Evaluation of potential novel biomarkers for feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common cardiomyopathy in cats. The diagnosis can be difficult, requiring advanced echocardiographic skills. Additionally, circulating biomarkers (N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide and cardiac troponin I) have several limitations when used for HCM screening.

Feline myocardial transcriptome in health and in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy-A translational animal model for human disease.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common heart disease in cats, characterized by primary left ventricular hypertrophy. Feline HCM closely resembles human HCM and is suggested as translational animal model for the human disease. A genetic cause is established in humans and suspected for cats, but little is known about the gene expression and pathways involved in the pathogenesis of HCM.

Evaluation of heart fatty acid-binding protein as a biomarker for canine leishmaniosis.

Background: Myocarditis frequently occurs in canine leishmaniosis (CanL). Heart fatty acid-binding protein (HFABP) is a biomarker of myocardial damage.

Methods: This study aimed to compare HFABP concentration (HFABPc) in healthy dogs and dogs at different stages of CanL and evaluate the correlation of this biomarker with several clinicopathological and echocardiographic variables.

Cardiac gene activation varies between young and adult cats and in the presence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Little is known about the difference of myocardial gene transcription in young and adult cats and how transcription is further modified in cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and with left atrial (LA) thrombus formation. We hypothesized that selected factors for coagulation, endothelial activation, inflammation, and remodelling are modified with age and are activated in the hearts of cats with HCM. Left atrial and ventricular (LV) samples from 12 cats with HCM (seven without (HCMwoAT] and five with LA thrombi [HCMwAT]), and six young (YC) and six adult (AC) control cats without cardiac disease were investigated for relative expression of the following genes using quantitative polymerase chain reaction: von Willebrand factor, a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with a thrombospondin type 1 motif member 13, platelet activating factor, E- and P-selectin, intercellular and vascular adhesion molecules-1, ß2-integrin, vascular endothelial growth factor, interleukin-6 (IL-6), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), heat shock protein-70, and myocyte-specific enhancer factor 2C.

Transcutaneous Cervical Vagus Nerve Stimulation Induces Changes in the Electroencephalogram and Heart Rate Variability of Healthy Dogs, a Pilot Study.

Transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation (tcVNS) has been used to treat epilepsy in people and dogs. Objective electroencephalographic (EEG) and heart rate variability (HRV) data associated with tcVNS have been reported in people. The question remained whether EEG and electrocardiography (ECG) would detect changes in brain activity and HRV, respectively, after tcVNS in dogs.

Feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: reduced microvascular density and involvement of CD34+ interstitial cells.

The sequence of pathological events in feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (fHCM) is still largely unknown, although we know that fHCM is characterized by interstitial remodeling in a macrophage-driven pro-inflammatory environment and that myocardial ischemia might contribute to its progression. This study aimed to gain further insights into the structural changes associated with interstitial remodeling in fHCM with special focus on the myocardial microvasculature and the phenotype of the interstitial cells. Twenty-eight hearts (16 hearts with fHCM and 12 without cardiac disease) were evaluated in the current study, with immunohistochemistry, RNA-in situ hybridization, and transmission electron microscopy.

Association of myocardial parasitic load with cardiac biomarkers and other selected variables in 10 dogs with advanced Canine Leishmaniasis.

Background: The association between myocardial parasitic load (MPL) and cardiac biomarkers in Canine Leishmaniasis (CanL) has not been studied.

Methods: Dogs with advanced CanL were prospectively recruited and were included if they were euthanised. Prior to euthanasia these variables were assessed: hematocrit, globulin, creatinine, N-terminal-pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), cardiac troponin I (cTnI), blood pressure, urine protein/creatinine ratio and echocardiographic parameters.

Myocardial transcription of inflammatory and remodeling markers in cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and systemic diseases associated with an inflammatory phenotype.

Feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is characterized by macrophage-driven myocardial remodeling processes in a pro-inflammatory environment. To further investigate the mechanisms behind these processes, the myocardial transcription of cytokines and remodeling enzymes was comparatively assessed in cats with HCM and cats without cardiac diseases. Sixty-seven cats were included, 17 cats with HCM (including 5 with atrial thrombus; AT), and 50 cats without cardiac diseases.

Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy: Diffuse Remodeling, Focal Lesions, and the Involvement of Macrophages and New Vessel Formation.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is among the most common cardiac diseases in dogs. Its pathogenesis is not fully understood, but myocardial remodeling and inflammation are suspected to be involved. The present study aimed to characterize the pathological processes in canine DCM, investigating morphological changes in association with the expression of relevant cytokines and remodeling markers.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis as a Systemic Inflammatory Disease: Contribution of Liver and Heart to the Pathogenesis.

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a fatal immune-mediated disease of cats, induced by feline coronavirus (FCoV). A combination of as yet poorly understood host and viral factors combine to cause a minority of FCoV-infected cats to develop FIP. Clinicopathological features include fever, vasculitis, and serositis, with or without effusions; all of which indicate a pro-inflammatory state with cytokine release.

Feline Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: The Consequence of Cardiomyocyte-Initiated and Macrophage-Driven Remodeling Processes?

vHypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most commonly diagnosed cardiac disease in cats. The complex pathophysiology of HCM is still far from clear, but myocardial remodeling is a key process, and cardiomyocyte disarray, interstitial fibrosis, leukocyte infiltration, and vascular dysplasia are described histopathologic features. The present study systematically investigated the pathological processes in HCM, with the aim to shed more light on its pathogenesis.

Clinicopathological features and comorbidities of cats with mild, moderate or severe hyperthyroidism: a radioiodine referral population.

Objectives: This study sought to explore the clinicopathological features and comorbidities of cats with mild, moderate and severe hyperthyroidism in a radioiodine referral population.

Methods: Medical records were reviewed, along with results of serum biochemistry, urinalysis, systolic blood pressure and diagnostic imaging performed at the time of radioiodine referral. Cats were grouped by total thyroxine (TT4) levels as mildly (TT4 60.

Myocardial leptin transcription in feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Leptin is an adipokine, which is in humans with cardiac disease suspected to be involved in myocardial remodeling and thrombus formation. In cats, however, it is not known whether leptin plays a role in cardiac disease, i.e.

Usefulness of serum cardiac troponin I concentration as a marker of survival of harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) pups during rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE To measure serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI) concentrations in orphaned harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) pups at various points during rehabilitation in a seal rescue center and determine whether cTnI concentration was associated with survival during rehabilitation and duration of rehabilitation. DESIGN Serial cross-sectional study. ANIMALS Fifty-five 2- to 9-day-old harbor seal pups.

Age- and gender-dependent myocardial transcription patterns of cytokines and extracellular matrix remodelling enzymes in cats with non-cardiac diseases.

Background: Age, gender and systemic diseases all influence cardiac function and remodelling. In cats, age and gender associated myocardial remodelling and the effect of systemic diseases on the myocardium have so far not been studied. The aim of the study was therefore to investigate whether relevant cytokines and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling enzymes are expressed in the myocardium of cats with non-cardiac diseases and whether transcription levels are influenced by age and gender.

Left ventricular radial colour and longitudinal pulsed-wave tissue Doppler echocardiography in 39 healthy domestic pet rabbits.

This paper reports radial colour and longitudinal mitral annulus pulsed-wave tissue Doppler findings in a large cohort of healthy, adult pet rabbits. Thirty-nine rabbits (22 Dwarf Lops, 14 French Lops and three Alaskans) underwent conscious echocardiography. The median age of the rabbits was 22 months and the median weight was 2.

M-mode, two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiographic findings in 40 healthy domestic pet rabbits.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to report normal two-dimensional, M-mode, and Doppler echocardiographic findings from a large cohort of healthy, manually restrained, adult pet rabbits.

Animals And Methods: Forty healthy pet rabbits [22 Dwarf Lops (DL), 14 French Lops (FL) and 4 Alaskan (AL)] underwent a full physical examination and conscious two-dimensional, M-mode, and Doppler echocardiography.

Results: The median age of the rabbits was 21.

The potential role of myocardial serotonin receptor 2B expression in canine dilated cardiomyopathy.

Serotonin signalling in the heart is mediated by receptor subtype 2B (5-HTR2B). A contribution of serotonin to valvular disease has been reported, but myocardial expression of 5-HTR2B and its role in canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is not known. The aim of the present study was to investigate myocardial 5-HTR2B mRNA expression in dogs with DCM and to correlate results with expression of markers for inflammation and remodelling.

Myocardial cytokine expression in dogs with systemic and naturally occurring cardiac diseases.

Objective: To compare myocardial cytokine expression in dogs with naturally occurring cardiac or systemic diseases and dogs without cardiac or systemic diseases (control dogs)

Sample: Myocardial tissue samples from 7 systemic disease-affected dogs (SDDs), 7 cardiac disease-affected dogs (CDDs), and 8 control dogs.

Procedures: mRNA expression of interleukin (IL)-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interferon (IFN)-γ, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, TGF-β2, TGF-β3, and growth differentiation factor-15 in myocardial tissue samples obtained from CDDs, SDDs, and control dogs were analyzed via quantitative PCR assays.

Results: In control dogs, only mRNA for TNF-α, TGF-β1, and TGF-β3 was detected; concentrations were significantly higher in male than in female dogs.

Expression of matrix metalloproteinases, their inhibitors, and lysyl oxidase in myocardial samples from dogs with end-stage systemic and cardiac diseases.

Objective: To compare the degree of mRNA expression for matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), tissue inhibitors (TIMPs), and lysyl oxidase in myocardial samples from dogs with cardiac and systemic diseases and from healthy control dogs.

Sample: Myocardial samples from the atria, ventricles, and septum of 8 control dogs, 6 dogs with systemic diseases, 4 dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), and 5 dogs with other cardiac diseases.

Procedures: Degrees of mRNA expression for MMP-1, -2, -3, -9, and -13; TIMP-1, -2, -3, and -4; and lysyl oxidase were measured via quantitative real-time PCR assay.

Underlying diseases in dogs referred to a veterinary teaching hospital because of dyspnea: 229 cases (2003-2007).

Objective: To identify the most frequent underlying diseases in dogs examined because of dyspnea and determine whether signalment, clinical signs, and duration of clinical signs might help guide assessment of the underlying condition and prognosis.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Animals: 229 dogs with dyspnea.

Assessment of mechanical ventricular synchrony in Doberman Pinschers with dilated cardiomyopathy.

Objectives: Loss of temporal synchrony of myocardial contraction has been shown to reduce systolic function and be responsible for disease progression in people. The objective of this study is the assessment of inter- and intra ventricular synchrony in healthy Doberman Pinschers and those with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) by use of conventional Doppler and tissue velocity imaging.

Animals: A total of 60 scans from 35 client-owned Doberman Pinschers presented for cardiac evaluation were analysed.

Balloon dilation of an imperforate cor triatriatum dexter in a Golden Retriever with concurrent double-chambered right ventricle and subsequent evaluation by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

A 12-week-old male Golden Retriever was presented with signs of right-sided congestive heart failure and a grade V/VI left craniosternal systolic murmur. Echocardiography identified a double-chambered right ventricle and dilated coronary sinus (CS) running into an inter-atrial chamber. This was confirmed to be an imperforate cor triatriatum dexter (CTD) by selective angiographic studies.