Bacteremia in Cats

Greiner, M., G. Wolf, et al. (2008). "A retrospective study of the clinical presentation of 140 dogs and 39 cats with bacteraemia." J Small Anim Pract 49(8): 378-383.

Bacteremia is the presence of viable bacteria in the bloodstream. Bacteremia may develop in animals with impaired immune defenses, and is a common cause of sepsis. Sepsis is the systemic inflammatory response to infection. Bacteremia is associated with a high mortality rate in animals so that early diagnosis and intervention is very important. The aim of this study was to determine the bacterial species that can be isolated from blood cultures in dogs and cats with bacteremia. Retrospective data from 39 cats (and 140 dogs) with positive blood cultures presented to the University of Munich were evaluated. Sepsis was diagnosed in 59.5% of the cats with bacteremia. The most commonly isolated organism was E. coli, accounting for 30% of the isolates in cats. Cats in this study had a higher mortality rate than dogs. The authors conclude that clinical and laboratory findings are not helpful in determining the type of bacteria involved and blood cultures need to be performed to guide therapy.
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Related articles:
Greiner, M., G. Wolf, et al. (2007). "Bacteraemia in 66 cats and antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates (1995-2004)." J Feline Med Surg 9(5): 404-10.
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Corneal Graft in a Cat

Townsend, W. M., A. J. Rankin, et al. (2008). "Heterologous penetrating keratoplasty for treatment of a corneal sequestrum in a cat." Veterinary Ophthalmology 11(4): 273-278.

Penetrating keratoplasty is a full-thickness corneal graft technique used to replace central corneal tissue damaged by disease or injury with healthy corneal tissue from a donor. Corneal transplants are commonly done in human medicine, but are rare in veterinary medicine. Corneal sequestrum is a condition unique to the cat where necrosis of the corneal stroma occurs. The dead stroma becomes pigmented and may spontaneously slough, leaving a corneal ulcer. The condition has gone under many names over the years (e.g., corneal mummification, corneal nigrum, kertatitis nigrum, corneal necrosis). The cause is unknown and the condition is believed to be painful. Treatment approaches vary according to the severity of the lesion, and may include superficial keratectomy. In this case report, a corneal sequestrum was diagnosed in an 8-year-old neutered male Burmese cat. In order to restore vision, a penetrating keratoplasty was performed. The graft was performed with fresh canine corneal tissue (heterograft) in order to decrease the risk of viral transmission from using a feline donor. The graft was successful, with final follow up 16 months postoperatively.
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Related articles:
Featherstone, H., V. Franklin, et al. (2004). "Feline corneal sequestrum: laboratory analysis of ocular samples from 12 cats." Vet Ophthalmol 7(4): 229-238.
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Featherstone, H. and J. Sansom (2004). "Feline corneal sequestra: a review of 64 cases (80 eyes) from 1993 to 2000." Vet Ophthalmol 7(4): 213-227.
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Lidocaine Patches for Cats

Ko, J. C. H., L. K. Maxwell, et al. (2008). "Pharmacokinetics of lidocaine following the application of 5% lidocaine patches to cats." Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics 31(4): 359-367.

The use of lidocaine patches to provide local analgesia in cats is increasing. The patch (Lidoderm, Endo Pharmaceuticals) contains 700 mg lidocaine and is 10 cm x 14 cm. It can be cut to a desired size and may be applied to the skin on each side of a surgical incision for post-operative pain relief. Other potential uses include relief of pain from trauma and bruising. This study was conducted to evaluate the systemic and local absorption of lidocaine from topical patches in cats. In a random cross-over design, 8 two-year old cats received either intravenous lidocaine at 2 mg/kg or one lidocaine patch placed on the lateral thorax for 72 hours. Plasma was collected at specified time points and analyzed for lidocaine and its major metabolite. After patch removal, the skin at the site was biopsied and also assayed for lidocaine. The patch produced steady-state lidocaine plasma concentrations. The bioavailability of transdermal lidocaine was 6.3 +/- 2.7% and only 56% of the total drug reached the systemic circulation. Skin lidocaine concentrations were much higher than plasma concentrations. Plasma lidocaine concentrations remained well below systemically toxic concentrations, and no obvious clinical side effects were observed in any of the cats. The researchers conclude that the low systemic absorption rate coupled with high local lidocaine concentrations in the skin support the safe use of lidocaine patches in cats.
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Related articles:
Weil, A. B., J. Ko, et al. (2007). "The use of lidocaine patches." Comp Contin Edu Pract Vet 29(4): 208-216.
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Pulmonary Fibrosis in a Cat Receiving Lomustine

Skorupski, K. A., A. C. Durham, et al. (2008). "Pulmonary fibrosis after high cumulative dose nitrosourea chemotherapy in a cat." Veterinary and Comparative Oncology 6(2): 120-125.

Lomustine (CCNU) is an alkylating nitrosourea chemotherapy drug. In feline medicine, it has been used for cutaneous lymphoma and mast cell tumors. Neutropenia and thrombocytopenia are known complications, so close monitoring of blood cell parameters is necessary during treatment. In this case report, a cat diagnosed with alimentary lymphoma did poorly on several chemotherapeutic regimes. However, a long-term remission was achieved with lomustine and corticosteroid therapy. After 12 months of therapy, the cat died after an acute episode of respiratory distress. On post mortem examination, severe diffuse pulmonary fibrosis was identified. The cat had no previous history of pulmonary disease. This is the first report of pulmonary fibrosis following high cumulative dose nitrosourea chemotherapy in a cat.
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Blog post: Lomustine for mast cell tumors in cats

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Lactoferrin for Cats with FIV

Kobayashi, S., R. Sato, et al. (2008). "Effect of bovine lactoferrin on functions of activated feline peripheral blood mononuclear cells during chronic feline immunodeficiency virus infection." J Vet Med Sci 70(5): 429-35.

Cats with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection have chronic overactivation of immune and inflammatory responses, resulting in immune dysfunction. Lactoferrin (LF) is a glycoprotein that plays an important role in immunological defense systems. A previous study by these researchers showed that oral administration of bovine LF improved clinical signs in FIV-infected cats with severe stomatitis. In this study, the in vitro effect of bovine LF on proliferation, cell cycle progression, and cytokine regulation was studied in blood samples from cats in the asymptomatic carrier and the AIDS-related complex phases of FIV. The results suggest that therapy with bovine LF may help modulate immune dysfunction in cats in the terminal stages of FIV infection, and further research is warranted.
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Related articles:
Sato, R., O. Inanami, et al. (1996). "Oral administration of bovine lactoferrin for treatment of intractable stomatitis in feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)-positive and FIV-negative cats." Am J Vet Res 57(10): 1443-6.
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Hematuria Associated With Glomerular Disease in Abyssinian Cats

White, J. D., J. M. Norris, et al. (2008). "Persistent haematuria and proteinuria due to glomerular disease in related Abyssinian cats." Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery 10(3): 219-229.

Hematuria is a common problem in feline medicine, and may be caused by upper or lower urinary tract disease. In humans, glomerular disease is a common cause of hematuria. However, in dogs and cats, this is not typically the case. While renal failure is often diagnosed in cats, glomerular pathology is not usually present. The only known familial renal diseases in cats are renal amyloidosis in Abyssinians and polycystic kidney disease in Persians. This paper describes glomerular disease in eight, closely related young Abyssinian cats in Australia, characterised by hematuria and proteinuria.
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Related articles:
Grauer, G. F. (2007). "Measurement, interpretation, and implications of proteinuria and albuminuria." Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 37(2): 283-95, vi-vii.
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Care Guidelines for Spay-Neuter Programs

Looney, A. L., M. W. Bohling, et al. (2008). "The Association of Shelter Veterinarians veterinary medical care guidelines for spay-neuter programs." J Am Vet Med Assoc 233(1): 74-86.

Increasing attention has been focused on spay/neuter programs as tools for reduction of the euthanasia of unwanted and unowned cats (and dogs). There are many different types of programs in operation, such as mobile clinics, shelter services, feral cat programs, and various veterinarian-supported low cost programs. Many spay-neuter programs have been established to provide quality spay-neuter services to large numbers of cats and dogs. The proliferation and diversity of these programs has created a need for guidelines for appropriate veterinary medical care in these settings. The Association of Shelter Veterinarians convened a task force consisting of 22 veterinarians from every region of the United States in December 2006. The guidelines they developed consist of recommendations for preoperative care, anesthetic management, surgical care, and postoperative care and are based on current principles of anesthesiology, critical care medicine, microbiology, and surgical practice, as determined by means of reviews of the scientific literature and expert opinion.
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Hughes, K. L., M. R. Slater, et al. (2002). "The effects of implementing a feral cat spay/neuter program in a Florida county animal control service." J Appl Anim Welf Sci 5(4): 285-98.
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Tissue Doppler Imaging for Feline HCM

Koffas, H., J. Dukes-McEwan, et al. (2008). "Colour M-mode tissue Doppler imaging in healthy cats and cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy." J Small Anim Pract 49(7): 330-338.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common heart disease of cats. It appears to be hereditary in some families of cats, and genetic mutations causing HCM have been identified in the Maine Coon cat and Ragdoll cat. Definitive diagnosis of HCM is accomplished by ultrasound imaging. Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) is a tool for quantification of myocardial function, and has been used in humans, dogs and cats. TDI may allow for improved identification of myocardial functional abnormalities, and may be superior to conventional ultrasound for identification of cats affected with HCM. Colour M-mode TDI is one of the applications of the TDI technique that has not yet been studied in cats. This prospective study was carried out to investigate the differences in some of the colour M-mode TDI indices between normal cats and cats with HCM. We hypothesised that these new TDI techniques would discriminate between the healthy and the diseased myocardium. Myocardial velocity gradient and mean myocardial velocities were measured by colour M-mode TDI in the left ventricular free wall of 20 normal cats and 17 cats with HCM. The study showed that myocardial velocity gradients recorded by colour M-mode TDI can discriminate between the healthy and diseased myocardium. This technique shows promise for discriminating normal from affected cats when screening cats for HCM.
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Related articles:
Simpson, K. E., B. C. Devine, et al. (2007). "Assessment of the repeatability of feline echocardiography using conventional echocardiography and spectral pulse-wave Doppler tissue imaging techniques." Vet Radiol Ultrasound 48(1): 58-68.
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Koffas, H., J. Dukes-McEwan, et al. (2003). "Peak mean myocardial velocities and velocity gradients measured by color m-mode tissue doppler imaging in healthy cats." J Vet Intern Med 17(4): 510-524.
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Thymoma in a Cat

Fidel, J. L., I. S. Pargass, et al. (2008). "Granulocytopenia associated with thymoma in a domestic shorthaired cat." J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 44(4): 210-7.

Thymomas are uncommon tumours generally found in senior cats (median age 9.5 years). Diseases reportedly associated with thymomas in cats include paraneoplastic disorders, autoimmune diseases, myasthenia gravis, and exfoliative dermatitis. Granulocytopenia is reported to occur in humans with thymoma but has never been reported in cats. In this case report, a 5-year old spayed female cat with a mass in the cranial mediastinum was diagnosed with thymoma on biopsy of the mass. The tumor was treated with radiation therapy and responded well, but immune-mediated granulocytopenia developed. The granulocytopenia was successfully treated with prednisone and cyclosporine, eventually allowing for surgical removal of the thymoma.
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Related articles:
Zitz, J. C., S. J. Birchard, et al. (2008). "Results of excision of thymoma in cats and dogs: 20 cases (1984-2005)." J Am Vet Med Assoc 232(8): 1186-92.
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Prevalence of a Genetic Mutation for HCM in Maine Coon Cats

Fries, R., A. M. Heaney, et al. (2008). "Prevalence of the myosin-binding protein C mutation in Maine Coon cats." J Vet Intern Med 22(4): 893-896.

The most common cardiac disease of cats is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). In several cat breeds, including the Maine Coon, the disease is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait. Previously, a single base pair change in the myosin-binding protein C (MYBPC3) gene, which changes a conserved amino acid and alters protein conformation, was been identified in some Maine Coon cats with HCM. The prevalence of the MYBPC3 mutation in the Maine Coon cat population is not known, but genetic screening has allowed determination of the percentage of genetically affected cats worldwide. This retrospective study reviewed records of 3,310 samples submitted for evaluation of the Maine Coon MYBPC3 mutation to the Veterinary Cardiac Genetics Laboratory database at Washington State University. In this population of cats, Maine Coons accounted for all the samples positive for this mutation. The worldwide percentage of Maine Coon cats carrying the MYBPC3 mutation was 34%.
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Related articles:
Meurs, K., X. Sanchez, et al. (2005). "A cardiac myosin binding protein C mutation in the Maine Coon cat with familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy." Hum Mol Genet 14(23): 3587-3593.
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Propofol for Cats with Hepatic Lipidosis

Posner, L. P., M. Asakawa, et al. (2008). "Use of propofol for anesthesia in cats with primary hepatic lipidosis: 44 cases (1995-2004)." Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 232(12): 1841-1843.

Hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease) is a common disease in cats and is typically found in obese cats that have suffered a period of inappetance. A significant part of successful treatment is nutritional supplemention, often given through a gastrotomy or esophagostomy tube. Feeding tubes must be placed under anesthesia, and care must be taken in the choice of anesthetic regime. Concern has been expressed over the use of propofol in cats with hepatic lipidosis since it is primarily metabolized via the liver, although there is also some extrahepatic metabolism. In this retrospective case series, the medical records of 44 cats (21 female, 23 male) with hepatic lipidosis admitted to the College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, from January 1995 to December 2004 were examined. The age of the patients ranged from 3 to 15 years, and body weights ranged from 1.8 to 9.0 kg. Twenty-seven of the cats had been administered propofol. There was no significant association between the use of propofol or the dosage of propofol and any risk factor, including the need for blood products, number of hours in the ICU, or survival. The use of propofol did not increase morbidity or mortality, and the researchers conclude that propofol can be given to cats with hepatic lipidosis for placement of a feeding tube.
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Related articles:
Bley, C. R., M. Roos, et al. (2007). "Clinical assessment of repeated propofol-associated anesthesia in cats." J Am Vet Med Assoc 231(9): 1347-53.
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Vaccination of Kittens at the Time of Surgery

Reese, M. J., E. V. Patterson, et al. (2008). "Effects of anesthesia and surgery on serologic responses to vaccination in kittens." Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 233(1): 116-121.

There are many potential situations where it is desirable to vaccinate kittens at the time of spay or neuter surgery, such as in shelter situations where compliance with post-adoption recommendations is poor. Shelters commonly spay or neuter kittens at or near the time of vaccination. However, the effects of anesthesia and surgery on the immune response of kittens to vaccination is unknown. In this prospective controlled trial, 32 specific-pathogen free kittens were assigned to 1 of 4 groups: neutering at 7, 8, 9 weeks of age, or no neutering. All kittens received a modified live virus vaccine against feline herpesvirus (FHV), feline calicivirus (FCV) and feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) at 8, 11, and 14 weeks of age. Rabies vaccine was administered at 14 weeks of age. Serum antibody titers against FHV, FCV, FPV and rabies were determined at various time points. Serologic responses of kittens spayed or neutered at the time of vaccination were not different from the other groups. Importantly, many kittens that were last vaccinated at 14 weeks of age had inadequate antibody titers at 17 weeks. The researchers conclude that kittens may be vaccinated in the perioperative period when necessary, and the last vaccination should be given no earlier than 16 weeks of age.
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Related articles:
Poulet, H. (2007). "Alternative early life vaccination programs for companion animals." J Comp Pathol 137 Suppl 1: S67-71.
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Richards, J. R., T. H. Elston, et al. (2006). "The 2006 American Association of Feline Practitioners Feline Vaccine Advisory Panel report." J Am Vet Med Assoc 229(9): 1405-41.
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Management of Feline Dystocia

Pretzer, S. D. (2008). "Medical management of canine and feline dystocia." Theriogenology 70(3): 332-336.

Dystocia is derived from the Greek "dys" and "tokos", meaning a difficult, painful or abnormal parturition. It is not always easy to differentiate normal labor and delivery from dystocia. There are several potential causes for dystocia in the queen, only some of which are amenable to medical management. Educated and careful decision making is aided by a thorough history and physical examination, as well as certain diagnostic tests. This review article describes the decision making process for instituting medical management for dystocia in the queen, as well as the available therapeutic options.
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Related articles:
Traas, A. M. (2008). "Surgical management of canine and feline dystocia." Theriogenology 70(3): 337-342.
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Care of Neonatal Kittens

Lawler, D. F. (2008). "Neonatal and pediatric care of the puppy and kitten." Theriogenology 70(3): 384-392.


The few weeks from birth to weaning is an intensive period of adjustment to the extrauterine environment and preparation for the stresses of post-weaning development. The first 4 weeks of life are a high-risk time for abnormal developmental problems, environmental stressors, and infectious diseases. This review article covers the most common problems veterinarians may face in kittens from birth to weaning, such as low birth weight, hypoxia, failure of passive transfer, hypoglycemia, dehydration, and nutrition.
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Related articles:
Sparkes, A. H., K. Rogers, et al. (2006). "A questionnaire-based study of gestation, parturition and neonatal mortality in pedigree breeding cats in the UK." J Feline Med Surg 8(3): 145-57.
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