Assessing chronic stress in cats: measuring hair cortisol using an ELISA.

Evaluating stress in shelter and institutionally owned cats is important to help guide improvements in their welfare. Welfare assessments often focus on behavior metrics and physiologic measurements, such as systemic cortisol levels. The gold standard for measuring acute stress is serum cortisol; measuring cortisol in feces and urine gives reliable time-integrated assessments of acute stress.

Effect of oral or subcutaneous administration of cyanocobalamin in hypocobalaminemic cats with chronic gastrointestinal disease or exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.

Background: No prospective study has evaluated the efficacy of oral supplementation with cobalamin in hypocobalaminemic cats.

Objectives: To investigate the efficacy of oral or SC supplementation with cyanocobalamin in normalizing serum cobalamin and methylmalonic acid (MMA) concentrations in hypocobalaminemic cats with chronic gastrointestinal disease (CGID) or exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI).

Animals: Forty-eight client-owned hypocobalaminemic (<290 ng/L) cats with normal or abnormally high serum MMA concentrations.

Evaluation of Intestinal Barrier Dysfunction with Serum Iohexol Concentration in Dogs with Acute Hemorrhagic Diarrhea Syndrome.

Histopathologic examination of intestinal biopsies from dogs with acute hemorrhagic diarrhea syndrome (AHDS) reveals necrotizing enteritis and epithelial integrity loss. Serum iohexol measurement has been utilized to assess intestinal permeability. Our hypothesis is that dogs with AHDS have increased intestinal permeability, which is associated with the severity of clinical signs.

Unbiased serum metabolomic analysis in cats with naturally occurring chronic enteropathies before and after medical intervention.

Chronic enteropathies (CE) are common disorders in cats and the differentiation between the two main underlying diseases, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and low-grade intestinal T-cell lymphoma (LGITL), can be challenging. Characterization of the serum metabolome could provide further information on alterations of disease-associated metabolic pathways and may identify diagnostic or therapeutic targets. Unbiased metabolomics analysis of serum from 28 cats with CE (14 cats with IBD, 14 cats with LGITL) and 14 healthy controls identified 1,007 named metabolites, of which 129 were significantly different in cats with CE compared to healthy controls at baseline.

Reply to Piewbang et al. Domestic Cat Hepadnavirus Antigens in Lymphoma Tissues. Comment on "Beatty et al. Domestic Cat Hepadnavirus and Lymphoma. 2023, , 2294".

We are grateful to the authors for providing additional data to demonstrate the presence of domestic cat hepadnavirus in lymphoma tissues [...

Domestic Cat Hepadnavirus and Lymphoma.

We write to comment on Piewbang C et al [...

Gastric pH and serum gastrin concentration in age-matched healthy dogs and dogs with chronic kidney disease.

Background: Gastric hyperacidity and hypergastrinemia are purported to cause gastric ulceration in dogs with chronic kidney disease (CKD); however, no published studies have evaluated gastric pH with serum gastrin concentrations in dogs with CKD.

Hypothesis: To compare mean intragastric pH, mean percent pH distribution, and serum gastrin concentrations in dogs with CKD to age-matched, healthy dogs. We hypothesized there would be no difference in mean gastric pH or serum gastrin between groups.

Serum and Fecal 3-Bromotyrosine Concentrations in Dogs with Chronic Inflammatory Enteropathy: Clinical Parameters and Histopathological Changes.

Chronic inflammatory enteropathies (CIEs) in dogs involve the infiltration of gastrointestinal tissue with inflammatory cells. This study aimed to assess the sensitivity of serum and fecal 3-bromotyrosine (3-BrY) concentrations in dogs with CIE. The difference in 3-BrY concentrations in dogs with different gastrointestinal (GI) pathological changes was also assessed.

Fecal Concentrations of Long-Chain Fatty Acids, Sterols, and Unconjugated Bile Acids in Cats with Chronic Enteropathy.

Chronic enteropathy (CE) in cats encompasses food-responsive enteropathy, chronic inflammatory enteropathy (or inflammatory bowel disease), and low-grade intestinal T-cell lymphoma. While alterations in the gut metabolome have been extensively studied in humans and dogs with gastrointestinal disorders, little is known about the specific metabolic profile of cats with CE. As lipids take part in energy storage, inflammation, and cellular structure, investigating the lipid profile in cats with CE is crucial.

Prevalence of in Canine Feces and Its Association with Intestinal Dysbiosis.

The role of as an enteropathogen in dogs is controversial. In humans, intestinal bile acid-dysmetabolism is associated with prevalence. The relationship between fecal qPCR-based dysbiosis index (DI) and especially the abundance of bile acid-converting with the presence of in dogs was explored across the following 4 cohorts: 358 fecal samples submitted for routine diagnostic work-up, 33 dogs with chronic enteropathy, 14 dogs with acute diarrhea, and 116 healthy dogs.

Quantitative bioimaging of copper in frozen liver specimens from cats using laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) as a tool for measuring concentrations and determining accumulation of copper in frozen liver specimens from cats.

Methods: Six frozen liver specimens were evaluated by qualitative copper staining and quantitative flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. Tissue specimens were cryo-sectioned and quantitative bioimaging of copper was performed using LA-ICP-MS.

Analytical validation of an ELISA for the measurement of feline pancreas-specific lipase and re-evaluation of the reference interval and decision threshold for diagnosing pancreatitis.

Background: The diagnosis of feline pancreatitis can be challenging. The clinical presentation often includes mild, nonspecific clinical signs, such as vomiting, anorexia, and weight loss. Measurement of feline pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (fPLI) concentration in serum has been reported to be sensitive and specific for a diagnosis of pancreatitis in cats.

Analytical validation, sample stability, and clinical evaluation of a new high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I immunoassay for use in dogs, with comparison to a previous ultrasensitive assay.

Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is considered the gold standard biomarker for myocardial injury and shows a high degree of homology between humans and dogs. The ADVIA Centaur XP High-Sensitivity Troponin I (AC-cTnI-HS) assay has been validated for use in humans but not dogs. The study objectives were to analytically validate the AC-cTnI-HS assay in dogs, to assess correlation between the AC-cTnI-HS and a previous ADVIA Centaur TnI-Ultra (AC-cTnI-U) assay, to assess cTnI sample storage stability, and to clinically evaluate the AC-cTnI-HS assay in healthy dogs and dogs with cardiac disease.

Fecal acute phase proteins in cats with chronic enteropathies.

Background: Chronic enteropathies (CE) are common in cats and reliable biomarkers that can distinguish different causes and predict or monitor response to treatment are currently lacking.

Hypothesis: To evaluate certain acute phase proteins in feces that could potentially be used as biomarkers in cats with CE.

Animals: Twenty-eight cats with either inflammatory bowel disease (IBD; n = 13), food-responsive enteropathy (FRE; n = 3) or small cell gastrointestinal lymphoma (SCGL; n = 12) and 29 healthy control cats were prospectively enrolled.

Serum cobalamin and methylmalonic acid concentrations in juvenile dogs with parvoviral enteritis or other acute enteropathies.

Background: Low serum cobalamin concentrations have been associated with ileal malabsorption in dogs with chronic enteropathy. Increased serum methylmalonic acid (MMA) concentrations indicate cobalamin deficiency on a cellular level. Few studies have evaluated serum cobalamin concentrations or methylmalonic acid concentrations in juvenile dogs with parvoviral enteritis or nonparvoviral acute enteropathies.

Hip sensor location for flash interstitial glucose monitoring system provides adequate clinical accuracy in non-diabetic hypoglycemic dogs.

Objective: Flash glucose monitoring systems (FGMS) are frequently used for interstitial glucose monitoring in dogs with diabetes mellitus and are typically placed between the scapulae. We aimed to evaluate the variability between glucose measurements from FGMS placed in 2 locations (between the scapulae and over the hip) in non-diabetic dogs during rapidly induced hypoglycemia.

Animals: 24 apparently healthy colony dogs that were subjects in a teaching laboratory.

Fecal S100A12 concentrations in cats with chronic enteropathies.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare fecal S100A12 concentrations in cats diagnosed with chronic enteropathy (CE) with healthy control cats.

Methods: This was a prospective, cross-sectional study. Forty-nine cats that had gastrointestinal signs for >3 weeks and a complete diagnostic work-up, including bloodwork, abdominal ultrasound and upper and/or lower gastrointestinal endoscopic biopsies, were enrolled into the CE group.

Prevalence of portal vein and splanchnic venous thrombosis in dogs with chronic hepatitis.

Objectives: Alterations in haemostasis have been described in dogs and humans with chronic hepatitis. Portal vein thrombosis is a recognised complication of chronic hepatitis in humans; however, its prevalence in dogs with chronic hepatitis has not been reported. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of, and describe clinical and laboratory data of dogs with chronic hepatitis and portal vein thrombosis and splanchnic venous thrombosis.

Urinary 15-F-Isoprostane Concentrations in Dogs with Liver Disease.

Isoprostanes are stable end products of lipid peroxidation that can be used as markers of oxidative stress. It was previously reported that a cohort of dogs with various liver diseases had increased urinary isoprostane concentrations compared to healthy control (HC) dogs. The aim of this study was to measure and report urinary isoprostane concentrations in dogs with different types of liver diseases.

Analytical Validation of an Assay for Concurrent Measurement of Amino Acids in Dog Serum and Comparison of Amino Acid Concentrations between Whole Blood, Plasma, and Serum from Dogs.

Amino acids play an important role in metabolism. Comprehensive analytical validation of an assay for the concurrent measurement of a large number of amino acids in dogs is lacking, which precludes its usefulness in a clinical setting. Amino acids are often measured in plasma or whole blood.

Serial Measurement of Serum Pancreatic Lipase Immunoreactivity, Feline Trypsin-like Immunoreactivity, and Cobalamin Concentrations in Kittens.

Serum concentrations of feline pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (fPLI), feline trypsin-like immunoreactivity (fTLI), and cobalamin are commonly used for the diagnostic investigation of cats with gastrointestinal signs. No information on these parameters in healthy cats less than 1 year of age exists. We aimed to evaluate serum concentrations of fPLI, fTLI, and cobalamin in healthy cats at different time-points during their first 12 months of life.

Effect of oral or injectable supplementation with cobalamin in dogs with hypocobalaminemia caused by chronic enteropathy or exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.

Background: Recent studies have shown similar efficacy of oral supplementation of cobalamin compared to injectable supplementation in dogs, but few prospective, randomized studies have been published.

Objectives: To evaluate efficacy of oral or injectable supplementation with cobalamin in normalizing serum cobalamin and methylmalonic acid (MMA) concentrations in dogs with hypocobalaminemia caused by either chronic enteropathy (CE) or exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI).

Animals: Forty-six client owned dogs with hypocobalaminemia.

Gastrointestinal transit time is faster in Beagle dogs compared to cats.

Objective: To characterize gastrointestinal transit times (GITTs) and pH in dogs, and to compare to data recently described for cats.

Animals: 7 healthy, colony-housed Beagles.

Procedures: The GITTs and pH were measured using a continuous pH monitoring system.

Detection of invasive in dogs with granulomatous colitis using immunohistochemistry.

Granulomatous colitis in dogs can be associated with infection of the colonic mucosa by invasive strains of . To date, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is the gold-standard method to assess intramucosal and intracellular bacterial invasion. However, FISH requires expensive fluorescence microscopy equipment and is therefore not widely available.