Untargeted metabolomic profiling of dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease and congestive heart failure shows metabolic differences associated with the presence of cardiac cachexia

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effects of cardiac cachexia on the metabolomic profile in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD).

ANIMALS

3 groups of dogs with MMVD enrolled between November 30, 2018, and April 7, 2022: (1) Dogs with congestive heart failure (CHF) and cachexia (CHF-cachexia group; n = 10); (2) dogs with CHF that had no cachexia (CHF-no cachexia group; n = 10); and (3) dogs with asymptomatic disease (American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine [ACVIM] Stage B2) with no cachexia (B2 group; n = 10).

METHODS

Metabolomic profiles were analyzed from serum samples using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy. Dogs in the 3 groups were compared, with statistical significance defined as P < .05 with a low false discovery rate (q < .10) and nominal statistical significance defined as P < .05 but q > .10.

RESULTS

Numerous metabolites were significantly (n = 201) or nominally significantly (n = 345) different between groups. For example, when comparing the CHF-cachexia vs CHF-no cachexia groups, lipids were the predominant metabolite differences, including many medium- and long-chain dicarboxylates and dicarboxylate acylcarnitines. For comparisons of the CHF-cachexia vs B2 groups and the CHF-no cachexia vs B2 groups, amino acids, nucleotides, and cofactors/vitamins were the predominant metabolite differences.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Some significant metabolite differences were identified between dogs with and without cardiac cachexia.

Safety of TCMCB07, a melanocortin-4 antagonist peptide, in dogs with naturally occurring cachexia

BACKGROUND

The melanocortin 4 antagonist TCMCB07 is safe and effective in reversing cachexia caused by sepsis or cancer in rodents. The safety and pharmacokinetics of TCMCB07 are demonstrated in healthy beagle dogs.

HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this study were to investigate the safety, peak plasma concentrations, and potential for efficacy of TCMCB07 in pet dogs with naturally occurring cachexia over a 4-week time period.

ANIMALS

Fourteen dogs with cachexia of any underlying cause, except cancer of the oral cavity or gastrointestinal tract, were eligible for enrollment with informed client consent.

METHODS

This study was a prospective, 1-armed open-label trial. Physical examination, complete blood count, chemistry panel, and owner-assessed quality of life surveys were checked at weeks 1, 2, and 4. Due to potential for bradycardia and hypotension, Holter monitoring and blood pressure evaluations were scheduled at pre-enrollment and week 4.

RESULTS

Fourteen dogs completed the trial. Significant changes detected included increased mean body weight (18.6-19.5 kg, P < .02), increased body condition score (median Tufts 5-point thin dog scale score P < .004 and WSAVA muscle condition score P < .02) and increased mean blood urea nitrogen (21.79-30.43 mg dL-1 , P < .004). On quality of life surveys, pet owners perceived their dog appeared to be panting less (P < .002) and that the general health improved (P < .03). Four dogs had a change in coat pigmentation. The peak plasma concentration of TCMCB07 in cachectic dogs was similar to that in healthy beagle dogs.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE

TCMCB07 was safe and has potential efficacy in pet dogs with cachexia.

Usefulness of muscle condition score and ultrasonographic measurements for assessment of muscle mass in cats with cachexia and sarcopenia

OBJECTIVE

To compare muscle condition scores (MCSs) and muscle ultrasonographic measurements in cats with and without muscle loss and to evaluate repeatability and reproducibility of MCS assessment.

ANIMALS

40 cats of various ages, body condition scores (BCSs), and MCSs.

PROCEDURES

A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted. Body weight, BCS, MCS, epaxial muscle height (EMH), vertebral epaxial muscle score (VEMS), and forelimb epaxial muscle score (FLEMS) were assessed in each cat. The MCS for each cat was assessed 3 separate times by each of 5 raters.

RESULTS

The MCS was significantly correlated with EMH (r = 0.59), VEMS (r = 0.66), and FLEMS (r = 0.41). For MCS, the overall value of the κ coefficient for interrater agreement (reproducibility) was 0.43 and the overall value of the κ coefficient for intrarater agreement (repeatability) ranged from 0.49 to 0.76.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Ultrasonographic measurements of muscle may be useful for assessing muscle loss in individual cats over time. However, for the cats of this study, no advantage was observed for assessment of VEMS or FLEMS over EMH. Substantial repeatability and moderate reproducibility were shown when MCS was used for assessment of muscle mass in cats. Prospective ultrasonographic studies are warranted to evaluate the usefulness of MCS and EMH assessment for evaluation of changes in muscle mass of cats over time.

Physical characteristics of free-living sea turtles that had and had not ingested debris in Microregion of the Lakes, Brazil

The ingestion of detritus by sea turtles results in high mortality and morbidity. The objective of this study was to describe the characteristics of free-living sea turtles that ingested anthropogenic inorganic detritus in comparison to those that did not. A total of 186 necropsy files were analyzed in marine turtles from the beaches of the Microregion dos Lagos, Rio de Janeiro. Among the turtles that ingested detritus, the mean turtle was female and cachectic, with a carapace length of 36,6 cm, detritus accumulated in the large intestine, and fecal compaction. It seems most likely that's low food transit, combined with the multiplicity of ingestion, favored the accumulation of detritus. This ingestion resulted in cachexia associated with fecal compaction, since the greatest accumulation was in the large intestine. The intake of detritus by turtles was not punctual but continuous. These studies demonstrated the vulnerability of these animals to environmental pollution.

Toxoplasma gondii infection triggers chronic cachexia and sustained commensal dysbiosis in mice

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite with a predation-mediated transmission cycle between rodents and felines. Intermediate hosts acquire Toxoplasma by eating parasite cysts which invade the small intestine, disseminate systemically and finally establish host life-long chronic infection in brain and muscles. Here we show that Toxoplasma infection can trigger a severe form of sustained cachexia: a disease of progressive lean weight loss that is a causal predictor of mortality in cancer, chronic disease and many infections. Toxoplasma cachexia is characterized by acute anorexia, systemic inflammation and loss of 20% body mass. Although mice recover from symptoms of peak sickness, they fail to regain muscle mass or visceral adipose depots. We asked whether the damage to the intestinal microenvironment observed at acute time points was sustained in chronic infection and could thereby play a role in sustaining cachexia. We found that parasites replicate in the same region of the distal jejunum/proximal ileum throughout acute infection, inducing the development of secondary lymphoid structures and severe, regional inflammation. Small intestine pathology was resolved by 5 weeks post-infection. However, changes in the commensal populations, notably an outgrowth of Clostridia spp., were sustained in chronic infection. Importantly, uninfected animals co-housed with infected mice display similar changes in commensal microflora but never display symptoms of cachexia, indicating that altered commensals are not sufficient to explain the cachexia phenotype alone. These studies indicate that Toxoplasma infection is a novel and robust model to study the immune-metabolic interactions that contribute to chronic cachexia development, pathology and potential reversal.

Reversible and cachexia-associated feline skin fragility syndrome in three cats

BACKGROUND

Feline skin fragility syndrome (FSFS) is an acquired disorder characterized by altered collagen production resulting in an extremely thin and fragile skin. FSFS is associated with diseases characterized by excessive steroidal hormones that can inhibit collagen synthesis. It is also described concomitantly with severe inflammatory, infectious or neoplastic conditions where the pathogenesis remains largely unknown.

OBJECTIVES

To describe three cases of FSFS in cats that become cachectic secondary to different causes without glucocorticoid involvement. To describe the histopathological features of connective tissue for both fragile skin and the skin after healing.

RESULTS

All cats developed cachexia in less than two months (body condition score ranging from 1-1.5). Concomitant diseases were diagnosed in Case 1 (aspiration pneumonia due to mega-oesophagus) and Case 2 (feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)). In Case 3, malnutrition was suspected as a primary cause. The main histological feature of fragile skin was an atrophic dermis with pale eosinophilic, thin and irregular collagen fibres with numerous red cores observed with Masson's stain. Elastic fibres were normal. Postrecovery histopathological findings at 11 (Case 1) and six months (Case 3) after diagnosis, indicated normalization of the collagen and of the whole skin as compared with controls.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report describing a reversible, nonsteroid-induced FSFS, associated with rapidly developing cachexia in cats.

[Pathology of South American Camelids: a retrospective study of necropsies at the Institute of Veterinary Pathology, University of Leipzig, Germany]

OBJECTIVE

The number of South American Camelids (New World Camelids) housed in Germany has increased in the recent years. While these species were formerly kept solely in zoological gardens, ever more private and commercial livestock is being established. Compared to indigenous livestock animals, they bear some distinctive differences, particularly in terms of digestive tract anatomy and physiology. Therefore, it is of considerable interest for veterinarians working with South American Camelids to obtain knowledge about the distinguishing features of these animals and the typical diseases affecting them in Germany.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

For this purpose, the necropsy reports, including the anamnestic data, and their diagnostic usefulness, from 1995 to 2012 were studied retrospectively.

RESULTS

Du- ring this period, a total of 233 New World Camelids were examined (195 alpacas and 38 llamas). Anamnestic data of diagnostic usefulness regarding the cause of disease were only submitted in a limited number of cases, because most of the animals died without specific symptoms. The following were the most frequent pathological findings: enteritis (n = 91), gastritis (n = 76), cachexia (n = 73), pneumonia (n = 30), stomatitis (n = 27), azotaemia (n = 22) and anaemia (n = 9). An endoparasitosis occurred in 107 cases and was considered the predominant cause of enteritis.

CONCLUSION

As with indigenous ruminants, llamas and alpacas primarily suffered from diseases of the digestive and respiratory tracts. Other organ systems were affected to a lesser extent.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Even in cases with severe alterations in the affected organs, South American Camelids do not show or show too late diagnostically indicative clinical symptoms. Therefore, a detailed clinical examination of these animals is important.

A prospective investigation of the prevalence and prognostic significance of weight loss and changes in body condition in feline cancer patients

The objectives of this study were to prospectively identify and characterize weight loss and changes in body condition in feline cancer patients and to investigate the prognostic significance of these findings. Fifty-seven cats with neoplasia were evaluated. Body condition was assessed with a nine-point scoring system (BCS) and multiple sites were assessed for muscle and fat mass using four-point scoring systems. Feline cancer patients had a mean BCS of 4.4±2.1 kg (1=cachectic, 5=optimal, 9=obese). Fat mass was reduced in both sites assessed in 60% of the patients. Muscle mass was reduced at all three sites assessed in 91% of the patients. Feline cancer patients having a BCS <5 had a median survival time (MST) of 3.3 months compared to that of 16.7 months for cats with a BCS of ≥5 ( P=0.008).

Poultry abattoir survey of carcass condemnations in Fars province, southern Iran

Official post-mortem inspection records of poultry in 11 industrial poultry abattoirs in the Fars province, southern Iran, between 20 March 2002 and 19 March 2006 were used to investigate the character and prevalence of poultry loss caused by disease and pathological changes in the province. Linear regression analysis for study of time trend and chi2-test for investigation of seasonal pattern were used as statistical methods. In the study period, 130,967,021 birds were slaughtered. As a result of official veterinary inspection, 959,416 (0.73%) birds were condemned. The condemnation risk was calculated for each quarter in a year. Cachexia and septicemia were the most common reasons for rejection of carcasses and were responsible for 62% of the total condemnations. The condemnation risk due to septicemia increased over the study period from 0.14 to 0.22%. The rejection risk due to overscalding declined over the study period from 0.07 to 0.01%. No trends in time were observed for the other causes of condemnation. In conclusion the majority of condemnations are caused by disease and improving the standard of disease prevention and control on farms is necessary. These results could form the basis of an assessment of trends in condemnations in poultry slaughterhouse and should prove useful to the poultry industry as a baseline data for future comparison.

The effects of chronic immune stimulation on muscle growth in rainbow trout

Successful production of aquaculture species depends on efficient growth with low susceptibility to disease. Therefore, selection programs have focused on rapid growth combined with disease resistance. However, chronic immune stimulation diminishes muscle growth (a syndrome referred to as cachexia), and decreases growth efficiency in production animals, including rainbow trout. In mammals, recent results show that increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as those seen during an immune assault, specifically target myosin and MyoD and inhibit muscle growth. This suggests that increased disease resistance in fish, a desired trait for production, may actually decrease the growth of muscle, the main aquacultural commodity. To test this possibility, a rainbow trout model of cachexia was developed and characterized. A six-week study was conducted in which rainbow trout were chronically immune stimulated by repeated injections of LPS. Growth indices were monitored, and whole body and muscle proximate analyses, real-time PCR, and Western blotting were conducted to examine the resulting cachectic phenotype. Muscle ratio was decreased in fish chronically immunostimulated, however expression levels of MyoD2 and myosin were not decreased compared to fish that were not immunostimulated, indicating that while muscle accretion was altered, the mechanism by which it occurred was somewhat different than that characterized in mammals. Microarray analysis was used to compare gene expression in fish that had been chronically immunostimulated versus those that had not to identify possible alternative mechanisms of cachexia in fish.

[Abdominal zygomycosis in a bitch due to Absidia corymbifera]

We report a case of abdominal zygomicosis in a Doberman bitch. Clinical signs consisted of urinary incontinence and hard abdominal masses detected by palpation. The masses were surgically removed by exploratory laparatomy and had a tumoral-like appearance. A granulomatous reaction containing coarse and non septate hyphae was the main histological finding. Direct microscopic examination revealed the presence of fungal structures. On Sabouraud honey agar the fungus developed fluffy, greyish white colonies that were identified as Absidia corymbifera on the basis of their macro and microscopic morphology.

Growth hormone releasing hormone plasmid supplementation, a potential treatment for cancer cachexia, does not increase tumor growth in nude mice

Growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) is known to have multiple anabolic effects and immune-stimulatory effects. Previous studies suggest that treatment with anabolic hormones also has the potential to mitigate the deleterious effects of cancer cachexia in animals. We studied the effects of plasmid-mediated GHRH supplementation on tumor growth and the role of antitumor immune cells with two different human tumor cell lines, NCI-H358 human bronchioalveolar carcinoma and MDA-MB-468 human breast adenocarcinoma, subcutaneously implanted in nude mice. GHRH supplementation by delivery of human GHRH from a muscle-specific GHRH expression plasmid did not increase tumor progression in tumor-bearing nude mice. Male animals implanted with the NCI-H358 tumor cell line and treated with the GHRH-expressing plasmid exhibited a 40% decrease in the size of the tumors (P<.02), a 48% increase in white blood cells (P<.025) and a 300% increase in monocyte count (P<.0001), as well as an increase in the frequency of activated CD3+ and CD4+ cells in the tumors, compared to tumors of control animals. No adverse effects were observed in animals that received the GHRH-plasmid treatment. The present study shows that physiological stimulation of the GHRH-GH-IGF-I axis in mice with cancer does not promote tumor growth and may provide a viable treatment for cancer cachexia in humans.

Evaluation of body condition and weight loss in dogs presented to a veterinary oncology service

Cancer cachexia is a well-recognized syndrome in human patients that is characterized by progressive involuntary weight loss. The prevalence of this syndrome in veterinary cancer patients is unknown. This study's objective was to investigate the occurrence of weight loss and cachexia, as characterized by body condition scoring, in dogs presented to a veterinary oncology service. Information collected on 100 dogs included signalment, diagnosis, weight at time of diagnosis, and, when available, weight from a time approximately 12 months before diagnosis. Body condition was assessed by using a 9-point system based on body silhouette and palpation of adipose tissue (4-5 = optimal, 1 = extreme cachexia, 9 = extreme obesity). Muscle wasting was scored based on palpation of skeletal muscle (3 = no wasting, 2 = mild, 1 = moderate, 0 = severe). Only 4% of the dogs exhibited cachexia as defined by a body condition score < or = 3, whereas 29% were classified as markedly overweight (> or = 7). Fifteen percent had evidence of clinically relevant muscle wasting (< or = 1). Body weight from a time before the diagnosis of cancer was available for 64 dogs. At the time of diagnosis, 31% had maintained or gained weight, 31% had lost up to 5%, 14% had lost between 5 and 10%, and 23% had lost >10% of body weight. Overall, the percentage of dogs with signs indicating a decline in nutritional status was less than what has been reported for human cancer patients. Future studies should investigate the extent to which weight loss occurs in canine patients on an appropriate plane of nutrition as well as to establish whether an association exists between poor nutritional status and outcome in canine cancer patients.

Long-term effects of plasmid-mediated growth hormone releasing hormone in dogs

Geriatric and cancer-afflicted patients often experience decreased quality of life with cachexia, anemia, anorexia, and decreased activity level. We have studied the possibility that a myogenic plasmid that expresses growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) can prevent and/or treat these conditions. We administered plasmid to 17 geriatric and five cancer-afflicted companion dogs with an average age of 10.5+/-1.0 and 11.3+/-0.6 years at enrollment, respectively. Effects of the treatment were documented for at least 180 days post-treatment, with 10 animals followed for more than 1 year post-treatment, on average 444+/-40 days. Treated dogs showed increased IGF-I levels, and increases in scores for weight, activity level, exercise tolerance, and appetite. No adverse effects associated with the GHRH plasmid treatment were found. Most importantly, the overall assessment of the quality of life of the treated animals increased. Hematological parameters such as red blood cell count, hematocrit, and hemoglobin concentrations were improved and maintained within their normal ranges. We conclude that intramuscular injection of a GHRH-expressing plasmid is both safe and capable of improving the quality of life in animals for an extended period of time in the context of aging and disease. The observed anabolic and hematological responses to a single dose of this plasmid treatment may also be beneficial in geriatric patients or patients with cancer-associated anemia and/or cachexia.

Metastatic Gastric Adenocarcinoma and Diffuse Hyperplastic Gastritis Resembling Human Menetrier's Disease in a Camel (Camelus ferus bactrianus)

A captive 16-year-old male camel (Camelus ferus bactrianus) was euthanized after a prolonged period of inappetence leading to cachexia. At necropsy, there was a 7 cm large, tan, firm, well-demarcated nodule in the tunica muscularis and serosa of the distal region of C3. Histologically, a gastric adenocarcinoma was diagnosed. Numerous metastases were found in the liver and the hepatic lymph nodes, in the wall of the portal vein and the aorta, in the lung, heart, and pleura parietalis. Osseous metaplasia was found within the pleural and aortic metastases. In the mucosa of the glandular region of the C3 compartment a diffuse marked hypertrophy of rugae resembling cerebral convolutions was observed. The lesion was characterized by glandular hyperplasia and stromal inflammation and oedema. These changes closely resembled Menétrier's disease described in humans. To our knowledge, this is the first report of concomitant metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma and gastric hyperplasia in a camel.

Effects of plasmid-mediated growth hormone-releasing hormone in severely debilitated dogs with cancer

Cachexia is a common manifestation of late stage malignancy and is characterized by anemia, anorexia, muscle wasting, loss of adipose tissue, and fatigue. Although cachexia is disabling and can diminish the life expectancy of cancer patients, there are still no effective therapies for this condition. We have examined the feasibility of using a myogenic plasmid to express growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) in severely debilitated companion dogs with naturally occurring tumors. At a median of 16 days after intramuscular delivery of the plasmid, serum concentrations of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), a measure of GHRH activity, were increased in 12 of 16 dogs (P < 0.01). These increases ranged from 21 to 120% (median, 49%) of the pretreatment values and were generally sustained or higher on the final evaluation. Anemia resolved posttreatment, as indicated by significant increases in mean red blood cell count, hematocrit, and hemoglobin concentrations, and there was also a significant rise in the percentage of circulating lymphocytes. Treated dogs maintained their weights over the 56-day study and did not show any adverse effects from the GHRH gene transfer. We conclude that intramuscular injection of a GHRH-expressing plasmid is both safe and capable of stimulating the release of growth hormone and IGF-I in large animals. The observed anabolic responses to a single dose of this therapy might be beneficial in patients with cancer-associated anemia and cachexia.

Effect of progressive cachectic parasitism and growth hormone treatment on hepatic 5'-deiodinase activity in calves

Thyroid status is compromised in a variety of acute and chronic infections. Conversion of thyroxine (T(4)) into the metabolically active hormone, triiodothyronine (T(3)), is catalyzed by 5'-deiodinase (5'D) mainly in extrathyroidal tissues. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of protozoan parasitic infection (Sarcocystis cruzi) on hepatic 5'D (type I) activity and plasma concentrations of T(3) and T(4) in placebo- or bovine GH (bGH)-injected calves. Holstein bull calves (127.5+/-2.0 kg BW) were assigned to control (C, ad libitum fed), infected (I, 250,000 S. cruzi sporocysts per os, ad libitum fed), and pair-fed (PF, non-infected, fed to intake of I treatment) groups placebo-injected, and three similar groups injected daily with pituitary-derived bGH (USDA-B-1, 0.1mg/kg, i.m.) designated as C(GH), I(GH) and PF(GH). GH injections were initiated on day 20 post-infection (PI), 3-4 days prior to the onset of clinical signs of the acute phase response (APR), and were continued to day 56 PI at which time calves were euthanized for liver collection. Blood samples were collected on day 0, 28, and 55 PI. Alterations in nutritional intake did not affect type I 5'D in liver. Treatment with bGH increased (P<0.05) 5'D activity in C (24.6%) and PF (25.5%) but not in I calves. Compared to PF calves, infection with S. cruzi reduced 5'D activity 25% (P<0.05) and 47.8% (P<0.01) in placebo- and bGH-injected calves, respectively. Neither nutrition nor bGH treatment significantly affected plasma concentrations of T(4) and T(3) on day 28 and 55 PI. However, plasma thyroid hormones were reduced by infection. On day 28 PI, the average plasma concentrations of T(3) and T(4) were reduced in infected calves (I and I(GH)) 36.4% (P<0.01) and 29.4% (P<0.05), respectively, compared to pair-fed calves (PF and PF(GH)). On day 55 PI, plasma T(3) still remained lower (23.7%, P<0.01 versus PF) in infected calves while plasma T(4) returned to control values. The data suggest that parasitic infection in growing calves inhibits both thyroidal secretion and extrathyroidal T(4) to T(3) conversion during the APR. After recovery from the APR, thyroidal secretion returns to normal but basal and bGH-stimulated generation of T(3) in liver remains impaired.

Megacolon in pigs due to segmental colon aganglionosis

Four pigs, each of about 8 weeks of age were submitted for pathological examination because of severe cachexia, combined with an enormous distension of the abdomen. In the herd, where these pigs originated from, these clinical signs were observed frequently for some period of time and stricture of the rectum was suspected. All pigs showed a severe cachexia, and most prominent in all pigs was a megacolon with large and distended colon and caecum and stenosis about 30 to 60 cm cranial of the anus. Tissue specimens were taken from the rectum, from the colon cranial and caudal of the stenosis and from the jejunum and examined histologically. Ganglia in the intestinal wall were examined immunohistochemically by using antibodies recognising neurofilament protein (kD 200). In all pigs submucosal and myenteric ganglia were absent in the post stenotic colon and rectum and in transverse section of the stenosis, whereas in the prestenotic colon of all pigs and also in the jejunum ganglia were present. Segmental aganglionosis of the colon is also known in humans (Hirschsprung disease) and other animal species and is considered as a congenital disorder. We also suggest a familiar background of the disease in these pigs.

Heavy metals contamination and body condition of wintering guillemots (Uria aalge) at the Belgian coast from 1993 to 1998

A sample of 166 common guillemots (Uria aalge) recovered from Belgian beaches during five wintering seasons, from 1993-1994 to 1997-1998, were examined. At necropsy, postmortem examination including body mass, fat reserves, presence or not of intestinal contents, eventual status of oiling, and pathological changes (cachexia, acute hemorrhagic gastroenteropathy (GEAH)) was attributed to each individual. Mild to severe cachexia, a pathology characterized by moderate to severe atrophy of the pectoral muscle as well as reduced amounts or absence of subcutaneous and/or abdominal fat, was observed for most specimens (85.8%). Heavy metal analyses (Cu, Zn, Fe, Cd, Ni, Cr, and Pb) of the tissues (typically liver, kidney, and pectoral muscle) were performed, and total lipids were determined (liver and pectoral muscle). The guillemots collected at the Belgian coast exhibited higher Cu and Zn concentrations compared to individuals collected in more preserved areas of the North Sea such as the northern colonies. A general decrease of their total body mass as well as liver, kidney, and pectoral muscle mass was associated to increasing cachexia severity. Moreover, significantly increasing heavy metal levels (Cu and Zn) in the tissues as well as depleted muscle lipid contents were observed parallel to increasing cachexia severity. On the contrary the organs' total metal burden barely correlates to this status. These observations tend to indicate a general redistribution of heavy metals within the organs as a result of prolonged starvation and protein catabolism (cachectic status). Such a redistribution could well be an additional stress to birds already experiencing stressfull conditions (starvation, oiling).

Dirofilaria repens infection in a dog in Israel

Only one case of canine infection with Dirofilaria repens has been reported in Israel to date; this occurred in 1934. This publication, 65 years later, represents the second case of D. repens infection in a dog in Israel. This dog was infected locally since it was born in Israel and was never taken abroad, suggesting that the life cycle of the filaria was completed in Israel. Since dogs, cats, and foxes serve as a reservoir for the filaria and these are abundant in Israel, and mosquitoes of the genera Culex and Aedes (both of which occur in Israel and the Middle East) are vectors, the conditions for establishment of the filaria in Israel exist, and warrant regional epidemiologic investigation.

Paraneoplastic syndromes

The importance of paraneoplastic syndromes is often underestimated in the horse. Clinically, paraneoplastic syndromes can cause greater morbidity than the actual physical presence of the malignant tumor. The appearance may be the first sign of a malignancy and may be so severe that appropriate therapy for the underlying cancer is not initiated. This article reviews some of the most common paraneoplastic syndromes that are likely to occur in the horse.

Interventional nutrition for cardiac disease

Animals with cardiac disease can have a variety of nutritional alterations for which interventional nutrition can be beneficial. Deviation from optimal body weight, both obesity and cachexia, is a common problem in cardiac patients and adversely affects the animal. Methods for maintaining optimal weight are important for good quality of life in dogs and cats with cardiac disease. Providing proper diets to prevent excess intake of sodium and chloride also is important, but severe salt restriction may not be necessary until later stages of disease. Certain nutrient deficiencies may play a role in the pathogenesis or complications of cardiac disease, but nutrients also may have effects on cardiac disease which are above and beyond their nutritional effects (nutritional pharmacology). Supplementation of nutrients such as taurine, carnitine, coenzyme Q10, and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may have benefits in dogs or cats with cardiac disease through a number of different mechanisms. By addressing each of these areas maintaining optimal weight, avoiding nutritional deficiencies and excesses, and providing the benefits of nutritional pharmacology, optimal patient management can be achieved.

Nutritional alterations and the effect of fish oil supplementation in dogs with heart failure

Alterations in body composition and nutritional status are common in humans with heart failure and are related, in part, to increases in cytokine concentrations. Cytokines have not been studied previously in dogs with naturally occurring cardiac disease nor has fish oil administration been used in this population to decrease cytokine production. The purposes of this study were to characterize nutritional and cytokine alterations in dogs with heart failure and to test the ability of fish oil to reduce cytokines and improve clinical outcome. Body composition, insulinlike growth factor-1, fatty acids, and cytokines were measured in 28 dogs with heart failure and in 5 healthy controls. Dogs with heart failure then were randomized to receive either fish oil or placebo for 8 weeks. All parameters were measured again at the end of the study period. At baseline, 54% of dogs with heart failure were cachectic and the severity of cachexia correlated with circulating tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations (P = .05). Cytokine concentrations at baseline, however, were not significantly increased in dogs with heart failure compared to controls. Baseline plasma arachidonic acid (P = .02), eicosapentaenoic acid (P = .03), and docosahexaenoic acid (P = .004) concentrations were lower in dogs with heart failure than in controls. Fish oil supplementation decreased interleukin-1 beta (IL-1) concentrations (P = .02) and improved cachexia (P = .01) compared to the placebo group. The mean caloric intake of the heart failure dogs as a group was below the maintenance energy requirement (P < .001), but no difference was found in food intake between the fish oil and placebo groups. Insulinlike growth factor-1 concentrations (P = .01) and reductions in circulating IL-1 concentrations over the study period (P = .02) correlated with survival. These data demonstrate that canine heart failure is associated with cachexia, alterations in fatty acids, and reduced caloric intake. Fish oil supplementation decreased IL-1 concentrations and improved cachexia. In addition, reductions in IL-1 predicted survival, suggesting that anticytokine strategies may benefit patients with heart failure.

Interventional nutrition for the cancer patient

Dogs and cats with cancer have significant alterations in carbohydrate, protein, and fat metabolism, which can result in cancer cachexia and subsequently can decrease quality of life, reduce response to therapy, and shorten survival time. Nutritional modulation may be beneficial in the treatment of cancer patients to reverse these metabolic alterations. There is evidence that foods relatively low in simple carbohydrates with moderate amounts of high-quality protein, fiber, and fat (especially fats of the omega-3 fatty acid series) are beneficial for pets with cancer. In addition, certain supplemental nutrients may have potential to reduce the risk of developing cancer, or the growth and metastases of established malignant disease. Nutritional intervention can be a powerful tool for controlling malignant disease and for reducing toxicity associated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Changes in somatotropic axis response and body composition during growth hormone administration in progressive cachectic parasitism

A multistage protozoan parasitic disease was used as a cachexia model to study the effects of daily administration of bovine growth hormone (GH) on endocrine and body composition changes of young calves from the onset of the acute phase response (APR). Male calves averaging 127.5 +/- 2.0 kg body weight were assigned to control, ad libitum fed, noninfected (C); ad libitum fed, infected (250,000 oocysts Sarcocystis cruzi, per os, I); noninfected, pair-fed (PF) to matched I-treatment calves and these respective same treatments in calves injected daily with GH (USDA-bGH-B1), 12.5 mg/calf/day, im) designated as CGH, IGH and PFGH. GH injections were initiated on Day 20 postinfection (PI), 3 to 4 d before the onset of clinical signs of APR, and continued to Day 56 PI, at which time animals were euthanized for tissue collections. Abrupt increases in rectal temperature commensurate with up to 70% reduction in voluntary feed intake were observed in I and IGH beginning 23-25 d PI. For the trial period between Days 20 and 56 PI, average daily carcass protein gains were 123, 52, 109, 124, 48, and 67 g/d and average daily carcass fat gains were 85, 11, 43, 71, -23, and 29 g/d for C, I, PF, CGH, IGH, and PFGH, respectively. Effects of GH were significant for fat accretion and plasma urea depression. Rectus femoris was highly refractory to catabolic effects of infection while psoas major was significantly catabolized during infection. Plasma concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) increased significantly in all GH-treated calves between Day 20 and 23 PI. Plasma IGF-I declined well below Day 20 values in all infected calves from the onset of the APR through the end of the study. The decrease in plasma IGF-I concentrations in I and IG was highly correlated with the magnitude of the fever response. Hepatic mRNA for GH receptor and IGF-I was decreased in infected calves. Hepatic microsomal membrane binding of 125I-GH did not differ between groups. The data suggest that effects of GH and parasitism on tissue metabolism during disease may vary among different specific tissue pools. The data demonstrate that daily GH administration in young calves does not prevent lean tissue losses and may accelerate fat depletion associated with cachectic parasitism. Furthermore, the onset of APR overrode the capacity for GH to maintain elevated plasma concentrations of IGF-I, an effect not readily explained through changes of GH-receptor binding.

Associations between body condition and disease in cats

OBJECTIVE

To determine the association between body condition and disease in cats.

DESIGN

Prospective study.

SAMPLE POPULATION

Information on 1,457 cats without major illnesses from 27 veterinary hospitals in the northeastern United States.

PROCEDURE

Cats that had body conditions determined from 1991 to 1992, using a set of 6 body condition silhouettes, had their health experiences and body conditions assessed for the subsequent 4.5 years. Cats were described by the following 6 body conditions: cachectic, lean, optimally lean, optimal weight, heavy, and obese. Data obtained from medical records and owner interviews were collected, using standard forms. Associations between body condition and specific diseases were analyzed. Findings in cats with body conditions other than optimal were compared with findings in cats with optimal body condition.

RESULTS

Compared with optimal weight cats, heavy cats were 2.9 times as likely to be taken to veterinarians because of lameness not associated with cat bite abscesses. Obese cats were also 3.9 times as likely to develop diabetes mellitus, 2.3 times as likely to develop nonallergic skin conditions, and 4.9 times as likely to develop lameness requiring veterinary care. Cats considered thin (cachectic and lean) were 1.7 times as likely to be presented to veterinary hospitals for diarrhea.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Results of this study substantiate reports of health risks associated with excess body weight in cats. Efforts to reduce weight in heavy and obese cats can lead to reduced risks of diabetes mellitus, lameness (presumably related to osteoarthritis and soft-tissue injuries), and skin problems unrelated to allergies. Cachectic and lean cats are more likely to have diarrhea that is not associated with a definitive diagnosis.

Acute feline leukemia virus infection causes altered energy balance and growth inhibition in weanling cats

Naturally occurring retroviral infections cause progressive weight loss, immune suppression, invasion by opportunistic organisms, and eventual death. Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) inhibited growth and decreased energy intake in seven experimentally infected weanling cats compared with age- and sex-matched controls. Remarkably, changes in energy intake, energy expenditure, and weight gain occurred in the acute phase of infection prior to the systemic/productive bone marrow phase of FeLV infection. In other words, growth inhibition developed before FeLV infection was clinically detectable with use of standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or fixed-cell immunofluorescence assays of circulating neutrophils and platelets. Acutely infected, previremic cats consumed 25% less energy [Day 4 postinoculation to Day 16 postinoculation (p < 0.05)] and expended 20% less energy [Day 8 postinoculation to Day 18 postinoculation (p < 0.05)] compared with control cats. Growth stunting of inoculated cats began by Day 11 postinoculation (p < 0.05) and was not corrected during the remaining 4 months of the study. Thus, experimental FeLV infection causes perturbations of metabolism and energy balance resulting in permanent growth impairment. Secondly, detrimental metabolic effects begin in the acute phase of retroviral infection, prior to the clinically detectable phase of FeLV infection.

The role of restricted food intake in the pathogenesis of cachexia in severe combined immunodeficient beige mice infected with Mycobacterium paratuberculosis

A paired feeding experiment was conducted to investigate if reduced food intake is a reason for the body weight loss previously observed in severe combined immunodeficient beige (SCID bg) mice infected with Mycobacterium paratuberculosis. Mice were paired on the basis of age, litter and sex. One of each pair was injected intraperitoneally with 10(5) viable M. paratuberculosis organisms. The remainder served as uninfected pairfed mates. Each uninfected mouse was restricted to the amount of food (per gram body weight) that its infected paired mate ate in the previous 24 hour period starting at four weeks postinfection until 12 weeks postinfection when the mice were necropsied. The mean body weights of the two groups were not significantly different (p < 0.05) at the start of the experiment (infected 27.6 +/- 2.1 g, pairfed 27.3 +/- 3.4 g) but the pairfed group weighed less after 12 weeks of restricted food intake. Mycobacterium paratuberculosis was isolated from the spleen, liver, gut and fecal pellets of the infected but not the uninfected mice. Acid-fast bacilli were seen histologically in the liver, spleen and intestines of the infected mice only. Analysis of carcass compositions indicated that both infected and pairfed mice lost dry matter. Despite the loss in dry matter, the infected mice appeared to have maintained their body weights due to an increased retention of body water (presumably due to edema of inflammation). These results suggest that infection of SCID bg mice with M. paratuberculosis causes a reduction in their food intake (presumably due to reduced appetite) which, in turn, contributes to a loss in dry matter. We suggest that this loss in dry matter is one of the initial events that eventually lead to cachexia, and that it precedes the body weight loss that inevitably occurs in SCID bg mice chronically affected with M. paratuberculosis.

Thyroid hormone concentrations in dogs with chronic weight loss, with special reference to cancer cachexia

Serum concentrations of thyroxine (T4), 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3), free thyroxine (fT4), and free 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (fT3) were compared between tumor-bearing dogs (with and without chronic weight loss) and non-tumor-bearing dogs (with and without chronic weight loss) (n = 83). Serum T4, T3, and fT3 concentrations were lower (P < .05) in dogs with weight loss, whether or not they were tumor-bearing, than in dogs without weight loss. Serum fT4 concentrations did not vary among the groups. Serum albumin concentrations were lower (P < .05) in cachectic dogs than in dogs not experiencing weight loss, regardless of their tumor-bearing status. Percentage of weight loss was found to be associated (P < .05) with T4, T3, and fT3 concentrations. It appears that the low thyroid hormone concentrations are related to either an abnormal nutritional state or to the severity of illness, rather than to a tumor-related phenomenon.

The feeding of raw, fermented poultry byproducts: using mink as a model

In this study, the safety of fermentation as a method of preservation of raw animal byproducts used for animal nutrition was tested. Two feeding trials with mink, as a model for nonruminant animals, were carried out. In the first trial mink were given a fermented diet composed of raw poultry and fish byproducts supplemented with cereals, glucose, lactic acid, premix, and starter culture (Lactobacillus plantarum and Enterococcus faecium). These mink failed to deliver kits, and 7 of the 30 females in the test group died. At autopsy no specific cause of death could be diagnosed, although all the dead mink showed symptoms of cachexia. In a second trial, a group of mink kits, during the growth period, was given a diet composed of fermented poultry byproducts, just before feeding mixed with raw fish. The weight gain of the mink in the test group decreased statistically compared with that of the control group, mainly for the male members of the group. From the end of October until the beginning of November, during pelt priming, some mink showed symptoms of severe weight loss. It is suggested that the measured increase of amino acid breakdown, and(or) the acidic pH of the fermented diet, caused these unfavorable results. To examine the effect of the fermented diet on the gut flora, fecal samples were analyzed. The fermented diet changed the composition of the gut flora significantly. In the group that received the fermented diet the number of lactobacilli and the mesophilic aerobic count increased and the number of Enterobacteriaceae and enterococci decreased compared with the control group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Spermatogenesis and hormone levels in rhesus macaques inoculated with simian immunodeficiency virus

The presence of sperm in testicular tissue of rhesus macaques that died as a result of infection with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) was related to age and body weight. Depressed testosterone levels were not associated with elevated LH levels. The data suggest that azoospermia in the SIV-infected macaques was due to cachexia and not a direct effect of virus on the testis, supporting a similar hypothesis regarding azoospermia in men infected with human immunodeficiency virus.

Mortality causes of the moustached tamarin (Saguinus mystax) in captivity

From January 1987 to November 1990, 125 adult Saguinus mystax died at the CRCP. Enteritis/colitis (26%), hypoglycemia/cachexia (19%), and parasitic enteritis (13%) were the most common causes of death. Less common were purulent peritonitis (9%), lobular pneumonia (8%), and hemorrhagic gastroenterocolitis (6%). These results confirm the high frequency of gastroenteric lesions reported in Callitrichidae in captivity.

Nutrition and cancer. Recent developments

Cancer cachexia is a complex syndrome that results in involuntary weight loss, even in the face of adequate nutritional intake. The profound metabolic abnormalities associated with cancer cachexia affect a large percentage of animals with cancer even before any clinical signs are seen. This paraneoplastic syndrome results in alterations in carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism that, if left untreated, decrease the animal's quality of life and lead to a poor response to cancer therapy. An understanding of the metabolic abnormalities associated with cancer cachexia is of paramount importance to the practicing veterinarian to determine an accurate prognosis and to choose the optimal type of intravenous fluids and nutritional therapy for each patient. Although research identifying the optimal diet for cancer-bearing dogs and cats is still underway, some general principles apply. The first is that the patient should receive nutritional elements orally whenever possible. When oral feeding is not possible, nasogastric, gastrostomy, and jejunostomy tube feeding are viable options. When feeding by the gastrointestinal tract is not possible, parenteral feeding is a practical alternative.

Total parenteral nutrition in a neonatal llama

Total parenteral nutrition reversed cachexia, dehydration, and electrolyte abnormalities in a neonatal llama suffering from prolonged diarrhea. Complications were not observed during the 8 days that IV-administered fluids and nutritional support were provided.

Nutrition and the heart

Nutritional deficiencies (e.g., carnitine in dogs, taurine in cats) resulting in cardiomyopathy, and nutritional excesses (e.g., calories leading to obesity, sodium leading to hypertension) have emerged as important considerations in cardiology. These dietary factors may become particularly exaggerated in altered physiological and/or pathological states (e.g., pregnancy, old age, primary cardiovascular disease). Unfortunately, we do not have complete information on requirements for essential nutrients, nor do we know the precise role nutrition may play in the production of so-called old-age diseases or on the interactions among other organ systems (e.g., kidney, liver) and the heart.

Paraneoplastic disorders in dogs with hematopoietic tumors

Often overlooked in the presence of neoplasia, PNDs constitute significant clinical entities in dogs with hematopoietic tumors. They may cause morbidity and mortality in such patients, with effects more severe than those caused by the associated tumor. Accurate clinical evaluation of these disorders is important in differential diagnosis and treatment, for failure to realize that cancer can produce many clinical signs similar to those of other diseases may lead to incorrect diagnosis and delayed therapy. Early recognition of the problem underlying the PND is essential to selecting the proper therapeutic approach and maximizing the patient's chances for remission and survival. The presence of these disorders may complicate or rule out the preferred therapy in some cases of hematopoietic neoplasia, because the addition of cytotoxic drugs may worsen the existing PND, predisposing the dog to a variety of complications. Appropriate management of the PND may be of more immediate importance than treatment of the tumor. The study and recognition of PNDs in dogs with hematopoietic tumors may be valuable for a number of reasons: to facilitate early diagnosis of the tumor, for the observed abnormalities may represent tumor cell markers; to allow assessment of premalignant states; to aid in the search for metastases; to help quantify and monitor response to therapy; to aid in the evaluation of tumor recurrence or progression; to aid in identifying specific pathophysiologic processes by which cancer produces systemic effects; and to provide insight into the study of malignant transformation. Recognition of PNDs is relevant to the diagnosis and treatment of many problems in veterinary cancer medicine. With increasing emphasis on diagnosis and treatment of canine hematopoietic tumors, PNDs will be recognized with greater frequency and will assume greater importance in the therapeutic management of those patients. Research in veterinary and human cancer medicine needs to be directed toward identifying more definitively those substances and pathways that are responsible for PNDs, because therapy directed toward arresting the specific pathophysiologic processes causing the PND may offer the best approach for successful management of cancer.

An analysis of the association of gastroenteric lesions with chronic wasting syndrome of marmosets

Retrospective pathology data from necropsies of 162 marmosets, Saguinus oedipus, were studied to determine the nature of chronic wasting syndrome, a poorly defined entity associated with a high mortality rate in many marmoset colonies. Paraffin sections of the gastroenteric organs of 116 of these marmosets were re-examined in detail; lesions were identified, quantitated, and analyzed with a method of multiple chi-square testing for possible associations between findings. Five distinct disease entities were identified: prosthenorchosis, amebiasis, paramyxovirus disease, sepsis, and chronic colitis. Lesions of several of these often occurred in the same monkey, and all but the first were associated with cachexia. Lesions of chronic colitis were crypt abscesses, mononuclear and polymorphonuclear infiltration of the lamina propria, epithelial cell atypia, karyorrhexis, and lymphoid hyperplasia. The cause of chronic colitis was not identified, nor was any explanation found for weight loss and increased susceptibility to disease.

[Cryptosporidium in veal calves affected with cachexia]

Coccidia of the genus Cryptosporidium were detected in histological sections of the small intestine of three veal calves. Autopsy was performed on these calves as part of a study of the aetiology of the syndrome "cachexia" in veal calves. In addition, typical 4 mu cryptosporidium oocysts were observed in the bowel contents of one of two histologically positive calves examined and seven out of eight other cachectic calves in which coccidia had not been detected on histological examination. The changes of the mucosa of the small intestine observed are described and the possible role of cryptosporidiosis in the pathogenesis of these lesions is discussed.

Histochemical and morphometric evaluation of skeletal muscle of cachectic sheep

Skeletal muscle of sheep was examined histochemically in an attempt to define muscle fiber populations capable of distinctive biological behavior. ATPase at alkaline and acid pH, NADH-TR, and succinic dehydrogenase showed at least 12 fiber types, but only three often enough to be considered biologically important muscle fiber populations. The proportions of the three major types altered during early life, but not perceptibly during adult life. Proportions of Type I and Type II fibers were different, sometimes significantly, from breed to breed. Histochemical techniques and morphometric analyses of fiber cross-sectional area were used to study muscle fiber changes in moderate to marked cachectic atrophy. Progressive reduction of gross muscle volume was attended by complex interrelationships between the two major muscle fiber types, including alternate episodes of atrophy and hypertrophy, resulting in marked inequality of mean fiber size between the fiber types. The patterns appeared to be different but characteristic for each muscle. The usual pattern of cachectic atrophy shows atrophy resistance of Type I fibers, but here a Type II-dominant atrophy also was seen. It is concluded that the large muscle fibers often seen in advanced cachectic atrophy are those Type I fibers that are most labile in both atrophy and hypertrophy than most.