Treatment of feline upper respiratory tract disease

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Litster AL, Wu CC and Constable PD. Comparison of the efficacy of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, cefovecin, and doxycycline in the treatment of upper respiratory tract disease in cats housed in an animal shelter. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2012; 241: 218-26.
 
Upper respiratory tract disease (URTD) is one of the most common causes of disease in cats and also among the most common causes of euthanasia in animal shelters. The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, cefovecin, and doxycycline in shelter-housed cats with clinical signs of URTD. Cats were randomly assigned to 3 treatment groups of 16 cats each. Conjunctival and nasal swab specimens were obtained for culture and susceptibility testing. Different parameters - oculonasal discharge, sneezing, coughing, dyspnea, demeanor, and food intake - were scored twice daily for 14 days. 

The most common bacterial isolates found were Mycoplasma spp. (n=22) and Bordetella bronchiseptica (n=9). The cats treated with amoxicillin-clavulanic acid or doxycycline had significantly increased body weight by the end of the study. The cats receiving doxycycline had significantly lower oculonasal discharge scores than the ones treated with amoxicillin-clavulanic acid or cefovecin. Those treated with amoxicillin-clavulanic acid or doxycycline had significantly lower sneezing scores than the cats receiving cefovecin. All of the Bordetella isolates in this study were resistant to cefovecin in vitro. Oral administration of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid or doxycycline appeared to be more effective than a single subcutaneous injection of cefovecin in treating shelter cats with signs of URTD. [VT]

See also: Tanaka A, Wagner DC, Kass PH and Hurley KF. Associations among weight loss, stress, and upper respiratory tract infection in shelter cats. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2012; 240: 570-6.

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Contraceptive implants for cats

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Ackermann CL, Volpato R, Destro FC, et al. Ovarian activity reversibility after the use of deslorelin acetate as a short-term contraceptive in domestic queens. Theriogenology. 2012; 78: 817-22.
 
Deslorelin is a drug classed as a gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue. It has been used in various species, usually as a long-lasting implant, to control fertility. The drug is currently not licensed for this use in dogs or cats in Canada or the United States. However, several studies have evaluated the use of deslorelin implants to control fertility in domestic queens. Estrus behavior and estrogen secretion can be suppressed for more than 1 year after the implant is placed.

The goal of this study was to determine if the effect of the drug on ovarian activity is truly reversible, thereby allowing for only temporary suppression of reproduction when desired. Ten mature queens were given deslorelin implants and monitored with vaginal cytology for 90 days, after which the implants were removed. Ten days later, the queens were treated to induce estrus and ovulation and then spayed. As has been documented previously, some queens went into estrus shortly after the implant was placed but then estrus was suppressed in all queens. Following implant removal, all queens responded to treatment to induce estrus and ovulation and oocytes were recovered from the ovaries at surgery. The researchers conclude that deslorelin implants can be used as reversible, short-term contraception in queens. [SL]

See also: Toydemir TSF, Kılıçarslan MR and Olgaç V. Effects of the GnRH analogue deslorelin implants on reproduction in female domestic cats. Theriogenology. 2012; 77: 662-74.

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Pimobendan for feline heart disease

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Gordon SG, Saunders AB, Roland RM, et al. Effect of oral administration of pimobendan in cats with heart failure. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2012; 241: 89-94.
 
In cats, heart disease involving congestive heart failure (CHF) is characterized predominantly by diastolic dysfunction. Pimobendan is a drug with predominantly inodilator properties that has been used in dogs with CHF to prolong survival time and reduce signs of illness. 

This study’s objective was to determine the effect of oral administration of pimobendan on clinical and echocardiographic variables and survival time in cats with heart failure typified by ventricular systolic dysfunction. Twenty-seven client-owned cats with different types of heart disease were treated with pimobendan. All of the cats had ventricular systolic dysfunction. The median survival time was 167 days. The authors concluded that pimobendan appears to be well tolerated in cats with heart failure characterized by ventricular systolic dysfunction. However, cats with systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve may develop systemic hypotension when treated with pimobendan. Additional studies to determine dosages for pimobendan and its effects are needed. [VT]

See also: MacGregor JM, Rush JE, Laste NJ, et al. Use of pimobendan in 170 cats (2006–2010). J Vet Cardiol. 2011; 13: 251-60.

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Call for proposals in feline health for 2013 funding

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Winn grant review panel meeting

The Winn Feline Foundation is a non-profit, charitable organization that funds research into health issues affecting cats. Since its inception in 1968, grants totaling over $4 million have been awarded by the Foundation for scientific studies, encouraging veterinarians and researchers to focus attention on the needs of cats. Studies applicable to all cats are encouraged. The Winn Feline Foundation is also interested in projects that address issues in individual breeds, nutrition, and behavior. Although we are interested in all areas of feline health, we also have dedicated funds for research in feline infectious peritonitis (the Bria Fund) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (the Ricky Fund). Applicants may be faculty veterinarians, post-doctoral fellows, practicing veterinarians or veterinary students.

Dr. Brian Holub (L), Dr. Melissa Kennedy (R)

In February 2012, Winn funded 10 new feline medical research projects for a total of $174,018 in areas such as heart disease, feline infectious peritonitis, progressive retinal atrophy, cancer, chronic pain, behavior disorders, chronic kidney disease, and infectious diseases.

Successful recipients in our regular grant program are selected by our grant review panel at a meeting each February. The deadline for receipt of proposals for funding in 2013 is Mon. Dec. 10, 2012. Please note that Winn is now accepting all proposals electronically. The maximum grant award is $25,000 (US).

For more information, including full grant application guidelines, see:
http://www.winnfelinehealth.org/Pages/Researchers.html

Questions? Contact us at: grants@winnfelinehealth.org

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Let's immune system help

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Imatinib potentiates antitumor T cell responses in gastrointestinal stromal tumor through the inhibition of Ido, 
Vinod P Balachandran, et al. Nature Medicine17 (2011) 


I would like to hilight this paper to our readership, as many of your are involved in the design of clinical trials and selection of potential biomarkers. This report is one of a handful of high impact papers that report the coperative role that inflammatory infiltrate and non cell autonomous effectors play in modulating response to established agents. This study demonstrates an interesting immunological mechanism of Imatininb  that contributes to the antitumor effect in a Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST) mouse model. Inflammatory infiltrate is a known finding in GIST specimens (including intratumoral CD8+ Tcells, Treg cells and macrophages). Acording to the authors, Imatinib activates CD8+ T cells and induces Treg cells apoptosis within the tumor. Imatinib is therefore able to reduce the expression of 2,3-dioxygenase (Ido) of tumor cells. Ido enzyme is involved in the catayzation of immunosuppressive metabolites from tryptophan and therefore mediates downstream immunological response. Interestingly Imatininb resistant tumors, generally as a result of a second KIT mutation, restore the overexpression of IDO and combination of Imatinib with CTLA-4 blockade (a well established immunotherapeutic strategy) act synergistically. This insight provides some hints on something we have been suspecting for a long time. It is easy to predict consequences for rational design of combination therapies and strategies to overcome resistance in Imatinib resistant tumors.TweetShare