Long-term safety of dietary salt: A 5-year ProspEctive rAndomized bliNded and controlled stUdy in healThy aged cats (PEANUT study).

Background: High-salt diets promote urine dilution and decrease urolithiasis risk.

Objective: Prospectively evaluate the safety of chronic high dietary salt intake (randomized controlled trial).

Animals: Twenty research colony neutered, healthy aged cats (11.

Plasma symmetric dimethylarginine and creatinine concentrations and glomerular filtration rate in cats with normal and decreased renal function.

Background: Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is the gold standard in assessing renal function but is impractical. Serum creatinine (sCr) has limited sensitivity in identifying early chronic kidney disease (CKD), whereas symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) has been commercialized as more accurate biomarker. Studies comparing SDMA and sCr with GFR in cats are limited.

Assessment of symmetric dimethylarginine as a biomarker of renal function in hyperthyroid cats treated with radioiodine.

Background: Measurement of serum creatinine (sCr) and urea nitrogen fail to detect decreased renal function in many hyperthyroid cats because of low muscle mass and glomerular hyperfiltration of affected cats. Serum symmetric dimethylarginine (sSDMA) is an earlier and more sensitive renal biomarker than sCr.

Objective: Evaluate sSDMA as a biomarker of renal function in hyperthyroid cats before (T0) and 1 month after (T1) radioiodine ( I) treatment.

Quantitative assessment of systolic and diastolic right ventricular function by echocardiography and speckle-tracking imaging: a prospective study in 104 dogs.

Our aim was (1) to determine the within-day and between-day variability of several indices of systolic and diastolic right ventricular (RV) function by using conventional echocardiography and speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) (Study 1), (2) to quantify these variables in a large healthy canine population (n = 104) with Doppler-derived estimated systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (SPAP) and left ventricular (LV) function, and (3) to establish the corresponding reference intervals (Study 2). For both studies, RV variables included tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), right fractional area change (RFAC), STE longitudinal systolic strain (StS) of the RV free wall (RVFW) and of the entire RV (., global RV StS), STE longitudinal systolic RVFW strain rate (SRS), and the diastolic early:late strain rate ratio.

Long-term follow-up of renal function assessing serum cystatin C in dogs with diabetes mellitus or hyperadrenocorticism.

Background: Serum cystatin C (sCysC) is used as biomarker for glomerular filtration rate (GFR). The effects of diabetes mellitus (DM) on renal function in dogs are unclear. Some renal variables have been evaluated in dogs with hyperadrenocorticism (HAC), but not sCysC.

ISFM Consensus Guidelines on the Diagnosis and Management of Feline Chronic Kidney Disease.

Practical Relevance: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the most commonly diagnosed diseases in older cats. In most cats, CKD is also a progressive disease and can be accompanied by a wide range of clinical and clinicopathological changes. These ISFM Consensus Guidelines have been developed by an independent panel of clinicians and academics to provide practical advice on the diagnosis and management of this complex disease.

Simplified methods for estimating glomerular filtration rate in cats and for detection of cats with low or borderline glomerular filtration rate.

Objectives: Diagnosis of early feline chronic kidney disease (CKD) is challenging. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is the best overall indicator of kidney function, but multisample plasma clearance methods to determine GFR are labour intensive, time consuming and stressful for feline patients. This study aimed to develop simplified methods to detect decreased GFR in cats.

Routine kidney variables, glomerular filtration rate and urinary cystatin C in cats with diabetes mellitus, cats with chronic kidney disease and healthy cats.

Objectives: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a frequent and serious complication in human diabetic patients, but data are limited in cats. This study was undertaken to assess whether diabetic cats are susceptible to DKD.

Methods: Kidney function was compared between 36 cats with diabetes mellitus (DM), 10 cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and 10 age-matched healthy cats by measuring routine kidney variables (serum creatinine [sCreat], serum urea [sUrea], urine specific gravity [USG], urinary protein:creatinine ratio [UPC]), urinary cystatin C:creatinine ratio and glomerular filtration rate (GFR).

Routine plasma biochemistry analytes in clinically healthy cats: within-day variations and effects of a standard meal.

Limited information is available on pre-analytical variations in plasma analytes in cats. The objectives of this study were to assess the effects of the time of sampling and a standard meal on plasma analytes in healthy cats. Eight healthy, adult, fasted cats underwent blood sampling every 2 h from 8 am to 8 pm twice at a 12 day interval.

Basal plasma concentrations of routine variables and packed cell volume in clinically healthy adult small-sized dogs: effect of breed, body weight, age, and gender, and establishment of reference intervals.

Background: Plasma variables may be affected by breed or body weight (BW). Small-sized dogs are very common, but no specific reference intervals (RI) are used.

Objectives: The primary objective of this prospective study was to assess the potential effect of breed, BW, age, and sex on routine plasma analytes and packed cell volume (PCV) in small-sized dogs.

Cardiovascular effects of dietary salt intake in aged healthy cats: a 2-year prospective randomized, blinded, and controlled study.

High salt dry expanded diets are commercially available for cats to increase water intake and urine volume, as part of the prevention or treatment of naturally occurring urinary stone formation (calcium oxalates and struvites). However, chronic high salt intake may have potential cardiovascular adverse effects in both humans, especially in aging individuals, and several animal models. The objective of this prospective, randomized, blinded, and controlled study was to assess the long-term cardiovascular effects of high salt intake in healthy aged cats.

Echocardiography and conventional Doppler examination in clinically healthy adult Cavalier King Charles Spaniels: effect of body weight, age, and gender, and establishment of reference intervals.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were (1) to assess the potential effect of body weight (BW), age, and gender on the most commonly used echocardiographic and conventional Doppler variables in a large population of healthy Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (CKCS), and (2) to establish the corresponding reference intervals (RI).

Animals: 134 healthy adult CKCS.

Methods: Ultrasound examinations were performed by trained observers in awake dogs.

Influence of the observer's level of experience on systolic and diastolic arterial blood pressure measurements using Doppler ultrasonography in healthy conscious cats.

The objective of this study was to determine the influence of the observer's level of experience on within- and between-day variability, and the percentage of successful systolic (SAP) and diastolic arterial blood pressure (DAP) measurements obtained by Doppler ultrasonography (DU) in awake cats. For this purpose, six healthy conscious cats were used and four observers with different levels of training performed 144 SAP and DAP measurements on 4 days using DU. Measurements were recorded five consecutive times, and mean values were used for statistical analysis.

Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling for the determination of a cimicoxib dosing regimen in the dog.

Background: Cimicoxib is a new coxib anti-inflammatory drug for use in the dog. To determine a preclinical dosage regimen for cimicoxib in dog, a reversible model of kaolin-induced paw inflammation was used. Dosage regimens were established using pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) modeling approach (indirect response model).

Feline CKD: Pathophysiology and risk factors--what do we know?

Practical Relevance: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the most frequently encountered disorders in cats, having increased in prevalence in recent decades. Although the underlying cause is rarely identified, the common final outcome of feline CKD is tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Knowledge of CKD pathophysiology is necessary for optimal individualised patient management, especially with regard to diagnosis and treatment of extrarenal complications.

Basal plasma concentrations of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide in clinically healthy adult small size dogs: effect of body weight, age, gender and breed, and reference intervals.

Plasma NT-proBNP has previously been evaluated in dogs with degenerative mitral valve disease (DMVD). However, reference intervals (RI) established according to the Clinical Laboratory and Standards Institute (CLSI) recommendations have never been provided. The objectives of this prospective study were to assess effects of breed, body weight, age, and sex on plasma NT-proBNP, and to establish RI according to CLSI for this biomarker in a large population of dogs predisposed to DMVD.

Comparison of pharmacokinetic variables for creatinine and iohexol in dogs with various degrees of renal function.

Objective: To compare pharmacokinetics and clearances of creatinine and iohexol as estimates of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in dogs with various degrees of renal function.

Animals: 50 Great Anglo-Francais Tricolor Hounds with various degrees of renal function.

Procedures: Boluses of iohexol (40 mg/kg) and creatinine (647 mg/kg) were injected IV.

Within-day and between-day variability of transthoracic anatomic M-mode echocardiography in the awake bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus).

The use of transthoracic echocardiography in dolphins has been limited so far owing to technical and anatomical specificities. Anatomic M-mode (AMM) is a postprocessing echocardiographic technique generating M-mode studies from two-dimensional (2D) cineloops independently of the ultrasound beam orientation. The aim of the present study was to determine the within-day (repeatability) and between-day (reproducibility) variability of AMM echocardiography in awake healthy bottlenose dolphins (BN, Tursiops truncatus).

Renal function and morphology in aged Beagle dogs before and after hydrocortisone administration.

Objectives of this study were to evaluate glomerular filtration rate (GFR), renal structural changes and proteinuria in aged Beagle dogs before and after hydrocortisone (HC) administration. Eleven Beagle dogs ≥10 years old were treated with either hydrocortisone (HC group, n = 6) or placebo (control group, n = 5). Urinary markers, GFR and kidney biopsies were evaluated before (T0), during (T16 wks) and after discontinuing HC administration (T24 wks).

Comparison of Doppler ultrasonography and high-definition oscillometry for blood pressure measurements in healthy awake dogs.

Objective: To determine the intra- and interobserver variability of systolic arterial pressure (SAP) and diastolic arterial pressure (DAP) measurements obtained with 2 indirect methods in awake dogs and percentage of successful measurements.

Animals: 6 healthy conscious adult dogs.

Procedures: 4 observers with different levels of training measured SAP and DAP on 4 days by use of Doppler ultrasonography (DU) and high-definition oscillometry (HDO).

Within-day and between-day variability of blood pressure measurement in healthy conscious Beagle dogs using a new oscillometric device.

Objectives: The main objective of this study was to determine the within- and between-day variability of blood pressure measurement in dogs using an oscillometric device, pet-MAP.

Animals, Materials And Methods: Five healthy conscious adult Beagle dogs were used. The dogs were presented in a random order for examinations and the investigators were blinded to the dogs.

A laparoscopic-sutured gastropexy technique in dogs: mechanical and functional evaluation.

Objective: To describe a laparoscopic-sutured gastropexy technique in dogs and evaluate the tensile strength of the adhesion and effects on gastric function.

Study Design: Experimental study.

Animals: Female beagle dogs (n=7).

Plasma N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide concentration helps to predict survival in dogs with symptomatic degenerative mitral valve disease regardless of and in combination with the initial clinical status at admission.

Objectives: Although mitral valve disease (MVD) is the most common canine heart disease, readily available prognostic markers of the disease are still lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the comparative ability of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide plasma concentration (NT-proBNP) and various echocardiographic variables to predict outcome in dogs with MVD.

Animals, Materials And Methods: Seventy-four dogs with ISACHC classes 2 and 3 MVD (Groups A and B, respectively) were prospectively recruited.

Comparison of plasma clearance of exogenous creatinine, exo-iohexol, and endo-iohexol over a range of glomerular filtration rates expected in cats.

The study investigated plasma clearance of exogenous creatinine (PECCT), exo-iohexol (PexICT) and endo-iohexol (PenICT) in six healthy cats, four cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and six hyperthyroid (HT) cats to assess potential differences in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) measurement over a wide range of GFR values. The PECCT, PexICT and PenICT were performed in a combined protocol. There was a significant difference between PexICT and PenICT and PECCT in healthy cats.