Effects of dehydration on echocardiographic diastolic parameters in healthy cats

Case report: A novel occurrence of persistent left cranial vena cava coexisting with polycystic kidney disease in a cat

A 7-year-old castrated male Munchkin cat was presented with anorexia. This cat had been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease due to polycystic kidney disease. Tachycardia with a systolic murmur (grade III/VI) was auscultated and for further diagnosis, echocardiography was performed. Based on echocardiography, persistent left cranial vena cava (PLCVC) was suspected due to enlargement of the coronary sinus and confirmed by saline contrast echocardiography. The dilated coronary sinus compressed the left atrium, and left ventricular hypertrophy with the systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve, aortic regurgitation, and mitral regurgitation were identified. After medical management using atenolol, left atrial function and other hemodynamics of the heart were improved, including the disappearance of regurgitation and normalization of left ventricular wall thickness. This case report describes the echocardiographic characteristics, diagnostic procedures, and disease progression in a cat with PLCVC after medical management using atenolol. Additionally, this is the first report of a cat with PLCVC, coexisting with polycystic kidney disease.

Characterization of preoperative cardiovascular status and association with outcome following feline renal allograft transplantation: 166 cases

OBJECTIVES

To retrospectively evaluate preoperative historical, biochemical, and cardiovascular screening data for predictors of survival to discharge and long-term survival in feline renal allograft recipients from 1 institution.

ANIMALS

166 cats that underwent renal transplantation at the University of Pennsylvania between 1998 and 2018.

PROCEDURES

Medical records were reviewed for preoperative historical information, biochemical data, and cardiac assessment including auscultation findings, pre- and postoperative systolic blood pressure measurements, thoracic radiographic evaluation, and echocardiographic measurements. The need for hemodialysis, the number of surgical procedures, native kidney biopsy diagnosis and survival time was also recorded. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to generate survival plots and estimate median survival times with a 95% CI. Univariable and multivariable analysis were performed to determine variables that were independently associated with survival to discharge and long-term survival.

RESULTS

The patient population primarily consisted of adult male DSH cats (70%) diagnosed with IRIS stage 4 CKD (66.3%). Abnormalities identified on preoperative cardiac assessment, including hypertension, the presence of a murmur, echocardiographic changes, and radiographic signs of congestive heart failure, were not associated with survival to discharge or long-term survival. Age was the only single significant variable associated with survival, and the risk of death increased by 11% (95% CI, 6% to 17%) for every 1 year in patient age.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

The presence of cardiac abnormalities identified during the screening process of cats presenting for transplantation should not immediately exclude a potential candidate for the procedure. Owners considering transplantation should be educated on the impact of age on survival following surgery.

The Urinary Hormonal State of Cats Associated With Social Interaction With Humans

Research to assess the relationship between cats and humans is in a nascent stage. Some studies have assessed the stress status in cats using physiological indicators, such as the cortisol hormone, but have not focused on the social interaction with humans. Moreover, the role of oxytocin secretion in the relationship between cats and humans remains unclear. In this study, we determined the possibility of quantifying the urinary concentration of oxytocin in cats and assessed the effects of social contact with humans on the levels of urinary oxytocin and cortisol metabolite. Four cats were subjected to two conditions, namely, social (control), and non-social (no social contact with humans) conditions. The levels of cortisol and oxytocin metabolite in urine samples from the cats in both conditions were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The urinary concentrations of cortisol and oxytocin under the non-social condition were significantly higher than those under the social condition. In addition, the concentration of oxytocin significantly correlated with that of cortisol in cats under the non-social condition. In this study, it was possible to quantify the concentration of oxytocin in the urine of cats, and the obtained results suggest that cats recognize the social interaction with humans as important. This information might contribute to the establishment of an assessment method for the welfare of cats and might help in clarifying the relationship between cats and humans.

The use of echocardiography as a health assessment tool in green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas)

There are limited techniques available to assess the health of sea turtles as physical examination has little correlation to clinical findings, and blood reference intervals are broad and provide limited prognostic significance. Advances in the portability of ultrasound machines allow echocardiography to be increasingly used in the health assessments of wild animals. This study performed blood analysis and echocardiograms on 11 green sea turtles upon admission to a rehabilitation clinic and six animals before release. Significant differences were seen between groups, with admission animals having significantly smaller diameters of the cavum arteriosum at systole and diastole, smaller E-waves and an increased fractional shortening. Pre-release animals displayed significant increases in the maximum blood velocities of both the pulmonary artery and the left aorta. Significant negative correlations were seen between fractional shortening and uric acid and between the velocity time integral of the pulmonary artery and urea. The pulmonary artery velocity time integral was also significantly correlated to the E wave. Furthermore, there was asynchrony between the cavum arteriosum and the cavum pulmonale and the detection of a parasitic granuloma in the ventricular outflow tract of one animal. Overall, the results suggest that cardiac function in stranded green sea turtles is significantly impaired and that echocardiography has applications in the health assessments of green sea turtles.

ACVIM consensus statement guidelines for the classification, diagnosis, and management of cardiomyopathies in cats

Cardiomyopathies are a heterogeneous group of myocardial disorders of mostly unknown etiology, and they occur commonly in cats. In some cats, they are well‐tolerated and are associated with normal life expectancy, but in other cats they can result in congestive heart failure, arterial thromboembolism or sudden death. Cardiomyopathy classification in cats can be challenging, and in this consensus statement we outline a classification system based on cardiac structure and function (phenotype). We also introduce a staging system for cardiomyopathy that includes subdivision of cats with subclinical cardiomyopathy into those at low risk of life‐threatening complications and those at higher risk. Based on the available literature, we offer recommendations for the approach to diagnosis and staging of cardiomyopathies, as well as for management at each stage.