Birman cats and FIP

Final report, Winn grant 08-036
Blood parameters potentially associated with susceptibility to feline coronavirus in Birman cats
Investigators: Saverio Paltrinieri; University of Milan

This research project examined the increased susceptibility of Birman cats to FIP. The investigators specifically focused on various blood parameters to correlate with immune status and FIP susceptibility. Blood and/or feces were initially collected from 233 cats in 25 breeding catteries or colonies; 57 cats were excluded due to insufficient data or presence of disease within the cattery. Of the 176 cats tested, 5 were diagnosed with FIP. Birman cats were not found to be feline coronavirus seropositive at a higher rate than other breeds. However, the percentage of cats with detectable virus in feces was higher in breeds other than the Birman. Populations of both Birman cats and cats of other breeds had a high prevalence of FCoV infection; there was no statistical difference between the two groups. While differences in some blood parameters were noted, all, both Birman and non-Birman, were within normal reference ranges. The researchers speculate that these differences are breed related, but do not seem to correlate with FCoV infection.

No differences of biologic significance were noted among the various lymphocyte populations in any group of cats, whether Birman or non-Birman. Individual variations in cytokine levels were noted, but did not correlate with FIP development. Birman cats seemed to have a higher capability for cell-mediated immunity, which is critical for protection against FIP. The researchers speculate that poor cell-mediated immunity could induce the persistence of the virus in the host and ultimately this could increase the probability of mutation of the virus and subsequent development of FIP. [MK]

Related articles: Paltrinieri S, Comazzi S, Spagnolo V and Giordano A. Laboratory changes consistent with feline infectious peritonitis in cats from multicat environments. J Vet Med A Physiol Pathol Clin Med. 2002; 49: 503-10.

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Winn reviews new proposals for funding

The Winn grant review panel met on Feb. 11 in Houston, TX to review 44 proposals received for funding. Our reviewers are drawn from experts in veterinary medicine:

• Dr. Shila Nordone, North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine
• Dr. Patricia Gallo, THE Boston Cat Hospital, Boston, MA
• Dr. Brian Holub, Countryside Veterinary Hospital, Chelmsford, MA
• Dr. Margie Scherk, Cats INK, Vancouver, BC
• Dr. Vicki Thayer, Winn president
• Dr. Melissa Kennedy, University of Tennessee and Winn board member
• Dr. Susan Little, Bytown Cat Hospital, Ottawa, ON and Winn board member

The review panel choose the best proposals for funding based on their scientific merit, budgetary soundness, and potential impact on the health of all cats. The Winn board ratified the recommendations from the review panel at our board meeting on Feb. 12. Grants were awarded in several areas of feline medicine, including heart disease, FIP, cancer, kidney disease, and chronic pain.

Processing of the grant awards is underway and as soon as all applicants have been notified, Winn will announce the successful applicants and their projects. You can support these important feline health grants and invest in the future by donating to Winn.

Heart disease in cats

Nakamura RK, Rishniw M, King MK and Sammarco CD. Prevalence of echocardiographic evidence of cardiac disease in apparently healthy cats with murmurs. J Feline Med Surg. 2011; 13: 266-71.

(c) OBRA Comunicacao

Diagnostic decision-making can be a challenge for veterinary clinicians when presented with an apparently healthy adult cat with a heart murmur. Murmurs can be associated with cardiac disease, though studies have also identified benign causes of murmurs in cats. Auscultation alone will not differentiate the cause of the murmur and additional diagnostics are required. Feline murmurs can be inducible (apparent only upon physical provocation such as stress, fear, or pain) or non-inducible (continuously present). A high percentage of cats with inducible murmurs appear to have no evidence of structural heart disease. This study looked at 32 privately owned cats that were considered healthy based upon history and physical examination except for a heart murmur on auscultation. The authors found that 53% of these apparently healthy cats evaluated for a heart murmur had echocardiographic evidence of cardiac disease. Most of these cats had left ventricular concentric hypertrophy (LVCH) with a small minority identified with degenerative mitral valve disease. The cause of the murmur could not be determined in 50% of the cats. Therefore, based on this study, the presence of a murmur in an apparently healthy cat has an approximately equal chance of having a physiological cause versus being associated with cardiac disease. [VT]

Related articles:
Dirven MJ, Cornelissen JM, Barendse MA, van Mook MC and Sterenborg JA. Cause of heart murmurs in 57 apparently healthy cats. Tijdschr Diergeneeskd. 2010; 135: 840-7.

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Fecal parasites in cats

Lucio-Forster A and Bowman DD. Prevalence of fecal-borne parasites detected by centrifugal flotation in feline samples from two shelters in upstate New York. J Feline Med Surg. 2011; 13: 300-3.

Coccidia oocysts in a cat with diarrhea

Fecal samples from 1,322 cats from two shelters and affiliated foster homes in New York were processed for parasite detection over a 3.5-year period. All samples were processed by both zinc sulfate and sugar double centrifugal flotation. In slightly over half of the samples (50.9%), at least one parasite was detected upon microscopic examination. At least 18 different parasites ranging from 0.2% to 21% in prevalence were recovered in the process. The two most prevalent parasites in this study were Cystoisopora species and Toxocara cati (each had a prevalence of 21%). The next most prevalent was Giardia species cysts at 8.9%, followed by Aelurostrongylus abstrusus (the cat lungworm) at 6.2%. The remaining parasites were each found in less than 4% of the samples: taeniids, Cryptosporidium species, Ancylostoma species, Cheyletiella species, Dipylidium caninum, Otodectes species, Toxoplasma gondii, Sarcocystis species, Demodex and Spirometra species, Alaria species, and Felicola subrostratus. The study results indicate prevalence determination based solely on fecal examination is likely to underestimate the true prevalence of infection in the population. Many of the parasites detected in the study are acquired by predation, which is even possible in owned cats that have outdoor access or the potential for visits from mice, voles, and other transport hosts (fleas, etc.). These findings would support the recommendations that all pets, even those under routine veterinary care, should have at least one fecal examination and should be placed on year-around prevention for internal and external parasites. [VT]

Related articles:
Queen EV, Marks SL and Farver TB. Prevalence of selected bacterial and parasitic agents in feces from diarrheic and healthy control cats from Northern California. J Vet Intern Med. 2012; 26: 54-60.

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Rabies in the United States in 2010

Blanton JD, Palmer D, Dyer J and Rupprecht CE. Rabies surveillance in the United States during 2010. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2011; 239: 773-83.

Rabies vaccination in El Salvador

Rabies continues to be a worldwide problem and an important public health concern. In the U.S., wildlife is the most important source of the causative virus, but spillover into domestic species does occur. This report summarizes the occurrences of rabies in the U.S. during 2010. During that year, 48 states and Puerto Rico reported 6,154 rabid animals and 2 human rabies cases to the Centers for Disease Control, representing an 8% decrease from the 6,690 rabid animals and 4 human cases reported in 2009. Hawaii and Mississippi did not report any laboratory-confirmed rabid animals during 2010. Approximately 92% of reported rabid animals were wildlife species. Relative contributions by the major animal groups were as follows: 2,246 raccoons (36.5%), 1,448 skunks (23.5%), 1,430 bats (23.2%), 429 foxes (6.9%), 303 cats (4.9%), 71 cattle (1.1%), and 69 dogs (1.1%). Interestingly, compared to 2009, rabies decreased in all species except cats, where there was a 1% increase. This reinforces the importance of vaccination of all cats against rabies. Two cases of rabies involving humans were reported from Louisiana and Wisconsin in 2010. Louisiana reported an imported human rabies case involving a 19-year-old male migrant farm worker who had a history of a vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) bite received while in Mexico. This represents the first human rabies case reported in the U.S. confirmed to have been caused by a vampire bat rabies virus variant. [MK]

Related articles: 
Compendium of animal rabies prevention and control, 2011. National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, Inc. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2011 Nov 4;60(RR-6):1-17. Free full text article.

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Control of feral cat colonies

Mendes-de-Almeida F, Remy GL, Gershony LC, Rodrigues DP, Chame M and Labarthe NV. Reduction of feral cat (Felis catus Linnaeus 1758) colony size following hysterectomy of adult female cats. J Feline Med Surg. 2011; 13: 436-40.

The size of urban cat colonies is limited only by the availability of food and shelter. Population growth in urban cat colonies can challenge all known population control programs. In a number of population control situations, the resident population will initially be reduced but other feral cats could join the colony and increase numbers again. The authors tested a new population control method that consisted of performing a hysterectomy on all captured female cats over 6 months of age in a feral cat colony in Rio de Janeiro. They estimated the size of the colony and compared population from year to year with a method of capture-mark-release-recapture. Results indicated that the feral cat population remained constant from 2001 to 2004. Subsequently, there was a gradual decline in the estimated colony population in 2004 (40 cats), in 2006 (26 cats), and 2008 (17 cats) compared with the initial number found before the first intervention in 2001 (59 cats). The authors believe that a biannual program of feline population control by performing hysterectomies on sexually mature females will restrict growth of the free-roaming feral cat colony. This method reduced the number of kittens born in the colony and decreased the immigration of other feral cats into the colony. [VT]

Related articles:
Natoli E, Maragliano L, Cariola G, et al. Management of feral domestic cats in the urban environment of Rome (Italy). Prev Vet Med. 2006; 77: 180-5.

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