Routine health screening: findings in apparently healthy middle-aged and old cats.

Study Rationale: Veterinary practitioners often perform geriatric health screening in cats. Unfortunately, scientific information regarding clinical and laboratory abnormalities and normal blood pressure values in elderly cats is scarce. This prospective study evaluated routine health screening tests in apparently healthy middle-aged and old cats.

Regional brain perfusion in 12 cats measured with technetium-99m-ethyl cysteinate dimer pinhole single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).

With the use of perfusion tracers, in vivo examination of the regional cerebral blood flow in cats can be performed with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Reliable perfusion data of normal, healthy cats are necessary for future clinical studies or other research use. Therefore, this dataset of the regional perfusion pattern of the normal feline brain was created.

Comparison of analgesic efficacy of epidural methadone or ropivacaine/methadone with or without pre-operative oral tepoxalin in dogs undergoing tuberositas tibiae advancement surgery.

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of four analgesia protocols in dogs undergoing tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA).

Study Design: Prospective, randomized, blinded study.

Animals: Thirty-two client owned dogs undergoing TTA-surgery.

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).

Contrast harmonic ultrasound appearance of consecutive percutaneous renal biopsies in dogs.

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous renal biopsy may be associated with complications, especially when using larger needles. Contrast harmonic ultrasound increases blood pool echo intensity, enhancing parenchymal lesions. Therefore, contrast harmonic ultrasound is a potential alternative screening method for postbiopsy renal lesions.

Intestinal fermentation modulates postprandial acylcarnitine profile and nitrogen metabolism in a true carnivore: the domestic cat ( Felis catus).

N balance and postprandial acylcarnitine profile following intestinal fermentation of oligofructose and inulin were investigated in healthy cats. Two diets were tested in a crossover design: a commercial high-protein cat food supplemented with 4 % DM oligofructose and inulin (spectrum: degree of polymerisation (DP) 2-10: 60 (SE 5) % DM; DP>10: 28 (SE 5) % DM) as high-fermentable fibre (HFF) diet, and the same commercial diet supplemented with 4 % DM cellulose as low-fermentable fibre diet. Eight adult cats were randomly allotted to each of the two diets at intervals of 4 weeks.

Surgical treatment of a canine intranasal meningoencephalocele.

Objective: To report the clinical signs, diagnosis, and surgical treatment of an intranasal meningoencephalocele in a dog.

Study Design: Case report.

Animal: Female Border collie, 5 months old.