Untargeted metabolomic profiles reveal widespread metabolic perturbations and identify candidate biomarkers in aminoaciduric canine hypoaminoacidemic hepatopathy syndrome.

Objective: To identify metabolites and metabolic pathways affected in dogs with aminoaciduric canine hypoaminoacidemic hepatopathy syndrome (ACHES) compared to healthy control (CON) dogs of similar ages and breeds. To improve our understanding of ACHES pathophysiology and identify novel candidate biomarkers associated with ACHES.

Animals: A prospective case-control study.

Hepatic copper accumulates in ferrets with and without hepatobiliary disease.

Objective: To determine hepatic copper concentrations and zonal distribution in ferrets with and without hepatobiliary disease, validate rhodanine-based qualitative copper scoring and digital copper quantification in ferret hepatic samples, and ascertain whether clinical features predicted copper accumulation.

Animals: 34 ferrets, including 7 with necroinflammatory disease, 5 with hepatocellular carcinoma, 13 with non-necroinflammatory disease, and 9 with no hepatobiliary disease.

Procedures: Rhodanine-based digital copper quantification was validated by use of liver dually measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy and digital scanning (R2 = 0.

Bacterial culture and immunohistochemical detection of bacteria and endotoxin in cats with suppurative cholangitis-cholangiohepatitis syndrome.

Objective: To characterize the frequency and type of bacterial infection by culture- and immunohistochemical (IHC)-based methods and determine the impact of infection on clinical features and survival time in cats with suppurative cholangitis-cholangiohepatitis syndrome (S-CCHS).

Animals: 168 client-owned cats with S-CCHS (cases).

Procedures: Clinical features, bacterial culture results, culture-inoculate sources, and survival details were recorded.

Clinical features, concurrent disorders, and survival time in cats with suppurative cholangitis-cholangiohepatitis syndrome.

Objective: To characterize clinical features, comorbidities, frequency of bacterial isolation, and survival time in cats with suppurative cholangitis-cholangiohepatitis syndrome (S-CCHS).

Animals: 168 client-owned cats with S-CCHS.

Procedures: Data were prospectively (1980 to 2019) collected regarding clinical features, comorbidities, bacterial infection, illness duration, and treatments.

Treatment and outcomes of dogs with hepatocutaneous syndrome or hepatocutaneous-associated hepatopathy.

Background: Superficial necrolytic dermatitis (SND) in dogs is a rare disorder most commonly associated with hepatocutaneous syndrome. Although often reported as fatal, sporadically reported long-term remissions might be more common than previously believed and linked to treatment regimens.

Hypothesis/objectives: Evaluate treatments and associated outcomes in dogs with hepatocutaneous-associated hepatopathy (HCH) with or without SND, designated collectively aminoaciduric canine hypoaminoacidemic hepatopathy syndrome (ACHES).

Relationships between congenital peritoneopericardial diaphragmatic hernia or congenital central diaphragmatic hernia and ductal plate malformations in dogs and cats.

Objective: To characterize the association between peritoneopericardial diaphragmatic hernia (PPDH) or congenital central diaphragmatic hernia (CCDH) and ductal plate malformations (DPMs) in dogs and cats.

Animals: 18 dogs and 18 cats with PPDH or CCDH and 19 dogs and 18 cats without PPDH or CCDH.

Procedures: Evaluation of clinical details verified PPDH or CCDH and survival times.

Clinical features and amino acid profiles of dogs with hepatocutaneous syndrome or hepatocutaneous-associated hepatopathy.

Background: Superficial necrolytic dermatitis (SND), hepatocutaneous-associated hepatopathy (HCH), aminoaciduria, and hypoaminoacidemia define hepatocutaneous syndrome (HCS) in dogs. Dogs without SND but that possess all other syndrome components are not well described.

Hypothesis/objectives: To define an inclusive syndrome, aminoaciduric canine hypoaminoacidemic hepatopathy syndrome (ACHES) for dogs with HCH or HCS.

Disparities in hepatic copper concentrations determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and digital image analysis of rhodanine-stained sections in dogs.

Objective: To investigate disparities in hepatic copper concentrations determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and digital image analysis of rhodanine-stained sections.

Animals: 516 dogs.

Procedures: Medical records of dogs for which hepatic biopsy specimens had been submitted between January 1999 and December 2019 for evaluation of copper content were reviewed.

Congenital erythropoietic protoporphyria and protoporphyric hepatopathy in a dog.

Case Description: A 6-month-old sexually intact male Clumber Spaniel was evaluated because of small stature, recurrent dermatitis of the head, and progressive pigmentary hepatopathy.

Clinical Findings: Clinicopathologic findings included nonanemic hypochromic microcytosis, hypocholesterolemia, persistently high serum liver enzyme activities, and anicteric hyperbilirubinemia. Histologic examination of liver biopsy specimens collected when the dog was 6 months and 2 years of age revealed expansion and bridging of portal tracts, occasional centrilobular parenchymal collapse, scattered lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates, and dark red to brown pigment within large aggregates of macrophages, engorged bile canaliculi, and hepatocytes.

Clinical, clinicopathologic, and hepatic histopathologic features associated with probable ketoconazole-induced liver injury in dogs: 15 cases (2015-2018).

Objective: To characterize clinical, clinicopathologic, and hepatic histopathologic features and outcome for dogs with probable ketoconazole-induced liver injury.

Animals: 15 dogs with suspected ketoconazole-induced liver injury that underwent liver biopsy.

Procedures: Medical record data were summarized regarding signalment, clinical signs, clinicopathologic and hepatic histopathologic findings, concurrent medications, ketoconazole dose, treatment duration, and outcome.

Imputation of canine genotype array data using 365 whole-genome sequences improves power of genome-wide association studies.

Genomic resources for the domestic dog have improved with the widespread adoption of a 173k SNP array platform and updated reference genome. SNP arrays of this density are sufficient for detecting genetic associations within breeds but are underpowered for finding associations across multiple breeds or in mixed-breed dogs, where linkage disequilibrium rapidly decays between markers, even though such studies would hold particular promise for mapping complex diseases and traits. Here we introduce an imputation reference panel, consisting of 365 diverse, whole-genome sequenced dogs and wolves, which increases the number of markers that can be queried in genome-wide association studies approximately 130-fold.

ACVIM consensus statement on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic hepatitis in dogs.

This consensus statement on chronic hepatitis (CH) in dogs is based on the expert opinion of 7 specialists with extensive experience in diagnosing, treating, and conducting clinical research in hepatology in dogs. It was generated from expert opinion and information gathered from searching of PubMed for manuscripts on CH, the Veterinary Information Network for abstracts and conference proceeding from annual meetings of the American College of Veterinary Medicine and the European College of Veterinary Medicine, and selected manuscripts from the human literature on CH. The panel recognizes that the diagnosis and treatment of CH in the dog is a complex process that requires integration of clinical presentation with clinical pathology, diagnostic imaging, and hepatic biopsy.

Reference limits for hepatic bile duct-to-arteriole and bile duct-to-portal tract ratios in healthy cats.

OBJECTIVE To establish reference limits for hepatic bile duct-to-arteriole ratio (BD:A) and bile duct-to-portal tract ratio (BD:PT) in healthy cats and assess whether these parameters could be used to support a diagnosis of biliary ductopenia in cats. SAMPLE Hepatic biopsy samples from healthy cats (n = 20) and cats with ductopenia (2). PROCEDURES Hepatic biopsy samples from healthy cats were used to count the number of bile ducts and hepatic arterioles in 20 portal tracts for each cat.

Characterization of aminoaciduria and hypoaminoacidemia in dogs with hepatocutaneous syndrome.

OBJECTIVE To characterize aminoaciduria and plasma amino acid concentrations in dogs with hepatocutaneous syndrome (HCS). ANIMALS 20 client-owned dogs of various breeds and ages. PROCEDURES HCS was definitively diagnosed on the basis of liver biopsy specimens (n = 12), gross and histologic appearance of skin lesions (4), and examination of skin and liver biopsy specimens (2) and presumptively diagnosed on the basis of cutaneous lesions with compatible clinicopathologic and hepatic ultrasonographic (honeycomb or Swiss cheese pattern) findings (2).

Aging in cats: Common physical and functional changes.

Practical Relevance: Aged pets comprise a significant proportion of the small animal veterinarian's patient population; in the USA, for example, it was estimated that over 20% of pet cats were 11 years of age or older in 2011. Certain changes associated with aging are neither positive nor negative, but others are less desirable, associated with illness, changes in mobility or the development of unwanted behaviors. These changes can greatly affect the health and wellbeing of the cat and have a tremendous impact on the owner.

Hepatocutaneous syndrome in Shih Tzus: 31 cases (1996-2014).

Objective: To characterize findings in Shih Tzus with progressive superficial necrolytic dermatitis and degenerative vacuolar hepatopathy consistent with hepatocutaneous syndrome.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Animals: 31 Shih Tzus.

Associations between sex, body weight, age, and ultrasonographically determined adrenal gland thickness in dogs with non-adrenal gland illness.

Objective: To determine whether body weight, age, or sex was associated with ultrasonographically determined adrenal gland thickness (AT) in dogs with non-adrenal gland illness.

Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study.

Animals: 266 dogs (22 sexually intact and 119 castrated males and 19 sexually intact and 106 spayed females representing 12 breeds) with non-adrenal gland illness.

Complex disease and phenotype mapping in the domestic dog.

The domestic dog is becoming an increasingly valuable model species in medical genetics, showing particular promise to advance our understanding of cancer and orthopaedic disease. Here we undertake the largest canine genome-wide association study to date, with a panel of over 4,200 dogs genotyped at 180,000 markers, to accelerate mapping efforts. For complex diseases, we identify loci significantly associated with hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, idiopathic epilepsy, lymphoma, mast cell tumour and granulomatous colitis; for morphological traits, we report three novel quantitative trait loci that influence body size and one that influences fur length and shedding.

Adverse interaction between colchicine and ketoconazole in a Chinese shar pei.

A Chinese shar pei with a 2 yr history of episodic fever, lethargy, and shifting lameness was presumptively diagnosed with familial shar pei fever but had never been treated for the syndrome. After being presented for a superficial pyoderma with possible dermatophyte coinfection, treatment with a cephalosporin and ketoconazole were prescribed. One wk later, colchicine was initiated for familial shar pei fever using cautious dose escalation.

Clinical features of progressive vacuolar hepatopathy in Scottish Terriers with and without hepatocellular carcinoma: 114 cases (1980-2013).

Objective: To characterize signalment, clinical features, clinicopathologic variables, hepatic ultrasonographic characteristics, endocrinologic profiles, treatment response, and age at death of Scottish Terriers with progressive vacuolar hepatopathy (VH) with or without hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Design: Retrospective case series.

Animals: 114 Scottish Terriers with progressive VH.