How Reliable Are Laboratory Test When Diagnosing Bitch Mastitis?

Canine mastitis represents a major threat for both pups and nursing bitch. If left untreated, it can complicate with neonatal death, sepsis, and mastitis gangrenosa; for this reason quick and accurate diagnosis and treatment initiation are crucial health restoration. Even though mastitis is considered to be an emergency, most of the time it is overlooked. Henceforth, clinicians should be aware of the clinical importance of mastitis and that laboratory assays such as milk pH, cytology, and biochemistry (milk and serum) are of high utility. Furthermore, milk microbiology and susceptibility tests are still important since they bring additional information about the pathogenesis and the treatment possibilities

Mastitis Acuta in a Pure Breed Cane Corso female. A Case Report

Data regarding bitch mastitis is fairly scarce compared to the literature regarding ruminant mastitis. Neglecting clinical and subclinical cases of mastitis can be life threatening for both dam and puppies. The aim of this report is to present a case of Mastitis acuta complicated with a case of neonatal septicaemia in a Cane Corso (Canis lupus familiaris L.) pure breed female. Laboratory assays showed a milk pH value of 7.5, milk cytology revealed the presence of segmented neutrophils, while foamy cells, phagocytosis and highly pathogenic bacteria (i.e. Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) were isolated from milk and puppy. To the author's knowledge, this is the first case of bitch mastitis linked to neonatal septicaemia with mixed E. coli and P. aeruginosa infection

European dog owner perceptions of obesity and factors associated with human and canine obesity

Abstract Obesity is a common nutrition-related disorder leading to reduced life expectancy in both humans and dogs. With the aim of identifying new prevention and control options, the study objectives were (1) to investigate dog-owner perceptions about obesity in terms of themselves and their dogs, and (2) to identify factors associated with obesity and possible social, environmental and economic drivers for its development in dog owners and their pets. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was performed across multiple countries. The questionnaire focused on human and canine obesity, associated factors and potential drivers, and was distributed online and in the form of hard copies among dog owners in 11 European countries. In total, 3,185 responses from ten countries were included in multivariable analyses. Between 19.1% and 48.8% of the dog owners reported to be overweight/obese. Owner-reported overweight/obesity in dogs ranged from 6.0% to 31.3% based on body condition score charts, and 31.8% to 69.4% based on body fat index charts. Common factors associated with obesity in owners and their dogs were age, gender and owners’ attitudes to diet and physical activity. Dog owners who did not consider obesity to be a disease were more likely to have obese dogs

Aerobic Isolates from Gestational and Non-Gestational Lactating Bitches (Canis lupus familiaris)

Mastitis is a complex and well-defined mammary gland pathology, and an emergency in bitches. In dogs, its prevalence is about 1% of all reported diseases and about 5.3% of all reproductive pathologies. Lactating bitches are naturally prone to developing mastitis since puppies can easily overstimulate the epidermal layer of nipples during feeding, facilitating bacterial colonization of the glands. This study aimed to describe the aerobic bacterial flora isolated from milk samples derived from a cohort of patients (n = 87) diagnosed with clinical mastitis (n = 29), subclinical mastitis (n = 17) and healthy mammary glands (n = 46). All of the patients underwent a gynecology consultation to diagnose mammary gland afflictions; physical examination results were coupled with traditional hematological findings. The milk samples were plated on specific microbiological media for bacterial isolation. Among the 162 milk samples analyzed, 93.2% (151/162) had a positive microbiological result, while 6.8% (11/162) were sterile. The bacteriological profile of the milk samples showed 47 different species. The most common bacterial families detected in healthy bitches and bitches with subclinical and clinical mastitis were the Staphylococcaceae, Enterobacteriaceae and Enterococcaceae families. The results indicated that half of the isolated bacteria are novel findings in dogs and that some of them are normal components of human milk

Haematologic and biochemical changes in bitchs with clinical and subclinical mastitis

Abstract Mastitis in bitch is in general superficially researched and evaluated. Data regarding blood tests during bitch glandular tissue inflammation is scarcely documented, therefore this paper aims to assess blood response in such cases. A total of 74 blood samples were obtained from lactating dams.These included females with Lactatio sine graviditate, with or without overt signs of mammary gland illness and with or without other signs of disease. Routine complete blood count and serum total proteins were evaluated. Complete blood count and total serum protein levels showed great flexibility, thus making it very difficult to establish and describe a clear and common haematological and biochemical pathway during mastitis inflammatory response. Clincians shoulds not relay only on blood tests whenever dealing with such pathology. Complete blood count and total serum protein levels should only be used as complementary tests, alongside other assays such as milk microbiology or cytology