With the exception of the domestic cat, all felid species (Felidae) are currently threatened with extinction in their natural habitat. To develop effective and optimal wild cat conservation programmes with assisted reproductive technology (ART) it is necessary to combine advances from different disciplines of science, starting from the biology of the species, through research into the population and habitat, assisted reproductive technologies, establishment of gene banks, developing bioinformatic systems, and ending with biodiversity and endangered species management. In the last few years knowledge of felid reproduction has expanded considerably thanks to comparative studies utilising the domestic cat as a research model for endangered wild cats. Basic reproductive techniques utilised in both domestic cat breeding and rescuing wild felid populations that are threatened with extinction include semen collection and cryopreservation, artificial insemination, oocyte collection, in vitro maturation, in vitro fertilisation, somatic cloning, and embryo transfer. The main directions in which assisted reproductive technologies are being developed in wild cat conservation implementations and the contribution of Polish research centres in advancing these methods are presented.

Tritrichomonas foetus is a protozoan parasite that has been traditionally identified as a cause of reproductive tract disease in cattle and gastrointestinal tract infection in cats. Moreover, T. foetus is also well known as a commensal of the nasal cavity, intestines, and stomach in swine. In this review we describe T. foetus as a pathogen dangerous to more than one animal host, diagnostic and taxonomic aspects of this infection, and the extent to which isolates from different hosts share genetic identity.

In veterinary medicine, sensitive and specific markers of the early stages of renal failure still remain to be established. Podocytes could be a promising diagnostic tool in veterinary nephrology, especially in the differentiation of active pathological disease and glomerulopathies. Podocin is one of the robust proteins exploitable in detection of podocyturia. This article presents podocyte detection in urine for diagnostic purposes in veterinary medicine using a variety of methods. We describe the advantages and disadvantages of the immunohistochemical technique currently used, and of scanning microscopy, chromatography, and immunostaining. The identification of podocin-positive cells is a promising diagnostic tool in the detection of the early stages of glomerular basement membrane damage. The detection of renal failure prior to the occurrence of azotaemia is of high clinical importance from the clinical and scientific points of view.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate 3 doses of gadoxetic acid (Gd-EOB-DPTA) for hepatic CT and cholangiography in cats and to determine optimal timing for hepatobiliary image acquisition and evaluation of the contrast-enhanced hepatobiliary anatomy. ANIMALS 6 healthy cats. PROCEDURES Cats were anesthetized; sequential CT scans were performed 0, 5, 25, 45, 65, and 85 minutes after IV administration of Gd-EOB-DTPA at low (0.0125 mmol/kg), medium (0.1 mmol/kg), and high (0.3 mmol/kg) doses. Hepatobiliary enhancement for each dose was objectively assessed over time and by use of a subjective semiquantitative visual assessment score. RESULTS No contrast-related adverse effects were detected. Each increase in dose of contrast medium resulted in a significant increase in HU across the hepatobiliary system. The liver had a significantly higher number of HU at 45 minutes, with homogenous enhancement at all doses of contrast medium. Contrast-enhanced cystic and bile duct HU were significantly higher and maximal at 65 minutes. Contrast-enhanced gallbladder HU did not plateau by 85 minutes. At a high dose of contrast medium, 12 of 60 (20%) biliary tract scores indicated no enhancement, 34 (57%) indicated poor enhancement, and 14 (23%) indicated moderate enhancement. No cat had excellent enhancement of the biliary tract at any dose. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Gd-EOB-DTPA–enhanced hepatic CT and cholangiography in cats were safely performed and provided good hepatic enhancement but poor to moderate enhancement of the biliary tract. This technique may be useful for assessing the liver parenchyma in cats, but its value for assessing the biliary tract is questionable.

OBJECTIVE To characterize abdominal lymphatic drainage in cats after thoracic duct ligation (TDL) and cisterna chyli ablation (CCA). ANIMALS 7 purpose-bred research cats. PROCEDURES Baseline CT lymphangiography was performed. A popliteal lymph node was injected with iohexol, and images were acquired at 5-minute intervals for 15 minutes. Cats underwent TDL and CCA; methylene blue was used to aid in identifying lymphatic vessels. The CT lymphangiography was repeated immediately after and 30 days after surgery. All cats were euthanized and necropsied. RESULTS Results of baseline CT lymphangiography were unremarkable for all 7 cats. Only 5 cats completed the study. Leakage of contrast medium at the level of the cisterna chyli was seen on CT lymphangiography images obtained from all cats immediately after surgery. Evaluation of 30-day postoperative CT lymphangiography images revealed small branches entering the caudal vena cava in 2 cats, leakage of contrast medium into the caudal vena cava with no visible branches in 1 cat, and no contrast medium in the caudal vena cava in 2 cats. Contrast medium did not flow beyond the level of the cisterna chyli in any cat. Gross examination during necropsy revealed that all cats had small lymphatic vessels that appeared to connect to local vasculature identified in the region of the cisterna chyli. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Abdominal lymphaticovenous anastomoses formed after TDL and CCA in cats. This would support use of these procedures for treatment of cats with idiopathic chylothorax, although additional studies with clinically affected cats are warranted.

OBJECTIVE To establish reference limits for hepatic bile duct-to-arteriole ratio (BD:A) and bile duct-to-portal tract ratio (BD:PT) in healthy cats and assess whether these parameters could be used to support a diagnosis of biliary ductopenia in cats. SAMPLE Hepatic biopsy samples from healthy cats (n = 20) and cats with ductopenia (2). PROCEDURES Hepatic biopsy samples from healthy cats were used to count the number of bile ducts and hepatic arterioles in 20 portal tracts for each cat. Mean BD:A and mean BD:PT for each cat were calculated, and these values were used to determine reference limits for mean BD:A and mean BD:PT. Results of histologic evaluation, including immunohistochemical staining in some instances, were compared for healthy cats versus cats with ductopenia. RESULTS Of the 400 portal tracts from healthy cats, 382 (95.5%) and 396 (99.0%) had BD:A and BD:PT, respectively, ≥ 1.0, with less variability in BD:A. Mean BD:A and BD:PT were markedly lower in both cats with ductopenia, compared with values for healthy cats. However, only mean BD:A for cats with ductopenia was below the reference limit of 0.59. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated that systematic evaluation of BD:A, with a lower reference limit of 0.59 to define biliary ductopenia in cats, may be a discrete and easily applied morphometric tool to enhance detection of ductopenia in cats. However, application of this ratio required evaluation of ≥ 20 portal tracts with cross-sectioned portal elements to determine a mean BD:A value.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinicopathologic, hemodynamic, and echocardiographic effects of short-term administration of anti-inflammatory dosages of prednisolone to systemically normal cats. ANIMALS 10 cats with allergic dermatitis and 10 healthy control cats. PROCEDURES Cats with allergic dermatitis were randomly allocated to 2 groups and received 2 dosages of prednisolone (1 and 2 mg/kg/d, PO, for 7 days) in a crossover design followed by 9-day tapering and 14-day washout periods. Each prednisolone-treated cat was matched to a healthy control cat on the basis of sex, neuter status, age (± 1 year), and body weight (± 10%). Control cats received no treatment during the 35-day observation period. Clinicopathologic, echocardiographic, and hemodynamic variables were measured at baseline (day 0) and predetermined times during and after prednisolone administration and compared within and between the 2 treatment groups. RESULTS Prednisolone-treated cats had expected clinicopathologic alterations (mild increases in neutrophil and monocyte counts and serum concentrations of albumin, cholesterol, and triglycerides) but systolic arterial blood pressure; blood glucose, serum potassium, and cardiac biomarker concentrations; urinary sodium excretion; and echocardiographic variables did not differ significantly from baseline at any time. Statistically significant, albeit clinically irrelevant, increases in blood glucose and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide concentrations were observed between baseline and the prednisolone pharmacokinetic steady state (7 days after initiation) only when the 2-mg/kg dosage was administered. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated short-term oral administration of anti-inflammatory dosages of prednisolone did not cause relevant hemodynamic, echocardiographic, or diabetogenic effects in systemically normal cats with allergic dermatitis.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate agreement of 4 methods (Tikhonov gamma variate adaptive regularization of plasma concentration-time curve fitting applied to technetium Tc 99m diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid [99mTc-DTPA] plasma clearance [Tk-GV], plasma clearance of exogenous creatinine [CrCL], Gates gamma camera-based measurement method with 99mTc-DTPA renal clearance and dynamic scintigraphy [GTS], and iohexol renal clearance assessed with dynamic CT with Patlak plotting [CT-Pp]) for measuring glomerular filtration rates (GFR) in healthy cats. ANIMALS 7 healthy, laboratory-raised cats. PROCEDURES Each method for measuring GFR was performed twice in 7 cats at 24-day intervals. The Wilcoxon signed-rank sum test was used to compare the results obtained from the 14 studies for each method. Results from the 4 methods were assessed for agreement and correlation. RESULTS The median GFR values were 2.75, 2.83, 3.14, and 4.26 mL/min/kg, for Tk-GV, CT-Pp, plasma CrCL, and GTS, respectively. Analysis with Wilcoxon signed-rank sum tests identified significant pairwise differences between results obtained with the Tk-GV versus the plasma CrCL method, the Tk-GV versus the GTS method, and the plasma CrCL versus the GTS method. The least variable method was Tk-GV, with an SD of 1.27 (mL/min/kg). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Findings indicated that Tk-GV yielded GFR measurements comparable with those obtained with CT-Pp, plasma CrCL, and GTS; however, the Tk-GV method yielded the tightest range of results among the methods evaluated.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate accuracy of articular surfaces determined by use of 2 perpendicular CT orientations, micro-CT, and laser scanning. SAMPLE 23 cat cadavers. PROCEDURES Images of antebrachia were obtained by use of CT (voxel size, 0.6 mm) in longitudinal orientation (CTLO images) and transverse orientation (CTTO images) and by use of micro-CT (voxel size, 0.024 mm) in a longitudinal orientation. Images were reconstructed. Craniocaudal and mediolateral length, radius of curvature, and deviation of the articular surface of the distal portion of the radius of 3-D renderings for CTLO, CTTO, and micro-CT images were compared with results of 3-D renderings acquired with a laser scanner (resolution, 0.025 mm). RESULTS Measurement of CTLO and CTTO images overestimated craniocaudal and mediolateral length of the articular surface by 4% to 10%. Measurement of micro-CT images underestimated craniocaudal and mediolateral length by 1%. Measurement of CTLO and CTTO images underestimated mediolateral radius of curvature by 15% and overestimated craniocaudal radius of curvature by > 100%; use of micro-CT images underestimated them by 3% and 5%, respectively. Mean ± SD surface deviation was 0.26 ± 0.09 mm for CTLO images, 0.30 ± 0.28 mm for CTTO images, and 0.04 ± 0.02 mm for micro-CT images. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Articular surface models derived from CT images had dimensional errors that approximately matched the voxel size. Thus, CT cannot be used to plan conforming arthroplasties in small joints and could lack precision when used to plan the correction of a limb deformity or repair of a fracture.

Conventional geometric formulas for estimating bladder volume assume that bladders have a perfectly uniform spheroid geometry. Bladders are often irregularly shaped, however, especially when under-filled or distorted by a full colon, which results in inaccurate ultrasonographic linear measurements and volume estimation. This pilot study investigates the feasibility, inter-observer reliability (reproducibility), robustness, and agreement of a novel 3-dimensional bladder volume computation method using bladder circumference tracing compared to a published feline linear bladder dimension formula. Paired sets of longitudinal and transverse B-mode bladder ultrasound images (n = 228) were acquired by 2 observers with different point-of-care ultrasonography skills using 10 healthy purpose-bred cats positioned in dorsal recumbency at various time points. Using strict criteria for Lin's concordance correlation coefficient, inter-observer agreements (n = 223) were found to be substantial (0.95 to 0.99) with statistically significant but clinically non-significant median differences (biases) of 0.96 mL [interquartile range (IQR): 0.16 to 2.46, P < 0.001] and 0.23 mL (IQR: 0.88 to 1.97, P = 0.006) when bladder circumference tracings were made on similar sets of ultrasound images respectively. Inter-observer agreements improved from substantial (0.95 to 0.99) to almost perfect (> 0.99) strength-of-agreement as the quality of ultrasound images improved. The bladder circumference tracing method showed moderate (0.90 to 0.95) strength-of-agreement with the recently published feline linear bladder dimension formula, with significant additive median differences (biases) of -6.76 mL (IQR: -9.06 to -3.88, P < 0.001) and -6.44 mL (IQR: -11.41 to -3.81, P < 0.001) recorded by each observer (n = 111, n = 83), respectively. Data obtained from orthogonal ultrasonographic bladder circumference tracings justify further investigation into use of this method for estimating bladder volume in cats.