OBJECTIVE:This study aimed to translate and culturally adapt the Canine OwnerReported Quality of Life (CORQ) questionnaire, developed by Giuffrida et al. (2018), to evaluate the quality of life (QoL) in dogs with cancer, following World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. The QoL is becoming increasingly important in veterinary medicine, especially in the context of companion animals diagnosed with cancer. Many existing studies use non-validated scales, resulting in a lack of reliable instruments in Spanish-speaking populations. METHODS:Construct validity and internal consistency were evaluated using factor analyses and Cronbach's α, and convergent validity was examined against established quality-of-life measures. RESULTS:The findings indicate that the Spanish version of the CORQ exhibits robust psychometric properties, characterized by high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.841 for vitality and 0.946 for wellness) and significant correlations with established QoL measures. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE:This successful adaptation and validation provides Spanish-speaking veterinarians with a reliable tool to assess and manage quality of life in dogs diagnosed with cancer.

The role of small animal veterinary hospitals in the onset and dissemination of antimicrobial-resistant organisms (AMROs) is still not clear, and the implementation of an internal surveillance systems is a cost-effective tool to better understand their impact. The aim of this study was to describe a pilot program of active surveillance in a Spanish Veterinary Teaching Hospital, developed to estimate the detection frequency of AMROs in the commensal flora of patients and in the environment. Surveillance was focused on Methicillin-resistant Staphylococci (MRS), third generation cephalosporins resistant gram-negative bacteria (3GCR-GNB), and carbapenems-resistant gram-negative bacteria (CR-GNB). Oral and perirectal swabs were collected in dogs and cats hospitalized > 48hours, at admission and before discharge. Out of 50 patients sampled, 24% (n=12) were carriers at admission of at least one of the three investigated AMROs. Twenty-eight percent of patients acquired at least one AMRO during the hospital stay. MRS detection frequency at admission was 12%, while acquisition was 6%. 3GCR-GNB detection frequency was 14% at admission and acquisition 22%, while CR-GNB detection frequency was 2% at admission and acquisition 2%. Environmental surveillance (98 samples) showed a total detection frequency of 22.4% for MRS, 2% for 3GCR-GNB and CR-GNB. Clinical staff’ shoe soles showed high detection frequency for MRS (50%). 3GCR Escherichia coli was the most isolated species in patients (n=17). The results show how active surveillance can be used as a tool to assess the impact of AMROs in veterinary hospitals to subsequently build up tailored control plans based on specific issues.

Ozone-therapy is used in humans as a coadjutant treatment in intervertebral disc diseases due to its analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. References in dogs are scarce and limited to clinical cases (intradiscal/paravertebral infiltrations). The aim of this study was to assess the use of medical ozone (MO) as an adjunctive treatment in dogs with intervertebral disc protrusions (Hansen Type II/Chronic). A retrospective study was conducted in dogs diagnosed with intervertebral disc protrusions by MRI/CT in which MO was used as an adjuvant therapy to conventional medical treatment. Neurological examination and quality of life (QL) at the beginning and end of study were recorded, as well as posology and possible side effects. A total of 21 patients of different breeds and sex with a mean age of 12 years were included in this study. Results showed pain relief (7 ± 3 days) and improvement of neurologic signs (11 ± 9 days) with a consequent increasement in QL (13 ± 9 days). Thirteen out of the twenty-one patients (62%) showed a complete remission of the clinical signs. No serious adverse effects were observed. Medical ozone could be a potential complementary therapy to medical treatment in dogs with intervertebral disc protrusions. Prospective studies are necessary.

An 11-year-old, female, neutered labrador retriever with a history of chronic and progressive right hindlimb lameness and facial asymmetry was referred for brain and lumbosacral magnetic resonance imaging and cerebrospinal fluid analysis. Multifocal non-enhancing T2-weighted images of hyperintense lesions were observed in the caudate nuclei and medulla oblongata. The right oculomotor nerve was markedly enlarged and showed marked enhancement on T1-weighted images after contrast injection, and there was diffuse enlargement of the sciatic and femoral nerves in the right hindlimb. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed a mixed pleocytosis. Histopathology revealed granulomatous inflammation affecting the brain, oculomotor and pelvic limb nerves, consistent with a diagnosis of granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis.

Background: Twice daily low trilostane doses have proven to be effective to manage canine Cushing's syndrome. However, survival and prognostic factors in dogs treated with this protocol have not been evaluated. The aim of the study was to evaluate survival and prognostic factors, including systolic blood pressure (SBP) at diagnosis, in dogs with pituitary-dependent hyper-cortisolism (PDH) treated with low trilostane doses. Methods: Medical records of 91 dogs newly diagnosed with PDH initially treated with 0.2-1.1 mg/kg of trilostane twice daily were retrospectively included. Survival times were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier estimator. Univariable and multivariable analysis were performed using the Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. Results: Overall, median survival was 998 days (range 26-1832 days, 95% confidence interval = 755-1241 days). In the multivariable analysis, age (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.337, p < 0.001), presence of calcinosis cutis (HR = 5.271, p < 0.001), body condition score (BCS) <= 3/9 (HR = 8.100, p < 0.001) and higher platelet count (HR = 1.002, p= 0.022) were negatively correlated with survival. SBP was not associated with survival. Conclusions: Low-dose trilostane treatment twice daily provides slightly longer survival than previously reported for dogs with PDH treated once or twice daily at higher doses. Older age, presence of calcinosis cutis, low BCS and higher platelet count, but not systemic hypertension, are predictive of poorer prognosis in dogs with PDH.

Canine inflammatory mammary cancer (IMC) is highly malignant, invasive and a therapeutic challenge, because effective medical treatment is still unavailable. This retrospective study compares the efficacy of an oral cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor combined with toceranib phosphate and oral cyclophosphamide (multi-drug therapy [MT]) with COX-2 inhibitor therapy alone (single-drug therapy [ST]) in dogs diagnosed with secondary IMC. Clinical response, adverse events, overall survival time (OST), disease-free survival (DFS) and time to progression (TTP) were evaluated. Sixteen patients were included, eight received MT and eight receiving ST. Median OST was significantly higher in patients receiving MT (96.0 vs. 37.5 days; p = .046) and in patients with post-surgical rather than non-surgical IMC (86.5 vs. 41.5 days; p = .038). Additionally, median TTP was significantly higher in patients treated with MT (p = .010). In patients with non-surgical IMC, the clinical benefit (CB) was reached in 100% (n = 3) of patients receiving MT and in 33% (n = 1) of those receiving ST; the response duration was significantly longer in MT cases (p = .026). The absence of disease progression at day 30 of treatment was significantly associated with longer OST, DFS and TTP (p = .018, p = .002 and p < .001, respectively). Adverse events occurred more frequently in patients treated with MT compared with ST (p = .026). The MT protocol produced primarily mild to moderate toxicities, which were resolved with supportive care; therefore, the combination of drugs was adequately tolerated by most of the patients. The combination of toceranib, a COX-2 inhibitor and oral cyclophosphamide may be a protocol with potential therapeutic efficacy for dogs with IMC.

Objectives Thelaziosis caused by the nematode Thelazia callipaeda (Spirurida, Thelaziidae) affects the eyes of domestic and wild carnivores, lagomorphs and even humans. The role of cats in spreading thelaziosis remains unclear. The present study assesses the current status of feline T callipaeda infection in Spain and presents the results of the first prophylactic trial conducted in this species. Methods We retrospectively analysed the occurrence of feline thelaziosis (study 1), examined its prevalence based on cross-sectional sampling of endemic areas (study 2), and assessed the therapeutic/prophylactic benefits of a spot-on (moxidectin) and therapeutic efficacy of an eye drop (ivermectin) formulation (study 3). Results In study 1, 69 Thelazia -infected cats were examined. Autochthonous cases were detected in 18/26 municipalities surveyed in Spain, which corresponds to 88.4% (n = 61/69) of the total number of cases. In study 2, 74 cats (20 from La Vera region and 54 from Orense province) were examined from 2011 to 2013. Ten of these cats (13.5%) were infected with T callipaeda . The infection prevalence was 40% (n = 8/20) in La Vera and 3.7% (n = 2/54) in Orense. The therapeutic efficacy of ivermectin was assessed over a summer (2011) in 12 cats, while that of moxidectin was examined over a 17-month period in seven cats. Four of these seven cats were subsequently included in an all-year-round prophylaxis trial. Treatment efficacy ranged from 91.7% (ivermectin) on day 28 after treatment to 100% (moxidectin) on day 14. Moxidectin prevented reinfections in cats. Conclusions and relevance Our data confirm the endemic status of T callipaeda infection in Spain, revealing its high prevalence in cats living in known endemic areas. Moxidectin was effective in treating and preventing infection. We strongly recommend the inclusion of thelaziosis in the differential diagnosis of pets and humans presenting with ocular manifestations, along with adequate preventive measures. Keywords Epidemiology , ocular infection , prevention , , , treatment

The prevention of canine leishmaniosis in healthy dogs requires a multimodal approach combining repellents with an effective vaccine. A vaccine that modulates the cell-mediated immune response against the protozoan has been available in Europe since 2012 (CaniLeish®, Virbac, France). The aim of the present study was to monitor dogs vaccinated with CaniLeish® to examine the kinetics of the antibody response and the safety and tolerance of CaniLeish®. Dogs vaccinated with CaniLeish® were monitored for 12 months. In follow-up visits at baseline (primovaccination or annual booster) (Visit 1, V1), and 1 (V2), 4 (V3), 8 (V4) and 12 (V5) months later, we examined antibody response kinetics using two serology techniques (IFAT and Speed Leish K™). Tolerance to CaniLeish® and its safety were also monitored. Anti-L. infantum IgG antibodies were determined in 242 dogs (125 dogs after primovaccination (Group P) and 117 dogs after booster vaccination (Group B). In addition, 46, 22 and 19 dogs were followed for 2, 3 and 4 years, respectively. At baseline, 100% of dogs in Group P returned negative IFAT and Speed Leish K™ test results while 9.4% (11/117) in Group B tested IFAT positive though Speed Leish K™ negative. In subsequent visits, seropositivity was detected by IFAT in 31.2% (Group P) and 41% (Group B) of the dogs in V2; 16.8% (Group P) and 10.2% (Group B) in V3; 6.4% (Group P) and 8.5% (Group B) in V4; and 3.2% (Group P) and 5.9% (Group B) in V5. All dogs tested Speed Leish K™ negative except two, in which it was later confirmed by molecular testing that they were not infected. Adverse events that could be associated with the vaccine were detected in 20 out of 314 dogs (6.4%). The good clinical status of all dogs was confirmed in an exhaustive clinical exam and haemato-biochemical profile. The Canileish® vaccine was well-tolerated with exceptions that did not appear to be related to age, sex, race or size of vaccinated dogs. Anti-L. infantum antibodies were detected by IFAT in 31.9–40.3% of the dogs 1 month after vaccination, and these antibodies could still be detected in 3.2% of the dogs 1 year later. This means that veterinarians need to use other tools (eg. PCR) to correctly diagnose seropositive dogs.

Objectives Thelaziosis caused by the nematode Thelazia callipaeda (Spirurida, Thelaziidae) affects the eyes of domestic and wild carnivores, lagomorphs and even humans. The role of cats in spreading thelaziosis remains unclear. The present study assesses the current status of feline T callipaeda infection in Spain and presents the results of the first prophylactic trial conducted in this species. Methods We retrospectively analysed the occurrence of feline thelaziosis (study 1), examined its prevalence based on cross-sectional sampling of endemic areas (study 2), and assessed the therapeutic/prophylactic benefits of a spot-on (moxidectin) and therapeutic efficacy of an eye drop (ivermectin) formulation (study 3). Results In study 1, 69 Thelazia-infected cats were examined. Autochthonous cases were detected in 18/26 municipalities surveyed in Spain, which corresponds to 88.4% (n = 61/69) of the total number of cases. In study 2, 74 cats (20 from La Vera region and 54 from Orense province) were examined from 2011 to 2013. Ten of these cats (13.5%) were infected with T callipaeda. The infection prevalence was 40% (n = 8/20) in La Vera and 3.7% (n = 2/54) in Orense. The therapeutic efficacy of ivermectin was assessed over a summer (2011) in 12 cats, while that of moxidectin was examined over a 17-month period in seven cats. Four of these seven cats were subsequently included in an all-year-round prophylaxis trial. Treatment efficacy ranged from 91.7% (ivermectin) on day 28 after treatment to 100% (moxidectin) on day 14. Moxidectin prevented reinfections in cats. Conclusions and relevance Our data confirm the endemic status of T callipaeda infection in Spain, revealing its high prevalence in cats living in known endemic areas. Moxidectin was effective in treating and preventing infection. We strongly recommend the inclusion of thelaziosis in the differential diagnosis of pets and humans presenting with ocular manifestations, along with adequate preventive measures.

The main hypothesis for the aetiology of meningoencephalitis of unknown origin (MUO) in dogs is an autoimmune or genetic cause that is associated with a triggering event (environmental factors/infectious agents). The aim of this ambispective cohort study was to test for Leishmania infantum infection in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of dogs with MUO in an endemic area of canine leishmaniosis. Dogs with MUO were selected amongst all dogs undergoing blood anti-L. infantum antibody testing (control group). The blood plasma or serum samples from all dogs were analysed for anti- L. infantum antibodies by a quantitative indirect fluorescent assay (IFAT). In dogs with MUO, CSF samples were obtained for analysed by PCR detection of L. infantum DNA. Forty-four percent and 22% of the dogs in the MUO group featured magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and CSF cytology respectively, consistent with L. infantum infection. IFAT, PCR, and histological findings were negative for L. infantum. A significant difference in L. infantum infection prevalence was found between the control and MUO group (p = 0.0022). While it seems unlikely that L. infantum plays a role in the aetiology of MUO, in endemic areas, this pathogen should be included in the differential diagnosis of this neurological disorder.

Meningoencephalitis of unknown origin (MUO) is a common inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. Several studies investigated finding prognostic factors, but results are contradictory. The aim of this study was to determine the concentrations of blood lactate (Blood-L) and cerebrospinal fluid lactate (CSF-L) in dogs with MUO for prognostic purposes. A total of 45 dogs with MUO (MUO group) and 11 with idiopathic epilepsy (IE group) were included. In the MUO group, 22 dogs were treated with prednisolone + cytosine arabinoside, 17 with prednisolone +/- cyclosporine, and six received no treatment. In the MUO group, there was a strong-moderate positive correlation between Blood-L and CSF-L (rho = 0.63557; P < 0.0001), a strong-moderate negative correlation between survival and CSF-L (rho = -0.50210; P < 0.0004), and a weak negative correlation between survival and Blood-L (rho = -0.35685; P < 0.0220). Dogs with a favourable response to treatment at 1 month had lower initial concentrations of Blood-L and CSF-L (P < 0.0010; P < 0.0037), and those with a worse response had higher values (P < 0.0497; P < 0.0004). Dogs that remained stable with treatment showed lower CSF-L concentrations (P < 0.0013). Dogs with Blood-L>4 mmol/L (P < 0.03) and/or CSF-L> 4 mmol/L (P < 0.009) had lower survival rates with the latter also showing more severe signs, probably indicating severe neuronal damage. These findings suggest that concentrations of CSF-L and Blood-L in dogs with MUO could be used as prognostic indicators. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A retrospective study of 13 cases of dogs treated with chemotherapy for lymphosarcoma that suffered relapse with central or peripheral nervous system involvement was performed in order to describe findings and response to treatment. No statistical correlation was found between sex, age, clinical stage or presentation of neoplastic disease with the onset of neurological signs. However, the study indicates a racial predisposition to suffer neurologic relapse in pure breed dogs, and an increased risk in brachycephalic breed. Neuroanatomical location was mainly intracranial (7 cases) whereas spinal cord involvement (3 cases) and multifocal location (3 cases) occur less commonly. The most common presenting neurological signs were seizures, abnormal behavior and hind limb weakness, followed by thoracolumbar pain and bilateral trigeminal nerve paralysis. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis was performed in 6 patients; all of them were diagnosed of secondary involvement lymphoma. Some cases were treated with specific therapheutic agents for neurologic symptoms and all of them had an excellent initial response; despite this fact, long-lasting control of symptoms is not achieved, with an average remission time of 50 days.

Se realiza un estudio retrospectivo de 13 casos de perros tratados con quimioterapia por linfoma que sufren recaida con afectacion del sistema nervioso central o periferico, con el fin de describir los hallazgos encontrados y respuesta al tratamiento de los mismos. No se ha encontrado correlacion estadistica entre sexo, edad, estadio clinico o forma de presentacion de la enfermedad neoplasica con la aparicion de signos neurologicos. Sin embargo, se ha demostrado una predisposicion racial a desarrollar recaidas neurologicas en perros de raza pura, y un riesgo mayor si pertenece a razas braquicefalas. La localizacion neuroanatomica fue mayoritariamente intracraneal (7 casos), con menor representacion de afectacion medular (3 casos) o multifocal (3 casos). Los signos clinicos mas frecuente fueron convulsiones, alteracion de comportamiento y debilidad del tercio posterior, seguidos de dolor toracolumbar y paralisis bilateral del nervio trigemino. El analisis del liquido cefalorraquideo se realizo en 6 pacientes; en todos ellos el diagnostico fue de afectacion secundaria del linfoma. Algunos de los casos fueron tratados frente al cuadro neurologico con diferentes alternativas, obteniendo en todos ellos una excelente respuesta inicial; pese a este dato, no se consigue un control duradero del cuadro clinico (el tiempo de remision medio fue de 50 dias).

Este proyecto aplica las tecnicas de virtualizacion de imagenes de piezas anatomicas normales y patologicas con fines de creacion de modelos digitales y con impresion 3D para docencia en Anatomia y Cirugia Veterinarias.