Digestive Diseases in Brachycephalic Dogs.

In addition to presenting with respiratory signs, many dogs with brachycephalic airway obstructive syndrome show digestive tract signs related to the same conformational abnormalities. A detailed diagnostic investigation is usually required, including clinicopathologic analyses, thoracic radiographs, fluoroscopic studies, abdominal ultrasound examinations and both upper airway and gastrointestinal tract endoscopy. In most cases, medical therapies are successful in managing clinical signs, but surgery can occasionally be required to resolve hiatal hernia or pyloric stenosis. In determining prognosis, the features of each individual case should be considered, with the overall prognosis depending on the severity and extent of all the identified lesions

Comparison of 3 handling techniques for endoscopic gastric and duodenal biopsies:a prospective study in dogs and cats

BACKGROUND: Limited evidence exists in the literature regarding whether a specific mount is preferable to use for processing endoscopically obtained gastrointestinal biopsy specimens. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To compare 3 methods of handling endoscopically obtained gastrointestinal biopsy specimens from collection to laboratory processing and to determine if any technique produced superior results. ANIMALS: Twenty‐three dogs and cats presented for gastrointestinal signs. METHODS: Prospective study of dogs and cats presented with gastrointestinal signs to a veterinary teaching referral hospital which underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Biopsy specimens were taken from the stomach and duodenum and submitted to the laboratory using 3 techniques: mounted on a cucumber slice, mounted on a moisturized synthetic foam sponge, and floating free in formalin. The techniques were compared with regard to the specimens' width, orientation, presence of artifacts, and pathologist's confidence in diagnosis. RESULTS: Twenty‐three patients were included, with a total of 528 biopsies collected. Specimens on cucumber slice and on sponge were significantly wider (P < .001 and P = .001, respectively) compared to those floating free in formalin (mean width of 3.81 versus 3.31 and 2.52 mm, respectively). However, specimens on synthetic sponge had significantly fewer artifacts compared to those on cucumber slice (P = .05) and those floating free in formalin (P = .02). Confidence in the diagnosis also was superior with the sponge technique over floating free specimens (P = .002). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: The use of mounted gastrointestinal biopsy specimens was superior over the use of specimens floating free in formalin. This technique improved the quality of the specimens and the pathologist's confidence in their histopathologic interpretation

Immunohistochimie des lymphomes gastrointestinaux du chat

Chez le chat, les lymphomes sont les tumeurs les plus fréquentes du tractus digestif. La seule étude morphologique par l’examen cytologique et/ou histopathologique ne permet pas dans tous les cas de différencier un lymphome d’une lésion hyperplasique ou réactionnelle et elle n’autorise pas non plus le typage des tumeurs qui nécessite l’identification précise de la sous-population cellulaire à l’origine de la prolifération néoplasique. Actuellement, au moyen d’un nombre limité d’anticorps utilisables sur des prélèvements fixés par le formol et inclus en paraffine, c’est-à-dire dans les conditions de la pratique clinique courante, le recours à des techniques immunohistochimiques permet d’accroitre de manière sensible les informations obtenues par l’examen histologique pratiquées sur des biopsies, aussi bien pour le typage des tumeurs que pour le diagnostic différentiel des lésions non tumorales. Les principes, modalités, indications et limites de ce type de méthodes appliquées à la gastroentérologie du chat sont présentés dans cette synthèse

Feline low-grade alimentary lymphoma: an emerging entity and a potential animal model for human disease

Background: Low-grade alimentary lymphoma (LGAL) is characterised by the infiltration of neoplastic T-lymphocytes, typically in the small intestine. The incidence of LGAL has increased over the last ten years and it is now the most frequent digestive neoplasia in cats and comprises 60 to 75% of gastrointestinal lymphoma cases. Given that LGAL shares common clinical, paraclinical and ultrasonographic features with inflammatory bowel diseases, establishing a diagnosis is challenging. A review was designed to summarise current knowledge of the pathogenesis, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of feline LGAL. Electronic searches of PubMed and Science Direct were carried out without date or language restrictions. Results: A total of 176 peer-reviewed documents were identified and most of which were published in the last twenty years. 130 studies were found from the veterinary literature and 46 from the human medicine literature. Heterogeneity of study designs and outcome measures made meta-analysis inappropriate. The pathophysiology of feline LGAL still needs to be elucidated, not least the putative roles of infectious agents, environmental factors as well as genetic events. The most common therapeutic strategy is combination treatment with prednisolone and chlorambucil, and prolonged remission can often be achieved. Developments in immunohistochemical analysis and clonality testing have improved the confidence of clinicians in obtaining a correct diagnosis between LGAL and IBD. The condition shares similarities with some diseases in humans, especially human indolent T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. Conclusions: The pathophysiology of feline LGAL still needs to be elucidated and prospective studies as well as standardisation of therapeutic strategies are needed. A combination of conventional histopathology and immunohistochemistry remains the current gold-standard test, but clinicians should be cautious about reclassifying cats previously diagnosed with IBD to lymphoma on the basis of clonality testing. Importantly, feline LGAL could be considered to be a potential animal model for indolent digestive T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder, a rare condition in human medicine

Entéropathies chroniques du chat, quelles spécificités ?

Les entéropathies du chat sont des affections fréquentes dont l’origine peut être infectieuse, alimentaire, dysimmunitaire ou tumorale. Leur présentation est très équivoque et dans de nombreux cas, les signes cliniques orientent vers une atteinte diffuse entérocolique. La précision des signes cliniques reste cependant déterminante dans le choix des examens complémentaires. Les chats jeunes avec des signes cliniques modérés sont le plus souvent atteints par des protozoaires ou par des troubles de la tolérance alimentaire. En présence de diarrhée, une parasitose doit être recherchée par coproscopie sur 3 prélèvements successifs et PCR tritrichomonas. La fibroplasie sclérosante éosinophilique féline est une entité récemment décrite. Elle affecte aussi les jeunes adultes et peut être suspectée lors d’éosinophilie périphérique ou de masse digestive. Chez les animaux âgés de plus de huit ans, le lymphome digestif de bas grade est une cause fréquente d’entéropathie chronique. Les principaux signes cliniques incluent un amaigrissement, une anorexie (ou une polyphagie) et des vomissements. Le diagnostic est histologique selon de nouveaux critères, récemment mieux cernés. Les entéropathies lymphoplasmocytaires, éosinophiliques et les autres néoplasies affectent des chats de tout âge et peuvent s’exprimer par des présentations cliniques variées. L’échographie abdominale couplée à l’examen cytologique en cas d’adénopathie ou de masse digestive constitue une étape préliminaire et essentielle du diagnostic. Si nécessaire, des biopsies digestives soumises à une analyse histologique et immunohistochimique sont déterminantes pour la distinction spécifique entre inflammation chronique et lymphome de bas grade.Les entéropathies chroniques sont des affections très fréquentes dans l’espèce féline. Elles affectent les chats de toute race, de tout sexe et de tout âge. Elles regroupent des causes infectieuses, alimentaires, inflammatoires ou néoplasiques. La connaissance des données épidémiologiques et cliniques de chaque entité est essentielle afin de préciser les hypothèses diagnostiques propres à chaque individu et de hiérarchiser ainsi les examens complémentaires les plus adaptés

Congenital Partial Colonic Agenesis in Dogs and Cats: Clinical, Biological, Diagnostic Imaging, Endoscopic and Histopathologic Characterization, a Retrospective Study

Congenital diseases of the large intestine of dogs and cats have scarcely been reported and mostly include fistula, atresia or colonic duplication. Cases of partial colonic agenesis have rarely been described. The purpose of this study was to report a cohort of dogs and cats diagnosed with partial colonic agenesis. The colon was measured during colonoscopy or contrast-radiography and compared to the average length described in the literature. Six dogs and 17 cats were retrospectively included. Depending on the case, partial colonic agenesis could represent an incidental finding or the likeliest cause of clinical signs. Diarrhea was reported in most cases, and no specific clinical or biological abnormality was observed. Median age of presentation was variable and long asymptomatic periods were common. Abdominal ultrasound was useful and identified a short colon in 14/17 cats but only in one dog. Endoscopy was useful to confirm the diagnosis and to identify associated lesions and complications. Among others, colonic stenosis was reported in 8/9 cases that had lifelong clinical signs and the shortest colon length. This anatomical abnormality could promote chronic inflammation that might generate fibrosis and ultimately stenosis

Comment on Kieslinger et al. A Recurrent <i>STAT5B^N642H</i> Driver Mutation in Feline Alimentary T Cell Lymphoma. <i>Cancers</i> 2021, <i>13</i>, 5238

We have read with great interest the recently published article by M. Kieslinger et al. in Cancers Journal [...

Is electroejaculation a safe procedure in cats? An endoscopic and histological prospective blinded study

Transrectal electrostimulation is a technique used for semen collection in several animals including felids, but also in humans with spinal cord injuries and in specific cases of anejaculation. To the authors' knowledge, safety and innocuity on rectal mucosa has not yet been assessed histologically. A prospective study was performed on 10 European cats in order to determine the impact of electroejaculation on the rectal mucosa, by performing endoscopic and histological evaluation of the rectal mucosa. Endoscopic evaluation was performed before and after semen collection. Standardized biopsy specimens were collected immediately after semen collection, on the site of electrostimulation and on the proximal part of the descending colon as a control, for further double-blinded histopathological evaluation. The degree of inflammation was evaluated following the criteria from the WSAVA Gastrointestinal Standardization Group. Semen collection by electrostimulation did not induce significant histological and endoscopic lesions. Electrostimulation may therefore be considered as a safe technique to collect semen in cats

Lymphome intestinal de bas grade félin : validation d’un modèle spontané et émergent illustrant les lymphoproliférations digestives indolentes à cellules T de l’homme

Indolent T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder of the GI tract (GI-TLPD) is a rare human gastrointestinal T cell lymphoma, with no therapeutic consensus. Meanwhile, an emerging indolent GI lymphoma affecting the ageing cat (T-cell low grade intestinal lymphoma ; T-LGIL) has been reported by the veterinary community. T-LGIL entity was prospectively defined at the clinical, paraclinical, histopathological and molecular levels in order to validate a potential model for the human disease. New histopathologic and immunohistochemical criteria were defined. Clonality analysis showed mainly monoclonal TCR rearrangement. The second part of the study led us to describe discriminating criteria to differentiate T-LGIL from lymphoplasmacytic enteritis. A new lymphomagenesis model was therefore suggested, evoking a continuity between an intestinal chronic antigenic stimulation and a clonal emergence of small T-cell lymphocytes within the intestinal mucosa. In conclusion, we assume that feline T-LGIL is a relevant model to better characterize human GI-TLPD.Les lymphoproliférations à cellules T du tractus gastro-intestinal (GI-TLPD) sont des lymphomes T rares chez l’Homme pour lesquels aucun consensus thérapeutique n’est établi. Par ailleurs, une lymphoprolifération digestive indolente à cellules T (T-LGIL) émergente est décrite dans l’espèce féline. La physiopathologie de ces entités est mal définie. Dans un premier temps, nous avons prospectivement analysé des prélèvements lésionnels chez 22 chats présentant un T-LGIL sur les plans clinique, paraclinique, histopathologique et moléculaire. Nos résultats valident que ce modèle animal est pertinent pour l’étude de la maladie humaine. Dans l’autre partie du travail, notre objectif a été l’identification de critères discriminant les lymphoproliférations indolentes félines des entérites lymphoplasmocytaires, ce diagnostic différentiel étant un défi chez le chat. Nous avons établi de nouveaux critères histologiques et immunohistochimiques. Un modèle de lymphomagenèse a été proposé : il repose sur un continuum entre une entéropathie inflammatoire chronique et l’émergence de clones néoplasiques T au sein de la muqueuse intestinale.Freiche Valérie, Cordonnier-Lefort Nathalie, Paulin Mathieu-Victor, Huet Hélène, Turba Maria-Elena, Macintyre Elizabeth, Malamut Georgia, Cerf-Bensussan Nadine, Molina Thierry Jo, Hermine Olivier, Bruneau Julie, Couronné Lucile. Lymphome intestinal de bas grade félin : validation d’un modèle spontané et émergent illustrant les lymphoproliférations digestives indolentes à cellules T de l’homme. In: Bulletin de l'Académie Vétérinaire de France tome 173, 2020. pp. 9-19