Diagnosis of naturally-occurring Cushing's syndrome by primary care veterinarians in selected European countries.

Background: Several tests are available to diagnose naturally-occurring Cushing's syndrome in dogs but there is a paucity of information on how primary care veterinarians (PCVs) use or interpret them.

Objectives: Determine how PCVs from selected European countries diagnose Cushing's syndrome in dogs.

Methods: Cross-sectional survey study assessing testing protocols used by PCVs for screening and differentiation of Cushing's syndrome.

Prevalence of Systemic Hypertension and Control of Systolic Blood Pressure in a Cohort of 14 Dogs with Adrenal-Dependent Hypercortisolism during the First Year of Trilostane Treatment or after Adrenalectomy.

Hypercortisolism in dogs is frequently associated with systemic hypertension (SH). However, there are no studies evaluating the changes in systolic blood pressure (SBP) in dogs with adrenal-dependent hypercortisolism (ADH) during trilostane treatment or after adrenalectomy and their response to antihypertensive treatments. For this reason, the objectives of this study were to evaluate the changes in SBP in dogs with ADH during the first year of trilostane treatment or after adrenalectomy, the relation with clinical control of hypercortisolism and certain laboratory parameters, and the response to antihypertensive drugs.

Quality of life and response to treatment in cats with hypersomatotropism: the owners' point of view.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to collect clinical information from owners of cats with hypersomatotropism (HS) distributed worldwide, assessing the impact of HS and its treatments on cats' quality of life (QoL) and survival time.

Methods: A survey focused on clinical presentation, diagnostic procedures, treatments, cats' QoL and disease progression was distributed worldwide to owners of cats with HS. The owner's perception of the cats' QoL before and after or during treatment was defined using a score ranging from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent).

Survival of dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism treated twice daily with low doses of trilostane.

Background: Twice daily low trilostane doses have proven to be effective to manage canine Cushing's syndrome. However, survival and prognostic factors in dogs treated with this protocol have not been evaluated. The aim of the study was to evaluate survival and prognostic factors, including systolic blood pressure (SBP) at diagnosis, in dogs with pituitary-dependent hypercortisolism (PDH) treated with low trilostane doses.

Use of Deoxycorticosterone Pivalate by Veterinarians: A Western European Survey.

This study aims to gather knowledge about the use of deoxycorticosterone pivalate (DOCP) by Western European Veterinarians (WEV) in dogs with typical hypoadrenocorticism. An observational cross-sectional study was conducted using an online survey, translated into four languages and disseminated to veterinary affiliates and mailing lists in six countries of Western Continental Europe. Respondents were tasked to share their therapeutic approach to hypoadrenocorticism, whether they preferred DOCP or fludrocortisone and the specific practical use of DOCP.

Changes in systolic blood pressure in dogs with pituitary dependent hyperadrenocorticism during the first year of trilostane treatment.

Background: Systemic hypertension (SH) is common in dogs and humans with hypercortisolism and can persist after treatment.

Objectives: To evaluate changes in prevalence of SH and systolic blood pressure (SBP) in dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH) during the first year of trilostane treatment, its relationship with disease control and selected laboratory variables, and their response to antihypertensive treatment.

Animals: Fifty-one dogs with PDH treated with trilostane Q12h.

Prevalence and risk factors associated with systemic hypertension in dogs with spontaneous hyperadrenocorticism.

Background: Systemic hypertension (SH) is common in dogs with hyperadrenocorticism (HAC) however there are not many studies assessing its prevalence and risk factors.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence and severity of SH in dogs with HAC and its association with clinical and laboratory findings to identify potential risk factors.

Animals: Sixty-six client owned dogs with spontaneous HAC.

Laboratory assessment of trilostane treatment in dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism.

Background: Results of ACTH stimulation test (ACTHst), pre- and post-trilostane serum cortisol concentrations (SCCs), urine concentration (urine-specific gravity [USG]), and urine cortisol : creatinine ratios (UCCRs) are common variables used to monitor trilostane treatment of dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH). However, none has consistently discriminated dogs receiving an adequate dose (A) from those overdosed (O) or underdosed (U).

Objectives: To assess and compare recommended monitoring variables, including serial SCCs in a cohort of dogs with PDH treated with trilostane.

Clonality testing in the lymph nodes from dogs with lymphadenomegaly due to Leishmania infantum infection.

Introduction: In southern European countries, multicentric lymphoma and leishmaniosis are the main differential diagnoses in dogs presented with generalized lymphadenomegaly. The cytological examination is in some cases inconclusive and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for antigen receptor rearrangement (PARR) has become a common method to confirm or rule out a lymphoproliferative neoplasia. According to the literature, leishmaniosis may lead to clonal arrangements and therefore to a false diagnosis of lymphoma, but this assumption is made from a single leishmania infected dog.

Computed tomographic retrograde positive contrast cystography and computed tomographic excretory urography characterization of a urinary bladder diverticulum in a dog.

A one-year-old intact male German shepherd dog was referred with a 3-month history of dysuria and pollakiuria. Physical examination revealed a large firm mass in the caudal abdomen. Findings from survey radiography, negative contrast cystography, computed tomographic (CT) retrograde positive contrast cystography, and CT excretory urography were consistent with a large urinary bladder diverticulum.

Myelographic and low-field magnetic resonance imaging findings in dogs with presumptive acute hydrated non-compressive nucleus pulposus extrusion.

MRI is considered gold standard for the diagnosis of presumptive acute hydrated non-compressive nucleus pulposus extrusions (AHNCNPE). This retrospective study describes the myelographic findings in dogs with AHNCNPE diagnosed by low-field MRI and their association with neurological grade, need of surgical decompression and outcome. Forty-two myelographies (21 dogs with presumptive AHNCNPE, 21 dogs with Hansen type I disc disease herniation) were blindly evaluated.

Clinical Features, Imaging Characteristics, and Long-term Outcome of Dogs with Cranial Meningocele or Meningoencephalocele.

Background: The term meningoencephalocele (MEC) describes a herniation of cerebral tissue and meninges through a defect in the cranium, whereas a meningocele (MC) is a herniation of the meninges alone.

Hypothesis/objectives: To describe the clinical features, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics, and outcomes of dogs with cranial MC and MEC.

Animals: Twenty-two client-owned dogs diagnosed with cranial MC or MEC.

[Molecular Epidemiology of Bartonella henselae in Stray and Sheltered Cats of Zaragoza, Spain].

Objective: Bartonella henselae is responsible for the Cat Scratch Disease in humans, being it underdiagnosed. This study aims to detect and quantify the load of B. henselae DNA in oral and whole blood samples from stray and shelthered cats from Zaragoza (Spain), and analyze associations with epidemiological and clinical factors.

A single-centre, open-label, controlled, randomized clinical trial to assess the preventive efficacy of a domperidone-based treatment programme against clinical canine leishmaniasis in a high prevalence area.

The innate immune response acting immediately after initial infection with Leishmania parasites is known to play a relevant role in prevention against clinical progression of the disease. Domperidone is a dopamine D2 receptor antagonist that has shown to enhance the innate cell-mediated immune response. The aim of this study was to assess the preventive efficacy of a domperidone-based treatment programme against clinical canine leishmaniasis (CanL) in a high prevalence area.