Increased genetic risk or protection for canine autoimmune lymphocytic thyroiditis in Giant Schnauzers depends on DLA class II genotype.

Dogs represent an excellent comparative model for autoimmune thyroiditis as several dog breeds develop canine lymphocytic thyroiditis (CLT), which is clinically similar to Hashimoto's thyroiditis in human. We obtained evidence that dog leukocyte antigen (DLA) class II genotype function as either genetic risk factor that predisposes for CLT or as protective factor against the disease. Genetic diversity at their DLA-DRB1, -DQA1, and -DQB1 loci were defined and potential association to major histocompatibility complex II haplotypes and alleles was analyzed.

Assessment of criteria used by veterinary practitioners to diagnose hypothyroidism in sighthounds and investigation of serum thyroid hormone concentrations in healthy Salukis.

Objective: To assess use of serum thyroid hormone concentrations by veterinarians to diagnose hypothyroidism in sighthounds and to evaluate serum thyroid hormone concentrations in healthy Salukis.

Design: Retrospective case series and cross-sectional study.

Animals: 398 sighthounds of various breeds with a diagnosis of hypothyroidism and 283 healthy Salukis.

Optimal testing for thyroid hormone concentration after treatment with methimazole in healthy and hyperthyroid cats.

Background: Methimazole suppresses thyroid hormone synthesis and is commonly used to treat feline hyperthyroidism. The degree of variation in thyroid hormone concentrations 24 hours after administration of methimazole and optimal time for blood sampling to monitor therapeutic efficacy have not been determined.

Objective: To assess thyroid hormone concentration variation in serum of normal and hyperthyroid cats after administration of methimazole.

Prevalence of diagnostic characteristics indicating canine autoimmune lymphocytic thyroiditis in giant schnauzer and hovawart dogs.

Objectives: To investigate prevalence of autoantibodies to thyroglobulin (TgAA) and/or elevated levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), indicating canine autoimmune lymphocytic thyroiditis (CLT) and/or hypothyroidism, in two high-risk dog breeds.

Methods: A cohort study was conducted in two birth cohorts of giant schnauzer and hovawart dogs. The cohorts were three to four and six to seven years of age at the time of blood sampling and screening for TgAA and TSH levels.

Biomedical evaluation of free-ranging ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) in three habitats at the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar.

Complete physical examinations and biomedical sample collection were performed on 70 free-ranging ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) from three different habitats in the Beza Mahfaly Special Reserve (BMSR), in southern Madagascar, to assess the impact of humans and habitat on lemur health. Lemurs were chemically immobilized with ketamine and diazepam administered via blow darts for concurrent biomedical, morphometric, and behavioral studies. Subsets of the animals had blood analyzed for hematology, serum chemistry, micronutrients, fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, and E), measures of iron metabolism, and polymerase chain reaction assays (PCR) for Toxoplasma gondii, Hemoplasma spp.

Etiopathologic findings of canine hypothyroidism.

The causes of canine hypothyroidism are varied, but most cases result from irreversible acquired thyroid pathologic changes and only a small proportion arise from congenital anomalies of the thyroid gland or pituitary. Of primary thyroid failure, at least half is the result of immune-mediated thyroiditis. Recent research has focused on the genetics and immunology of canine thyroid disease, adding to what is known from experimental and human studies.

Thyroid hormone responses to endurance exercise.

Reasons For Performing Study: Limited information exists about changes in circulating thyroid hormone concentrations during prolonged endurance exercise in horses.

Objective: To examine the effects of prolonged exercise on serum iodothyronine concentrations in horses performing endurance exercise of varying distances.

Methods: Serum concentrations of iodothyronines were measured in horses before and after completion of 40, 56, 80 and 160 km endurance rides (Study 1); daily during a 5 day, 424 km endurance ride (Study 2); and before and for 72 h after completion of a treadmill exercise test simulating a 60 km endurance ride (Study 3).

Recanalization of infrainguinal vessels: silverhawk, laser, and the remote superficial femoral artery endarterectomy.

There are multiple endovascular options to achieve percutaneous revascularization of chronic superficial femoral artery (SFA) stenoses and occlusions. Most rely on forceful displacement of plaque via balloon angioplasty, either as a stand-alone therapy or supplemented by cold thermal injury (cryoplasty), microtome assistance (cutting balloon angioplasty), nitinol stent deployment, or expanded polytetrafluoroethylene-lined nitinol stent deployment. Excellent technical success rates are routinely described in the literature.

Renal interventions after abdominal aortic aneurysm repair using an aortic endograft with suprarenal fixation.

Background: Our aim was to determine whether suprarenal fixation in endografts compromises renal artery (RA) flow and whether subsequent RA intervention is precluded by the stent struts.

Methods: Prospectively acquired data from 104 patients with endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) of an abdominal aortic aneurysm using the Zenith endograft (Cook, Inc., Bloomington, IN) were analyzed.

Discretionary carotid patch angioplasty leads to good results.

Background: This study evaluated the type and need for angioplasty in 253 consecutive carotid endarterectomies.

Methods: Polyester knitted gelatin sealed patch (DP) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) patches were used in, respectively, 159 and 29 patients, with 65 vessels closed primarily (no patch [NP]).

Results: Surgical results, estimated blood loss, and surgical time were similar in each group.

Detection of autoantibodies against thyroid peroxidase in serum samples of hypothyroid dogs.

Objective: To establish a sensitive test for the detection of autoantibodies against thyroid peroxidase (TPO) in canine serum samples.

Sample Population: 365 serum samples from dogs with hypothyroidism as determined on the basis of serum concentrations of total and free triiodothyronine (T3), total and free thyroxine (T4), and thyroid-stimulating hormone, of which 195 (53%) had positive results for at least 1 of 3 thyroid autoantibodies (against thyroglobulin [Tg], T4, or T3) and serum samples from 28 healthy dogs (control samples).

Procedure: TPO was purified from canine thyroid glands by extraction with detergents, ultracentrifugation, and precipitation with ammonium sulfate.

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome associated with metoclopramide in a burn patient.

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is an uncommon, potentially fatal syndrome that occurs with the use of neuroleptic medications. In view of the rarity of this syndrome and the overlap with the pathophysiologic manifestations of a burn, the burn surgeon may not readily recognize NMS on presentation. We describe the case of a 27-year-old man with 15% TBSA burns who developed NMS as a result of metoclopramide use.

Primary hair growth in dogs depends on dietary selenium concentrations.

Selenium (Se) plays an important role in hair growth. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of dietary selenium concentration on hair growth in dogs. Thirty-six beagles were stratified into six groups based on age, gender and body condition score.

Thyroid to salivary ratios determined by technetium-99m pertechnetate imaging in thirty-two euthyroid cats.

Thyroid to salivary (TS) ratio is the most commonly used scintigraphic parameter for differentiating euthyroid and hyperthyroid cats. Studies to determine the normal TS ratio have been performed in small cat populations. In this study, the TS ratio was determined in 32 cats between 8 and 13 years of age.

Secondary interventions after endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

Background: One adverse outcome of endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair (EVAR) is a significantly increased incidence of secondary interventions (SIs) required compared with traditional open aortic repair. We present a consecutive series of EVARs using a single endograft to identify the incidence and types of SIs performed.

Methods: From February 1, 2000, to January 31, 2005, we repaired 136 AAAs with the Zenith (Cook, Bloomington, Indiana) endograft.

Evaluation of calciotropic hormones in cats with odontoclastic resorptive lesions.

Objective: To assess associations between epidemiologic and laboratory variables and calciotropic hormones in cats with odontoclastic resorptive lesions (ORLs).

Animals: 182 client-owned cats older than 1 year of age with oral disease.

Procedure: Information on medical history, behavior, living environment, and feeding management was assessed by use of a questionnaire.

Surgical management of renal fibromuscular dysplasia: challenges in the endovascular era.

Percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty (PTRA) is the primary treatment for renal fibromuscular dysplasia (RFMD). Surgical revascularization is limited to patients who fail or are unsuitable for PTRA. All patients who were operated on with RFMD since the indications for renal PTRA were expanded in our institution were retrospectively reviewed.

Tryptic peptides of canine thyroglobulin reactive with sera of patients with canine hypothyroidism caused by autoimmune thyroiditis.

Canine thyroglobulin (cTg) was treated with trypsin at a ratio of trypsin to cTg of 1:100 (w/w). Tryptic peptides of cTg were analysed by Western immunoblotting for their reactivity to serum thyroglobulin autoantibodies (TgAA) from patients with TgAA-positive hypothyroidism and normal individuals. The sera of patients with TgAA-positive hypothyroidism reacted with several peptides: 43, 32.

Heparinised blood ionised calcium concentrations in horses with colic or diarrhoea compared to normal subjects.

Our objectives were to 1) establish ionised calcium (ICa), C-terminal PTH and biologically active PTH (intact molecule) concentrations in blood from normal horses, 2) examine the stability of ionised calcium and acid-base values in stored equine heparinised blood and serum and 3) check the applicability of the formulas based on these parameters in certain disease states. Mean +/- s.d.

Detection of parathyroid hormone-related protein in cats with humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy.

Background: Increased serum parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) concentration is used to diagnose humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy (HHM) in humans and animals. A commercially available assay for human PTHrP has diagnostic utility in the dog, but has not been assessed in cats.

Objective: The goals of this study were to determine serum or plasma levels of PTHrP in a population of hypercalcemic cats and to determine whether increased PTHrP concentration was associated with malignancy.

Prevalence of serum thyroid hormone autoantibodies in dogs with clinical signs of hypothyroidism.

Objective: To determine prevalence of thyroid hormone autoantibodies (THAA) in serum of dogs with clinical signs of hypothyroidism.

Design: Cohort study.

Sample Population: 287,948 serum samples from dogs with clinical signs consistent with hypothyroidism.

Necrotizing fasciitis: a fourteen-year retrospective study of 163 consecutive patients.

This review was prompted by continued public and professional interest of necrotizing fasciitis as well as worldwide increases in the incidence of streptococcal invasive infections. Our objective was to outline the clinical course of necrotizing fasciitis and delineate factors relating to mortality among 163 diagnosed patients. Over 14 years patients diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis were reviewed for patient history, comorbid conditions, and progression of clinical course.

The effects of thyroid hormones on the skin of beagle dogs.

The effects of hypothyroidism on canine skin were determined by comparing morphologic, morphometric, and hair cycle differences in skin biopsy samples from 3 groups of age- and gender-matched Beagle dogs: (1) euthyroid dogs; (2) dogs made hypothyroid by administration of 131I; and (3) dogs made hypothyroid and maintained in a euthyroid state by treatment with synthetic thyroxine. After 10 months of observation, there was slower regrowth of hair 2 months after clipping in the untreated-hypothyroid dogs. Untreated-hypothyroid dogs had a greater number of follicles in telogen and fewer hair shafts (ie, a greater number of hairless telogen follicles) than did the control group.

Effects of racing and training on serum thyroid hormone concentrations in racing Greyhounds.

Objectives: To determine the effects of racing and training on serum thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations in Greyhounds.

Animals: 9 adult racing Greyhounds.

Procedure: Serum thyroid hormone concentrations were measured before and 5 minutes after a race in dogs trained to race 500 m twice weekly for 6 months.