with naturally occurring diabetes mellitus.

Objective: To examine acid-base and hormonal abnormalities in dogs with diabetes mellitus.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Animals: 48 dogs with diabetes mellitus and 17 healthy dogs.

Metabolic acid-base disorders in the critical care unit.

The recognition and management of acid-base disorders is a commonplace activity in the critical care unit, and the role of weak and strong acids in the genesis of metabolic acid-base disorders is reviewed. The clinical approach to patients with metabolic alkalosis and metabolic acidosis is discussed in this article.

Hyponatremia: a quick reference.

This article serves as a quick reference for hyponatremia. Guidelines for analysis and causes, signs, and a stepwise approach are presented.

Hypernatremia: a quick reference.

This article serves as a quick reference for hypernatremia. Guidelines for analysis and causes, signs, and a stepwise approach are presented.