Background
Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) and Iloprost inhibit platelet aggregation and should prevent or minimize preanalytic error with feline platelet enumeration.
Objectives
The objective was to compare ...the relative effectiveness in reducing errors in platelet enumeration by adding Iloprost to feline EDTA blood specimens in comparison to adding PGE1 or EDTA alone. In addition, a grading system for platelet aggregation in blood smears was evaluated for effectiveness in predicting prominent errors and compared to ADVIA's PLT‐CLM flag. Finally, the use of plateletcrit in feline blood with platelet aggregation was evaluated.
Methods
Blood specimens from 35 cats were included. Blood was collected into EDTA tubes with or without Iloprost or PGE1, and was rapidly mixed. Platelet count (PLT), plateletcrit (PCT), mean platelet volume (MPV), and platelet flags were determined with an ADVIA 2120. Manual PLT was performed with a Leucoplate stain. PLT was determined by an IDEXX VetAutoread hematology analyzer (QBC).
Results
Neither addition of Iloprost nor PGE1 to EDTA blood specimens completely prevented platelet aggregation. Iloprost‐treated specimens had the least severe aggregation. PGE1 was better than EDTA alone. Significant errors in PLT results were consistently identified by the grading system. ADVIA's PLT‐CL flag usually predicted significant errors in PLT. QBC PLT results showed high imprecision. Manual PLT error was smaller than ADVIA PLT in EDTA specimens with aggregation.
Conclusions
Adding Iloprost to feline blood specimens improved platelet enumeration accuracy. A grading system for severity of platelet aggregation and usually the ADVIA's PLT‐CL alarm predicted specimens with significant errors in platelet enumeration.
Prednisolone is used for treatment of inflammatory, allergic, neoplastic, and immune-mediated diseases in dogs. As a glucocorticoid, prednisolone has biochemical effects, which may interfere with the ...interpretation of biochemistry test results. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of prednisolone treatment in an anti-inflammatory dose on common biochemical analytes in dogs and to evaluate the clinical relevance of the changes. Ten beagle dogs, enrolled in a cross-over study, were treated with oral prednisolone (1 mg/kg 24 h) for 10 days. Blood samples were collected at day 0, 1, 3, 6, 9, 10, 12, 16, and 20. Data was analyzed using a general linear model with time and treatment as fixed factors. Pairwise comparisons were done between prednisolone and control period for each dog and sampling. Significant results were further evaluated for clinical relevance using laboratory-specific reference intervals and reference change values (RCVs), when available. Statistically significant changes were observed for ALP activity and iron concentration, which increased to levels exceeding the RCV, and several results were outside reference intervals. Phosphate and bile acids increased significantly, while amylase, lipase, and cholesterol decreased significantly, but with mean/median results remaining within reference intervals. Anti-inflammatory prednisolone treatment did not induce significant changes in ALT, GLDH, GGT, cPLI, glucose, or calcium. Treatment with an anti-inflammatory dose of prednisolone induced changes in several analytes. Only the increases in ALP and iron were of such magnitude that they are expected to affect the clinical interpretation of test results.
Glucocorticoids such as prednisolone are commonly used in dogs but there is sparse quantitative pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic information of this drug in this species. The objective of this ...study was to quantitatively characterize the concentration-effect relationship for prednisolone in dogs on neutrophil and lymphocyte trafficking and cortisol suppression. Nine beagles, 2–12 years old and part of a group for teaching/research were used in a 4-way crossover experiment including two treatments, active or placebo, administered either
per os
(PO) or intravenously (IV). Plasma was analyzed for prednisolone and cortisol using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography – tandem mass spectrometry. Leucocyte counts were performed in whole blood. Data was then analyzed by non-linear mixed effect modeling to estimate pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic parameters. After administration of prednisolone sodium succinate IV, the typical value (between subject variation) for total body prednisolone clearance was 1,370 ml/h·kg (13.4%). The volumes of the central and peripheral compartment were 2,300 ml/kg (10.7%) and 600 ml/kg (16.0%), respectively. The terminal plasma half-life was 1.7 h. The prednisolone plasma concentration producing 50% of the maximum response was 10 ng/mL (90.3%), 22.5 ng/ml (52.3%) and 0.04 ng/mL (197.3%) for neutrophil, lymphocyte and cortisol response, respectively. The administered dose (1 mg/kg) increased neutrophil and decreased lymphocyte numbers but not over the entire dosage interval of 24 h, due to the short half-life. However, glucocorticoids have a wide range of responses. An anti-inflammatory response due to altered gene transcription might have a longer duration. Future studies on the anti-inflammatory potency together with data presented are needed to optimize future dosage recommendations in dogs.
Background: The Sysmex XT‐2000iV is a laser‐based, flow cytometric hematology system that has been introduced for use in large and referral veterinary laboratories.
Objective: The purpose of this ...study was to validate the Sysmex XT‐2000iV for counting erythrocytes, reticulocytes, platelets, and total leukocytes in blood from ill dogs, cats, and horses.
Methods: Blood samples from diseased animals (133 dogs, 65 cats, and 73 horses) were analyzed with the Sysmex XT‐2000iV and the CELL‐DYN 3500. Manual reticulocyte counts were done on an additional 98 canine and 14 feline samples and manual platelet counts were done on an additional 73 feline and 55 canine samples, and compared with automated Sysmex results.
Results: Hemoglobin concentration, RBC counts, and total WBC counts on the Sysmex were highly correlated with those from the CELL‐DYN (r≥0.98). Systematic differences occurred for MCV and HCT. MCHC was poorly correlated in all species (r=0.33–0.67). The Sysmex impedance platelet count in dogs was highly correlated with both the impedance count from the CELL‐DYN (r=0.99) and the optical platelet count from the Sysmex (r=0.98). The Sysmex optical platelet count included large platelets, such that in samples from cats, the results agreed better with manual platelet counts than with impedance platelet counts on the Sysmex. Canine reticulocyte counts on the Sysmex correlated well (r=0.90) with manual reticulocyte counts. Feline reticulocyte counts on the Sysmex correlated well with aggregate (r=0.86) but not punctate (r=0.50) reticulocyte counts.
Conclusion: The Sysmex XT‐2000iV performed as well as the CELL‐DYN on blood samples from dogs, cats, and horses with a variety of hematologic abnormalities. In addition, the Sysmex detected large platelets and provided accurate reticulocyte counts.
Biological variation (BV) of urinary (U) biochemical analytes has not been described in absolute terms, let alone as a ratio of the U-creatinine or fractional excretion in healthy dogs. These ...analytes are potential diagnostic tools for different types of kidney damage and electrolyte disorders in dogs.
We aimed to investigate the BV of specific gravity, osmolality, creatinine, urea, protein, glucose, chloride, sodium, potassium, calcium, and phosphate in urine from healthy pet dogs.
Blood and urine samples from 13 dogs were collected once weekly for 8 weeks. Samples were analyzed in duplicate and in randomized order. For each sample, U-analyte and serum concentrations were measured, and U-analyte/U-creatinine and fractional excretion (FE) were calculated. Components of variance, estimated by restricted maximum likelihood, were used to determine within-subject variation (CV
), between-subject variation (CV
), and analytical variation (CV
). Index of individuality (II) and reference change values were calculated.
CV
for all urine analytes varied between 12.6% and 35.9%, except for U-sodium, U-sodium/U-Cr, and FE-sodium, which had higher CV
s (59.5%-60.7%). For U-protein, U-sodium, U-potassium, U-sodium/U-creatinine, FE-urea, FE-glucose, FE-sodium, FE-potassium, and FE-phosphate II were low, indicating that population-based RIs were appropriate. The remaining analytes had an intermediate II, suggesting that population-based RIs should be used with caution.
This study presents information on the biological variation of urinary and serum biochemical analytes from healthy dogs. These data are important for an appropriate interpretation of laboratory results.
Background
Macrothrombocytopenia is a well‐known anomaly in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (CKCSs), a breed also highly predisposed to develop myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD). ...Thromboelastography (TEG) has been shown to be a valuable instrument for whole blood hemostatic evaluation in dogs and correlates well with different physiologic and pathologic situations.
Objectives
We aimed to assess the influence of macrothrombocytopenia and the severity of MMVD on hemostatic function as measured by TEG.
Methods
Associations between TEG variables (R, K, α, MA, and G) and dog characteristics, heart rates, systolic blood pressures, MMVD severities (healthy, mild or moderate, and severe), echocardiographic variables, platelet variables (platelet count, mean platelet volume MPV, and plateletcrit), and hematocrits were evaluated in 47 prospectively recruited privately owned CKCSs. Blood samples were analyzed using a computerized thromboelastograph and an Advia 2120 hematology analyzer.
Results
Univariable and multiple regression analyses showed an effect of left ventricular (LV) fractional shortening (FS%) on all TEG variables, an effect of LV FS% and age on TEG α, and an effect of LV FS% and MPV on TEG MA and TEG G. TEG MA and G increased with increasing MPV, but the associations were generally weak. No significant differences were detected in the TEG variables between the MMVD severity groups.
Conclusion
Macrothrombocytopenia and increased LV FS%, of which the latter commonly increases in various positive inotropic states, were both associated with a more hypercoagulable hemostatic system, according to the TEG results, in the present study.
Background: For differential leukocyte counts, automated blood smear evaluation systems have been too slow or inaccurate to replace or supplement the manual differential count. The CellaVision ...DM96Vision (DM96V), a new instrument, is an automated image analysis system that is rapid and accurate enough to be used for enumerating human leukocytes and may be useful for analysis of canine blood.
Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate the performance of the DM96V in differential counting of canine leukocytes, to compare its performance with that of other methods, and to analyze interoperator variability.
Methods: Four methods of determining the leukocyte differential count of 108 canine blood samples were compared based on agreement, precision, and errors as well as relative performance. Differential counts were obtained using the DM96V, the manual method, and automated methods performed by the Advia 2120 and Sysmex XT‐2000iV.
Results: All leukocyte types were detected by the DM96V and the manual method, and all 4 methods had similar mean and median results in most cases. The automated methods were more precise than either the DM96V or manual method when comparing identification of a single type of leukocyte, especially neutrophils and lymphocytes. However, precision of the automated methods was only fair for monocytes, and the Advia and Sysmex failed to identify basophils. The Advia reported fewer monocytes and eosinophils than did the other methods. Significantly fewer lymphocytes were identified by the manual method than by the Sysmex, Advia, and DM96V. The DM96V occasionally presented duplicate images of the same neutrophils.
Conclusions: The CellaVision DM96V is a satisfactory system for facilitating canine differential leukocyte counting. The DM96V differential count was more similar to the manual count than to automated counts, which were more precise but had errors and omissions in detecting some types of leukocytes.
Objectives
The aims of this study were to assess the potential associations between the serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI) concentration in healthy cats and feline characteristics, systolic blood ...pressure, heart rate (HR), echocardiographic measurements and storage time; and to compare cTnI concentrations in healthy cats with concentrations in cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), with or without left atrial enlargement (LAE) and in cats with HCM, to assess potential associations between cTnI concentration and echocardiographic variables.
Methods
Cardiac TnI was analysed using an Abbott ARCHITECT ci16200 analyser in serum from prospectively included healthy Norwegian Forest Cat (NF; n = 33), Birman (n = 33) and domestic shorthair (DSH; n = 30) cats, and from 39 cats with HCM, with or without LAE.
Results
In healthy cats, higher cTnI concentrations were found in Birman cats than in NF cats (P = 0.014) and in neutered male cats than in intact females (P = 0.032). Cardiac TnI was positively associated with HR (P <0.0001). In cats with HCM, cTnI concentration was positively associated with left ventricular wall thickness and with left atrial-to-aortic root ratio (all P ⩽0.010). Cats with HCM had higher cTnI concentrations than healthy cats, and cTnI concentrations were higher in cats with HCM and LAE than in those with HCM without LAE (all P = 0.0003).
Conclusions and relevance
Breed and sex may affect serum cTnI concentrations in healthy cats. The cTnI concentration increased with increasing severity of HCM.
A 10‐year‐old golden retriever bitch was treated for diarrhea and vomiting that lasted about 1 month without a specific diagnosis until a hepatic biopsy provided a histopathologic diagnosis of ...lymphoma. The dog was referred to the Swedish University of Agricultural Science and treated with one dose of l‐asparaginase. The day after chemotherapy, the urine was dark yellow, very turbid, and had large amounts of small amorphous crystals and many casts made of similar appearing material identified by infrared spectroscopy to be 100% uric acid dihydrate. Serum uric acid was elevated at 224 μmol/L (RI 0‐59). The dog's illness became worse after chemotherapy. Lymphoma treatment was not continued, and the dog was euthanized 9 days after the l‐asparaginase treatment. Among other problems were persistent proteinuria with a urine protein‐to‐creatinine ratio of 2.3 and severe hypoalbuminemia. Serum protein electrophoresis performed 3 weeks prior to chemotherapy indicated hyperproteinemia (total protein 78 g/L) having a biclonal gammopathy with 35 g/L β‐2 globulins and 11 g/L γ globulins. Despite prominent cylinduria and crystalluria, the patient did not develop azotemia or isosthenuria.
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