Age-related trends in urine specific gravity in apparently healthy cats.

Objectives: Urine specific gravity (USG) is the most common method for the estimation of urine concentration in cats. Utilization of USG as a screening tool is easily accessible and is of low cost to the client if strategically utilized in settings of higher diagnostic value. There is currently minimal population information regarding how USG changes across ages in cats.

Nutritional management of pancreatitis and concurrent disease in dogs and cats.

Nutrition is considered a key part of the management of pancreatitis in dogs and cats. While limited prospective research exists, experimental studies, retrospective studies, and anecdote allow for formulation of nutritional guidelines. Historically, fat has been considered the key nutrient of interest in pancreatitis; however, other nutrients and dietary factors, including energy density, digestibility, protein, carbohydrates, and fiber, are all of importance in these patients.

Ionized hypercalcemia can resolve with nutritional modification in cats with idiopathic hypercalcemia or chronic kidney disease.

Case Series Summary: Cats with ionized hypercalcemia that were fed diets with either more than 200 mg calcium per 100 kilocalories (kcal), a calcium:phosphorus (Ca:P) ratio greater than 1.4:1 or both, based on diet history, were included in this case series. Ionized hypercalcemia was documented at least twice in all cats before enrollment.

Severe polycystic liver disease in a cat.

Case Summary: Ductal plate malformations (DPMs) are poorly documented in the veterinary literature, particularly those of the polycystic liver disease (PCLD) phenotype. A 13-year-old female spayed cat presented with progressive icterus, abdominal distension, weight loss and elevated liver enzymes. Initial empirical treatment consisting of amoxicillin/clavulanate, ursodiol and later prednisolone was attempted; however, clinical signs progressed.

Commercially available wearable health monitor in dogs is unreliable for tracking energy intake and expenditure.

Objective: Assess the accuracy of predicted daily energy requirement (pDER) reported by a triaxial accelerometer and activity monitor for dogs (FitBark 2; FitBark Inc) and determine whether the activity monitor accurately estimates the observed daily energy requirement (oDER). We hypothesized that the activity monitor would accurately estimate oDER in dogs and meet standards established for human devices.

Animals: 23 dogs between the ages of 1 and 10 years and variable sex, breed, and body weight were enrolled from May 5, 2021, through July 23, 2021.

Clinician prescribing practices for managing canine idiopathic acute diarrhea are not evidence based.

Objective: To characterize clinician preferences and justification for preferred methods for managing canine idiopathic acute diarrhea (IAD) and compare results to evidence-based literature.

Sample: 284 surveys from veterinarians in small animal first-opinion practice.

Methods: Veterinarians were asked to complete a survey (61 questions) including background demographic information, practice type and location, duration in practice, and management questions for canine IAD pertaining to nutritional, probiotic, antimicrobial, antidiarrheal, benign neglect, and other therapies.

Measurement of Ghrelin as a Marker of Appetite Dysregulation in Cats with and without Chronic Kidney Disease.

Appetite abnormalities and weight loss are important comorbidities in the treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in cats. Ghrelin, a key hormone involved in the regulation of appetite and metabolism, is a potential marker of appetite dysregulation in cats with CKD. The aim of this study was to compare the plasma concentrations of acylated, desacyl, and total ghrelin in normal cats and cats with CKD.

Measuring 25-hydroxyvitamin D in cats: comparison of a whole-blood lateral flow assay, 2 dried-blood-spot tests, and serum LC-MS/MS.

Measuring 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25D) can be a challenge in veterinary medicine because of laboratory accessibility and required sample volume. We compared 2 dried-blood-spot (DBS) tests and a lateral flow assay (LFA) to the gold standard, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). We hypothesized that there would be good agreement among the tests, within a clinically significant limit of agreement of ± 25 nmol/L.

Nutritional Management of Cats and Dogs with Diabetes Mellitus.

This article reviews the nutritional assessment and management of diabetic dogs and cats. It discusses how to determine appropriate nutritional goals for individual patients, including comorbid patients with diabetes. Considerations for macronutrient and micronutrient modifications will be reviewed.

Fecal identification markers impact the feline fecal microbiota.

Fecal diagnostics are a mainstay of feline medicine, and fecal identification markers help to distinguish individuals in a multi-cat environment. However, the impact of identification markers on the fecal microbiota are unknown. Given the increased interest in using microbiota endpoints to inform diagnosis and treatment, the objective of this study was to examine the effects of orally supplemented glitter and crayon shavings on the feline fecal microbiota (amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA gene V4 region).

Evaluation of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, C-reactive protein, and haptoglobin as biomarkers in dogs newly diagnosed with histoplasmosis.

Background: Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin (OH)D, C-reactive protein (CRP), and haptoglobin are useful biomarkers in various infectious diseases and inflammatory disorders in dogs, but their utility in histoplasmosis is unknown.

Objective: Determine if serum 25(OH)D, CRP, and haptoglobin concentrations are different in dogs with histoplasmosis compared to healthy controls and whether serum globulin, albumin, CRP, or haptoglobin are associated with 25(OH)D concentration.

Animals: Twenty-two client-owned dogs (histoplasmosis, n = 12; controls, n = 10).

Synbiotic-IgY Therapy Modulates the Mucosal Microbiome and Inflammatory Indices in Dogs with Chronic Inflammatory Enteropathy: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study.

Chronic inflammatory enteropathy (CE) is a common cause of persistent gastrointestinal signs and intestinal inflammation in dogs. Since evidence links dysbiosis to mucosal inflammation, probiotics, prebiotics, or their combination (synbiotics) may reduce intestinal inflammation and ameliorate dysbiosis in affected dogs. This study's aim was to investigate the effects of the synbiotic-IgY supplement on clinical signs, inflammatory indices, and mucosal microbiota in dogs with CE.

Pharmacodynamic Biomarkers for Biosimilar Development and Approval: A Workshop Summary.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Biosimilars Guidance describes how biosimilars may be approved based on clinical pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PD) biomarker data, without comparative clinical studies with efficacy end points. This type of clinical development program, however, has only been implemented for a small number of FDA-approved biosimilar products over the last decade. To encourage the use of PD biomarkers in biosimilar development and approval, the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy collaborated with the FDA to host a two-day virtual public workshop entitled "Pharmacodynamic Biomarkers for Biosimilar Development and Approval" on September 20-21, 2021.

Dietary fiber aids in the management of canine and feline gastrointestinal disease.

Dietary fiber describes a diverse assortment of nondigestible carbohydrates that play a vital role in the health of animals and maintenance of gastrointestinal tract homeostasis. The main roles dietary fiber play in the gastrointestinal tract include physically altering the digesta, modulating appetite and satiety, regulating digestion, and acting as a microbial energy source through fermentation. These functions can have widespread systemic effects.

Randomized controlled trial demonstrates nutritional management is superior to metronidazole for treatment of acute colitis in dogs.

Objective: To describe the outcome of dietary management of canine noninfectious acute colitis with or without concurrent oral administration of metronidazole using a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Animals: 59 client-owned dogs with noninfectious acute colitis.

Procedures: Dogs with acute noninfectious colitis were enrolled in a 30-day diet trial after exclusion of parasitic infectious etiologies (fecal centrifugation floatation, Giardia/Cryptosporidium antigen testing) and systemic disease (CBC, biochemistry, urinalysis).

Home-cooked diets cost more than commercially prepared dry kibble diets for dogs with chronic enteropathies.

Objective: Nutrition plays a fundamental role in the management of canine chronic enteropathies (CCEs). Dog owners may elect to feed home-cooked diets (HCDs) rather than veterinary commercially prepared diets (CPDs) because of perceived lower costs. There is a paucity of data comparing costs of these options.

Effect of calcifediol supplementation on renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system mediators in dogs with chronic kidney disease.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) leads to low serum concentrations of vitamin D metabolites. Thus, hypovitaminosis D associated with CKD might contribute to disease progression via increased concentration of renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) mediators.

Objectives: To evaluate whether supplementation with calcifediol affects equilibrium concentrations of selected mediators of the RAAS.

Escherichia coli pathotype contamination in raw canine diets.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of Escherichia coli contamination and E coli virulence gene signatures consistent with known E coli pathotypes in commercially available conventional diets and raw-meat-based diets (RMBDs).

Sample: 40 diets in total (19 conventionally cooked kibble or canned diets and 21 RMBDs) obtained from retail stores or online distributors.

Procedures: Each diet was cultured for E coli contamination in 3 separate container locations using standard microbiological techniques.

Suspected Primary Spontaneous Asymptomatic Pneumothorax in a Cat.

Spontaneous pneumothorax (SPT) is a documented emergency of the respiratory tract condition classified as either primary or secondary based on the presence of underlying pulmonary conditions. All reported SPT in the feline literature are evaluated for respiratory clinical signs. Primary SPT without underlying pathology or without clinical signs is not reported in cats.

Novel Multicentric Hepatic Lymphoma with Extrahepatic Biliary Obstruction Associated with Duodenal Perforation in a Cat.

An 11-year-old male castrated domestic shorthair cat was presented for evaluation due to clinical deterioration and potential extrahepatic biliary obstruction (EHBO). Further investigations confirmed EHBO and revealed severe and previously unreported comorbidities. On initial examination, the cat was markedly icteric with a poor body condition score and severe muscle wasting.

Myxedema Coma and Acute Hepatopathy in a Dog with Severe Atherosclerosis.

A 9-year-old male intact mixed-breed dog was presented to The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center for evaluation of two days' duration of weakness, lethargy, inappetence, and one episode of vomiting the day of presentation. On presentation, the dog was depressed and tetraparetic. He was noted to be icteric and dehydrated.

2021 AAHA Nutrition and Weight Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats.

The guidelines discuss the components of a systematic approach to nutritional management of dogs and cats. A nutritional assessment, including a body condition score and muscle condition score, is a screening evaluation that should ideally be performed at every examination. Individualized nutritional recommendations, based on the nutritional assessment, should be designed to achieve and maintain an appropriate body weight and meet nutritional requirements.

Nutritional Management for Dogs and Cats with Chronic Kidney Disease.

The nutritional management of canine and feline chronic kidney disease and protein-losing nephropathy is discussed. Special attention is paid to assessment of body composition (body weight, body condition score, and muscle condition score) and the dysrexia that often occurs with kidney disease. Various nutrients of concern are discussed and specific dietary options are provided.

Short-term efficacy of epidural pain management in dogs undergoing cystoscopy.

Background: The effects of epidural anesthesia in dogs undergoing cystoscopy are unknown.

Objective: To investigate the effect of epidural analgesia on postcystoscopy pain in dogs.

Animals: Twenty-six dogs undergoing routine cystoscopy for lower urinary tract disease.