Volume 38: Issue 3

Introduction

Cyclosporine (CyA), a secreted fungal polypeptide discovered in 1972, has profound immunosuppressant properties in vitro and in vivo ¹ and has been used clinically to inhibit rejection of transplanted organs. More recently, because of its unique immunomodulating properties, CyA has been used in humans for the treatment of chronic asthma, membranous glomerulonephropathy, immune-mediated thrombocytopenia in children, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, lichen planus, and many other inflammatory dermatoses. ^2– ⁵

Cyclosporine is gaining wide use in veterinary medicine. In cats, CyA administration has successfully prolonged acceptance of renal allografts. ⁶ Cyclosporine has been used successfully for

Echocardiographic studies from 50 dogs with congenital subaortic stenosis were examined. The degree of concentric, left-ventricular hypertrophy as assessed by M-mode measurement demonstrated a positive relationship (P <0.05) to disease severity. However, the clinical utility of these measures is hindered by a large amount of individual variation (r²=0.243 to 0.473). Two-dimensional ultrasound was used to compare the cross-sectional area of the left-ventricular outflow tract to the cross-sectional area of the aortic root. The ratio of these two areas demonstrated a strong inverse relationship (P=0.001; r²=0.778) with disease severity. This ratio provides a method of estimating severity of disease by two-dimensional echocardiography.

Rapidly growing members of the genus Mycobacterium were most often associated with chronic (2 to 72 months), nonhealing skin lesions of dogs and cats. Mycobacterium fortuitum (M. fortuitum) was the most commonly isolated mycobacterium obtained from these lesions, although M. chelonae-abscessus and M. flavescens were occasionally encountered. Isolates were tested in vitro to various antimicrobial agents and found to be susceptible to amikacin (100% of the isolates), cefoxitin (93.8%), ciprofloxacin (75%), clarithromycin (71.4%), doxycycline (28.6%), erythromycin (6.2%), gentamicin (68.8%), kanamycin (75%), minocycline (81.3%), streptomycin (14.3%), tobramycin (43.8%), trimethoprim/sulfonamides (57.1%), and vancomycin (15.4%).

Fifty canine fecal samples were evaluated by five flotation procedures to compare the sensitivity of the zinc sulfate (ZnSO₄) centrifugation flotation test with ZnSO₄ flotation tests using benchtop incubation during the flotation period. One or more parasite species were detected in 40 samples. Results showed that centrifugation with ZnSO₄ solution was significantly more likely to detect a positive sample than benchtop procedures. The difference in procedures was due primarily to increased detection of Trichuris eggs and Giardia cysts by centrifugal flotation. No significant difference was seen in the ability of benchtop procedures to detect positive samples when tests sat either for 5 or 10 minutes before examination.

Severe Neurological Signs and Hypernatremia Secondary to Polyethylene Glycol Paintball Ingestion in a Dog

Bruce GravesDVM,

Jessica KielbDVM, DACVECC, and

Nolan ChalifouxDVM, MSTR, DACVECC

More Economical Use of Cyclosporine Through Combination Drug Therapy

Introduction

Two-Dimensional and M-Mode Echocardiographic Predictors of Disease Severity in Dogs With Congenital Subaortic Stenosis

Rapidly Growing Members of the Genus Mycobacterium Affecting Dogs and Cats

Evaluation of the Importance of Centrifugation as a Component of Zinc Sulfate Fecal Flotation Examinations

Cerebral Phaeohyphomycosis Caused by Cladosporium spp. in Two Domestic Shorthair Cats

Virucidal Efficacy of Four New Disinfectants

Familial Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus in Samoyed Dogs

Measurement of Capillary Blood Glucose Concentrations by Pet Owners: A New Tool in the Management of Diabetes Mellitus

S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine (SAMe) for the Treatment of Acetaminophen Toxicity in a Dog

Dystrophin-Deficient Muscular Dystrophy in a Labrador Retriever

Trigeminal Neuropathy in Dogs: A Retrospective Study of 29 Cases (1991–2000)

Positive Intraoperative Cultures and Canine Total Hip Replacement: Risk Factors, Periprosthetic Infection, and Surgical Success

Use of IMEX SK-Circular External Fixator Hybrid Constructs for Fracture Stabilization in Dogs and Cats

The Surgical Treatment of Cholelithiasis in Cats: A Study of Nine Cases

Table of Contents

Severe Neurological Signs and Hypernatremia Secondary to Polyethylene Glycol Paintball Ingestion in a Dog

The Effect of Time of Antimicrobial Administration on the Outcome of Septic Dogs

Hyperechoic Retroperitoneal Fat in a Cat with Systemic Coagulopathy

Myocarditis in a Dog Positive for Brucella canis

A Retrospective Study on Boar-Induced Trauma in 42 Dogs

Soft-Tissue Sarcomas in Dogs: A Review

Vascular Encephalopathy Associated With Bacterial Endocarditis in Four Dogs

The Use of Carbon Dioxide Laser for the Ablation of Meibomian Gland Adenomas in Dogs

Outcomes of Dogs Presented for Cataract Evaluation: A Retrospective Study

Nutritional Myths