Urinary phoretograms performed by capillary electrophoresis in dogs with chronic disease with or without Leishmania infantum infection

Hyperbetaglobulinemia, anaemia and thrombocytopenia in a domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo) associated to Leishmania infantum

Leishmaniosis in domestic ferrets is a vector-borne disease caused in Europe by the protozoan parasite Leishmania infantum. There is limited information on clinical signs and laboratory abnormalities in ferrets due to leishmaniosis. This clinical case report described a domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo) with severe hyperbetaglobulinemia, anaemia, thrombocytopenia, and abnormal renal parameters. A good clinical response following an anti-Leishmania infantum treatment protocol was achieved. However, the presence of pain at the site of injection was the main side effect due to meglumine antimoniate administration. Xanthine crystalluria was not observed in urine sediment with no other urine alterations detected by urine analysis during the follow-up. Initially, clinical signs noted in this ferret could not initially be attributed to leishmaniosis. However, no causes were found that could have caused the hyperglobulinemia in this patient. A reduction of the levels of anti-L. infantum serum antibodies and the concentrations of beta-globulin fraction was detected in this patient after anti-Leishmania treatment administered as well as the disappearance of thrombocytopenia. To extent of the knowledge of leishmaniosis in ferrets, this is the fourth case report of leishmaniosis documented in this species.

Urinary Electrophoretograms Performed by Capillary Electrophoresis: Comparison between Dogs and Cats

Electrophoresis of urine to evaluate different urinary proteins has been used in recent years in veterinary medicine, as it can be a useful laboratory tool in the early detection of kidney damage. However, urinary capillary electrophoresis (UCE) has not been reported in healthy cats. In healthy dogs, reference intervals have been established and can be compared with pathological samples as these provide an easily interpretable pattern. The electrophoretogram in this study is divided into five fractions (F1-F5) by serum (albumin; alpha₁-globulin; alpha₂-globulin; beta-globulin; and gamma-globulin). Urine samples from 14 healthy cats were obtained by eco-guided cystocentesis. UCE was run in all samples and compared to 123 dog electrophoretograms from a previously published study. Fraction 2 (alpha₁-globulin) was statistically decreased in cats (G₁) compared to dogs (G₂). Fraction 4 (beta-globulin) was statistically augmented in cats compared to the canine population (G₂). Fraction 5 (gamma-globulin) was statistically decreased in cats (G₁) compared to dogs (G₂). No statistical correlation was found between each cat's serum and urinary fractions. The results of the present study suggest that UCE patterns in cats are similar to the ones described in dogs. UCE can be a non-invasive new diagnostic tool in cats as pathological patterns can be compared to normal ones.