Frequency of Blood Types A, B and AB in a Population of Non-Pedigree Domestic Cats from Central Italy

Blood transfusion reactions and neonatal isoerythrolysis are common events in the feline population due to the presence of natural alloantibodies in the AB blood group system. It is known that the frequency of feline blood types varies according to the geographic region and breed. Therefore, the aims of this study were to investigate the frequency of AB blood groups in non-pedigree domestic cats in Central Italy and estimate the risk of a life-threatening transfusion reaction and neonatal isoerythrolysis, caused by mismatched transfusion or incompatible random mating, respectively. The AB blood group was determined on non-pedigree domestic feline patients and potential blood donors submitted at the Veterinary Teaching Hospitals of the Universities of Teramo (Abruzzo Region, Teramo, Italy) and Perugia (Umbria Region, Teramo, Italy), and visited at veterinary practitioners in Rome (Lazio Region, Teramo, Italy) using commercial immunochromatographic cartridges and commercial agglutination cards. There were four hundred and eighty-three cats included in the study. The frequencies of the blood types were: 89.9% type A, 7.0% type B, and 3.1% type AB. The probability of an acute hemolytic transfusion reaction or a neonatal isoerythrolysis was 6.5%. Although the frequency of type B in non-pedigree domestic cats living in Central Italy was relatively low, to reduce the risk of fatal transfusion reactions, blood group typing is recommended before each transfusion

Invasive pleural malignant mesothelioma with rib destruction and concurrent osteosarcoma in a dog

A 7-year-old Dachshund was clinically examined because of a 10-day history of lameness in the left hind limb. On the basis of radiological and cytological findings, an osteosarcoma of the left acetabular region was suspected. The dog underwent a hemipelvectomy and osteosarcoma was diagnosed by subsequent histopathological examination. An immovable subcutaneous mass was noted on the left chest wall during the physical examination and non-septic neutrophilic inflammation was diagnosed by cytology. Forty days later, the dog showed signs of respiratory distress with an in-diameter increase of the subcutaneous mass up to 4 cm. Thoracic radiography and ultrasonography revealed pleural effusion and a lytic process in the fourth left rib. Furthermore, ultrasound examination revealed a mixed echogenic mobile structure with a diameter of around 2 cm floating within the pleural fluid of the left hemithorax close to the pericardium. The dog underwent surgery for an en bloc resection of the subcutaneous mass together with the fourth rib and the parietal pleura. Moreover, the left altered lung lobe, corresponding to the mobile structure detected by ultrasound, was removed. Based on cytological, histopathological, and immunohistochemical examinations, an invasive epithelioid pleural malignant mesothelioma was diagnosed

ZOOMICS: comparative metabolomics of red blood cells from dogs, cows, horses and donkeys during refrigerated storage for up to 42 days

The use of omics technologies in human transfusion medicine has improved our understanding of the red blood cell (RBC) storage lesion(s). Despite significant progress towards understanding the storage lesion(s) of human RBCs, a comparison of basal and post-storage RBC metabolism across multiple species using omics technologies has not yet been reported, and is the focus of this study

Per il 450° anniversario della nascita di Galileo Galilei. Iniziativa di divulgazione interdisciplinare

Conferenze storico scientifiche su Galileo Galilei, Conferenze-concerto sul ruolo della musica nella formazione e nella scienza di Galileo Galilei, Mostra libraria di testi galileiani, Ricostruzione di esperimenti e strumenti di Galileo Galilei (vedi il programma nel file allegato)

Invasive pleural malignant mesothelioma with rib destruction and concurrent osteosarcoma in a dog

A 7-year-old Dachshund was clinically examined because of a 10-day history of lameness in the left hind limb. On the basis of radiological and cytological findings, an osteosarcoma of the left acetabular region was suspected. The dog underwent a hemipelvectomy and osteosarcoma was diagnosed by subsequent histopathological examination. An immovable subcutaneous mass was noted on the left chest wall during the physical examination and non-septic neutrophilic inflammation was diagnosed by cytology. Forty days later, the dog showed signs of respiratory distress with an in-diameter increase of the subcutaneous mass up to 4 cm. Thoracic radiography and ultrasonography revealed pleural effusion and a lytic process in the fourth left rib. Furthermore, ultrasound examination revealed a mixed echogenic mobile structure with a diameter of around 2 cm floating within the pleural fluid of the left hemithorax close to the pericardium. The dog underwent surgery for an en bloc resection of the subcutaneous mass together with the fourth rib and the parietal pleura. Moreover, the left altered lung lobe, corresponding to the mobile structure detected by ultrasound, was removed. Based on cytological, histopathological, and immunohistochemical examinations, an invasive epithelioid pleural malignant mesothelioma was diagnosed

Familial Cutaneous Vasculopathy in two twin German shepherd dog

Introduction: Cutaneous vasculitis represents an uncommon disorder in dogs; most of it is attributedto immunoreactive mechanisms, but they are poorly studied and characterized. Familial cutaneousvasculopathy of the German shepherd dog is a rare disease, with only few works discussingthis disease. Its exact pathogenesis still remains unknown. However, an immune-mediated vasculopathywith an autosomal-recessive mode of inheritance was suggested.Material and methods: We report two cases of twin German shepherd dogs, male, 4-months-old,with clinical signs of lethargy and fever, lameness with dropped carpi and tarsi, poor body conditions,stunted growth, poor coat quality, swelling of the bridge of the nose and all four footpads,most of which appeared depigmented.Results: At necropsy, both dogs showed severe oedema of all four footpads, the bridge of the nose,mesentery and gastric submucosa, and a diffuse oedematous appearance of subcutaneous tissues ofventral thorax and abdomen, peritracheal and perioesophageal connective tissues. Bilateral multiplepale renal cortical foci were observed in both animals, while only one showed gastric ulcers andvalvular endocardiosis of the left atrioventricular valve. Histopathological examination of nose andfootpad samples revealed severe oedema and nodular to diffuse dermatitis, mainly presenting aperivascular pattern involving the deep dermis, panniculus and subcutis, associated with vasculardamage, characterized by thickening of the vessel wall, hyaline degeneration, sometimes infiltrationof inflammatory cells, and occasionally leukocytoclasia. A focal superficial dermatitis with hydropicdegeneration of basal cells and pigmentary incontinence was observed in some footpads. We founda diffuse inflammatory infiltrate, characterized by monuclear cells and neutrophils, associated withcollagenolysis and involvement of vessels in all oedematous tissues, as well as in deep fascia andepimysium, associated with myofiber atrophy, fibrosis and myositis.Discussion: We diagnosed familial cutaneous vasculopathy of the German shepherd dog based onthe characteristic cutaneous histological features. Our findings showed, that in addition to cutaneouslesions there were features of systemic vasculitis, involving small and medium-sized vessels.[...