Geriatric Dogs Research Articles

An analysis of time trends for canine heartworm disease in Grenada and its associated risk factors based on veterinary clinical pathology laboratory data base records between 2003 and 2015

Canine heartworm (CHW) disease is a common parasitic infection in dogs in the Caribbean islands. However, studies on temporal trends and risk factors are limited for this region. This study represents the time trends in laboratory prevalence and risk factors of canine heartworm infections between 2003 and 2015.In this case series, 662 cases of laboratory-diagnosed heartworm were compared to 662 dogs without a laboratory diagnosis of heartworm (controls). One hundred and seventy two frozen serum positive samples were later analyzed for heartworm antigens using Heska solo® Step CH, and all 172 cases of microfilariae were confirmed as Dirofilaria immitis. Annual prevalence, linear trends and odds ratios (OR) for CHW were estimated using EPIINFO version 7 at a significance level of α = 0.05. Logistic regression was used to assess the association of CHW with variables showing a statistically significant univariate relationship.Laboratory prevalence of CHW decreased from 72 cases per 1000 dogs per year in 2003 to 15 cases per 1000 dogs per year in 2015 [X2 for linear trend = 151.8, p < 0.0001], with the occurrence of an epidemic of CHW between 2008 and 2010.The odds of CHW were higher among adult dogs [(OR) = 3.9 (95% CI, 2.9–7.0)] and geriatric dogs [OR = 2.1 (95% CI, 1.1–4.3)] compared to puppies. The odds of CHW were higher [OR = 1.3 (95% CI, 1.1–1.6)] among male dogs than female dogs, but the odds for CHW were lower among neutered dogs [OR = 0.4 (95% CI, 0.2 – 0.6)] compared to intact dogs. The odds of a dog being diagnosed with CHW were elevated [OR = 4.1 (95% CI, 3.2–5.2)] during the dry season compared to the rainy season.Our findings show that canine heartworm is extensive in laboratory submissions in Grenada. However, the laboratory prevalence of CHW decreased between 2003 and 2015, with an epidemic occurring between 2008 and 2010. Age of the dog, sex, neutered status, and seasonality of diagnosis were significantly associated CHW in Grenada.

Interthalamic adhesion size in aging dogs with presumptive spontaneous brain microhemorrhages: a comparative retrospective MRI study of dogs with and without evidence of canine cognitive dysfunction.

ObjectiveSpontaneous brain microhemorrhages in elderly people are present to some degree in Alzheimer’s disease patients but have been linked to brain atrophy in the absence of obvious cognitive decline. Brain microhemorrhages have recently been described in older dogs, but it is unclear whether these are associated with brain atrophy. Diminution of interthalamic adhesion size-as measured on MRI or CT-has been shown to be a reliable indicator of brain atrophy in dogs with canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD) in comparison with successfully aging dogs. We hypothesized that aging dogs with brain microhemorrhages presenting for neurologic dysfunction but without obvious features of cognitive decline would have small interthalamic adhesion measurements, like dogs with CCD, compared with control dogs. The objective of this study was to compare interthalamic adhesion size between three groups of aging (>9 years) dogs: (1) neurologically impaired dogs with presumptive spontaneous brain microhemorrhages and no clinical evidence of cognitive dysfunction (2) dogs with CCD (3) dogs without clinical evidence of encephalopathy on neurologic examination (control dogs). MR images from 52 aging dogs were reviewed and measurements were obtained of interthalamic adhesion height (thickness) and mid-sagittal interthalamic adhesion area for all dogs, in addition to total brain volume. Interthalamic adhesion measurements, either absolute or normalized to total brain volume were compared between groups. Signalment (age, breed, sex), body weight, presence and number of SBMs, as well as other abnormal MRI findings were recorded for all dogs.ResultsAll interthalamic adhesion measurement parameters were significantly (P < 0.05) different between control dogs and affected dogs. Both dogs with cognitive dysfunction (12/15; 80%) and dogs with isolated brain microhemorrhages had more microhemorrhages than control dogs (3/25; 12%). Affected dogs without cognitive dysfunction had significantly more microhemorrhages than dogs with cognitive dysfunction. In addition to signs of cognitive impairment for the CCD group, main clinical complaints for SBM and CCD dogs were referable to central vestibular dysfunction, recent-onset seizure activity, or both. Geriatric dogs with spontaneous brain microhemorrhages without cognitive dysfunction have similar MRI abnormalities as dogs with cognitive dysfunction but may represent a distinct disease category.

Bacterial infection before and after stent placement in dogs with tracheal collapse syndrome.

BackgroundDogs with tracheal stents often have positive airway bacterial cultures. The pathogenicity of these organisms and risk factors for infection have not been investigated.ObjectiveDescribe bacterial infection in dogs with tracheal collapse before and after tracheal stent placement.AnimalsFifty‐three client‐owned dogs.MethodsRetrospective review of medical records of dogs receiving tracheal stents with thoracic radiographs, tracheoscopy, and endotracheal lavage.ResultsThere was no difference between the overall prevalence of dogs with positive bacterial cultures before (31/38; 82%) or after stent placement (24/31; 77%) (P = .67). An increased number of geriatric (17/28; 61%) and traditional‐type collapse (TTC) (16/26; 62%) dogs had positive pathogenic airway infections before stent placement, compared to young (8/25; 32%; P = .04) and malformation‐type collapse (MTC) dogs (9/27; 33%; P = .04). After tracheal stent placement, geriatric dogs had a 52% reduction in pathogenic bacteria infection frequency (P = .02) and dogs with TTC had a 56% reduction in pathogenic bacteria infection frequency (P = .01). Significant risk factors for pathogenic infection included a history of pneumonia (OR = 3.6; 95% CI, 0.28‐43.36) and cardiac disease (OR = 1.25; 95% CI, 0.16‐9.92) in geriatric dogs, and hepatomegaly in young dogs (OR = 1.5; 95% CI, 0.12‐19.44).Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceTracheal stent placement does not increase the overall rate of pathogenic bacterial infection in dogs with tracheal collapse and can decrease the rate of subsequent pathogenic infections in geriatric dogs and dogs with TTC that require tracheal stenting. Airway culture and cytology should be performed in all dogs undergoing tracheal stent placement.

Clinico-pathological characterization of chronic renal diseases in geriatric dogs

The prevalence of chronic kidney diseases (CKD) is higher in geriatric population than in the general population. CKD in dogs is influenced by a complex relationship among various factors including environmental stress, imbalanced diet, genotypic ground, hyperparathyroidism and affections related to cardio-renal axis. The necropsy investigation of CKD suspected dogs in this study has explored the evidences of progressive bone lesions (Osteodystrophy fibrosa), palatine erosions, stomach ulcers, renal tissue affections (chronic nephritis, hydronephrosis, atrophy), urolithiasis and prostate enlargement. Apart from oral, stomach, intestinal, bone, lungs and prostate lesions, the renal lesions were pronounced especially in aged dogs. Grossly, kidneys of the affected dogs exhibited indented, contracted and pale appearance. Histological lesions documented in the renal tissues of geriatric dogs included degenerative changes in the renal tubules, mineralization of tubular and glomerular basement membranes, glomerulosclerosis and fibrosis of interstitial tissue along with mononuclear cells (MNCs) infiltration particularly macrophages, lymphocytes and plasma cells. Microscopic examination of the tissue collected from mandibular area depicted the presence of increased osteoclastic activity and resorption of osseous tissue with collagen. This study suggests that CKDs in geriatric dogs is associated with age and complicated by various related factors. The adverse effects of renal dysfunction in dogs with advancing age can be reversed via early diagnosis and mitigation of factors associated with CKDs. Further efforts are needed to derive a correlation between multifactorial etiologies associated with CKD in dogs.

Clinico-Diagnostic Studies on Acquired Heart Diseases in Geriatric Dogs

A clinical study to investigate certain systemic diseases in geriatric dogs was conducted in 172 geriatric dogs including 10 apparently healthy dogs. The dogs which were suspected for acquired heart diseases based on history and clinical signs subjected to electrocardiography, thoracic radiography, and echocardiographic examination for confirmatory diagnosis. Out of 172 geriatric dogs screened, 39 dogs were diagnosed with acquired heart diseases (24.68 %). Acquired heart diseases diagnosed in the study were mitral valve insufficiency in 17 dogs(43.58%), dilated cardiomyopathy in 7 dogs (17.94%), tricuspid valve insufficiency in 8 dogs (20.51%), pericardial effusion in 4 dogs (10.5%), and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in 3 dogs(7.6%).

The anesthetic effect of propofol or etomidate in geriatric dogs premedicated with butorphanol and diazepam

The anesthetic effect of propofol or etomidate in geriatric dogs premedicated with butorphanol and diazepam

Estudo da prevalência de arritmias em cães afetados por doença valvar mitral

The mitral valve disease is considered more common heart disease between dogs, and affected in the most geriatric and small size dogs. The most affected breeds are, Poodle, Pinscher, Yorkshire Terrier, Fox Terrier, among others. The general signs related to heart disease are cough, tachypnea and lethargic. Another common disorder is arrhythmia, basically related to origin or conduction alterations of electric impulses. Both disorders can be associated in the same patient, which makes necessary the realization of complementary tests for earlier diagnosis and placement of appropriate therapy for the dog, such as, chest radiography, electrocardiogram and echocardiogram. The aim of this paper was to observe, by means of cases retrospective study, the relationship between mitral valve disease and different cardiac rhythms. It was possible observe that alterations in cardiac rhythms are closely linked with activating of neurohormonal compensatory mechanism of organism due to cardiac remodeling caused for mitral valve disease.

Assessment of alterations in biochemical exams indicative of renal and hepatic function concerning sex and in elderly and geriatric dogs - a retrospective study between 2015 and 2017 in Joinville - SC

The population of geriatric animals has grown considerably in the last years, consequently, the number of visits in the veterinary clinical routine of these animals also showed a strong increase. As a useful tool in the diagnosis of diseases or even for the monitoring of animal health, blood tests are aimed at identifying changes that may be a reflection of some pathological process. Within the blood analyzes, the biochemical profile, if correctly interpreted, gives references regarding the clinical state of an animal, as well as its nutritional balance, immunological status, follow-up of treatments and prognoses. Due to the importance of biochemical parameters in the diagnosis of diseases, especially in the geriatric population, the objective of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of alterations in biochemical tests that indicate changes in the renal and hepatic functions of elderly dogs and to classify them in relation to gender and age. For this, biochemical exams were collected in two laboratories in the city and the age of the animals was screened, followed by screenings for liver and kidney alterations and another for sex. The most frequent alteration in the population of geriatric and senior dogs was Alkaline Phosphatase with 50.8% (2.206 / 4.341) and 41.6% (979 / 2.352), respectively. The second analyte with the highest frequency of changes was Urea with 44.2% (1,923 / 4,341) in geriatric dogs and 29.9% (705 / 2.352) in senior dogs. The relevance of sex in relation to age was significant in Alkaline Phosphatase and Urea markers.

Monitoring geriatric dogs after intravenous gadolinium-containing contrast media administration for magnetic resonance imaging

Monitoring geriatric dogs after intravenous gadolinium-containing contrast media administration for magnetic resonance imaging

Use of beds by laboratory beagles

Abstract Comfortable resting areas for laboratory dogs have been recommended by many authors and by the European Directive 2010/63/EU. They are particularly important for geriatric dogs for age- and health-related reasons. Systematic research in this area has not been done. Therefore, we conducted an orientation study on the use of dog beds. In preliminary choice tests with 12 laboratory dogs (three groups), initial information was collected regarding dog bed properties such as size, elevation, and filling material. Subsequently, nine elderly laboratory dogs (three groups) were provided with dog beds filled with fleece blankets, either placed on the ground or elevated. The preliminary choice tests indicated a preference for soft bedding. Further studies would be necessary to confirm our preliminary results with a larger sample. The herein observed elderly dogs intensively used the resting places, especially at night, and rarely slept on the floor. The beds were used on average for 83% of the 10 hours dark phase when located on floor level. In contrast, beds that were elevated at a height of 30 cm were used 21% of the 10 hours dark phase. According to the results, we recommend a padded, soft bed which is easily accessible, especially for elderly dogs. Because of differences in preference among the groups, we further recommend providing a variety of options so that the animals have a choice.

Prevalence and risk factors of “cognitive dysfunction syndrome” in geriatric dogs in Tehran

Abstract The purpose of this study was to detect prevalence and risk factors of “cognitive dysfunction syndrome” (CDS) in geriatric dogs in Tehran. CDS is a neurodegenerative condition affecting geriatric dogs, which affects multiple aspects of behavioral function. This study was performed on total of 234 client-owned dogs (7-16 years old). A questionnaire to assess behaviors and a canine cognitive dysfunction rating (CCDR) scale were used. Other potential risk factors including dog's age, sex, breed, body condition score, reproductive status, type of food intake, and type of medication were assessed at the time of questionnaire completion. Scores > 50 on the CCDR scale were indicative of canine cognitive dysfunction. The results of the statistical analysis showed that 21 dogs had CCDR scores greater than 50. Thus, in this study, the prevalence of CDS based on the CCDR scale was 8.9% (21/234). There were no significant differences between risk factors with CDS in this study. The results of this study suggested a low prevalence of CDS in senior dogs (older than 7 years) in Tehran; however, practitioners should consider routine screening for cognitive change in all aging dogs.

General Anesthesia in Geriatric Dogs with Propofol-Isoflurane, PropofolSevoflurane, Alphaxalone-Isoflurane, Alphaxalone-Sevoflurane and Their Comparison of Biochemical, Hemodynamic and Cardiopulmonary Effects

Background: Geriatric is defined as the life-cycle in which the physical state, organ functions, sensory functions, mental function and immunity progressively regress. Aging causes progressive and irreversible changes in the functional capacities of organ systems, which in turn alter the response to stress and anesthetic drugs. Propofol is an anesthetic agent with sedative and hypnotic effects. Anesthesia induction with propofol is fast and smooth. Alphaxalone (3α-hydroxy-5α-pregnane11,20-dione) is a central nervous system depressant in the form of synthetic neuroactive steroids. This allows anesthesia and muscle relaxation by increasing the inhibition of gamma amino butyric acid type A (GABA) receptors. The aim of this study is to compare effects of propofol-isoflurane and propofol-sevoflurane with relatively a new anesthetic combination alphaxalone-isoflurane and alphaxalone-sevoflurane on hematological, biochemical and physiological parameters.Materials, Methods &amp; Results: Dogs were randomly divided into 4 groups and anesthesia protocols were applied. After induction of anesthesia with 6 mg/kg propofol in groups 1 and 2, isoflurane anesthesia was continued in group 1 and sevoflurane in group 2. After induction of 3 mg/kg alphaxalone anesthesia in groups 3 and 4, isoflurane anesthesia was continued in group 3 whereas sevoflurane in group 4. Vena cephalica was catheterized for blood collection. At the preanesthetic period, 15, 30, 45, 60 min and 60 min after the anesthesia, complete blood counts were performed. Serum ALT, AST, urea, creatinine values were measured during preanesthesia, perianesthesia 15-30 min and 60 min after anesthesia. Cardiopulmonary parameters and reflexes were evaluated before anesthesia and recorded at perianesthetic 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, 60 min and 60 min after full recovery. Patients were monitored during anesthesia. The average age of the dogs in the study was 10.83. All of the dogs were anesthetized in a few seconds with intravenous injection of propofol or alphaxalone. During anesthesia the respiratory rate (fR) was recorded by counting the movements of the reservoir bag. A pulse oximeter was used to monitor pulse rate (fH) and haemoglobin oxygen saturation (SpO2). Body temperature was measured from rectum with a thermometer. Geriatric dogs were anesthetized for a variety of clinical reasons, concerning laparatomy (12.5%), orthopedic (7.5%), soft tissue (60%), dental (10%) and ophthalmologic surgery (10%). Duration of anesthesia was 94.44 (± 12.6) for group I, 81(± 10.54) for group II, 93.88 (± 11.6) for group III and 64.5 (± 3.97) min for group IV. Serum urea and creatinine concentrations were not significantly different in the four groups.Discussion: The mean duration of anesthesia recovery was 6.0 ± 2.0 in group 1, 4.6 ± 1.45 in group 2, 3.7 ± 1.23 in group 3 and 9.7 ± 3.09 min in group 4. In group 4 recovery was longer than other groups and statistically significant (P &lt; 0.05). In our research, the recovery is shorter in the isoflurane treated groups than in the sevoflurane treated groups. When the effect of different groups on heart rate was examined, the difference between them was not significant. Duration and depth of the anesthesia with propofol-isoflurane, propofol-sevoflurane, alphaxalone–isoflurane and alphaxalone-sevoflurane were found to be satisfactory for surgery. Four anesthetic agents applied in geriatric dogs did not adversely affected the hematological and biochemical parameters. In conclusion anesthesia on geriatric dogs after induction of propofol and alphaxalone maintained with isoflurane or sevoflurane found to be safe. However, they did not provide analgesia in painful operations, so it would be appropriate to use analgesics in the pre or intraoperative period.

Do dog owners recognise behavioural indicators of canine cognitive dysfunction and can environmental enrichment techniques slow its progression?

Background: Veterinary professionals have seen a rise in geriatric patients suffering from canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD). Previous literature has supported the use of environmental enrichment therapies which have been considered to reduce the progression of cognitive decline in CCD. However, CCD is commonly undiagnosed within the companion dog population. Aim: To determine whether owners of older dogs are able to notice behavioural changes, and in addition, explore knowledge around the term environmental enrichment which may help owners slow the progression of CCD through further education. Method: The study involved quantitative research using a questionnaire with 11 questions. Data were subsequently statistically analysed. Of the participants 16 worked within a veterinary practice, 52 were customers visiting a pet shop and 39 respondents formed a web survey group predominantly of veterinary professionals. Results: Owners of geriatric dogs working within a veterinary-related field were more likely to notice behavioural changes possibly associated with CCD compared with the average owner of a geriatric dog, and were also more likely to understand the term environmental enrichment. Conclusion: This study informs the veterinary field that improved education strategies implemented within nurse clinics may help pet owners recognise behavioural indicators of CCD, and treatment recommendations may assist in slowing the progression of CCD in geriatric dogs.

Intravascular neoplastic cells in canine cutaneous plasmacytomas.

We evaluated 134 cutaneous plasmacytomas in 125 dogs submitted to the University of Tennessee surgical biopsy service between 2009 and 2012 to determine whether the presence of intravascular neoplastic cells had prognostic significance. Tumors occurred in middle-aged to geriatric dogs (range: 5-16 y, mean: 9.6 y) and most frequently involved the skin of the head and distal limbs. Diagnoses were made based on light microscopy, and in some cases confirmed by immunoreactivity of neoplastic cells for MUM1. Tumors were categorized as having or not having intravascular neoplastic cells within sections examined. The intravascular location of tumor cells was confirmed by immunoreactivity of endothelial cells for factor VIII-related antigen in 3 cases. Neoplastic cells within vessel lumens were identified in 20 of 125 dogs (16%). Submitting veterinary practices were contacted for follow-up data on patients including local recurrence and cutaneous plasmacytomas in other locations. Follow-up information was acquired on 99 dogs (79%). Recurrence was documented in one dog with cutaneous plasmacytomas; both masses had incomplete margins and intravascular neoplastic cells. Additional distant cutaneous plasmacytomas were later diagnosed in 3 patients; none of these dogs had intravascular neoplastic cells. In no cases were cutaneous plasmacytomas suspected to be a cause of death or reason for euthanasia. Intravascular neoplastic cells were more common in tumors of the distal limbs (36%) compared to other locations (11%; p = 0.0007). The presence of intravascular neoplastic cells did not affect prognosis in cutaneous plasmacytomas.

Clinico-pathological alterations in geriatric dogs

The present study was conducted to evaluate the gross and microscopic changes in the tissues of dogs dying due to geriatric conditions. During the study period, 15 old dogs were taken into consideration as geriatric dogs during clinical presentation and died at different times. History and clinical findings along with haemato-biochemical alterations were studied in all the 15 cases. Systemic postmortem examination of 7 geriatric dogs was conducted and detailed gross lesion in different organ were recorded. Anemia, anemia associated with dirofilariasis, jaundice, hepatitis, nephritis and chronic enteritis were major cause of death during old age. Important gross changes included pale skeletal muscle, enlarged spleen, cardiac dilatation, necrotic liver, nephritic kidney, thickened intestinal wall etc. Significant histopathological findings related to old age were evidenced like glomerular sclerosis, glomerular atrophy in kidney, bile duct hyperplasia and centrilobular necrosis in liver, depletion of the splenic pulp and thickened epidermis of skin at flank region.

Colloid osmotic pressure during and after surgical interventions in adult and geriatric dogs

ABSTRACT: The objective this study is to evaluate colloid osmotic pressure (COP) fluctuations in adult and senile dogs during surgical interventions. Thirty-six healthy dogs to surgical interventions, distributed in two groups, A and B, according to their age, and were all subjected to the same anesthetic protocol. Values of albumin, total plasmatic protein and COP were evaluated from samples collected before pre-anesthetic medication, fifteen minutes after pre-anesthetic medication, and shortly after the end of the intervention. Results were tested using t-test to compare among groups and ANOVA for repeated measures followed by Tukey’s test to compare different moments within the same group. Statistical significance was set at p&lt;0.05. In both groups, significant decreases were observed in colloid osmotic pressure, as well as albumin and total proteins (p&lt;0.001). Despite slightly lower COP values for the group of adult animals, this difference was not significant as there was a high individual variation within groups. The results therefore indicate no difference in colloid osmotic pressure values or fluctuation patterns among adult and senile dogs (p=0.124). The observed results indicate that colloid osmotic pressure decreases significantly during surgical procedures, due to hypotension caused by the anesthetic drugs and to hemodilution caused by the fluid administration but there is no difference between groups. However, in both adult and senile dogs, these variables recover gradually after the animals awaken, through increased urine production and recovery of vascular tonus, indicating the successful reestablishment of homeostasis.

Effectiveness of capsaicin containing dried habanero pepper extract in the treatment of primary hepatic cancer in geriatric dogs

The study was aimed at the preliminary clinical assessment of the anti-cancer efficacy of a dietary supplement based on the extract of habanero peppers containing capsaicin in dogs with primary hepatic cancer. 24 dogs with primary hepatic cancer, divided into two groups, were followed up during the study. Group I included 16 dogs receiving a dietary supplement based on capsaicin-containing habanero peppers, while group II consisted of 8 dogs that did not receive any veterinary treatment. The dogs were subjected to clinical examination, ultrasound imaging as well as biochemical and haematological analyses. Patient survival was determined in both groups. An autopsy was performed in all animals that died or were euthanised, and tumour samples were collected for histopathological examination, on the basis of which the type of neoplasm was finally determined. Survival of dogs in group I ranged from 54 to 285 days (178.6 days on average). Survival of dogs in group II was 32-128 days (76.5 days on average). In none of the dogs classified to group I that had single tumours did the size of the lesion increase during supplement administration, and in the case of two dogs that were receiving the preparation for a long time (188 and 285 days), their liver tumours actually shrank. In all dogs from group II that had single tumours, the size of the lesions increased in the course of the observation. The preliminary clinical observations by the authors indicate that the capsaicin-containing habanero pepper extract exhibits favourable effects on liver tumours in dogs and is well tolerated by the animals, thus the obtained results are a good sign for future studies on alternative medications used in dog oncology..

Acute effect of ivabradine on heart rate and myocardial oxygen consumption in dogs with asymptomatic mitral valve degeneration.

Degenerative mitral valve disease (DMVD) is a common cardiac disease in geriatric dogs characterized by the degeneration of the mitral valve, leading to decreased cardiac output and activation of the sympathetic and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. This disease results in an increased resting heart rate (HR) and myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2). A recent publication demonstrated that dogs with asymptomatic DMVD had a significantly higher HR and systemic blood pressure (BP) than age-matched control dogs. This higher HR will eventually contribute to increased MVO2. This study aimed to determine the effects of a single oral dose of ivabradine on the HR, MVO2 as assessed by the rate-pressure product, and BP in dogs with asymptomatic DMVD. Seven beagles with naturally occurring DMVD were instrumented by the Holter recorder and an oscillometric device to measure electrocardiogram and BP for 24 and 12 h, respectively. Each dog was randomly subjected to receive either placebo or ivabradine (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg). The results revealed that oral administration of ivabradine significantly decreased the HR and rate-pressure product in a dose-dependent manner without adverse effects. The highest dose of 2.0 mg/kg significantly reduced systolic and mean BP. Therefore, the findings imply that a single oral ivabradine administration at a dose of 1.0 mg/kg is suitable for dogs with asymptomatic DMVD to reduce the HR and MVO2 without marked effects on BP. This may potentially make ivabradine promising for management of an elevated HR in DMVD dogs.

A Retrospective Study of Canine Pyometra in Segar Veterinary Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Year 2012-2016

A retrospective study was used to analyse canine pyometra cases in Segar Veterinary Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from May 2012 to May 2016 and to investigate the relationship between pyometra and breed and age of dogs. The study was done through secondary collection of data from ambulatoirs of pyometra cases which were diagnosed based on anamnesis, examination of clinical signs and ultrasonography and/or radiography. The data collected includes breed categorised into small, medium, and large breeds, whereas the age are categorised into puppies, adulthood and geriatric. The data was then analysed with tree classification analysis and CATPCA (Principal Components Analysis for Categorical Data) analysis using SPSS program. A total of 80 cases of pyometra were recovered from female dog patients over the study period. Small breed dogs at 72.5% (n=58) and geriatric dogs at 62.5% (n=50) had the highest percentage of pyometra. The breeds Mongreal, German Shepard Dog, Mini Schnauzer, Silky Terrier, Toy Poodle, Beagle, Chow Chow, Golden Retriever, Rottweiler, Cocker Spaniel, White Terrier, Siberian Husky, and Pekingese aged older than 5.5 years had 100% from 37 cases of open-cervix pyometra. Geriatric and small breed dogs are inclined to have open-cervix pyometra. However adult and medium or large breed dogs have a higher possibility to have closed-cervix pyometra. These results serve to highlight the importance of public awareness regarding canine pyometra and further researches are needed to find out the effects of hormone therapy, frequency of births, and the bacteria present in uterus with pyometra. Keywords: Canine pyometra, Open-cervix Pyometra, Closed-cervix Pyometra, Age and Breed

Prevalence of Elevated Serum Creatinine Concentration in Dogs Presenting to a Veterinary Academic Medical Center (2010-2014).

BackgroundThe epidemiology of kidney disease is not extensively described in dogs.Hypothesis/ObjectivesTo better understand the prevalence of elevated serum creatinine concentration in dogs.AnimalsClient‐owned dogs.MethodsA retrospective, observational cross‐sectional study design was used. We made a dataset of 115,631 hospital visits of all dogs presenting from October 2010 to October 2014. We estimated the prevalence and risk of elevated serum creatinine, defined as >1.6 mg/dL, in evaluated dogs.ResultsOf 115,631 visits, 98,693 were outpatient visits and 16,938 were hospital admissions. Among outpatient visits, 9,983 (10.1%) had serum creatinine assessment (4,423 [44.3%] visits were first visits), whereas, among hospital admissions, 12,228 (60.0%) had at least 1 serum creatinine (7,731 [75.6%] admissions were first admissions). The prevalence of elevated serum creatinine concentration in all evaluated dogs was 11.5% (95% CI: 11.0%, 11.9%); 10.2% (95% CI: 9.6%, 10.8%) of inpatients and 12.9% (95% CI: 12.1%, 13.8%) of outpatients had elevated serum creatinine concentration. The relative risk (RR) of elevated serum creatinine concentration was significantly higher in geriatric dogs (outpatient RR 1.45 [95% CI: 1.23, 1.70], inpatient RR 1.43 [95% CI: 1.16, 1.76]) and lower in young dogs (outpatient RR 0.39 [95% CI: 0.26, 0.59], inpatient RR 0.44 [95% CI: 0.32, 0.62]) when compared to the measured population risk.Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceWhen selected for laboratory evaluation, the proportion of dogs presenting to an academic medical center with evidence of kidney injury is high compared to previous reports and might reflect a population of sicker dogs.