Candidate circulating microRNA biomarkers in dogs with chronic pancreatitis:MicroRNA BIOMARKERS CANINE PANCREATITIS

BACKGROUND: Pancreatitis is an important cause of disease and death in dogs. Available circulating biomarkers are not sufficiently sensitive and specific for a definitive diagnosis.HYPOTHESIS: Circulating microRNAs would be differentially expressed in dogs with chronic pancreatitis and could have potential as diagnostic biomarkers.ANIMALS: Healthy controls (n = 19) and dogs with naturally occurring pancreatitis (n = 17).METHODS: A retrospective case-control study. Dogs with pancreatitis were included if they satisfied diagnostic criteria for pancreatitis as adjudicated by 3 experts. MicroRNA was extracted from stored serum samples and sequenced. Reads were mapped to mature microRNA sequences in the canine, mouse, and human genomes. Differentially expressed microRNAs were identified and the potential mechanistic relevance explored using Qiagen Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA).RESULTS: Reads mapping to 196 mature microRNA sequences were detected. Eight circulating microRNAs were significantly differentially expressed in dogs with pancreatitis (≥2-fold change and false discovery rate &lt;0.05). Four of these mapped to the canine genome (cfa-miR-221, cfa-miR-222, cfa-miR-23a, and cfa-miR-205). Three mapped to the murine genome (mmu-miR-484, mmu-miR-6240, mmu-miR-101a-3p) and 1 to the human genome (hsa-miR-1290). Expression in dogs with pancreatitis was higher for 7 microRNAs and lower for mmu-miR-101a-3p. Qiagen IPA demonstrated a number of the differently expressed microRNAs are involved in a common pancreatic inflammatory pathway.CONCLUSIONS: The significantly differentially expressed microRNAs represent promising candidates for further validation as diagnostic biomarkers for canine pancreatitis.</p

Use of contrast enhanced ultrasound for the diagnosis of idiopathic renal hematuria in a dog

Background: Idiopathic renal hematuria (IRH) generally occurs in healthy large-breed dogs that are <2 years old. It is characterized by recurrent bleeding from the kidneys of unidentified cause. The final diagnosis is reached through exclusion of primary urinary system and systemic causes of hematuria along with the direct visualization by cystoscopy of hematic urine jets at the ureteral orifice. Case Description: A 8-year-old female neutered Whippet was presented for investigation of a 4-week history of chronic intermittent macroscopic hematuria. Physical examination, systolic blood pressure, extensive laboratory work-up (including coagulation profile and platelet count), urine culture, thoracic & abdominal radiographs, pneumocystogram and double-contrast cystography were all unremarkable. B-mode ultrasound showed no abnormalities apart from moderate amount of suspended echogenic amorphous material visible within the urinary bladder lumen. In the contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) study a large amount of echogenic ill-defined material was noted projecting into the urinary bladder lumen from the right ureterovesical junction in fundamental mode. This material was more conspicuous and markedly contrast enhancing in the harmonic mode. Ultrasound contrast medium has the unique property to strictly remain within the vessels without interstitial trapping or elimination by the kidneys. Indeed, the presence of the micro-bubbles into the urinary tract lumen in CEUS study was interpreted as a direct sign of active urinary tract bleeding. A diagnosis of IRH was reached through CEUS and B-mode ultrasound along with an extensive laboratory work-up and periodic follow-up of the patient. No therapy was administered and at 1-year follow-up, the patient was alive with no current episodes of macroscopic hematuria reported. Conclusion: To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report describing the use of CEUS for characterization of IRH. CEUS could represent a safe, non-invasive, affordable novel alternative technique to cystoscopy or cystotomy for the real-time diagnosis of IRH

Proposal for rational antibacterials use in the diagnosis and treatment of dogs with chronic diarrhoea

Chronic diarrhoea is a frequent complaint in canine practice and the diagnostic path is often characterised by numerous diagnostic tests and stepwise empirical treatments, often applied before gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy/mucosal biopsies. These include dietary interventions (novel protein, hydrolysed protein diet), parasiticides and still, in many cases, antibacterials. Indiscriminate use of antibacterial drugs risks detrimental consequences for both the individual patient (antimicrobial resistance, long-term disruption of intestinal bacterial populations, potential worsening of GI signs) and general public. For that reason, in this Perspective essay we advocate use of antibacterials only after histopathologic evaluation of GI biopsies or, for those cases in which endoscopy is not possible, after other therapeutic trials, such as diet/pre-probiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs have proven unsuccessful. They should be reserved, after appropriate dietary trials, for those canine chronic diarrhoeic patients with signs of true primary infection (i.e. signs of systemic inflammatory response syndrome or evidence of adherent-invasive bacteria) that justify antibacterial use