Vertebral heart score and vertebral left atrial size reference intervals in Jack Russell Terriers, Miniature Pinschers, and Brussels Griffons.

Objective: The investigators' hypothesis is that Jack Russell Terriers (JRTs), Miniature Pinschers (MPs), and Brussels Griffons (BGs) without underlying cardiac disease have breed-specific vertebral heart size (VHS) reference intervals.

Methods: The electronic medical records of IDEXX Telemedicine Consultants were searched for JRTs, MPs, and BGs undergoing radiography from January 1, 2023, through June 30, 2023. The study range was expanded to January 1 2022, through June 30, 2023, for BGs only to improve case volume.

Development and validation of a machine learning model for clinical wellness visit classification in cats and dogs.

Introduction: Early disease detection in veterinary care relies on identifying subclinical abnormalities in asymptomatic animals during wellness visits. This study introduces a model designed to distinguish between wellness and other types of veterinary visits.

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to validate the use of a visit classification model compared to manual classification of veterinary visits by three board-certified veterinarians.

Performance of red blood cell indices for the detection of reticulocytosis in anemic and non-anemic dogs in Taiwan.

Reticulocyte counts (RETIC) are considered the gold standard in detecting an erythroid bone marrow response (BMR) in anemic and non-anemic dogs. Reticulocytosis without anemia (RWA) is a potential indicator of disease. The prevalence of anemia or RWA, as well as the effectiveness of red blood cell (RBC) indices in identifying a BMR, may vary based on geographical locations and breed differences.

Prevalence and distribution of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales in companion animals: A nationwide study in the United States using commercial laboratory data.

Background: Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) are a concern in both human and animal medicine globally. Despite extensive research in humans, limited data exist on CRE in companion animals, with a lack of nationwide prevalence estimates.

Hypothesis/objectives: To assess the occurrence and trends of CRE in cats and dogs across the United States by analyzing 4 years of commercial antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) data.

A Clinical Study on Urinary Clusterin and Cystatin B in Dogs with Spontaneous Acute Kidney Injury.

Novel biomarkers are needed in diagnosing reliably acute kidney injury (AKI) in dogs and in predicting morbidity and mortality after AKI. Our hypothesis was that two novel tubular biomarkers, urinary clusterin (uClust) and cystatin B (uCysB), are elevated in dogs with AKI of different etiologies. In a prospective, longitudinal observational study, we collected serum and urine samples from 18 dogs with AKI of different severity and of various etiology and from 10 healthy control dogs.

Vertebral heart size and vertebral left atrial size reference ranges in healthy Miniature Schnauzers.

Objective: The inclusion of vertebral heart score (VHS) and, more recently, the inclusion of the vertebral left atrial size (VLAS) in radiographic evaluation have become important screening tools for identifying dogs with occult cardiac disease. Several recent papers have shown there are interbreed variations in the VHS reference range. Our hypothesis is that the Miniature Schnauzer would also have a higher reference range for its VHS.

Novel renal injury markers in dogs with ehrlichiosis.

Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME) has been observed to impact renal function. Currently, the recognition of acute kidney injury is through the nonspecific biomarker serum creatinine (sCr). Novel markers of renal injury such as urinary clusterin (uClust) and urinary cystatin B (uCysB) may increase our understanding of the relationship between ehrlichiosis and renal cellular injury.

Differentiation of stable kidney function versus progressive dysfunction in dogs.

Background: Circulating creatinine and symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) are biomarkers of kidney function that have been used variously to define stable vs progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD). Slope monitoring of inverse biomarker values (creatinine or SDMA ) has shown promise, but quantitative criteria to distinguish stable vs progressive CKD using this approach are lacking.

Objective: Assessment of creatinine and SDMA slope cutoffs to distinguish stable vs progressive CKD.

Epidemiology of companion animal AMR in the United States of America: filling a gap in the one health approach.

Introduction: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health concern that affects all aspects of the One Health Triad, including human, animal, and environmental health. Companion animals, such as cats and dogs, may contribute to the spread of AMR through their close contact with humans and the frequent prescription of antimicrobials. However, research on AMR in companion animals is limited, and there are few surveillance measures in place to monitor the spread of resistant pathogens in the United States.

A multi-centre prospective evaluation of internet research habits among owners seeing a veterinary oncologist.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the internet-use among pet owners seeing a veterinary oncologist. Over a two-month period, 137 questionnaires were collected at three specialty hospitals around a large urban city. Approximately 85% of respondents reported using the internet to research their pet's condition and/or treatment.

Retrospective Survey of Dog and Cat Endoparasites in Ireland: Antigen Detection.

Endoparasites of dogs and cats, play an important role in both veterinary medicine and public health. Untreated and stray dogs and cats, in particular, play an important role in contaminating the environment with important zoonotic parasites. Thus, the aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of intestinal parasites in stray dogs and cats using highly sensitive and specific copro-antigen tests.

Canine nematode and Giardia spp. infections in dogs in Edmonton, Alberta, the "CANIDA" study.

Background: Canine intestinal parasite prevalence may be influenced by geographical region, age, and health status of the dog. Behaviors such as predation, scavenging, or roaming as well as routine administration of anthelmintics also play a role. The purpose of this study was to evaluate fecal test results using zinc sulfate flotation by centrifugation combined with coproantigen testing directed at protein antigens excreted or secreted by hookworms (Ancylostoma spp.

Assessment of age, gender, and anxiety on ECG waveform morphology in a large population of domestic dogs.

Cardiovascular diseases are major causes of death in the western world and this incidence increases in the elderly population. With aging, there are physiologic changes to the cardiac structure secondary to adipose tissue deposition, calcification of valve leaflets and changes in the structure of the heart including atrial remodeling. Such changes can make the myocardium more susceptible to stress leading to a higher prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in the aging population.

Symmetrical Dimethylarginine: Evaluating Chronic Kidney Disease in the Era of Multiple Kidney Biomarkers.

Symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) is a valuable surrogate marker for decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and is incorporated into the International Renal Interest Society (IRIS) guidelines for diagnosing, staging, and treating chronic kidney disease (CKD). SDMA increases above the reference interval with smaller reductions in GFR rate than does creatinine and persistent mild increases in SDMA can be used to diagnose early-stage CKD. Evaluation of both SDMA and creatinine is recommended for diagnosis and monitoring of animals with CKD.

METHOD COMPARISON FOR MEASUREMENT OF SYMMETRIC DIMETHYLARGININE IN TIGERS ().

Renal disease is well documented in nondomestic felids and is monitored and diagnosed by serum concentration of blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and phosphorous. Symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) has proven to be an earlier and more sensitive biomarker for the assessment of glomerular filtration rate. Although SDMA is commonly measured in nondomestic felids, information concerning the validity of the assay is lacking.

Assessing the potential for infections of Echinococcus multilocularis in dogs in a hotspot of human alveolar echinococcosis infections in North America.

Echinococcus multilocularis is a zoonotic tapeworm, whose metacestode larval stage is the etiological agent for alveolar echinococcosis in humans and is a parasite of emerging concern according to the World Health Organization which is difficult to diagnose and has a case mortality rate of >90% when left untreated. Echinococcus multilocularis requires two mammalian hosts to complete its lifecycle: wild and domestic canids as definitive hosts, and small mammals (mostly rodents) as intermediate ones. Because of their close relations with humans, domestic dogs have been indicated as a mean of infection to people.

Assessment of serum symmetric dimethylarginine and creatinine concentrations in cats with urethral obstruction.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate serum symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) and creatinine concentrations in cats with urethral obstruction pre- and post-decompression of the obstruction, and to determine if pre-decompression values were predictive of post-decompression renal function, as measured by SDMA and creatinine.

Methods: This was a prospective observational study. Twenty-five client-owned cats with urethral obstruction were hospitalized for decompression of the obstruction.

Evaluation of Urinary Clusterin and Cystatin B as Biomarkers for Renal Injury in Dogs Envenomated by the European Adder (Vipera berus).

Dogs are commonly bitten by the European adder (Vipera berus) but studies investigating the effects of envenomation are limited. Snakebite-related kidney injury is reported in dogs but diagnosis of acute kidney injury (AKI) might be limited by the insensitivity of routinely used renal function biomarkers. The aim of this study was to evaluate novel biomarkers of renal injury (urinary cystatin B and urinary clusterin) and biomarkers of renal function (serum creatinine and serum symmetric dimethylarginine), and urine protein to creatinine ratio in dogs envenomated by V.

A 3-year retrospective analysis of canine intestinal parasites: fecal testing positivity by age, U.S. geographical region and reason for veterinary visit.

Background: Canine life stage is a key factor in parasite prevalence as clinical signs associated with parasitism are more common in pups. In adult dogs, health status and geographical region may also play a role in parasite prevalence. The purpose of this study was to evaluate fecal test results using zinc sulfate flotation by centrifugation combined with fecal antigen testing for hookworms (Ancylostoma spp.

Investigation of spatio-temporal clusters of positive leptospirosis polymerase chain reaction test results in dogs in the United States, 2009 to 2016.

Background: Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease of concern and an investigation of recent spatio-temporal trends of leptospirosis in dogs in the United States is needed. Leptospira PCR testing has become increasingly used in veterinary clinical medicine and these data might provide information on recent trends of disease occurrence.

Objectives: To identify and describe clusters of PCR-positive Leptospira test results in dogs in the United States.

Symmetric dimethylarginine and creatinine concentrations in serum of healthy draft horses.

Background: Symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) is considered a more sensitive indirect estimate of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) than creatinine (Cr). Symmetric dimethylarginine is not affected by sex or muscle mass in small animals.

Objectives: To validate a commercial SDMA immunoassay (IA) for equine serum; to compare SDMA and Cr in cohorts of draft horse breeds; and to assess effects of age, sex, and breed.